Confession of an Addict

I guess I won't get a lot of objections if I casually mention that I'm a person with strong mind. I am determined. I believe that real freedom lies in discipline. If I promise myself to wake up at 5am for exercise, I'll do it everyday, without miss (that's why I do not simply make promises, especially to myself :p )

Unfortunately, there are moments when I'm weak, and when I'm weak, I am the type of person that easily get addicted. If I'm the scientific observation subject of an extra-terrestrial, they will notice this strange behaviour: their subject have a routine, but sometimes, out of sudden, the repetitive pattern is interrupted by some strange boring activities where their subject will spend hoursssssssssssss on.

I have a permanent addiction to books. I have to read at least a few pages of anything before I go to sleep. It started all the way back to age around 4 or 5, at my mum's cousin's house. After getting tired playing outside, I started to explore the interior. I found a huge cupboard with various types of books and I'm attracted to the mysterious colourful mess. Ah Nee Jie Jie gave me a《儿童乐园》, and I'm hooked on books ever since. I will not pick up a fiction if I knew I got no time for it. However, sometimes I'm easily seduced and usually it means I'll stay up until 2am or 3am, until my body functions totally give up. I hate the fact that I'll get super tired the next day but I just can't help myself. And what I hated most if the sense of "emptiness" after I finished a great novel. I guess that is what drug addicts feel after they come back to consciousness.

I'm easily addicted to games. From Game & Watch, to Atari, to those 8 bits computer games, to PS to online games. I remember how I spent my school holiday destroying enemy's fighter jets and helicopters to protect a convoy of tractor trailers, or shooting peppers and walk around the maze to make hamburger, or forcing En En to play bubble bobble with me when he actually wished to polish up his driving skill in Crash Bandicoot. As exchange, I also spent equally long hours on Crash Bandicoot too. During my days in campus, sometimes I spent hours on a same boring game (like Solitaire or Hearts), trying to beat my own high score. Ever since I graduated from university, I have vowed not to play computer games anymore. So i always try very hard to keep myself away from the evil virtual universe. When someone that know me extremely well (like En En) tell me how great a game is, i know that is the game that i have to avoid forever. However, unfortunately, sometimes accidents do happen. I remember how I accidentally sit in front of En En's PC and played Sim City. I was so amazed by the cities I built, I spent a few months, utilizing hours after work to develop them and it was so tiring yet satisfying. I said no to game after that, but still accidentally started to play Bejewled Blitz. "It's only 1 minute per game, how harmful can it be?" That's my excuse for trying that game. Before I noticed, I start to play hours after hours. Now even I have stopped this bad habit, I still play it daily, as if something missing in my life if I don't touch it for once. So, for friends that trying to introduce new games to me through Facebook, sorry that I have to reject you. Having addicted on one at this moment is bad enough for me now.

I am a sitcom addict too. During the pre-Astro era and pre-internet download era, though i love tons of sitcoms but i never aware that I'm actually an addict. (To spend only less than 1.5 hours per day really cannot consider as an addict isn't it?) Decades ago, we have only TV1 and TV2. The sitcoms that I like only on air for 30 minutes per week (but I spent 7:30~8pm in front the TV set, in between 7pm Mandarin news and 8pm prime time news, every weekdays without miss). I love "I Love Lucy"(yes, I'm that old, thanks to TV2), "Family Ties", "Small Wonder", "Growing Pain", "Full House", "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air", "Boy Meets World", "Malcolm in the Middle" etc. this seem like normal, healthy, brainless yet harmless entertainment to me, until I noticed that I can be a couch potato for eternal when Astro air the Friends marathon. When all my siblings (including my cousins) telling me how good "How I Met Your Mother" and "The Big Bang Theory" are, I knew it too well that I have to stay as far away as possible from theses shows. I was quite successful until an unfortunate event happened during my flight back from US. I slept so well that when I woke up we were less than 3 hours away from Hong Kong. Too short for me to watch the movies so I told myself "What harm can it makes if I watch a few episodes of The Big Bang Theory?". Sigh..... It was so hilarious that I can't help myself from falling in love with it. I couldn't resist to finished En's downloaded 5 seasons of TBBT in less than one month. And now I'm in the dilemma of whether to start downloading Season 6 or to wait for En. For the record, I am so not going to start watching any episode of How I Met Your Mother! Please don't even try to persuade me!

