Monday, March 26, 2007

caught up with something

and that something is eventually EXAMS of DEADLINES as a matter of fact! Dang...

Yeah, had been sleeping late -- burning the midnight oil -- since the beginning of last week. just for the sake of meeting deadlines. gosh...

Here's a breakdown of my DEADLINES of EXAMS:


Tuesday, 27/3 - AED 104: ICT Engaged Learning - Group Presentation
Thursday, 29/3 - AAU 103: Educational Drama - Lesson Plan
Monday, 2/4 - AAU 103: Educational Drama - Journals!!!!
Thursday, 5/4 - AAU 103: Educational Drama - Teaching Demonstrations/ Assessment
Monday, 9/4 - ALS 101: Academic Discourse Skills - Research Paper; Reflection; Presentation
Friday, 13/4 - AAU 104: Contemporary Theater - Final Group Performance
Friday, 20/4 - AAU 104: Contemporary Theater - Final Essay


oh gosh,, i dun want to be stressed out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

esp. that crappy RESEARCH PAPER! the whole module is crappy! argh! help!





so...







i found the perfect cure......










Wednesday, 28/3
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA @ 8PM - ESPLANADE


i'm so happy!!

Somewhere in between those deadlines, there will be a day i spend my time with Ninja Turtle TOO! haha...i miss them...


BTw, if you think "THIS IS IT?! YOU CALL IT STRESSED?!"


Think again.....


because this is not the only things i have to do at this time ok....



I still got other commitments..... such as practicing for the Live Recording in April! I need to PRACTICE hard especially new songs! WHOoooaaaaa


I can't wait to end this academic year!! CAN'T WAIT! hAAAaaaa...I NEED HOLIDAY!!



patience, adelene.....


WHOAAAAA


patience.....


HAHAHAHA... ??!??!?!?!?!


ok, i'm getting crappy...i guess i'm tired. need to sleep now coz later got presentation!
cheers ~~~ =)

Labels: deadlines, event, exams, holiday, schedules, stress, work

11:52 PM

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Red Cross Youth Talentime FINALS

Woohoo! Today was like one of the best days in Singapore. Haha..

The Red Cross Youth Talentime held their finals today. From Primary and Secondary level, all participated well. Of course, there are some who are my personal favorite -- this only pertains to the Sec level. but too bad i'm not judging them again. Basically, today i judged the Primary schools. quite cute, but too simple sometimes. That's why i do wish to teach them how to sing properly at least. I kept on reminiscing on my previous kindergarten students in MSA, jakarta, indonesia. THey are truly adorable -- and professional, i must say. Seriously, they are way better than -- ehm ehm -- the kids during the finals. Some reasons were like they truly dun know anything about stage presence and impressing the judges. IMPRESSION is one important thing for someone to remember what you did.

Basically, that was what i told the secondary level. I remember mentioning to 1 group. Once you impress the judges, you will be remembered in a great way, and that you will be the one MOST-LIKELY to be chosen to be the champion. Interesting huh... Hahaha...

I went on to watch the secondary school students afterwards. Amazingly, some groups are not improving at all, and even worst, DECREASING! I felt so lost in nowhere whenever i hear off-tune notes! Oh gosh.. I wish i can close my ears. The only thing i can do is make faces. haha.. Haiz...humans! some aspire to sing but can't really sing. Those who can don't aspire to sing at all. I feel sad!

Ok, anyway, the competition is not sad -- SAD -- after all. Two of my personal favorite performances actually won the first place. haha...

****For example, the Malay couple who sang in a duet category. they are from Compassvale Sec School. Seriously, they are SOOOOO romantic and SOOOOOO emo! Truly love their performance! Though there were little hiccups in the beginning and middle of songs, they still end strong and give this impression to the judges! Even me sitting there as one of the 'vip' -- i sat in the reserved seat row OK!!

