The Things We Have Lost

’08 was good to me. Really really good to me. Practically everything in ’09 and probably next year too are a product of foundations laid last year. So the following +1 to our meter needs a little bit of backstory.

Fresh out of high school is a good place to be when you’re diving into the theatrical world. You’re free, you’re eager, and you’re hungry. (You also probably have zero training, but what the hey. Get out there and audition your tired little heart anyway)

So it came to pass that around April of ’08 I was juggling about 5 different projects. Between rehearsals for Coming Out of the Closet, the Platform, an audition for T4YP, starting my motion capture job and falling into place with a wonderful group of people at Cloudbreak, doing an exchange program with the UK.

Naturally, you’re young. You make mistakes. You think you’re faster than you really are, and sooner or later, your lack of attention to a project becomes unfair to the others who have devoted lots more time than you are.

And then things got ugly.  Normally, being removed from a group already burns quite a few bridges, but my incident with this group went the extra mile. There was a hearing. Words and opinions were exchanged that hurt both parties immensely. I lost contact with some of my favorite people.

Then recently one of them sends me a message over facebook, a notice about the Central School of Speech and Drama in London having auditions in Singapore for their Autumn 2010 intake. She saw it, and being the endless well of consideration that she is, sends it over to me.

Now here’s what the +1 is all about. I thought I’d lost this person forever to a silly misunderstanding. And here she goes, cordial as ever, warm, even; sending me this notice.

“…thought you might be interested Heard you’re doing lotsa productions, good on ya! Saw you on the papers too, looking good”

Like I said. Some of my favorite people.

And who knows, maybe I’ll go audition.

+1
Current meter: 59 (Make a push for 60!)

Why march indeed.

Dear all,

http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=36441.

For the sake of this man, the -2 i was gonna give the meter because of certain parties gets a -1 instead.

…. For fuck’s sake, (edit: and with no insult meant to the writer of the article provided in the link above; he’s a really good writer i think) anyone with the intelligence quotient of a roasted apple can tell you what the problem is with the sentence “Why hold a demonstration when the ISA is currently under review and we are in the process of getting feedback from the public? It’s pointless!”

My first thought then was how embarrassed I was, thinking of the foreigners reading our The Star on airlines and overseas when those headlines graced our front pages. We’re on a sinking ship and they’re telling us not to jump.

-1.

Yahtzee!

Never let it be said that there is _ever_ a shortage of Theater out here in the Multiverse!

+1

Current Meter: 59

Re: Even in the exam season

This will!

Cheers.

Effect on meter:??

Even in the exam season

Dear all,

If this doesn’t make you high I don’t know what will.

+1

Current Meter: 57

Short one T’day, folks!

First of all. (Stabs Ryn in jealous rage)

*Hides the body* Moving on!

Right, so today as my dad was graciously sending me to work, I was in the back eating a hashbrown (which in itself, should be a +1 already), we were on the highway and we seemed to be matching speed with a taxi to the left, and, while munching, I look to the left to see a guy fiddling with his files in the back of the taxi, looking slightly concerned (as in, oh bugger I know I left them here concerned), he looks up, and for a moment we both share a moment of “yeah. Been there.” 

I wave, and he looks pleasantly surprised, then waves back. Then the cab pulls into a different road and that’s that.

I would’ve liked to have thought, that had we met under different circumstances, we could’ve actually been pretty good friends.

I also would’ve liked to have thought, that if he were Malaysian, I would not have gotten a confused stare and a swift ignore.

But we hope.  =)

+1

Current meter: 56 (The product of 8 and 7. Going up!)

