was helping Dad ytd night to do some calculation of the coffee stall's earnings, and it seemed like we are not earning enough. And Mum is really quite worried about it. im now thinking whether i should take up a weekend job so that i can contribute more to the household.
I have thought of a few jobs that i can do over the weekend. Work in cafes, help out in exhibitions or roadshows, babysitting, sell some stuffs online, tuitioning, dog walking etc etc... Any other suggestions? Maybe its time to find a job that pays more than this one...
` stenged @ 1:03 PM
the weekends came and went in a blink, ok not a blink, but probably 3 three blinks max. for the past 3 months, i burnt all my weekends at my propagation centre (PC) teaching a group of kids how to sing, dance and act for a performance. And finally, ytd was the actual performance and i no need to wake up so early on Sats anytime soon!
ytd's performance was actually a dinner cum celebration for the opening of our new PC. Different groups are supposed to come up with different performing items to entertain the guests. I was, together with 3 other frens, put in-charge of this children acting call 4 Seasons. So in order to teach the children, weekends are sacrificed and late nights burnt for practices and props-making. The fruit of labour is so bloody sweet.. after all the practices, scoldings, laughters and tears, the kids did an absolutely wonderful job ytd. I felt like a proud mother looking at her kids achieving something, and im sure all the children's parents were as proud also.
I have people coming to me and ask why i rather work backstage instead of performing onstage and be part of the youth dance or chinese orchestra (CO)? Let me explain.
For dance, firstly i can't dance for nuts, and second, sorry to say but i really think most of the girls in the dance think that they are damn hot and pretty and everyone is looking at them. erm hello?? you are doing the act for a RELIGIOUS purpose, so stop acting like a bi*ch!
As for CO, i totally dun have the slightest interest in CO [remb once where we (dunno with who) sneaked out in a middle of a CO performance and den when back in before the concert band started..) so thats definitely a no-no.
So in conclusion, only working backstage is where im most comfortable with, and the rights you get as a backstage crew is pretty good. Plus you get to see all the ups and downs that audiences cannot see. Maybe i should go learn stuffs like lighting and sounds, or take up photography, so that i can really move to the back backstage. Interesting!
` stenged @ 1:50 PM
i forgot to blog about something, HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE! Watched it on tues, and for those who want to watch but havent, i suggest u stop reading from here. I dun wan anyone to come blaming me for being a spoiler hor. heh.. But i supposed alot of people have already watched it, so yeah, watever.
I have read the book 2x, and i think GOF is the best by far, (Havent read Half-blood Prince yet, coz no kind soul wanna lend me!!) and i was so excited when the movie finally came. But i was quite disappointed after watching the 2 and a half hour show. Im not the picky sort that even small details need to be exactly the same as the book, but i felt like im in the Hogwarts Express at some scenes.
Like the part where Cedric was killed by Voldemort. In the book, there were so much descriptions and emotions during that part that i cried (yes u read correctly, CRIED reading a HP book) for Cedric. But in the movie, he got killed so fast that i dont feel for him. I was like, "Oh, he die already ah". Maybe because its not easy to physically act out those emotions, so i shall forgive Daniel Radcliffe. But i still feel that the scene was being brought out too fast.
Then the Quidditch World Cup scene. I was awed by how real J.K. Rowling described the world cup, and i could really imagine it in my head. All the cool collectibles like the palm-sized-flying-and-moving Krum that Ron bought, how the veelas mesmerised the audience with their beauty that it was suppsoedly dangerous, and how the different Quidditch teams from all over the world battle to win the tourney. It is amazing how Rowling can come up with all of that. But alas! Disappointment set in when the entire World Cup seemed to just revolve around Viktor Krum in the movie, and the entire World Cup only lasted for 2 minutes with NO COMPETITION AT ALL. No Snitch-chasing, no Bludger-beating, no Quaffle-scoring, no Goal-keeping. Nothing at all, and i was really quite upset you know.
And how can i not mention the Yule Ball. Hermione was supposed to have made herself up so beautifully that even her 2 closest frens (Harry and Ron) couldnt recognised her. But nooooo, EVERYONE instantly recognised her, and sorry to say, Hermione at Yule Ball looked exactly like Hermione on normal days. The only differences were her hair were tied up, and she was wearing a gown. Full stop. There were no dramatic changes at all. The Yule Ball in the book felt so magical and pretty, but the one in the movie felt so dead and boring.
Characters wise, i also have things to comment. Firstly, on an overall view, i kinda think that Emma Watson's acting was abit un-natural. She seemed to be trying so hard that the expressions looked weird on her. Next would be Dumbledore. The actor (i have no idea wat his name is) potrayed the Professor as though he is a very fierce and strict HeadMaster of Hogwarts. Always shouting to hush the crowd, and frowning at Harry like he is some criminal when his name emerged from the goblet of fire. But after reading the 1st books of HP, Dumbledore to me is a very fatherly and gentle figure. Strict he is, but not fierce, i dont remember him raising his voice before. He always speaks with a firm yet gentle tone and has some sense of humor in him. It felt like a different Dumbledore in the GOF movie.
Then how about Viktor Krum? My image of him is someone skinny and fair, with a face expression that i duno how to place, solemn maybe? But the Krum in the movie is well-built with stubby chin and definitely not fair looking.
