So many things!
I've got so many things to do!!!Don't know where or how to untangle the threads of my topic.Now,I understand that everytime one meets the lecturer after discussion,that actually means more work with deadline!
After today morning's short discussion,I'm left with loads of things to find out,read and work on and he gave me a deadline of 2 weeks.I nearly died there!Not only read,but write out the works,of approximately 4,500 words.2 WEEKS!!!If it's for compiling resources,that shouldn't be a problem,but it includes an output on my behalf as well.Wow!*gullp*
Now,I'm so lost in the midst of work.*and just realized that what I have just sent to him is merely the,mm,say,'poster' for a theatre and have not actually written the play.*
On top of that,I'm hoping for a job,camp this weekend,and possibly some leisure activity?Definitely not!
................................
Oh yea,another thing,though.I got a warm phonecall from my long-time Swedish friend,Linda,which is such a great thing!Amazing friend,whom,I simply cannot imagine how we actually 'cliqued'.Well,after 3yrs now,we're gonna meet again this coming thursday to watch a short play/art/musical thingy by Tchaikovsky(?)in the city and possibly chat over coffee(hot chocolate,for me :)
Beautiful friend,one whom I have not met anymore than 4 times but talk like an old acquaintance.One, who leads such a colourful life,yet, stay grounded to her beliefs and principles.I definitely look forward to another inspiring & magical meetup.
Ah.meantime,let me slog over this research.
Daily Routine
Date: 27/7/05
Day: Wednesday
Listening to: Dido & Evanescence, Dido’ voice has a more ‘calming effect/happier/commercial, sellable tone’, Evanescence ‘rebellious & disturbing/ironic/sad tone/techno-maybe coz of the electric guitar’. Lol!
Reading: The life of Beethoven, Cambridge University Press, David Wyn Jones
Decide not to be in the library that early today. Have a few books to keep me occupied already. There are just so many things to do in a day, it seems neverending. Well, which is good.
Lots of things to do when it comes to research in music. Firstly, readings for that theoretical base and knowledge. Then, comes listening, critically, to form a kind of perception or understanding of what the composer is trying to express. Thirdly, performance, imitating the expression or simply attempting to produce those kind of sounds.
So, that’s my daily routine. Readings first, then, later in the evening, listening and moving on to playing. All in all, take me hours to complete a cycle in a day. (not to mention, leisure surfing on other miscellaneous events. Hehe!) What more, I have become so interested in other genres that I, at times, seem to be led astray from what I’m supposed to be reading on!
Cooked nasi lemak yesterday. Easy. Will cook it more often next time. Marinated honey chicken based on Jo’s recipe. Haven’t tried that out yet. Haven’t started baking yet. There’s always something else to do first, like, errands, grocery shopping, banking. Ah! The bank manager just called. Good news, my cheque has been found.
There’s something else I would like to talk about –The Matheson library in which I am always ‘hanging out’ in. But, will save that for next time.
Proposal
*gulp* no sooner have I emailed my lecturer on my draft(which I thought would last me a week to breath),a meetup has been arranged for coming thursday to discuss on it.Agh!2 days for me to bring some books to show him,at least some new materials.Woh,
talk about rest...(and the 'other' things which I have been reading/listening about, is somewhat irrelevant to my topic this sem.Whops-got carried away there.)
And,ah, MA's(my mom) in my blogger's world!Hieee!!There's nothing much interesting here,MA,click on "Artist@Luciole"...there,you'll find much more interesting topics you have never heard before(or want to hear about-like dolls).LOLLLL!!!
Room
Date: 23 July 2005
Day: Saturday morning
Listening to: Anastasia & Blue
Correction: The bicycle I’m cycling is a racer, not a mountain bike.
Great songs to start the day. Recommended, Makes me wanna dance. Although I don’t really like Anastasia’s voice (but, not bad arrangement). I thank FM & CY for all the songs they have graciously put into my laptop. *hugz* Sis’s collection, I have yet to listen as well. I better start intensive listening everyday because next semester would be loads of listening. (and I have NOT been listening to songs agggghhghghhghg…sis is surely laughing at me now. Yes, I’m so dead.)
