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| Goodbye, Whitey the Car.[Transformers is the bomb!]
It's so hard updating regularly, especially when your lifestyle is irregular like mine. But I'm trying still.
You may or may not know that my family has a fantastic Honda Civic of age 25 years. It's been with me, and the family since...forever. My mom says it's bought the year I was born, and that only means I was riding in it before I even knew my own name. Incidentally, it's older than me because it's a second-hand car, imported from Japan after being used there for 5 years.
The fabulous Honda Civic I call Whitey.
It may not the best-looking, fastest, or most high-tech car, but it's the best car I've known in my life. I've known it for the 19 years of my life, and it's still running well. Sure, it's visited the mechanic uncountable times, been through numerous repairs, a make-over, and still broke down countless times, but it is the car that has brought us to school, to work, and many places. It may not be subtle at all; the engine, not the quietest; its appearance on the road usually turns heads, what with it's ghastly white facade, dirty bumpers, not to mention the loudly whirring engine, but I'm not ashamed of it. I'm proud that I'm behind the wheels of this flamboyant but durable vehicle. 
Whitey with mom, who's the constant driver of Whitey for many years, until my brother, and I, got our licences. I remember when I was small, when the family was going somewhere using the car, I'd quickly jump into the car and shut all the doors, and deeply breathe in the very odd smell of the interior. I'm not sure if it was healthy; not sure if it was the smell of rubber, plastic, dust, the cushion or a combination of those; not even sure if it was pleasant--but one thing for sure is: it was highly addictive. It was like smelling a marker pen, and only available when you first got into the car before the engine was started.  Whitey with me. The car brings back so much childhood memories: like the faulty radio that once made all of us jump when it decided to start producing sound again as we turned the volume high; like the hole in the seat burnt using the cigarette lighter because we thought it should be used just like every other equipment in the car; and the dried and cracked ceiling that we peeled because it looked fun, after which we learnt the hard way that there are just things in the car that we shouldn't touch. 
Whitey and sister; yes, I know I take excellent photographs.
But now the car has become too old in the eyes of my parents. They decide that it should have its rest--permanently. The government is offering to buy back old cars, which are to be scrapped! My parents took the deal because they want the money to get a new car. I blame my older brother for being inconsiderate, pushing the poor old car to its limits when he drives.
The scrapping shall happen tomorrow. I talked, my sister argued, my younger brother gave up, but my parents stuck to their decision. Despite the win-win scenario that I clearly explained, my dad is unwilling to invest in the car once more and make it brand new again. He'd rather spend the money, together with what he'll get from the old car, to get a new ride. Rest in peace, Whitey. You will be missed.
P.S.: How I wish the Overhaulin' team was here to overhaul the car. Sigh... The new car better resemble Whitey one way or another. | | |
| Life Without TV and the Internet.When I finally signed into MSN Messenger at the beginning of this holiday, a friend asked me, 'Why so long never online?' My instinctive response was to keep on talking, giving all sorts of reasons--or rather, excuses. I said I was busy in school, with homework, projects and assignments, and all sorts of activities such as drama practice, orchestral practice, meetings, etc. But thinking deeper, I don't recall all this completely taking over my life.
Okay, so there were times during the semester that I was so busy I barely touched my laptop, except for programming work; but that aside, I should have plenty of time to sit in front of the computer just to do plain nonsense. But no, all I recall doing on the computer is work, whether at the computer lab or back in my room on the laptop; even surfing the Internet was meant for work.
The most I did at a time not for work were reading a couple of blogs, downloading some songs and music scores, and checking my mails--and the last one is partly work. I did not log onto Messenger or Gtalk for a very long time, I abandoned Xanga, and (the fun side of) the Internet in general. And the Internet wasn't the only thing I abandoned; I also abandoned TV, which was a big part of my life too. It could be said that I abandoned pop culture in general. And to be frank, it didn't hurt.
I was just thinking back: so, why didn't I get online? And I realise the TV and Internet have been taken over by 'real' activities.
TV and the Internet are very 'alone' activities. One computer, one person. Perhaps TV is not so much single-person, but bear in mind that the shows I watch(ed) are not the kind of shows other guys watch. They watch Overhauled, while I watch ANTM; I dig Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives, and they dig Lost and 24. The lack of TV and the Internet only meant more time for and activities with friends. The TV and Internet are substituted with late-night pillow talks, card-playing, and just plain crashing friends' rooms--which translates to fun and insightful bonding sessions.
My free time used to be directed right onto the TV or computer. If I had half an hour, I'd go online and scout for random blogs and videos, and maybe google up the current hottest people. More often than not, when my half an hour is up, I'd have blogs unread, videos loaded but unwatched, and be midway through the news of Miley Cyrus having another non-existent scandal. But things changed during the recently ended semester. I'd pick up the guitar and start humming random tunes, or replay some songs over and over again as practice, or just try strumming here and there to learn a new song. If my break is rather long, I'd take out the cello. Everytime I pick up the guitar or cello, I learn something new. When the break is up, I'll just put them back into their casing.
