~ PerCusSo ~

Back by popular demands, the event “A Nation in Concert II” will be taken place at Esplanade Concert Hall. 9 September 2006, Saturday. 3PM & 7.30PM.

XTOMIC will be back again. Representing the Singapore Association for the Deaf (SADeaf), we will be performing the two same items. Larger than Life. One Day I’ll Fly Away. But there’s a little difference in our people and choreography.
Not only us but there are other organizations taking part in it. Association for Persons with Special Needs (ASPN), Handicaps Welfare Association (HWA), Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH), Student Advisory Centre, Yellow Ribbon Fund, and SPACES Community. DO CHECK THEM OUT!!

Anyway, you can view this link. Do come down and support us again by buying tickets to the full house! We eagerly look forward to your overwhelming support!!

SYNOPSIS
Be part of the amazing “My Dream” Musical Dance Performance at The MAX Pavilion (Singapore Expo) on 15th September 2006, Friday.

This is a performance by 60 disabled members of the Chinese Disabled Performing Art Troupe with “Qian Shou Kwan In”, Butterfly Lovers Dance, Fan Dance, Green Seedling, Blind Singer Yang Haitao, a visually impaired 8-piece orchestra and more.

Also featuring first ever disabled Ms China winner, Zhang Xin Tian.

An event not to be missed for it’s cultural and entertainment value. A performance of realising the dreams of these disabled performers.
Watched by over One Million Worldwide – including President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore.

Performed in over 50 countries – Japan, Australia, US, Canada… and still touring the world.

Highly acclaimed performance for all ages.

DURATION
Approx 90 mins without interval

LANGUAGE
Mandarin

TICKET PRICE
Tickets At: $98, $78, $58 and $38 (Excluding $2 SISTIC Fee)
Ticket Sales Start: Tuesday 4th July 2006

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This chance is yet to be missed! But too bad, I’m gonna give it a miss again!! It’s because I’m gonna be away in Singapore due to the XTOMIC’s performing trip to KL-Penang that is from 15 September to 22 September. These dates has clashed!!

Last year, it was shown at Kallang Theatre (if I’m not wrong). I missed it again because of the NDP mass signing rehearsal.

Anyway, the Chinese dancing troupe was very GREAT!! Splendid performance!! I have recently seen it on DVD-R. It was at the Deaf Way II and that was in 2002. SHIOK COOL!!

Furthermore, this event “My Dream 2006″ is disabled’s concert, like that event “A Nation in Concert”. Not only that Deaf Chinese troupe but other special performers are gonna overwhelm a whole audience with their DRAMATIC, UNIQUE performances!!
So, highly recommended, it’s a must-watch concert!! Again, do support them by buying tickets to the full house from SISTIC. 100% guaranteed that it is worth the ticket prices!! BE OVERWHELMED!!!

From the website link sent by Alvan in his email:

When?
12-13 August 2006
9.30am to 8.00pm

Where?
Singapore Expo Hall 4A
Free Admission

A wide-ranging collection in all four official languages, both fiction and non-fiction, at affordable prices to suit the needs of everyone.

Chinese and English books: $2 per copy
Malay and Tamil books: $1 per copy
Magazines: $5 for a pack of 10/20 issues

The books will be categorised under Adults, Young People and Children. Under each group, they are sub-divided into fiction and non-fiction.

Due to the large volume of books on sale, we regret that it is not possible for us to further classify them according to subject categories like IT, Cookery, Travel, Management and other categories.

Terms and conditions:
Payment by NETS, CashCard or Cash only
Each customer can purchase up to a maximum of 50 items. (10/20 issues of magazines in one pack is considered one item)

Last night, the Philips 17″ monitor died instantly!! Now, came the Acer 15″ monitor.. It’s much better and clear!!

