of ash & dust

Today's exchange, was well .. quite embarrassing to say the least. Whitley is a good band, a definite gold at least for them. For us, we have 11 days to work it out. But so many things this following upcoming days like no school on Good Friday, and Thursday there's e-learning so anybody who wants to brush up can't do much. Then next Sat is the exchange at Maris Stella and the following week is SYF week. Thursday.

For everything bad, there's bound to be some good I guess. FOTF intro sounds alot better than last time. But can have improvement from bar 9 onwards. But I have a problem at 2 parts. First is the one at (1:03) Very messy, I dunno who to look out for. Eupho or whoever else? The other one is the trumpet/horn flutter then crescendo to the note with the marcato. I think could be better if the picc part was slowed down then we can accelerando during the flutter. My opinion only. & Bar 142 is getting better for bass I think.

we need more hall pracs.

anyway, my dad is a bit better but we won't know what he has until Monday. They say it's either TB, pneumonia or cancer. Though cancer the docs say is very unlikely.

now I'm more worried about MSSMB. Dunno how we can suddenly buck up and retain that silver.

illness

Today wasn't a very particularly wonderful day.

For the past week, my dad has been very ill. With fever and cough, and he was very weak. I know why he's weak, because for the past 30 years he has been smoking. And 3 weeks ago, he stopped. Cold turkey. Obviously a person will suffer from withdrawal symptoms by just stopping to smoke after 30 years of doing it.

Yesterday he went to the polyclinic to get an x-ray and normally you would see 2 lungs but the x-ray showed 1 full lung and another half. He was admitted into hospital today at 12pm+. Later in the day, my mum told me he was in the isolation ward or something. Then he had water in his lung (thus the half-lung x-ray shot) and doctor suspects he has tuberculosis OR pneumonia. Sigh, damn sad. He has to stay in the hospital for 2-3 days if his blood test turns out good, a week if it isn't that good. But I'll pray hard so he would get well fast. I think he's okay, he said so himself. Heh, after extracting water can still pick upmy call.

Read up more on TB, and when I saw "... & deadly disease" I was like dumbfounded. But read up on more and it can be cure with utilising the DOTS programme or something. Haiz, now no mood to do anything already. I'm too busy this month to have this on my mind. Exchange @ Whitley and maybe I'll go visit my dad tomorrow. Sunday I've to go to ACJC's MUSE.

I dunno how to react to this. Should I be damn depressed or should I stay optimistic. Because this is the first time a person in my immediate family has been admitted into hospital so I dunno if I should be worried about it.

stay optimistic and hope for the best, I guess.

edit 1.43am (31 March)
dont feel like sleeping, not because I'm worried. Well, maybe partly but Hafiz's dad went through the exact same thing. Go to his blog, click on September. So got a little closure from what he told me. I called him just now and he say he damn sad. You know why? Because no tv. I was "-_-". Ya because after work he always watch tv. He doesn't have any reading materials. Yea uber boring.

So tomorrow (technically later) exchange with Whitley. Report at 7.45am, but made a promise to ZH reach earlier so can run thru the tuba part with him. So I'm doing the favour Mr. Sukit asked me to do. AND finally can use Finale! The disc cant be installed on my computer but installs damn fast on my mum's laptop. Heh, March "Imperial" damn boring to write out parts for.

okay edit done

trouble o trouble; stress o stress

last friday, Mr Simen finally revealed his culinary skills by fulfilling his promise of making the school some of his curry. It was a live cook out, the utensils and whatnot fixed between the flagpoles and for a solid hour or so, Mr Simen was cooking and playing the guitar. Even Mr Faizan had a solo piece on his own heh. 'Knockin' on Heaven's door' acousically.

Yep so during recess had a go at this seemingly spicy brew. Actually, I thought had to queue for the curry and I don't like queuing for stuff even if it's our principal's special curry. Luckily Terence called for delivery heh. 10 bowls per class, rather small number. So that's about 4 person to a small bowl. Though the main point of the thing is to just taste the curry, but some people wanna savour the whole bowl (some would want more heh). I had a bowl to myself :) It's nice, though I find that the curry got a special 'zing' to it. Can't really put what's so different. Maybe that our very own giant boss prepared this for us with hardwork and sweat (I hope not literally :D)

So today, hmmmm... Mr Simen shared a nice story with us. I vaguely remember what he said though dunno if sharing would land me in hot Campbell's soup, so stay safe. Soo, malay gone (and I have oral tomorrow!) next was Elec. Geog. Got back my test, got 11/15 .. 40% increase from my last test.