Putting aside the TV and Internet--albeit unknowingly--my lifestyle has changed. Instead of staying indoor and in my room all day long like how I used to, I now go out and have fun. And that does not only mean shopping malls and movies; I actually do soccer now. Up next would be basketball and mastering the butterfly style of swimming. And, my sleeping habits are improving. No, sleeping late is not completely eradicated, but it's been cut back. There are very little sleepless nights due to being online; it's usually homework or non-addictive activities now, and even those are getting less. Sleeping usually at 4am turned to sleeping utmost at 2. That's definitely an improvement.
If being devoid of the TV and Internet gives me all the abovementioned, I don't feel devoid of much. Although, of course, living in today's world, I could not and would not completely be without those two. I'd still blog and read blogs, venture around in YouTube and catch up on Gossip Girl, only maybe not as intensive as I used to be, because losing out on those is nothing that can't be saved--I just spent a whole day in front of my laptop, and I've already caught up on the cyberspace; the TV wouldn't be all that hard.
Choosing to miss out on TV and the Internet, I don't miss out a lot; but choosing not to miss out on TV and the Internet would mean missing out a huge chunk in life.
I'm sorry, Xanga, Internet, and Astro, but I choose the latter.
P.S.: The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra show on Sunday was incredibly fun, although, I couldn't understand the cello solo, because it was contemporary. Ice-skating on Monday was exhilarating as well, albeit tiring. Also, I discovered that Kris Allen and I have the same range of vocals.
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| Today's Hot Music and I Don't Mix.I've been back home for a couple of days now, and all I've done are watching TV and playing a lot of music; I jump from the piano to the guitar to the cello, and I don't get bored!
But I think I might be born in the wrong era, because I don't fit into today's hot music scene!
Today's hot music is hip-hop and rapping and a lot of upbeat tunes.
Bricker59 is fifty and rap does not qualify as music to him; well, I'm nineteen and rap is not music to me too! Hip-hop, which usually contains a lot of rapping, has never been my thing. I just don't understand it. There is no tune, a lot of words, and the accompanying music is always 'special' or 'different'--or just plain weird!
Normally, I wouldn't do this, as in talking about things that I dislike or towards which I have negative feelings, because this would only give those things more attention, more publicity and more power, which are exactly the things I don't want them to get; but now, suddenly, I want to say something.
I haven't heard the song then, but now that I've heard it on the radio, wherethefishlives is right: the song 'Boom Boom Pow' is incredibly... humiliating. No, seriously, the song is very embarrassing. It makes me feel ashamed to be a part of today's culture.
Oh c'mon, whoever says 'Boom Boom Pow' anyway? I don't even know what it means, aside from being verbal sound effects of punches and kicks in comic books and cartoons. And what's with the 'Boom Boom Boom' mimicking the bass line? Are they trying to tell people that the song actually has a bass line? Oh wow, the attempt is so brilliant. They might as well just do away with the bass altogether and sing 'Boom Boom Boom' throughout the song; that would be such a smart thing to do to further hype up the song.
Seriously, I don't get that kind of music at all. It doesn't even make me feel like dancing because I'll be too busy feeling abashed to even move my body to its beat.
Maybe hip-hop is not for everyone. Because, really, I don't think any hip-hop songs are songs at all; they are either just coordinated talking with a tempo made with unnatural electronic 'instruments', or digitalised sounds. That's not music. Music is what is expanded, diversified and improved from Bach, Beethoven and the Beatles; and digitalised sounds are not part of it.
People say Kanye West is an awesome musician and all--I respect that--but I just don't feel his music. Okay, maybe there is a tune somewhere in the song Heartless, but the rest is just all planned talking with a tempo, electric sounds, and his voice digitally mutilated. I can't listen to that and say, 'Hey, that's awesome,' because it's not!
But thank goodness, there are still people like Sara Bareilles and Jason Mraz, singing and playing on the piano, guitar, etc., and making what I call music. And thank goodness there are shows like American Idol, digging out people like Kris Allen to convert non-music into music. For instance, very obviously, the fantastically rearranged Heartless. When Kris sang it, I was blown away. He changed Kanye's non-song Heartless into an actual song.
Hmm, maybe I'm not born into the wrong era after all; there are just some things in this era that's not up to my taste. I shall just listen to my music, and continue playing the piano, guitar and cello; maybe someday I'll have the ability to change the world!
Or rather, just to convert what I don't like into what I do like. Keeping playing the Mozart...
P.S.: My team got third place in the theatre festival that we joined recently. That's fine by me; first time and I already got top three. But maybe not so fine for the final year people, because it's their last chance at getting champion. But I don't like what we got now because one very boring drama by another team actually got second place. Talk about being biased.
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| SpongeBob.I'm SpongeBob, only my name is not Bob. So, I'm just a sponge. I'm super absorbent. I suck in knowledge like water.
