The performing and painful Takahina

Hmmm... how do I start off with this... I'm in a little bewildered mood right now.

Anyway, let me start with the main event i've been having for this whole week and that is on the performance in Soka's youth festival.

It began on a fateful day when Priscilla; member of Soka, contacted me and asked if i would like to perform. Seeing that i have nothing to do and that since there is chance for me to perform, why not? Some of you may now start thinking, it's Soka, why do I hav to take part? Well, for the performance, even if you're not a member, you can go for it. So everyone get this clear, Takahina still chant Nanmu Amitabha, not Ningmou Aring Gay Giaur. Don't ask me how to spell that, it's in a type of gibberish which I can't understand.

Thus so, I went for the rehearsal. I was rather surprised to hear that it's Stomp, which is something related to drumming lah. Thus so, with a little more flicking of my hands and you could perhaps say a little showing off from me, the instructor decided to let me create out my make-shift drumset made of fire extinguishers, water buckets and any other shit we can find. Thus so, it's like now I'm going to have my own solo part. Something I didn't expect initially.

After that, I realise there is gonna be another performance, which is something like a mass dance. Wasn't really interested in it, but since I have DDR training, it shouldn't be a problem.

After training for like a whole week (Don't wanna talk about the details), on this 3rd Dec sat was the performance date. There was 2 performances going on and thus so includes 2 Stomp and 2 Mass Dance. I was ok with Stomp, after all, it can't do without my solo.... :x However the mass dance was a little crazy, all the kids and all acted like little idiots and mad asses, it was crazy. And I don't really like their enthusiatic attitude, but I guess it's needed for such mass dance thingy. Whatever.

During the training, there was 1 thing I realised and that is even the main instructor went out of timing at times. Instantly, I don't know what to say, but since if the timing and counting is distorted from the mainframe of any drumming theory, I can only follow it. Effect was good, thanks to the training I got from Drum Mania (Arcade game), thus I can like create all warped up sounds and rhythms i got from the arcade game. Looks like it's not as impractical as I expected after all.

And the best thing is that for the drum solo part, it requires 16 bars of 4, and that is exactly the timing for the beginning of Tamayura, a song in the Drum Mania which I'm rather good at. Plus the mood was exactly perfect for the performance, I used that. I dragged Benjamin, Rong and even Priscilla to train Tamayura in the arcade. Many thanks to the Century Square arcade for accomodating the drum mania machine even if it sucks. Plus, your DDR machine and Capcom VS SNK both ate my $1, don't think I forgot about it.

Anyway, I set up the stage and all and thus was ready to go. As I step in, I went into like...

WTF

At first, I expected to hav a section of my instruments on the stage area, perhaps background. But! They actually made an extra stage just for mine! I was really flattered... too flattered you could say. I never expected my part to be this significant.

When it started, it was ok, but I have 1 problem. My buckets keep on falling off stage. I was worried and I have to constantly hold the pills. But think, how can i drum properly with just 1 hand?? Thus so, the first performance, in my opinion, was just a 6/10. At least the solo Tamayura part was good.

Soon after, that was a short break till the mass dance thingy, thus so I waited around. It was then I received a message.

"Miss Lee is in critical condition. Please see her ASAP."

I was shocked. Very shocked. Miss Lee has been my tuition teacher from Primary 3 to Sec 4 and you could say without her, there won't be the present Takahina.

Now I was getting jittery. I have one more performance and the soon to come mass dance. I was in a totally no mood to perform now. Especially the super enthus mass dance, really not my stuff. But still, I have to last on. At least finish the final Stomp performance. The mass dance can be easily short of 1 person no problem.

So I lasted on. Performed Mass Dance. Forced myself to smile and laugh all, but still i'm not in a good mood. Instead I got more and more irritated at myself and the whole mood. After it, all i'm left is just a full strength drumming. I already applied leave for the second mass dance.

And thus so, it begans. With the spotlight on me, I used my 100% strength. Probably due to the news of my tuition teacher, rage or pain just fills my hands with strength.... Too comic le.

Anyway, the second stomp was good. No pills went berserk and rhythm is ok. Saw Jonathan by the way. And I destroyed a lot of pills on that day. Throughout the week, I devastated a total of 4 middle sized buckets, 2 small sized buckets and 2 big sized buckets. I love Tamayura.

Soon after I went, met up with parents and went for SGH.

Miss Lee was frail and thin... too thin. In the past she was plump and had a good voice and hearty appearance. But now, she looks so... fragile. I can't imagine it. I almost couldn't recognize her after just few months!

She talked to me in a very pale soft voice, a complete contrast to her previously vibrant voice. She was talking so softly that just her appearance and voiced had me totally stunned. Soon after she still asked my studies and many others... it was like, she was trying to say out all her pent up words that she had not told me for a very long time. And indeed, i felt her concern and also her hopes. It was just, heart-aching... totally unbearable. Seeing her in this way is too painful. Due to the cringes of disease, she was now the complete opposite of what I know about her a year ago.

When she talked to me, it was as if she was trying to tell me all her words, it was like... her last words. I couldn't bear it and cried.

From what I know, Miss Lee had her death wills done and was baptised recently due to the influence and the helped offered by the christian committee. She also wanted to see all of the students she taught, even those who were now successful and reputable personnel in their field of profession. And indeed, students from all over came. Hong Kong, Australia and many more.

Now, I didn't really think too much into god or any buddha or even the recent Soka religion. But now, I really hope... really, that she can recover.

Thanks to Priscilla for comforting me and letting me have an enjoyable time at Soka.
Thanks to Miss Lee's students for informing me of the news.
Sorry to Mei Yi and few others for not being able to attend the second Mass Dance.
Sorry to Miss Lee for not frequently seeing you more often.