I don't know what I'm thinking now...

I'm just pushing myself forward by all the forces around me, and I'm not able to take a breather, and this has been so for the past 1 month I guess.

I really thought the new year was quite a copable one, but I realized through time that I was wrong. Sure, I'm only taking five mods, and I have free slots most of the time, but the free slots are never free... I never found myself at home at these free slots, I never found myself going to a shopping mall, I never found myself doing most of my favourite hobbies: watching movies, swimming, slacking at home... no, never. my last movie was really Casino Royale last november, and that was because i was so stressed up with exams that I had to take that 4 hour break to go buy tickets and catch a movie (4 hour because of the waiting and travelling as well).

I'm already starting to long for the holidays that I'm planning for in April. Yes, I guess it has become an annual thingy, to runaway to somewhere and get myself uncontactable. I really need it.

I don't like this feeling that I'm having now. Not talking about the nauseaness and the frequent headaches, but about doing creative things on a routinal basis. This felt so wrong. Creativity to me is something spontaneous, not something that I should be able to come up with by just the snap of the fingers. Yet, I'm forced to do it. I felt like I'm trained to *snap* and *wah-la* an idea or something comes up.

Be it music, be it script, be it radio jingle ideas, be it just trying to solve a particular prob.

I feel tired of TRYING to be creative. Yes, trying.

I'm reconsidering my future. 'cos I really don't know if I'm up to it. Am I really that creative?

But, knowing myself, I just know I'm rambling because I hate routines. I totally hate them. I hate doing things for a logical and practical reasons. I hate doing things for others and not myself, especially after these few years of army and uni life. I do for others, but who do for me. No one. Yet.

Then again, maybe I should find myself someone to attach, so I can take. But that's so for a practical reason too, right? Love, should never be for practical reasons. Oh yar, forgot to mention that I really don't think people in the same company with different ranks/positions should be together. They'll never work out.

I havent really slept satisfyingly for a few weeks liao. I want to. I never get to. What's the difference between weekdays and weekends? I can't tell already.


Ah Yong

 

Sorry for the lack of updates! But not sure if anyone of u all are still frequent visitors to this site anyway...

Recently has been busy trying to get back into studying mode, and also juggling between CI Club matters, radio prac matters and most importantly, hall prod matters.

Most importantly? ya, it's sort of on the top of my priority list, but am still trying to juggle la, not like if there's something impt from other areas and yet i still ignore. But hall prod is finishing soon, so i shall put in all my best effort and energy liao for it lor.

And yup, it's finishing, and yup, I'm starting to sell tickets for MY hall production. 'My'? Yup, I scripted, composed music for and directed this year's hall 2 verve productions. it's like my baby la. so i'm kinda want to hear comments about it. It's my first full-length script (i've been directing other people's scripts before this), so come and watch kay?

Details?

Hall 2 Verve Productions
presents

THE STORE OF MEMORABILIA

3rd February 2007
7:30pm
Raffles Hotel, Jubilee Hall

Tickets @ $15
(Discount given to OCBC Debit Card holders)
Please contact ME @ 91788275 to buy tickets!



SYNOPSES
“What do you do with all your memories?
What do you do with all the love given?
Do you throw them away or hold on to them?
Or are you feeling lost with so much you’ve taken?”

“The Store of Memorabilia” tells the tale of a family of three: Mrs Yee is the mother who holds on to memories of her husband who disappeared; Susan is the daughter who keeps saying ‘forget it, never mind’; Desmond is the son who is just confused and always tries to avoid facing memories of his ex-girlfriend.

Every one of us has memories, but how many of us actually cherish them? Some of us just want to forget things and move on, seeking “newer and better things” in life. For some, they hold on dearly to these memories, not wanting to let them go. So, how should we deal with the memories we’ve accumulated over all these years? Is there a right or wrong answer?

Singapore has comprised on history in pursuit of a shiny metropolis, a “garden city” for Singaporeans as well as foreigners. Old buildings become victims of the value of the land they sit on, especially so here where land is scarce. Have we, as Singaporeans, also ‘comprised’ and took granted what we have, just to be in a race for the newer and better things? Yet, is this whole idea of ‘newer and better things’ just a nebulous and unrealistic one?

After last year’s successful production of Michael Chiang’s “Mixed Signals”, Verve Productions top in up this year with an original script filled with more fun, more laughs, and more heart-warming moments.

With a story about love and family, Verve Productions 06/07 invites you on this journey to explore the meaning of memories and what they mean to us.

TRIVIA

1. The main idea for the play came from an episode of the anime “Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: 2nd Gig”. The title “The Store of Memorabilia” is a translation of the name of the store “牢記の店” that appeared in this episode of the anime. There are also many other references to this particular episode.
   
2. The Chinese opera scenes were initially not included during the pre-production stage. It was later added after the idea was suggested by the co-producers.
   
3. The G-string belongs to a member of the production team and not specially bought for the production.
   
4. The violin is really being played live by the performer and not recorded.
   
5. The song used in the scene where Mdm Cheng tells the story of the cranes is “心愛的再會啦” (Sim Ai Eh, Jai Huay La). It was written and first performed by the Taiwanese singer Wu Bai, and then the local famous accapella group Budak Pantai did their own rendition of the song and mixed it with Sarah Brightman’s famous “Time to Say Goodbye”. The scene was specially written because of the song.
   
