"A Thousand Years" By Christina Perri Covered by Clara C & Legaci

So this is what happened.

I had some fun, crazy 3 weeks. Shall put them all in point form because I'm lazy to organized them in sentence. Teehee. It all started with... Arranging assignment (Asg).

• Didn't have a good sleep because I was working hard on this project with my friend, WeiHsing. Day after day after classes, we reached home around 9pm and started that killer Asg. We didn't sleep all night for at least 3 days consecutively. 
• Then came the week to hand in. We were both late for 20mins and we were extremely exhausted. I'm praying for a miracle and I believe it's already a done deal. God's favour went forth ahead of us.
• Plus, we have like hours of tribute band practice that time. Every evening starting from 6pm till 12-1am. Not to mentioned, our band got shelling. We needed to work on so many areas- the details that count.
• Because I was sleep deprived, my mind wasn't alert enough to walk through my day. I became absent minded : Thought I lost my tribute scores but it was in the recital hall, misplaced my phone, did I lock my car or not and other stuffs.
• I was late for church practice too that week. The 7:45am practice.
• In that week, I also struggled with my teaching job. Should I ask for a salary increase because the boss told me that they will increase after 3 months, but now it's like 7th month already. I'm also teaching some Grade 1 students and they haven't changed the price.
• I had to deal with 1 student who is a little playful and disrespectful towards me in class. Not sure how do I reprimand her. I guess sometimes, a teacher cannot be too friendly with the student. Else, they would take class time lightly which I do not want that to happen. I'm there to teach because your parents paid me to do so.
• I gota be more generous in giving, especially time and money. Still in the process.
• That time, I was evaluating all my actions and intentions. Coz what you sow is what you reap. It was a rough time. I want them to be good and God-glorifying ones, what I do, feel, think and say. I needed wisdom, to handle people especially.
• And then came my PI classes. Hardworking is the word for me. I'm stagnant in/bored with my playing and I wanted a change, an improvement, my playing to be better.
• Also in that week, I had a group presentation to do for Western Music History class. Crazy! Slept over at WeiHsing's place to finish up and 'vomited' everything I knew about Pop and Rock music the next day. We slept at 3:30am.
• Almost every night when I came home, dad would bombard me with all his angry words and I was like really going thru a hard time. He was also stressed that week. But I know he needed to release his tension on somebody. I'm sure we all need that too at some point of time in life. So I became the punching bag for him. Dad loves me with his whole heart. This, I never doubt.
• This week, I sent my Kronos for a repair in CK. God went ahead of me again. It was impossible for the technician to get it done in a day. And God is good. It was fixed in a day and I can use it for Tribute. BUT, I was fined with RM100 because I didn't pay attention to put to the 50cents parking ticket. DBKL fined me when I was taking out my keyboard from CK in less than 5 mins. Madagascar.
• I also thank God for people who moved my heavy keyboards. appreciate those guys. And you know, in Tribute, anything could happen. Key changes like nobody's business, scrap this section that section, where's your stage presence I don't care you're tired or not this is the music industry and we all have to live up to a certain expectation of someone.
• The fun is not over. Now that Tribute is done, I have round 2 Asg to settle. An essay and another arranging project. This time it's Big Band, with 7-15 horns in it. Mamma Mia. Plus, exams are coming up. Lots of stuffs to practice. Violin lessons are coming up too. Whee!

But today, I'm just gonna chill and relax :) Do what I like to do. Eat what I like to eat.
I had one and a half packet of nasi lemak today and fried my eggs this morning. And it's raining now! Loving the weather.
:)

ICS Tribute to the BeeGees

The awesome feeling of waking up, knowing that you don't have to rush!
I really really had a good time with my Tribute band members. Ohh, the photo above, is set 2 keyboardists. I haven't gotten the rest of the photos ;)

Robin, Vicky, Me and Jon Budi.

I don't remember when we started putting in hours of practice time, sacrificed our sleep, got shelling from the 'upstairs' people, sleeping late after practice and coming back early for practice bla bla, but I was enjoying every moment of it. Being part of this Tribute family is one of the best moments I ever had in Icom! It was the right timing for me to join- the people, the band, the semester workload. This Tribute is my first and the last. I love each and every one in this tribute. Be it the person who packed lunch and dinner for us, the macho guys who carried my Kronos up and down, left right centre, the person who held the walkie-talkie just to make sure everyone is in place, the person who arranged the chairs and the ones who played in the band... EDIBODI! I love them from the bottom of my heart. Everyone has put in so much effort, everybody is a somebody in this production.

The unforgettable moment was when our band leader, Robin, formed a circle with our band members, and he decided to take time to pray. I had the privilege to lead my group into prayer! Totally unexpected, and I am so honoured. We have 9-10 people in our band, and all us were a believer. I also remember there was once, during practice, we actually jammed on all the cool Planet Shakers and Hillsongs songs like Break Free, Take Take Take It All, Time Has Come, Hosanna etc. Coz everyone knows the song and everyone served in church before! My heart goes out to some and I really ask JC to remember them, visit them and show them that You love them very much and it's the devil who condemns them and not You.

