Wacky Quotes

Someone emailed this sometime back...

Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute,
and it seems like an hour.
Sit with a pretty girl for an hour,
and it seems like a minute.
THAT'S relativity - Albert Einstein


The brain is a wonderful organ.
It starts working the moment you get up in the morning and
does not stop until you get into the office. - Robert Frost


The trouble with being punctual is that nobody's there to appreciate it. - Franklin P. Jones


We must believe in luck.
For how else can we explain the success of those we don't like? - Jean Cocturan


It matters not whether you win or lose; what matters is whether I win or lose. - Darrin Weinberg


Help a man when he is in trouble and
he will remember you when he is in trouble again.


Complex problems have simple, easy to understand wrong answers.


It is not exactly cheating, I prefer to consider it creative problem solving.


Whoever said money can't buy happiness, didn't know where to shop.


Alcohol doesn't solve any problems , but then again, neither does milk.


Most people are only alive because it is illegal to shoot them.


Forgive your enemies but remember their names.


The number of people watching you is directly proportional to the stupidity of your action.


Dont worry that the world ends today, its already tomorrow in Australia!

Memoir of 27 August 2006

Much has passed me by since ...



My August evenings are filled with shows one or the other. September would be the same too. Am starting a new level for my classes in September and will be holding auditions for the children's show. I'm not looking forward to the auditions - a lot of parents are going to start to hate me for not choosing their child.

We just ended 1 week of school holidays which means more work but good work this time - we had a whole lot of both talented and commited participants.

The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre will be officially opened by the PM on 2 Sept. after being in operation for more than a year. looking forward to that.

Very interesting day today. I've got a pet squirell my mom rescued yesterday. When its well enough to go to its family, I hope it'll come back and visit the house often. (It's actually a tree shrew.)

There was a baby python at the GM's office. It was such a cutey. While some of us thought ???, some were wondering how it got there. Did it use the stairs or the lift?

The Taihen project is certainly taking a lot of my time. Every Tuedays at one center and alternate Thursdays at another. I've also got problems with my one and only "Head of Kuroko" (Stage Assistant). Accusing me of all sorts of things and not happy at all working with me and The Actors Studio. I have to start going to Universities to talk to students about the project and recruit some volunteers to assist as stage assistants.

My boss faridah was awarded an honorary degree at a university in Penang (her hometown). I went with her as Joe her husband was busy with opening night of "Broken Bridges". Didn't realise that we were the VIPs. It was a memorable trip and we were back in time to catch the 2nd half of the musical.

Cancerlink Project in Lumut (Mis-adventures)

A few weeks before my trip to Lumut my car was acting up. 2 times it had stalled at the same place and each time I had to get a ride from strangers to get back home rather 'early' in the morning. The first time with the police and the second time with the highway maintenace people. I told my mechanic at Proton (please do not go to them if you can help it) that I had to go outstation and to please ensure that my car would be ok.

It was ok for a while and then the day I'm driving to Lumut just after had passed Rawang - I felt rather hot and glanced at the temperature and there it was - at a high high! oh shit - I decided to turn back and go on till I reached the Sungai Buloh rest area and then perhaps calling the tow truck guys. Unfortunately/fortunately the moment I got there the car gave up and stalled with lots of smoke coming from the engine. It was so scary - opened my seat area (that's where the engine is - I sit and burn my 'ass' off.)

So now what do I do - I need to be in Lumut by 7:30pm and its now about 11 something. Arrghh! ok call the boyfriends - promise them on a holiday to lumut and get them to drive me over. Start with one. Can't make it. Call another one - can't make it. Call another one - can't make it. Darn it!

Plan B - The Actors Studio van! Managed to get my brother to pick me up and got Faridah's permission to use the van. And all set to go. Oh this van is simply incredible only thing is that it blows hot air and I can't open any of the windows.

There goes this 'hot chick' in this hot van not sure where exactly to turn off to go to Lumut - of course I have the map but there are 3 - 4 different exits from the highway that lead to Lumut - which do I take. Looking at the map the easiest one seemed like the straight road from Jelapang to Lumut - only that there were road works all along this kampong road when suddenly there is a jam because the cow wouldn't cross the road.

Good Lord - what a nightmare but I enjoyed the exploration. I managed to get to the hotel on time and it was simply marvelous the time I had there. Thanks to what ever force that worked so I could get to Swiss-Garden Damai Laut (translates to Peaceful Sea).

Theatre Workshop for Cancerlink

1st workshop (Expressions)

Each time my boss, Dato’ Faridah Merican, says, “Nala, I’ve volunteered you for this project!” instead of going ‘oh no, here we go again..’ I jump for joy. Only because I know that she would put me in a marvellous project.

This time it was working with youth from Cancerlink Foundation on their ‘Seri Endon Victory Ventures’ Camp.

You would have read about my mis-adventures above – and I managed to get to Swiss-Garden Golf Resort & Spa on time for Dinner and saw this whole bunch of youth and adults, mostly in raffia-string skirts. The youth who got there in the afternoon – rehearsed a couple of Mauri songs and dances as their Welcome Gambit.

I was supposed to do some theatre games for them but looking at how tired they were – decided on going through a relaxation exercise to relax and energise their bodies. Most of them did respond well while some were very shy to lie down on the floor. Anyway – we were all tired and got ready for action the next day.

The Foundation had organised 3 concurrent workshop whereby a very distinguished Mrs Nora Lam (who came from Johor) was to do a workshop on Career Development; a very handsome Dr. Alvin, on Relationships – Friends & Frienships; and me a Drama workshop.

2nd workshop (Movement)

I wanted to introduce the youth on different aspects and my 1st workshop was on Appearance / Expressions. I had Ikan Talapia group with Adrian (17), Al-Sidiq (17), Nurul Ain (20), Andy Khoo (23), Siti Sopinah (20), Kushalini (20 – this girl is studying to be a doctor.), Kah Ho (26) and Ikan Kerisi group with Adam Lim (21), Thayaananthan (17), Yap Poh Mei (21), Shah (20), Irsalina (20), Siti Nurfairuz (20).

After a quick warm-up with Follow-the –leader, and some theatre games, we went on to do Appearance. It was so much of fun as they were trying to get into the feeling. Then I got them to tell me of things that make them happy, sad, angry and excited. (This was a very interesting session for me as I got to know them better and a lot about how they feel. It’s a shame – I could not have the same session with the rest of them) The second time around when we did the expressions – we had achieved much more.

Next workshop – Movement. Ikan Yu group with Sri Rovinia Devi (17), Lai Yan Yin (20), M. Hariz (19), Siddiq Firdaus (20), M. Nazri (16), Masrina (20) and Ikan Kembong members, Naizatul (19), Tengku Nazri (17), Vasanthi (22), Mardila (23), M Afifi (16). After the usual warm-ups and games, the group was to experiment with different types of movements, levels, emotions and environment.

3rd workshop (Improvs)

Third workshop with Ikan Todak and Ikan Tenggiri repectively; Famiza (19), Nur Mashitah (20), Chiong Yen (16), A. Naderin (16); Siti Hajar (19), Zamri (23), Ah Lian (19), Nur Atiqah (18), Kugan (17) and Muhd aim (20+). All the participants were in stitches after each improv. They were very creative and in one of the skits, one of them had died of accident and it was really funny the way the 'family' dealt with the death. It is indeed interesting to see how these young people deal with death which is very much a part of their life.

My sincere thanks to each and every one of you - for more than helping you with the workshop, you had helped me to see differently. It is admirable, how you fight every day of your life and keep hope and faith alive. Thank you.