Wow... 

It's been such a long long long while since I was able to login to the blogs...

So many things have come and gone, changed for better or worse, some friends made, some lost, shows performed, curtains called...

But am I still the same as always, or have I changed too? I am not sure...

How much time I spend online has always been determined by my PC's health condition... Anytime a virus strikes, I am voiceless here...

Not that silence is a bad thing...

But now that I can post here again, is anyone still here reading?...

In another ten days, it will be ten years since my dearest Mother passed away, or rather, moved on...

To commemorate it, and in conjunction with Mother's Day, I will bring  the memory of Mother with me to Tracy Huang's concert...

Incidently, I last sang with Tracy ten years ago too, and that was the last time she appeared in a public concert in Singapore, till now...

Turned out my latest reservist in-camp training at SAF MDC wasn't to be until next Monday, so I went to Nee Soon Camp for nothing... Well not really nothing, I got some admin stuff sorted out...

I have been an NSman for MDC for the past ten years since I ORDed...

Watched the German coming-of-age/coming-out movie <Summer Storm> this afternoon, found it a bitter-sweet tale of unrequited feelings...

Just watched myself on tonight's episode of <Missing 2>, I think I have gained weight... or was it just my clothes?... Har har...

So many things happening or have happened...

What's next, I wonder?... 

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I've been buying so many this-&-thats lately, with a risk of spending more than I earn...

But it makes me happy le...

Anyway, one of my latest purchases that I must recommend is the debut album of our hottest local rock singer (nope, not Sylvester Slim ) but a similar-aged Jones Shi Kang Jun...

Discography ◆ 曲目:

1. 愛中飛行(信跨刀合唱 {歌曲試聽 / MV試看}
2. 變質 {歌曲試聽 / MV試看}
3. 還沒瘋 {歌曲試聽}
4. 火光 {歌曲試聽 / MV試看}
5. 麻痺 {歌曲試聽}
6. BEAUTIFUL WORLD {歌曲試聽}
7. 變不了 {歌曲試聽}
8. 冷凍 {歌曲試聽}
9. 穿越時空 {歌曲試聽}
10. 解藥 {歌曲試聽}
11. 曙光 {歌曲試聽}
12. 黑夜過後 {歌曲試聽}

Finally a local male singer who is solid in singing and writing/sketching talent and looking set to do our country proud...

Can't get enough of the rock ballads on Tracks 2, 4 and 6...

"It's such a beautiful world..." 

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There are a million things I am supposed to do...

1) xxx

2) yyy

3) zzz

... too many to list here...

Don't know where to start...

Don't know when I intend to start...

Don't even know if I really will start...

Don't know what will happen if I don't start...

Anyway, speaking of millions...

Another film I watched a couple of days back with Bryan and Katrina is entitled exactly that...

<Millions>  is a sweet and seemingly simple story of a boy who moved to a new house with his dad and brother after his mother died, and how a bag full of Sterling Pounds dropped out of the sky into his lap while he was chatting with Saint Clare (he has an odd habit of talking to different Saints, and greeting them with their birth and death years)...

Well, this boy plans to do as the saints would and help the poor but his brother has other ideas, but whatever they wish to do with the money, they've got to do it in a few days time before the Pounds are replaced by the Euros currency... Turns out this money is the loot of a bank robbery, and one of the robbers is out to retrieve it...

Well, the fun part of this movie is in its simplicity, the innocence of the young actors and the characters they play, and their opposing ideals, and most of all, its abundance of humour...  

Also, instead of Train-spotting (title of another movie by same director apparently - I didn't watch that...), this movie has us Saint-Spotting, and these apparitions in the boy's mind comes across as human as can be...

If you haven't already watched it, please do yourself a favour and go buy tickets now... 

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Out of the blue, I once again made my way over to Actors Bar at the junction of South Bridge Road/Circular Road, and dragged along Ckay and Christopher (folks I've acted with on <Missing 2-Missing in Meditation>), Gillian (<Strings> & <Adultery>), and Amanda, Eric and Rex (crew of <Adultery>)...

It was a weird kinda reunion or cast gathering of sorts but the basic common denominator was that we all love music!

Actors Bar is a wonderful venue where people from all walks of life come together to jam in a live band setting, playing all sorts of songs and music from Mandarin pop to English folk tunes to Jazz and Blues standards...

