Here I am again. No I haven't forgotten about this blog, it's just that I've been so busy that I haven't had time to write anything or post anything worthy of an update even though there's been lotsa things happening. What's new right... ZJ is either busy at work or stressed. True. True.
I've been following the comments on the previous post fervently, but sad to say, I have not indicated interest to conduct any special PH class on Labour Day... This is because one week from now, I'll be on a flight to Auckland! I am so looking forward to it and eagerly anticipating. Just one more week. Four more working days.
It could have been so different. Monday, my boss asked me into his office and asked if I could cancel my leave. I was momentarily stunned. It's not that I haven't done my work, there's always work to be done every single day, and we do find covers while we are away, but it's just that the team needs all the extra manpower right now.
There was a moment when I really wanted to be gung-ho and offer to cancel my leave but I reckoned that all the administrative hassle and the severe disappointment of missing this trip would be too much to bear.
While I do make the occasional grumble about working hours and stress, truth is to a certain extent I do like what I am doing now, and also at my age, I want to make as much moolah as possible so I can go for early retirement. And right now I do need a lot of moolah to be able to pursue my passion of LM and travel, so the best thing to do is to travel for LM purposes right? I honestly don't think I can be doing what I am doing now at the age of 40. I would be super drained by then. But times are really bad, and all our jobs are at peril now, so it would be most prudent not to play punk and stick out like a sore thumb.
And speaking of work, I realise I do have a great bunch of colleagues and I do treasure them. In fact coming back from a vacation from Bangkok over the Good Friday weekend really did us good. 11 of us spent a fantastic time there. We really recharged ourselves well - a couple of nice seafood dinners, meals at high class Thai restaurants for about S$40, massages, shopping, etc.
It was great, so much so that I wanted to go for the quarterly workshop in BKK in May again. Luckily I did not follow up on that, because the workshop date clashes with Mega Combat and also, I'll be doing the workshop/new releases in NZ anyway. A big DUH to myself for forgetting all these! Thanks to JW and WL for reminding me.
Now talking about workshops, I just received some 'spoilers' from an instructor in Australia who attended the Sydney FILEX workshop over the weekend. I AM SO DAMN JEALOUS! I got some snippets on BC and BB... and I can't wait.
Then there's my Europe trip in June. My mum is worried because they haven't filled the numbers for the trip departure to be confirmed. She's worried that we don't have ample time to make alternative arrangements and I've got to settle that before I depart for Auckland. Actually, I'm kinda neutral even if we don't go this time round. After BKK, I do feel recharged so I don't really need this NZ trip to recharge (but I still wanna go nevertheless), and I'm sure after I come back from NZ, I don't really need to go for a holiday so soon. What more, I'm paying for my whole family, so I'll probably get a refund for this trip hehehe... I'm looking at some shares to buy.
I just think there's so many things to do and so little time. I haven't even started preparing to pack for NZ yet. 7 days to clear everything.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Good Friday
Thanks to everyone who came along and made the 2 hour class full of energy and fun. I enjoyed myself tremendously.
Enjoy your long weekend!
Enjoy your long weekend!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
I Wish
I finally got my breather today, thanks to a 2-day course which I was slated to attend. It was nice not to look at markets for a while, nice not to do any work or touch my PC and looking at the list of to-dos.
A few of us team-mates are suffering from exhaustion and burnout. My colleague B always says that we need to get out every 2-3months to refocus. And this time we really need this little getaway to recharge. I've already made my intention clear... No shopping for me, but I will be joining for group meals.
Thanks to the course, which ended at 5pm, I finally had the chance to re-live what it feels like to 'knock off' at 5pm. I deposited my barang barang at STC gym and instead of hitting the machines straight, I actually took a walk around the shopping area, not to buy anything, but just to absorb the mood... feels shiok.
