counting bubbles

I remember the first time I played in an orchestra was …

Okay, I’d wanted to type “when I first joined SNYS”, but I realised I’ve played with NYSE for NY Glitters in Sec 2, played in Melissa’s recital too. But then again I guess I can’t really say “I played in an orchestra” then because I pretty much didn’t know what I was doing. I remember transposing the scores with Yufei and tediously numbering the bars and being rather intimidated by the conductors.

So, the first time I played in an orchestra and I was fully (okay, maybe at least half?) aware of what was happening (besides being lost in long stretches of rests or weird tempos) was when I had the first orchestral prac with SNYS. If I’m not wrong, we played Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 and I was overwhelmed by the rich music we produced! And then I started enjoying orchestral prac, and we played Hansel and Gretel.

Another overwhelming moment was when I heard Pomp and Circumstance when I was about 10 metres away from the training room, separated by the distance and two doors in between, yet the music already got me excited. And of course I enjoyed playing that too.

My point? Well, today I felt it again, when the strings were practising a certain part in Finlandia. Lots of expression (it seemed so to me anyway), evident in three of the same notes. Three Eflats, seemingly nothing spectacular, yet I was quite awed at the music. :) :)

And during Pirates we blasted and it felt good too, in a way. I’m permanently out of tune.

School today was… A typical Wednesday. Except that I didn’t really have trouble keeping awake during Bio Lecture. Oh right it wasn’t really a typical Wednesday! Besides National Anthem/School Song, we did a publicity announcement for Artitude! There was a swordfight (of which I didn’t manage to catch because it was on the bridge and I couldn’t see :() and we played excerpts from Pirates and I guess it was a successful announcement..? After assembly I stayed to settle some concert stuff and ended up being late for Bio Lecture, and had to stand at the side of the auditorium! It wasn’t too embarrassing because there were quite a few others, but anyway I was contemplating going to tell him I’ve got a reason for being late when the lecturer decided to let us all go back to our seats heh. Bio Lecture on that new Evolution topic went okay. But then again, we only covered the definitions of a few terms today =.= Heh.

Bio Lab; went through the tutorial and did the prac, which was basically to do a setup and… Count bubbles! Mr Heng described it as “therapeutic”. While I’d like to think so, I think it was rather sleep-inducing as well. Which reminds me, I need to complete the prac tonight. My eyes are already semi-closed.

Half an hour break, during which we didn’t see much hope of getting food and having sufficient time to eat in the canteen, so we went to Fishtank for sandwiches instead. :(

Math Lecture was funny. CT Session was on Total Defence, and the police guy who came to speak was rather hilarious, so it wasn’t like an average CT Session when we’d all be struggling to keep awake. After school was combined practice yep. New World Symphony’s stressful.

I’m tired I’m tired I’m tired, school’s been fine/almost fun but I’m really looking forward to CNY break anyway.

(edit)

Just went to Ares website (yes I know I’m slow! I keep forgetting to go visit haha.) and it’s super cool, I love the coding a lot, I don’t think I’ll ever manage to do such a thing!! And I finally saw the whole of Fac Dance 2010 too (another evidence of slowness) and it’s cool :D Okay I think the song mixing could’ve been done better but the dance is really rather awesome (and difficult), heh, GO ARES! :D

there’s a cow in the band diary

and it says moo.

\

Hello, I’m very tired/kinda lazy to blog. Why am I tired every day?! I’ve been sleeping early.

This morning we were slightly late for Chem Lab. We reached at 7.53am, but we were considered rather late I guess, because flag raising ended quite early. So our Chem teacher was angry and told us to join the other half of the class for practical next Thursday, which means I’ll have to skip another session of Music Consultation! That’ll be the third week in a row, :( Not that I particularly enjoy sitting at the piano discussing the repertoire/sitting in front of a Mac using Sibelius, but I think I’d very much prefer being dismissed at 11am on Thursdays.

So we spent that time, uhm, doing our work.

During the Econs break we tried the ice balls thing! We’re selling ice balls during CNY celebrations. I’m not sure how well it’ll sell but anyway the Ribena one was rather good haha. Had fun with the shaved ice and all.

And I wasted time during break.

Chem Lecture. Sat at the cold seat (LT1; the rightmost seat (facing the front) of the top row) again and it’s really comfortable sitting there! Well, it’s comfortable initially, but after a while the cold gets to your bones and my jacket’s too thin for that kinda chill haha.

Break; celebrated Michelle’s birthday. Happy Birthday Michelle! :D And then lunched and then there was GP Tutorial, during which we did the compre most classes did last week, I think. Val accompanied me to Coro after school to collect the tickets, and then it was back in school/reading the band diary/looking at the poor cow and giving him the ability to talk/Music!

