29 July 2008
Phew... well the weather cleared up and we went out in the slightly dull late afternoon air for a dip in the pool. Dad sat nearby for a spot of birdwatching and a snooze. The resort kindly brought out some curried vegetable samosas and feta and spinach samosas for a complimentary afternoon snack. Ah, the life!
Then back to the house for a massive tiramisu birthday cake and champagne. It turned out to be a very pleasant day after all.
However, that night big sis and I were plagued by a small fruit bat that kept hurling itself at our mosquito net all night. Both were too scared to go to the loo and were trapped until morning came.
Oh, and ma and pa's room flooded again...
Then back to the house for a massive tiramisu birthday cake and champagne. It turned out to be a very pleasant day after all.
However, that night big sis and I were plagued by a small fruit bat that kept hurling itself at our mosquito net all night. Both were too scared to go to the loo and were trapped until morning came.
Oh, and ma and pa's room flooded again...
24 July 2008
So. Several hours later the rain showed no signs abating, so big sis and I ventured out in the sheets of rain to seek out my aunts and uncle who were staying in the new (still being built) part of the resort. On the way we saw a poor fish, about the size of a large carrot, flopping about on the driveway trying to find a puddle to revive itself in. Big sis tried to pick it up but couldn't hack the squirming and I was equally pathetic, unable to hack either the squirming or the sliminess. Fortunately, it found its own way into a puddle where it sat sighing heavily through its gills.
Onward ho - through ankle deep water with some pathetic planks laid strategically in a manner so as to sink as soon as we stepped onto them. Well, sodden and bedraggled, we saw Australian aunt in the distance about to embark on the trek in the opposite direction. Finally made it there and sheltered for a bit before we all made the trip back to our villa.
And that was our first morning. Lunchtime, torrential rain and nowhere to go.
Onward ho - through ankle deep water with some pathetic planks laid strategically in a manner so as to sink as soon as we stepped onto them. Well, sodden and bedraggled, we saw Australian aunt in the distance about to embark on the trek in the opposite direction. Finally made it there and sheltered for a bit before we all made the trip back to our villa.
And that was our first morning. Lunchtime, torrential rain and nowhere to go.
22 July 2008
Langkawi was eventful - no other word for it.
Arrived late on Saturday at the resort to find the villa we were staying in, which was a century-old restored Malay kampung house on stilts, had incredibly vertiginous stairs to the main bedroom and living area and even more vertiginous stairs leading down to the master bathroom. So, big sis and I swapped rooms with the parents so they wouldn't have to risk life and limb climbing up and down in the dark during the night, and the parents had the ground level living area instead. Less glamorous but so much more practical.
On Sunday, we woke up to torrential rain - the heaviest monsoon rains they've had all season. Curly and Larry braved the rains to hot foot over from their villa to ours. Curly was wearing her nightie á la all the best dressed people in China (or so I'm led to believe by ChinesePod). Some time during the morning we decided to play Hide and Seek with them. Big sis and I proceeded down the stairs to the lower part of the house where my parents were staying to find ... not the girls but a river of water flowing from the bathroom into my parents' bedroom. Aaaaaarrrrrghhhh! The drains were blocked and the girls were blissfully hiding, oblivious to the water about to drown my mother's suitcase and ruin the carefully woven ikat rug artfully placed on the floor by the hotel.
So, rapidly adorning appropriate attire i.e. not my PJs, and a pair of waterproof flip-flops, I plunged out into the storm in search of assistance (no phones in the rooms). In typical understated English fashion, I spoke to the on-duty manager thus, 'Sorry to trouble you, but we have a bit of a flood in Cahaya (our villa). Could someone possibly come out and have a look?', when I should have been going, 'FLOOD, FLOOD! Aaargh!'
Anyway, they came, looked, fiddled around with the drains outside, mopped endlessly (a bit like Sisyphus) until the rain stopped, disinfected and left.
So that was our morning but there was so much more to come...
To be continued (as they say in all the best serials - or in any old serial)
Arrived late on Saturday at the resort to find the villa we were staying in, which was a century-old restored Malay kampung house on stilts, had incredibly vertiginous stairs to the main bedroom and living area and even more vertiginous stairs leading down to the master bathroom. So, big sis and I swapped rooms with the parents so they wouldn't have to risk life and limb climbing up and down in the dark during the night, and the parents had the ground level living area instead. Less glamorous but so much more practical.