Mr Azman is till away for reservist so went for band. Combined and the band has gotten better.. tenorsax,barisax and bass clar got bar 142 to worry. Other than that, my parts are okay already.

trouble over trouble, stress oh stress.
"Secret to happiness, is that I gave up long ago" - some guy

yes I talk about school, since I go to school everyday.

KL trip

cool shot

Timberland in Lot 10

Mum trying out vegetarian food (finally know what that red stuff tastes like)

Una don

Marx for noobies

Plaza Low Yat

Vista ad

Pretzels

Bangkok Jam

Bikes

damn funny shot (candid of course)

menu at Bintang Warisan

chandelier

plant at Coronade Hotel

interesting booth at Mid Valley. Give 'em a photo of yourself and they'll make a figurine of yourself in 2 weeks.

the card access thing in the lifts of Coronade Hotel

Shisha anyone?

Kebab (modern one, with fries someone .. RM5)

street performers near Sungei Wang/BB Plaza

bro in blue

done.

dumb people have dumb conversations by themselves

Eh, if anyone has got a tag from Alif or alif or any alifs, tagged today or yesterday night .. it isn't me (except the one on Joshua's board saying I didn't do those lame immature acts) I was away from home at 8 till 9 at the doctors. So from 9 onwards I was resting for today's pratice (now I barely have a go at the comp since my bro is obsessed with GunBound) I was at SSW practice today until 7+. The person (IP address 121.6.40.162) has got alot of things on his/her/(maybe gender-confused) hands until leaving up to 30 messages. If maybe one tag with someone else's name is okay la because us humans have that mini-malicious side but up to 5 different monikers in a day? whoa nelly hold back dude. I wont go around scolding people's mums/dads, saying CBs or whatever. Plus, flaming isn't the way to cure influenza.

I'm sorry Joshua/and whoever else got flamed, that some people just like to use my name so much.

(anyway, picture post later)

"I'm a bad-ass hunky dude"

today, hmmm, heh .. kinda okay I guess. Ah what the heck, terrific la.

woke up normally, with the thought of school in my mind. was raining so didn't expect a talk from the giant boss. Malay class, got back my test even though I knew I passed. And got homework bleah.

geog .. didn't know why our group didn't have to present our project on coniferous forests. and I didn't know why the groups had to present anyway. imagine 4 people up there, 1 read the whole damn text without even knowing what the hell he's reading. test our oral (G-rated expression please) .. some mad skillz? then got homework also, forgot what it is though. think ex 3.1 or somethin'.

e math .. hmm, not much I can recall from this period. I think I just really slacked. to think about it, everyone didn't have a mood.

recess, had alot on my mind. boring old recess.

physics was damn zzzz. Turning effects of forces I think. The usual "Force = perpendicular distance" or something. Ke Ping really had a field day dozing off in physics. I also dozed off for a few mins.

let's skip english and move on to pure hist. Pure hist was interesting cause now focusing more on Singapore rather than Vietnam. The Rendel constitution, the riots by the communists (or as Mr Yeo refers to as leftists) and such.

no bio today so off to band and trying out the new YBS-62E. It's good. Low notes are damn easy and there's Low A/High F# keys. Now the whole sax section has same models YA/T/BS-62s. All same colour. New horns also. 3 Hanstone horns. Hanstone.. unheard of. New buffet oboe, new Conn bass trombone & I think new Yamaha flute(s). Then after band went home and went to HG Mall to fix my broken glasses and get a spair one. Went to the one next to the dentist, and just got the frame replaced and the spair leave it for another day. Saw Ms. Tan (geo) there also with a male acquaintance haha.

ok soo, tomorrow no p. history and another free period heh.

school is fun (i cant complain much :p)

sunday blooz

stuck at home today. so what else is usual?

today, dad was okay in the morning. then after we got back, he got real high fever. like around 39.9ºC. then after he bathed, drank water, took his meds & all that, dropped to 39.1ºC after 15mins. Then 20mins after that 38.3ºC. Then he said he wanted to sleep, and I also slept in my room because Phantom was boring (I dont like this movie version). Now just checked, his temperature is at 37.0ºC so I'm not so worried since fever range is above 37.5ºC. Heck, his temperature is lower than mine.