Now, I can complete my work tasks I have prioritized! Ready, here I go…

Since the day when I broke myself down at Esplanade, I gathered lots of courage and efforts to stand up again. I have been working very hard for myself and XTOMIC. Sometimes, I haven’t slept. It can’t be helped because I only know time is not on my side.

Hmmm, it’s confirmed that I will quit my job at the Joy Place soon. But I do not know when it will be. More likely, my last day will be on 15 December 2006 as discussed with my supervisor.

And, I have contacted KL for the sign language training programme. I will sign it up soon.

And, I have contacted Roger about my becoming a full-time performer/soloist. I will be gonna meet him soon in August. Meanwhile, I will be able to concentrate on my performing & percussion techniques on a full-scale.

And, I have contacted Berklee College of Music for enquiries on courses. It has been a month that I haven’t heard anything from them. Time for me to make calls to it..

Some of the work tasks are almost done. However, there seems to have alot of work tasks for me to complete. I’ve to write a letter of donation to YAMAHA for a marimba. I’ve to study music scales. I’ve to read up on percussion music.
Oh my gosh, I have many things in my mind.. Alright, take a step slowly!!!

GOD BLESS ME!!!

Yesterday, it was my full day. What a very BUSY DAY it was…!!

Went to Canossian School to help the band out. They were having their performance at Singapore Polytechnic in late morning.

After this, I went straight to the MediaCorps Studios for the pre-recording session – It’s Showtime (Episode 8). We all practised many times till the producers were satisfied with it.

Now, our time had come.. Acted… Acted… Over! Comments… Comments… Results?

Oh no, we won…!

It was an unexpected outcome. We thought we had a few loopholes, and yet, we won!
Should we be happy or disappointed? Even though I hadn’t shown my full commitment, this has taken up alot of commitment and time from the team-players.
And we all were exhausted! Now, we had to come up with another new idea for our final round..

Alright, you can see our “showtime” on tv. It’ll be shown on 8 August 2006, Tuesday. 8PM. Channel 8. We’re from S3 – Creative Powers and you will know what our “showtime” is..

Thanks, VSA for giving me this opportunity to meet Evelyn Glennie again this year. This moment had been inpiring me since then!

Just now, I went to attend the pre-concert talk at Library@Esplanade. I was surprised that Mr. Jonathan Fox was the speaker. He was my former percussion teacher!!
I missed earlier part where he performed on snare drum!!! Again, I couldn’t understand what he was talking about. Perhaps, it was too fast for me to catch up what he was saying. I guess I’m very DEAF-minded by now!
Ha, it was a nice feeling to meet him again.. From there, I hope to keep in touch with him often. Perhaps, I may need his help one day!

After this talk, I went together with some people of VSA to watch Evelyn Glennie performing on percussion. It was really SHIOK!! WOW!! Refreshing music!!! At the intermission, we went down to the Stage Door to meet her as it was arranged. I clean forgot about it till I was told about it. I should have brought a friend who can help interpret for me.
During the chat with her, I got myself lost. Blur, blur, everything.. I didn’t get to ask her at that moment. But I guess, Mr. Christopher helped me ask her on my behalf. It was regarding my future prospects in percussion or performance. I really need to know what he did ask her or what she said about it. I’ve already emailed to him and hopefully, he can be able to give me his reply soon. Me, very anxious!!

Hmmm, well… she’s very good!! Of course, I cannot compare myself to her. We’re different from each other. She got her comprehensive training and she got to learn it at her very young age of 12 (I suppose so). She got lots of support from her family.
As for me, I grow in a different environment from her. My parents had no or little education and my mother leads her very simple life. My learning process has been slow because of my deafness and lack of news/gossip from people around me. Some people around me asked me why I did not go for music studies in the first place. No one advised me this and that… Now, I’ve been working so hard to achieve my goals! However, time is not on my side. Anyway, I try my best as I can!! *fingers crossed*

May the Force be with me!! GOD BLESS!!!

