At the very last minute

Film music just makes me so happy !
But my composition teacher banned us from listening too much :/
And start listening to orchestral music.

Erm. Nope. I'm still listening to it. Cuz. I. LIKE it! :D
Film music also has a higher fluctuation of mood though in its music, in that 2-3 minutes of music.

PS : I made it ! I completed the two giant assignments in less than 24 hours! Never... no more... doing last minute. Psschk, yeah, that was what I said the last 7 times.

Yeah, it was several painful experiencess of sweating so hard and to finally hand in my work 5 minutes or even 2 minutes before the digital deadline inside the berklee website starts to tick off in red.

Not sure if this is a good training for me.
:D

Can I ?

Layers after layers. Just like a puffy ball- under these wools, sweaters and Long John.

Tonight, I wished I'm back in KL.
Missing driving my car, missing wearing shorts, missing Mamak, the weather, and the smell of the noodle soup from hawker centre (mihun !!).

Now, I'm stuck with writing a screenplay (WHATT why did I sign up for this subject?!) and having a string orchestra to compose that is due tomorrow. BOTH ARE !! And to create a sequence and mp3 for my composition !!

Oh my dearest.
Why did I leave them a day before the due date?
Writer's block and composer's block going on at the same time. Wait, whyy?

How to pluck ideas from thin air?
To write a screenplay 6 pages long with such small font-- of 12?
Cwrap lah.
And a minimum of 2-minutes long of orchestra with a solo instrument.
Without sounding CHEESY !

Daphne daphne. DAPHNE !!

Wondering what does writing a screen play has got to do with film scoring ? I don't know! Maybe! But I don't see the point right now!

Ahhhh !! I will make it for tomorrow ! By hook or by crook.
Dear God. Hear my prayers.

Spidey mission

See what fear can really do to you.
It grips your mind so tightly that it took me an hour to kill a half the size of my pinkie... spider. Long and brown, with thin hairy incy wincy legs.

Altogether 33 minutes to think that whether the spider will jump on me or not; 20 minutes to think whether I can do it or not, 6 minutes and 30 seconds to form the necessary weapons- a roll of music sheet paper taped with 5 cellophane tapes for better 'grip' [PARANOID] and a good amount of toilet rolls).

The other night I managed to slam a cockroach. Pfft what's a spidey?

An hour has passed. Time was delayed to complete that mission. I delayed it by arranging my shoes, putting my stuffs into places, brushing my teeth, Facebook here and there, and then finally...
I prayed and asked God for the courage.

I prayed and asked God for the COURAGE to whack a spider.

Oh. my. goodness.

Then came this point of time where I got sick of myself for taking so long to get rid of the spider, I went Nike- Just do it.

And I finished the task.

And thought that I'd feel the accomplishment of doing it.

I was more happy able to overcome my fear. For once, dad and mom weren't there to do it for me. I had to conquer it myself. But, at the same time, annoyed at myself for taking too long !! Imagine... with that one hour I can start an assignment or read a couple of Psalms !

This Daphne is now a changed person.
(My conducting teacher always says that lol after his students are done conducting in front of the class)

Spiders are ew to me. Sorry God :3

Poem Appreciated

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. 

Robert Frost

I did not appreciate this poem in literature class during high school. But now I do.

Every single line.

To the very end.

Sneak Preview of the Pretty Wedding Tonight

Mr and Mrs. Ryan Seler :D 

Finallyyyy !!

I have no idea why am I in the middle.

Really wanted to get another photo but it was a busy night for the couple.

Ahh wells !

The Bride's lovely sister Aubrey !

Maid of Honor.

Who worked so hard for the wedding and still remain calm and pretty al the time :D

Band of the night.

 Yays. I'm happy for the newly wed couple!

:')

This just inspires me to really take up events and wedding planning course after Berklee.
Like... really !!
It's really what I love doing ! - Planning, managing and decorating !
And Jewelry Making class. Cuz I wanna make free jewelries for my friends.

More pictures on Facebook soon :)

Feet gotta remain steady on ground

Summer has gone. And fall is near. It's here! Definitely experiencing the season changing.
   Though the physical surrounding is going through a tremendous shift in temperature, and green leaves are turning to brown, red and yellow, my heart must remain steady, calm and loyal with my
       season of life.
That is... to study and remain focus for the rest of the semester.

It's kinda difficult, there's the tendency to sleep more in cold weather, and when seeing things changing- people, environment, friends, happening stuffs going on in family etc. there's also the tendency to change or do something new/different as well, and put down the things doing half way or forget to finish the current season.

#overwhelmedwithschoolassignmentsandthingstodoonmylist

This calls for... endurance ! And perseverance.