I really want to spend my valuable time to learn new things, to grow, to be, to live a balance life......So,dear friends, please help me to keep me away from all these addiction :)

The Manganiyar Seduction

槟城的世界文化遗产日搞得有声有色。作为槟城子民，我不想错过这盛会，所以，虽然近来忙得不可开交，我还是抽出了时间，和美美赴了一场难忘的音乐会……

Manganiyar是北印度一个少数族群，他们即信奉回教、却也保留着印度教的信仰。他们是沙漠上最专业的音乐家，千百年来用音乐诉说着故事……在古老的印度，他们是Rhajasthani王国王宫里御用的乐师，他们的表演从来不允在民间流传。然而，千百年后，古帝国烟消云散，这美丽神秘的音乐依然在沙漠上传唱。


舞台一早设好了，默默地等待着观众们入席……


我们碰上了雨天，大会堂湿漉漉的，观众们好不狼狈。节目原该八点开始，但主办当局体谅雨天为大家带来的不便，把节目延迟至八点半。









时间一到，整个大会堂骤然黑漆漆一片。其中一格的灯泡缓缓亮了起来，帘儿拉开了，不知名的古老拉弦乐器悠悠响起，一位穿着白袍的老音乐家懒洋洋地哼着古乐。渐渐地，一个个帘儿被拉开了，越来越多乐手加入了他的阵容，有歌唱的、有吹笛的、有敲击的，逐渐把音乐推向狂热的交响。

舞台有时候是沉静的、墨黑的，有时候是热情的、璀璨的。那古老的音乐在光和影的配合下为世人展现了一种令人屏息的梦幻。

其中，指挥和观众互动的环节非常有趣，好像小学音乐节的节奏考试似的，他打个节奏观众也打一个，开始时还挺简单的，大家一来一去倒是有趣得很，后来他的节奏俞见复杂，台下的掌声最后只能乱成一片，大家也笑成一团。

到了节目尾段，音乐一步步趋向疯狂，舞台上的灯光开始迅速转换，指挥狂热地大幅度舞动着，救灾台下观众的心情随着被领到顶峰的那一刻，音乐和灯光骤然终结。那种快感非亲眼目睹绝不能想象。



谢幕时掌声如雷



监制谢幕后上台讲故事，轻描淡写地说着他们的艰辛，开玩笑的说团队一行四十个回教徒在美国入境时如何被刁难如何被盘问七八个小时的故事。我可以感觉到那种为发扬这古老音乐的坚持和信念。

这个世界，总有一些少数，因为单纯的对于“美”的崇拜和执着，而积极地为世人保留下了人类文明珍贵的瑰宝。

感恩……

The Imperial March

要细数我爱上Empire Strikes Back的原因，又怎么可以少了The Imperial March？

The Imperial March应该是世上其中一首最为人所知的电影配乐了吧？你说，要不是有Empire Strikes Back这么精彩的电影配上这两个世纪来其中一个最伟大音乐家John Williams这么完美的结合，你说，史上最有型的坏人Darth Vader走路是不是会少一点风？连超可爱的Lego Darth Vader也变得威风凛凛呢！

我多希望可以在现场观看John Williams亲自指挥这首曲子呢！

我的新偶像-吴彤

我不知道你可注意到“阿盈推荐”自上个星期五已经加了一个新网站：吴彤全球官方网站。
我在The Silk Road Ensembles with Yo Yo Ma上见识了他委婉的笙、清脆的笛、嘹亮的嗓子，立刻把他封为偶像。回薇的家后立刻google他。他是华乐底子，搞了个摇滚乐团作主唱，现在是新加坡交响乐团的客卿团员，能作曲编曲，近乎无所不能。

The Silk Road Ensemble with Yo Yo Ma

马友友和他的Silk Road Ensemble为了庆祝十周年纪念，到世界各地巡回演出。新加坡是最靠近我们的一站，我当然愿意专程飞去新加坡看这场Gala Concert。

音乐会以Silk Road Suite作为开场，把我们带往那个遥远、神秘又色彩浓烈的土地。曲毕，马友友趁团员们搬动乐器和椅子的空隙，向观众娓娓道来各曲子的故事。他说起故事来声音犹如他的大提琴般动听，大家都被他的斯文儒雅折服。

马友友不只有音乐才华、温文儒雅，最重要是他非常谦卑。整场音乐会他就只是安安分分地扮演一个普通团员的角色。即使是在安哥的部分，我久等的大提琴独奏也没有成为事实，他就是专注于让年轻演员发挥。不过，即使没有独奏，我们依然为了他以大提琴歌唱而陶醉。