6. The song Desmond searches for, “瀟灑走一回”, was chosen because it really was the playwright’s first Chinese pop song.
   
7. The story of the lantern is inspired by local writer Tan Hwee Hwee’s “Mid-Autumn”.

DIRECTORS' WORDS
The idea for “The Store of Memorabilia” had been with me for quite some time, even before we finished staging last year’s production of Michael Chiang’s “Mixed Signals”. I courageously volunteered to pen the script when I heard the production team for this year is looking for an original script, not knowing that I would be taking a step onto a journey that will be one of the most memorable one. It was really an experience, to write our own script, to compose our own music, and to stage it ourselves.

This play is actually very personal. Many parts of the play were derived from my own personal stories that had happened, while the rest were adapted from my own favourite stories. So which are factual? Which are fictional? I invite you to find out for yourselves.

I’m really happy and honoured to, once again, be given this chance of directing another play for the Verve Productions. And I must really thank the following people for helping me make this script come alive on the stage: my producer and co-producers for always being there when I need them, my co-director for sharing my workload when I had other commitments to fulfill, my very very hard-working stage managers for putting up with the many demanding requests I have, the props & sets crew for all the effort and hard work, the lights & sounds crew for being so patient and dutiful, the costumes & make-up crew for putting extra attention into all the details, the cast for enduring through the countless rehearsals, all those who helped in all kinds of ways, and of course, you, the audience, for sharing this magical night with Verve Productions 06/07.



*please-come-and-watch-to-support*,
Ah Yong

 

Am in Penang, visiting my... er... "shu gong" (grand-uncle). yar... internet is still a problem, and i've been stuck with just watching cantonese and taiwanese drama serials (since all my cousins are not into news).

penang is more of an international place, so after visiting a Coffee Bean outlet here (the FIRST and most prob only time) and grabbed the local free papers here (called THE SUN SHINES), i've learnt that:

1) something happened in Thailand. the papers doesn't say anything but only advised malaysian citizens in thailand to stay indoors.

2) the number of refugees in Johor has decreased to 30,000. no mention of casualties at all. (i've learnt the number of deaths totaled to 16 and the number of refugees decreased to 26,000+ thanks to straits times interactive)

3) the NS system here cocked up, employing bus drivers with no bus permits. in the end lots of... what do you call them?... oh, enlistees, a lot of them were stranded at the pick-up place. no mention whether they were released from that point or they were continued to be ferried to their camps. (the papers mentioned there were no more transport after the last bus left... hmmm~)

4) new york had 1 million people at their countdown party. right. half a page of coverage. interesting.

nothing else!!! what the hell happened in thailand? i still dun noe... gah.

i'm missing singapore. i miss the freedom. i'm sort of stuck with my parents everywhere i go. miss going overseas alone (or rather, with frens).

somehow, the period of 'wanting-eagerly-to-drive' is TOTALLY over. my parents are like boasting to all my relatives about 'how useful it is to have a son who knows how to drive'. damn~

anyway, this trip is like a PROLONGED CHINESE NEW YEAR trip for me, minus the ang pows. guess why? here are some of the questions my relatives ask me:

1) Q: Have you finished NS? A: Er, yes, very long ago.
2) Q: Have you graduated from uni? A: No la, not so soon.
3) Q: How long more before you graduate? A: Two and a half years.
4) Q: What are you studying by the way? A: Er... Communication Studies.
5) Q: Ooh... (pause for 5 seconds) What's that? A: Erm. Media stuff.
6) Q: Ooh... (pause for another 5 seconds) You going to the TV station to become star next time arh? A: Er... No la. (cue fake laughter) Ha. Ha. Ha.
7) Q: So studying uni? Tough or not? A: Not really la. Just that joined a lot of activities.
8) Q: A lot of activities arh? Got girlfriend or not? A: Er... No.
9) Q: Wah. (see my fake embarrassed look disguising my rolling of eyes) No suitable girls? A: (wanting to avoid qns) Er... yar.
10) Q: Next time graduate already, earn big money hor? A: Er... (fake laughter again) No la. Ha. Ha.
11) Q: $10,000 a month? A: Er... (fake laughter again) No la. Ha. Ha.

There are some variations here and there, but this is the gist of every conversation I have. And I have to survive trying to understand the Malaysian-accented cantonese + hokkien they were all conversing in. Er, not that it's THAT important for me to understand la. Most of the time I just switch off and stone.

*wishing-I-was-back-home*,
Ah Yong

PS. I managed to survive on 2-3 sticks a day, escaping to weird places at Shopping Centres/Padi Fields/Toilets. Am finding myself very creative to find excuses to escape for at least 10 minutes: 5 minutes for the break and 5 minutes for the smell to wear off.

PS 2. FREAK! I wanna buy Cao Ge's NEW ALBUM! IT'S JAZZ!!! WHOOT~! OH MY GAAWWWWDDD~~~~!!!! http://www.haoting.com/musiclist/ht_7dabb1ed586d2e84.htm