Once In A Lifetime- Pressure at berklee

I only get to be a Berklee student once.

So, whatever the pressure is, I will go through it.

Reminding myself that I have God and not to worry that I will make it or not. Cuz, I can do all things through Christ who gives me STRENGTH.

After having dinner with some friends, two of them, Irma and Feri, have encouraged me not giving up and withdraw my classes. I don't wanna be a quiter. If I don't get through this semester, how will I be able to get through the next?

Both of them work so hard day and night, they even sacrificed their sleeping time and social life.

So... yays. I'm not withdrawing the classes. Plus, I will be working on campus soon. Work. Study. Work. Study. And now serving in church almost every Sundays- food, hospitality, worship team, greeters. Also attending two cell groups and two services on weekends. Work. Study. AND Church. Pluss, the never-ending berklee assignments????!!!! What if I don't have the mood to do the home work? Snap out of my mood swing and start working :/
And then, we cannot neglect our musical instruments as well. We needaaaa practicee !
Not only be good at Digital Performer and mixing stuffs, but have some a good decent standard in our principal instrument.

Life.

I only get to live once as a college student.

Work hardd ! Get through this and be an overcomer.

It sounds like I'm in great pain.

Yeap.

I'm really feelin' in. Life is tougher compared to the ones in Malaysia / ICOM / SPM.
Yada yada.
This is the next giant to slay / challenge to overcome.
After this semester, I'm packing my bags to cross over to Miami ! Woo! Vacation babeh.

**

I was soooo close to handing in my withdrawal form. Actually, I handed it in and the guy told me to consider again over the weekend. I guessed I was overwhelmed with the workload.
Feeling thankful over the weekend for friends, and I'm well rested too :) Despite the plate-almost-full weekend. #Learninghowtomanagetime #growingupnyeheh

***

Also, I think the weather plays a part as well. It gets dark at 5.30pm- a time when the body tells me that 'I want to rest or sleep or watch a movie!' BUT... there're assignments to catch up.
And I'm hungry, all the time. All the time, I'm hungry. Omelette!! Ahhh :D

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) - Hillsong United (Zion)

"Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)"

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and You won't start now

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior
[x6]

I will call upon Your Name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine

The lyrics are fantastic. It encourages and pushes us to take a step deeper for God.

Unspoken feelings were magnified into words, which I appreciate the song writer for doing such a fantastic job.

Really wanted to attend the Hillsong COnference at Boston U, but the tickets are sold out too fast.

Risk taken 5 months ago

When mummy and everyone at home say that I've grown, up, there's a smile lit up.

Pastor Jeff Bianchi mentioned about taking risk for God. Not simply taking any risks, we hear and obey be obedient and take that risk. Abram took locational risk; Daniel took a vocational risk, Jesus risked positionally; Paul risked comfort and security. They took the risk and see what happens? As for me, I took the locational risk. I don't even know how and whether can I survive living all by myself in overseas since I'm very well protected in Malaysia, the typical asian study-hard-and-score-straight-As student; go to school, go to tuitions, eat, study at home, go to church and watch TV at home. Home, school, church, home. Everywhere I go, I had to make sure I text mom or dad to tell them my whereabouts and all. Or that my sister would accompany me to go to Bangsar or Dad to go down town with me. Whatt? Yeah, just to drop off an application I made or what not. Yess, I'm very well protected.

Now that I'm out here without my home friends and family, I've never been happier living independently dependent on God more.

Btw, when God says to take that risk, bet sure that He has equipped you already. Just like a father who asked his son to paint the house, little did the son know that of course that father would provide the ladder, paintbrush, paint and bucket for him.

Not sure when I get back next year (if I ever go back) that I still know how to drive a car. Like... move a vehicle.

"Go and leave everything behind, go to the land I called you to go,"

Woohoo ! Ridin' on an adventure that God says I can take part in it. Keeping up with the pace now from day to day.

:)

PS: My little brother says that he's proud of me... gahhahaha! Little bro. He knows. He sees the changes in me. Thanks Derrick ! You are awesome.

A tough decision

How do we choose between an apple and an orange?

Apple Picking with friends

This is a short story of us at Honey Pot Hill, Stow MA earlier this morning.

We met Kris, Maye and Madelaine later at the farm.

It was so pretty.

I've never eaten such sweet apples before. And lost track of how many have we eaten altogether at the farm.

Apples on trees !!

Aside from apples, pumpkins were on sales too because of Halloween.

The store

These... are delicious.

They had animal farm for the little ones to get all excited :D

My first autumn.
:)

The trail... I can't even... This... You gotta to be there :)

1,2,3, plucks !

SUch a fun outing.