As a matter of fact, it was a friend of mine who first started calling me a sponge, that I absorb everything very fast. 'You are very talented. You pick up the violin, you can play the violin; you pick up the guitar, and you can play the guitar,' another friend told me another time, although I think by 'violin', he meant the cello; and I think he was trying to suck me into his department as the committee for a school event--not that I have anything against his strategy, if it were one at all.
I don't go to classes--not purposely; let's just say I'm not a morning person--but I could catch up on my lessons. I absorb everything taught in class through slides and textbooks. I do my homework very last-minute, but I deliver very satisfactorily results, even if it meant staying up all night to grasp a concept or elaborate on a topic. I'm such a sponge that last-minute studying for tests and exams--although it's gruesomely tiring--works for me: just like the final exams that I've just gone through; I think I more or less aced it.
I play the cello for a little more than half a year, and I'm already up for performances, albeit that includes extra intensive practice for myself. I pick up the guitar for less than half a year, and I'm already composing songs, although I know much more can be done with the songs. Give me a song to listen to for three to five times, and I can get most of the tune out for you, thus able to harmonise.
Not having played even a single of game of football prior, I play three matches and I am a fairly acceptable player. Give me some five minutes to half an hour and a ball not so heavy that I can't even swing it properly, and I can give you a couple of strikes in a game of bowling. I'm sure polishing my badminton skills, mastering my ping pong skills, butterfly style and basketball shouldn't be all that hard.
People tell me I have too many activities going on but I don't buy it. I do the things that I like, and I like the things that I do.
I'm a freaking sponge! There are rarely things that are hard for me to learn up.
But still, don't constantly tell me that; it'll only get into my head and get me conceited.
...Although, a little regular praising wouldn't hurt.
P.S.: I just have to say that Nick is wrong, that I have not left Xanga yet again; I was just held up with final exams for the past couple of week, what with my very last-minute studying. And now I'm still stuck in school for drama competition. Maybe those people are right...
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| Apology.Wow. Just wow. It's been over a month since I last wrote anything here. That is an amazingly long stretch of time for a pause. And I never asked for a pause; I don't take hiatuses. But somehow, I just didn't blog. I feel bad.
I try to think back: why didn't I blog? And the best answer I could come up with is: could be that I actually have a life? And that's not even an answer; it's a question! But my life has really been packed up with activities, whether planned or impromptu, and whether I realise it or not. I'm piling on new hobbies and new acitivities over my academic bundle, and that has taken a toll on blogging. Somehow, this was just pushed aside--and the fact that the Internet connection is really bad because my school is upgrading the system doesn't help at all.
I must apologise to the Xanga community. The reason I stick here is because there are really awesome blogs and awesome users. I've always use the posts here for various purposes, whether for entertainment, for insight, for inspiration, or just plainly to pass time. Somehow, I managed to survive over a month without all this. Maybe...
I must say sorry to my Muse. I really haven't been treating it nicely. It gives me so many ideas, so much of inspirations, but I never appreciate them, jot down the points somewhere and develop them into something structured and standing. I just half-heartedly 'bear them in mind', only to forget all about them when something fancy catches my eyes like candy to a child. Perhaps...
I must express my guilt for my negligence towards my passion for writing. Can I actually still say that I'm passionate towards writing? I haven't been reading anything, blogs or books, out of my studies for over a month. Is that even healthy? Do 'all-time' passions just fade away like any feeble hobbies? Could it be that...
Maybe I haven't left the community dealing with the things I'm passionate about. Perhaps I haven't been neglecting my Muse at all. And my interest in writing certain has not faded away. I've just been doing something else, something similar, but not entirely.
I have just been establishing a stand in another community of another thing that I'm passionate about. I have only been expressing my inspirations in other ways. I have merely been writing in other forms. I have fairly intensively picked up music.
I have been active in my school's orchestra team, even outside of regular practices. I have been taking down ideas by making sounds. And I have been writing--just songs on the guitar. I am only more in touch with my other artistic side now.
And to be frank, music is fun. It is very fun. The sheer joy and satisfaction that you get when you learn up a new song, or a new chord that fits in perfectly with a song you're writing, is highly comparable to that when you finish reading a book or complete a piece of writing yourself. I have always known that, since I play the piano, but now that I've picked up on the cello and guitar, the variety piles on, and the further exposure to music only intensifies that wonderful feeling.
It's as if you learn up a new language, and you find that you can write well in that language too--and the one more language helps grow your overall writing skills. The sudden burst of improvement, the unexpected surge of knowledge, the unforeseen shock of upgrade--it discourages you from stopping; you only want to do more, more, and more.
Music is very addictive. So is writing. Well, it was, anyway--I'll make myself be addicted to it again, somehow.
Maybe balancing between the fullness and emptiness of my life helps. I should fork out some time from my very full life to be lifeless, because I always turn to blogging, or just writing in general, when I have no life. That is, as of now, when I'm not strumming and humming on the guitar. Or playing the cello.
It turns out: I don't owe anyone an apology except myself. Sorry to all the wonderful bloggers on Xanga and amongst my small circle of friends, anyhow.
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