Weekend

Saturday 8/30:
Was around eating "damn good food at a damn good price" (which is botakjones) at the quiet quiet canteen just beside SPH. I think the service there was very nice lor.. coz the staff kept asking is everything alright. And price was alright too, just that i got too full too soon.

After the heavy dinner on a rainy day, was on my way to scc. Was informed of a "surprise performance".. ya, the surprise was for us, not the audience. Actually was for the cfg of our previous instructor.

Played "Xiao Ding Dang" and "Japanese Graffiti 4" , both symphonic band version, and given almost the same few players, plus a few others, we sounded quite good. Of coz, we had a tuba player.. so it made everything much more concrete.

Especially liked the jap graf 4.. coz was with SWE when i first played it (actually i heard this piece long before) but i fumbled on the 1. part. Was maybe around 16 or 17 that time.. i couldn't remember. Hopefully i can deliver it this time round, especially for it is cfg. Must really inspire the people.

Was joined by my colleague and the horn section doubled its strength. Was quite a challenge to play with more in the section coz of tuning issues, but the sound was much much more than if i play alone. Plus, the different parts we played made the music less boring lor.

Ending, sight read a brass octet of 3 pages.. but i have no idea what the piece is about.. hahaa.. and a lot of empty slots coz our tbones are not around. A very nice sight read piece coz the the harmonics.

The coming practice on thursday at ICA, and i need to bring my baobei horn over.. a much more difficult instrument to tame than scc's but the tone is nicer.

Sunday 8/31:
Woke up early after 4 hours of sleep only to go to pasir ris to "drop prawns".. but i think i went there to drop money. Noobish me didn't get to drop any prawns after 2 hours, and the total haul was 9 by the other 2. Maybe too early le the prawns haven't wake up ba. But they also drop the rock and drop the net on top of the pond too.. hahaa.. the prawns didn't even want to bite my bait lor..

After that we bbq the prawns and though i didn't drop any, i ate quite a few.. hahaha.. but i had to do some "things" to the prawns. Fresh prawns seasoned with salt taste quite nice though.

Slept for the rest of my sunday after reaching home.. coz weather was too nice le.

Nice scene, nice weather..


... but no prawns at the prawns pond.


Haul of the day (with no contributions by me).

Ji Ba Ban

Kind of a last minute decision to go pubbing or rather chilling since TGIF. Anyway it makes no difference whether it was TGIM or whatever.

Saw a lot of ugly sgreans lor.. and i wonder what impression we will leave for those coming for the YO, or even the coming GP. Especially so was the auntie on the bus blocking my exit and still want to niam.. eh i never force you to take bus lor.. li hai go get ji ba ban buy a car la. Expect crowd when you take a bus ok?

Anysways, walked quite a bit from timbre to brewerkz and finally choosing to settle in brewerkz. It didn't work this time round.. coz IPA was too bitter.. hahahaa.. wondered how come.. XIPA taste so much better. Luckily we didn't order a 4000ml tower.. sure can't finish de.

Halfway through, one guy sitting next to our table starts to be merlion (and very badly). 3x merlion lor.. and make the whole place super smelly.. the smell of puke makes me want to puke also.. and my friend claimed that the guy was drinking the fruit flavor de...! LOL.. i didn't even want to know lor.

So we quickly finish our jug and then move on to elsewhere.. really though the puke was cleared, the smell remains, and then hor, that guy that puked still want to papaya about it.. and start asking all his friends to tah. LOL.. one merlion is enough.. and so we quickly paid and go.

Back to timbre, it wasn't as crowded.. and the live band was still there. Really quite a nice place too.. and prices were right, food was nice. Just that the seats were too high.. hahahaa.. my legs couldn't reach the leg rest lor.. i not AM ok. Then the live band played the ji ba ban song! The moment i heard the "woo la la~" i knew they were going to sing this.. hahaha.. it was so nice, and to see the reaction of the others.. lol.. i couldn't stop laughing.

Too bad they try to close the area we were siting at around 1.30am, so after the pizza and heavy dinner at home, i couldn't finish the remaining erdinger dark.. aww.. what a waste.. But then again, it's the utility function, not the gian peng function.. so i'm ok with it as such.. Of coz if i have ji ba ban, thing would be different.

2 more Weeks

From the school online portal, the results will be out 2nd week of sept.

Hope that everything will turn out well.

