I Have A Date With Spring

A real treat for me last night at Pentas 1, KLPac (Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre), Sentul West. The 145-minutes were worth every cent and every applause on this well-staged production by Dama Orchestra. Superbly presented and for me, it was nostalgia from beginning to end.
I would have liked to have them sing more songs; more of the classic oldies but then there was a story to tell....

I could relate to all the Mandarin and English numbers but the Cantonese oldies were just "new" tunes to me.... all the same, sweet music to my ears.

Synopsis from the programme booklet:
"I HAVE A DATE WITH SPRING is a musical adaptation of the nostalgic and heart warming stage and movie productions, which won the Best Screenplay for Raymond To at the Hong Kong Film Awards. It has also staged to critical acclaims in Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai.
Set in the 1960s-1980s, I HAVE A DATE WITH SPRING followed the dreams, hopes, loves, trials and tribulations of four aspiring singers - Butterfly Liu (Tan Soo Suan), Lulu (Janet Lee), Nancy (Fang Chyi Chang) and Feng Ping (CassieWong) - whose lives become increasingly entangled while doing their singing stints at the well-known Lai Fa Palace nightclub. They became the dearest of friends. However, they had to part ways eventually, but planned to meet up for a reunion concert at the club before the building was pull down.
Butterly Liu, who went on to become a celebrated singer, agreed to return to her home again after having been away for many years, to perform at the charity concert. And everyone associated with the Lai Fa Palace did return for the reunion. Many had returned to settle unfinished business while some, like Liu, had to come to terms with the ghosts of their past."

The last show at KLPac is November 1, 2009. It is tempting to go back for another session!!

For me, two particular songs continue to ring and hum.........
Romance By The Xin Hua River (杏花溪之恋) and
Where Do I Go From Here (我找到自己)。

Kamunting

To the world today, Kamunting is famous for its infamous Kamunting Detention Camp for the ISA (Internal Security Act) detainees. The Kamunting Alumni of several thousand people..includes many present-day prominent figures in Bolehland... like the current Chief Minister of Penang, his father - Mr Opposition Emeritus, the Leader of the Opposition , many Members of Parliament etc. who are devoted to shape and progress the nation through the democratic process. They were once considered as a "threat" to the country by the Government, particularly the Home Ministry.

Politicians should know that nothing is permanent, and if the people are tired of the rhetorics and lies and the old arrogance of those in power, they can be removed at the polls. The 308 General Elections, the so-called Political Tsunami, where several states fell into the hands of the Opposite, should serve as a wake-up call for those who are still walk the corridors of power. It is probably conceivable that the same ISA provisions could one day be "accidentally abused/misused" upon the present crop of executors of the same Act?

Kamunting was once a thriving tin mining district with many dredges - the floating excavators for tin ores. It was one of the biggest army bases during the British rule. In the late 60s and early 70s, Kamunting was the booming industrial town of Perak, during which time the Minister of Commerce, Tan Sri Dr Lim Swee Aun, was the local MP for Larut and Matang District. Sanyo stood out for me as a big global brand in Kamunting then.

During the late 60s and early 70s, being a resident of Kamunting ...these were the memories of a simple living, growing up....

Hair cut by my friend's barber father Mr Lim, in Lorong 2

May 13 school holidays, school examinations cancelled

First dates with girl opposite who often invited me over for The Johnny Cash show on TV2

Occasional swimming sessions at the army camp

Cycling time to school over the Lake View hills

Yoke Choy primary school and All Saints secondary schools were prominent landmarks

Hunting for live frogs to practise dissection for Form Six practical examinations

Self taught typing using the Pitman course book

Earned my first pocket money as a popular maths tuition teacher to sis and her classmates

Friend of mine married an elder sister (who later died of sickness) and later married her younger sister

Finished off many expired canned food

Learning to lead as an Assistant Scout Master

Temporary teacher riding a Yamaha 150cc motorcycle

Dad wept for me

Beating of a future police chief

Ipoh, the present Capital city of Perak, also once a big name in tin production in the world, now can only boast of its famous "Ngah Choy Khai" (Bean sprouts and Steam Chicken) plus the recent State Assembly meeting under a big Yam Yam Tree, Kamunting has this Detention Camp which the local residents are not proud to shout about.

Learn to say it now, me included

Dad's headstone stands out as a unique piece of art in Tambun...

with his own calligraphed words, inscribed at the back .......... it reads "Not asking for tons of Gold but just asking for wise chidren and grandchildren."

Dad passed on in 2004.

Dad knew that I appreciate his calligraphy and should have guessed that I would one day honour his skills for all to see. Perhaps more words of comfort and praise should have been spoken when he was bed-ridden before he was finally called to be with the Lord.

That was my first time delivering an eulogy at dad's funeral. He could not then hear all the nice things said about him (spiritually he could be there listening, but that must be different)... and I dedicated a portion of my eulogy for dad, to compliment mom who, at 80 years old then, was listening..... that "she has been a silent supporter and she is the Shinning Light for the Lord in this house...and dad had experienced the love of God through her, her untiring caregiving and loyalty.." Mom now 85, is being cared by a Vietnamese maid, whom she treats like a dear daughter.

Why we must wait to say all the nice things and compliments only during funerals?

One very popular and well-loved pastor who passed away about 2 years ago, had predicted that there would be many who would like say something during his funeral service.... before he died, his instruction was to allow just a handful of speakers, representing different phases of his life. He cautioned the speakers not to be too long-winded or else some of the audience may prefer to be in the coffin than to remain alive listening..
Should not we learn to say the nice things to another person when she or he is still able to appreciate the compliments? Even if you cannot come up with one single good thing to say... at least come up with something positive, an advice, so that he or she can improve before he or she disappears from the face of this earth.