****Another favorite will have to be the INDIAN DANCING BOYS! They are from Raffles Instituition. haaa...they are SO entertaining. One thing good about them was that we can see that they are improving. I could see more SMILES than before! Awesome awesome.... But then, sad thing is, my head is storing that song they danced to! "Lenja-Lenja"... Something like that. It's really funny! I absolutely LOVE the confidence and creativity displayed in the performance. They even got standing ovation! THE DESERVE IT MAN! Woohoo...sadly, i din get to take pics with them! Should have huh...ask all of them to pose with.that'll be fun! haiz..now no chance to get to meet them in their costume! haha... they did very good job in shaking their body! haha...interesting! seriously funny tho... lol...

**** For the Song group and modern dance category, i'm not really keen to give them good points. I would say they are too static. Actually 1 school did very well in these two categories. since audition, i can see they improved a lot! they really take on the suggestions we judges made. As for the champion (which i'm not keen of, btw), i think they are really stiff. Their body are not LOOSENED yet! For the song group category, there are more harmony in the other school's group. and the costuming are great with all stuff TOYS! haha...incredible. sadly they din get to be the champ. Haiz...sometimes things turn out otherwise. the results for this two category surprised me a lot...

**** Haiz...what can we do now? it's over! but then, I must comment on the lighting and PA people. HAAAAAAAAAA!!!!! are they blind n deaf?! gosh! blue, green, red lighting for DANCE performance which actually is showing off the flashy costume, was a TOTAL MESS! I'm like "what d heck is with colored lights?!" can't it just be stay in YELLOW?!?!?! i mean it, STAY! the spotlight are like moving around! sheesh...that's really disturbing.. the PA system also rather a mess.. esp the primary school ones. GOT LIKE 30sec FEEDBACK! imagine! haiz...i told the group to redo again tho. i dun marked them down because is not fair at all to blame the 'not-so-nice tune' because of the PA system! so, redo! haha

Generally, the whole TALENTIME this finally donE! yeay! they're interesting. I enojyed myself, particularly the cultural dance and duet. Those two groups are my all-time favorite! You go guys! see you next year -- i hope!

CONGRATS to all CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Labels: audition, event, music, sing

10:43 PM

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Red Cross Youth Talentime

Woohoo! Alright, last Saturday aka MARCH 10, 2007, I was actually judging a talent competition. I was actually selected as one of the "song category" judges for the Red Cross Youth Talentime in SINGAPORE!! Wow... It never came across to me that I will be judging a singing competition in Singapore! Alright, as far as I remember, I did judge once in the King Arthur Musical audition in my previous high school (2005). That's a great experience. THis one, is a BETTER experience! I'm like, wow...this is like so cool man... HAHAHA...

BEFORE

So, here is the whole story.. First of all, the person who invited me to be the judge is a complete stranger to me. Totally a complete stranger. I never heard of her, never even see her before. So then, earlier that Tuesday, I curiously checked my hotmail inbox (mind you, i barely check this add. So email me on gmail) and guess what i found?! An email from a person called N** H*** (protect privacy ok...=p). I didn't actually want to open coz I thought it's spam. But then, i figured the subject doesn't sound like spam. So ok, i open it. Ooo...the first thing that caught my eye is "we would like to invite you to judge the song category for the Red Cross Youth Talentime audition." I was like "Whoaaaa... What's this?" Then I check when this email was sent coz i BARELY open the hotmail account. It was the sunday! i was like what?! then i saw that i need to reply by TUESDAY! which is like the day that i open it! I'm like freakin' out! it's like this is soooo cool. so at midnight i took down that person's number and SMS her. but yes, to my disappointment, she didn't reply until the next morning. She told me that i can meet up with her to get the details! oh yes, i was in the train to campus and i just immediately took my organizer out and go change my schedules. haha..so in the end, i met up with her and i accepted the invitation.