On Sunday, we woke up to torrential rain - the heaviest monsoon rains they've had all season. Curly and Larry braved the rains to hot foot over from their villa to ours. Curly was wearing her nightie á la all the best dressed people in China (or so I'm led to believe by ChinesePod). Some time during the morning we decided to play Hide and Seek with them. Big sis and I proceeded down the stairs to the lower part of the house where my parents were staying to find ... not the girls but a river of water flowing from the bathroom into my parents' bedroom. Aaaaaarrrrrghhhh! The drains were blocked and the girls were blissfully hiding, oblivious to the water about to drown my mother's suitcase and ruin the carefully woven ikat rug artfully placed on the floor by the hotel.
So, rapidly adorning appropriate attire i.e. not my PJs, and a pair of waterproof flip-flops, I plunged out into the storm in search of assistance (no phones in the rooms). In typical understated English fashion, I spoke to the on-duty manager thus, 'Sorry to trouble you, but we have a bit of a flood in Cahaya (our villa). Could someone possibly come out and have a look?', when I should have been going, 'FLOOD, FLOOD! Aaargh!'
Anyway, they came, looked, fiddled around with the drains outside, mopped endlessly (a bit like Sisyphus) until the rain stopped, disinfected and left.
So that was our morning but there was so much more to come...
To be continued (as they say in all the best serials - or in any old serial)
19 July 2008
Bro-in-law: Curly, you've got dhal in your hair. You'll have to tie it up if you're going to get food in it.
A few seconds later.
Bro-in-law: Curly, what are you doing? Stop putting roti canai on your head.
Curly: But I'm trying to mop up the dhal.
Middle sis: It makes sense...
General merriment all round.
A few seconds later.
Bro-in-law: Curly, what are you doing? Stop putting roti canai on your head.
Curly: But I'm trying to mop up the dhal.
Middle sis: It makes sense...
General merriment all round.
Today I did the Lotus position for the first time in about 10 years. It may not seem like much but, man, I felt elated. My ankles hurt, I held it for about 2 seconds but I did it. And I did it again later in the day. It’s the little things...
The movie du jour was Red Cliff Pt 1, John Woo’s historical epic. My favourite Chinese actor, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, was in it playing Viceroy Zhou. There was a lot of fighting and blood and gore (unsurprisingly for John Woo). But there was also great characterisation, a feisty but unannoying princess, some nice dialogue and a plot that was simple but you can just see is going to turn into great tragedy and betrayal in Pt 2. And it sure was epic. Can’t wait to see the next instalment.
Did a yoga and upper body workout today, giving my poor calves some respite. Then swimming with sister and family at the Lake Club. I did my auntily duty by reviving the old game of Marco Polo and handing it down a generation. Also, showed off with a graceful (in my head) exhibition of diving, somersaulting and standing on my hands in the pool. For good form, did a couple of laps and then between us tried to drown my youngest niece in the cause of teaching her how to swim. Whilst I am gratified that I can still wear my swimming gear from when I was sixteen, I am not so happy to find that it is slowly disintegrating from the chlorine abuse over the years. A new outfit is in order I feel.
Today’s eating was roti canai (for the 3rd time this trip), chow kuay teow, grilled skate, rojak, nasi kandar, Ipoh fish ball soup, clams with chilli and garlic washed down with the company of my lovely family.
Tomorrow, off to a sunshiny beach paradise, for three days, staying in lovingly restored Malay kampung houses to celebrate my Dad's 70th birthday.
The movie du jour was Red Cliff Pt 1, John Woo’s historical epic. My favourite Chinese actor, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, was in it playing Viceroy Zhou. There was a lot of fighting and blood and gore (unsurprisingly for John Woo). But there was also great characterisation, a feisty but unannoying princess, some nice dialogue and a plot that was simple but you can just see is going to turn into great tragedy and betrayal in Pt 2. And it sure was epic. Can’t wait to see the next instalment.
Did a yoga and upper body workout today, giving my poor calves some respite. Then swimming with sister and family at the Lake Club. I did my auntily duty by reviving the old game of Marco Polo and handing it down a generation. Also, showed off with a graceful (in my head) exhibition of diving, somersaulting and standing on my hands in the pool. For good form, did a couple of laps and then between us tried to drown my youngest niece in the cause of teaching her how to swim. Whilst I am gratified that I can still wear my swimming gear from when I was sixteen, I am not so happy to find that it is slowly disintegrating from the chlorine abuse over the years. A new outfit is in order I feel.