:D

My Facebook has the complete photo album ;)

Clara C in Berklee Cafe 939 The Red Room 2013

One day back in Malaysia, my sister pulled out an album full of writings and colors.

She told me that she loves Clara C and her songs.

When she popped her CD in the car we were in,

I thought that 'Oh, it's one of those "pop" music my sister is crazy about.'

 BUT after a few rounds of listening to her, oneeee day when I myself pop in her CD while I was driving in the (same) car, I began to appreciate and love her music !

Never knew that her arrangement and instrumentation are super fun.

PLus she sings really well and on live shows as well!

And now I'm one of Clara's huge HUGE fan :D

Her latest album has a different sound than her first.

I love them both.

So glad to have attended her concert that Thursday night (yesterday).

:D

One of the BEST times I had in Boston.!

The highlight of the night is to having a photo with Clara.

The Red Room was flooded with Asians. And AJ Rafael was beside me haha! All the girls went up to him and took a picture with him. Except me. Don't... ask why. I was being very shy.

The rest of the night was history.

**

I wish my sister and brother were with me yesterday night.
They attended her concert in Kuala Lumpur a few weeks ago while I was in Boston.
Anyway, SO glad that Clara was in Boston. I FINALLY get to see her live.
Looking forward for her more to come songs ! :)

* She had her love at first sight experience and is married to him yayys !
I still and do believe love at first sight.
That one look.
The fiction I've dreamt of is finally a reality with you (It will come due to me, timely).
Check out her songs though ! :)

Not feeling the night tonight

Actually, what's the point in scoring fantastic marks in school tests but failed miserably in handling people and situation. So sick of mistakes and repeated mistakes made.

Repeated mistakes made are the worst feeling.

Enjoying Film Scoring Major in BErklee

"Very good transcription. Excellent sound-alike! one of the best. You did a fantastic job with this- really got the feeling of the original and showed an understanding of how to use information from it without totally copying it. Great work!!! "

It seems that I surprised my teacher. Yayy he's impressed with my work. I got another 100 again for another assignments!
Never fell in love before but still can come out with a sound alike love theme. Ahaha, this is a joke but that's cuz... I was thinking about God :D And also do gave some thought about the character's feeling in the movie.

"Good composers borrow ideas. Great composers steal ideas."

Learning the art of being that great composer ! :PP

Film scoring major is an enjoyable major. But it is not a breeze. The workload is a lott. Lots and lots of computer and writing for music. And definitely orchestra. Fun stress !

Yah, fun stress !! :D :O

That Moment

That heart warming moment when God drops His word in your heart and it carries so much weight that it moves you to know that he understands what we're going through, and saying that he is looking out, looking after our well beings. And drops other information regarding our personal situation.
Those moments are not just mere feelings. They take away weariness. One will know it in his heart that it was God who spoke when the spirit is moved and it's aware of what just happened. It is God's peace.

God is real.

What to do with wish list

Have you ever come across to buying too many stuffs like... clothes and one day,

you decided to take a good look at the wardrobe and... 

Oh my goodness !

A huge realization just dropped at the back of head the

'I bought TOO MANY CLOTHES!'

Some of them are even not worn before.

That's a good time to unsubscribe online shopping notification.

And even  the ones sent to the phone.

And... mails. And... newsletters.

I don't even wanna go to my shoes and heels section.
Really don't know how they all appear in my room.
Nobody wants to know what's in that $30 big blue trunk. The inside is spacious. Can fit Derrick in it :P
It's an amazing closet. The top basket even had some goodies in it.
Waitt I don't know how those things ended up there !
I err...
Eheh. Should cancel my wish list and stop creating new ones.

The States can sometimes be a shopping haven ! :(
With just a click away...

Trend

You know, once you start doing something, for example a newly discovered hobby ! And then liking it, and it keeps going on and on and on.

:D

This applies to searching recipes on online.

This is a crazy trend to follow.

And stuffs like Pinterest.

And stuffs like writing something in a blog.

Once you stop doing it, and then go back doing it and the ball keeps rolling in again.
It's fun. To cook, to write (words and music), to shop online (eheh!), and to go to concerts.
Funny trend I'm following.

Next stop, hmm, what can I do with my fresh apples on this Saturday? :D
BAKE something to eat ! Sweet treats!
Or make a salad. So that my friends wouldn't say that I'm... a circle. D:

D:

:O

Next Level !

One of the best things my piano teacher ever said to me today is : "You are a good player. And I would like to take you to another level. Therefore I am very particular with your playing."

