Well-spent weekend

Too many things to say in this post. Please bear with it. :)

This weekend was well-spent. Nothing beats the good news that a friend is not suffering from a illness that has the ability to take away lives. He has just undergone biopsy, and we still need to wait for a few more days for the results to be out. But the initial scans showed that it is benign. N, I know you are reading this, and I know it has been hard on you for the past few weeks, having to go through all the tests and stuff. Continue to be strong, you have my prayers, and I'm always there for you. And I know you will be happy reading this post. :)

On Saturday, it was my Pinoy music night. I know I'm already like a half-Filipino, pero sa tingin ko, magiging 3/4 pinoy ako. Wahaha. And I think I'm almost a guru to Filipino music already.



It was the Esplanade's Mosaic Music Festival, and they invited Aiza Seguerra to town for performances. I'm a fan of hers, and I'm not going to let go of the chance to listen to her performing live.



Her first performance slot was at 3.45pm, in the Esplanade library. By the time I got there, there were already a number of Filipinos there, and she was getting ready, doing the sound checks. I was standing behind the couches, trying to grab a good spot for photoshoots.

Her first song was Kaleidoscope World, a song by Francis Magalona. The Filipinos called him the Master Rapper, but he passed away a few weeks ago, succumbed to leukemia. (See? I'm a guru in Filipino entertainment.) Applauses and cheers. It was awesome. She was with her guitar, but it was simply great. After a long chat with the hosts, she performed her second and last song for that slot, Ang Huling El Bimbo, a song from Eraserheads. Also one of my favourites. :)

Her next performing slot was at 7pm. I went to grab a cuppa coffee and sandwiches, and went back to the Esplanade outdoor theatre to get a good seat. From then onwards, I felt like I was in Philippines again. Lots of Pinoys surrounding me. haha.. Like I said, the Pinoys have a different sense of humour. Once the technical crew went on stage to remove the standee "Next performance at 7.00pm", the crowd started cheering.



This time round, she had her guitarist Mike with her. Together they were marvellous. The power duo. I was amazed by how the two guitarists could produce such great music, that just livened up the whole crowd. Not to forget Aiza's beautiful voice. Mesmerizing.



Again, Kaleidoscope World opened the act. She belted out other songs, both English and Tagalog, such as Eraserheads' Huwag Mo Na Itanong. She said that Eraserheads are one of favourite artistes, her inspirations.

The sun was setting, and the whole ambience was just perfect.



After her performance, the whole crowd just cheered non-stop. I ran off to purchase her latest CD, and went to get her autograph!



And a photo taken with her! My idol! :D



Photo not very well-composed, because the Mosaic crew was not familiar with using DSLR. But it's ok, because being the kind sponsor of the event, Nokia had photos taken using their handphones and developed it for all fans! Close-up! whee~! She was quite surprised that I'm not a Filipino. :D



I went for my short photowalk around Esplanade before heading back to the outdoor theatre for her 3rd performing slot at 10.50pm. There were other acts performing there as well - Ngak & Clement from Singapore, Omega from USA, Andre Harihandoyo from Indonesia. With acts from all over the world, it's truly a wonderful piece of mosaic for music lovers.



I was lucky enough to grab a seat in the front row during the intermission, before Andre Harihandoyo's performance. Sitting alongside with many professional photographers with even bigger fat ass cameras than mine, I felt like a fool at times. haha..



Andre Harihandoyo put up a very entertaining act. Audience laughed at his jokes, sang along with him. His funny antics with his band made the theatre roaring with laughter. Even the guys sitting beside me couldn't stop laughing.



But of course, everybody was waiting for Aiza. Again I was surrounded by the Pinoys. They even sat on the floor right in front of the front seats. I turned my head behind and I just saw tons of people standing at the back of the theatre. The power of Aiza. wahaha..

And again when the crew came onto the stage to remove the standee, everybody just cheered. I have never seen such phenomenon before. Again, the power of Aiza. :)



With her guitarist, her last set of performance totally rocked the whole theatre. People sang along with her (me too!), and everybody grooved with her music. Her songs were totally captivating. She performed songs like Open Arms, Pagdating Ng Panahon, Power of Two, and even gave in to the audience's requests.



