the gold medal.

lilalienations: i realise my post are getting longer! am i just getting naggy? no. i just have stuff to share. that's all. :)
.................................................................................................................................

i'm sure they arent.

Everyone loves awards, who would dare say they don't secretly hope their efforts are recognised and their hard work pays off? Why would i write 'secretly'? (Shouldn't this kind of idea be put out on under the brazen sun and told to the world, Hey! We have worked and practised our butts off and there! we believe we are more than ready to get that Golden Mine.) the only reason why we would not so brazenly say it out is because in the Asian teachings we learn to be humble (maybe not so much the newer generations) but when we were kids or in our parents time, when someone praised you, one would so rarely say Thank you(as what would be appropritate nowadays), because to us then (oldern day ideaology) that would be considered rude, or much of a showoff. We would also go "ooo. nono. i'm not that good. your just being too kind. really, no laaah." hahaa...in such terms we try to be humble...or we just grew up thinking it'll be rude to openly accept a compliment or praise ourselves when we think we did a damn good job.

Until, well one day my professors told me or rather us, it was in class that Asians have this kind of habit, if he didn't know us well, he would either think we are too modest or we just do not want to be respectful enough to say thank you. Haa, and to think we probably were in all due respect. He said, next time someone compliments you, just go Thank you very much! Or when you think you did a wonderful job, give yourself a pat on the back, you deserve it...not to the extend of boasting but because you know you work hard for it. In the famous or rather infamous words of William Hung: I have tried my best and have no regrets.

I believe my juniors at MSL Concert Band did their utmost best and gave it all for this year's SYF. Ok, so they didn't bring home the Gold this year, but that doesn't mean they should lack bringing home the glory. Anybody who has tried and given their best shot should walk back with pride, so i am very proud of my juniors. Silver, in my year the pioneer batch fought arm and leg to bring home the silver. I remember Uncle Tan (my all time favourite conductor) telling us: We've got nothing to lose. We just go and give it our all.
If i say we weren't hoping for a gold...I would be lying, but we prepared ourselves for the best and the worst, but i'm sure everyone prayed to their respective gods the day beore, we DO NOT want a certificate of participation, at the very least a bronze. And our efforts did pay off with a Silver, it was exchanged with blood, sweat and tears. It is something etched inside all of our memories, i'm sure, if you ask all the seniors, it was a milestone in our lives.

The subsequent years we grew and Uncle Tan lead the band to gold and gold with honours. This year's SYF we obtained a Silver, i'm sure the kids must have been dissapointed, theres nothing wrong with that. But afterall, hey, a medals just but still a medal or a cert. A piece of paper of metallic trophy. Don't do things just to please others, Uncle tan wrote a msg on fb to give encouragement and i liked this sentence: "we are going to playing the Marsiling way.. if they like it then give us the Gold if not then fine. We play in our own right:)" Yesh man! those are the words, and that is the spirit! *salute!* I would have it no other way...i wouldn't want a artificial gold band, if you know what i mean...MSL CB started out really small, but we impressed people who listen to have a feeling of warmth. We were a cosy sounding band, just like our relationship, we were true to ourselves and it reflected in the music we play. That is the true spirit of band.

I heard the recordings, i think they did well. :) Good job my juniors. Let's all work hard and cheer hard for the next SYF, and of course i'm going to quote my favourite band conductor's words (which i really like and find their meaningful, not because i'm bias of course) :
"Learn to accept, What is the difference between a person who sees the medal as everything one has, as compared to a person who sees one's setback as a developmental process in life and turn it into learning opportunity for one's future? Who do you think could walk through a longer journey? No forever winners, we are back to where we were once upon a time & we shall work towards our visions & goals once again. That's the meaning of life:) "
- Mr Tan Thiam Hee

Well spoken! Applauds!!! Totally love the part of there are no forever winners..or losers for the matter...Marsiling Concert Band do us proud! Your pioneer batch might not say it out loud, but you know like stars (opps sorry, this description sounds corny, i couldn't think of anything better) we are always behind the scene spiritually charging giving out our biggest support!