Sitabak

I forgot to mention how nice the sitabak was in my last entry.

Of coz, it cost 5x more than a normal cup of coffee, and almost 20x more than a sachet of 3-in-1.. so expect nothing less.


And.. it got a nice water display too! LOL.

Great ambiance with nice music. The wodden chairs are much better than those plastic ones. The table is so big that we can play mj wor..

It was a nice place to chill.. even without alcohol.

Pissed.

Damn pissed off by the prata stall outside my place.

I think they inflated the price by 20% for no reason. Damn it. GST also never go beyond 20%, not to mention the higher than usual food inflation in sg. They cook with crude is it?

And the usual cup of coffee made my blood boil.. it taste as if like they didn't have enough coffee, so they make do with adding more water.. making it super dilute. Is the food inflation really that bad meh? You tell me lor.. mee goreng with egg cost $4.50. Think what? BCM with PRAWN only cost $3.50. Their mee goreng don't even have meat lor. Nothing, just some ketchup and an egg - $4.50. By the way, it used to be much much cheaper, perhaps just a week ago. I don't understand why they raise prices by so much, so anyhow, and that they cut corners in preparations. In any case, i'm not going to go there anymore. Once is already too much. I just don't like the idea where people do biz without integrity (that includes certain styles of hard selling.. you get what i mean). You are just telling me that you show no respect to me by exploiting my goodwill lor.

It was confirmed when i asked the casher how much each item cost (they don't have a price list, so that they can anyhow bom), and he gave me a different answer for at least one of the item.. then he changed his mind again upon seeing my surprised face.. so i guess they must have rigged it. I was so so pissed that i left my coffee untouched, paid and then left for the nearby sitabak for my caffeine fix. I am never never never ever going to patron that prata stall ever ever again.

I just don't like they way they are doing this.. if you want to do certain things that might incur the wrath of people, do it at an appropriate time, in an appropriate manner. It might just get back to you one day.

OBG

I think i OBG for sleeping right after eating that bcm.. in the end, the reflux came back. Disliked it when i couldn't enjoy eating anything.

Was at CQ steamboat on friday, but didn't eat as much as i used to.. and it didn't taste as nice as it used to be.. plus, it now cost more and more, from $12 to $15 and to $18. Price is also part of my utility curve.

Wondered what happened to the used-to-be very nice train station of the west side.. nowadays, it get quite messy during the book out time, then conglomerate here and there also. I still prefer the trip back.. at least i need not siam the crowd.

Pract was, only 6 of us, but each a different instrument. It was quite unique sounding, and we've got all range covered. Did scales on "i recommend", just as the sec school days, but with a better reach of the higher octave. It's been quite a while since i started playing on the horn.. to be exact, almost 12 years. Certain things are already programmed, and without realizing, it just occur naturally. But of coz, there are certain other things which didn't.. and really, practice makes permanent. If practice on the wrong thing, it will make the wrong thing permanent.

It was not as interesting as compared to playing scores, but with the number we got, i think it can sound very bad playing any written piece. A time for us to really look at the fundamentals and work on the skills we lack.

And what is lacking in my horn playing is the intonation between each note. The horn, like some of the other brass instrument (except the tbone) doesn't have a perfect pitch. There are some innate "flaws" which the instrument tends to sound out on certain notes. There are compensation to be made, but sometimes too much, and sometimes too little. And when there are other things to take note of, it can be difficult to keep a perfect pitch on a imperfect instrument. So when it gets "programmed", it can be taken off the equation. Some of the string players got very good intonation regardless which scale they are on.. and it seems to occur to them naturally. Who knows how many years they've trained on these.

I started late on horn playing, and taught by my seniors who were not professionals too. I don't mean to undermine them (i'm actually very grateful to all my seniors who taught me), but that is what our system can offer us. And being in a school that doesn't focus on the band, we didn't get the additional training require. I guess the reason why some of the national orch still need external players is that we didn't start from young (that's why we really lose out). My parents are not inclined to music, and so my actual "training" began when i was 12.. it was already very late. And then the quality of training also wasn't that good. When i moved on to jc, it got worse.. i actually switched instrument to fill the gap.. then i lost touch during my NS days due to working shifts and braces and also their refusal to grant me a chance to play in the first place (which thankfully they didn't.. hahaa.. i think i gained more being a SA).

