Sing a song with your heart

The idea of venting out sadness and depressions through singing crossed my mind today i paid a visit to my vocal teacher. It's the first time i have seen him since two years ago. I didn't have any particular songs that i wanted to sing in mind that i chose a song among the song lists available (not many choices though). An old song "qiu niao" caught my attention that i decided to give it a go. It's a sad song anyway, was matched with my mood at that moment.

I wasn't familiar with the song, heard it a few times before when qin ai de sang it in Red Box. Neither the lyrics nor the exact rhythm. Got myself familiarized during the first attempt and started to sing it with earnestness. Except for a few notes that i went wrong it's a good try otherwise. Teacher said the key was not high enough that he couldn't hear the resonance of my voice so we tried a F major instead of the E major i sang along with in my first atttempt. I am fine with both but frankly speaking, i could really feel the power of my voice during my second attempt. That's so called the resonance i think.

This is the first time i saw myself singing with passion, with all the touchy-feely feelings from my heart. It's not very touching but well, the good thing is i could feel that myself. Wow, i felt really good after singing the whole song. It's like i have told a story, a story that has been hidden in me for long, all the feelings that i have been succumbing were vent out.

Anyway, i have uploaded the songs on to my blog. enjoy~

Nyonya Cuisine in Melaka

It was a few weeks ago when i paid a visit to the Restoran Bibik Neo, a restaurant serving nice Nyonya Cuisine. My ex-neighbour, who has moved to Melaka went along with me and my mum, and not to forget my nephew. Frankly speaking, despite the short distance from my place to Melaka, i have never had Nyonya Food before!! What a shame~~~

The exterior and interior design of the restaurant is kind of....antique??? The wooden door, ceilings that made of mats, and the old-fashioned curtains has definitely eased us off with a feeling of home! I think the design matches the home-made food they serve, all revolve around the theme of "home".

My mum and my nephew, bryvan. He was so busy looking at the food on the table.

Stir fried brinjal with belacan. I remember telling a friend about brinjal in Australia and he asked me "what's brinjal?". It's obvious that Aussies don't eat brinjal and they don't have it there.

The salty fried squid. There was a sauce/dip for it. It's the sauce that made it different from the normal fried squid that we can get in any seafood restaurant.

Spicy Chicken with Gula Melaka. Besides the spicy sensation, you can feel that it's sweet in some ways. Wow, don't worry, it doesn't not cause diarrhoea anyway!

Grilled fish with specially made topping. I think they mixbelacan with something else for the topping. I can't exactly tell you what're the ingredients used.

Anyway, people go for Nyonya Cuisine when they feel like having home-made food. Despite the nice food served, it's the feeling of home that prompts the second visit or perhaps more! The sincerity while preparing the food and the warmth you get while eating the food sum up the uniqueness of Nyonya Cuisine. :)

感动

很久很久都没用华文写部落格了。总觉得不管我英文说得再多，英文歌听得再多，不论澳洲的文化多么地根深蒂固，我还是离不开对华文的那股热忱。就是忘却不了。13 年正规的华文教育，总是扎实地屹立在心里，我不舍，也不会忘掉自己是那么地热爱这个语言。

有好一段时间了吧，我都没有收听华文电台，更别说听华文歌了。说真的，我差点儿就忘了自己以前对华文歌曲的那份痴狂，以及华文歌曲对于塑造一个多愁善感的我的那股力量。

刚刚听了萧煌奇深情地诠释 '你是我的眼'，我重拾昔日被歌曲打动的那种感觉，那份被因为感动而落下的泪烫伤脸颊的激情。对，眼泪在旋律的伴奏下，不自觉地掉了下来。或许是因为萧煌奇他唱出了自己的心声。撇开歌曲的催泪旋律和打动人心的歌词，只要能感受到萧煌奇演唱时的那份真诚，那种经历了多少沧桑及艰辛日子才有的历练，泪水就会簌然而下了。值得一题的是，林宥嘉也把这首歌诠释得很棒。

我们能够看到很多东西，就之因为我们有双健全的眼睛。相对的，我们 '用心去感受' 的那份能力也为之逊色了。萧煌奇恰好相反，他失去了视觉，但是他感受到东西，都比我们多了好多好多倍。虽然看不见，但是他看透的东西比任何人都多。多讽刺啊。

记得老师曾告诉过我，唱歌一定要有感情，把自己溶入歌曲里头。每个人都能唱，但是真正能够找到唱歌的感觉的并不多。好抽像, 也没能做到。但是从萧煌奇身上，我具体地看到了那些东西，开窍了。唱歌时情感要铺陈，要有层次，我也都领略到了。唱歌其实是在阐诉一段故事, 一开始是比较平淡的，唱的技巧也比较平淡，但语气与情感也要跟着故事的演变而有所变化。有了这些元素，再加上自己的唱功，以及一把好嗓子，就能把一首歌诠释得很好。


很想抱着你 给你个痛彻心扉
说我残忍 我欲哭无泪
缤纷的世界
霎时间 黑白交织
无能为力之际
我 选择离开
离开的 是躯体 不是灵魂

很多话想说 却不能脱口而出
想见你 却不知你的意愿
牛郎织女也会相见 却比这还苦情

消声匿迹 真的好吗
花凋了 也再盛开
我却一路冲向末路
柳暗花明何其有

望着苍穹 我的心静了 淡了

Sabah Trip: Kundasang and Kota Kinabalu

After three days in Sandakan, i set myself free from boredoom by getting a bus ticket to Kota Kinabalu. Yeah, i was on my own, six hours in the bus all the way to KK (Kota Kinabalu). I was planning to take a flight there but it's meant to be a budget trip despite the cheap flights offered by Air Asia.