Today’s eating was roti canai (for the 3rd time this trip), chow kuay teow, grilled skate, rojak, nasi kandar, Ipoh fish ball soup, clams with chilli and garlic washed down with the company of my lovely family.
Tomorrow, off to a sunshiny beach paradise, for three days, staying in lovingly restored Malay kampung houses to celebrate my Dad's 70th birthday.
18 July 2008
I saw a firefly tonight for the first time in my life. I was outside locking the gate when I saw a tiny pinprick of light floating around over the tops of the trees in the garden. It made me smile.
We were in Esquire Kitchen again today partaking of their set lunch. RM55 for 4 dishes which we topped up with a tofu dish for RM9 and flower buns and rice. We had cashew nut chicken with dried chillies, French beans with minced pork and dried prawns, double cooked pork with chilli and fermented yellow beans and a seafood casserole brimming with exciting things like sea cucumber and abalone, as well as prawns and octopus and asparagus. A feast for five for the princely sum of about RM90 all in.
In the afternoon we went to watch Wanted which was a rollicking shootout fest with lots of blood and car chases and destruction on train action thrown in. It was full of plot potholes and practically requires you to suspend any semblance of belief whatsoever but was still excellent fun with plenty of eye candy for all and coolness in spades. Makes you want to run out and be a super secret assassin or at least a shady double agent type. But I’ll settle for renewed impetus to workout more and dressing like Angelina Jolie in an effort to look super cool.
After that it was home to homemade Suzhou pork jiaoji courtesy of my aunt who has come to visit.
Oh – I found the watch I want online. It’s a lovely 50s styled watch in matt silver steel with a black leather strap. I will have to wait till I’m back in the UK to buy it though, but I’m glad I’ve found it.
We were in Esquire Kitchen again today partaking of their set lunch. RM55 for 4 dishes which we topped up with a tofu dish for RM9 and flower buns and rice. We had cashew nut chicken with dried chillies, French beans with minced pork and dried prawns, double cooked pork with chilli and fermented yellow beans and a seafood casserole brimming with exciting things like sea cucumber and abalone, as well as prawns and octopus and asparagus. A feast for five for the princely sum of about RM90 all in.
In the afternoon we went to watch Wanted which was a rollicking shootout fest with lots of blood and car chases and destruction on train action thrown in. It was full of plot potholes and practically requires you to suspend any semblance of belief whatsoever but was still excellent fun with plenty of eye candy for all and coolness in spades. Makes you want to run out and be a super secret assassin or at least a shady double agent type. But I’ll settle for renewed impetus to workout more and dressing like Angelina Jolie in an effort to look super cool.
After that it was home to homemade Suzhou pork jiaoji courtesy of my aunt who has come to visit.
Oh – I found the watch I want online. It’s a lovely 50s styled watch in matt silver steel with a black leather strap. I will have to wait till I’m back in the UK to buy it though, but I’m glad I’ve found it.
17 July 2008
02:00 am
I am awake again just two hours after falling asleep – a combination of jet lag (no doubt) and sadness. Fortunately, although the mosquitoes have been biting, I don’t seem to feel the itch so badly. It’s also pleasantly cool and so the heat hasn’t been bothering me.
It’s the second night in a row without sleep, probably getting six hours sleep in total a day including naps. Good thing I’m on holiday.
We went to Esquire Kitchen yesterday, purveyor of Shanghainese cuisine and excellent dumplings. Lovely preserved vegetable and pork noodle soup and crisp wor dip with all the trimmings. We’ll be back for the flower buns, cashew nut chicken and pork belly stew another day. Sadly, I’m still not eating so much but I guess that will come in time.
My calves are in agony. Did a forty-five minute workout yesterday and have found that a hard terrazzo floor (even with a thin coating of carpet) does not make a satisfactory cushion for one’s legs. I shall have to do yoga and strengthen my arms tomorrow instead.
Spent much of today’s shopping trip trying to choose a watch. The watch BB gave me many years ago fell off early this year because the catch broke and I lost it. Now we’ve split up, it’s very difficult to find another watch to replace it. I saw the same watch in a couple of shops and it was hard not to want to go for the same one again. But I need to get away from it, I think.
