one sunday at the mines

Once upon a time, some rich developer decided to create a shopping mall by a lake waterfront, and boats could go in and out of the mall, resembling gondolas in Venice.



And once upon a time, I decided to visit this place and try it out.

Arriving there, parking my bike, I feel the atmosphere similar with Genting Highlands-
a concept of holiday entertainment back in the eighties.
Is it the same developer? I wonder.

They have three routes that you can choose to ride these boats.

The whole package – covering the south and north lake.
The north lake package- which would be the bigger lake, takes around 45 minutes.
The south lake route- which will only take 20 minutes for one round.

I took the south lake.

The boat arrived and there were not many customers taking the ride.
There was the boat driver-



And, yeah, only me.
I feeling-feeling diva riding the boat alone.

So off we go to the water world unknown.



We went along this canal, and sitting at the sides were blocks of new condominiums, and I am sure that they have the spectacular lake view. So nice.







As we leave the apartments and went towards the lake, most of the view is like this-



Yawn. Ooh, so exciting.

But we did pass a few mansions though. Those “Well-you-know-I-stay-in-a-villa-by-the-lake” type.

See this one. Surely some business tycoon stays in here.
There’s even a jetty in front of it.



Wah! Got an even bigger house next to it.





This huge fugly mansion, an attempt to copy Disneyland, costs RM85 million.
I reserve my comments.

On the way back, the boat driver gave me a teaser by passing by the entrance of the north lake.



I assume that the north lake must have an interesting view, since the entrance canal itself has a pretty view.



Nice garden, eh?

So finally we came to our final stop, and I hopped off.



It was a nice experience.

random things i remembered

Kindergarten

Mahendran. The naughty boy in my kindergarten who accidentally knock my water tumbler while I was drinking. It hit my nose very hard.

The distinctive but weirdly pleasant smell of crayons, and marker pens.




Primary School

Three Little Teddies cookies. Always bought by my mom, an essential snack when we’re traveling in my father’s huge two door Mitsubishi van.




New LA Gear shoes, colorful and huge, with thick red shoe lace. Only wore them once and was stolen in front of the house where I learned my Koran readings.




Lower Form (High School)- in the hostel




A rich friend’s Panasonic cassette walkman.
Listened to it on Sunday morning while the sun is still not up.
Walking with my baju Melayu and sarong after Subuh prayers,
In front of the school field.

The conventional army-type floor wax.
Smothered on a piece of rag, applied on the green ancient tiles to polish them on a Saturday morning, just before our weekly inspection.

And of course, those were the days I started learning to play the trumpet.
That time, our school trumpets were old, China brands, kept in cases that looked like treasure chests.

i tengah down

Basically I feel like I am entering a whirlpool, sucked down into a bottomless pit.
Things or people that are (or used to be) dear for me, gone one by one.
Dreams are gone, one after another.
And I am stopping to take responsibility of my life already.

Ah.
Bickering or mourning too much won’t do anything better.
Furthermore nobody wants to surf the website just to listen to my complaints.
You have enough problems already in your life.

So let’s just write down the light stuff for now.


As for the dreams that I've got-
let them float for a while, stack them in the Keep In Views.

laughing out loud.

Since I’ve got nothing better to write.

Hahahahahaha
A genuine laugh.


Ha ha ha ha ha
A laugh referring to a pathetic scene, or being mischievous.


Hik.
A very gedik laugh.


Hehehehe
A laugh suitable when someone is cheeky.


Haha.
Short laugh, maybe pretentious.



Ya.. I know. Being lame today.
Ha ha ha ha ha.

heard of it before? it's okay

Be patient during the fasting month of Ramadan, they say.

It’s quite a huge tidal wave that I’m swimming through, with challenges here and there.
Listing it all out here is not going to create any benefit, after all, let it all be in the past, forgotten, and what’s left could be some good lesson learnt.

Anyway.
It’s time to get up and focus.
A new friend (and also a few old friends) were reminding me, asking when would I want to go and get my first trumpet certificate. Grade 5 Trinity, that is.

After so much that I've went through,
Maybe I’ve blanketed myself with layers of fear and doubt.
Maybe I am holding so much onto the myth that sitting for a music exam is so tough, it takes your precious money, sweat and blood to go for it.

To the extent that I've done nothing much now,
practicing scales half-heartedly,
never take any action to really go and order the scores
(and cover up with the same ol' excuse that I have not enough money and no credit card),
and never really mentioned this plan to my trumpet tutor.

So within all the fear and doubt that I have right now-

I’m deciding to take another extreme action- to order the scores, pay for extra lessons, and plan for the exam right after I get my next salary. Of course there might be some impact in my expenditure, but in the long run, it’s just worth it. Even if I have to eat bread for a few weeks.

After all, I’ve done a lot of mega shopping before this, and I am still surviving, standing and alive. So of course I can survive this one too, and stand proudly again.

So this time it’s going to be for my self progress- on towards becoming a world class trumpet player.

behind the painting

That’s the title of the current musical that my friend watched recently in Bangkok.
A story of two lovers, who met in Japan, but sadly there’s no luck for them to be together, since both are tied with commitments and fulfillments.

I can’t review because I never watched it.
But really the photos are impressive.


















By the way, I am looking forward to watch this!

now that's what i need!

I tried to give up my upset on my failure to show up during last concert.
But there was this uneasy feeling attached to me,
That I carried everywhere- to the office, at home, everywhere.

Last Saturday, I went to attend the first meeting of the orchestra,
Fresh after we’re done with the recent concert.

At the end of the meeting, we were given the chance to suggest any idea, or reminder, or advice, related to the team.

I took the chance to say that I regret that I couldn’t make it, and I said that it was one of the worst experience I’ve got.

My team mates were so supportive-
They gasped, they got me.
The soloist said that she, with her father was stranded on that same expressway for three hours when their car broke down.

And then one of the strong members acknowledged my full commitment-
To attend all rehearsals without fail.
And all of them, including the conductor, nodded.
I was touched.

Maybe that’s what I need.
An assurance that all my self-judgements; that I am a failure, were totally invalid.
I’m starting over now, and I won’t stop.

And yeah, I also concluded to everyone, that made them laugh-
“Next time, a few days before a big concert, check your vehicle.”

Another note-

Happy birthday to Mama Diva;
Who is the youngest of all, sometimes wiser than the rest.
God bless.