Won't you take me to :) town

I’m waiting around a recording studio as I type this, waiting for the occasional occasion where my vocal services are required for a Malaysian-made animation pilot. It’s a gorgeous house set atop a lush hill not too far from town, and I’m recording on the first floor - with strains of live traditional Malay music drifting up from a booth on ground floor. It’s getting dark, my eyes are straining, my bum aches on the cold marble floor (the sacrifices I make for power socket proximity), and my nostrils desperately seek the promise land through the destitute planes of second hand ciggy smoke. Its been a long day, today’s session is projected to last 10 hours. I’m heading to the office first thing tomorrow morning to face to colossal 48-hour task of successfully pulling off a media luncheon for an Aussie children’s TV show almost single-handedly.

I’m not happy. But I am content.

(Then again, I could be just saying that because my mate Johnny’s just sent me the grooviest Youtube link of Stevie Wonder on the talkbox. Drown me in that Stevie. Bludgeon me with that talkbox.)

When I took part in KLPac’s Shakespearean workshop presentation in April, we had a lot of student audiences. After one of the performances, one particular bevy of schoolgirls approached me for pictures and to congratulate me on my performance. And the unexpected happened. One girl told me that their school drama tournament was just around the corner, and she asked me for acting advice. I was dumbfounded. It seemed just yesterday that I was in her shoes, an eager beaver student waiting for actors to emerge from backstage to hound them for photo opportunities and tips on achieving my dream job. And now I finally understand, or at least safely assume, why most of them were unable to muster a substantial answer. It wasn’t because they wanted to protect the secrets of the trade. It’s because there are none. And they honestly don’t know what to say otherwise. The bug just grows and matures with you unawares, until of course you make that conscious decision to bring out the proverbial newspaper roll. It was a fascinating realization that I‘ve come so far and still be learning.

Like I‘ve said previously, It’s been a manic year, and tomorrow marks the beginning of the second half of the year. I like the way this it’s been going so far. I’ve sensed a better utilization of schedule without compromising on downtime. I’ve got almost the rest of the year entirely mapped out - it wasn’t my intention, since I had previously sworn off making plans to recover and breathe from a merciless year before this. But I think I’m ready for plans again, they no longer seem as asphyxiating.

I'm excited about being confirmed for a small stint for a docudrama for The History Channel, as part of a series that highlights some little-known fragments of Malaysian history. It's a non-speaking role and the pay's a tad paltry but hey, these days owning even a History Channel sticker could boost you several rungs up the social ladder. I should be shooting for two days sometime in June.

I’ve always warmed up to the idea of wrapping up a year with something extra chunky, and I’ve been served my ladleful of peanut butter for 2009: earlier last week I received the script for a big December play. Three players, a swimming pool and a whole lotta cheek. I just finished reading it last night; it’s a light commercial piece, which is beneficial for me because by the looks of it, I’m going to need to usher much of my energy into getting my character right. I was handpicked for the role so there is no way I can afford to do injustice to her. I’m glad I’ve been given a 6-month headstart! I’ll pump ya’ll with the juice when the date grows more significant.

I really want to start blogging regularly again. I’ve been notorious for wearing my heart on my sleeve, and I miss taking a small everyday incidence and going all Lord-Of-The-Rings with it, deliberating over my words for hours on end before I deem it post-able. How I wish my work commitments were halved so that I could stick to the promise I've made to my blog to not condemn it into the pits of obscurity. I’ll see how I can get myself back on track again.

For now, or more specifically the rest of the evening, it’s back to the mic, headphones and a glass of good ol‘ passage-clearing sky juice.


The closest Fairil & I will ever get to matrimony