You could feel her passion for her music, when you get to see how she went strumming her guitar. She was so engrossed in her music, her head just went low, almost touching the bridge of her guitar.



Mike the guitarist wasn't bad either. In fact, he was like god. I have no words to describe his performance. My mouth just went wide open. That's how amazing he was.



I was so happy that I was sitting right in front. Because I could just keep on snapping away on my camera! whee~!







You know these two musicians were having as much fun as we were.



They performed the classic of Eraserheads, Ang Huling El Bimbo to close the performance. That was the best song of all. I could hear the audience singing loud and clear. And I joined in the fun. Aiza and Mike blew everybody off with their strummings, and people were already clapping.



At the end of the performance, they received a standing ovation. They deserved one. Nobody wanted to leave the theatre. Everybody was asking for more. Alas, she had extended the performance for half an hour, until 12am. It was time to leave.



Even up till now, I'm still singing to the tunes of Ang Huling El Bimbo. :)

And today, I went to visit the exhibition of the Kangxi Emperor in the Asian Civilisation Museum with some NUSCO peeps. A good exposure, and I learnt something about the Chinese emperor and the history. In order to protect the copyrights of the artefacts and relics in the exhibition, no photography was allowed. I took some shots outside the gallery though. My tries on artistic shots. :)



Finally, the day just ended on a beautiful note - the sunset. :) A weekend well-spent.



Thank you for reading through, for enduring with my over-passion with Pinoy music. :)

Leave no rooms for regrets

When I was in Bago City last January, I attended an evening mass with the Matti family at a church in Calumangan, down the highway to Bacolod. When Tricia drives, it will never go beyond the speed of 40 km/hr (oops, sorry Tricia! :P). It is a 10-minute drive away from the city (based on Tricia's driving speed, haha), on a road so familiar.

I looked out of the window, and through the side mirror, I saw the warm hue of the sunset reflected onto the car. It was a very beautiful sight, but sadly, I did not bring my camera along.

Everytime when I take the bus to my kids' house, I will see the sunset by the reservoir near my house and along the expressway. And everytime I see the sunset, I will be reminded of the day I forgot to bring my camera to capture that beautiful sunset in Bago City.

What I want to say is, leave no rooms for regrets. Cherish whatever beautiful moments you have, hold no hestitations to do what you like. Life is short, unpredictable things always happen. When it's about time to leave, and when you look back onto your life, it's not how many achievements and how much assets that matters. It's how fulfilling your life has been.

I still procrastinate, I still lack the courage. It's not easy to simply say that, 'there's never a moment of regrets in my life'. But I'm trying to work towards that. :)

There are 2 eternities that can really break you down. Yesterday and tomorrow. One is gone and the other doesn't exist. So live each day to the fullest.

A week without inspiration

I guess I was again too caught up with so many things that I'm losing inspiration again.

The NUSCO concert 'Allure' was just over, it could have been a good topic, but I don't have the mood to write anything about it. I have no idea what I was doing. Not saying that I screwed up the performance, to be honest I did put in a wee bit more of effort practising the pieces. Perhaps the messy concert preparation made me lose a bit of the interest. I don't know where I was standing. I know I was helping with this and that, but I guess the lack of proper communication and understanding, and the inefficiency, just made things seem a little.. bleak. To the people who came to watch the concert, thank you.

Then came the news that my dear friends had to go through surgery and medical check-ups, and the emotional stress that comes along. Ah Gong left not long ago, and I am not prepared to go through that kind of pain, not so soon. We are all waiting for the results, and I'm praying for the both of you. I believe that things would turn out fine. Although we are thousand miles apart, you know that I'll always be there for you. Believe, and be strong.

Work, as usual, the problems and stress are always there, no point ranting because that is not going to be the solution.

To add on to all, I am resuming to my old schedule to seeing my kids 3 times a week. I don't see the difference, but since the parent think there's a need for that, I'll just have to accommodate for an additional kids-day.

I'm a little tired. Not being able to wake up on time EVERYDAY is a clear indication that I need a break.

Whisper I love you??

