Well, to be honest, there really wasn't much I could update you on. I've been in this office for a week and seems like time passes very slowly. I really have nothing to do. Or that was the case last week.
Well I have a lot to update. Since the beginning of July, I've been swamped with many many duties. I never knew that being a summer intern here was so much work. Ok, so lets start from week one.
June 28-July 4
Ok, work really started to pick up considering that I was doing absolutely nothing the last week. I finally was able to get out of the office and do something productive. I went to go pick up about 30-40ft of white cloth to paint. This cloth is for the campers that are coming at the end of the month and they're supposed to be drawing a boat and themselves onto it. Well the funny part is, is that myself and another dude had to pain this 40ft piece of cloth blue. But it gets better. Since the cloth needed to be divided into 10 groups, we had to cut it. But the cloth wasn't the right length and width so we had to calculate and cut the sheets by hand. That literally took a day in a half to do. Funny thing is, we didn't have enough cloth and we were working with "professional" fabric people who could calculate... I think my calculations were spot on... but no, they don't trust the English speaking one.
Well the entire week I spent painting cloth and cutting cloth and doing random odd jobs like photocopying, again. Well no matter, at least it kept me busy after I finished painting the cloths. Little did I know that there was a slight problem with the paint. The paint bought by my lovely co-workers was industrial paint, meaning they got it extremely cheap; we're talking 10HKD for 500g of powered paint. I say, "What????". Yea, you wouldn't believe it, until you hear the catch. Apparently the paint is highly toxic to the human body. It contains lead. Yes, I said it, lead. Best part was that the co-worker who bought it knew about it.
Ok, Canadian brain working here says that even though Asians are cheap, that's just wrong. We're talking about spending more money for paint that is non-serious for health reasons over toxic, possibly deadly powdery stuff. So I just basically spent roughly 35 hours working with this potentially hazardous material and have it covered all over my cloths and hands. Good to know, after I painted it.
Well luckily for me, I'm still alive and it wasn't all that serious. Best part is, this paint is now covered on the table tops of the art room, splattered all over the floor and even dripping along the rails outside the art room. Woot, and the best part is, I get to go clean it up, because apparently it was my fault for using it. DUR... WHAT?? I was only told what to do with the paint. I wasn't in charge of the mess. Well, at least I get to wait till July 18 or later to clean it up :D
July 5-July 11
Ok, so last week. Definitely hating it here. Not only was the paint a problem, I had to fix it. Ok, fortunately my other counterpart and trouble-making accomplice had a few ideas and we worked them out. 3 choices, all worked but to save time, we chose the easiest. We just liquefied blue acrylic paint and washed the cloth over with it. Not only were we able to get rid of this toxic stuff so that the campers won't be inhaling and touching toxic paint, we made the cloth actually look like water. Ok, I don't understand WHY they never just bought blue cloth... smart eh? Well, that's what the people here do. Make use of the people here and waste there time. WOOT
Well life is about to get a little better here. NOT! So during the encounter of this problem, I was graciously approached by 3 other people. Ok, first of all, we all know I have a problem saying no to requests by people. Second of all, I'm only one man and can only do so much with a certain period of time. Thirdly, STOP ASKING ME!!!!
Anywho, I was asked to do some morning worship on the 21st. Ok, normally I wouldn't decline, but this had DECLINE written all over it.
1. I had to play the piano for them
2. I had to sing for them
3. Chinese songs have a problem sticking to me
4. They have no music
5. I have to play piano
Ok. that's what I said with a very very hesitant voice. So much uncertainty in it that I was for sure that they'd ask again if I would do it. NOPE. Just "Ok, i'll meet with you next week to find songs." I DON'T WORK LIKE THAT! I need NOW and NOW! No later. Well I received 3 songs and 2 are ones that I pick in English. WOOT English songs. Now all I need to do is find the mp3s, lyrics and score for it and I should be set.