:')

Ahhhh ! Yess ! To the next level !!
:D

I remember him mentioning stuffs like he wished I took the 50-minute lesson instead of the 30-minute ones cuz we're doing a lot of good stuffs. Looking forward to the next semester with him! Felt like I've found the right teacher to level-up my playing. Coz I grew a lot under him and I've never been more happy to play my piano because... it's not Jazz :PP

Nahh, jazz is still a requirement for the exams.
It's a cool genre. Really. I wish I could play like a jazzer.
But !
We're doing other lots of good stuffs this semester- especially funk and pop !
AND... Gospel.
NExt semester - taking up Hammond Organ class ! :DD

More concerts

Last Saturday I attended my teacher's concert at NEC.

What a fun night!

He blest me with a ticket.

Every concert hall I enter has its beautiful architecture, be it on the wall, ceilings, dome or lightings. And, the overall shape of the hall.

This is one of the NEC halls.

New England Conservatory, Boston.

Niceeee right? Yes, it is slanting down. You can literally fall OFF the floor because the height of the barrier is on my tight level. You know my height, I'm not very tall.

A giraffe can easily topple over! No kidd !!

Yay yayy yayayay! That's my professor in the front ! His classes are aaaaamazing !
And he is one good heck of lecturers ! 

Yesss. The pieces were performed by the LSO : Longwood Symphony Orchestra.

And THE stunning violinist killed the crowd !!!
She was remarkable !!
There was once I caught one of the violinists facial expression sitting down jaw dropped and eyes widen as she sees her doing a fantastic solo.
LOL.

It looks like I'm attending at least 1 or 2 concerts every week.
Whhhhaatttt ??
Yessss !!
All for... free ;)

The BSO hall photos are on my Facebook. And Anchor Church's Art and Cheer was held at NEC but it was at the Brown Hall. They're also on my Facebook.
;)

I made food

Thanks to Stagecoach, a 1939 oldies black and white film I watched for class.

My stomach growled at the black and white stew he ate in the movie.

Plus, I have all the right reasons to cook a lamb shank in beef broth stew.

Why?

Because I'm friggin living in a refrigerator !!!

Seriously !

My room... It's a fridge !!!

Outside is cold, but my room is colder.

Actually, outside is a fridge; This room that I'm staying in is a friggin' FREEZER.

No kidd.

Shivering like a generator -.-"

OKayy anyway :D

My first stew!

With lots of goodies in it and it smells gooood.

But it's kinda of a little too much oil ? :P

My meat had sales today in Wholefoods.

Indeed a blessing.

Today, just a quick share,

God showered me with little little gifts like meat sales.

My piano teacher commented and complimented on my playing.

My two film scoring and composition lecturers

were very pleased with me with the effort showed in home works and helping the class to settle the misunderstandings about our assignments.

And... omgosh I gotta start doing my home works !!

My dinner ! Ahhh ! :D Hot stew for a cold weather!

Of cuz the potatoes are for show. I can't finish my food!

Btw, below was one of my breakfasts earlier this week.

Lovehate the green photo though,

either it's weird or art ! :P

Those are pumpkin slices of cakes.

Yummy delights perfect for breakfast.

Actually, my camera dropped, so that is why.

The only presence that I really care about

No matter what, when we know that we are a child of God, His presence is with us.
Even if we don't feel Him, see Him, touch Him or hear Him, His presence is still with us, because we are God's children. (This line I've heard it a gadzillion times, but it's a reminder)
Just like a farmer who plants seeds on his ground. He is so passionate about his crop that he thinks about it day and night. Even at home he talks about it. It doesn't mean that if the seeds don't see him at his farm, then the farmer must have stopped caring about the crops. ABsolutely not.
 
God is please with His children. Is he please with everything we did? No. But He is please with us.
Nothing can I do to earn His love and/or favour. He already did.

Apples For The Little Heart

Urm... Where to begin the updates?

There are pictures taken inside the camera.
There are also words to describe things and feelings.
Definitely not complaining, but with all my heart, I do my best to take delight in the Lord, in all that has happened and is happening.

Little little things like... my neighbour gave me her freshly picked apples this week and they taste really juicy and sweet and I yearn so much for apples like that. And suddenly, my friend texted me that we're going to an apple farm this weekend ! To pick apples !! Yayy yay yayayay ! And I just found out that there's another group of friends (whom I got a feeling it was all arranged by Big D, give it up for JC yo!) to go at the same time same day ! How awesome. This whole thing has a purpose and I am very excited about it, but could not write them down yet until it all come to past :)

Apple farm, Clara C concert, Mendelssohn's orchestra concert, crazy non-stop-flooding assignments T.T [This is the first time I'm using the T.T expression because... it really is overwhelming ! T.T ).

Fresh apples. I believe it's one of the wonderful blessings this week.
This little heart has gone through so much already since day 1 in the States.
I can't even...