Filipinos are really one of a kind. I almost burst out laughing when I saw this.

Interesting advertisement, I must say. They even came out with a song and a MTV for it, and getting one of the popular loveteams a.k.a on-screen couples to be the endorsers.

But the lyrics just seem so... ... weird. haha..

And why do men love Whisper? I HAVE NO IDEA. hahahaha..

Rainbow

When you get to see a rainbow after a tired day at work staring at music scores and all the frustrations, you will realise that the world is still beautiful.

That's the beauty of Mother Nature.

OCBC Cycle Singapore

It is no wonder they called it 'The Challenge'. Cycling 40km non-stop is definitely no mean feat.



OCBC Cycle Singapore 2009 is the first mass cycling event on public roads in areas such as Shenton Way, Nicoll Highway, East Coast Park and Kallang. The roads have been blocked the whole morning, and it was kinda funny to see traffic jams because they have to make way for cyclists like us. haha..

I never expect myself to finish the whole journey without resting. Half of the time I was cursing, why was the mid-point so far away, and how long more I need to cycle so that the torture could end. And although I think I'm one of the last few cyclists to reach the finishing line for the 'Challenge' category, I'm proud to say that I managed to pull it off, in 3 hours (just nice before they start opening the roads for normal traffic).

It was also a surprise to see old schoolmates joining the event as well. They never thought that I'm that 'sporty'. haha.. But good to have some catching up. :)

Now my knees are aching like hell. Till next time, no more 40km ride until I get proper trainings.

Philippines schools

I like visiting schools in Bago City.

I enjoy the long and sometimes rocky journeys. The journeys will always be a place for laughter, for moments of reflections. Sometimes I will sleep through the journeys, sometimes I marvel at the scenery that comes across.

I enjoy bringing smiles to the children, I enjoy seeing huge plantations of rice and sugarcane surrounding the schools, and I enjoy standing under the sun staring at the clear blue sky.

And there's always something we can all learn from, be it the optimistic and carefree minds of the innocent children, or the I-will-survive-against-all-adversities attitude.

And I love the words of wisdom on the walls and around the schools. :)


Mission of the school. Most schools would have this painted on the walls near the main gate. A reminder to all: the principal, the teachers, the students and the community.


Children learn what they live.


Well done is better than well said.


Each man is a hero and an oracle to somebody.


Knowledge is silent, ignorance is talkative.


A good idea is like a match. It's useless unless you strike it into a flame.

Nina - Collide

I came across this very beautiful song while blasting music at work (I need to curb myself from blabbering vulgarities).

This is not a new song, apparently it was released some time in 2007, and it was a soundtrack for a Filipino movie (which I have no idea what is it about).

It's sung by Nina, another brilliant Filipino singer. Dubbed as the Philippines' Soul Siren, the pretty and sexy Nina has somehow managed to bring out the beauty of the song. I always enjoy listening and watching her perform on Filipino TV. I also love her renditions of other songs, and she has released albums featuring hits of Barry Manilow and Diane Warren.

Yes, I'm going to get these 2 albums. :)

Piolo Pascual - Don't Want You To Go

What a beautiful song.. haha

And of course, sung by none other than my Piolo. :)

Don't Want You to Go is the theme song for Love Me Again (Land Down Under), the latest movie of Piolo, together with Angel Locsin. Shot in Bukidnon, Philippines and Darwin, Australia, this movie follows the story of Arah (Angel), who goes to the Land Down Under for the sake of her family and dreams, and Migo (Piolo), the man who would go to the ends of the earth to follow her.

And needless to say, I've watched this movie when I was in Bago City, on the next day after I'd arrived there. :D

Love Me Again is different from the other Filipino movies I've watched, because it's a story about cowboys, and the scenes of the ranches, large rolling hills and lush pasture lands are just magnificent. And oh yes, the horses.. roaming!!

It's a nice movie worth watching, really. I'm waiting for the DVD to be released.. :)

Allure - NUSCO annual concert 2009

Allure - NUSCO annual concert, part of NUS Arts Festival 2009

This year's repertoire is much better than previous years, I must say. With a piano concerto Huang He (The Yellow River) and a Pipa concerto Hua Mu Lan, it will definitely be worth listening (and watching).