It is simply spontaneous and the kick out of it is much higher than singing at a karaoke bar...

Chris plays the keyboard at Actors regularly (as in almost everyday!) while Rex (on bongos) and Eric (on keyboards) were kinda in a band of their own singing rock stuff and their native Indonesian compositions...

Ckay and Amanda sang some lovey dovey tunes tonight, while Gillian danced and got really high on her Long Island Teas...

Me? I just soaked in the atmosphere and spontaneity of it all, occasionally bopping along with maracas or tambourines... This was way cool...

Towards the later part of the night, a professional Thai band by the name of "Ottoban" (or so I heard) from Bangkok found their way to Actors Bar, and gave the crowd an electrifying jolt of life when they jammed their energetic repertoire...

Turned out they are one of the top live bands in Bangkok and were specially flown in to perform at Suntec City's Ballroom 2 for some event, and happened to chill at Actors tonight! Such is our luck!

Everyone felt the strength of their performance and danced or jived through the Blues, Soul, Jazz music they created live on the keyboards, guitars, drums etc...

This was just WAY COOL!!!

The ironic thing was that I didn't sing at all tonight, despite Ckay's and Chris' insistence...

Sometimes, simply listening could be just as fun... 

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Here are some of the photos taken using my mobile phone's camera function, during the filming of <Missing 2-Missing In Meditation>...

(Above: Me on the speed boat to Kusu Island) 

(Above: Me, as Victor Yeo, with an extra searching for missing brother) 

(Clockwise from top: Sim Koo as Thomas Yeo, Me as Victor Yeo, Maryann as Mrs Yeo, Ckay Lim as Vincent Yeo) 

This episode was aired on Mediacorp Station's Channel 5 on 3rd May 2005, 9pm... 

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This evening, I spent a good three hours belting out ballads after ballads with Bryan and Jonathon at K-Box KTV Cineleisure, setting ourselves back by a hefty $24 each...

Haven't had such a pleasant plain-ole sing-song, no-nonsense, smoke-free, non-alcoholic karaoke session with my good friends for literally years...

We enjoyed ourselves churning out golden oldies from our childhood era to the latest Mandarin and Canto Pop, even repeating several songs we really like and practising them to "perfection"...

Tonight's singing session further strengthened my confidence and now I am quite ready to embark on a full fletched singing career, and wish to fulfil my dreams of an intimate solo concert at Jubilee Hall in the very near future...

It will definitely feature songs from my childhood, Xinyao folk tunes, jazz standards, musical theatre numbers, rock ballads, even Mando or Canto pop hits... And to top it all off, I will include a few songs that I have personally written for my love, my Mother and Father...

Any willing producers out there?...  

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In 1907, Anna Jarvis began to campaign for a nationally recognized Mother's Day. In the late nineteenth century, Jarvis's own mother had tried to establish "Mother's Friendship Days" as a way to heal the scars of the Civil War in America. Persuading her mother's church in Grafton, to celebrate Mother's Day on the anniversary of Jarvis's mother's death - the second Sunday in May - our Mother's Day holiday as it is now celebrated was born. Jarvis also began the tradition of wearing a carnation in honor or memory of our mothers - a coloured carnation if your mother is still living, a white one if she is deceased.

Jarvis's push to make Mother's Day a national event involved letter writing to ministers, politicians and businessmen. By 1911, Mother's Day was being celebrated in almost every state in the country. On 9th of May 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made the official proclamation that Mother's Day would be a national holiday to be celebrated annually on the second Sunday in May.

So, now that we got the origins of Mother's Day sorted out,

I would like to dedicate this special day to my dearest departed mother...

Irene Tan Mui Yin

(2nd June 1948 to 13th May 1995)

...for bringing me to this world and lifetime, for her love, support and wonderful companionship throughout the brief twenty-three years we'd spent together, for filling my life with songs, and also for the innumerable sacrifices that she had made for our family... 

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After the theatrical projects, <Pulau> and <Adultery>, that I recently completed, I had wanted desperately to take a long break, either to go on a holiday (but can't due to a missing passport), or settle my housing plans (but can't due to the ultimate mess that will take months to clear up), or both...