Now i can't learn as well le.. as shown by my declining grades.. haha.. and i wonder how am i going to catch up. I don't mean to go pro, but i hoped to be able to deliver when called upon, and to keep up just not to hinder the rest of the group.

Thankful for all these challenges and disappointing stunts and also the chance to be exposed to orch music. It made me want to learn (for the moment) and re-learn. Perhaps what i need most is how to overcome the nerve factor. Even though i don't get 750k for a medal, i still can get kan cheong when i got some exposed parts to play.

Well.. it seems i like to niam a lot about pract these days.. lol.

@ St James

And as usual, the SOP for crubbbing (i need to get my hair dry.. and the hair dryer will wake the whole village up).

And as usual, pakki greeted me with his "sai-nai-ness".. awww.. haha.. sometimes i wondered, will another dog behave the same way as him? No matter what happened, he always cheered me up with his strange attics. Of coz, i'm super glad that sis brought him home.

Now he knew more and more, and it was quite delighting to watch him do all those tricks.. and he knew much more. No wondered some people are willing to sell their house to clone a dog. It was just an extraordinary experience.

Back to crubbing.

Been quite some time since i last crubbed... it was like since june.. and now it's already mid August. It was a while back when there were 3x crubbing per month.. now all's been busy with work or other committments.. perhaps i too, will turn out to be such one day. This time was, 1x hennessy and 1x martell.. and my reward of the day, 2x glass ball bearings.. ahaha.. they are so nice to keep.. and it's a waste to not ask the bar tender to extract them. All in all, i now have 4x of them.. 2 which i got from my 23rd bday. perhaps someday, i might collect 1 bottle of them.. but maybe i rather not. It was afterall, shared by 5-6 of us only.

Was at powerhouse 1st due to the lack of space at boiler, and then we moved on to boiler to be treated with jay's "安静" from the live band there.. quite nice actually.. anyways better than those wannabes.

Moved to dragonfly when the lights were out at 4, and at dragonfly, i heard them sang the "hai kuo tian kong" by beyond in canto.. it was so super nice lor. And then the theme song of "200 pounds beauty" - aww. Brain was still in working condition nevertheless. Sometimes, the past just came, especially when the cab past by certain areas. I've already put them behind, but, sometimes i wondered what would have been if not.

Anyways, i'm happy.. especially so when i got my bcm in front of me. Later during lunch time, i got to wake up and join in the chocolate factory's "hungry ah wu's festival" buffet lunch. I'm sure it beats the international buffet somehow.. and i'm so so glad for it. Hopefully i got no hangover..

Bcm didn't taste as good UI, and i got the feeling of puking everything out... but i guess not.. i don't have the "L plate" on my forehead.. which reminds me.. not to go crubbing on my bday.. lol..

Congrats to the sg team on their 1st medal since a nong nong time.. no matter what they get, it's already a very good achievement le.. jiayou team sg! (though singaporean cannot praise one..).

Long-ed

Had a bad case of flu wor.. the nose runs and runs.. non-stop, except when i'm sleeping. The problem is, i can't get to sleep. Maybe the coming end-of-aug got something to do with it.

Just last week, the village chief's spaceship 5 kena long-ed by a similar type of driver that long-ed me a few years back. But this time round, the driver super suay.. coz the driver crashed into stationary vehicle at the traffic light.. which means.. confirm is the driver's fault le. To make matters worse, the driver crashed into another vehicle behind the spaceship 5.. a bit like proxy like that.. and hor.. that vehicle behind the spaceship 5 was a spaceship 3. LOL.. this time ho seh liao!.. 1 crash crash 2 spaceships. Erm.. some people just don't know how to drive leh. And heard from the village chief, total repair cost for the 2x spaceships might be in the 10k+ range. No wonder the car insurance co. often report losses.

Anyway, i don't get to drive anymore.. now that vios is gone too.. and that spaceship 5, i can't drive without a veh comm (+ live SWD).. that i rather opt for a bus ride.

OTOT TOTO

OK.. i need not wait till monday for my 8 million dream to be gone. Anyway, i just bought a little bit only.. so i actually didn't expect to win anything (as usual).

Was queuing up for the toto when i saw some foreign workers buying many sets.. and i wondered, if they really won, will they thank sg pools for the lottery? Of coz, everybody gets a chance at it.. so long as you buy, you'll get one (or many many.. depends on how much you buy).