Ok, so during that same day, I am asked yet again, oh wait, I was TOLD that I would be not only playing the piano for 4 songs during the camp, I also had to sing the songs. Oh and did I mention that I also have to dance?? Well yes, I have to sing, dance and play the piano for the camp, 4 outta the 7 days. Real nice I have to say. All songs in English, all songs have NO music (not surprised) and the song I have to dance to is the song I'm also playing the piano for. How exactly am I supposed to dance while playing the piano!?!?!? Do I look like I have a twin or a clone???
Ok so by this point I'm like 98% mad. Like the little animation pictures with a dude who gets really mad, his body starts to turn red from the feet up his head with steam comin' out. Well that's me by now. Only 98% because the later 2 is to come.
So I've got 9 songs at the moment to prepare. 2 of which I have piano scores for, the rest, not so much. I've been listening to the mp3s day and night doing what?, writing down music. Yes, I am now writing music. Who would've guessed?? I am writing music for all 7 songs that I do not have because I can't play the piano without something to look off of other than numbers and letters. No rhythm and no idea what the melody is, kinda hard for me to play the piano.
One more thing. On top of all this wonderful music composing, I have to cut, paint and paste 90 paper fishes on cardboard. Talk about a not very fun job. I've been spending day and night in the office working on those things for the past week. I'm totally drained and want to go home really badly. And I mean REALLY badly!!!
July 11, Yesterday
I was supposed to go to Ocean Park again yesterday but never did because of a typhoon warning. Heavy rain and winds that could literally send me flying. Not really wanting to leave my little crib here. So what did I do all day?? I listened to music and continued on my music writing spree, only to have found absolutely no encouragement nor enthusiasm to write so I stopped after my first note. I have to say, I was quite productive.
Oh did I mention that I have the hardest time finding a piano to practice on? Well, because there are many camps that run daily here, I have a hard time finding a room in which I can practice piano, so all the music that I'm writing could possibly be all wrong because I'm doing it all by ear. FANTASTIC! I don't even know if they're write and I have a rehearsal in 2 days. This just can't get any better.
Well since today was SOO productive, I had a meeting with the bosses of the camp later in the evening. And here comes the questioner #3. Ok, I have to admit, I was pretty mad, but the 2% comes from this because I was practically expecting it. I was asked to take 10 min on the 2nd day of camp to talk about my experience and emotions from the trip. And because the people here ALL know about my musicality, they want me to sing and play a song as well. Ok, yes I know I should be grateful for my gift and I should use it to glorify God, but seriously this is not the way I do it.
When you forcefully tell me to do it, my heart isn't in it so I can't say I'm doing this for God, i'm doing it out of my own good heart because I can't say no. Yes, I have now created MORE effort for me because they want me to tell them by the end of next week my sharing and song selection.
I have over 2k of songs on my Itunes. Half of which are potential songs that I would use for relation to my sharing. Well I better start listening and jotting down notes cuz it's gonna be a LONG night.
July 12
Well, a very LATE wake up made my morning very boring. Today, I find myself waking at 1015 because I spent the entire night listening or scanning through my 1k song selection of possible songs to play. Well luckily for me I narrowed it down to a WHOPPING 13 songs by the time I went to sleep. So proud! Well by the time I left the office today, somewhere around 2, I had narrowed it down to 5 songs. HALLELUJAH. I am so close to finishing.
Well I went to church at 4 and later found out that the sermon was the same as last weeks. DUR ok, I sat through half of it and had to leave cuz i was starting to fall asleep. Went back home and voila. Found myself now narrowing my selection of 5 songs to 2. It is now midnight of July 13 and I have chosen my 2 songs in which I will decide today which one I want to play. YAY, I finally did 1 job i'm proud of. Ok at this point, I could care less about the questioner and now I can focus on my goal in spreading the word through this experience. All I need to do is find a way to print out my lyrics and score because I dont have a printer here.. bahaha fantastic The program used here is also not a program I can transfer to a computer and print because its copyrighted... hahaha great..
Well my plan is to spend the entire day practicing piano because if I dont, i'm really screwed for tomorrow's rehearsal.
Oh. I also took a picture of my uninvited gecko that lives with me every night and loves to scare me to death and a picture of the notorious arachnid that bit me. :D
1 comment:
Long long journey at 102& 106. Are you 110% mad already? :p Add oil ar ~~~
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