SSP : School Band and Wind Orchestra.

I'd always have fond memories and usually feel nostalgic whenever I see school band playing or marching...remembering own experiences with the rest of the band members, practising songs, marching in the hot sun, performing at events and competed in schools' competitions and I love it when we traveled on the bus in our yellow and blue uniforms, white boots, black caps, white gloves and all...

not forgetting, me and my dear friend completed the "set" with ponytails ..hehehe...

Anyway, in May I had the chance to go to the finale of Wind Orchestra among the boarding schools with some friends...all the 9 schools in the final were good, these 13 - 17 years old boys and girls really worked hard to reach this stage. I believe all of us were proud of them.

And I'm happy that my former school became the champion..yeay..yeay..

:-))))

and also "Best Conductor" for this girl...(clap clap clap)

Listening "live" at Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) to these girls playing gave me goosebumps...

Here's the video/link from youtube (here) of them playing "Vesuvius" during the competition.

The girls are currently in Sydney Australia at the invitation of Australian International Music Festival(AIMF2013) for some performances and compete in the event between 7 -14th July 2013.



All the best to them..may they gain wonderful experiences there.

"Shine your way"

I love Yuna's song "Terukir di Bintang" ~ 2012 best song in "Anugerah Juara Lagu" of TV3.

Here's the original version by Yuna, who wrote this song herself,

She is now pursuing her dreams in USA...all the best to her.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwZ9r-boZ9Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F46-GCxB_HY

Her recent project : "Dreamworks "The Croods" Soundtrack " Shine Your Way" by Owl City feat. Yuna."

For the youtube link, click (here)

Nice one.

Have a peaceful weekend.

a * star *...

Sometimes certain songs/music that I hear over the radio in the office or in the car would catch my attention.

This one has been aired for a few weeks and I read that the album was released early this year. This particular song is soothing and easy to the ears that I sometimes find myself humming along (no "singing" out loud for me..hehe..)

"Terukir Di Bintang",  by Yuna :

(Etched In Star ~ translated by mr google..hehe)

(From youtube : here)

Don't know much about her but her website that I found through mr. google ~ here

Info from mr. wiki ~ here

She's currently commuting between Malaysia and New York to pursue her dreams.

All the best to her.

:-)

My confession

Hehehe...nothing really, it's just that last weekend whilst talking with my friend about Whitney Houston, I confessed that I "fell in love" with the bodyguard character played by Kevin Costner in the movie "The Bodyguard" that I'd watched years ago. I thought then he was so cool in his dealings with the "star" artist...

Luckily my friend said she did (and many of her friends) too...phewww, I was not alone then...haha.

I love many of her songs, had bought some of her albums..until I got hold of one of her "live" album and somehow got turned off.

Anyway, one of my favourites is this song :-)

I couldn't really remember the story line but my friend told me how it ended...mmm..may be I should watch the movie again.

:-D

Down the memory lane : Kampung Hiliran

My weekends have been almost full (and hectic sometimes) since few months back, with priority given to the family..and that's why I was "found" again in K.T last weekend :-)

Last Sunday I was at Pasar Cabang Tiga buying some breakfast when one mak cik (auntie) who was selling the fried noodle asked me, "are you the sister of...(a name that I wasn't familiar with)?"

I looked at my nephew, Nazeem and replied to her..."err..I'm the daughter of..." to which Nazeem interrupted, "she knows Wan (grandma) la Che Na".

"oh..."

"so, which one are you,..haven't seen you before?", I was asked again.

"And you haven't visited your Tok's (grandparents) area for a long time have you?", she said.

"No I haven't..actually since they passed away a long time ago."

"You should"

"I know, I've been wanting to go there for a while..InsyaAllah I'll go there soon."

That evening I drove there, taking along my nephew and nieces where Cheqna's grandparents used to live, Kampung Hiliran :

Tok's and Tok Ki's house used to stand on this "empty" lot, opposite Tok Itam's house there.

And that's the water well where we used to take our bath etc..