Went back to the gym to attend 1830 Bodyjam by Rhomeiny and then 1930 Step II by Jonathan. I was extremely exhausted after the back-to-back classes. Wonder if age has caught up with me. Didn't used to feel tired after 2 classes last time.
Somehow I think my body has become too conditioned with BC already. Even when I conduct a class or two over the weekends, I don't feel this sort of tiredness. I really do need to attend some other classes to inject some variety in my exercise and to shock my system for a while.
I really do think it's a vicious cycle. I'm tired and lethargic from work, so I don't exercise. When I don't exercise, my fitness drops and I start feeling more lethargic. Truth is, I really do need to allocate some time for a jog or start hitting some weights. But it really is very difficult to carry myself to the gym at about 8-9pm. That's when you see fellow gym-goers all showered up and ready to have dinner.
Today's course was one of those management courses... where they talk about effective lifestyle habits, and needless to say, time management is one of them. I really think I need to manage my time better. There are too many things to do, and too little time.
I have so little time for myself to sort out my thoughts.
A few of us team-mates are suffering from exhaustion and burnout. My colleague B always says that we need to get out every 2-3months to refocus. And this time we really need this little getaway to recharge. I've already made my intention clear... No shopping for me, but I will be joining for group meals.
Thanks to the course, which ended at 5pm, I finally had the chance to re-live what it feels like to 'knock off' at 5pm. I deposited my barang barang at STC gym and instead of hitting the machines straight, I actually took a walk around the shopping area, not to buy anything, but just to absorb the mood... feels shiok.
Went back to the gym to attend 1830 Bodyjam by Rhomeiny and then 1930 Step II by Jonathan. I was extremely exhausted after the back-to-back classes. Wonder if age has caught up with me. Didn't used to feel tired after 2 classes last time.
Somehow I think my body has become too conditioned with BC already. Even when I conduct a class or two over the weekends, I don't feel this sort of tiredness. I really do need to attend some other classes to inject some variety in my exercise and to shock my system for a while.
I really do think it's a vicious cycle. I'm tired and lethargic from work, so I don't exercise. When I don't exercise, my fitness drops and I start feeling more lethargic. Truth is, I really do need to allocate some time for a jog or start hitting some weights. But it really is very difficult to carry myself to the gym at about 8-9pm. That's when you see fellow gym-goers all showered up and ready to have dinner.
Today's course was one of those management courses... where they talk about effective lifestyle habits, and needless to say, time management is one of them. I really think I need to manage my time better. There are too many things to do, and too little time.
I have so little time for myself to sort out my thoughts.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Attending Classes
I always find it amusing when I attend other instructors' classes and members start asking me questions like 'how come you're here?', 'i didn't know you come for class', 'i didn't know you do this class', etc. Do people usually presume that instructors don't attend other instructors classes? No true leh.
This afternoon, I attended Jo's class at STC and had a few such questions. Hey, I love attending classes too! Only those really really old birds would know that I was a regular for Jo's class a few years back before I became an instructor. Used to either do Min Chao's BB downstairs or Martin's Multi-Step before BC (previously 4:15pm timeslot). Been through the period when Esther took over the class for a while before Jo came back.
Back in those days, I had as much fun as everyone else and was shouting as much from my regular spot beside the window overlooking the gym. Nowadays I don't shout because I try to preserve my voice for my own classes. When I was in uni all the way to my first job when I was clocking 5:30pm days, I had the luxury of time to attend many classes every week. A typical week would consist of 6 BC, 3-4 BP, 3 BB and 1 freestyle step class. No cycle cos I tried a few classes but it didn't quite work for me. I'm sure some of you hardcore fanatics can absolutely relate to the schedule that I just mentioned.
After I became an instructor, I was conducting 5 classes a week, and instructing is definitely more tiring than just doing, so I cut down on many of the classes except for 1 or 2 BB a week, which ultimately got reduced to a big fat zero. What really disappointed me was the BB classes being removed from the schedule as more and more yoga classes were added on. (Sorry, but yoga doesn't do it for me, not the way BB does). A well-respected yoga instructor once told me that Singaporeans mindset of yoga is so wrong - they are obsessed with achieving certain poses when it's about training the mind. I really get in touch with my thoughts in BB, which is why I love it so much.