To have the gifts and talent in music, to be able to play an instrument so skillfully, is the greatest and highest calling. An army is going to be raised, musicians for Christ to take place, all in time, soon. This I believe! God's favour will always be with those who have the heart for Him. Love Him, time is running out, life here is short.

Okie, this is so sakai hehe, but I'm so proud to be an ARTIST. Felt like a superstar :P

Sorry for the mirror-imaged.

Anticipating my break

I'll be graduating from ICOM in 2 months time.
Next year, I have 7-8 months of break before going off to Berklee.
My first long break ever! (Okay, here comes the Malaysian talk.)
I never had a long break before. UPSR exam. I'm from Chinese school, all the subjects were in Chinese and no one in my family could help me. My Chinese school made us take the Kebangsaan BM papers (which was tougher) which was a shocking news to the first two classes of Year 6 pupils. So I studied like cwrap. After that there wasn't a break, I went in to Form 1 straight. Still studying like mad, all the way up to Form 3. Worked like cow for PMR exam. Even during Form 4 and 5, I was taking up tuitions like a kiasu. After SPM, last paper of Biology, I jumped straight for practice like mad for the audition in ICOM (cuz I never touched piano after my grade 8 when I was 14- sorry, if you think this is a show off but I don't meant it this way lah).
Lo and behold, tadaa, I'm in the music line.
I'm a happy kid.
Wonder what God wants me to do in my break.
Tho' I have some plans lined up already.
It's gona be exciting!

Discoveries

2012 is coming to an end soon. In 2-3 months time, I'll be Twenty. Two-and-tee. Throughout this year, I proudly say that I have done a few discoveries. Out of all these discoveries, the utmost valuable gem I've reap is that everything has its timing. You can't rush to know everything in one go, neither can you rush to expect things to be done in just a snap of a finger.

I've experimented with TEACHING starting this April this year- Never really liked working for others (bosses). Plus, I'm tight down with the weekly hourss of teaching piano, I don't get to practice on Saturdays and sleep longer in the morning and have breakfast with my family. Like it or not I still have to do replacement if one of us can't make it, especially those rascals who love to inform me last minute 15 mins before class starts and I have to replace their classes wth because the management said so, arrange the time, be patient with the kids and bla bla. Unless I'm old, and I wanna retire, then I'll reconsider teaching and get 100% from the fees. PERFORMING- The long hours of practicing and perfecting songs are frustrating. I'm part of the tribute band this sem. Enjoyed it, but the rehearsals and commitment can be pretty demanding. I don't mind performing, but it will be my secondary. ARRANGING- I love it and I hate it. I definitely know that I'm not taking this as my major. In other words, CWP (Contemporary Writing and Production) is out of my list. FRIENDS- Mix with the right company. I just went through refining process in this area. It's only the tip of an ice berg, a sneak preview of what's coming my way, before I head to the States. RELATIONSHIPS- It's time for me to not be completely ignorant about it. But right now, I'm enjoying single hood.

I'm growing up. Lots of choices to make. Everyone wants to make the best decision. To do that, don't listen to the heart or the mind for the heart can deceive, and the mind is the devil's workshop. Be in a relationship with JC, He has promised us that we be in His good hands. He leads. Sometimes what He tells us to do just don't make any sense, but what can I say, God is just full of surprises! Follow Him, obey. He sees the bigger picture. He knows. These are the basics, but sometimes situation can get so overwhelming and that would be the testing time of putting faith into action, putting what you've known and heard of like a zillion times into practice.

Take one thing at a time. Everything has its timing. It took me some time to explore, experiment my interests, what I'm good at, what I like to do, know my character, know my identity in JC, building healthy relationships, understand my role and my purpose, etc. I regretted in those high school days, I didn't even consider all these because I was so immersed in the mindset of getting perfect PMR and SPM results (which God has blest me both exams with straight As). High school is not so much about studies. We should be doing some exploring too at that time. But thankfully, I've made the right decision- to pursue the great calling, to be a musician for Christ! The rest of my journey, it's for Him to lead me.

Sleep is all I need

Sitting in the practice room, feeling so exhausted, I wonder will I be able to drive home later.
The drums is so loud. There's two of them going on simultaneously.

It's been 2 days straight I didn't sleep at night. Time was used preciously for my Arranging project. So much effort have been put in. So much sacrifices took place- sleeping, not spending time with family, not watching movies, shopping, hanging out with my friends, and... not practicing. My makan timing is all out. I hope my body system is not mixed up and disturbed by all these.

But, no matter how much I've put in, I was 20 minutes late for submission just now.

I'm just really tired, a little grumpy, fatigue, lethargic whatever that fits the description of "I just want sleep!". But I'm still up for something interesting to happen. I can't rewind time, if only I was a little more early. Puchong is so so far from Setapak. I hate driving in that place, so many cars and it's always jam in that area.

I want to go for a swim. I want to eat as much chocolate as I can without worrying about health problems. I want to watch a boy meets girl movie and cry through the night. I want to cook what I like. I want to practice till my fingers get it right. I want to do this and that. All these, after I wake up. Maybe.