Been a long week in Uni. Juggling between compiling resources, getting my laptop connected to uni’s wireless connection (which is GREAT!), writing my essay, attending short performances and discussions and even making my own music at other’s compositions’ expense *jamming in the music practice room*
Mm..looking at my room. I have a beautiful altar, drape a purple *big* scarf to the blinds and I have the Buddha’s picture. Sorry, no picture, no camera, no highly sophisticated handphone to show. Below, I have cards of different colours given by friends. Cards I received from Rumah Hope, from KCBA gang during the farewell, Charissa’s cards, Annie’s and my students. I have the crystal Kuan Yin below with an incense holder I bought from $2 shop. My room has blue/purple/dark green as the subject theme but with loads of bright colours. My quilt has stripes of blue, white, yellow and green. Hahahh..why am I describing this?! Because I like my room.
I bought a robe of light blue with pink PIGS. Wli will surely be laughing. My pajamas is blue with brown bear *like Pooh the bear*. One more thing, the carpet is dark green. Can you imagine? Geez…colourful…..never thought that I like bright colours.
Too bad I couldn’t enroll for the jazz funk dance I wanted. (during weekdays, clashes if I have to work) Instead, I have enrolled for the West African Drumming. My hands will surely be sore after the course but will surely help in rhythmic feel. Next time can show Small (my percussion colleague in Ymh).
None
1)Vocal Jazz Improvisation Research Paper-Critique due eotw.
2)Lunchtime Recital,Vocal and Pianist-Overview,links,lyrics and area of interest
3)Classical readings-MUM4600,Structure due eotw.
Discovery
Discovered the music practice room!!!!!!!!!
Met lots of new ppl today.
And,I discovered the music practice room!!!!hahahaha!!!(Don't have to buy a second hand digital piano I have been contemplating....)
Getting things rolling...
Date: 19/7/05
Day: Tuesday
Today, just too many things happened. I’m just overloaded with new ideas and thoughts.
For starters, this was what happened.
1) Grocery shopping & errand running, yea, nothing much.
2) Encounter with Buddhist society, yea, okay, sharing of thoughts. One guy spoke of meditation as if he had encountered some mind-out-of-body experience with light and spoke as though it was some kind of sign and another guy’s response to that was ‘Jhana’ and commented that it may be another level up, according to Ajahn Bhram’s book. I was shocked! Had to say something after that. Well, I could be wrong but from my understanding, something like that, you don’t just jump into conclusions and, like, ‘ting!yup, you’re a level up’. Besides, Jhana, for me is a “big word”. Well, just discussions among students.
3) The bank again. Agh. Took me 2 hrs and yet, nothing came up. I was upset with the manager. It has been 3 weeks!!! I gave him deadline of tomorrow. I’m not going to wait any longer.
4) I got a phonecall from People Outdoors to do a camp next weekend. My sleeping bag hasn’t arrived yet….sigh. Will probably make do with a fleece sleeping bag I have always wanted to buy to go with the sleeping bag that I have. This coming camp, I’m not sure what the level of difficulty is, but I’ll get a letter within these few days. Ah, People Outdoors is a camp for the disabled (ranging from the mentally disabled, physically disabled or even both or sometimes, it’s just abandoned kids.) run by the Victorian Camping Association. I did a few last time with WS.
5) Rushed to get ready for interview. Mm. This interview, it is different. He literally ‘interviewed me’ not only in his office, but the whole journey home when he offered to fetch me back. Kept throwing me questions and, yknow what, even if I did not get the job (although, this one, I badly want it), like what he said, it prepares me for the coming questions I’m about to face in my other interviews here. Thank you, uncle.
Coming here to Aus for the second time is different already. Everything is different. Even myself.
And one more thing: This time round, at least, I have a little bit more confidence when it comes to talking to people or expressing my point of view, although, sometimes, still have some difficulty. This is what auditing does to you –Speak up!
Socializing
My first social group - the buddhist society.
We had short 15min meditation just now.Before that,short 5 min talk listening to Thich Nhat Hanh speech on 'breathing in and out' from the laptop.No Malaysians(except me),1 Sri Lankan and 1 Vietnamese. The rest are non-asians.Found out a Theravadan temple in Boxhill(it seems,set up by Malaysians by Rev Indraratana from Penang),yayyy...
I find it tedious to explain what am I studying.Then,comes the part-time,full-time thing,then,"oh!you're a graduate already?".Then,you see the faces quieten and then you KNOW that they are estimating my age.HAHAHAH..hay, I wish I'm 21 also okay!
heheheeheh...Then,the next question is relating to accounting and music.Why the change?Etc,etc,etc.
I've got an interview later at 6.30pm.It will be late when I get back.
