29 Oct 08 Band Practice

I am enjoying myself more and more coming for band There is this joy in me to see the Boys get inspired to practice and achieving something in the end really motivates me to turn up for band on time each week.

Gone are those days where I need to drag myself down on Saturday to see only a few people turning up for band. I am so glad that the Band & Drum Major of the band is doing such a great job!!

Today, we used the drama theatre for practice. I should say that it’s a very good place to do practice, with a mini stage for combine!! I get the feel that we are doing a rehearsal for a concert. Hope the day where we have an opportunity to perform on such a stage with a large crowd will come soon.

Although not all the band members turn up today, but those that turn up really played very well!! We did chanter practice on basics, Brown Haired Maiden & Epic. I think that I spent most of my time giving them a lecture more than practice itself and I hoped that they don’t feel bored. In my lectures, I am trying share with them what I believe, that is all the practice should be done at home and coming for band is to do combine and learn new stuff.

We later spent the last hour doing combine. As they don’t really remember any tunes, we have to stick to Bonny Galloway. I think this is the first combine practice (i.e. played a tune together with the drummers and bass drummer) for some of them. We practiced on striking in and cutting. How I wish that more pipers & drummers were there to play in combine. I also wished that I have got a good camera phone to tape down their progress!!

I am looking foward for the next band practice!!

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I have been doing some reflection these days. On how to clear up the mess that I am in now… Overdue Literature Review, start having a direction in FYP and lots of lecture to clear. Distraction is the main cause of it. Be it MSN, Facebook and even email… I need to get the discipline to study and allow computer (internet) to help me in my studies rather than destroying me.. Pray for my studies please!!

18 Oct 2008 Band Practice

It has been quite awhile since I last had a band practice with 12BR. Was quite excited because it’s enjoyable looking at the juniors get better each day. However, there some issues to settle…

I am glad that most of the band members, esp the Sec 1s turn up. It’s good to know that the young blood of the band is just as excited as you are in coming for band and learning new stuff. Although many got scolded for not practicing during the exams and deproving, fred not because these holidays is the time for you all to improve!! As long as you turn up for practice, and practice what you learn when you get home, you are on the right track.

It’s also great to see the buglers/tenor drummers practicing. For the first time, I see some hope in the Bugle section. I think for all sections, consistancy in attendance is the key to survival. Besides that. the mid section has started to practice by scores and hopfully they can start to be involve in all performance real soon!!

There are some unpleasant things that happened. First, the pipers are not allowed to play pipes because they will disturb the students studying for exam in Oldham hall. I always felt that it’s quite unfair to us because we seems to be always told to stop playing. Well, we don’t have a decent place to store our instruments and play our music. Haiz.. I hope we can solve this problem once and for all… will have to continue to look for opportunities to find ourselves a “home”.

Then, it is some psycho-ing session with some of the Boys that aren’t on “track”, or maybe we are too sensitive. I think the most important thing of all is that they dun come to band to waste their time and our time. It’s a lose-lose situation.. A win-win situation will be you come, learn something, play with the band.. make good music.. everybody happy…

The huge gap between the senior pipers and junior pipers will be covered soon. Thank God for blessing the band with such an enthusiastic batch… I am sure with passion, we will be able to make good music to glorify Your Name!!

I look forward to see the future of this band..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Dearie!! Happy 22nd birthday!! A year older means a year smarter!! haha.. Hope you will do well in your studies and enjoy the 22nd year of your life!!

Things I had never knew

Haven’t visited one of my friend’s blog for quite awhile. Today, while I was meddling with my old com, I clicked on that link. As I was reading through it, I was shock to know some tough times that this friend had gone through. I should have known, if I wasn’t blinded by somethings. Well, this friend of mine came to know God through City Harvest (my first good impression of them.. haha) and finally changed. I felt guilty that I had never been there for this friend through the tough time, I wish I can turn back time…

This has triggered a series of thoughts… What are my values and believes? I guess I had been lukewarm these days giving many excuses such as “i’m busy” and “i’m not ready”. It’s through BB that I became a Christian, and continued to serve because I want to share how BB has benefitted me. Yet, I have neglected the spiritual aspect of my life, thus not being able to do all these effectively. God has blessed my life with many things… Family, friends, knowledge, music and most importantly, someone that loves me… Yet, i have decided to view life a different way… Right now, I have to pick myself up and get my life in working order.. so that I can function as what He wants me to…

While I was in Sec 3, my BB Leadership Training Camp (LTC) theme song was “He will come and save you”. LTC was much torturous those days with uncountable number of push-ups. This song had came to me in a different meaning during that camp, but now, I suppose I am starting to understand the real meaning…

If this friend of mine happen to see this -> Thank you, your story has touched me. And told me how great God is!

