~ PerCusSo ~

Jingle and Melody have been breeding many babies for some time. Till now, there are 10 gerbils in total. Therefore, 4 male gerbils were adopted last week.

Right now, I’m still looking for two more persons who are willing to adopt 6 Agouti gerbils. Most of them are female.

1) 2 of them are 2 months old. Female. White & Light Brown.
2) 4 of them are just born since last week. 3 females & 1 male. Their fur colours will be shown during their development. Will update it soon!

If you have anyone who wants to adopt gerbils, do let me know soon by email.

Last night, XTOMIC and I put up our performance at Furama Hotel. It was the Juniors Chambers International’s dinner event.

Kidz, Hina, SaltyBanana, Angela and Matthew performed the item – Larger Than Life. It got hiccups in the start. Partly the staff’s fault. Before the event, we told him that the music needs to start straightaway with the appropriate volume level. Instead, he started the music and then, its volume was increased from zero to 6.5. It led to the late start. After all, they did it very well.

Then, it was my turn to perform the solo item – If We Hold On Together. It was a time for me to sign without a reflective signer. It gained more of my confidence and it has shown that I am capable of performing without any help. Kidz, thanks for this support you’ve given me.

So now, I guess I will continue to keep it up. At the same time, I will do the same thing to my performing item – One Day I’ll Fly Away. I will work harder!!

After several considerations, I have to come to my decision that I will be leaving the Joy Place. My last day of work is on 15th December, it’s confirmed.

My supervisor asked me whether I can take a part-time job up after 16 February 2007. I’m interested but I’m not sure that it will clash with my project where I will be teaching song-signing, deaf music and story-telling in sign language.

At this moment, I need to come up with an interesting proposal for students on the AEP (Arts Education Programme). It’s about teaching song-signing, deaf music (percussion) and story-telling in sign language. Above this, it must have 3 main elements: Experience, Exploration and Exposure.
Once my proposal is done, I have to discuss it with the NAC as I’m told.

Meanwhile, my career path needs to be worked out well so that I can be a full-time performer. As advised by Ramesh, I have approached someone else. Next year, I will be participating in the Singapore Fringe Festival 2007 since its theme is set on “Art & Disability”.

So now, I’m thinking about my upgrading.
I intend to take up a part-time course in musical theatre. This needs to be discussed with VSA and LASALLE-SIA or NAFA. At the same time, I will continue to take private percussion lessons till I achieve the highest qualification level – Grade 8 in Percussion.
Anyway, I will see how things go. Once opportunities knock on my door, I will definitely grab it..

Acting
Acting is the work of an actor, a person in theatre, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play. From the Latin word agĕre meaning “to do”, this is precisely what acting is.
In acting, an actor suppresses or augments aspects of their personality in order to reveal the actions and motivations of the character for particular moments in time. The actor is said to be “assuming the role” of another, usually for the benefit of an audience, but also because it can bring one a sense of artistic satisfaction.

Actors are generally expected to possess a number of skills, including good vocal projection, clarity of speech, physical expressiveness, a good sense of perspective, emotional availability, a well developed imagination, the ability to analyze and understand dramatic text, and the ability to emulate or generate emotional and physical conditions. Well-rounded actors are often also skilled in singing, dancing, emotional expressiveness, imitating dialects and accents, improvisation, observation and emulation, mime, stage combat, and performing classical texts such as Shakespeare. Many actors train at length in special programs or colleges to develop these skills, which have a wide range of different artistic philosophies and processes.

Drama
Drama (Classical Greek) is a literary form involving parts written for actors to perform. It is a Greek word meaning “action”, drawn from the (Classical Greek), “to do”.

Dramas can be performed in a variety of media: live performance, film, or television. “Closet dramas” are works written in the same form as plays (with dialogue, scenes, and “stage directions”), but meant to be read rather than staged; examples include the plays of Seneca, Manfred by Byron, and Prometheus Unbound by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Other dramatic literature may not resemble plays at all, such as the Imaginary Conversations of Walter Savage Landor. Drama is also often combined with music and dance, such as in opera which is sung throughout, musicals which include spoken dialog and songs, or plays that have musical accompaniment, such as the Japanese Noh drama.
Improvisational drama, a form of Improvisational theatre, is drama that has no set script, in which the performers take their cues from one another and the situations (sometimes established in advance) in which their characters find themselves to create their own dialogue as they perform. Improvisational drama is made up on the spot using whatever space, costumes or props are available.

Theatre
Theatre or theater (Greek “theatron”) is the branch of the performing arts concerned with acting out stories in front of an audience using combinations of speech, gesture, mime, music, dance, sound and spectacle – indeed any one or more elements of the other performing arts. In addition to the standard narrative dialogue style, theatre takes such forms as opera, ballet, mime, kabuki, classical Indian dance, Chinese opera, mummers’ plays, and pantomime.

Musical Theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining music, songs, dance, and spoken dialogue. It is closely related to opera, frequently being distinguished by the use of popular music of various forms (or at least popular singing styles), the use of unaccompanied dialogue (though some musicals are entirely accompanied, such as Les Misérables, and some operas have spoken dialogue, such as Carmen), often a greater emphasis on dance by the principal performers and chorus, and the avoidance of many operatic conventions (though some operas avoid these, too). Amplification of the singers is usually approved of in larger theatres where musicals are played, while it is generally disapproved of in opera houses.

[Adopted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]

Now, the misunderstanding is cleared! Glad that this friendship is not destroyed.

After all, I guess I must find a correct person whom I can confide in. And, he will guide & support me all the way, no matter who I am.

While pursuing my dreams, many obtacles came in… Thus, I’m worried about many things. So, I sought for a person whom I can confide in. I realised that I couldn’t find anyone.

