Moment Musicaux

Thanks to Uncle S, the Boy and I got complimentary tickets to the re-run of Dim Sum Dollies’ The History of Singapore. The Theatre was near full house. We had a great view — 2-seater stall seats c’mon — and I must say I immensely enjoyed every moment of the musical. At least, there was no one seated directly behind us so I probably affected others more with my laughter hur hur.

The Dollies + Chopsticks are just too talented. The stories were extreme-LEE Singaporean, though it’ll probably be hard to catch the flow if you didn’t stay awake during Social Studies, read the news or know some dialect (vulgarities included). Thankfully, I (sort of) did. Hur hur. Well-written and arranged songs, elaborate costumes, witty repartee, and that humour. Just my kind! I simply loved the -LEE jibes and oh! My estate got represented! Hahahahha. Sorry, I’m rambling. Well, yes, it didn’t have to take too many people to make this show still a thoroughly entertaining one. Man, I wish I could be part of such an awesome production. Even Uncle S says that he still gets tickled even when he’s been working on (the sound design of) every show of this run so far. But the Boy has been to so many of these, its nothing exceptional. Bleh.

And and and, I dragged the Boy to follow me to get autographs from people he already knew. Hur hur. Solly lah, I is musical-wannabe lorz.

The musical’s run ends on Thursday. So go catch it if you can!

The interview went quite painlessly.

The CD didn’t say much; he just browsed through my portfolio and made comments like "Soccer and cars? Isn’t that quite hard to write?" I just smiled and said that I enjoy both, so he asked me a bit more about cars. "You’ve got quite masculine tastes huh". I smiled and shrugged.

Verdict:
He said that they’d just restructured, and there would definitely be some permanent slots in a while. By doing freelance first, we both can check out each other’s style (he didn’t put it exactly that way, but that’s the gist) till something’s firmed up. I wonder why he said that they usually don’t hire junior copywriters, but now and then they do. And repeated himself twice.

I want to start ASAP… My finances are drying up. Pray hard he doesn’t bail out on me.

First and foremost, happy 21st birthday to Bonk the Frontman (16 Feb)! It seemed like such a quiet affair, his 21st, but that probably suits his lepak character hur hur. His birthday gift is still somewhere in the air freight, and I wonder what is taking so long for it to arrive. Been 2 weeks since I ordered it! It better not get lost in transition. Gah.

Valentine’s Day was a nice, (albeit forcibly) quiet affair too. Why? Adam brought me to Prego’s at the Swissotel and we had their V’s Day set meal (duh). Our reservation was at 6.30pm. There was nary a soul there, but they HAD to place us beside a table that was occupied by a mother and her young son. It was that awkward. And others got to sit at some place that wasn’t near anyone else. Bleh. Atas food = small portions = nothing awesome. The Boy was still very hungry after that. So we ordered hotdogs and caught CJ7, then went to look for his mom who had a V’s Day show at the NLB to go home together. Chi chi time, yikes. (I only like to observe these straddling-between real-and-reel-life characters. Disclaimer: Doesn’t apply to his mom!)

Today, I recorded all my drum tracks for the upcoming YAWA? EP in almost 6 hours. Got a bit stressed midway because I was tired and screwing up. It was the exact feeling I had when I was young: I practiced piano for almost 2 hours, doing the same thing over and over and not being able to take a break until I got that particular crazy part flawless 5 times. I will now attempt to salvage my self-efficacy levels by claiming that my musicality confidence issue is better after today. Anyway, we’ll continue doing the EP at Snakeweed, and probably be done by end of May. If all goes well, our little album would have quite a bit of clout on its credits… Heh heh.

Another interview tomorrow. Will this be the one…?

Mupdates are self-indulgent and mundane updates. 

Somehow, the brevity of you flying off has only just hit home — an hour after you’ve flown. I’ve been in denial about you leaving, telling myself that it’s going to be but a year and a half. I’m such an idiot. It’s DEFINITELY going to be different not having you around. I’m not going to be the one who’s going to miss your presence the most, but it still matters a lot that there won’t be another AMN1 to be retarded, make music, share secrets and stuff with. It’s never going to be the same with anyone else.

I can’t help but berate myself about being so nonchalant that you were leaving. It was denial, which explains how little I met up with you despite knowing you were flying off. For a year and a half! Who was I kidding when I thought it was going to be painless. I’m sorry that I took the departure of a friend I consider so dear this easily. Why was I still trying to hold back my tears when you were entering the departure area?

You mean much more than my stupid ego, than my asinine beliefs that crying is a sign of weakness. You’re the best thing that happened to me in 2004, do you know that? Our friendship is extremely dear to me, yes it is.

I’m still glad that you’re going to pursue your dreams and upgrade your skills, but I’m feeling the loss badly now. I’ll be okay soon, though. Life goes on, doesn’t it. :]

Do well and become a kickass journalist. And above all, take good care of yourself and stay close to God.

I’ll be missing you, Eve. 

The nice, long, 4 crazy days of CNY is over, and it’s back to life for everyone. Maybe minus me. I’ve finally figured out that I have acid reflux (which has gotten worse this year) so I’m faithfully taking some enzyme-powder to minimise the damage to my poor g-astronomical system. After stuffing myself with countless crabs and the usual steamboats — my appetite is bigger than my stomach — it’s hello to even more girth, yessir. Bah.

Having no car is such an inconvenience; my family didn’t visit many places, which means that this year’s takings weren’t plentiful. Oh well, this amount is going to be what decides when I die-die have to be employed by. YBS should be reverting this week. Hopefully.

I must admit, though, that despite the initial angpaos-are-my-only-motivation-for-CNY protests, spending time karaoke-ing and being silly and chatty with relatives and friends whom I don’t see often is a very nice feeling.

Have a great Rat race in 2008, y’all.

After all that’s said and done, it still will never be easy to face you ever again.

I’ve finished Howards End by E. M. Forster. It’s a classic, so saying that it’s a very well-written book is an understatement. I liked the way he explores humanity through the characters of the book, and even seems to make self-discoveries, both disappointing and heartening ones, as he pens his thoughts into narration. This book is also one that many say is the closest to his real, personal views, so it’s no surprise that Howards End reveals Forster’s rhetorics on being able to connect and reconcile the poetic with the practical.

Thomas Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd is the next journey I’m embarking on. It’s quite a thick book, but for now, its writings seem far simpler than Forster’s almost-poetic Howards End.

I’ve almost forgotten where reading takes me, and it’s a nice feeling to be able to soak up the imagination of the author, to step into his shoes (or the characters’) and view the novel through the eyes of a sensitive, intellectual soul. I’m too easily influenced, yes, and as you can already see — my sentences are much longer than what I’d use to type. My train of thought has somewhat been romanticised by Howards End. Connect. Practicality has too long been holding me down, and I’m surprised to find myself a little ashamed to identify with the practical sensibility of the Wilcoxes. I wish that my senses and thoughts can once again run wild into the abandoned forest growing at the back of my mind. Of course, not yet without caution; thistles, wild animals and insects will bite and sting.

I laugh at my sillyness. Perhaps I’m not ready to put practicality away. Or maybe, not ever. Oh well.