Runaway

Dear All,

I’d just come back from a fantastic trip up and down France and Holland. When I say I just came back I really meant I’d come back like 3 days ago but I’ve just finished unpacking the last of my things =P The trip was awesome throughout for the following reasons:

1) The people we met (bus and tram drivers, shopkeepers, street musicians, other tourists,etc) were all very friendly, and very helpful. Even some of the beggars had a certain politeness about them, but that’s probably just me being lucky =/

2) I’m more happy than proud to say that I was able to make someone’s world a little less dark and a little more pink (personal stuff here, so won’t go into it, or this post will run several pages long XD)

3) I’m convinced that there still is a place I can run away to when I  need to get away from the stresses of the world and the ‘minus-ones’ of the meter.

4)  The place is just so damned beautiful.

5) absolutely nothing went wrong, which is a BIG deal on vacation.

I had a taste of paradise for 17 days, and I loved every moment of it. =) 

So sue my heart,

+2

Current meter: 55

I was having quite the self induced emo depressive day yesterday. Parking at Midvalley in the middle of the day with inconsiderate impatient drivers did not help the situation.

BUT……when I got to KLPac early to catch Prom The Musical (word of warning, pls just save you’re money) . A friend I’m actually not so close to, offered to be my bartender and lend me an ear. Despite being quite busy with her work. She was an angel.

Though I did not divulge the full extent of my emoness towards her…or much of it actually….but just the thought of the offer was enough to make my day just that much more bearable.

+1

Current meter: 53

Malaysia boleh?

I do not know this man personally. Thus, I am unable to verify the truth of this story, but it sounds likely to me.

The original Facebook note.
Before you read, please understand that sometimes, Malaysia is not what it seems, let’s spread this around to boycott the place and to make sure the papers get to it and help Mr Colin get well soon.

Mr Colin is a lecturer from Taylor’s University College.

Foreigners Assaulted and Looking for Answers

March 30, 2009

I write today because I was assaulted this weekend by a deadly weapon, watched a female colleague of mine get hit by a man, and I feel as though it is my responsibility to make sure similar events do not take place again.
Living in Malaysia for the past ten months, I have seen a lot of ‘Malaysia boleh’. Most people here are friendly, helpful, and live peacefully. I have met wonderful people from each of Malaysia’s dominant ethnic groups (Malays, Indians, and Chinese) and seen harmony in practice between this country’s main religions (Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism). Lecturing here, I have met many Malaysian students who symbolize this country’s potential for a ‘bright future’.
On the contrary, I have heard many stories of racial tension, hatred and violence. Daily I hear negative things about another race or religion. People from one group will talk about ‘the other’ as the problem, confiding in me like I agree, or think similarly. Everyday people treat me (tall, white, Canadian male) well. I am greeted as ‘sir’ or ‘boss’ with utmost respect, and kindness. However, I sometimes question whether this treatment is ‘superficial’ or ‘fake’. If I were not a tall white Canadian male, would people treat me this well?
This Friday, I sadly became the focus of a ‘group’s’ hatred, jealousy, and racist feelings. I attended a local club at Sunway Pyramid called Bar Celona with three of my colleagues from the college. After we had been there a couple of hours, the shift manager came over and accused us of drinking an extra jug of beer, saying that we needed to pay more money. This was a false accusation, and they would not leave us alone, telling us to pay them more. They started pointing in our faces calling us liars. I asked them if it was a race issue; the only foreigners in the bar being picked on and harassed. One of the bouncers asked me if I wanted to fight, and if I did we could take this outside. I did not want to. We were the only foreigners in the whole bar, and right from the start these workers seemed to want to fight us.
All of a sudden I was hit on the top of my head with a bottle by one of the bouncers. At least five of them had surrounded me and I was bleeding profusely. Another bouncer hit me again in the head with another bottle. Neither bottle shattered as I am guessing they were full. When I opened my eyes, one of the big bouncers punched me in the face. I was afraid for my life and realizing they were trying to kill me, I punched him back. My female colleague was being held back and my other two friends were still in discussion about this petty money issue at another end of the bar. After I threw my first punch the bouncer tried to throw me down the metal escalator. Had I not caught myself on the way down, I surely could have died. Once at the bottom they kept pushing me; ten to fifteen bouncers were following me.
The female colleague of mine tried to hold one of them back, yelling to them to stop. She was met with a punch from the bouncer. This man attempted to punch her in the face. Luckily he only brushed her face and ended up punching her shoulder. He grabbed her and tried to pull her to the ground, knocking her personal belongings out of her bag. They never actually asked us to leave the bar.
I was standing on the street with the bouncers coming up to me, putting their fists in my face, yelling and giving me the finger. At least one hundred pedestrians were watching, passive and surely thinking that I am some tourist looking for a fight, or starting one in the bar. I was covered from head to toe in blood as we got in a taxi. Although I received sixteen stitches for the two giant gashes on my head, and a brain scan to look for glass pieces in the wound and any internal damage, the main thing that has been hurt is my confidence in Malaysia.
I have always been positive and optimistic about this country and the people. I have given 100% to my students and the local community. As a social science teacher I teach a course called ‘Individuals and Families in a Diverse Society’. My job is to promote acceptance, unity and harmony amongst diverse peoples. This event crushed my confidence in Malaysia. If this country is ever going to be truly ‘developed’, the focus cannot be solely on the economy. Acceptance and equality of different genders, races, religions/non-religions, abilities and interests are also important components to ‘development’. Diverse peoples must find a way to get along.
With development and globalization comes ‘foreign peoples’. These people do not and should not expect to be given preferential treatment. Everyone regardless of race, religion or nationality should be respected, treated fairly, and given their basic human rights. This weekend workers employed by the establishment Bar Celona tried to kill me with a weapon and assaulted a female in front of their bar. This is not acceptable behavior and cannot be passed off as part of the ‘Malaysian experience’. Bouncers are in a bar to protect the patrons, not to assault them.