Hmm, I think I only have 2 sets of homework, as said by Ivan. Not gonna do 1 yet, since there's no Amath tomorrow. English ... bahh too lazy lar, though I've done 4 pages of it. And I think there's 2 sets of English .. but I only have one.. so temporary salvation! Slavia! just had to put that there hahaha

the week passed tooo fast. maybe because we were occupied with stuff. Sec 3's have camp, though I have my trip (which overall was okay). Sec 4's have remedials, I think. Lower sec got whatever they have with them. so my week sucked. so if this week = holiday, therefore holiday = sucked. I have 2 hours left before I have to sleep. I plan to watch one of my new DVD/VCDs but there's the True Files episode I wanna catch. So can watch at 10.30pm (and I have to let Ugly Betty slide)

I can't wait for June.

back from NY MY.

Time to talk about my trip.

day 1 - left home at 7? reach Golden Mile and left for KL. Usual 5 hour trip. At the checkpoint, guess what I saw? St Andrew's & St Pat's band people. Of course, Mr. Glosz was there too. Think they were off some exchange or something. Then back on the bus, reached Pasar Rakyat at 2+. Went to the hotel and got ready for a movie at Times Square. First ate lunch at the 'hawker' centre at Lot 10. Ate Una Don there. Quite ex though, RM10.50. Then went to catch 'Bridge to Terabithia'.

spoiler warning. (you've been warned, even though there's the possibility you would have caught this portion when reading the top part.. soo too bad la huh :D)
The movie was great. Kinda confusing and weird when Leslie (Annasophia Robb) started to do the imagination thing. But the most bad thing about the movie that Leslie dies. Yea damn sad. And yeah, she's cute :D Heard she did another flick called 'The Reaping'. It's a christian horror movie, my only favorite genre of horror films. Yea, would give this movie (Bridge to Terabithia) 3.5 stars? Take my advice if you will, even though I'm no pro critic.
end of spoiler ;D

after the movie, we roamed around Borders. A fact for you all : Times Square has alot of Starbucks. Even Borders has one. In borders, bought 'She's the Man' DVD at RM12.90! It's damn cheap for an original DVD of a movie that was out only last year. After that went home with their 'MRT'. Then bought chicken rice on the way. Ate that at our room while watching our DVD on the laptop. Then wanted to watch our South Park vids but too worn out from the day.

day 2 - woke up at 10? HAHA mum wanted to be out by 10 but too tired la. Ate breakfast then headed for Plaza Low Yat. Plaza Low Yat used to be filled with pirated softwares. 2nd place to be wiped out, first was Times Square. Then walked around. Quite crowded. Then after that switched hotels. Walked to Coronade Hotel, just next to Lot 10. Situated very close to Sungei Wang and Lot 10. But next to it, some buildings are getting built so the view from our room sucked. One thing about the lifts in Coronade, you need to have card access. Like hotel rooms. Need when going to room-floors but not needed for the gym/pool/restaurant floors and going down. After checking in headed for Mid Valley Megamall. This mall is humongous. Seriously. It's damn big. Their ticket lines for the movies are damn damn damn long. Okay, watched 2 movies on this day. First is the uberr boring 'Charlotte's Web'. Quite okay lar. 2nd is the very nice, very good 'Pursuit of Happyness'! It's damn cool la, how the whole story works out. Some sad parts can be a tear-jerker (though I didn't cry :P) After the movie, went to this CD store called Rock Corner and bought 'Just My Luck' VCD at RM19.90, kinda ex but if you think about it .. it's less than 10 bucks in SG. Then went back to the hotel then went out to BB plaza where the band plays music, ordered Nasi Lemak. Ate, and went back.

