Hal-lelujah! Hal-lelujah!

I am so excited! :D For the first time, I got to sing the famous Handel's Hallelujah Chorus! I have heard the famous piece performed several times by orchestra and choirs, and it always sounded so majestic and grand.. I never thought I would be singing it!

Actually, this song is part of the repertoire of Easter presentation by Cantus Musicus, a choir group that I've joined since the beginning of this year. The group is truly multi-national as there are as many expatriates as there are locals. And most of them had been there for years and could sing pretty well I must say.

In just a few practices, I was flooded with music pieces after pieces (more than a dozen at least!) as we have two presentations coming out quite near - one in March for Easter and another in April at the German Ambassador's residents!

And yes, the pieces we sing are in multi-lingual. When I started taking vocal classes, I have tried my hand (or rather, my voice) at singing Italian and Latin songs. But now with Cantus Musicus, we not only sing in Italian and Latin - the more common ones, but also in German, French and even Russian!

As I was still grappling with Italian and Latin, imagine singing in Russian - gosh so far the pronunciation was the toughest! German too, although a tad bit easier than Russian, was totally new to me.

But I really enjoyed singing these classic sacred pieces. Yes, I did find it a little hard to `catch up' as members of the choir are quite familiar with most of the pieces already, I more or less could still follow thanks to my ability to read music and with some singing experience. Also it's not so bad when you're surrounded by people who could sing! But I must say, this is the most challenging choir group I've joined. And yes, I do love it. Especially when we get to sing such hauntingly beautiful pieces that praises the Lord.

My first performance with Cantus Musicus will be on Easter weekend. Will do a little `plug' here ;)

Cantus Musicus presents:
`Thorns and Roses' - Pictures, Poetry & the Passion of Christ.
Date: Saturday March 22
Venue: St Andrew's Presbyterian Church
Time: 6pm-7pm
Free admission

pssst, and here are the songs we will be singing..which recollects the happenings of the first Easter - from sorrow to triumph.

1. Crown of Roses
2. Hosianna dem Sohne Davids
3. Crucifixus a 8
4. Libera Me
5. Abendlied
   
6. Now the Green Blade Riseth
7. Hallelujah Chorus

If you enjoy classical sacred music and choruses, it's worth to consider coming, or at least just come to support me! :)

Not Well.. :(

Rats! I hate falling ill. :(

Came down with sore throat and fever yesterday evening... and then although I slept for 11 hours, it didn't get better.. after 3 hours of afternoon nap, decided to go to see doctor. As expected, i was given anti-biotic.

As you would have experienced, it's quite miserable having fever and sore throat. But on the other hand, I am actually thankful for the timing. At least today I can `afford' to take a short break.. If I had fallen ill a few days earlier, that would have been quite disastrous as I had a few deadlines to chase. Or even if I were ill just a day earlier.. I had worship leading duty at church!

In fact, I was pretty energetic on Friday and Saturday. I even went to catch Jay Chou's concert on Sat although I left earlier cos i needed to get up really early the next morning. You won't believe I had `agonised' over whether to go or not. The comp tix I was given was for the free-standing `rock zone', and the area was all the way at the back of the field! I could imagine how far away it would be from the stage. Coupled with the fact that I couldn't stay up late that night, I decided to give both the tix to my friends.

But just a day or two before the concert, I was`itching' to go. After all, I had been looking forward for the concert all along. So, after some deliberation, I had a plan. I would try to get myself to go in as media (though I wasn't covering the concert but the organisers do know me from the past), and stay for half of it.. at least I got to watch some! So finally at 5-something on Saturday itself, I managed to contact the organiser and she said I could go! BUT she said the media seat this time is not close to the stage, it's on the stand at the side.. Well, at least it's better than nothing!

So it was worth that trip I thought. It might not be the best concerts and I am not totally crazy over Jay but I do like some of his songs. And I did enjoy most parts of the concerts.. especially when he played the piano! He changed quite a lot of costumes.. but from where we sat, the stage was quite small.. probably one of the worse media seats ever! And many of us sat on the concrete pavement (no chairs) But I would have stayed till the end but I finally left at 10:20pm.. I think the concert ended just before 11pm.

Maybe it was the lack of sleep that contributed to me falling ill. I didn't sleep immediately when I got home as I had to clear a deadline by Sat night. And then every time when I had to get up early, I have this `phobia' of not able to sleep enough. I know it sounds silly, but for a person like me who's so used to getting up really late, getting up early is `hard work'.

Anyway, pardon this rather incoherent post. After I'm not feeling well so not putting too much effort to think (yeah good excuse huh :p) Well, I just hope and pray that I will be back to my feet again as there're things that I need to do!

p.s. The poster wars had started even before nomination day yesterday. One thing I really don't like about the General Elections is the way the parties `campaign' - wasting so much resources. I mean what do they do with all the posters and buntings and flags after the G.E.? Isn't it a horrible waste and totally bad for conservation of environment?

