Tonight's Chingay 2009! The past month of work and practice finally paid off tonight after we performed and finished the entire route.
Basically, the events are similar to the preview that I had wrote about yesterday, so I won't be writing about it again. The difference is that instead of the prime minister, we had the President as the guest-of-honour today, and the firecrackles were still just as loud.
The procession was also a bit chaotic today, but it's not like the chaos yesterday where everyone is just confused and don't know what's going on, but it's more like chaos due to everyone being in a state of 'high' and playing around and having fun.
In addition, we got fans and T-shirts from the JAS after returning from the Chingay parade for post-parade celebrations. That's a great improvement from the previous year where we got nothing as souveniors. Wonderful^^
Amazingly, I actually took photos this time round! The photos are uploaded to my Picasa photo album, so feel free to take a look if you're interested. Only 15 photos though =x
今日はチンゲイの晩！この一ヶ月の練習は無駄にならなかったな＾＾
とても疲れてたけど、楽しかったから、いいじゃない。今年のもお土産があるよ。うちわとシャツをゲット！うれしい～♪
少ないけど、写真も撮ったよ。興味があれば、見ててね～♪
Saturday, 31 January 2009
Friday, 30 January 2009
Chingay Preview
Chingay Preview was on tonight! And to make it in time for the performance, I had to skip a lecture that I originally had this afternoon. And it also appears that something important was announced in that lecture (from the emails that I have been receiving from my class group), which means that I have more trouble and more things to catch up on =.=
But anyways, back to the topic. We were late when we arrived at JAS, even though we had originally planned to leave early, no thanks to a couple of people who suddenly decide to have lunch in school at 2pm when we're expected over at JAS at 3pm and some food is expected to be provided at around 4-5pm. Oh well.
The first thing that we did when we finally arrived was to get our makeup done. The preview and actual parade itself requires all performers to have full makeup, unlike the full dress rehearsal where we can make do with some with makeup. Following which, we changed into our costumes and assembled in the ballroom for some briefing and announcements, followed by a short final session of practice where everyone got a chance to practice at least once.
We left for the actual venue and arrived at around 6pm. We first went to take a walk around to look at the floats that are participating in this year's Chingay. We meaning me and my friends of course, and not the entire JAS contingent. After spending some time walking around, and talking and wasting time after that, we were called to the main stage for the Chingay parade to be part of the opening ceremony.
Being part of the opening ceremony means standing there, and basically, making noise and look happy and have fun. It's not really a bad thing, and is actually quite fun. But having to listen to the Malay(?) percussion group playing on their drums for such a long time as we wait and go through what is to be done is indeed a bit irritating. Not to mention that halfway through the preparations, we were told to exit the stage and were lead around the main building to a place where we have to go through metal detectors and get our belongings checked o.o
We were then lead to another room where we rested for a while - really a while, perhaps not more than 5 minutes, and were once again lead back onto the stage, to stand and wait again =.=
Our guest-of-honour arrived about 30 minutes later than the expected starting time of the parade, but what can be expected? He is after all, the guest-of-honour and we're all used to them being late. In case you don't know, the guest-of-honour of the night is our Prime Minister! Perhaps that's why we had to go through metal detectors and get our belongings checked since we're going to be able to get so close to him. Well, just a hunch =P
A pleasant, but rather noisy, in fact, deafening surprise today was that we actually had firecrackles on the preview day. And deafening they were. We were on the stage for the firecrackles the year before, and tonight, we were on the ground in front of the stage, but still, the firecrackles sounded a lot louder tonight. It was impossible to hear anything else other than the firecrackles after they went off and there was also this humming noise in the ears, almost like the upper limit for noise had been exceeded. Many of us ended up having to keep our hands on our ears to reduce the intensity of the noise and prevent our eardrums from bursting =x
Unfortunately, the parade itself tonight was actually quite badly done. Organisation was poor, and there was chaos along the route, with MCs saying the wrong things for the wrong performers, and music that was out-of-sync resulting in chaotic dances. We were also in pretty much a state of confusion as we went down the route, not knowing where were actually stages where we have to stop and perform, and where were just mere stop points where we have to wait for the groups in front to finish their performances and move on. Perhaps the rather noisy percussion group that happened to be right before us played a part too, with their drums drowning out the music from our float...
