Music to my ears

Even metalheads need a change of pace once in while y'know.

Recently i went to the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra for a free preview of their upcoming season. Since it was free, my family and I sat ourselves in the hall awaiting the start. As the light started to dim, i found myself actually not knowing what's really going to happen. I've never seen a real orchestra perform. But when the conductor started to wave his wand-ish thingamajig and the orchestra finally unleash their instruments, i was enthralled. The orchestra played note perfect renditions of John Williams's body of work which sufficed to say is incredible in its grandeur and evocation of the senses. I had a tremendously enjoyable time.

There were some things that bothered me. First is the freeloaders, or more appropriately, shameless charlatans who just because it said FREE doesn't mean it's something that your mind can comprehend let alone appreciate. Real fans stood in line for hours and yet all these village people got seats because they were there slightly earlier. Secondly and it's something that i have an ambivalence to, a sort of love/hate relationship with: Children. Specifically, 8 years and below. I've always liked kids, well babies to be exact, apart from the crying and the occasional poo moment, babies are okai. I just can't stand naughty, bratty, uncontrollable monsters who pester, moan, whine, scream, yell, lie down to the floor because they didn't get their chocalate bar. They're angels when they want something but become their true demonic self when they don't get their way. If you know your kid's the type that can't keep still for half a second then DON'T bring them. As i was immersing myself in the music, i closed my eyes to savour the sweet music. I let the music flow into me so to speak. Since they played stuff that i actually know and like such as Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter and Duel of the Fates from the Phantom Pen..Menace, it made the experience even more enjoyable. Then a kid starts yelling and a baby goes "Agoo agoo agoo bla wahhh!" and it totally disrupts my concentration. My mental state shifted to PSYCHOTIC for a few moments.

I'm not saying these village people aren't allowed in there or they can't even listen to this kind of music but for crying out loud, just because it's free doesn't mean it'll mean something to you. It's like queueing up for some free thing only to find out it's free tampon samples. This is sadly the mentality of many Malaysians. This kiasuness is apparent mostly in the village community simply because they display it on their sleeves, pockets, collars and tassels. They don't hide it. Snooty rich people are also capable of displaying such behaviour albeit in a subtle but still as shameful way. They're conniving and greedy and they'll do anything to get their way. You would think that with bucketloads of money, people would be more polite or just? It seems that they're only worth what their handbag contains. Free is free yes but taking it for granted merely causes one to lose the meaning of what is good and what is easy.

FREE is truly the most universal word in the world. Use it freely.

Chris signing off...

PS: To the chick with the unbelievable body and cleavage who ran up the hall: Thank You so, so, so much.

Home is where the heart is...

Greetings everyone! Yes i know, many of you have missed my witty and insightful posts. Fret not, i wasn't abducted by aliens wanting to stick probes up my lovely proverbial behind nor was i taken hostage by Amazonian women who want to make me as their um, head of reproduction center, but rather i was down south in Singapore! Ah ha, the land of the kiasu, the land where the women are snobbier than poodles, the land where the guys don't seem to wear caps and the land where it has made me miss Malaysia. A fucking lot. While i do love being able to cross roads in an orderly fashion as opposed to mad dashes, where service with a smile is actually happens(though the old ladies here tend to subscribe to the mantra of Service With a Dour Face from Hell), where at night i don't feel as though i'm being stalked by a deranged drug addict, but the thing is, there's really no place like home.

Just think about this, the area that i am staying at has no mamak stall where you can just go to and plonk your arse down, no Internet cafes hosting Counterstrike sessions(or the highly awful DOTA), no stalls selling kuehs and such, no Chinese DVD peddlers. The only thing that my area has that is of intellectual interest happens to be an adult shop. Hehehe. Apparently, this is pretty much the same situation as the other places. It's just shopping mall after shopping mall with Old Chang Kees and 7 Elevens. And McDonald's and Burger King. And girls. Pretty ones. How do i know? Try taking a walk around Orchard Road. For 6 hours. I don't mean to talk big but i went round Orchard Road for 6 hours straight and in the rain. And guess what i found out? Everything's the same. I got bored in no time. It's a shopping paradise yes, especially for you of the female kind, but too much shopping is just ridiculous. Not too mention also very hurting the wallet. Luckily the eye candy provided me with some drive to continue.

While some of the girls there are really pretty, i can't help but think that our girls are still better. The girls here think every guy is checking them out thus start to then put on the most annoying pout of arrogance i've ever seen. Sure the tight tops, the short skirts, the rather lovely derrieres on some of the females there did leave a lasting impression in my mind. I just wasn't convinced that they're doing it because they feel like doing so. The girls here do it with conviction whereas the Singaporeans do it because it's a fashion.

To me, the food was a sight; chocolates of all shapes, sizes and flavour were on display, gelato stations serving some of the best looking non-fat ice cream known to man... the list goes on. The food courts are every friggin' where. All their shopping malls have at least one corner where all the restaurants are located. But the taste of it all felt bland. The Western type of food however was simply sumptuous. A real feast for the eyes as well as for the palette. But I still craved for nasi lemak with rendang, roti canai telur with dhal curry and noodles with dumplings that taste so good.

And as i am writing this, the haze is getting thicker, water is running low in some states, rain has not fallen for quite a whie in my area, the prices of certain goods are increasing, traffic jams have reduced people to maniacs... and yet all these and more make me love my country even more. I may bitch about it every day but i'm proud to call myself a Malaysian. And i'm sure many of you too share the same sentiment.

Chris signing off...

PS: Any Singaporean chicks out there who're reading this, PLEASE do not feel offended. I still think you all are really hot. You're just dumber than i thought.

Patience everyone!!!

Ah, if any of you are wondering, i am in Singapore on holiday. :)

Yes, i'm having a blast here. Some of the reasons why so:

Chicks
Metal
Food

Ahhhh, life is good. Anyways, i'll give an update once i'm back which will feature my superb observations here in the land of kiasu. Until then..

Chris signing off....

PS: I'm broke. :(