But somehow as fate would have it, I found myself back in the performing circuit again sooner than I imagined. With the school shows adding up: <The Return of the XYZ Files>, <15 Minutes of Fame>, <Gum Health>, and the new addition of <Lord of the Flies> and another 10 minute show to be named, I have my mornings and early afternoons fully occupied...

Add that to my 21-day reservist stint back at the SAF MDC starting tomorrow and culminating in the <SAF MDC Choir In Concert - Music Through Time> on 6th June, 2005 at the Singapore Conference Hall, I  really wonder how I am gonna juggle this one...

Some of my nights will be involved in rehearsals for two musicals-in-progress: <Don't Say I Do> (by Justin Kan - you go, Ju!) and <Heartstrings> (by Jack Tan). These two mini-shows are part of six different stories presented under the United Artistes Network's <Five Foot Broadway> project, and will play at The Arts House's Play Den on 24th-26th June, 2005...

And I have also been casted, well in advance, for another project in November. This is <Ten Brothers>, a Mandarin production by Toy Factory, to be directed by Loretta Tan (whom I did <24 Pieties> with last year). I am so looking forward to it!!

I really really hope at least one of these shows will bring me abroad, that my wish of travelling will be granted at the same time...

This is gonna be an exciting year for me indeed, just hope I have the energy and capacity to perform well and excel in each of these projects...

One more wish: I wish whoever's reading all these will come and support and watch all these shows I have mentioned, with more to come, and that all my efforts (OUR collective efforts) will be well worth it!

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Hmm, just realised after watching the news that the late ex-President Wee Kim Wee was born on the same day as me, 4th November too, but he in 1915...

That sets me wondering how many people I know that share the same birthday as me...

For starters, there's Jonathon Lim from Stages, my cousin Winnie Ting, my ex-neighbour's son Edwin Tan...

Celebrities include Matthew McConaughey, Sean P.Diddy Combs, Tom Everett Scott...

So far, through a Google.com search, I have found very few people who share the same exact birthdate and year as me, 4th November 1972. One of them is Luis Figo, a world class Real Madrid footballer from Portugal...

I wonder what is the common traits of people born on the same day or date...

I wonder what happened in World History on the day that I was born...

Will there be a certain pattern in our behaviour, characteristics, personalities, choices, lifestyles?

Is there something to be learned or observed?

Food for thought indeed...

Well, speaking of food for thoughts, here's another one...

For every child born, there is a mother experiencing pain in labour. So on your next birthday, think of what your mother had to go through to bring you into this life... 

2 angel(s) visited

I haven't sang so much and so intensively for ages (okay, since last year's choir concert), as I sang today at the SAF MDC Choir...

Ranging from ominous French prayers by Poulenc, macho and vodka-tinged Finnish rousers by Rautavaara, to sacharine-sweet barbershop quartets, to Disney movie soundtracks, to Jazz classics, to a Frank Sinatra medley, this year's repertoire will be a real challenge for our vocals in terms of range as well as discipline and control etc...

Jennifer Tham led most of our combined rehearsals as she did last year, while Kor Ai Meng drops by now and then to guide us through the techniques and control methods...

Other times, it is just up to us to practice, practice, practice...

I am also glad to explore again my higher vocal registers, singing in the Tenor 1 and 2 range, although strictly speaking I am more of a Baritone/Tenor...

Well, for those who are following this to this point and wants to know what I am raving about, well, I am currently serving my 13th army reservist ICT for the following event :

SAF Music & Drama Company Choir In Concert:

Music Through Time 

Guest Conductor: Jennifer Tham

Monday 6th June 2005, 8pm

Singapore Conference Hall

$12 Free Seating

I am also very happy to announce that all tickets have already been sold out due to the success of our previous concerts and school promotion tours!

But fret not, I have personally reserved 7 tickets (still at $12 each) for friends who might be interested to experience a pleasant evening of great singing by one of the most well-received and established male choirs in Singapore (and I do say so myself! =P)...

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Today is a special day, not only is it a rare Friday the 13th (which to me is my lucky day rather than anything else), it is also the exact day that my dearest late Mother, Irene Tan, passed on from this life ten years ago (see my tribute to her in the Mother's Day, 8th May 2005 entry)...