But, all in all, it was still a fun night, though tiring. There's still the actual parade left tomorrow night, so let's rest well and do our best tomorrow! There's also the post-parade celebration back at JAS for us to look forward to^^
ああああぁぁぁぁ、疲れた。。。本当に。今夜はチンゲイパレードがあった。
そして、パレードでいろいろなことがあった。詳しいことはもうすでに上の英語の部分に書いてあるので、ここはもうかけない。今の日本語のレベルも書きたくてもなかなか書けない。とにかく、カオスだった、パレードは。
それでは、今夜はもう休むだね。たっぷり休んで、寝て、明日の最後のパレードも精一杯やってやろう！
その後のこと（祝賀会）も楽しみにしてる～♪
But anyways, back to the topic. We were late when we arrived at JAS, even though we had originally planned to leave early, no thanks to a couple of people who suddenly decide to have lunch in school at 2pm when we're expected over at JAS at 3pm and some food is expected to be provided at around 4-5pm. Oh well.
The first thing that we did when we finally arrived was to get our makeup done. The preview and actual parade itself requires all performers to have full makeup, unlike the full dress rehearsal where we can make do with some with makeup. Following which, we changed into our costumes and assembled in the ballroom for some briefing and announcements, followed by a short final session of practice where everyone got a chance to practice at least once.
We left for the actual venue and arrived at around 6pm. We first went to take a walk around to look at the floats that are participating in this year's Chingay. We meaning me and my friends of course, and not the entire JAS contingent. After spending some time walking around, and talking and wasting time after that, we were called to the main stage for the Chingay parade to be part of the opening ceremony.
Being part of the opening ceremony means standing there, and basically, making noise and look happy and have fun. It's not really a bad thing, and is actually quite fun. But having to listen to the Malay(?) percussion group playing on their drums for such a long time as we wait and go through what is to be done is indeed a bit irritating. Not to mention that halfway through the preparations, we were told to exit the stage and were lead around the main building to a place where we have to go through metal detectors and get our belongings checked o.o
We were then lead to another room where we rested for a while - really a while, perhaps not more than 5 minutes, and were once again lead back onto the stage, to stand and wait again =.=
Our guest-of-honour arrived about 30 minutes later than the expected starting time of the parade, but what can be expected? He is after all, the guest-of-honour and we're all used to them being late. In case you don't know, the guest-of-honour of the night is our Prime Minister! Perhaps that's why we had to go through metal detectors and get our belongings checked since we're going to be able to get so close to him. Well, just a hunch =P
A pleasant, but rather noisy, in fact, deafening surprise today was that we actually had firecrackles on the preview day. And deafening they were. We were on the stage for the firecrackles the year before, and tonight, we were on the ground in front of the stage, but still, the firecrackles sounded a lot louder tonight. It was impossible to hear anything else other than the firecrackles after they went off and there was also this humming noise in the ears, almost like the upper limit for noise had been exceeded. Many of us ended up having to keep our hands on our ears to reduce the intensity of the noise and prevent our eardrums from bursting =x
Unfortunately, the parade itself tonight was actually quite badly done. Organisation was poor, and there was chaos along the route, with MCs saying the wrong things for the wrong performers, and music that was out-of-sync resulting in chaotic dances. We were also in pretty much a state of confusion as we went down the route, not knowing where were actually stages where we have to stop and perform, and where were just mere stop points where we have to wait for the groups in front to finish their performances and move on. Perhaps the rather noisy percussion group that happened to be right before us played a part too, with their drums drowning out the music from our float...
But, all in all, it was still a fun night, though tiring. There's still the actual parade left tomorrow night, so let's rest well and do our best tomorrow! There's also the post-parade celebration back at JAS for us to look forward to^^
ああああぁぁぁぁ、疲れた。。。本当に。今夜はチンゲイパレードがあった。
そして、パレードでいろいろなことがあった。詳しいことはもうすでに上の英語の部分に書いてあるので、ここはもうかけない。今の日本語のレベルも書きたくてもなかなか書けない。とにかく、カオスだった、パレードは。
それでは、今夜はもう休むだね。たっぷり休んで、寝て、明日の最後のパレードも精一杯やってやろう！
その後のこと（祝賀会）も楽しみにしてる～♪
Thursday, 29 January 2009
Farewells and goodbyes
I think I'm not too good with farewells and goodbyes. I am cold to others in the beginning, but once I get close and familiar with them, I start to grow accustomed to them being around and feel that that is what it's supposed to be, with them around. I guess that means that I grow too attached to them and can't imagine or bare them being not around.
This could be the reason why I don't really like to associate with people, perhaps, to stop myself from growing too attached to them. And that could also be the reason why I can't really open up to anyone.
Perhaps, I was and am still very much a child at heart. Hidden beneath the veils of disguise and lies.
今日はまた親戚の家に行った。夕食もそこで。そういうわけで、今晩の時間はほとんどなくなった。（＞ｘ＜）
それに、今日はある人と会う予定だけど、その人はその約束を忘れたんだ！なんということ！そのせいで、今朝は無駄に早く学校に行って、ぶらぶらにしてた。本当にいややだな。
明日はまた会う予定。今度はちゃんといればいいのね。
This could be the reason why I don't really like to associate with people, perhaps, to stop myself from growing too attached to them. And that could also be the reason why I can't really open up to anyone.