Marsiling Concert Band Gambatte! Jiayou! Ajak! Fighting!
Silver. Gold. Comewhatmay.
its your friendship. its your passion in music. its your bonding.
its the many years of friendship and memories to last you a lifetime.
i was looking for a band photo online...and guess what! i found this on google...
the pioneers! wow.
We have comed a long long way since then. :)
...

11 April is the date i mark on my calender to be Marsiling De Marcia 1 anniversery
:)
How many years has it been?

Put your records on By Corinne Bailey

I'm currently hoooked on this old hit by Corrinne Bailey, love the lyrics too. I caught it recently because a cover was done by one of my faves IU. :) So of course i'm here to share.

The version done by IU, not stella pronounciation, but her voice just entranced me to stop and listen:

Here's the original Singer.



Their both really good Singers, a good song with great singers;)

Put your Records on
Three little birds, sat on my window.
And they told me I don't need to worry.
Summer came like cinnamon
So sweet,
Little girls double-dutch on the concrete.

Maybe sometimes, we've got it wrong, but it's alright
The more things seem to change, the more they stay the same
Oh, don't you hesitate.

Girl, put your records on, tell me your favourite song
You go ahead, let your hair down
Sapphire and faded jeans, I hope you get your dreams,
Just go ahead, let your hair down.

You're gonna find yourself somewhere, somehow.

Blue as the sky, sunburnt and lonely,
Sipping tea in the bar by the roadside,
(just relax, just relax)
Don't you let those other boys fool you,
Got to love that afro hair do.

Maybe sometimes, we feel afraid, but it's alright
The more you stay the same, the more they seem to change.
Don't you think it's strange?

Girl, put your records on, tell me your favourite song
You go ahead, let your hair down
Sapphire and faded jeans, I hope you get your dreams,
Just go ahead, let your hair down.

You're gonna find yourself somewhere, somehow.

'Twas more than I could take, pity for pity's sake
Some nights kept me awake, I thought that I was stronger
When you gonna realise, that you don't even have to try any longer?
Do what you want to.

Girl, put your records on, tell me your favourite song
You go ahead, let your hair down
Sapphire and faded jeans, I hope you get your dreams,
Just go ahead, let your hair down.

Girl, put your records on, tell me your favourite song
You go ahead, let your hair down
Sapphire and faded jeans, I hope you get your dreams,
Just go ahead, let your hair down.

Oh, you're gonna find yourself somewhere, somehow

Just humming this tune makes me feel so calm. :) Give it a listen if you've never heard this song or either versions before:) Really, you'll love it;)

happiness can be found even in the darkest time.

Had a less than welcoming day yesterday, feels like i was transported back in time into a not too happy time non the less. Keeping back the tears (it was barely a second), swallowing your bruised pride which had been trampled on, sitting down on that bench and taking a deep breath you know its the start of a long battle, not a battle than everyone can empathise with, even some of your closer ones, you know you will make it through. I know i will.

As you grow up time is not a friend, in fact time never was, was it huh. I have a motivational poster in my cupboard which writes, i value the friend who for me finds time on the calender. But I cherish the friend who for me does not consult the calender.
But, hey, sorry, it doesn't happen. It can't happen, i mean the latter statement....we live in a cruel practical world, everyone is rushing for time for some 24 hours aren't even enough for them to use, to spare a little more out for you...maybe, take a queue number. It's not as if to say their unfeeling they don't care, i guess if i start moping and calling everyone for attention yea, they'll make some time for me...somehow a few weeks later....but then people just don't have the time to 'feel' people anymore. I remember in secondary sch, primary school days...we had all the time in the world to somehow figure out, feel, see, hear our friends unhappiness...they didn't have to spell it out to us...we saw signs...or hints they left on their blogs...faces..messages. Its not that i'm calling attention to myself now, its just a very sad situation humans face in the world today.