During Music we watched this documentary by Michael Tilson Thomas (the same guy who did the Eroica document we watched and enjoyed last year:D) on Soviet Union/Symphony No. 5. Which reminds me of how I thought Boxer (in Animal Farm) was a cow a few nights ago. Not funny! Don’t you think the name suits a cow more than a horse. Hahaha.

Okay yep the documentary was rather interesting, and I don’t like the ending of the Symphony :( Guess he had his reasons S:

After school we went to TM. Reached home at around 9.50 and had Subway for dinner :D I gave Subway cookies a miss! :D Haha.

I’m tired I’m tired but I haven’t done any work =/ Nothing’s due tmr (I hope) but I’ve got Bio Practicals to read and ohhhh I need to complete the Photosynthesis tutorial urgh. Okay, guess that’s it, goodnight.

mondaymondaymonday

Hi,

I’d appreciate it if someone could tell me why I’m always really really tired on Monday nights. It’s only 2215hrs and I feel like it’s 4am or something!

Reached home nearing 8 tonight and piano lesson was at 9, and it was rather horrible and I could doze off any moment then.

But well, today was good. Flag raising in the morning was as screwed up as usual. I don’t have much to blog about S: Angel/Mortal letters make our day, entertain us during lessons, bring joy to our otherwise mundane lives. I thought band was rather fun. I really like An American Elegy! And I’m starting to like playing Noah’s Ark as well.

Okay, I can’t really take it anymore, so it’s either SL Proposal or I’m off, goodnight.

because someday I’m going to Boston

and never coming back.

I’ve been looking at photos on Facebook. Photos taken out of Singapore, photos taken in places I’ve never been, photos taken to cause a temporary cessation to respiration, photos taken to make me want to see the real thing for myself.

I don’t know why, but I get a feeling I like Boston. Maybe it’s because of the song by Augustana, or because of the fact that so many renowned colleges are situated there/near there. Or because of the music/arts scene? Idk if I’ll really like it though. But I wanna go there,

I wanna go to bed tonight and wake up there in the morning.

\

On another (more realistic) note, I’m pretty happy with the work I did tonight, and it isn’t even that late yet (0039hrs). I haven’t been practising the piano for a while, because life’s been passing by too quickly.

ZP’s blog just reminded me to live, not exist.

070210

Hi,

Bad Things About Today:

1) I had a bad dream! Haha, I think it’s an after-effect of watching FD3. Anyway I dreamt I killed 2 people or something and was really guilty about it and was trying to hide/remove all evidence haha. I woke up at 3+, and at that time I wasn’t fully convinced it was just a dream and continued being scared. Actually at that time I was relatively awake, and contemplated getting up and doing some work, but I thought of the movie and went back to sleep lol.

2) I was v rude today, slightly more irritable than usual, didn’t manage to get any shopping done, haven’t started on work, I’m fat, I’m fat, I’m fat.

3) Headache.

Good Things About Today:

1) The best text received today was from Hui Fang, relaying the message that Math test has been postponed till after CNY :D I was rather elated heh.

2) Tomorrow’s Monday and I’m looking forward to it. Strange, but true.

Brian Patten: The Minister For Exams
in New Writing

When I was a child I sat an exam.
The test was so simple
There was no way I could fail.

Q1. Describe the taste of the moon.

It tastes like Creation I wrote,
it has the flavour of starlight.

Q2. What colour is Love?

Love is the colour of the water a man
lost in the desert finds, I wrote.

Q3. Why do snowflakes melt?

I wrote, they melt because they fall
onto the warm tongue of God.

There were other questions.
They were as simple.

I described the grief of Adam when he was expelled from Eden.
I wrote down the exact weight of an elephant’s dream.

Yet today, many years later,
For my living I sweep the streets
or clean out the toilets of the fat hotels.

Why? Because I constantly failed my exams.
Why? Well, let me set a test.

Q1. How large is a child’s imagination?
Q2. How shallow is the soul of the Minister for Exams?

FD3

Hi,

I just lost all hopes of doing any work tonight
because at 10+ or so I went to the tv and I thought the programme was cool.

It was Final Destination 3, and I remember my brother being rather freaked out after watching it in the cinema. So yep, I thought the first part about the premonition of the roller coaster accident was rather wow, and decided I’d enjoy watching the show.

Throughout the show, I wanted to back out so many times because the show’s simply vexing. It’s freaky and sick. I’m not so much affected by the blood and gore but the build-up to the events were just too… Heavy for me. I was really really scared ok! :( And I still am, I think.

So yeah I’m going to sleep, hopefully I can anyway! I don’t think I’ll be able to do any work in this state of mind. Someone tell me I’m not the only one so badly affected by the movie.

Daniel 3

Daniel 3 (New International Version)

The Image of Gold and the Fiery Furnace

1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet [a] wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3 So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”

7 Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

8 At this time some astrologers [b] came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You have issued a decree, O king, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”

13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, O king.”