Perhaps, I was and am still very much a child at heart. Hidden beneath the veils of disguise and lies.
今日はまた親戚の家に行った。夕食もそこで。そういうわけで、今晩の時間はほとんどなくなった。（＞ｘ＜）
それに、今日はある人と会う予定だけど、その人はその約束を忘れたんだ！なんということ！そのせいで、今朝は無駄に早く学校に行って、ぶらぶらにしてた。本当にいややだな。
明日はまた会う予定。今度はちゃんといればいいのね。
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
Enlistment
Today's the day that my younger brother got enlisted. The beginning of the mandatory 2 years long stint. Something that I am not very much in favor of, due to the complete lack of free will involved in the process. A fitting process for a backwards existence as such.
But anyways, he'll be stuck in camp for the first 2 weeks as part of their "adaptation" process. Full of bull, but there isn't much of a choice, less of returning everything to the origin.
Depending on how he views the process, it could be a good or not good thing. We won't know until then.
今日は珍しいことがあった。詳しく知りたいなら、上のを見てね。
それより、今日はまた紀伊国屋へ本を買うに行った。そして、一冊の本を買い間違えた。もうすでに持ってる本をまた買った。
ちくしょう！！お金の無駄じゃないの！？！
今度はちゃんと確認から。もうそんなのはごめんだぜ！
But anyways, he'll be stuck in camp for the first 2 weeks as part of their "adaptation" process. Full of bull, but there isn't much of a choice, less of returning everything to the origin.
Depending on how he views the process, it could be a good or not good thing. We won't know until then.
今日は珍しいことがあった。詳しく知りたいなら、上のを見てね。
それより、今日はまた紀伊国屋へ本を買うに行った。そして、一冊の本を買い間違えた。もうすでに持ってる本をまた買った。
ちくしょう！！お金の無駄じゃないの！？！
今度はちゃんと確認から。もうそんなのはごめんだぜ！
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
Resting day
As previously mentioned, today's the day to rest after all the chaos and tiring work yesterday.
And rest we did, even though we had originally planned to go out today too. But with my brothers sleeping in late, the plans were scrapped as we don't have the time by when they woke up =.=
今日は休みの日。そして、私たちは結構休んだ。そういうのんびりの日だった。
実はね、今日はね、出かける予定だけど、弟たちはね、遅く起きたせいでね、出かけなくなった。あんまりうれしくはないこと。
まぁ、実も出かけるのもあんまりだけど。
And rest we did, even though we had originally planned to go out today too. But with my brothers sleeping in late, the plans were scrapped as we don't have the time by when they woke up =.=
今日は休みの日。そして、私たちは結構休んだ。そういうのんびりの日だった。
実はね、今日はね、出かける予定だけど、弟たちはね、遅く起きたせいでね、出かけなくなった。あんまりうれしくはないこと。
まぁ、実も出かけるのもあんまりだけど。
Monday, 26 January 2009
A tiring first day
The first day of the new year is finally over. Starting from this morning, I've been running around Singapore visiting relatives, and am currently totally exhausted. Real tired now...
At least we get to take a break and rest tomorrow. So let's sleep early tonight and rest well~
やっとうちに帰った。。。疲れたよ。朝から一日中シンガポール中を回ってる。親戚の家を行ったりしてる。
まぁ、明日は休むことができるから、今晩は早く寝って、よく休むこと。
At least we get to take a break and rest tomorrow. So let's sleep early tonight and rest well~
やっとうちに帰った。。。疲れたよ。朝から一日中シンガポール中を回ってる。親戚の家を行ったりしてる。
まぁ、明日は休むことができるから、今晩は早く寝って、よく休むこと。
Happy Lunar New Year!
Happy Lunar New Year!
With the chimes of the clock sounding off 12 midnight, we have just sent off the year of the Rat and welcomed the year of the Ox! Best wishes to everyone for this new year~
祝大家牛年行大运,万事如意!新年快乐!
今日はいよいよ春節だ！
今年は牛の年。ここで、皆さんに幸福の祝いを～
それでは、ちょっと使え間違えかも知れないけど、あけましておめでとうございます！
では、いい年に、牛の年に幸せを～♪
With the chimes of the clock sounding off 12 midnight, we have just sent off the year of the Rat and welcomed the year of the Ox! Best wishes to everyone for this new year~
祝大家牛年行大运,万事如意!新年快乐!
今日はいよいよ春節だ！
今年は牛の年。ここで、皆さんに幸福の祝いを～
それでは、ちょっと使え間違えかも知れないけど、あけましておめでとうございます！
では、いい年に、牛の年に幸せを～♪
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