This morning,I got myself a helmet which cost $20!But,now I realize the importance of having a helmet when cycling.The cycle path is different from home because you go uphill,downhill,uphill,downhill.I haven't cycled for years,so,this time round,I get bit scared sometimes.
Lots of new things this week.I need time to settle in....sometimes,wish that I don't have to work.But,then again,hay,interview!!!!yay!!
Better go.I miss my friends......**oh,and family...hahah!!**
The blogger- Sunday
Listening to: ManBai-Kau Ilhamku, Faye Wong-Eyes on Me, I’m happy because you are happy, Nicholas Tse-Wo Men Zhe Li Hai You Yu, Ella-Standing in the Eyes of the World, Abba- Thank You for the Music
Been deprived of internet access for the past few days. But, at least there’s Microsoft Word. One thing I notice here is that, wounds are harder to heal. My hands, legs, the scars take time to heal longer than at home. That’s the not so good part. But, like what everyone says – just love the weather.
My life is like an open book. Mmm….really? Lol. Correction, my life is like an open website. Hehehhehe.
Agh…there’s something that made me quite excited today. I went to Auntie’s place to get some of my leftover stuffs and visited my friend’s brother, Ca and also the cousin, Mch, whom I was sharing the room with. AGHHH…..he (Ca) showed me his saxophone (sighhhh!!) and played it. I have been dreaming of getting myself a saxophone for years. Ever since I have left school band. One day, just wait. My woodwind instrument collection….. but you cannot imagine how envious I was.
Then, went to their cousin’s place (Auntie’s son) and geezzz….another music enthusiast! Goodness, I want to have place like his, a music room! Then, he played me his trumpet- mm..he is good. Smooth. Very in tune with the instrument. His music room is something to boast about. There, I learn about synthesizers (analog & digital), samplers and the most interesting instrument of all, the clavinet.(nope, not a clarinet, no typo, it’s not a clavinova either) Cl was explaining to me about the works of it, one by one. Electronicmehanical instruments – has 5 main groups. One of it is the clavinet. It is also called the electronic harpsichord.…Mozart will surely be jealous since he was only exposed to non electronic ones ..ahahahahah!!
Then, he went on to explaining what oscillators & samplers does and did a bit of demonstration on how the clavinet sounds like-sounds like an electric guitar but much more techno, like the ones you hear in discoteques or in movies. Wow. Cl also mentions about how the gadgets pick up the waves, manipulate it , probably transform it from digital to analog and probably vice versa…how different the synthesizers are. He also says that up to date, the electronic harpsichord (clavinet) still produces that kind of sound in which no other instruments are able to copy. How cool is that??
On a different note, one of my subjects which I should consider is conducting. I wonder what it takes to be a good conductor? One must be able to pick up all the sounds at one go, segregate it if needed and must also have that kind of concentration and focus. I’m not just referring to the choir conductor alone nor the band conductor but rather, on a larger scale – the orchestral conductor. Woa…that one must be really challenging! One must be really gifted to be able to do that.
Saturday
Listening to : Norah Jones, Dido & Classical
Finally moved in yesterday night. Where I’m staying, quite near to Uni. Like my SS14 room towards Metro College in Subang. I’m staying in a two bedroom student unit, the Ideal one I was talking about. Wow, listening to Norah Jones is really relaxing……especially a pretty harsh day today. Sigh.
This morning, my housemate and I went to the agent to get the agreement signed. Housemate borrowed me a bicycle to cycle. (With no helmet….I gotta get one, it’s illegal to cycle without helmet, and especially after today, I think I definitely need one) After meeting the agent, we went separate ways and agreed to meet up an hour later. So, great time for me to shop around, get my groceries and heaps of miscellaneous stuffs to buy. Before I knew it, I have my small backpack filled up and my sling bag as well.
The journey back was tough as the wind was blowing strong, drizzled slightly and I had 2 bags to juggle with. I notice that Housemate has really good stamina while I paddled along (panting away). I had to struggle to balance especially when the bicycle is a mountain bike. Then, as I head down a steep slope, it went quite fast and all of a sudden, DUSH! I fell forward because my sling bag got caught in between the wheels. LOL…sigh. Poor housemate, the journey back, he had to carry that slingbag for me………!!! Sigh, but, thank you really and I am so sorry. I hope he knows. There came one point where he had to sling the bag over his head.
Lesson to be learnt : I will use my backpacker’s bag for grocery shopping next time!!!