25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”

30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

\

Hi, combined practice with the strings this morning/afternoon, in my opinion the music was good :D Idk how we sound in the audience, but I’m rather sure we didn’t sound too bare on stage, unlike what it’d probably have been if there were no strings? Haha Idk, that’s what I feel anyway. :D Okay but yeah I was really stressed when we started with New World and I really hate that note!! :( And I can’t play in tune too sianzxz.

We had muffins during the break :D And then yeah by the end of the prac I was damn tired already, but it was a nice prac I guess :) Went to Queensway w my parents & grandparents and got my shoes yay. I should be off to do work soon, :)

050210

Hi, today was… Eventful? In a way. It’s 11.06 p.m. now and I’m tired and I want to sleep already :( I’m really thankful for having slept at 10+ last night, because I think without that I’d have not lasted till now today S:

Today:

1) PE in the morning; Volleyball! Haha okay it wasn’t too fun actually, I think playing with band friends are more fun! Even though (more than) half the time I’m not doing anything, but there’s still stuff/people to laugh at/about/with and everything’s really fun :D Well of course we laughed and had fun during PE today, but not too much I guess. I’m so sad lah, there’re no bruises or even a remote trace that I played volleyball today! The redness (or maybe, more of blackness since the volleyballs were really dirty/dusty) went off after a very short while. Now all that’s left to testify my exercising is the muscle ache hahaha okay I feel dumb.

2) Bio Lecture. Enough said.

3) GP Tutorial. There is a poem-like thing in our Education notes that I quite like, can’t find it on the Internet now though. Post it someday.

4) The pleasant surprise: Math Tutorial was cancelled :D :D So school ended at 1230 instead of 1500! It was rather awesome haha. Had lunch and then talked with CT till around 1440hrs? That’s nearly 2 hours of talking! I felt like I was wasting time but there wasn’t anything else I could do because I didn’t bring hw because today was supposed to be rather hectic. But I guess talking wasn’t exactly wasting time because we talked and laughed and at times we were thoughtful and at times we were just saying lots of rubbish haha. Fun :)

5) Walked to SALT; had combined sectionals and then band… I don’t have much to say about it I guess, but I think I’m guilty of practising only stuff that I enjoy playing? =/ Comm meeting after that and we got back to college at 9.30, during which

6) CAMPFIRE was still on! They were doing mass dances by then, and it was crowded and noisy and it made me miss last year a lot. Dancing and laughing because we couldn’t get the dance moves and forming trains and running around the school, making lots of noise… Miss those days, hope the J1s had fun.

7) Had dinner on the car =.= I feel quite bad because I was supposed to have dinner w my parents and bro tonight! Probably not any expensively sumptuous meal or anything but it would’ve been a good one I guess? Ended up not doing so though.

Yep. There’s audi rehearsal tmr and I’m looking forward to it :D But then again, I was looking forward to Band prac this evening too…. Oh well. I’m busy there’s so much work to do and so little time. The week just flew by like that lah, I Need Time (to slow down).

040210

Hello :D Today was good.

Morning started out with National Anthem with minimal warmup because we were told to stop playing so the C1s could hear the bell lol. Chem Lecture; new topic and I’m beginning to not pay attention already. Okay actually that sort of happened since the start of this week for Chem, and since the beginning of the term for Bio. Bio = die, I really can’t do Bio/can’t keep awake during Bio lectures/can’t ANYTHING Bio. :(

GP Tutorial, and then Chem Tutorial. Cold classrooms are :D I really like feeling cold and having a jacket on.

And then school ended! At 11. FacWar was almost over by then, S: Had lunch, went to (outside) the library to write. And then by 1.10 or so KY and I headed to NY. I was rather worried about disrupting classes because of horn lesson S: Played An American Elegy quite a bit because I didn’t feel like playing anything else =/ First lesson, it was good I guess, but costly. :(

Stayed back and sat in for sectionals, I Miss NYCB. Sat in when they went back to the band room for national anthem/school song/attendance/announcements too. :(

On the way back:

Me: 2000 (the radio was playing a song from the year 2000). That’s 10 years ago. Do you remember what happened when you were p5?
Bro: I was in p5.
Me: … What else..?
Bro: That was one year after p4.
Me: Uhhuh..?
Bro: That was one year before p6.

Talking to my bro is frustrating hahaha.

in the hustle we forget each other/

Finally changed a blogheader;
I think I prefer the previous, probably partly because I spent lots of time on it! But oh well I was quite sick of it already. S: I have a feeling this one won’t last long.

The night was relatively good I guess. Didn’t start off good, but unless there’s someone I don’t mind ranting to I think I should stop thinking about it. It’s 1152pm and I’m ready to go to bed! Unless someone stops me online or something, so I think I should head off now, goodnight :)