(My nephew posted this photo in his album and his friend jokingly asked.."got (water) heater?"..haha..this modern kid. My nephew answered, yeah, the natural kind.., smart!)

Left over of the original tree.. (I was told by that 'mak cik' that the mango tree bore lots of fruits)

(The mango tree?)

But nowadays the "residents" of this land are :

This is the view that I could see from Tok's land now :

"Bukit Besar"

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Budding photographers..most of the pictures taken that day were by them and Nazeem.

Thank you dears!

The little photographer's creativity:

they are only 7 and 4 years old..and have the confidence to do it, having fun with it as well... :-)

Meanwhile, Cheqna was busy chatting with the auntie from Pasar, who found us whilst we were trying to figure out which piece of land was Tok's..hehe..

oh btw, the noodle was yummy, simple but delicious that I had a repeat,

- sharing my niece's portion!..hehe..

Ok, enjoy this "Joget Ganu Kite" by IKLIM

:-)

Music in me

Mak said that when she was about to give birth to me, ayah was busy practising with the police band [he was ordered home when his "major" found out, so he was there for the birth :-)]

...I guess that's when it all began and why years later, I joined the school marching band even though I didn't have any basic lessons in music during primary school. :-)

[Psst...I wanted to be in the group soonest so I decided to "ditch" the trumpet (it was hard anyway) and opted for the tenor-drum instead..hehe.]

I'd loved all the trainings, practising the formations, the marchings in the sun, the competitions, the outings... and I loved the yellow and blue uniform (with the high boots no less!)..

and of course the disciplines that were instilled in us.

I don't follow the music industries but I do appreciate some songs..and when I'm driving I prefer listening to my selections of music as compared to the radio, more soothing and calming :-)

Anyway, when I was away in I.A's home..my nephew Nazeem smsed and informed me that his school, MCKK got to be in the final for the "Wind Orchestra" competition among the boarding schools (the SBPs), together with my former school and 6 others ~ to be held in early July 2011. Congrats and all the best to all the teams!

Promo for a TV program on my former school's Wind Orchestra

(Refleksi Orkestra - RTM TV1, 15th May 2011 @ 1pm)

One of my favourite songs during my band days was the "Bahtera Merdeka",

and another one was a marching tune "Polis Sedia Berkhidmat".

(no surprise there!)

:-)

Wise man said...

A wise man once sat in the audience and cracked a joke.

All laughed like crazy.

After a moment he cracked the same joke again and a little less people laughed this time.

He cracked the same joke again and again,

when there was no laughter in the crowd, he smiled and said,

"When you can't laugh on the same joke again and again, then why do you keep crying over the same thing over and over again”.

'Learn to move on'…

(from my mail box)

(In memory of a friend, arwah Azie who passed away a few years ago after an operation ..13th April was her birth date..we still miss her...Al-Fatihah..may Allah SWT bless her soul..amiin..)

***************

When I read the "wise man said"..this song came to mind..

Reason, Season, or Lifetime

Heard this song ("Terima Kasih Teman" by Zawazi) over the radio recently, not sure if its new or not (and whether this artist has been in the industry long..hehe)

The song reminded me of some friends who had passed through my life fleetingly over the years and yet had left few marks.

Anyway, I thought that it was such a nice song and had a soothing melody that I searched for it thru the net :-)..

the lyrics were loosely translated into English (I don't have the flair like my "editor" friend down under..hehe)

I may be sad sometimes over the lost of friendship due to distances, commitments and others, but Alhamdulillah for the chance meetings, I know they have made me happy during those precious moments.

****************

(Excerpt from poem Reason, Season, or Lifetime)

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,

it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.

They have come to assist you through a difficulty;

to provide you with guidance and support;

to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,

because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.

They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.

They may teach you something you have never done.

They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.

Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;

things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.

It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Author — Unknown

***************

Thank you for being a part of my life,

whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.

:-)

Eggs = Life

(Have been on leave since Thursday...4 days and wishing that its not Sunday night yet..)