It is a mystery why we fall in love. It is a mystery how it happens. It is a mystery when it comes. It is a mystery why some love grows and it is a mystery why some love fails.

You can analyze this mystery and look for reasons and causes, but you will never do anymore that take the life out of the experience. Just as life itself is more than the sum of the bones and muscles and electrical impulses in the body, love is more than the sum of the interests and attractions and commonalities that two people share. And just as life itself is a gift that comes and goes in its own time, so too, the coming of love must be taken as an unfathomable gift that cannot be questioned in its ways.

Sometimes, hopefully at least once in your life – the gift of love will come to you in full flower. Take hold of it and celebrate it in all inexpressible beauty. This is the dream we all share. More often, it will come and take hold of you, celebrate you for a brief moment, then move on.

When this happen to young people, they too often try to grasp the love and hold it to them, refusing to see that it is a gift that just as freely, moves away. When they fall out of love, or the person they love feels the spirit of love leaving, they try desperately to reclaim the love that is lost rather than accepting the gift for what it was, then moving on.

They want answers where there are no answers. They want to know what is wrong in them that makes the other person no longer love them, or try to get their love to change, thinking that if some small things were different, love would bloom again. They blame their circumstances and say that if they go far away and start a new life, their love will grow.

They try anything to give meaning to what has happened. But there is no meaning beyond the love itself, and until they accept its own mysterious ways, they live in a sea of misery.

You need to know this about love, and accept it. You need to treat what it brings you with kindness. If you find yourself in love with someone who does not love you, be gentle with yourself. There is nothing wrong with you. Love just didn’t choose to rest in the other person’s heart.

If you find yourself someone in love with you but you don’t love him back, feel honored that love came and called at your door, but gently refuse the gift you cannot return. Do not take advantage; do not cause pain. How you deal with love is how you deal with yourself. All our hearts feel the same pains and joys, even if our lives and ways are different.

If you fall in love with another, and he falls in love with you, and then love chooses to leave, do not try to reclaim it nor to assess blame. Let it go. There is a reason and there is a meaning. You will know in time.

Remember that you don’t choose love. Love chooses you. All you can really do is accept it for all its mystery when it comes into your life. Feel the way it fills you to overflowing, then reach out and give it away. Give it back to the person who brought it alive in you. Give it to others who deem it poor in spirit. Give it to the world around you in any way you can.

There is where many lovers go wrong. Having been so long without love, they understand love only as a need. They see their hearts as empty places that will be filled by love, and they begin to look at love as something that flows to them rather than from them.

The first blush of new love is filled to overflowing, but as their love cools, they revert to seeing their love as a need. They cease to be someone who generates love and instead become someone who seeks love. They forget that the secret of love is that it is a gift, and that it can be made to grow only by giving it away.

Remember this and keep it to your heart. Love has its time, its own season, its own reason for coming and going. You cannot bribe it or coerce it, or reason it into staying. You can only embrace it when it arrives and give it away when it comes to you. But if it chooses to leave from your heart or from the heart of your lover, there is nothing you can do and there is nothing you should do. Love always has been and always will be a mystery.

BE GLAD THAT IT CAME TO LIVE FOR A MOMENT IN YOUR LIFE.
If you keep you heart open, it will come again…

(Copied from a website on friendship quotes)

The Best Way To Make It Through…
Is To Listen To Your Heart.

In life, we have to make decisions
that aren’t easy. We’re afraid that
whatever choice we make will upset
someone we love.

It is at these times that we need
to stop and listen to the voice
inside us. If we listen just to
the wishes of those around us and
ignore our own feelings, we will not
by truly happy.

Listen to what you know is right
and stand by that, because
when you do, you will be happy.

Forgive me for not helping much in the preparation for the group item, “Street-fighter” (Channel 8 – It’s Showtime). I’m not really very committed to it!

Forgive me for being selfish. I have my higher priorities. I need to help myself, otherwise, I cannot move on further..

Forgive me…