What shall I do? What shall I do?
So, is blogging a way out for me? If so, that’ll be it…

Alright, now I’m only finding opportunities for myself to make some achievements in my career path. I can only take what it comes on my way. Not only that but I have to be initiative at all times.
Now, I’m stil worried:

(1) XTOMIC
I’ve decided to abort the idea of getting XTOMIC out of the SADeaf. It’s a TIME for me to leave the XTOMIC. I guess my last project with XTOMIC will be the XTOMIC’s first Concert (its 5th Anniversary since it’s founded in 2002) although I’m strongly attached to it.
Amazingly, it’s still going on, unlike YouthBeat disbanded last 2005. It’s energetic as ever. I really hope that the XTOMIC can carry on with its activities/performances without me one day. Lastly, I can rest my mind at ease!

(2) Joy Place (Childcare centre for Special Kids)
The job scope at the Joy Place is now less challenging for me, especially when I’m deaf. I am unable to communicate well with those autistic children (of their high ID). They keep on talking and talking. Therefore, I couldn’t communicate with them. The number of autistic children’s enrolment increases. Now, I stick to the three deaf boys. Spending 2-3 hours with them is all that I can do for now and it’s quite slacking. I do not like to waste time for it.
So, I’ve decided to quit it. However, I do not know when it will be.

(3) Career Path – to be a performer/soloist
Recently, I met Roger. He gave me a start. It’s a very tough beginning for me. I have to work hard to come up with a proposal that will design my career path.
With many commitments I have currently, it’ll be difficult for me to concentrate on this opportunity. I need time to do research for it. Again, I need some advices for it.

(4) Sign Language Teaching
Since I was given the opportunity by Roger, I’m stuck with one of the contract clauses: teaching sign language outside. I’m thinking of quitting it. But I couldn’t afford it. I may need it for additional income to cover my daily budget. If I quit the job at the Joy Place, my income sources will be greatly affected. Will face more problems and squeeze to another more tight daily budget.

(5) Percussion Music
My exams is scheduled on 6th September. I’m confident to pass. However, I’m quite stressed about my aural and sight-reading tests. These are part of my exams. I really hope to do well in them.
Right now, I’ve been practising on my weaknesses. That’s why I stopped taking sign language classes of August-September. And now, my expenses will be strictly disciplined.

(6) Overseas Studies
I’m quite interested in Berklee College of Music (USA). Over there, the Percussion program is excellent. But a problem I’m facing is that I do not know where to get application form. Again, I sometimes couldn’t find time to get it.
My search for other courses is intermittent due to other commitments. It looks like I have problems prioritizing things.

(7) Getting an instrument – marimba
Supposedly, I am to write a letter to YAMAHA for sponsorship/donation. Till now, I haven’t typed it yet, though I got a draft.
I hope it will be in my top priority and I will be able to get it soon. The sooner, the better it will be. I believe, one day, I can perform with it anytime. With it, I can practise it anytime, anyday.

Many things, many things I have in my mind… Alright, let me slow down and I guess I will write them down on paper and list them according to priority level. Is this a right thing?

May the Force be with me!! *fingers crossed*

Hmmm, my cough does not go away.. Looks like I have a quite long way to my full recovery. I have many things to do and therefore, I do not rest well enough. I slept quite late for many nights to do what I’m supposed to do.

Work #1
After relieving Calvin’s BS2 class last Friday, I stayed overnight at the SADeaf to help finish with the XTOMIC’s costumes. Angela was there, too. It couldn’t be helped because everything must be ready by this Saturday (26 August).
So far, only 60% is done. I guess every member of XTOMIC should help with it since they will be coming down for the practice on this Wed.

Work #2
I have been practising with my 3 percussion pieces. Alot of practices & work… May the Force be with me!!

Work #3
I have been practising with my Chinese language. Since I skipped the CC2 and I’m now in CC3, I have to catch up. Some characters I do not know how to write… I need some help!

Work #4
When I reach home, I have been at emails for XTOMIC issues – getting petty cash for the ANIC and KL-Penang trip. They need to be settled as soon as possible.
We have our upcoming performances in August (26/8), September and December. Not only these but we have our projects ongoing.

Work is so overwhelming that I couldn’t recover fast!
HELP ME!!

Just got a sore throat. Painful!!

Thanks, SaltyBanana for giving a wonderful moment even though you was very late for the movie date – The Lake House. No one has ever interpreted music/song for me during the movie. This was my first time to see you interpreting music in the dancing scene. It was a very beautiful interpreting! Quite memorable! That’s why I liked that dancing scene very much!! After all, I enjoyed it!!!

This Never Happened Before by Paul McCartney
I’m very sure
This never happened to me before
I met you and now I’m sure
This never happened before

I’m very sure
This never happened to me before
I met you and now I’m sure
This never happened before
(This never happened before)
This never happened before
(This never happened before)
This never happened before
(This never happened before)
This never happened before

Today is my holiday since my workplace is closed for holidays from 8 August to 10 August. I’m happy to have these holidays!!

Today, I went down to Keming Primary School to help in the smooth running of SSD’s performance. Hmm, this is my first experience doing deaf children’s performance. It was different from mainstream children’s performance I did last 2 years ago. I learnt some things from it:
- Perhaps, song-signing may be out for deaf children.
- Dance movement is good and enjoyable. But it should be simplified.
- Story-telling is another good option and I believe it will help enrich their general knowledge.
- Different environments of stage performances should apply, like open air hall, enclosed hall, enclosed MSSL, size, lighting, so on.
- Good attitude, discipline and punctuality must be practised.

After all, I enjoyed it very much. Very fun!