我最爱的音乐会曲子，就是以下这首Air to Air。曲末那段奔放，让我在音乐厅内莫名地流下了眼泪。不是悲伤、不是喜极而泣、不是感触。只是莫名的，被触动了真我灵魂的感动。


这是一场属于无法归类的音乐会。乐团团员没有制服、无拘无束的，有一种由衷的快活在他们的音乐里浮动；有一种对音乐的热爱在诠释着无国界的艺术执著。

This Is It

薇薇和恩恩一定纳闷了很久，“大姐怎么还不写This Is It?”
是的，他们俩分别在自己的部落里写了观后感，他们也深信我一定也会写下这么一篇，我忙了一个星期，今天，我们姐弟仨终于分别以This Is It做标题各写了一篇。


就像薇所说的，这明明是骗钱的事，但，在我生日那天，我正是明知道被骗钱也“傻傻”到电影院去。无他，就是为了MJ。

和薇及恩相比，我根本不是歌迷。也因为如此，我相信自己是更为中肯的。和许多人一样，我也不喜欢他的外表，我也不喜欢他的歌声。但是我没有办法否认，当他站在舞台上，他就是有那种慑人的魅力，让你无法不承认，他确确实实是世界上最棒的entertainer。

媒体总是把他描绘成苍白、无力、病态的怪人，老实说，我们不都瞧不起媒体描绘的那个MJ吗？可是，你想想，他们，真的认识他吗？我们总是很奇怪的、轻易的相信媒体给我们说的故事。可是，我们总是忘记，我们既不是当事人，也不是他生命中重要的人，更不是他身边任何一号人物，我们知道些什么？我们凭什么给他判罪？我们凭什么瞧不起他呢？很多年前我已经学会把那些我所不知道的“事实”摆一边，放下一切成见，纯粹的以欣赏演唱会的眼光欣赏他在舞台上的精湛。

This Is It电影刚开始不久，我有一点疑惑自己是不是选错了影片作为我庆祝自己生日的方式。那是一种非常复杂的心情，在黑漆漆的戏院内得慢慢地调节。是同情那些舞蹈员、是感慨可能我有生之年再没有第二个同等的entertainer、是遗憾自己不曾看过现场的MJ演唱会、是惋惜一场更棒的演唱会最终没有成为事实、是为现今世界乐坛觉得悲哀。这位被大家视为过气的“老”歌手在保留实力的彩排内让我们看见先今当红歌手们所没有的精湛与震撼。影片缓缓地铺开来，我嘴角开始挂起笑意。那些大家耳熟能详的歌曲原来还有这么多新意。They Don't Care About Us的概念好像很有型、Smooth Criminal的新MTV有一班老演员助阵、The Way You Make Me Feel的音乐竟然比舞台更有画面、Thriller(我们几时有得看3D的？)这么趣味怏然、Beat It仍然神采飞扬、Earth Song比以前更为震撼……唯一的遗憾是，哪有没有moonwalk的Billie Jean的呀？

我庆幸自己有幸活在有MJ的年代，有一个永恒的轻盈，会常驻我心……

Jeff Dunham

小时候，虽然觉得会腹语的人很本事，可是对于腹语术表演却敬而远之。那时候腹语术表演用的傀儡长相通常都很诡异，大刺刺地坐在‘主人’大腿上‘闲聊’，总给我一种“妖气很重”的感觉。

从来都不喜欢腹语术表演，直至昨天为止。

我的老板介绍我们Jeff Dunham’s Christmas Special时，说是他无意中的重大发现，说这家伙实在出乎意料的好笑。我孤闻寡陋，没听说过Jeff Dunham的大名，但见我老板说得兴高采烈的，想必是有趣之极，于是向他借了DVD。我们原以为是standup comedy，发觉是腹语术表演时有点儿以外，但我和恩很快地就相依坐在电脑前笑翻了天，还泪流满面！看完dvd意犹未尽（但夜已深，再不睡要被老爸子老妈子投诉了），结果又不约而同的躲进房间用手提电脑上youtube和wikipedia继续疯狂。我们都以半片DVD的时间就爱上了Jeff Dunham（但更爱Achmed the Dead Terrorist）。

Jeff Dunham的傀儡表情意外地生动，高谈阔论是甭说了，还能引吭高歌。你看他和他的傀儡‘吵架’时，口、腹快速相互运用自如真是令人叹为观止。更绝的是还可以一人和两个傀儡起争执用不同的声线和语音喋喋不休。