ON THE DAY

finally, the day of the judging came. went to dhoby ghaut - red cross house - and went in to find the person i know. went in to the conference room and find that other judges were there too. I just found out that there are more than 1 category. so the judges i saw are actually the modern dance category. anyway, i got to sit and relax a bit. then all the judges were there and then we went to go for briefing. i felt so good when i was actually escorted to the hall where the audition was held. hehe...my own personal bodyguard is there to open the door for me, stop the human traffic when going up the stairs, get my food n drinks.. wow...amazing service..haha.. but i have to comment on the officials. i say they are really nice and friendly to me even the chairman and vice chairman of the event. they're great people *wink*

Anyway, the auditionees...they're secondary 1-4 (gr 7-10) students. mostly are girls. there are 3 categories - song, modern dance, traditional dance - but song got group and duet category also. and i have to judge those 2 categories. I'm telling you, they are good and bad, at the same time. lol.. the great performance are definitely from a POWERHOUSE school - which means got budget and been a champion in previous years. but they are good! lots of funny stories. but there are some points where i felt SUPER bored and tired. no performance excites me! well, if that's the case, they should have known better. the auditionees should have thought this way ----- "ok, the judges just had their lunch. they're tired. i should excite them and give the best performance ever to win this." ---- i mean, it's true! if they had given the best performance that day, i will let them through to the finals. well, we did. 4 groups went through the finals. and 4 duets too.

I absolutely love the malay couple who sang this "my heart" song - english and malay language. they're very emotional and very engaging! but they got background bubbles! aiyoh, these 2 gals are blowing bubbles while giggling. totally a disturbance. i commented on the bubbles. i said, "those bubbles, honestly, is distracting. i'm just thinking, what if those bubbles went in your mouth while you are singing?? (LAUGHTER) I said it's unnecessary. it's enough to have you two sing and capture my attention. just the way you sing it with passion, i already feel that." I will be seeing them in the finals! hope they win!

alright, the singing people are quite boring, i must say. the best ones are the dancing! i absolutely love the cultural dance. they came with these exotic costumes n all. absolutely lovely. and the modern dance people are awesome too. the girls are like so hot! but then, i see them as potential clubbers - sadly. anyway, they're good. their body are so flexible. makes me want to dance again -hix hix-... anyway, i actually wanted to give a standing ovation to 1 cultural dance group - 6 boys doing indian dance. 3 dress as the guy and 3 as the gal! i'm laughing my heads out - oh, we're not suppose to give any reaction, but i couldnt help it!!! these fat indian guy are hilarious. he's the girl. so then the song is actually sung in a duet but mostly girl part. if i remember correctly, it's called "lenja lenja". haha...anyway, this guy is like all around the place doing bollywood stuffs including dancing with "human trees" with the other guy. i felt soooo entertained. i love this guy's confidence and entertainment. hope they made it to the finals.

anyway, judging this kind of stuffs is tiring ok. i imagines the american idol having to judge like millions. i'm like whoaaaa..... btw, i did a lot of critiques, but i gave tips to improve also. mostly, they lack confidence. and the really really BEST ones are not really really really good. so i still give some critiques. but it's ok. it helps them. at least i give a smile afterwards. haha...anyway, there are these bunch of gals that i think took pictures of me. whenever i look at their direction, they will hide their cameras.... haha...oh man, i got fans already! could it be my accent? my look? my words? my tips? well, i don't care...at least it's a good experience! I LOVE IT! and i don't mind doing it again! =)

AFTER

in the end of the whole thing, we reflect on what we have heard and seen. oh my gosh, they actually use the song from high school musical 5 times!!! the song "all in this together"... i HATE THE SONG NOW!!!!! and they also sang "breaking free"....sad to say, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL fans, it all didnt work out. it's like a curse or some sort! haha....those who sang HSM songs are doomed to lose! hahahaha.....i'm serious btw..... a tip for all of you wishing to audition for any competition, DO NOT USE THE HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL MATERIALS. all are simply annoying and weird! - sadly...haha...everytime the students introduce what they are singing or we hear the first tune, all the judges in the room (all 3 categories in 1 room btw. total of 8 judges and lots of officials and participants as audiences in the room) will like scream and laugh!!!! IT'S ANNOYING, PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!

a tough decision by us 3 judges. we were suppose to come up with 5 finalist, but it didnt happen. none are up to the standard. i guess they just need more practice. hey, there's always next year! oh, the officials actually asked me to be the judge for the Primary school FINALS in next 2 weeks! i got to be one of the judges to determine the champion. it's so cute! LOL!!!


there's more to this event - but i'm super tired now. so better go!

Labels: audition, event, sing

11:57 PM