Watched NatGeo this evening on turtles and it reminded me of the campaign carried out by WWF Malaysia (previous post ~ here)

Watching the documentary and this video, and I thought on how we could sucked out the egg flesh from the shell last time...

(my friend at WWF would be happy to know that we have given up on eating turtle eggs)

Actually, when I did the search for turtle video, found this first :-)

("The Turtles ~ Happy Together".)

and of course, there's this...

***********************

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SIS HAS...semoga diberkati usia, sentiasa di dalam redha n rahmat Allah SWT, berbahagia di dunia and akhirat..amiin

~ a bit late in texting her this morning...her reply? "Ah finally from you! Haha. Tq beloved sis!" (she's sweet as ever, been great knowing her since she became my senior in school)

...I did normally texted my wishes at midnite..hehehe..

and being that today is Sunday, sorry that I couldn't spend the time having birthday lunch with her as I did with sis Yatie :-)

Joining the Mary Poppins' club.

But if only being a nanny is as simple as this..hehe

***************

Nazeem's parents went off to send him back to his school in Perak,

Leaving these two in our care...

..

..

Bit tiring but enjoyable :)

***************

If Mary Poppins flew in with her umbrella,





I flew in too ~ with Malaysia Airlines(MAS)..hehe..







:-)

First meal of the day...

Had a dose of Upin and Ipin TV series this morning before I left for work.

I watched how much they enjoyed having fried noodles with eggs :

+

(google image)

(and I went drooling over it..hahaha)

At the office I was still thinking of what to have for breakfast today when our office mate came and brought few "bungkus"(/packs?) of 'nasi lemak'...

(my 3-in-1 red guara cafe)

And after 10 minutes... :-)

Alhamdulillah...


***********************


I love this video..


Geng - Musical Scene








:-)

Salam Maal Hijrah

*******************

The Proper Way of Celebrating the New Hijri Year

(Excerpt from here)

In Islam there is no special religious ceremony to mark the New Year. However, since our religious calendar is the Hijri calendar, it is good to remind ourselves about the meaning and significance of Hijrah at this time.

We should talk about Prophet’s Hijrah from Makkah to Madinah that took place in the year 622 CE. We should talk about its meaning and significance and we should also talk about the general concept of Hijrah in Islam.

Hijrah is a principle that is integral to Islam. It transforms a Mu’min from a mere believer to a Mujahid, the one who struggles for his faith. It is for this reason that the Qur’an has used in many places the words iman, Hijrah and Jihad together:

"Those who believed and those who migrated and struggled in the path of Allah, they have the hope of the Mercy of Allah: and Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful."

(Al-Baqarah 2: 218)

**********************
Mercy Like The Rain

Nasheed by : SHAAM

(SHAAM is one of the leading exponents of nasheeds - Islamic songs in praise of Allah SWT and His Prophet Muhammad (peace & blessings of Allah be upon him) - singing in English, Arabic and Urdu. Based in Birmingham, they are the UK's leading nasheed group.)

Note : didn't know that they had been here before ~ 16/07/2010 SHAAM were honoured to have performed for Her Royal Higness Queen Tuanku Nur Zahirah during their recent tour of Malaysia, SHAAM would like to thank all the team involved in the Concerts.

Mercy like the rain is falling down
Mercy like the rain is falling down
Can you feel the rain is falling down, falling down?

Mercy like the angels in the rain
Mercy like the sun, the moon, the stars
Blossoming flowers, bearing fruits
Showing us the greatness of Allah

Mercy like the faith that shines within us
Mercy like the prayers that Allah answers
How it gives purpose to our lives
Helping us strive for paradise

Mercy like the smile for one another
Mercy like the kindness for each other
O how it takes sadness from our hearts
Spreading God's love throughout the world

Mercy like the Messenger of Allah
Mercy like the Qur'an from Allah
Truthful, generous, wise and kind
Bringing Allah's words to mankind

******************