Jeff Dunham有stand up comedian的喜剧节奏，又有腹语术表演者的精彩声线控制，他的傀儡还是亲制的，真的多才多艺，难怪如此受欢迎。

下面一段是Jeff Dunham第一次介绍Achmed the Dead Terrorist出场，立刻使Achmed成为史上最可爱的terrifying terrorist。

哈哈！

他竟然离开了！

今天早上，我才走下楼，爸就说：“Micheal Jackson死了！”我暗地里有点儿希望他听错了，忙坐下来听新闻。爸可能也暗地里希望自己听错吧，我们俩就这样子默默的守住电视机旁…

现在想起来，还是很错愕的！

一路上，近乎所有电台都播放着他的歌曲，意外的是，我竟然有一种想哭的感觉。说意外，因为我从来不是真正的忠实歌迷。我没有想到，他悻然离我们而去的那一天，我还是想哭的……

他这么一个争议性的人物，身边朋友对他褒贬不一，可是，你可以喜欢他，你可以讨厌他，但是你一定不会忘记他、不会不知道他吧？

在我们家，Micheal Jackson是跨时代的！从我爷爷至我弟弟都曾经在不同的时空不同的场合以不同的原因爱上他。薇、恩、我都曾经在各自的部落里提起这位真正的天皇巨星。

而在大家都没做好心理准备的时候，他就这样子，突然的，离去……

一切是非对错全是过眼云烟，留下的，是那些我们永远不会忘记的舞步和音乐……

隐藏了四十七年的天分

在薇薇的部落看见她介绍Susan Boyle，好奇，去Youtube看了Susan Boyle参加Britain Got Talent的video。
我看见她说着自己的梦想时众人鄙视、否定、怀疑的眼神和表情，我看见她开口唱歌时众人惭愧、惊讶、感动的神情……

一分隐藏了四十七年的天分，终于找到了适当的舞台，震惊了世界，也教训了大家。只要有梦想，我们不怕时光老去、不怕别人不屑的眼光、我们只应该为自己的梦想而活！

I DREAM A DREAM
There was a time when men were kind
When their voices were soft
And their words inviting
There was a time when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting
There was a time
Then it all went wrong

I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving
Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted
There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
And they turn your dream to shame

He slept a summer by my side
He filled my days with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride
But he was gone when autumn came

And still I dream he'll come to me
That we will live the years together
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.

Thundercats

在facebook看见朋友成了Thundercats的fans，我突然间想起这一套曾经陪我度过无数午后的卡通片。小时候，电视波道的选择很少，大家爱看的卡通片来来去去都是那几套。所以，以前的小孩子很容易有共同语言，反正大家喜欢的东西来来去去都是那几样。
网络上不是常有‘七年级生的共同回忆’、‘八年级生的共同回忆’之类的电邮吗？如果你略加注意，其实两个名单都有很多相同的玩意儿、卡通、食物……然而，现在的小孩子可就不同了，两三年就是一个年代。以前有幸家里有个电子游戏机，我们几年内玩来玩去也是那几个游戏；现在的小孩子买了一个电脑游戏，没几天‘打完了’又开始物色下一个目标。

以后，还会有常青的卡通节目吗？

Is This Your Dream?

你可曾梦想有一天可以站到国际舞台上，奏一曲触动世人心灵的音乐？现在，因为科技的发达，你离你的梦想越来越近了……
Youtube目前正积极邀请世界各地的音乐家参与网上试音。最好的演出者将会于2009年4月被邀请到纽约Carnegie Hall参与演出！！
诶，千万别错过哦！

"We invite musicians from around the world to audition for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra. Your video entries will be combined into the first ever collaborative virtual performance, and the world will select the best of you to perform at New York City's Carnegie Hall in April 2009.

• 1. Prepare - Select your instrument to access the sheet music and rehearse with the conductor
• 2. Submit - Upload your performances and submit them to join the YouTube Symphony Orchestra
• 3. Entries - Browse videos to get ideas and check out the competition"

Click Here

Playing For Change

I would like to introduce you to a remarkable documentary about the simple but transformative power of music: PLAYING FOR CHANGE: PEACE THROUGH MUSIC. I accidentally saw this clip on Youtube, love it! I then searched for "PLAYING FOR CHANGE", and learnt that this is a movement setup 7 years ago to unite people all over the world through music and inspiration. The film brings musicians from around the world to collaborate on songs familiar and new, playing together yet in their own traditions. Music lovers will sure fall in love with these powerful works!