The pieces are challenging, something I look forward to. I'm sure all musicians would like to perform pieces that will give them a sense of satisfaction at the end of the performance. haha..

And this concert is not going to be the normal usual orchestral concert. We are going to incorporate something new. :)

Concert will be on 7 March 09 (Sat), 8.00pm, at the UCC Concert Hall.

Tickets are at $20, $16 and $12 (excluding $1 Sistic charge). If you buy from me, you are entitled to 20% discount! Isn't that good? hehe..

Do not hesitate to contact me for purchase of tickets! Support the local arts scene, support the young talents! :D

Photos of Bago City

Photos from my paradise have been uploaded, and you can now check them out at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yuhui-loves/

Stories coming up, when I have the inspiration. :)

Back from paradise

It was with great reluctance leaving my paradise, my hometown.

It was just like a very short dream. Dreams are beautiful, dreams will bring you smiles. That is what my paradise is, what my paradise can do.

I do not remember feeling any bit of sadness during the 5 days there, except for a brief moment when I just thought of Ah Gong when I was at the wake of a friend's father. In fact I was happy, to see many familiar faces, and it was pleasant distributing stationery to more than a thousand of students.

I even got to enjoy moments of peace. Every morning I would sit with Papa Momoy in the front of the house, sometimes we don't talk, but I could find a sense of assurance. Even travelling on bumpy roads give me a different kind of peace. Many of such journeys actually set me thinking on a lot of things, particularly my grand dream.

But the moment I returned to work, problems start to resurface again. At some points of time I felt I couldn't handle it anymore, I wanted to just break down and cry.

Now my paradise seems so far away again.

Adventure

I think my life is like an adventure.

I just booked my air tickets this afternoon, and tomorrow I'll be off to my paradise. :)

To be honest, I'm still a little taken aback by my impulsive actions. I do things my way, much like a loner, or rather, a free-spirit person. I guess people around me will have to deal with it. haha..

And I will never stop roaming. Like what Huiyan said, I'm a compulsive traveller. I'll jump at any chance of going overseas.

Just like this coming Chinese New Year. It just so happens that it's going to be a long weekend, and it's not like the New Year is a big affair, to me at least. For the past few years, I've been spending my 2nd day of New Year alone at home ordering McDonalds delivery. How exciting is that.

Besides, it's going to be different because Ah Gong is not here to make his teh anymore. Perhaps I may get to have my quiet moment with him when I'm in my paradise. :)

Looking forward to it, and I'll be back on the 28th.

Happy New Year in advance! and Gong Xi Fa Cai! Let's just hope this new year would be a good one. :)

Bad start to CNY

5 minutes of total embarrassment.

This Chinese New Year sucks. Totally.

Emo

I'm supposed to feel elated because I've received my bonus, and that would probably ensure that my tentative 6-mth plan would be a feasible one.

But I'm not.

Too preoccupied with all the troubles at work, that I've lost my appetite. Too frustrated to work, that I was blasting rock music and orchestral music into my ears. Too disappointed with what I'm experiencing, that I could only sigh.

I think I need a break, but I wasn't allowed one. I somehow question my own capabilities and my level of confidence.

And I remain stubborn enough to put up a strong front before my family, because I never confide anything in them, and I'm going to continue doing so.

I want to run away to Bago, but why is it so far away?

Toys

Just when everything is not turning too well, I know there's something that will at least allow me to have my sanity back. :)

It's tiring actually, packing all the donated items into the super up-sized box, because the box is just too big for me to start packing from the bottom. But after so many times of doing it, I have developed my own method. :)

And sometimes I'll marvel at the things that are being donated, the toys especially. When I was young, I never really had many toys to play with, and toys in those days were the simple soft toys and board games.

Today, I had fun with the guns and the mini-car (the graphics vary its moving speed with the changing of gears! and it comes with sounds too!), and some intellectual games (I like!).

I'm still young at heart. :D

Fireworks in Bago City

On the night of the New Year, Bago City had a 15-minute long of musical fireworks display, blasting off to the rhythm of Sarah Brightman, George Frideric Handel and Eloy (I have no idea who the two latters are).