Mindless Me!!

I couldn't believe I can be this careless.. and mindless!

And you probably won't believe it either..

I left my laptop at a shop on Monday afternoon and didn't even realise that it's missing till I got a phone call from a staff there today! She apologised that she had opened the case and saw the sales order slip and it had my name and no. on it. But I'm glad she did!

What happened was that I brought my laptop out with me on Monday and had a lunch interview with my cousin. Already I was careless enough to leave it in the car when we had lunch at BSC. It was due to something my cousin said (as part of the interview) that reminded me I forgot the laptop.. I was thinking of not even bother to take it but my cousin thought I should, and she was so kind to fetch it for me as she has finished eating and I was still at it..

After sending her back to her office after lunch, I decided to go to Starbucks at Bangsar Village II and worked there - the reason I brought my laptop along anyway. Well, it wasn't too productive although I did do something and decided to leave before the rush hour..

Then, before I left, I succumbed to the `sales' signs plastered all over Guess? shop and went inside to check it out. The discounts were really quite good and I was looking at the bags as well as clothes. Because my laptop was quite heavy, I requested to place it behind the counter so I could shop more freely!

I confessed I was too engrossed in that 20 mins or so of shopping. Finally, I found a lovely bag at 40 per cent off (but couldn't find any clothes that suited or fit me). By the time I paid for my new bag, I had totally forgotten about the laptop... and the sales assistants obviously also forgot.

I must confess I have left things behind in shops. The more recent one was I left a present I bought - also at BVII coincidentally - and realised it when I was on my way home. I called up the few shops I visited and found where I left it and came back the following day.

I thought that was bad enough.. but this time I was TOTALLY OBLIVIOUS to the fact that I have lost my laptop for two days! I went about as normal yesterday.. to Subang AND Bangsar for some interviews for my stories.. In fact, I even parked my car at BVII!

Today I was planning to go to Starbucks at Jusco Selatan near my place - where I go quite regularly. But I didn't even know I don't have my laptop.. and when I received the call from Guess? I just couldn't stop scolding and cursing at myself!! But I was so lucky in the sense that they have kept it for me and even called me up.

Sigh.. maybe I am not fit to own a laptop. OR maybe I'm just plain mindless.. :(

back to normal..

Have been feeling so lazy to even update my blog.. but guess I should just to do a short one!

Praise God! Grandma has improved significantly and will be discharged tomorrow morning! We all are so relief.. it was sad seeing her suffering last Saturday.. but when she returns home, more care will be needed as she will be consuming her `nutritional pack' from a tube from now on.. Yeah, she can't really eat the normal way anymore :(

As for myself, I have been quite distracted due to CNY and grandma.. and maybe just plain lazy.. but as of today, more works have been coming in which means I can't afford to slack.. Two weeks had been quite enough a break already!

Our Parliament has been dissolved. So, while political parties are busy gearing up for the general election, looks like I will be immersed with work.. not looking forward to it but would be busy busy from now on.. !

Personally, looks like things are back to normal.. running on clockwork again..

p.s. It's sis' birthday today.. Chin, Happy Birthday once again! ;)

Praying for Grandma..

It has been a Chinese new year of mixed feelings..

There had been some fun reunion time with sis' family and relatives we don't see very often in the last week.. as we ushered in the Year of the Rat.

But on the other hand, my grandma, who lives with us, is not doing well.. Her condition was deteriorating..

And today, just as sis and family were flying back to Hong Kong, she suffered breathing difficulties and we had to call an ambulance to admit her to hospital.

Thank God now that the condition has stabilised somewhat being looked after at the HDU (High Dependency Unit). But all of us know that things won't look optimistic.. she's 90 this year and had been suffering from stroke for a decade. In fact, she has been very weak and frail in the last few months and it became worse just before CNY.

It's only the 3rd day of CNY but none of us at home feel anymore festive mood.. originally I had planned to have a new year party at my place and invited friends from my church fellowship over on Sunday, but because of the development of grandma, I had just cancelled it..

Sis left with a heavy heart.. She was visibly sad and cried a few times, knowing that it's highly likely she won't be seeing grandma again. She's probably grandma's favourite grand child as they were very close when she was young.

There is nothing much that we can do.. :( I have been praying for her.. And my prayer is that God will have mercy on her and any suffering will be minimised. May she have healing, peace and comfort in the last phase of her life...

Grandma at home on 1st day of CNY

GONG XI FA CAI!

Jess and her two Js wish you a Happy, Healthy and Wealthy Lunar New Year.
May the Year of the Rat bring much Blessings to you and your family.