Choosing a watch is a difficult thing. As bro-in-law says – a watch says a lot about a person and you have it for such a very long time. There was a very nice Fossil watch but perhaps a bit dressy and will probably date. It was similar to my original watch but with wood detailing on the strap. Sounds tacky, I know, but actually looks very nice. Or I could steer away from the contemporary styling altogether and go for something more classic. The bro-in-law pointed out a couple of nice watches – classic round face with numbers around the face and black leather straps. I liked the Victorinox one, but now I quite like the idea of a 1950s style, square faced watch (well with slightly rounded sides) and squarish 50s numbers in a matt steel finish. I think I might wait until I find one that I really like – by which time I might have saved up enough to buy it, whatever price it is.
I wish I hadn’t lost my watch so I wouldn’t have to think about it.
Last night, when I woke up at 1am I made lists. A list so I wouldn’t keep running through my head why I am sad and a list to help me remember what might make me happy. The sad one went on for pages but now I don’t have to run the items on it through my mind anymore.
The happy one may be full of pipe dreams and things that may never happen but it gives me something to aim for and aspire to:
1. I want to travel. China (for my heritage), West Coast of the US (I like the idea of San Francisco and what kind of actress would I be if I never went to Hollywood all my life), hiking in Mount Rushmore Park (because you learn that it’s there when you’re little but, really, it must be spectacular to look at – plus the scenery looked amazing in a film I saw on the plane), Colorado(for my friend Noriko and to go skiing), Australia (for my relatives), bits of Europe I haven’t seen in a while or that I’ve never seen, somewhere spectacularly expensive and beautiful in the Indian Ocean (just so I can experience it in my lifetime).
2. I want to master Mandarin and German – and now I’ve got plenty of time to do it.
3. I want to finish writing my book. I’ve started and now, no matter what, I’ve got to write a bit a day – even if it’s just plot outline or a scene or two or a bit of characterisation.
4. I want to act more.
5. I want to sing more.
6. I want to play the piano more and learn the violin properly.
7. All made possible by earning enough money to retire by the time I am forty-five.
8. I want to build my beautiful dream house to live in with the babies and to call my own.
9. Go hiking – a lot.
We went to see Kung Fu Panda. I loved it. From the moment the film opened it was happy, funny, sweet, feel-good and all the characters were great – even the baddies and the serious ones (well Angelina Jolie’s character was a bit bleh to begin with but loosened up). The panda stayed true to his character, even after he’d trained and become Kung Fu Panda. The wise old sifu was funny and wise and sweet and the scene when he left was beautiful and poetic. He also said something which I’ve heard before and is a typical monkish thing to say – and, yes, is probably corny – but it would probably do me good to remember:
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift which is why it is called the present.”
I loved it from beginning to end and will be getting it on DVD with all the extras as soon as it comes out.
I am awake again just two hours after falling asleep – a combination of jet lag (no doubt) and sadness. Fortunately, although the mosquitoes have been biting, I don’t seem to feel the itch so badly. It’s also pleasantly cool and so the heat hasn’t been bothering me.
It’s the second night in a row without sleep, probably getting six hours sleep in total a day including naps. Good thing I’m on holiday.
We went to Esquire Kitchen yesterday, purveyor of Shanghainese cuisine and excellent dumplings. Lovely preserved vegetable and pork noodle soup and crisp wor dip with all the trimmings. We’ll be back for the flower buns, cashew nut chicken and pork belly stew another day. Sadly, I’m still not eating so much but I guess that will come in time.
My calves are in agony. Did a forty-five minute workout yesterday and have found that a hard terrazzo floor (even with a thin coating of carpet) does not make a satisfactory cushion for one’s legs. I shall have to do yoga and strengthen my arms tomorrow instead.
Spent much of today’s shopping trip trying to choose a watch. The watch BB gave me many years ago fell off early this year because the catch broke and I lost it. Now we’ve split up, it’s very difficult to find another watch to replace it. I saw the same watch in a couple of shops and it was hard not to want to go for the same one again. But I need to get away from it, I think.
Choosing a watch is a difficult thing. As bro-in-law says – a watch says a lot about a person and you have it for such a very long time. There was a very nice Fossil watch but perhaps a bit dressy and will probably date. It was similar to my original watch but with wood detailing on the strap. Sounds tacky, I know, but actually looks very nice. Or I could steer away from the contemporary styling altogether and go for something more classic. The bro-in-law pointed out a couple of nice watches – classic round face with numbers around the face and black leather straps. I liked the Victorinox one, but now I quite like the idea of a 1950s style, square faced watch (well with slightly rounded sides) and squarish 50s numbers in a matt steel finish. I think I might wait until I find one that I really like – by which time I might have saved up enough to buy it, whatever price it is.