My housemate is a young chap doing his 2nd yr Med and he is from Mauritius. He looks like a kind & helpful person (which he is) and it’s great to have a quite okay/fairly clean unit. And now that I have, sort of, unpacked…I love my room. Hehehhehe..
What do I look for in a room? Clean carpet, good coat of paint, suitable lighting, good bed and table, lock to the room, built-in wadrobe, location and a good, reliable housemate. Now, all is there except lock to the room. I definitely need that. This room is brick wall, so, I’m happy with the level of sound/noise I can make in this room. Just that, my room faces the outside. It gets pretty cold at night and you can hear the window shaking because of the strong gush of wind. LOl….
Music Library
I have fallen in love with this place.
Take a deep breath and start my research.
....
....
Auntie taught me how to knit.
I got a 5 sec lesson on how to make different types of coffee from the 'starbuck' style coffee makers.
....
Monday
: ) Exhausted doing kitchen work in the church. It’s not for a thousand kids actually, but for 1K teachers in a Christian teacher’s conference. The next time Harlini mentions about her regular teacher’s conference here and there, I will definitely remind her to appreciate the food she gets, what more, 5 meals a day!! I get to bring back some lunch pack home and yay.. that’s for lunch tomorrow! Mmm…salmon sandwich, apple, juice sweets & 1 huge muffin. The muffin size is so huge, the last one I took, in order to finish it, it took me 2 days.
Joke
Where I’m staying right now, it’s pretty far from uni and from the city. I come to understand that there is a ‘way’ to shorten the time to get ready for whatever that lies ahead for the day. What happens is, some ppl actually get dressed a day before, i.e. jeans and the top. So, all the person has to do is just wash the face and maybe, comb the hair?? When I heard that, I just couldn’t stop laughing……..ggeeeezZZ!!!!You actually plan what to wear and wear it to sleep for the next day?
Loving Couple
Auntie & Uncle are just loving couples. They are the next best couple I will nominate as models for long lasting & healthy relationship. The best couple will still go to my late great grandaunt & uncle in China. (*and 3rd place goes to my 8th Auntie& Uncle).
Simply amazing how some ppl are just so compatible & work things out with one another. Toast to these lovely couples…
Single
There is this singles’ gettogether in the church tomorrow night. I was teased by the ppl here (friend’s brother& cousins) where I’m staying (even uncle) to go for it. Lol! Why isn’t there one in the Buddhist community? Probably I was too busy to notice it. Geez…. It’s nice to be single sometimes, yknow. I won’t be doing what I’m doing if I’m not single.
Time
We had a discussion yesterday. Friend’s brother and cousins brought me out for dinner and we chatted about loads of stuffs. Then, we say that there’s nothing much to do and it gets pretty boring after sometime being here. But, then, the Aussie cousin replied ‘hay, you read when you have nothing much to do. I read a lot’ .That hit me. Yea….he reads a lot. We have loads of time to read, add skills, polish up on stuffs, specialize..and be good at stuffs we never knew we had it in us.
That’s why I’m here.
Accommodation
I have few rooms I'm considering.
Ideal one
There's one ideal one that I'm thinking,and that I like.Housemate is nice,place is strategic,i can visualise the lifestyle there.It's near Uni,
**near bus 'station'**,Butttt...it's not very big,I cannot accommodate many friends/family I'm expecting....it's basically a small student unit,sharing with another housemate.He reminds me of my ex housemate(Elaine),the way they deal with accommodation settlement.Good.Near piano shop **plus point**
Another one
Take over my friends' room in the city.Quite hesitant about this because it is 2 hours away from Uni.But the thoughts of city living is certainly attractive.Who knows,maybe a job in city would be ideal!
Townhouse
Beautiful.It's new,spacious like the one I use to stay in city.Near train station and 1 bus away from Uni.2 bedroom apartment with lounge area and all.But if I get a wrong housemate,everything turned upside down.Owner is an Italian guy.
Others
Nope.No good.
agh.
Will go 'accommodation shopping' some more before I decide.Currently,I still like the Ideal one.(Ideal mah..hhahaha)Down with flu.Hate it.Making my eyes watery,droopy nose & occasional cough.Once accommodation is settled, I better get a job SOON.Sending resumes around.
Moving date: 15th July 2005.Meanwhile,enjoy Orientation for the week and sending resumes out.... :) Today,it's to the church and helping out in packing lunches for 1020 kids :) I have loads of time in my hand now to kill.Been reading magazines,books,readers digest...... Haven't started on my "thesis" yet.LOL...... Agg I need a jobbbbb...