Even kids are somehow being attracted by the 8 mil draw.. still 2 mil shy of the angpow draw. Was at CQ today for beering and i saw a bunch of kids matching winning numbers with a stack of toto tickets. As if they can't wait to know they didn't win like that.. need to do it just outside the toilet, and in the public meh?

By the way, the jackpot is shared by just 8.. which is still quite a lot. In case you all are wondering how much i dump into the pool, it was $3... lol.. in any case, still the same result of my previous $22 input.. so.. i've 'saved' $19 (which was then dump into beering cost).

Perhaps i didn't win the jackpot, that's why i'm feeling ill now. Actually i've been not feeling well since a few days back.. my nose kept running, and there isn't any ways to stop it.. and after beering, it got worse.. now my throat is swollen too.. no wonder it hurts when i played on the horn. I really need to take a break le.. just one week will do.

So inspired was i that i took to learning more about some classical composers online. At least now i know what kv numbers are for.. it's very unique, and only applicable to Mozart works. A bit similar to the opus numbers used by other composers. In all, the kv number runs till 626, with the horn concertos at kv. 412, kv. 417, kv. 447 and kv. 495.

By the way, the numbers are not inspiration for toto hor..

The 8mil Draw

Once again, a draw the exceeds the usual jackpot.. but as usual, the prize attracts additional punters and therefore sharing the prize money. Well.. if anyone is lucky, he/she might be the sole winner wor.. but if suay.. maybe the 8 mil is shared by 40+ people.

So these few days, i've been 'irritating' people with hypothetical questions of what if they won the coming toto.. lol.. as if it was so easy to win like that. Read some long long time ago on the ST.. the actual chance of winning is 1/8,000,000. LOL! But then again, people are still winning.. as they always say, "got buy, got chance!".. totally agree.. but everything is up to luck leh.. so even if you buy $2 quickpick, it would be perfectly alright... maybe the computer is nice to you and give you the winning number lei? You never know unless you try (i alwasy tried le then i know i shouldn't have..lol).

LOL.. i'm not promoting gambling here.. and you need not to be tempted.. unless you need that extra 8 mil to save the failing banks or something like that.. then maybe you can try. However, do recognise that this is one of the 'fastest' way and also one which requires minimum 'investment' in return for millions.. that is, if you win la. And that, you'll know the results by friday.. and so can stop dreaming (and return to reality)of how to spend that 8 million by the next weekday.

Last Sunday

Some overdue post.

Went for MG last sunday with my sis wor, but the toopid bus no.5 didn't want to cooperate.. and so we just missed the actual gongyo. So perhaps, got to set off earlier for the coming week lo. It was a good start anyway.

Went 'pee-collecting' for pakki in the late noon at grandma's place.. coz coffee was there too. I thought only pakki was hyperactive.. coffee was very active too.. no wonder they are 'cousins'.

In the end, pakki still failed to learn how to pee at home.. zzz..

=(

Don't know do what at practice yesterday.. seems like nothing much accomplished.

And after Mozart, they moved on to.. Beethoven! Wah seh leh.. all the classical all come in.. lol.. and really seriously, i don't know much about them. Just find that, i'm on a different frequency.

The wind section is getting smaller in size nowadays.. yesterday left only 4.. even boss also didn't turn up. But still, it goes on..

Classical music sure give the wind players a bad scare.. and i tio chua-ed when i saw my score. Beethoven symphonie in A, D, and E. LOL.. sight-read+++ (plus transpose). Super difficult leh.. especially when the whole string of music goes beyond the lines (and out of my range).. super difficult. Trying too hard to find the right notes, and end up getting lost easily. The strings (most of them) having played this piece before, didn't have much difficulty.. i guess even if it was a sight-read, they won't encounter much problem also ba.

Just to help to find some excuse for myself (and the wind section).. we are not exposed to such music during our years of playing.. and really not used to how things where being presented... if not, ask the strings play some of those band music lor.. i think they'll cry too.

Already already, i'm trying to cut down on band music le.. already already i stopped listening to those nice nice de band music le.. and already already i start to read mozart le.. but.. it won't be so soon wor.. still got to familiarize with the range/notations of classical music. BUT.. there is nothing much i can do if people don't want to turn up leh! Grrr... angry leh.. haha.. actually is disappointed la.. yesterday, we are limited by the instrumentation.. and so, there isn't really much to do. Practice ended early, and so i left early too.