威正上电视了！

听威正说起这节目好一阵子了，现在终于在网上出现，大家可要多多支持哦！

http://www.amc.com.my/dxposure/Default.aspx

快乐颂

丽梅（不好意思，我的Microsoft Pinyin没有你的名字哦！）投诉说我的部落里头的二泉映月令人心情低落。真不好意思，忘了最近身边有许多孕妇，这对胎教实在不好。哈哈！

其实，我在部落上请你听“阿炳的音乐”完全是因为我刚到了他的故乡转一趟。我本身也不是阿炳的歌迷。太悲惨了，与我的性格相差太远。现在，既然孕妇投诉，只好快快改变！

这一次，我想与大家分享七首最让我开心的歌（排名不分先后）。这些歌曲当中，有的提醒我世界美好、有的激励、有的纯粹听了开心：
1. My Favorite Things
2. 红日(李克勤）

3. Blue Danube (Johann Strauss II)

4. 财神到（许冠杰）
5. Jingle Bells
6. Balik Kampung(Sudirman)
7. The Bare Necessities

１. My Favorite Things
基于我对My Favorite Things的感情，虽然上诉名单排名不分先后，但这首歌却肯定是榜首。无他，歌曲把我们生活中那些被忽略的小趣味一一放大，把快乐简单化，听了之后，世界变得多么美好。

2. 红日
选这一首歌，并不是因为我喜欢李克勤（我是喜欢他啦），而是因为这首歌歌词激励、音乐简单。无论是哪一个版本，谁都可以跟着哼，哼着“命运就算颠沸流离，命运就算曲折离奇，命运就是恐吓着你做人没趣味，别流累辛酸，更不应舍弃，我愿能一生永远陪伴你”，哼着哼着，想不快乐也难。

3. Blue Danube
对于许多喜欢古典音乐的人来说，Johann Strauss其实相当不入流的。他是“通俗”的、是“没有深度的”。然而，对我来说，我爱煞了他。他总是以最简单的音符构成最优美的圆舞曲！我可不管什么“深度”。再说，小时候看的卡通片，卡通人物总是在这个音乐下翩翩起舞。这个熟悉的音乐对于我而言，已经成了快乐的代名词。

4.　财神到
注意哦，一定要许冠杰唱的那一首哦！为什么呢？你想想看，新年期间，七早八早，有人突然喊“财神到～～！！”然后很开心的，“财神到、财神到”地唱着，听了实在心花怒放！

5.Jingle Bells
我一向来喜欢圣诞节。那是温馨的季节。而且有很多好看的圣诞卡通，又有很多好听的圣诞歌曲。而最具代表性的，当然非Jingle Bell莫属。只要听见那圣诞铃声丁丁当当地想起，我立刻可以看见飘雪的white christmas。

6. Balik Kampung
所有做过游子的人都知道，只要适逢过年过节，都是回乡好日子。而Hari Raya便是其中一个经典长假，所以，每当Sudirman唱起Balik Kampung时，便是我们balik kampung的季节了。"Balik kampung, oh oh oh, balik kampung"多令人快乐向往！

7. The Bare Necessities
我小时候是Disney宝宝，我们家仨都是看Disney卡通长大的。当然，我们各有各的最爱。我最爱The Jungle Book，薇最爱Robin Hood，恩应该是Toy Story吧（恩，对吗？）？那时候就是爱看Baloo载歌载舞。Baloo唱这首歌时随手拔果子丢入口中、悠闲地滑到河中，让我对“游手好闲”非常憧憬。现在，有时候工作的太忙、活得太盲，我会记起Baloo对我说“The bare necessities of life will come to you，They'll come to you!”

朋友，你可有什么快乐的歌曲要和我分享呢？

Josh Groban at the 2008 Emmys

打从在Ally McBeal看见这个希腊雕像似的男生后，一直被他的歌声给迷倒。假以时日，他必定是声乐界的重量级人马。
今天，在yahoo上知晓他在Emmy上唱了许多脍炙人口的经典电视主题曲，赶忙到youtube瞧瞧。他以幽默活泼的姿态，带来了阵阵惊喜。试想想，他这样的歌声，竟唱起Fresh Prince of Bel Air哦！还唱得不错哦！