day 3 - woke up early. Went for the buffet breakfast. Mom said it used to more lush the buffet. Ate western portions. Full in between the meal heh. Then went back to the room, mom had to meet somewhere so me and my bro were left in our room. First watched the AJBC DVD again. Then went my bro woke up, re-watched 'She's the Man' and then watched 'Just my Luck'. Then waited until mum got back which was about 4? Went to Sungei Wang. Mum walked around Metrojaya while me & my bro just followed, half-heartedly of course. Then went for lunch at Bistro@Delifrance. Ordered Pasta Forestiere and my bro found something. A Maple event thingy. God, we brought my bro on the trip to get him away from Maple but Maple had come to us. You can count on Asiasoft to do this eh? Then I (alone) went to Lot 10 to find the CD store I went to last time. But it was gone and replaced with some Café called Société. Luckily got this store called Tower Records. Had RM50 with me. Could bought 2 VCDs but just bought 1.. namely 'You, Me & Dupree'. Wanted to buy 'Just Like Heaven'. Then went back to the Maple Event. My bro was up on stage. He was pitted against some 19 year old. They played some snap game. Bleah. Then went around again until went to VideoEzy and bought 'Scary Movie 4' and 'My Super Ex-Girlfriend'. Heh, 5 discs liao haha. Then went back, watched 'Scary Movie 4' on the laptop. Then back to bed.

last day - Woke up for breakfast at 8. Ate fast and packed fast. I napped heh. Then left the hotel at 10 and went to Pasar Rakyat for our bus at 11. On the Transtar bus, watched 'Aquamarine' on their provided mini-tv sets. The show was okay. But was damn dizzy on the way and the cold stream of air from air con didn't help. Didn't eat lunch. Then when I was okay again watched Fantastic Four. Was quite a nice movie, but didn't finish it since we arrive early. At Golden Mile by 4, home by 4.50pm. Heard that our kitchen experienced some problems and there was a mini fire. Yeah .. that's it.

Watch Shawshank Redemption at 10.30pm on Channel 5. Gonna be a nice movie. Watched half of it before late at night. It's a good show then even when I only sampled half of the flick.

okay good riddance. Done with the post and pics up some other day :)

HAPPY 1337 DAY!

It's 13/3/07.

t3h 1337 d4y.

7h15 15 4l1f 7yp1ng 1n 1337 5p34k w15h1ng j00 h4ppy 1337 d4y 70 4ll j00 g4m3rz, 1337 5p34k4r5s, h4rdc0r3 5h1th34dz, h4xx0rz 4nd 4ny0ne 0u7 7h3r3.

dammit, typing that way takes the shit outta joo, erm.. wait .. outta you .. yep.

AJBC

Finally got an AJBC dvd! Thanks Hafiz!

The bands were really very good. All playing those hardcore pieces like Bartók's Miraculous Mandarin and Concerto for Orchestra. Also AFRICA by Robert W. Smith, the bari sax solo damn nice.

Have yet to pack my free&easy bag for tomorrow's KL trip. I also think I just caught dad's virus. Now coughing with a slight fever.

No food at home :(

KL ftw.

Few hours ago went for junior day camp. Went because I really had nothing else to do at home. I know there is homework but who would choose to slack at an air-conditioned room away from homework or well .. do homework.

I arrived at like 10.30am, went to AV theatrette and they were watching Drumline. Watched the show like 20+ times already because like I got the DVD hahaha. Then I went to help Gerald do his QM stuff. Browsed the library and realized our library full of unknown songs. All never hear before. & got no nice (or godly) songs like concertos or whatever. Got a few la, but seriously very minute number.

Then go play soccer (considered soccer la) for awhile. Then saw the juniors kena tekan like hell man. But it'll build them up. Gotta give props to Alvin. His footdrill fundamentals are good and he's very committed (but he's also in chorale -_-) Can see a future exco in him ... okay nevermind, too soon to declare. Then went to McDonalds (wonder why it's being spelled MacDonalds everywhere) bought lunch and brought back to school and eat. Ate with Kamal, Joshua, Gerald & Nawas. Alot of lame stuff came out from Kamal's mouth made people laugh. Lively eh?