Due to my work schedule now, I'm on 2 classes a week (going to be 3 from this month onwards) after giving up my weekday classes, but its definitely a far cry from what I was used to doing. Judging from that, one shouldn't be too surprised to see me at the studio attending other classes! I definitely need those extra workouts.
There is a huge difference between attending classes and conducting classes. As an instructor, it's not about me, but about the crowd. I have to do it for the class, I have to bring up the energy, I have to talk and give verbal cues and pre-cues. As a participant, it's all about me. It's my own workout to achieve. I complete each set of choreo as they come along, and you will never see me performing pre-cues because I will respect the instructor who is conducting the class.
Even in the good old days, I never stuck to one instructor. I like to expose myself to different styles, presentations and interpretations (this for me is the most important because I realise all instructors interpret tracks differently). And going for different instructors meant that I get to experience different tracks because there are some instructors who prefer to stick with the same playlist for the entire week. And instructors typically will have their favs and no-nos, so if you stick to the same one, you'll miss out on a lot.
The only time when instructors' interpretation of the track is the same is when they undergo the same training, where the trainer delivers his/her interpretation and it gets carried across. Once we are cleared, we're on our own. We get our DVDs, we learn the music and moves ourselves and we add in certain performances on our own. This makes each track unique under a different instructor. And we have to adapt what we say to a local context. I don't think many people will understand what I'm trying to say if I copy wholesale from the DVD and say phrases such as 'like grasshopper on rice paper, leave no footprints!'.
Out of the 5-6 BC classes that I attended, there were different personalities and styles brought across from the various instructors - CUTESY, TECHNICAL, FUN, TOUGH, RELAXED. The different styles I was exposed to made me understand why some instructors don't do certain tracks - it's because some tracks just don't fit their style! Just like there are songs which doesn't fit my style and will be recycled less... not telling which ones though...
During today classes, Jo did a few of her trademarks. One of which being BC07's Jump (the jump jab cross with the wild swing of the arms). Her personality is totally suited for this track, and honestly I think she presents this the best our of everyone. I would say she 'owns' this track. I love doing the track, I did it in a couple of my classes but it's just not me. I just can't bring out the 'fun' essence in this track as much as Jo does.
Then there was 'Field of Dreams' from BC23. This was the first ever BC track that I fell totally in love with. I do like many BC tracks, but this was the first one which really made me look forward to doing it in each class. I just simply could not get tired of this track. Just doing this track brought back many memories when I would shout 'ENERGY' together with my little Combat gang, but unfortunately the gang has disintegrated as some of us have moved on (from PF/TF) and I have made the transition to teaching. When I am teaching that track, it's a totally different feeling altogether so I do love all these memories. Very Cancerian of me.
Just recently, I had dinner with J, one of my ex-Combat gang and we just talked about the good old days. There was so much to savour and so many good memories. They linger deep within because these are memories of fun and laughter. A few years ago, who would have thought that I would venture here and take this path, 'chasing the dream' and doing crazy things on stage and going all the way to NZ for filmings? All for a part-time hobby?
This afternoon, I attended Jo's class at STC and had a few such questions. Hey, I love attending classes too! Only those really really old birds would know that I was a regular for Jo's class a few years back before I became an instructor. Used to either do Min Chao's BB downstairs or Martin's Multi-Step before BC (previously 4:15pm timeslot). Been through the period when Esther took over the class for a while before Jo came back.