-1.

Current meter: 52

I put the Tickle in Political.

Phwoooooar its about time since this blog saw some action. So allow me to break on in with, of course, a massive -1 to the meter. So lets get that “Aw, he’s just bitter” sentiment out the way and leave it at the fact that Life has been pretty damn good to me as of late, what with work slowing down so I get some free time to myself, and Stage Therapy went swimmingly, too.

But, (and there’s always a But), while I was hanging out in the green room, Abigail was gaily doing the crosswords, and while passing by, I remembered why I don’t read the papers.

Now; yes, we all know, Najib’s prime minister. Shitcrapfuckhell and all that, but more than that, something that really gets to me is how apathetic everyone is as a general populace. We’ve got a murderer in the office, and now we’re all “Oh, dammit he’s in. I hate politics”… and little else.

The general sentiment I get from the people around me (for it is their opinion I care for the most) is just this wish-wash “I fail to care anymore”. I myself am guilty of such indifference, never truly taking an interest in the going ons of the upper echelons, but what I do acknowledge and saddened by is just this whole “We’re fucked. Get out.” opinion that strangulates our brightest and youngest generations in the country. And the poor people actually trying really aren’t heard.

And if there is indeed a sizable opposing force of some sort (Read: Anwar), well there hasn’t been much going on that front. His promised date came and went, and we all sure as hell weren’t holding our breaths. And now… this. This apathy, this watching things go by and, at best, feeling helpless, at worst, straight up jumping ship. I become far more interested in what Barack Obama has managed to accomplish in his country rather than understand how our government is clawing its way out of the pit its dug (if its trying at all, I don’t know)

I understand this feeling because I feel it. I see the problem, and I have a preliminary understanding of it, but I just flat out don’t want to do anything about it other than rant. It doesn’t seem worth the effort. Perhaps my half-baked excuse is that in helping build the art scene here in KL the education strata will trickle its way upwards, but I know the deep truth is that I just want to get by and do my own stuff without caring an inkling for the state and future of the country because I just live in it. I don’t like leading, and the mountain I’m looking to climb is faaaaar too steep.

And I don’t feel ashamed.

-1.

Current Faith in Humanity: 53 (Not horible.)