Thought that at least dinner was going to be nice, but.. it seems that standards have dropped, while prices are still on the rise. Was very full, but nothing was nice. Another disappointment.

Horn Concerto

Was listening to some other horn concertos on Imeem, and apparently one was performed by a school band.

Was rather impressed.. but i got the impression that they just sabo him/her.. lol.. it wasn't easy at all. Not at all. And the piece is about 7 mins. Towards the end i can't really catch the melody.. but i must say the intonation was quite good (better than mine anyway, any case.. coz i used the b-flat horn for everything and anything).

And then i realised that i've got 3 horn concerto scores that were bought during 2001 in my bookshelf. I couldn't attempt them during 2001.. coz was still quite 'lousy' leh.. or maybe i thought i was.

Now i think, 3 is a bit too little.. i'd like to acquire more.. especially mozart's horn concerto no. 1 and no. 4. Beginning to learn more about classical music.. which of coz, wasn't taught during my secondary school days. By the way, i didn't even have a grade of music theory.. so i knew very very little.

I got serious problems with the tunning on the lower register.. coz i still use only the b-flat horn.. lol.. re-learning is going to be so 'painful'..

Time to practice for tomorrow practice le.

A change of Environment.. Soon.

One more month to the release of results (i hope).. and, a change of environment.

And it will change no matter what.. i'll try not to turn to the "dark side" lor.. lol. Of coz, it might be 'essential' for survival in the workplace (due to E-99).. but maybe not so elsewhere. And actually, not everyone is a "colleague" (to me and to you).

The villagers (plus some of my friends) also complained to me about their workplace... lol.. except pakki (he got no workplace.. he only eat, sleep and play..) Their co-workers pattern more than badminton leh.. maybe coz they got lots of 'commitments', then have to 'kill' to get that extra bit of bonus/promotion. Maybe they need to buy some of that ailing bank stocks so as to 'save the whole economy' or what (they are doing something very noble mind you). And some companies do support this kind of working environment as they claim that it boost productivity. Of coz, they don't set up biz for you to la kopi inside.. so don't expect to find people there serving kopi.

101 kinds of them.. interesting.

Actually i'm worried about my results only.. very worried. Sigh leh.. Zzzz.. no good results means less choice.. and more likely to get underpaid or a sai environment.

Of coz, all these are never ending.. just that when i'm not at work, i don't expect to be facing the same old sai all over again.. (hey i'm not even paid for that leh..).

Out of Molting

My hermie is out of its molting again.. so i still have 2 hermies.

Orchestra Pract.

Today tried out another one of those quintet, but without the oboe.. so it sounds a bit weird.

Was encountering a lot of higher harmornics.. so i guess quite a number of times i lost my sense of pitch.. and when we played at the stairs there, it was quite difficult to hear myself and the others. A bit messy at first, but got better as we moved along. My parts got running notes somemore.. run so fast until i couldn't catch. Slow also can't catch.. i think i got mental block or something.

My tone today was rather bad.. as a result of going to too many practices. Strangely, i always 'show some improvements' after MIA for a few weeks. Anyway, horrible tone i had today, and i don't like it.

Was very tired and almost falling ill before going for pract.. coz i slept at 6am the night (or morning) before. Woke up a few hours later.. and it was time to go pract. Then the bus driver also don't know what he drive.. an unplesant ride lor. No wonder i always start pract with a bad mood. 1.5 hour ride and 2 transfers leh.. very seh-ing de.

Anyway, got new things to work on after every pract.. but finally, i can auto transpose le.

That Cup of Tea

3am, and i still couldn't get to sleep. Must be that cup of tea, or so i thought.

Listening to the piano version of Tifa's theme of my blog at this hour with my earphone, it just felt so different.

Been quite a while since i've cleared all my modules, and yet, it seems like just not long ago.

Was with the rest of the then warlords, including ah gong zm for lunch today. Was talking about the days when we used to crub, even when we've got lessons to attend the following day. After school, we'll go to the clementi K-box (was still very new then) and sang until evening. It was so fun being a student. How i missed those days. Now that the rest of them are all working, sometimes it can be difficult to coordinate the time even for lunch. For now at least, i've been able to.. but, who knows what when i start working? Maybe for some reason, i might end up where i don't want to.