The girls from Beauxbatons are so funny. i dun understand why must they enter the Great Hall with the stupid "ahhH" sound coming out from their mouth. they are officially labelled BITCHES of the triwizard tournament. And finally, we have Cho Chang. I was so looking forward to see who is acting as Cho because i tot she will be some really pretty chinese girl. But the Cho in movie is under my expectation. That girl is sweet looking, but she just didnt fit the bill of Cho Chang in my mind.
The movie is not all bad. Im glad that at least Cedric is as good-looking as what i tot he should be. Too bad he had to die in the end. Heh. The Weasley Twins are still so wacky and funny. True jokers who never fail to make the movie-goers laugh out loud. Ron also, getting funnier and funnier. I just love the Weasleys. The part that i liked the most was when Harry was taking a bath in the Prefect's Bathroom and figuring out how to solve the golden egg puzzle. When Moaning Myrtle went into the bath with Harry, he tried very hard to cover himself with the foam bubbles. The way Daniel Radcliffe acted that scene was so natural, and i think its one of the funniest moment. The whole bathroom setup was also splendid. Its so grand and the bathtub is so big that its like a private foam swimming pool. And the amount of taps, my goodness, WHOAAA..
I will rate the movie 7.5/10. Its not as bad as i tot it to be, but some scenes are below normal expectation. Its time to get hold of Half-blood Prince!
` stenged @ 5:45 PM
It has been an emotional rollercoaster over the past 2 weeks. First happy, then sad, then happy amongst feeling sad, then very very sad, then happy.
First happy. Y? Coz my cousin got married 2 saturdays ago. His wedding dinner was very special in a few ways. One was, to my bro's and my delight, the absence of Shark's Fin Soup. Im slowly stopping myself from eating shark's fin and it was nice to know that more and more people are aware of the senseless killing for shark's fins. I strongly encourage everyone to stop eating shark's fins, and next time if you are marrying, pls remember to omit Shark's Fin from your wedding dinner.
Another special thing about the dinner was the entire layout of the night, from the programs to the powerpoint to the background music. My cousin chose old chinese songs as background, making it feel like we were transported back to the old Shanghai. Then the powerpoints. Normal weddings usually show pics of the wedding couple and how the they met only. My cousin's was splited into a few portions, first showing pics on how their own parents courted in the past, followed by an "act" starring the wedding couple, showing them already married, and thinkin back on how my cousin courted his wife. Very interesting concept. Then that last one was a MTV on the 2 of them.
The programs were interesting as well, with a little dacncing and quite alot of singing. My cousin loves singing, so his wedding dinner was like a mini concert for him. But i think the thank-u speeches were a tat tooooooo long.
In the wee morning after the dinner, we received the call we dreaded the most. My third uncle called and say that my grandma passed away in the hospital. Oh well, life is such, you live, become old, and finally breathe your last breath in bed. The next 4 days were spent at the wake, doing almost everything as a family. It was heartening to still able to hear jokes and laughters, at least the mood wasn't stagnant.
Cries were only heard during cremation, but it was a totally different story when we return to Mandai to collect my grandma's ashes. We had to go to the Ash Collection Center to claim the ashes, so while waiting, a family walked out of a room looking all sad. I had no idea y at the exact moment, someone in my family said something funny, and all of us started laughing. That family must have found us really weird. Thats not the end. We had to carry the urn to the "block" where my grandma will stay, so on the way there, we were all joking and laughing away. I seriously dun understand my family, and those present were all my grandma's children (7 of them), 2 daughter-in-laws and 2 grandchildren. In the morning we were crying our eyeballs out, but in the afternoon, everyone's A OK.
It felt good to be away from work for 3 days, tho i dont really want to have that 3 days compassionate leave. Worked only on monday and friday last week, and i took leave again this monday. Had been planning to take leave since last month coz we want to go wakeboarding! And so we did. Had to travel all the way to the ulu part of Punggol, but lucky Vicki drove us there. The morning rain didnt stop us from wakeboarding, and good thing was the sea water wasnt cold at all. Hardest part in wakeboarding is standing up, so if you cant stand, you cant wakeboard at all. I personally think that fei, camelia and i (all new to the sport) did very well. We managed to stand after a couple of falls and could even stay above the waters for quite a distance. Excellent feeling, cant wait to try it again. hopefully all the pics that we took will be available soon...
` stenged @ 12:30 PM
supposed to post an entry on the trip to malaysia, i even had it saved as draft, but now, i really have no mood to continue.
Yesterday, i got news that my grandma's health has deteriorate overnight. I heard that she was still able to talk and even walk on sunday, but when i visited her at the hospital ytd night, she was already in a semi-coma situation. I was really shocked to see her like that, coz she was perfectly fine 2 weeks ago, we even celebrated her birthday together at a restauant. But in less than a month, she cant even hear and see me properly. Now all we can do is to accompany her everyday and make her as comfortable as possible.
This year is really a bad year for old folks. In just the 2nd half of this year, I have known of 3 old people whom im related to. First was my grandpa, followed by my 2nd granduncle, and just recently my uncle's mother-in-law passed away as well. We all know that my grandma cannot hold on for long, so all im hoping is for her to go as peaceful and painless as possible.
i hate this kind of feeling, knowing that someone you love will leave this world anytime now. I have to put up a brave front everytime i visit my grandma, coz im worried that once i break down and cry, everyone else will do the same. Just thinking about her makes me tear, and to be honest, i teared even while typing this blog.
` stenged @ 1:00 PM