After helping out Bryan with his well-received Omhealth Aromatherapy Workshop at The Istana's Press Room (also our very first time entering the presidential premises), I made my way over to Tang Gah Beo Temple at Bukit Purmei to pay my respects (and to express my love to) to Mum and Dad, and Uncle Tang, whose ancestral tablets are located in an altar there...

To me, visiting the tablets and altars, as well as burning joss papers and joss sticks, are just different ways to connect with my dearest departed ones...

But my favourite way (and I feel, equally effective way) , is to simply think of them, fill our hearts with our love for them, and enjoy the memory of their presence...

Mum, Dad... I miss you both dearly... 

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Tracy Huang Live in Concert 2005
14 May - First ever concert in Singapore!
30 years of waiting – Worth it!
The much awaited concert is finally here! Catch the sensational Taiwanese singer, Tracy Huang Live in Concert on 14 May 2005, 8PM at Singapore Indoor Stadium!

Tracy Huang has never had a concert in Singapore before in her 30 years of singing career. This is the first time she holds a concert here. Last year, she took a long time to make decision before she finally decided to hold a concert in Taipei. According to source, she made her decision after Su Rui has encouraged her to sing again before she will regret for her entire life.

After she has made her own decision to perform, she was very excited yet nervous. Apart from the challenge of remembering all the lyrics, she is afraid that she will break down and cry while she is performing on stage, believing that she has finally performed in her own concert!

However, Tracy Huang’s concert in Taipei last year August was magnificent! She performed a song “Do You Really Love Me” together with her two nieces in a fantastic red western gown! It was lovely. Besides, she has also invited talented song writer, Chen Xiao-Hsia to duet with her as well as performing other hits that Chen has written and made names for other singers. Another highlight of the concert in her Taipei concert was when Tracy performed a number of golden hits from her favourite band ABBA, like “Dancing Queen”, “Take Chance on Me” and “S.O.S”. If you like ABBA too, this will definitely bring you back to the Disco era.

(In the Singapore concert, Tracy performed with her protege, Sky Wu, who was formerly a keyboardist in her band. Together, they sang a duet, "Ri An Wo De Ai", before Sky sang his hit song, "Te Bie De Ai Gei Te Bie De Ni".)

Tracy Huang has countless good songs that live in her fans’ memory for many years. The last time she had a concert in Taiwan was 20 years ago. So this coming May is your only chance to catch her live performance and at the same time, enjoy all her hits!

20 years of waiting for such an excellent singer like Tracy Huang is worth while!

Click here for the Chinese synopsis. (Above from the SISTIC Ticketing Website)

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The Significance of Vesak Day...

VESAK DAY

The Buddhists observe Vesak Day, which denotes perfection and commemorates the birth, enlightenment and Nirvana (liberation from earthly passions and desires) of the Buddha. Vesak falls on the full moon day in the fifth month of the year. The occasion is marked by chanting, recitations and offerings at shrines; the ritualistic bathing of Prince Siddartha's (the earthly name of the Buddha) statue; the practice of vegetarianism; and the release of captive animals. Temples are also decorated with flags, lights and flowers, and vegetarian meals are served to those present.

The joint Vesak celebrations held by Buddhist organisations and temples are observed by the practice of dana (the virtue of generosity). Gifts in cash and kind are distributed to the poor and needy through charitable organisations, regardless of their race or religion. Buddhist youths participate in mass blood donation exercises held in hospitals. Some Buddhists also visit homes for the aged, drug rehabilitation centres and prisons to share the joy of Vesak with the inmates. Vesak celebrations in Singapore are also marked by mass candlelight processions, in which thousands of devotees participate to chant sutras (holy verses) and pay homage to the Buddha. The highlight of the festival is a mass religious and cultural gathering held at either the Singapore Indoor Stadium or a major public theatre.

*

As a mark of respect for The Lord Buddha, I will attempt to go vegetarian today, or at least stay meatless (had Chye Tow Kway with Porridge for brunch) and abstain from alcohol, so probably no clubbing for me today...  

I will also say a simple prayer in my heart to give thanks to Buddha for his compassionate love to all beings, and for his teachings and reminders to guide us to become Enlightened Beings...

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I have been acting on and off for about nine years since my "debut" in 1994 in the musical "Kampong Amber", then on and on ever since, making appearances in various stage, tv and film productions...