Today the village chief was not happy with one of the staff of the chocolate factory... coz that guy chute pattern to the customers coz there were "too many" of them.. "too many" by his standards, and so he was unhappy having to serve the customers.. i think he threw the chocolates to the customers wor. It was in fact, just 3 customers altogether.. not a lot by industry standards. In fact, he should be happy there are still people buying at this time of the year. Sometime ago, he already chute pattern le.. as if he was the pro like that. Maybe due to his experience, the rest of the staff couldn't challenge his position, and therefore, he was made the manager. Manager supposed to have CRM.. but he chased away customers like that. Some of the customers bothered to give feedback, and so it was known what he did (and didn't).

A new road was being built just opposite my block.. which means, they are really going to build "that hub" le. NIMBY lei.. But it seems, the pasture is always greener on the other side. People just like to compare and be envious (with no regards to any skeleton). So.. how come other people de estate kept increasing in value while ours are being made into "that hub"? LOL.. if life is fair, then we are no different to communism liao le. That said, people don't have any obligation for anything.. becoz they don't owe. Maybe it applies to moral obligations too.

That day while "chilling" at my void deck (like some ah zek like that), i saw a lady from the terrace with 4 dogs (!) of various sizes came over to the patch of grass opposite my block to let her dogs ease themselves. So inconsiderate lor.. there is a park built for them, yet they want to come over. Is our grass greener? No wonder people can step on dog poo. 4 poos leh.. how to siam? Then i saw another mini schnauzer just like pakki. Salt and pepper de.. and is female de.. and her behaviour is just like pakki lor.. lol.. all schnauzers, same pattern. She is smart too.. coz when she knows it's time to go back, she refuses to get into the lift.. haha.. so smart leh.

Pakki seems happy these days, coz he got into a nice village. Even grandpa and grandma dotes on him. The same to pakki's cousin coffee. He too got a nice village that cares and protects him. But sometimes, too doting can be quite harmful to the dog.. just the other day, the village chief open some durians (given by some friend of his) for pakki to eat, coz he was sniffing at the durian.. and that pakki liked it so much that he kept bugging us for more. The point is.. the durian was opened for pakki.. and we just happen to be able to eat coz pakki couldn't eat so much.. lol.. what is happening to the packing order? That pakki ar.. is making my mum laugh so much.. and i'm so glad that my sis chose him (ok la.. he was the only mini schnauzer left.. but who cares?).

My remaining hermies are quite well too, though i no longer fuss around them that much le.. perhaps i'm used to them doing their routine. Venti went into molting for the 3rd time in the year, and i haven't seen it for quite a while. Grande was alone in the large tank now that i've iso venti.. i don't want another case of cannibalism wor.

I'm just trying to make myself tired so that i can have a good sleep, so this entry was kind of messy.

Rhapsody in Red

Before i forget about the 'orchestra' practice on sat..

Sometimes i wondered do they really care about what is happening? The top-down apprpoach will only work if target are realistic. Maybe it is realistic.. but it sure need a lot more time, and players.

I don't understand. What is the difference between a wind band and orchestra? In this context, does it matter? Are we able to reach out to more if it is an orchestra? Right now, it all seems like a joke lor.. it turns people off, especially with that number. Parts are missing, and hence players are missing. I don't like to play when there are missing parts.. it just makes the whole music sound bad. For an orchestra arrangement, it's even worse.

Actually i don't want to complain one.. just that yesterday boss asked.. so i told her lor. Of coz, my boss also got boss. Maybe they don't understand.. or maybe i don't understand what they don't understand.

Yesterday was quite kong bu.. other than the disparity between the wind and strings, i don't think i was playing in a group. Quite disheartening lor. On the bright side, i kind of liked the tone from the 2 instruments in SCC. They are of coz, students' model.. which means a lot more easier to 'tame' than my baobei horn.. but quite very nice tone they produced in scc. Makes me so want to learn some horn concerto. Someone told me before, the more you play with lousy players, the worse you become.. hahaha.. that is so so true.. but i've been listening to horn concerto for the past few weeks.. especially when the bus took so long just to reach boonlay. I guess it helps to make to want to produce a better tone.