I wish I hadn’t lost my watch so I wouldn’t have to think about it.
Last night, when I woke up at 1am I made lists. A list so I wouldn’t keep running through my head why I am sad and a list to help me remember what might make me happy. The sad one went on for pages but now I don’t have to run the items on it through my mind anymore.
The happy one may be full of pipe dreams and things that may never happen but it gives me something to aim for and aspire to:
1. I want to travel. China (for my heritage), West Coast of the US (I like the idea of San Francisco and what kind of actress would I be if I never went to Hollywood all my life), hiking in Mount Rushmore Park (because you learn that it’s there when you’re little but, really, it must be spectacular to look at – plus the scenery looked amazing in a film I saw on the plane), Colorado(for my friend Noriko and to go skiing), Australia (for my relatives), bits of Europe I haven’t seen in a while or that I’ve never seen, somewhere spectacularly expensive and beautiful in the Indian Ocean (just so I can experience it in my lifetime).
2. I want to master Mandarin and German – and now I’ve got plenty of time to do it.
3. I want to finish writing my book. I’ve started and now, no matter what, I’ve got to write a bit a day – even if it’s just plot outline or a scene or two or a bit of characterisation.
4. I want to act more.
5. I want to sing more.
6. I want to play the piano more and learn the violin properly.
7. All made possible by earning enough money to retire by the time I am forty-five.
8. I want to build my beautiful dream house to live in with the babies and to call my own.
9. Go hiking – a lot.
We went to see Kung Fu Panda. I loved it. From the moment the film opened it was happy, funny, sweet, feel-good and all the characters were great – even the baddies and the serious ones (well Angelina Jolie’s character was a bit bleh to begin with but loosened up). The panda stayed true to his character, even after he’d trained and become Kung Fu Panda. The wise old sifu was funny and wise and sweet and the scene when he left was beautiful and poetic. He also said something which I’ve heard before and is a typical monkish thing to say – and, yes, is probably corny – but it would probably do me good to remember:
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift which is why it is called the present.”
I loved it from beginning to end and will be getting it on DVD with all the extras as soon as it comes out.
15 July 2008
Just about over the jet lag now. It's been pretty rainy in KL but cool, which is nice.
So far we have managed to fit in crabs cooked Singapore chilli style and Kam Heong style, Kong Fu Chow Mai Fun (twice), Fukien mein, ham choi tau foo tong, roti canai, thosai, tenggiri and fried chicken with dhal, fish curry and coconut chutney, curry mee, Penang lobak, Penang rojak and fruit juices of all kinds. We are replete and planning our meals for the days to come.
The pa has intimated that he would like a car for his birthday. While we would be happy to oblige I feel that none of us can quite stretch to chipping in for one right now. Still, at least he is open to the idea of changing their car which scrapes the ground going over a bump every time there are more than 3 small children in the back seat.
We went to see Journey to the Centre of the Earth 3D version today. It was not bad at all - good family entertainment. It was pretty frightening in parts too. The cinema was freezing. Good thing I had bought lots of tops just before to use as cosy layers.
The Megamall is in the midst of a Megasale which is all good. I shall be back to purchase more clothes, a suitcase, flip-flops and a watch.
I valiantly did 45 mins of aerobic, endurance and weight training this morning and then felt slightly faint, but soon fortified myself with roti canai. I think I shall have to do a lot of running on the beach.
So far we have managed to fit in crabs cooked Singapore chilli style and Kam Heong style, Kong Fu Chow Mai Fun (twice), Fukien mein, ham choi tau foo tong, roti canai, thosai, tenggiri and fried chicken with dhal, fish curry and coconut chutney, curry mee, Penang lobak, Penang rojak and fruit juices of all kinds. We are replete and planning our meals for the days to come.
The pa has intimated that he would like a car for his birthday. While we would be happy to oblige I feel that none of us can quite stretch to chipping in for one right now. Still, at least he is open to the idea of changing their car which scrapes the ground going over a bump every time there are more than 3 small children in the back seat.
We went to see Journey to the Centre of the Earth 3D version today. It was not bad at all - good family entertainment. It was pretty frightening in parts too. The cinema was freezing. Good thing I had bought lots of tops just before to use as cosy layers.
The Megamall is in the midst of a Megasale which is all good. I shall be back to purchase more clothes, a suitcase, flip-flops and a watch.
I valiantly did 45 mins of aerobic, endurance and weight training this morning and then felt slightly faint, but soon fortified myself with roti canai. I think I shall have to do a lot of running on the beach.