Having lived the lives of Siamese twins, a Vietnamese painter, a Chinese architect, among many other real and fictional characters in history, I often felt that these individual personalities have touched and affected my own. It is in many ways a blessing to have the chance to experience so many different lives in a single lifetime...

That's why I love being an actor...

To be able to step into another person's shoes, live as the person would live, do as the person would do, to see the world through different eyes and viewpoints. It is kind of like clearing various Karma in a crash course...

I can be a totally different person the moment I don the character's costume or when I alter my appearances with make-up, or when the spotlight shines on me... 

I might not be the best or most successful actor in the industry, or the most established, but it doesn't matter. For I still get to try so many different and interesting things that I normally would not do...

What I have learned from all these factual or fictional characters might not easily be pinned down or recorded, but it does make my life that much more complete and richer...

Also, I can conscientiously and proudly claim that I worked hard and put in my best efforts in every production I was in. 

Now, I have worked with many other actors, professional and amateurs alike. What I don't understand is: why are there so many actors who have become so jaded and uninterested, to the point of being bitter and cynical about the profession?  

Is it a lack of opportunities? But why when these chances are given to them in the form of acting parts, they are still unhappy and complaining?

Some might treat it as just another job, some as a time-filler, some for the supposedly glamourous life, and some with higher hopes and aspirations... but where is the necessary positive-ness and optimism needed in the industry, or for that matter, in life?

Why not put in just a little more effort each time? Or would that be a waste of their time?

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Am watching "Top Fun" on Channel 8 right now, and was amazed at the earlier segment where a 19 year-old Singaporean boy, Shen Tong, demonstrated his psychic abilities on national tv...

Click here for more info...

Not only did he bend a metal fork and twisted it without any physical movement, he went on and performed another stunt...

The producers of the programme have, at least, the decency to pixelate his features as well as his mum's so they won't get besieged by stalkers, for I am sure that would not be unlikely, given the boy's unique and amazing talents...

But what's even more amazing is that this boy didn't win the contest for Special Talents even though the judges gave him full marks; some guy who performed an upside-down calligraphy stunt got the prize!

Oh well...

Anyway, on the topic of metal-bending and psychic abilities, some might argue its authenticity or frown upon these as Satanic or whatever,  but the truth is simply that there ARE special people out there, as well as many other unexplainable (inexplicable?) truths yet to be uncovered...

I once received emails from the renowned spiritual leader, James Twyman's Emissary of Light website about a new generation of kids with special psychic abilities and purposes on Earth, called Indigo Kids and Crystal Kids. These new breed of people simply have heightened spirituality and are here to facilitate the betterment of mankind, or something like that...

There was an online video showing James Twyman himself bending a metal spoon just by stroking it gently with a finger, and he even conducted Spoon-Bending courses to prove that the Mind is indeed a powerful tool, and should be used for the good of mankind...

So... what kind of "special" talents would I like to have?

I have already learned a form of energy transfer healing called Reiki Tummo up to level 3a (Personal Mastery), and discovered my talent for accurately interpreting the Tarot. And sometimes I know I am rather skilful at reading other peoples' minds and expressions..

So... maybe a combination of "Charmed"'s Prue Halliwell's telekinesis and Leo/Paige's orbbing (teleportation) would be great!

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Or maybe, as Neo found out in "The Matrix", there is NO SPOON...

"Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth . . . There is no spoon . . . Then you will see that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself." --Spoon Boy

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I have been teaching Drama Enrichment Classes as CCAs for secondary school students for a few months now, under Les Thespians Drama Company...

It is at times a real joy to mingle with and teach the hamster-like adolescents, but mostly their antics could just make me cough out blood... 

Just completed a series of classes for a centrally located secondary school today, and watched the students perform their own stage adaptations of their literature texts...

But the first thing that greeted me when I entered the class was the fact that one of the five in the cast called in sick for a dental appointment. The second thing was that half the class was absent as well due to dunno-what reasons. Third thing was hearing that the students in my class hating each other and refusing to help each other in the performance...

Wah lau eh...

Anyhow, one after another, the 4 classes "performed" their skits as best they could (though I doubt that was the best yet)...