So much so, i've already forgotten what it really is like to share and pour your heart out to a friend. Maybe, probably, ok, i guess its just me, i do see some friends who have like their other half, and no, i'm not talking about boyfriends, girlfriends...i mean their buddies who know them just with a twitch of their lips. Time brings people apart, but sometimes, we can't just conveniently blame it on time, communication is a skill which needs to be practised for some, for others, they were born with the 'gift'. You would realised though i have a blog i'm not really the kind to go into everyday details; today i .....and felt .... then i .....so it was really ....Yea, not really my kind of expression, partly because too many details, i get lazy, another part comes along when i'm afraid what i write would not be pleasing to pals who read it. Just like this article. I'm not saying my friends couldn't care if i die, i'm more than positive they have lotsa love for me. i'm just saying time is pretty cruel, work, school, dates, other halves.....they don't even have enough time for themselves, then. who are you?

I realised, and am surprise how ready I could talk unguarded, ok semi, i'm known to be a very guarded person (don't ask me? i guess, if you've been growing up alone for so long, you learn to protect yourself more. and no, i'm not the kind of girl who cries for help from a guy for every other matter) to a friend when i was in the states, over a late night chat while everyone was asleep we just chatted. It seemed like no one around had ever asked me such stuff....and he/she just got it out, we chatted like old friends. i talked about a personality which i seldom really describe, and at that moment i was surprised that i spoke so freely too.

That friend though now very busy, yes, time once told me, you always tell others to come find you no matter what unhappiness they have or help they need, but when i ask you, you actually say You don't believe your problems are worth troubling people for. the friend didn't explicitly say don't think that way, i guessed he/she understood my pride and fear of judgement and wasting friend's time. but it sure did warmed my heart when i hear the same thing i always tell others came back 360 to me. Though, i wouldn't find this friend to share my problems because he/she already has a ton of their own, it was assuring.

Only thing, I still do't have somebody to just share daily grumbles, mope, cry, laugh, share my joy with for every little thing, and the other party treats me as so (well you'll feel stupid if its only one way because its like talking on the line and no one's answering)(Actually ling does call me out for dinner when shes free, once in a while i'll try calling people out but alway fail. its really just me. Shes a really busy gal, but i appreciate just short dinners and chats, sometimes we have more stuff at other times not so much but its still nice, and because shes so busy even when i feel i terrible and wanna call her i think shes too busy, so the next time when we meet i'll say, you know that day i was feeling so horrible and wanted to get ya but you were busy and she'll say hmm. ya, and we'll both laugh. its a mutual understanding i guess. haa. but it does make you feel better sometimes..) Updating friends on each others life is important, sharing nonsensical life's nothing is also bonding. never be judgemental, i'll run. haa. People say friends who are attached really can't spare extra time for you. So yes, i'll still swallow all unhappiness,pmses or worries and go on kicking. I have lived for 23 years haven't i?
Won't die. Just jealous at times, haa! A little down at times, but like a superficial wound, a word of encouragement, a big smile from you and you it heals and i forget all about it until i feel all pms-y again and write a big emo post like such.

but at the end of the day i always learn to count my blessings, i have an awesome family, awesome friends family. i always feel their love. :) thank you with sincerity. :)

life is short. do what you'll ...

Life is short.
Do what you...
feel like
think is right
believe in
enjoy
need to do
want to do
never done before
love

even if the world seems tumbling down, do what YOU want.
no, the world doesn't revolve around you.
no, you can't be selfish.
but at the end of the day, don't live for anyone else other than yourself.
If you can learn to love yourself and find joy, then only can you bring love and give joy to others.

everything will be fine.
tomorrow's gonna be alright.
i always believe mayday didn't lie in that song lyrics.
its an attitude to live by, just like hakuna matata.

