Category: ZHobbies & Collectibles

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ZHobbies & Collectibles

Another hobby – Football / futsal

Football / futsall is one of my favorites sports. I started soccer during my primary school. From primary school until college time, I always as a defender and occasionally goalkeeper. Few years ago, I began to like to play middle / forward position. I began to enjoy dribbling. That time, I began to get serious about soccer. I read many articles to learn the proper technique and skill and I trained myself. Throughout my ten years as a member of Central Christian Church of Malaysia, my church has organized a few soccer competitions and I joined all of them. Even though I like to play to middle or forward position, but because lack of strong defenders, I need to stay back to strengthen the defensive teritory most of the time. but because of my position,

Goal!
I hardly score any goals during all the soccer competition matches I participated in my entire life. I just manage to score two goals (what I can remember) during all these competitions and both goals are long ranged one. That time, I consider my freekick or long distance shot is not bad. I believe that is because I practice it. But now, I koyak liao. 😀

Futsal
Lately, I have changed to play futsal (indoor soccer). Some of my church members orgnized the first futsal competition end of last year (2007). I participated. Well, my team lost just at the very last minute but we had a good fight. We shall be back! 😀

Now
Now, sometimes I will play futsal on Sunday afternoon at the place just opposite Global Business Park, where we have our church service in the morning. Lately, I also enjoy juggling as well, to exercise, for fun and to train myself too. Although not that impressive yet, below is a little clip of some juggling I did on July 2008.

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ZHobbies & Collectibles

Blogging

Blogging has become more and more popular nowadays. What exactly is blogging? Well for my knowledge, is it is another word for online journalling (or dairy). And, I started writing (from now, I will use the word “write” instead of “blog” or “journalling”, which I prefer) way long time ago. I guess since primary school time. But, I only write more when I became a Christian which is nine years ago. Those days (nine years ago), I used my computer to type my journal. But never published. Where got blog website those days?

I started publish my writing ever since I own this website which is since year 2004. This website push me to write, and to write better journal. On July 2006, I have created an account in blogspot. But, you won’t able to read it because I kept it private. Maybe I will copy some from there to this website from time to time.

Writing is a need for me. Writing is where I pour out my thoughts, emotions, my problems, my struggles, my sins, and everything else. This is where I got gut-level real, honest to myself. When I have a good time of writing, I feel good at the end because. I feel relieved, lighter, my thoughts and problems got more organized. And at times, I feel good because I made some decisions towards the situation. I also write to share my knowledge and experience, which hopefully can benefits others. All my personal writing, I put under “Articles” and “Useful Tips” section in this website.

Where I usually write?
Using my Acer laptop, I used to write a lot in Starbuck. In the past, I am cynical to Starbuck. Why pay so much just for normal coffee? And see this as luxury lifestyle and shouldn’t be a lifestyle of a Christian (my self-righteousness)?. But, after awhile and some thinking about it, I realize it is actually “cheap” for me to write in Starbuck. Why I say “cheap”? Because, just with one purchase of drink, I can have free wifi for 2 hours (my average duration), and can do my writing in a safe, comfortable and relaxing ( their Jazz music) environment. Worth it! What a calculative person I am!

But recently, I have changed my spot to Coffee Bean, even though I still prefer coffee than tea and Starbuck’s latte still the best for me. Here are the reasons:

  • Health – tea is less caffein compare to coffee.
  • Coffee Bean’s Genmaicha tea taste good to me.
  • Cheaper – the normal tea in Coffee Bean cost RM7.88, while the plain latte in Starbuck cost RM9.98.
  • Loyalty card – Coffee Bean has loyalty card, while Starbuck has none.
  • There is a coffee maker in my new company. So, I can drink fresh bean coffee everyday.

So far, I have tried two types of green tea: Genmaicha and Moroccan Mint and one types of herbal infusion: Lemon Chamomile. But for me, the best so far is Genmaicha.

I also write much in my pda phone.
One of the reason why I want to get this Treo 650 pda phone is because of that. When I think about something, it is good for me to write them as fast as possible. So, if you see me pressing those tiny button in my pda phone, I am not playing games with it. In fact, there is no games in it. I have uninstall them already. They are too addictive to me. I’m probably writing.

I also draw
Occasionally, I draw. I will draw flow-chart and bird-view diagram. Besides drawing it on paper, I draw it in a big flipchart board in my house. This tool is good, because I got a very large space to draw the whole bird-view diagram of my life on it.