Morrie Schwartz, the sociology professor (in "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom) who was dying and after attended a funeral of a friend who had died suddenly, decided to organise himself a "living funeral" before he died... so that he could be there to hear all the nice things his relatives and friends had to say about him. He cried and laughed with some of them. It was a rousing success!

In 1997, I organised a sit-in session for all staff , each writing on a sheet of paper, ONE nice thing about each and every colleague in the company. Nothing negative was allowed. This one guy who was never good or in the habit of saying anything good about anyone... managed to scribble "OK" on almost every colleague he has interacted. At the end of the session, I personally typed out all the input on an A4 sheet of "certificate' to each staff on all the "nice and positive" words from the 40-odd colleagues. I am sure there is someone out there still keeping his or her "certificate".

We need to constantly remind ourselves of the need to be generous and energetic with giving praises and compliments or just something positive to the other person. Or suggesting some positive alternatives... using the management term called APB (Alternative Positive Behaviours). If there is nothing good to say, a smile will do. "Better to whiten your teeth (smile) at your friend than to give him milk (even if he is thirsty)" - Jewish saying.

Life may not be worth the living if nobody attends your "living funeral" should you decide to organise one...... your friends may just give excuses as they would have their own priorities to get on with their own living..... as in the Parable of the Great Feast (Luke 14: 15-24).

Just be a mortal praising God and all His creation, including your loved ones.

Historical terms

"GIPA", "Headmaster", "Tuk Tak Tuk Tak Machine", brodifacoum, "PP581", "PP910", "Gramoxone", paraquat, "No Talking Flight", "Made for Bigger Things", PPD, ICI, CCMB, "What do you call", "Ba si cal ly", "Many ways to skin a cat", “Tusker”, "Romancing the Customers", "Cake & Icings", "Taipan Club", "Orchard Club", "Your Trusted Crop Care Parnter", "2G1T", “Qing Mah Loon”, "Every sunset, there is a sunrise", "Mata Gelap", "Tok Guru", " 'I' specialist", "NST", "Better and Surer Than The Rest", "TIMOR", "Assault100A", "Matikus", "Mitac", "Zeneca","Novartis", "Syngenta", "Liberty Square", "Centre Point Langsuan",
"Wisma Damansara", "Wisma Sime Darby", "SAW", "ACBA", "ABA", "Touchdown",
"HO", "P&D Clinic", "MACA", "MCPA", "World Class"...

(first listed in Oct 2007)

Sunset, Sunrise..

"After every sunset, there is gonna be a sunrise."

This used to be my favourite phrase those days to counter those negative people in the so-called "sunset industry" we were in.
Now the sun is slowly but surely going to set on many of my contemporaries... you tend to look back at history with nostalgia, with pride or with regrets...Don't hold onto the past.. you have to let go the past glories or disappointments and move onto the next phase of your well-deserved golden years.
Somehow, there are more songs written and sung about yesterday than tomorrow. The few songs that I know about tomorrow are not too optimistic too like "I don't care if tomorrow never comes" and "If tomorrow never comes". Of course, you will find "Yesterday". "Yesterday once more", "Yesterday when I was young", "Only yesterday" and "Yesterday man" etc.

Surely everyone must have occasionally or frequently, experienced the following feelings, as expressed in this scene in the musical "Oliver":

Who will buy
This wonderful morning?
Such a sky
You never did see

Who will tie
It up in a ribbon
And put it
In a box for me?

Who will buy
This wonderful feeling?
I'm so high
I swear I could fly

Me oh my
I don't want to lose it
So what am I to do
To keep the sky so blue?

Every day is a new day that the Lord has made for you and me. Rejoice and be glad in it. Live it well because today will be yesterday soon. The sun will sure rise again tomorrow, with or without us!

Today is my moment and right now is my story...
I'll laugh, I'll cry and I'll sing..
p/s the sun has set on my digital Ixus750 7.1Megapixels camera I think. It's time to get a new one soon otherwise how to capture the blue skies, sunrises and sunsets?

ST Rhodes' Club

Those who are related to the planting industry and those who play golf would recognise this Club, at Cha'ah Johor. It is now over 54 years.... and one of the few estate golf courses, still surviving til today (9 holes in this case). Have you heard of Ulu Remis Golf Club too? That was where I started my golf... 1986

Not sure if anyone out there knows what is the title "MME" ?

Chin Mah Loon

Non Mandarin speaking friends in the working days, had assumed that this is a customer's name and had asked why was he so popular... frequently mentioned in the meeting??

Hello, we must not assume everybody knows what we are referring to and those who are not sure, ask. My favourite saying.."It is OK to be ignorant but it is not OK to remain ignorant". Ask.

Ain, Chin Mah Loon adalah Cameron Highlands!

When the Hokkien boss kept saying "how siau"..... don't assume that he is complaining about how to sell - "how sell". He is saying ... you are bluffing!

Chin Mah Loon is still up there but global warming is felt up there... more hills are cut down for cultivation and buildings... the significant increase in the Indian vegetable growers and businessmen have resulted in the MP being from MIC..

The Golf Course is still caddied by the orang asli community... and the Club House is being renovated into an international tourist class attraction. Green fee for unlimited rounds per day is RM52.20 (seniors discounted rate RM42.00)..