Smile from the bottom of your heart.
Smile like theres no tomorrow.
Smile like an idiot. Grin wide.
Smile and Grin like no one's looking because you feel it deep down in your heart.
Prance around for joy, find that innerchild, don't let it fade away and go to sleep.

people around nowadays like to remind me that 2012 is next year as if signalling or reminding me of the seeing 'impending doomsday' slated to come next year.
i for one, am not a belieber believer of such nonsense.
yes, the world is getting more chaotic, natural disasters are coming in a more frequent variation.
i do stop to think and ponder about these at times, as if trying to entertain the thoughts of nonsensical notions of the world ending soon.
then i shake my head and throw away such poisonus thoughts because what good would they be of?
zilch.

we can't live in fear.
but then again theres that famous words - Live everyday as if its your last.
as much as i would love to....
i think it would be kind of hard.

live life so that at the end of it, even if we have tons of regrets we have tons*1000 more times of happy moments that we know we had gone through and are proud of.

If your stressed and need some songs to chill.

Heyo. Here are some, ok, just two songs that i'm going to recommend today. awesome awesome!:D One's a cover, the others an original piece. Ok, heres the first one:

Its a cover of Cee Lee's Forget You done by a collab between David Choi and Kero One.

Kero! Reminds me of the Kero tiger in Cardcaptor Sakura, there this fella:

Here's the second piece, if your familiar with far east movement..the people who did chart top hits such as rocketeer, like a G6 those songs...? Yea, you'll be able to catch a little of them inside this video. Basically i got to know of Far East Movement way before they were big popular people because of my fave Wongfu Productions. I like the catchy tunes, movements and all, if your feeling all stressed out and need to wiggle, jiggle, jump and down a lil...this is the song to dance to!

Let's Dance to this song yeah!
Wong Fu, Kev Jumba, David Choi collab.

Give it a listen, i'm sure you'll feel lighter from all that stress buildup.
;)
take care peeps.
Love!

五月天+全家飯糰

After a span of 7 years Mayday collaborates again or work together with the famous '7-11' of Taiwan (ok, that's just how i personally remember it) Family Mart 全家.

I love their slogan for the shop 全家就是你家. Cute right! But something's cuter...Mayday is endorsing the new onigiri rice balls for the shop...Come lets watch the new adverd. So cute can! XD

One thing about all the 24 hours convenience store in Taiwan is their variety of food...and other knick knacks.

photo courtersy of Orange who took this for me when in taiwan!:D
We seem just so lacking in that area, look at Open Jiang the cute little mascot they made for 7 eleven...
why we don't have??

when we think of Supper of any meal during the time of the day when we head to 7 eleven it'll be cupnoodles, bread or something instant in that sense....
over there and likewise in Japan i heard they have real set meals which look and taste o so good! A real bento set.

It'll be really cool if one day we have meals like that in our 24 hour convenience store too...:D

If you found the video of the mayday advertisement too cute...catch the behind the scenes too!:D

Here you go...enjoy!

but no matter what, i think we all enjoy the convenience of a 24 hours store no matter whether its 7 eleven or any other brand store, its just such a convenient find:)

i felt so love like it was my birthday again. :)

This was the last of my birthday celebrations of 2011 in honouring? wrong word in celebrating my 23rd year on earth. Wait. this sounds wrong, it sounds like *cheng cheng cheeenng*sound effect, i'm not going to celebrate anymore. cheycheychey. CHOY!! touch wood. nono. i'm just meaning, the girls were the last people to celebrate my 23rd birthday with me, that's all. :) till my 24th again next year. ahh. yesh.

So lets see, who did i celebrate my birthday with?

taadaa! my favourite girls of course!;)
flautist in the house yo.
their teaching you the steps 1.2.3 of correctly cleansing you face.
:P

The only part of the night which i guess i wanted to grumble about was the short short time that we had to spend with each other....i wish we had more...but things are like that aren't they?
It always seem like time is too short when your having fun enjoying with pals, if it were doing something you don't like with people you do not enjoy even 15 mins seem toooo loong.
i'm sure everyone has experiences like that before. haa
We went to Marche for a yummy dinner!
ok. call me mountain tortise.
it was my FIRST time there!
hahahaa...
ok. i admit, i've taken photos of and with the marche cows countless time. but that's about as close i've come in encounter with marche.
but its not like i don't know or haven't heard about it, just never been there.
thanks to orange's suggestion, if not we'll spend half an hour thinking of what to eat...lol...*very normal* hahahaha