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He will come and save you
Words and Music by Bob Fitts and Gary Sadler

Verse 1
Say to those who are fearful hearted, "do not be afraid,
the Lord your God is strong, with His mighty arm,
when you call on His name." He will come and save

Chours
He will come and save you, He will come and save you
Say to the weary one, "your God will surely come"
He will come and save you

He will come and save you, He will come and save you
Lift up your eyes to Him, you will arise again,
He will come and save you

Verse 2
Say to those who are broken hearted, "do not lose your faith,"
the Lord your God is strong, with His loving arms,
when you call on His name." He will come and save

Bridge
He is our refuge in the day of trouble,
He is our shelter in the time of storm,
He is our tower in the day of sorrow,
our fortress in the time of war

TGIF

Thank God it’s Friday.. or Saturday now.. a hectic week is over… did many stuff such as meeting with Dr Gan, many meetings with my Professional Communication groupmates, had a test i think… and the best part of all, Prof Comm presentation is finally over!!

I think our group has put in a lot of effort into it… although it was not the best presentation I have done.. but it was still quite good considering the amount of time I have to prepare… the other group that did the presentation today wasn’t as lucky as us, suffered quite a lot of cock up and miscommunication.. even got reprimanded by the tutor for not putting in effort to prepare…

The weekdays ended with a highlight…. BB Thanksgiving Dinner!! it was a 9 course dinner but quite tortourous because we only have 5 of us to finish up 10 person’s portion!! many did not make it…in the end..most of the food has to go to the next table (12I) as there are many growning kids and adults there.. haha..

The pipe band performed quite well.. but I feel that the reeds are quite weak and a wee bit out of tune… so cannot get a majestic effect of the pipes… the drums were.. well.. not going to comment…

WEEKEND IS HERE!! YAY!! will be kayaking during the day for both saturday and sunday…. and celebrating Dearie’s birthday with a few other last month’s birtday boys & gers..

I hope i can recharge over the weekend and fight hard in everything I do…

the man who can’t sleep…

It’s early hours in the morning and not asleep again. Actually, I’m feeling quite sleepy… but I have to wake up an hour later to go for the BB Officers Retreat… it’s quite sad.. want to sleep but cannot sleep…. by right, im suppose to be on Corrective Sleeping Programme… which is to sleep before 12am every night and wake up by 10am… but can’t get the discipline to do it still….

It’s another fruitless day on Friday.. sleeping late, waking up late.. and spend the entire day surfing internet and watching TV. But at least… I manage to complete 2 lectures of Thin Film.. which is SUPER DUPER boring and uneducational… maybe it’s because of the accent or my ignorant that doesn’t understand what he is saying..

Feeling ultra busy lately.. but haven’t seen much stuff done…. busy because of the many appointments and school work.. and because of my prcastination.. they are still there…

next week.. there is FYP meeting, prof comm oral presentation rehearsal + actual, Thin film quiz, BB Thanksgiving dinner, Dearie & gang birthday celebration dinner, kayaking on both days of the weekend.. busy hor.. that’s why dearie gets unhappy when my schedule looks like superman’s…

previously, I did a solo performance for some Johnny Walker or F1 (i still dunno wad function is that) dinner at the British Commissioner’s house.. this is this the picture that my friend found on his friends facebook album… Nice attire right? but i think i looked quite funny.. it was a simple but great performance.. I sounded good… too bad it was short.. played for the start and end of the dinner, leading guest to and out of the dinning hall.. in between.. there’s also a shorten haggis ceremony…. got a taste of Johnny Walker Blue Label i suppose.. very good liquour.. but have to down quite a huge glass within seconds.. some even spill out of my mouth..

i hope i can get my momentum of studying soon… and also my sleeping disorder corrected.. hope everything goes well soon…

FYP… rampage killer

It’s an agony to experience the urge to search though the bagpipe tunes database then thought of the amount of school work you need to do in order to keep up with the competition.

My eventful coming week include a FYP project meet, a thin film test, a BB dinner and a kayaking weekend. Juggling with both ECA and final year is really difficult, but I guess I managed to cope with it, thus not feeling the fustration as often as before.

My procrastination habit shows signs of improvement, but still serious enough to waste 5 hrs of precious time staying awake and surfing internet randomly.

I hope I can have sometime to take out my chanter and practice new tunes without feeling guilty soon.