12 July 2008
I am back in the bosom of my family in Malaysia for a couple of weeks. After the events of the past month which have uprooted my life completely and cast me into turmoil, I am so happy to have my home and family around me now.
I have left the flat uncharacteristically tidy for my return. And my usually tidy mind now needs to be calmed, composed and I need to rebuild my life and my reasons for living.
The flight home was via Dubai with a three hour transit. It wasn't as bad a trip as I remember it from doing it in 2001. Dubai Airport hasn't changed much, as far as I can see, but it was much busier than before. The shopping mall sells expensive stuff but it just looks like some tacky bazaar. The airport is under renovation so we parked up somewhere that felt like it was in another country or something. It took the bus almost half an hour to get us to the terminal.
Anyway, we landed late in Dubai, so the turnaround was quite quick and it was good to stretch the legs. Looked for a duty-free watch to replace my lost one but, honestly, they were all horrible. Really shiny and covered in tacky gold, diamond stuff.
The food on Emirates was not bad. The chicken curry biriani was tasty and there was lots of green stuff and fruit. The breakfast fried noodles are to be steered clear of - they were gloopy and covered in some kind of radioactive sweet and sour sauce goop.
First meal in Malaysia:
Crispy garoupa in soya sauce (Yau Jam Sek Pan)(the Lee family fish of choice)
Silky aubergine with dried prawns
Spinach soup
Gold coin tofu with crab sauce and black vinegar
Deep fried salt fish
Rice
Barley water
Red hot chillies and little killer green ones
All for the princely sum of RM$58.60 (about £9.15) for four people.
Welcome home me!
I have left the flat uncharacteristically tidy for my return. And my usually tidy mind now needs to be calmed, composed and I need to rebuild my life and my reasons for living.
The flight home was via Dubai with a three hour transit. It wasn't as bad a trip as I remember it from doing it in 2001. Dubai Airport hasn't changed much, as far as I can see, but it was much busier than before. The shopping mall sells expensive stuff but it just looks like some tacky bazaar. The airport is under renovation so we parked up somewhere that felt like it was in another country or something. It took the bus almost half an hour to get us to the terminal.
Anyway, we landed late in Dubai, so the turnaround was quite quick and it was good to stretch the legs. Looked for a duty-free watch to replace my lost one but, honestly, they were all horrible. Really shiny and covered in tacky gold, diamond stuff.
The food on Emirates was not bad. The chicken curry biriani was tasty and there was lots of green stuff and fruit. The breakfast fried noodles are to be steered clear of - they were gloopy and covered in some kind of radioactive sweet and sour sauce goop.
First meal in Malaysia:
Crispy garoupa in soya sauce (Yau Jam Sek Pan)(the Lee family fish of choice)
Silky aubergine with dried prawns
Spinach soup
Gold coin tofu with crab sauce and black vinegar
Deep fried salt fish
Rice
Barley water
Red hot chillies and little killer green ones
All for the princely sum of RM$58.60 (about £9.15) for four people.
Welcome home me!
I have found an excellent singing teacher in East Dulwich. Having given up the whole singing lark, the trauma when auditioning and the general unpleasant sweatiness that accompanied the whole singing in front of people thing, I finally remembered after 10 years that I actually enjoy singing, even if no-one else likes listening to it.
So, I've started singing lessons again. Just for fun, for my own pleasure and to preclude any feelings of abject terror if forced to sing at the odd casting or two.
With trusty Google as my tool, I found a few singing teachers in East Dulwich who wouldn't break the old bank and took the plunge.
Well, what luck....
As it happens my teacher is really good. He is thorough, has great musicality, understands technique, expression etc but, most of all, he inspires confidence in his pupils. I don't feel like a putz when I am singing and I don't forget to breathe or feel my throat seize up like I've gone into anaphylactic shock. And that is the best quality of all.
So, I've started singing lessons again. Just for fun, for my own pleasure and to preclude any feelings of abject terror if forced to sing at the odd casting or two.
With trusty Google as my tool, I found a few singing teachers in East Dulwich who wouldn't break the old bank and took the plunge.
Well, what luck....
As it happens my teacher is really good. He is thorough, has great musicality, understands technique, expression etc but, most of all, he inspires confidence in his pupils. I don't feel like a putz when I am singing and I don't forget to breathe or feel my throat seize up like I've gone into anaphylactic shock. And that is the best quality of all.