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Singing

Singing along and home recording

When I sing along with some MLTR songs, I realize that I can’t sing as good as last time. I couldn’t support MLTR much continously high notes. I believe is practice. Last time, though I don’t have the singing knowledge, I practice a lot by just keep singing along and really sing a lot compare to me after being a Christian. But, as I keep singing along with those songs, I seems to get it back a little and gain back some excitment of singing and some confidence too. Confidence to sing high notes and to renew my mind that I can’t because I’m a bass ma. No, I can sing high notes because I did it in the past.

This also makes me think about few thing about singing along with song. I think this is a good way as practice. If I want to exercise my support for high notes, I think MLTR will be a good teacher here. I shall try this way also for other nice song. Using this way, when my pitch not same with the original one, I can pause to fix it. Also if sing along, I can also learn the rytme, familiarity of the songs (like when to come in, listen to the instrument) and learn from the original artist thru some imitation.

But some problem might occur is if I imitate the original artist, then I will have so many types of voice and could be at the end, not fix voice of my own. Maybe at the moment, just let it be first until later. After some time later, I think it’s time to fix one time of style and focus in it.

Also today, bought a pre-amp. I have been longing for home recording equipment for long. Initially tried to look for audio interface but don’t know which shop already. So, since I’m near Pudu, I went to Pudu to look for something and bound into this Beringer shop and bought this little mic pre-amp which cost RM180. Free one RCA cable and one 2 to 1 convertor. Hope this is a good buy. Don’t really have much time to survey because the shop I plan to buy will close if I go there after working day and Saturday half day. I feel the kind of obsession in me because I don’t think there is anyone in the church including song leader will do this extreme thing like me I think – home recording. Willing to spend much time and money for it and now I’m not joining song leader too. Maybe this is me, have some nature of extreme. Maybe this look extreme or crazy because no one does that but in the other hand, when I think about it, doing so (if can afford) can get to improve in your vocal effectively. I hope so.

I also believe in knowledge and skills. I believe that if someone keep practice without proper technique or skills, his/her singing skills will never improve. He/she able to maintain it but couldn’t really be better because he/she already feel satisfy of it and not knowing what is lacking in them. That’s the job of a voice teacher, to point to what is still lacking in that person.

Also, something I heard from the singing forum, you paid voice teacher for their ears. So, instead of spending RM200 every month to voice teacher, what about spending one time cost for home recording? Using it, I think, can help to hear our outpot clearer. I can’t wait to buy a dynamic mic to test out my new mic pre-amp.

Categories
Singing

Song practice in church office today

Come earlier to church office to practice with Wai Yee but couldn’t do well with “Create in me a pure heart.”

Then change to We will glorify. Still find it so hard, easily get distracted. Maybe this can be pitch-matching side effect. When want to pitch-match need to sync with others, but if part, need to rebel against it. Woo .. find it challenging. But, I have told myself not to bother too much of pitch and also other thing because I’m focusing in breathing now.

Our group F4. Today our group got much rebuke and challenge from other song leader. I spoke out after Fui Enn rebuke Grace. But thinking back, indeed our group deserve it because we do not carry the right attitude about this audition. Though I myself focus in singing lately, but because others seem not talk about it and I myself feel lousy about my singing, so I also not too bother about it, only just discuss with Wai Yee last Wednesday to come earlier today for practice. I thought I’m the one who got it but doesn’t realize all other 3 also kena. Bottom line, we all gotta repent.

Other singing, I feel excited because I seem to be able to sing soprano at comfortable level, using my diaphram. Didn’t really think much about breathing but diaphram.

Daniel. He is talented bass because he is the best among all bass. He can catch up quick and confident and not as easy distracted compare to me. I have struggle with that, pride.

For my bass, when got other bass, I can sing it but alone very anxious. I gotta overcome my anxiousness and ‘just do it’.

Categories
Singing

Never take as much breath as you can hold

I think I understand point 2 liao. Never take as much breath as you can hold. It is about taking the right amount of breath. Example, if got long break/rest, take more breath. If short breat/rest, take a quick breath (using mouth). So, gotta be familiar where are those break/rest and whether they are long break/rest or short one. After know it, gotta practice much too.

If want to sing pop song, need to use a pencil to right note the break/rest because no song sheet ma.