Then was combined sec 1/2 practice. Under Mr Gavin's baton, they first tried Fanfare & Celebration (first 3 bars) Was okay lar. The lower brasses suddenly have nice intonation. Higher woodwinds could be much more. Hmm, during warm ups Mr Gavin asked them to play chords. Then I was helping the horns. Then he assigned Jeremy Low to play High F.
(now go "ooooo") High F nia right? Then go up 2 notes to to High B? Didn't Gary just reach that note like few weeks ago? Jeremy nearly reached the B. Ayy okay for sec 1 okay. Then low brass tried Mambo No. 5. Was okay I guess. Alto sax can't play the melody, so much for Gideon.

Then they fall in, got check for Amos' wallet but no luck. Then went home about 5.30pm. Reach home, slept at 8 woke up at 12. Sigh, always sleeping early and waking up like 12am~. This KL trip's gonna be one of the shortest and L-O-P one.

Anyway, I got a email reply from the guy. He's quite friendly. okay ah, not some old guy I met on some IRC shit. He's prominent.. well .. kinda ;)

okay g'day.

4 : 13

Term 1

A Math (Test 1 - Chpts 1, 3 sim eqs & quadratic)
3/30

Elective Geog (Test 1 - Unit 2 Map Reading)
5/15

SS (Test 1 - Chapter 2, Essay)
18/25

English Language (Test 1 - Composition Part 1)
20/30

Pure History (Test 1 - Chapter 2 - Vietnamese colonization - Essay)
8/10

Malay Language (GRAMMAR)
25/50

Mathematics (Test 1 - Algebra)
21/40

Physics (Test 1 - Chpt 1, 2 Quantity & Kinematics)
9/30

Science (Bio) (Test 1 - Chpt 1 & 2)
15/30

Science (Chem) (Test 1 - Chpt 1 & 2)
10/25

took 10 tests, failed 4. And I realized Malay was included and I PASSED IT! Should've passed chem but nevermind, shall work harder next time. Got 2nd for English, SS (though a few got 18) and History. All lost by 1 mark and SS & Eng .. lost to Russell HAHAHA that pro shit.

Anyway, back from SYF training camp. The camp was okay. First day, just did combined in the hall. Didn't sound great there. Only Sunrise's ending sounded nice. Then off for din-din at 6.15pm. Ate with Joseph, Rainald, Louis, Shaun & Ben. Then got snacks at 7-11 then headed for school. Didn't bathe when we got back and continued with combined band at the hall until like 11? Then bunked at gallery. Initially wanted to do homework but just slacked around. During the night a group of them did lame footdrills that was kinda funny since Jeremy is timing the NPCC/NCC responses. Then suddenly I got really sleep so I went nearer to the low-brass side and slept there. So slept around and woke up at 5. Talk to some people then went off for a bathe at 6+ After that just slack around until sectionals until 12. Ate lunch at the kopitiam and ate the wonderful chicken rice with Darren (junior). Then went to 7-11 and he wanted to get snacks so he bought Doritos and the Warhead spray. Greedy freak (Ban calls him the Gameboy freak) He's kinda childish la, but he's okay.

Went back at 2, then had Woodwinds combined with someone supposedly to be Mr Gavin's brother. I think he is anyway. Some parts confusing with the absence of the brass section. Talking about the brass, heard them from the bandroom and they were magnificent. Intonation was great and even the bass was good. Maybe the thick walls of the bandroom blocked their mistakes but hey, proved the camp helped abit. The woodwinds need practise since the higher winds have the melodies and rhythms and the 2 lonely lower woodwinds with whatever we need help with. Practice ended at 6 and next was dinner. Ate the same thing alone :( But was with Gideon, Darren & Terence but they ate early so they left first. Ate fast and left fast. Reached school and packed everything up. Brought our barang to the study area with the saxophones. Had maintenance class instructed by past BM Kenneth Cheng (KC for short) & finally got my mouthpiece brush (yes, I've been just using water >.<) After finishing with the saxophones, helped Gerald clean his bass clar. Then went home at 9.45pm. Reach home at 10.10pm and slept at 11.