we were really running short of time because we had a movie to catch! and so our dinner was fast, i wish it was longerr. haha...
they gave me my pressie during dinner!:D
Here! this is me going...*let me guess whats inside!
why do i never look nice when i take this kind of photos?
*why. wails. hahaha
hahaha! jy wrapped the present with a wrapper which had Malay Happy Birthday on it...so cute...
the happy birthday in malay which i knew of was
Selamat Hari Jadi..i guess there are many ways of saying it...learn something new everyday!
:D
then huiling pulled out a cake from her bag..
just like a magician pulling out a rabbit from the hat.
*happy little kid*
why did i have that look on my face?
i was thinking...should i eat it now? later? bring home? ahhaaha...
before anything, i must have a photo with my cake and unopened pressie!
while i was opening they commented...jy! no need to wrap one...sarah open present will take forever....hahaa...ya. i admit..usually i will open the presents very nicely as not to spoil the wrapper....i will take about 10 shots or more....
but this year jy was smart she used stapler to get the wrapper up...so it only took me...
2 shots! piak piak piak! opened!
here i am busy opening the present!
i like this shot, know why? you can't see my face. lols
no unglamness? :p
a new bag!:D
yay.
bags are always good.
never can have too many, like clothes! heh heh.
my new baggie!
my fave cousie and i have a weakness for bags and jackets...our mom always nag us when we want to buy them...so its awesome we get them as gifts..*good excuse eh. *puppy eyes*not we buy one mahhh...:P
haha...
i thought that was all...
but surprise surprise!
there was more to comeeeea!
I was thinking to myself...what a heavy bag....
but it never occursed to me it was because there was stuff inside..
thus my surprised expression when i open...
like you know..you thought the best was over but noooo. theres moreeee!
so like a little kid i excitedly pull out thing after thing, i especially like the feeling!
its like playing *tikam. or opening the japanese 福袋 that you will buy and never know the goodies your going to get...
its an exhilarating feeling...and then a feeling of warmth because i could feel the sense of sincerity and effort put into putting the present together...:)))
can you see my touched face?
surprised with a fuzzy feeling in your heart.
they say its love. *oo. corny. lols*
i say i dunno what it is, but its a happy feeling:)
aww. so loved. with so many things to be inside the picture i was going...
no hand no hand! lol and they had to help me arrange the formation to be placed so it can turned up well in the photo...
thanks girls.
love. love. muacks!
really love all the thought gone into my present.
so appreciated. :)

o! and yes, let's not forget our lighting master, the whole evening credits go to this light which eluminated my face for a *what ling call* a nicer more natural effect....actually its just the marche light above our table...ling always tilted it towards me when they shot pictures of me...thus the nice warm glow on my face....hahaha...
this is with lights aimed towards me.
*omg. the dark eye circles. their popping out.*boo.
and then....
too ugly. here. show another one...*narcissitic mode on a lil:P
eh. my blog what...just a little, once in awhile...abit only:P
&...
without the light below...
we shot this picture because she wanted to emphasise the difference with lighting and no lighting.
ahaa. she can be the lighting manager already!
pass her the lights!
:D
let's not forget our other star for the night
the tiramisu cake from bakerzin....
i love tiramisu but i've tried some tiramisu cakes and they scared me abit...
but i know bakerzin cakes are daa bomb, though i've never eaten them before but i've heard astounding reviews about them.
So i knew it was going to be awesomeeee!
Ling and the girls probably knows i love normal tiramisu and thus got me this..:))
Tiramisu from Bakerzin. *TWO THUMBS UP!:DDD likey!