Of all the plethora of literary works in the world, we have TWO adaptations of "Romeo & Juliet" by William Shakespeare(!) and TWO of "Durian" by Catherine Lim...

It will not be fair for me to comment on their acting and dramatisation skills, since almost all of them have never been exposed to drama or acting...

But surprisingly, out of the four groups, my class did a very credible job and gave an engaging enough performance, albeit with a last minute swop in casting due to the above-mentioned dental-challenged girl's absence, as well as the lack of proper costumes and an over simplistic script...

It is not about the colourful costumes, nor the fanciful footwork, nor any controversial themes, that make a skit worth watching. It is the commitment of every single person in the production, the steady focus and confidence of the performers, as well as the Truth of the moment, that makes all the difference...

At the end of the entire event, I reminded the students to appreciate drama as well as the performers for the craft, and to understand and apply the principles behind drama...

Hope my words didn't enter through one ear and out the other... 

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Dear folks, please do come and support the following shows, they are completely free of charge so do book via the telephone number in the attached poster way in advance to avoid disappointment...

I am in two of the musicals, namely "Heartstrings" and "Don't Say I Do", both to be performed as a double-bill on the same evening: 24th June 2005...

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Finally, I just completed acting in another short film (as yet untitled), the story of which revolves around a Singaporean lawyer and a cleaner from China who looks exactly like him (I get to play both characters!)...

The shoot over-ran by many hours due to the technically-demanding script and the fact that the writer/director (and my friend) Jeremy is a total newbie to film-making, not to mention that we have only one other film crew, Charles, who's multi-tasking as our resident designer/stylist/sound man/etc...

It's actually rather fun switching roles back and forth, as long as it's not too often in a day, and I managed to look significantly different yet similar for each character... 

Jeremy's course-mate, Muni, came by to play my secretary, and his colleagues Alice and friend Karen also helped out by playing cleaners, and Sebastian as my client...

Today also marks my second time smoking a cigarette on screen (first time being "Strings" last year), but this time I drew in the smoke as a real puffer would...

Lionel Chok, the director of my previous play, "Adultery" and who's incidentally also the lecturer at the Objectifs film-making course that Jeremy is taking, dropped by with his girlfriend Lilian during our shoot today, then Vicky and Justin came and helped out in minor roles, followed by Guixing and Zhuyao from China...

Everything fell into place one way or another, so we all deserve a pat on our backs...

Now, just hope the editing will be completed smoothly, and that this film will be screened and distributed and win many contests and be a springboard for my acting career too...

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For the past few weeks, I have felt an internal ache on the left side of my body, right under the rib cage, and everytime I breathe deeply or stretched my body, I would be reminded of this dull pain...

It started when I performed in the school assembly show, "Lord of the Flies", on the 18th May 2005...

It was my first time playing the role of Jack, a mean bully who eventually killed his friend, and I wasn't really thoroughly prepared for it. After all, I only had ONE brief rehearsal with the cast, and the actor whom I was supposed to "kill" wasn't around that day...

So during the show, Peter, who played Piggy, charged at me while I was carrying a wooden spear (or branch, as it turned out), and one end of the wood stabbed me on the left side...

There was a dull ache then and a bruise which lasted about four days. The ache is still with me though...

I hope I have not injured or hurt any internal organ (I'm not even sure what's inside that part of my body!), and hope this irritating pain be gone for good...

Will probably have to go for a thorough checkup at my family clinic soon...

Haiz... 

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After an entire day of full-fletched choral singing at MDC under the guidance of Jennifer Tham, I met Juju for dinner around Raffles City area...

But not before we found ourselves enthralled by a brief dance performance that's part of the Singapore Arts Festival Outreach Programme 2005, near the road junction:

Mirando Al Cielo (Looking at the Sky)

by Producciones Imperdibles from Spain

Basically, groups of 36 audiences were ushered into deck chairs placed directly under a platform of glass on which dancers from the above dance troupe from Spain would perform...

It lends a different and surreal perspective on the dance where the audience look upwards to the sky and see the fancy footwork from below...

The four gorgeous dancers in our segment were very skilled and emotive and maintained eye contact with the audience (or just with me? =P) throughout. The piece we watched included a haunting and melancholic tune...

I think it is simply brilliant. And please do drop by to check them out if you happen to be on the way...

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