Sight-read 3 pieces.. actually 2+. The other 1 (Rhapsody in Blue, George Gershwin) needed a much stronger brass section.. so it was KIVed. Yupz.. i was again, the only brass section there.. lol leh. No fun lor.. my sound was so obvious.. lol.. play wrong sure know. Been working on the higher ranged intonation.. and i was so surprised it helped so much in sight-reading.. especially i didn't mis-pitch that much due to the close harmornics.. wow leh.. really must work on it somemore. Encountered some weird notations again.. this time was the stopped horn technique.. arrr.. so busy leh.. ahahaha.. normally, i'll just ignore it.. coz my stopped horn really cmi.. a bit like the tyre pom zek sound like that.

So here goes another 'orch' practice.. as i promised, and so i'll stay.. no matter how bad.. no matter how scary. If it comes without a struggle, it won't mean much.

Meh~

Meh meh meh~ do i look like one?

So glad that my antenna is back.

Today's topic: The Thirty-Six Stratagems (三十六計)

1. 瞒天过海
2. 围魏救赵
3. 借刀杀人
4. 以逸待劳
5. 趁火打劫
6. 声东击西

7. 无中生有
8. 暗渡陈仓
9. 隔岸观火
10. 笑里藏刀
11. 李代桃僵
12. 顺手牵羊

13. 打草惊蛇
14. 借尸还魂
15. 调虎离山
16. 欲擒故纵
17. 抛砖引玉
18. 擒贼擒王

19. 釜底抽薪
20. 混水摸鱼
21. 金蝉脱壳
22. 关门捉贼
23. 远交近攻
24. 假道伐虢

25. 偷梁换柱
26. 指桑骂槐
27. 假痴不癫
28. 上屋抽梯
29. 树上开花
30. 反客为主

31. 美人计
32. 空城计
33. 反间计
34. 苦肉计
35. 连环计
36. 走为上

Oh well.. i just cut and paste them from somewhere.. my chinese isn't that good anyway.

Sometimes, the 36 Stratagems just appear in real life.. and perhaps, about to make some awe at the ingenuity of the modern day application. Sometimes only. And sometimes it appear in a combo, it can get quite scary. Anyway, 磚 and 玉 got too much difference le. Arr.. i just know that i'm too tired after almost a week of data entry for the chocolate factory. But i'm done with it.. checked until the eyes almost drop out lor.

OT(ed) today coz reached home rather late.. and already 2am le, and i'm still waiting for the village chief to wake up so as to make any last minute amendments... so till then.. maybe i can't sleep tonight le. Anyway, i tried waking the village chief up le.. but he went back to sleep.. of coz, it's been a busy day for all the chocolate makers, so i understand why he is so tired. In contrast, i've been "appearing" to be rotting at home, and anybody ask me, i'd say, "at home nua lor".. lol.. really think can nua until so nua meh? Come and nua one week for me to see la.. i think it might be more difficult than the imprezza challenge wor. I really, have no obligation to disclose anything or everything.

GQ and the Chocolate Factory Again

Been busy doing the list of inventories for the chocolate factory. It's been the 3rd or 4th year or so.. and i'm getting better at it. Afterall, it's just data entry.. nothing too difficult. The only thing is that, any error on my part will translate to a difference in tax paid by the chocolate factory (that is if the others after me also failed). Remembered that the 1st time i did, i doubled the inventory figures due to double counting of the excel formula.. that was quite a bad one.. coz the inventory figures will cause a higher taxable profit. (Gross profit = Sales - COGS, and COGS = O/stock + purchases - C/stock)

So i have been extremely careful now.. i double checked my work, and i rechecked the formula.. just so becoz maybe the others won't care much. Of coz it all took a lot more time, and caused me to be super sian at times. What to do... i wasn't allowed in the physical inventory count (coz i can't differentiate one chocolate type from another).. and i wasn't really trained in this line since young.. i knew nothing to be of help at all. Accounts is perhaps the only way i can contribute.. but then, my accounting also cmi.. so.. perhaps i won't end up in the chocolate factory afterall. Not that i don't want.. but maybe is becoz i can't.

OTed at OTOT till 6am the day before, and was having irregular sleeping hours these days.. been doing everything else at home except going out and looking for a job. Meanwhile, was successfully gaining weight yet again.. but the additional weight is putting some pressures on my arthritis. Sometimes i'd wake up with aches here and there.. a bit like those old people liao.

Another 1 month and 3 weeks to the release of results.. it didn't seems as long now.. just that when it comes, i might be reluctant to leave "the Shire".