One of the highlights of the show was the 50-metre 'waterfall' fireworks at the centre of the football field of the Manuel Y. Torres Sports Centre near TDLC, where I've stayed for 24 days on my first visit to Bago City. *aww.. memories..*

And why am I missing out all these??? I could have easily gotten a VIP seat and happily snapping at the fireworks with my toy!! ARGHHH!!

For the full news, it's here.

Playlist for January

My apologies, I've neglected my playlist for quite some time. It's time for a change.

So here's the playlist for January - new songs for the new year.

Nothing much unique, just that they are songs that I've downloaded and listened recently. :) Songs from different genres.

Happy listening!

Happy 2009

Another milestone for my toy - taking photos of fireworks.



Damn the cranes and the coconut trees, but anyway, Happy 2009!

And damn, why am I not in the Philippines??

End of 2008

In 2008,

I travelled to Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City, exploring the unknown lands. It was fun, and I have my Thai and Vietnamese friends to be thankful for.

I travelled to Bago City (again). Familiar place, familiar faces. I attended my first ever TRY summer camp. The trip was short, but nevertheless, memorable. Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat, mga kaibigan. Miss na miss kita.

I took up the challenge to be part of the NUSCO's concert committee. Challenging it was, many long hours spent into producing the poster and the programme booklet. Without the help from Helen, it wouldn't be possible. And I'm proud of the final product. :)

I got head over heels with Papa Piolo. Go Papa Piolo! :D

I got a new toy, and am still excited over it. :) I should start reading up books again.

I found another new love: killer sudoku. Hail the Sudoku queen! whee~!

The BHBH1 finally got together again, after almost 4 years. The legacy shall continue.

My primary school classmates finally came together for a gathering, after a long 11 years.

I continued to hone my skills as a 'all-rounded worker'. Work has been going downhill, to be honest. I'm beginning to feel drained, am just holding on to whatever that is keeping me sane.

I didn't get to spend my Christmas in Bago City. I'm sorry to disappoint my friends.

I lost Ah Gong. He has gone to somewhere with no worries. I miss him.

Po-po left. So did Mrs Torres.

One year has passed, just like a snap of the fingers. Achievements, satisfaction, happiness, sadness, disappointments, regrets. This is just part of life. Cherish the beautiful moments, discard the bad feelings, learn from mistakes, and look forward to the future.

2009, is coming fast. VERY SOON, VERY FAST.

Filipino-less Christmas

Christmas is just 3 days away, but I'm forever lamenting, why am I still here, why am I not in Philippines right now???

When I was young, Christmas was just like any other holiday, only slightly different because there were the Christmas lightings to look forward to, and if my parents were in good mood, we got to choose the "toys" we wanted.

As we grow older, as the Christmas lightings along Orchard Road become boring, Christmas was just a day to spend watching Christmas movies on TV at home.

It was until I got to spend my first Christmas in Philippines, then it got a special meaning to it.


The angel made of coconuts and bamboo. The Filipino way.

The Philippines is a Catholic country, and Christmas is a very much celebrated affair there. It is not like any other Christmas, because there's a distinct Filipino culture to it. The Filipino Christmas songs are enough to make it different.

Most of the Filipinos are not rich. You will be amazed at how creative they are, and how festive they can get, despite having limited money and resources to spend on. Yup, no turkeys there.


Simple spagetti and buns for the Christmas parties for children

The very first time I attended a Christmas mass in Bago City, I was just overwhelmed. The whole coliseum was filled with people, and the music were echoing across the whole coliseum. I've never seen so many people gathering for a mass before.


The whole city celebrates Christmas together

But of course, Christmas is the season for giving. For the past few Christmas, I've been going to schools to join in the Christmas parties organised for them, and giving out presents to them. It is very heartening to see the children smile because their Christmas had just got better. :)



And I miss the times when all my dearest friends were with me spreading the joy. We all had so much fun together. Unforgettable memories indeed.


JP with his black "Santa's bag"

Sad to say, I can't be there this Christmas. I'm disappointed, and my friends are disappointed too. It has been a norm, for them to see me around during December, but this year round, it would be an exception. :(

I could only watch more Filipino Christmas programmes (papa Piolo!) to make myself feel as if I'm back there.