Back in those days, I had as much fun as everyone else and was shouting as much from my regular spot beside the window overlooking the gym. Nowadays I don't shout because I try to preserve my voice for my own classes. When I was in uni all the way to my first job when I was clocking 5:30pm days, I had the luxury of time to attend many classes every week. A typical week would consist of 6 BC, 3-4 BP, 3 BB and 1 freestyle step class. No cycle cos I tried a few classes but it didn't quite work for me. I'm sure some of you hardcore fanatics can absolutely relate to the schedule that I just mentioned.
After I became an instructor, I was conducting 5 classes a week, and instructing is definitely more tiring than just doing, so I cut down on many of the classes except for 1 or 2 BB a week, which ultimately got reduced to a big fat zero. What really disappointed me was the BB classes being removed from the schedule as more and more yoga classes were added on. (Sorry, but yoga doesn't do it for me, not the way BB does). A well-respected yoga instructor once told me that Singaporeans mindset of yoga is so wrong - they are obsessed with achieving certain poses when it's about training the mind. I really get in touch with my thoughts in BB, which is why I love it so much.
Due to my work schedule now, I'm on 2 classes a week (going to be 3 from this month onwards) after giving up my weekday classes, but its definitely a far cry from what I was used to doing. Judging from that, one shouldn't be too surprised to see me at the studio attending other classes! I definitely need those extra workouts.
There is a huge difference between attending classes and conducting classes. As an instructor, it's not about me, but about the crowd. I have to do it for the class, I have to bring up the energy, I have to talk and give verbal cues and pre-cues. As a participant, it's all about me. It's my own workout to achieve. I complete each set of choreo as they come along, and you will never see me performing pre-cues because I will respect the instructor who is conducting the class.
Even in the good old days, I never stuck to one instructor. I like to expose myself to different styles, presentations and interpretations (this for me is the most important because I realise all instructors interpret tracks differently). And going for different instructors meant that I get to experience different tracks because there are some instructors who prefer to stick with the same playlist for the entire week. And instructors typically will have their favs and no-nos, so if you stick to the same one, you'll miss out on a lot.
The only time when instructors' interpretation of the track is the same is when they undergo the same training, where the trainer delivers his/her interpretation and it gets carried across. Once we are cleared, we're on our own. We get our DVDs, we learn the music and moves ourselves and we add in certain performances on our own. This makes each track unique under a different instructor. And we have to adapt what we say to a local context. I don't think many people will understand what I'm trying to say if I copy wholesale from the DVD and say phrases such as 'like grasshopper on rice paper, leave no footprints!'.
Out of the 5-6 BC classes that I attended, there were different personalities and styles brought across from the various instructors - CUTESY, TECHNICAL, FUN, TOUGH, RELAXED. The different styles I was exposed to made me understand why some instructors don't do certain tracks - it's because some tracks just don't fit their style! Just like there are songs which doesn't fit my style and will be recycled less... not telling which ones though...
During today classes, Jo did a few of her trademarks. One of which being BC07's Jump (the jump jab cross with the wild swing of the arms). Her personality is totally suited for this track, and honestly I think she presents this the best our of everyone. I would say she 'owns' this track. I love doing the track, I did it in a couple of my classes but it's just not me. I just can't bring out the 'fun' essence in this track as much as Jo does.
Then there was 'Field of Dreams' from BC23. This was the first ever BC track that I fell totally in love with. I do like many BC tracks, but this was the first one which really made me look forward to doing it in each class. I just simply could not get tired of this track. Just doing this track brought back many memories when I would shout 'ENERGY' together with my little Combat gang, but unfortunately the gang has disintegrated as some of us have moved on (from PF/TF) and I have made the transition to teaching. When I am teaching that track, it's a totally different feeling altogether so I do love all these memories. Very Cancerian of me.
Just recently, I had dinner with J, one of my ex-Combat gang and we just talked about the good old days. There was so much to savour and so many good memories. They linger deep within because these are memories of fun and laughter. A few years ago, who would have thought that I would venture here and take this path, 'chasing the dream' and doing crazy things on stage and going all the way to NZ for filmings? All for a part-time hobby?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)