Just as we finished our cake it was time for the show...ok we had to hurry up a lil...luckily orange remembered the ads were going to run for 20mins...haha...
Ling treated me to the Marche dinner. ZOMG. SO SWEET RIGHT...*melts*
Arigatou neh. :)
and it was sneakily...*hey sarah wheres your card?
me: in my pocket?
ling: pass me
me: without thinking..nah.
ling: takes and pays...don't let me pay saying its a treat.
How can they all be so cool like that.
i want to be cool too!
teach me.
hahaha.

okok. then we quick walked..zoom zoom! cause we were late!:P to the cinema to catch...
following the shakespear adaption of Romeo and Juliet here comes one from garden elves.
over here its not the house of capulets versus the house of montague, its fairly simply adapted to be the blue elves vs the red evles.

frankly. i like this version better. *spoiler* it has a happy ending.
call me superficial. whatever. i like happy endings.
too many tragedies in real life, i don't need more cartasis from the movies to put that into perspective.
the reds vs the blues.
which side are you on?
i like blue colour but frankly for this movie, i support pink!
*you'll get it if you've watched the show*
but i'm a blue.
and i'm a red.
*excited* and i'm a pink!
hahaha.
usually people who know me know that when i watch shows i look out for secondary characters too...i really like the frog in this show too...she added alot of comedic moments.
i like her role better that the main because well...shes more funny?

I do reccommend it if you need a good short laugh. Don't hold too high expectation, its a family movie to bring laughter, not tears, do not bring your shakespear's perspective in, if not you'll probably not enjoy it....go with a light mood, its really entertaining and light hearted!:)
my buddy's in jail! help! in jail still look so happy. bluff one.lol
jy! thank you for the movie...*which she skillfully ignored my msg for her account number to pay her back*haha...next time i'll treat you back...xiexies:)) it was awesome funny!:D

after the movie, we headed out for a little photo taking because we were in such a rush we hadn't manage to take one together before we left....
and so we headed outside...this was shot using my sony panorama sweep...love that function...i just need to perfect using it well to make the best out of it....
light testing....at this point...i still hadn't remembered that i brought out my cam...we were using jy's:))
the floor had really beautiful LED? lights with an illuminated origami bird.
jy took this for us...
then we got some random nice person to help us take ashot...though albeit darkness..its still really nice:)
we found the place a little too dark...and so we did the same trick again...look for lighting!
haha....

taaadaa! our good source of lighting! mr big ball of white light.

at this point jy's camera had ran out of battery...and i remember i brought mine! ahh. stupid. :P
this photo is really nice:))
THANK YOU to you you and you.
loves.
this was below the big ball of light....not bright enough to illuminate all...
don't ask me why they were squating?
i don't know too...? hahaha...

so cute.
i'm so happy we got to take so many photos that day...
it's been a long time since we shot like that....:D
jy shot this..by the time i remembered i wanted to shot this..it was over. -__-
baka.
yesh. next time we will go there k girls?:)
说好的哦！
:)
all the way inside sentosa, i heard its a new performance..looks nice!
orange wanting to pretend we were in sentosa....
bluff one..we were only 1/4 there...hahaa...if we followed the whole board walk we would reach sentosa...but it was pretty late by then...and ling was wearing high heels...haha..
from the far this paper rabbits looked more like rabbits, at closer look, it lost its feel...
it reminded us of the garden rabbits from the movie...so cute!!
and then ling found the pillar...
which was big enough, or rather she was small enough to be hidden by the entire pillar!
in sequence. 1.2.3.
jy has even thought of a pillar name for me:
pillar rah!
hahaa.i thought it sounded like a pokemon name...very cute ah!
rahhs!
and then i guess they just took the pillar as me...see...if you photoshop me in there...i would fit nicely into the place where the pillar is...lol
but this photo is way too cute. :D
:)
andthen of course, the most important
自拍! of everyone!:)))
success! everyone's in the shot!
nice and clear:)
meet sadako's long lost sister...Sakoko!
nexttime if i'm not carrying the cam i'll play along too!
holding the cam abit hard lah...haha...
as orange said...toilet shots are mandatory.
its a tradition!
we were waiting for ling to come out...

Here's one of all of us! :)

:P

Heres a last one of all of us...
thank you girls.
for every thing, big n small
it was really an awesome awesome night which i enjoyed very much and felt really love and important. its like i had more than one birthday a year.
watashimo tomodachi, suki desu, daisuki desu!
:)
mina kawaii so!