I miss you guys!! I really really miss you guys a lot!! I want to go to the Philippines!!

Day 3 in Ho Chi Minh City

On the 3rd morning in Ho Chi Minh City, we woke up with painful butts. It was another early morning, because again, we were going to travel to another place 2 hours away from the city.

Then you would ask, did I tour around the city? haha.. well, not exactly. A lot of places or significant buildings were just merely a glimpse away from the motorcycle. I did not even get to go to the Reunification Palace (which I've asterisked in my travel log cum itinerary planner).

That may be a reason valid enough to make me go back to Ho Chi Minh City again.

Anyway, yar, breakfast was slightly more filling, as we had noodles.


Don't they look nice together? =D

I hardly eat such a heavy meal for breakfast, so I couldn't finish the noodles, even though it came in the smallest bowl. I couldn't remember what it was called, but it was nice. A refreshing way to start the day. :)



So again, another 2 hours on the bike, sun-tanning and butt-hurting.

Until we finally reached Vuon Xoai (pronounced as Vuon Suai) Resort Park. With another kiss from the motorcycle's exhaust pipe. Ouch.


No, they are not selling Wacoal there. It just so happened that the company was having their family day there. What's happening to my company's staff welfare??

Highly recommended by Hai, it is a resort park that has all sorts of activities there. They even have a mini-zoo and horse wagon rides.



You can even ride an ostrich. :)



Too bad we didn't have enough time for that.

After deciding what to do, we rented bicycles and cycled around the park, and came to a large patch of grassland.



What were we going to do?


Look at the excited monkey!

Grass ski-ing!

It was fun, minus the pain factor. It was like learning how to roller-skate or ice-skate, and falling down is inevitable. I have forgotten how many times I had fallen down, and landed on my butts and knees. I just remembered that it was super painful after that, and the pain lasted for days.



It was kinda scary too, because once you lift the sticks off the ground, you would just start rolling until you reach the end of the slope, or you fall down, whichever comes first.

On average, I would fall at least once or twice before I could finally get to the end of the slope. Not bad for a beginner. =D


Monkey climbing back up the slope in the transformers' bulky shoes

I think we spent slightly more than an hour there, with half the time trying to catch our breaths when we got to rest.

After that, we decided to make our way back to the city, to have our lunch and to do some shopping. But I guessed all of us were just too exhausted, because we all kept yawning. hahah..

Well, there wasn't anything much to shop for in Vietnam. When it comes to fashion, either they are not of my taste, or the nice ones are expensive. The prices of branded items are around 1.5 times that in Singapore, I might as well have my own shopping spree back here.


Saigon Square, that looks like a mini-Chatuchak in Bangkok

Food wise, nothing in particular that I miss. I still miss more of Filipino food (Bongbong's! Chicken inasal!). Huiyan, however, went on a spree buying Vietnamese coffee and instant noodles.

The highlight of the day came when we were dining in a Japanese restaurant in Zen Plaza. It was supposed to be a nice treat for our two friends who had been bringing us around Ho Chi Minh City, but it turned out to be an unpleasant experience. Imagine, I had to call for the restaurant's manager to complain how unhappy we all were, and how bad the services were provided. Our two dear friends were just amazed at how we lashed out on the manager. haha..


Old grandma, the caretaker of the hotel

Back to the hotel, we waited for a massage session nearby. Also another once-in-a-lifetime experience. Enough said.


Caught on camera!

After the massage session, Hai, Huiyan and I went back to the hotel, and Hai wanted to have a discussion so as to work on his project on improving the school's system. I'm terribly sorry, that I fell asleep while discussing, although I said I could stay awake the whole night. haha.. getting old.

The next day, we left early for breakfast (bread-and-egg again) and then to the airport. It was indeed a very short trip (considering that my recent trips range from 5 days to a month), but every journey has its own adventure, and I must say that this trip is rewarding, in terms of experience rather than materially.

If given another opportunity, I would like to explore Vietnam again. But for now, my next destination will still be the Philippines! Mabuhay!