Kinda mundane. Sad to hear the sec 4s aren't coming back after SYF. Wonder how we will pull of the July combined arts concert. How to play Sunrise + FOTF?! And with that, new excos, new leaders to take the band. Wonder how will it turn out. I guess at the start it's not really stable but it will iron out like how it is now.

SYF in 31 to 35 days. 6 days til next practice. So 25 to 29 more days then. So, WORK HARD MSSMB (I sound so cliched/lame but seriously) am gonna go back to teach juniors during day camp.

On the subject of juniors, Johnathan Tan quit/changed school. So now tom-tom part (very important) is to be played by Ben. Johnathan has percussion experience through Drum Mania, Ben has musical experience. So maybe the other hand outweighs the other.

At first, had e maths class tomorrow but Mdm Lee got into an accident but she's okay just suffered some injuries. My explanation may not be the most accurate because just got to know of it when I got home.

Ahh responsibilities.. emailed someone the MSSMB would know of. But not gonna elaborate just yet.

haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasleeeeeeeeeeeeeepeeeeeeeeeeeee

numbers make you cry

Number 1, AMath sure fail though I know it was easy. I don't mind failing tests (though I'm not gonna take it up as hobby) but I don't like failing tests that people thought that was super easy. Like today's A Math test (and my chem).

Friday, 2 tests. Not so worried about E Math as opposed to Physics which I heard very negative comments about the test. SBQ for physics? 3 mark MCQ .. need to work my butt off to pass this test.

Few more days 'til the end of term 1. Seriously, the days pass by too fast. So, Friday camp till Saturday night. Saturday rest until Monday morning for E Math class (which after that, helping juniors during day camp no.2) Then leaving for KL on the 13th. Then come back from trip, few more days left to study/lepak (slack around) then it's term 2, a warning that SYF/OM Competition/MYE's are coming.

cool huh?

The 4 Tests Week

Got back bio on Monday. Passed - 15/30 .. dissapointment.
Today did my geog test. I think did better than the first test but I only wrote on one side of the paper. Dunno how some people can like do on 2 sides. So I can expect like a reasonable pass.
Sooo, tomorrow A Math test. This test CMI. Dunno if I can catch up with it in like a few hours time (yes, I haven't studied). Maybe I do some of the exercises then err .. go thru the Misc Ex 4 .. but really got this what-for-do-sure-fail feeling.

Friday is the day I will sit for 2 tests. Phy and EMath. Maybe wont fail that bad, though my indices needs some tweaking.

A MATH HOW?!

edited.
so far, a math revision okay though not so hot. Checked PTS and saw my SS marks. Quite contented with the results. I still dunno what to do about A math.

decisions decisions :(

streetlight ways

damn bored now. tuition cancelled and have something on later.
I finished arranging 3 mario scores. But dont have the damn nice ones like the one in the YouTube where a bassoon quartet played Mario themes. Most of the scores I got are piano scores so just transpose arrange, define the range I want then boom. Just have time, a transposing chart and alotta patience because you're gonna fumble somehow.

I think i got alotta homework :(

for the percussionists, drum enthusiasts, drummers who think they're so 'hawt' or anybody that's reading this.

ASSAF SEEWI the great.

1 over 2 day

today's half day in school (so hail MSS badminton!) no classes also.
very interesting day if I so day so myself. Mr Simen's talk was interesting and humourous at times. So yeah, fruitful talk.

then sec 3s stayed back for camp stuff but those to-be-absentees got held back some more (thus, missing recess) and got some persuasion session.

after missing recess, went back to homeroom to await dismissal. Half day so 12pm can chiong home. But heard got physics SPA but in the end cancelled and postponed to Sat. Dunno how to tell Mr Ng. Saturday will come late everytime. PLUS, 10th March we have band camp & 17th I'm overseas.

anyway, OM. Didn't do much since everyone wants to just go home and sleep/DOTA. Mostly just talked. After that went to band room and guess what? 3 new instruments. 2 Trombones and 1 MIRAPHONE EUPHONIUM that costs 15k! BUT WHERE'S THE YBS-62?! I thought it was ordered first man. Anyhoo, in the band room just slacked. Then went home and slept. Yep. From 3 - 6.50pm. Then went for religious class that I haven't been to since the start of EOY's. Lucky I still remembered how to read.

offtoamath