:)
Suddenly, I just realized -agh,I have readers!hhehehe.. :) agh *ignore*
An insight:
The interdependent relationship we all have among one another is much more apparent and respected here in this country(where I am).Whatever the job or position one holds,it is not to be taken lightly.What I'm trying to say is,whatever you're doing,garbage collector,plumber,businessman,etc etc,you hold your position with pride/respect.It's the underlying 'understanding' that we need one another to survive.i.e,Although,I have a big house,but,I still need a plumber to fix my toilet.As simple as that.
However,when $$$ becomes the main outlook on life,everything becomes distorted.You,insignificant nothing-just my plumber.I PAY you to do this menial job which,makes you SMALL and I,on the other hand,SUPERIOR.I don't have to say hi to you,I don't have to look at you in the eye,nor do I have to acknowledge your presence/existence.I address you according to your paycheck.
Although one can argue that it all boils down to the individual,I also believe that it's the society one lives in which can affect the mindset.
It's loads of reflection going around,peaceful place for me to do my meditation.
Had a look at several accommmodation,don't be surprised if I decide to stay with this Mauritius guy or a Chinese gal.Still undecided/looking.
Graduate Diploma in Music Studies
Waliao.
I met my professor just now.He is a darn cool guy...mm..I'll say he is 'eccentric'.(Let's hope I use the right word to describe him).The subject I enrolled myself in..well,I'm the only one enrolled in that,so, I cannot take that subject(Chamber Music).Sigh.So,prof enrolled me in another one(Special Research Project in Music),which,gulp-sounds tedious.He keeps reassuring me,"it will be fine!!"..So,I hope so.Thinking of my topic now.He gave me some idea..so,I'll work on it over the week.
Ok,late for bus.
Updates
Updates. Mm. Lots of new things, lots of new thoughts, lots of comparison going through my head. The weather is nice, cold, a total contrast from where I was born in. Although I expect such weather, however, I’m enjoying the cold now, as compared to before.
Where I stay
I’m currently bunking at friend’s auntie’s place. Really nice ppl and I feel at ‘home’, so taken care of. Home cooked food and family environment. Of course, I should not get too comfortable and ought to find a place to stay the soonest time possible. I do hope my new housemates are nice.
People around
Within these few days, I have met strangers who chat with me, most of the time, while waiting for the bus. One (Vietnam lady) offered me contacts to job opportunities in waitressing, another (SriLankan), gave me his name card, hoping that I will be his potential customer in his computer shop. They could tell that I am Malaysian and, to be honest, I am pretty proud to be one, too! Malaysians have established such a status that, we can, speak good English, and we’re multilingual. Alas…as the lady enquired further, she realize that I cannot speak Cantonese that well and lament on the fact that her employer requires one who could. Actually, I can speak the dialect, but, just not confident to speak in front of strangers. *ah, excuses!* The guy, on the other hand, asks me whether I can speak Malay.
What have I been doing
Enrolment and job interview.
What else?
I have been walking a lot. A LOT. A lot. Funny, I get tired easily. It’s only 830pm now but I’m falling asleep. Maybe coz I don’t see the sun anymore by 6pm. I’m gonna get some sleep now. Tomorrow, another day to spend in Uni and time for accommodation hunting.
Wish me luck!
Melb Aus
I'm here...
Got my hp prepaid already.Wish to contact me,pls email me.
Faculty of Arts looks so so soundproof?Lol.There's no piano to jam?!?Just lecture theatres.Where am I supposed to practice?People here,somehow don't look as friendly as my ex-uni.(Maybe Im' just biased)
The campus is huge.Lucky thing,I found the library.(Just next to Fac of Arts)I'm hungry.Gonna get something to eat soon.Still have probs with timetable allocation.Agh.
Last Day
In less than 8hrs,I'll be on my way to the airport.
Everything settled? No. :( Of course, I would love that everything is settled,but the boxes just have some problems. Ma & Pa will have to settle that for me. :( sorry.
Just had family dinner but brother didn't join us.He called,though.:) I have a really nice/great family.There's Ma,Pa,OlderBro,Younger Sis & me.(MA,PA,KO,BEE).Great team.But,sometimes,just too serious.lol!
This whole week is just tensed up.Errand running,at the same time,juggling with meeting up with ppl.Sometimes,I wonder,why do we all like to put things to the last minute??I guess,it's just me.
Okies,I hope my next entry won't be too long apart.Meantime,take care everybody...I'm off to a new adventure..................