The bus took off by 7.30 am. I woke up at 6am, you might think that is bloody early only if you're not told my cousins woke up at 5am. The sun starts to set by 5am and rises by 6am in Sabah. Therefore the time we go to bed and off the bed have to be adjusted there.

i stopped over at Kundasang for an hour or two. There wasn't much to explore round here, but at least i had left my footprint. :)
Kundasang is renowned for its vegetables and flowers. There is a row of stalls selling fresh vege and flowers.
It seemed like i was in Cameron Highland didn't it? yeah, Kundasang is like the mini Cameron Highland except that they don't grow strawberry and cactus there! lol. The weather is not that chilly either.

Nevertheless, it has a great view. The life in Kundasang is simple and peaceful. The kids there have no PS2 or Nintendo, but i bet they have the best childhood. They fly a kite, play hide-and-seek, helping out in their parents' farm. they are not in touch with the high tecnology yet living their life to the fullest.

After that, i decided to go to the National park which is in the vicinity. i took a taxi from Kundasang and paid rm10 for a short distance to the National Park. Well, i couldn't complain, the taxi driver will certainly take the advanatage of the inconvenience of the transportation there.

During the visit to the Kinabalu Park, i had a strongest urge ever to hike the mountain. but due to the lack of company, i couldn't help but to call of the idea. :(

I was asking around to get a mean of transport to KK. To get a taxi cost around rm100 for an hour journey. WTH!!!!!!!!!! A nice lady told me i could signal any bus on the road to get onboard that cost only rm10. They were those express buses from either Sandakan, Lahad Datu or Tawau that were going to KK. argh, i was blessed!!

Sorry for the bad picture. i couldn't get a nice seat to take a nice picture on the way going down the hill where Mont. Kinabalu was in sight. mountain hiking next year anyone???

Since i brought my laptop along, it'd be risky to spend the night in the backpacker~I stayed in a budget hotel instead for rm60. After leaving all my luggage (a backpack and a laptop) in the room, i went out to explore the town.

This is the famous Gaya Street in the city centre of KK. There is a big market every Sunday morning selling all kinds of stuff. I was there on monday therefore missed the chance to see the happening Sunday Market. :(.

By the look of it, KK is nothing different from the busy KL. It's the capital city of Sabah afterall.

This is the handicraft center in KK selling all kinds of handicraft made by the aborigins and some Filipino. i wouldn't want to miss the chance of getting some authentical handicraft at a lower price compared to those selling in the shops.

There are many skillful tailors along the handicraft center to help people with the editing of their clothes.

There is a night market held everyday (not sure if it's held daily) next to the handicraft center selling food, vege and fruits. People started to get ready for the market from around 4pm.

This is the only picture taken in the night market as the battery of the camera had gone flat. lol.

KK is a city by the seaside thus the torrid is inevitable. Exploring the city on my feet and exposed under the sun for hours had definitely given me a hard time. Coconut juice anyone??? oh yeah~~~~~~~~~~~

It cost me rm2 for a coconut much bigger than those in West Malaysia.

Last but not least, it's me savouring the refershing coconut juice. :)

I spent a night in KK and took a flight straight to Tawau the following day. This will be the ending post for the sabah trip as i didn't have any pictures taken in Tawau.

During this Sabah trip, i have seen the big contrast among the rich and the poor. Some of them are as rich as a millionaire while some of the poor will be more than happy to have their daily meals settled. The illegal immigrants from Philipines are leading a miserable life there and i could really imagine how crappy a life they had had in their own country. However, they seem to have found the contentment from their life. Perhaps as what people told me, the richer you are, the more troubles you will have to deal with in your life.

Happy Chinese New Year

It's Chinese New Year's eve, had my Reunion "lunch", but it wasn't as reunited as i had expected it to be. There were only 6 people gathered around the table having lunch together. Dad, Mum, Grandma, younger bro, sis-in-law and I, oh not to forget the little nephew (he wasn't at the table anyway, lol).

Not that i am upset about the lack of people having reunion lunch, it really made me wondered what's the point of having that "reunion lunch" as we have always had lunch or dinner together on a regular basis. I like the idea of us all sitting around the table and having meal together while chatting to each other happily. What makes a normal lunch different from a reunion lunch is that you have new people (people you don't always have lunch or dinner together with) to have lunch with!!

Yet, my reunion lunch has no difference from the normal one. and what has made it worse, my elder brother wasn't there having lunch with us. lol. However, i am cool with it and was happy as usual to have celebrated the CNY's eve. :-).

who cares about the number of people? and who cares about the absence of someone else? Appreciate those who have been there! :-)

Happy CNY everyone~~~~~~