Tuesday, January 13, 2015

New Addition to the Family

Theodore Hamish NoSurnameYet
I bought a violin today. I finally bought it after about one year really wanting to have one.

The name Theodore kind of appeared randomly into my mind so I said, uh, why not. And Hamish sounds okay. I have a childhood friend named Hamish. I found his Facebook but I didn't dare to add him. John Watson's middle name is Hamish. Enough reasons to make me love that name. Theodore Hamish may not sound like a beautiful combination but I'm too lazy to think of new names. I'm thinking way too hard for a perfect surname, I'm beginning to feel tired (being in college from 8 to 4 isn't helping).

Story-telling time.

So like the dress I bought with my housemate Queen for the Annual Grand Dinner back in June 2013, this took me less than 30 minutes to buy. It's like, uh,

Me: I'm looking for a vvvviolin (stuttered, too nervous, really). Beginner. Adult size.
Lady: *Shows some fancy violin in some fancy glass-door cabinet*
Me: I'd like to take the cheapest.
Lady: We have some RM 600 ones too.
Me: NO. I'M UNDER A TIGHT BUDGET.

Okay, just kidding, that was a little bit of exaggeration there. But the part about buying it in less than 30 minutes was true. I'm a reckless buyer. I didn't even TOUCH the violin because I was too shy. I didn't want people too see that I don't even know how to hold it properly, and what I really should inspect. Asked the lady "Is this set up already? Like errrr will I be able to start off playing right away?" Noob detected hahaha. So she asked a music teacher upstairs to tune it for me. And I stood there like an idiot, paid everything, entered the car, and realised that danggg I don't have consumer skills. If that's even a thing.

Theo's on my bed now. I still don't know how to hold the bow properly even after watching a thousand YouTube tutorials since last year. I played random notes that sounded like a seal giving birth. I wish I have a vivid memory about how I played my first chord on the guitar back in 2005. People weren't kidding. Guitar is a lot easier than violin I guess.

My dad doesn't look so happy with my decision of buying Theo hahaha. One of my sisters used to play violin in primary school for about 2 years I think before she and her friends were asked to buy violins for themselves if they wanted to get involved more seriously in the school orchestra. My mum said my dad didn't want to purchase one for my sister (I was about 3 years old at that time, so I don't know much about it). All I know is that my sister stopped bringing the violin home (dang, I remember that yellow sponge she used to have--I'm going to ask her what was that for) and after some time I guess she stopped playing because she could no longer use the school's one. That was also the last time I saw and touched a violin I think.

So yeah, I'm not planning to play like a pro. I just want to have fun with it. Play one or two sad tunes, get emo, get the feels, play some folk tunes. I just want to learn new stuffs. I don't know, it's weird but learning new stuffs makes me feel excited to live hahah.
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On an unrelated note, I was inside a building with a fire burning in one of its kitchens today. I suck at explaining, but I was having my lunch with a bunch of classmates at town, in an eatery located at the topmost floor of the shopping mall. A lady suddenly yelled "Fire!" and we were all still eating because everyone was cool about it. I was being quite selfish (*Ugh, I need to eat, cos I have class at 2pm, and I ain't going anywhere before I finish my food!*) The fire alarm rang once. "Ergh that's just the smoke detector, sensitive of all those smoke and stuffs". Alarm sounded twice. "Ah, just look at those other people, they look okay. It won't spread. They'll control the fire." 

People start talking about evacuating the building.

"No, I'm not leaving my rice! (and green tea)" 
"They're kidding, right? What are we supposed to do with our food?"
"I'm running out with my plate."
"We should've just packed our food."

So yeah, alarm rang three times. Smoke everywhere. I was worried of a gas explosion and my mum didn't know I was having my lunch there. And perhaps a stampede because everyone would be running for their lives. I worried about my final chunk of butter chicken on my plate, but my mouth was too full, and I didn't want to die yet. I haven't bought my violin, remember? I haven't told x, y, and z that I love them. 

So I ran outside (google: Sweet Brown, have fun).

Everyone ran (okay, not really, everyone just walked super slowly) down the escalator (the top floors were immediately emptied) but the people on the ground floor didn't seem to worry much. One older lady in a salon (with her hair wrapped and all that) even went out. 

It's silly you know, moments like these make you realise that you still want to live long (and prosper) *does the Vulcan salute.* I may sound not so serious but man, I'm serious. 

I hate to sound super sappy but I think I had a good day today.

Monday, January 12, 2015

Happiness is...

...not having classes on Mondays!

Monday, January 5, 2015

Goodbye 800!

I'm saying goodbye to something that has never been mine.

If you know the story, you know the story. You know..about me studying just to get a cash award. Unfortunately, one subject shattered my dreams to own a keyboard this year. 

I'm not sad or depressed about it though. My dad is not mad. I'm not mad. Everything's good. 

In fact, my sister was amused to see how nonchalant I was when checking my results. I'm pretty much amazed as well. Funny how real life shit makes you tougher than before. Kelly Clarkson ain't lying. What doesn't kill you really makes you stronger lol. There's more to life than exam results, really. I'm glad to live with a lot of things to look forward to in my life.

One of them is to start learning violin. 

My room can't fit a musical instrument as huge as a keyboard anyway. And I have to learn how to drive first before purchasing something as expensive as a keyboard that I don't know how to play at all. And I'm planning to read 52 books this year which means one book per week, so that's going to mean I don't have much time to learn so many new stuffs at once. And I'm also "saving for a new phone that can WhatsApp" (I know...the way I say it, well it makes me sound like an old woman...) so yeah I guess I'm good. Life's good. Everything's good.

O the first month of the year. Everything's always good. Motivation is always high. I recognise this pattern. It's too familiar, it scares me.