Hmm.

I realised that my past few entries have been really emo-ish. And Lika & Kathrina have already 'scolded' me for making them cry-.. again.


So this time, I thought I'd post something on a slightly happier note.
I will not reminisce and rant about the sad stuff; in fact, how about we re-live those happy moments, so that we'll always have something nice/funny to turn to when we're feeling under the weather?


I am attaching here the link to my Photobucket account where all the past ballet videos that I have taken have been uploaded.
Sometimes, it is better that we remember the good times instead.
So here you go.
Enjoy re-living the good memories, girls.

Clicky me for the videos~!

I Can't Forget.

I had thought that, after a while, I would eventually accept the fact that he's gone, and that I should stop mourning and move on.


But today, Lika had sent me a message saying that she saw Naomi's blog about Mr Gino here. And then I got all emo again.


Just yesterday, I was hanging out with Ann, Ramesh, Beverly and her boyfriend when Beverly happened to mention that there was a dance studio in the university's gym.


Honey, even if I had been daydreaming or something, the word 'dance studio' + 'Utar gym' would have been enough to snap me off of my daydreaming.
Immediately, I imagined myself dancing Intermediate there (it was the only CD I brought, my Advanced 1 music is in my laptop). Just me, the music, and the entire dance studio to myself.
And almost automatically, just the word 'ballet', 'intermediate', or anything that has anything to do with ballet in particular makes my heart ache.
Oh how I miss it; everything, his scoldings, his pervert-ish jokes, his rubbish 'Thai. I even miss hauling myself out of bed every Thursday morning at 9AM just to attend the 9.30 class.
Although, I wouldn't miss much even if I didn't go for the morning class; we'd always managed to persuade him to continue with pirouettes later in our evening class. xD


Why did it have to be so sudden? I mean, in a snap of a finger, he was gone. No warning, nothing. We were not prepared; it was the last thing we expected ever to happen.


If I'm truthful to myself, I'd say I haven't been properly dancing since I came to UTAR. I'm either drowned with assignments, or am just too busy hanging out with my friends. So it's been what, 2 months since I last danced? Those mini practices in my room do not count; I wasn't even able to dance properly from the space constraint.


And somehow, I feel guilty.
I feel that it's as if I've abandoned my responsibility to dance, even more so after the recent drama. I feel attached to dancing, and that I've somehow sort of betrayed Mr Gino by not practicing.


I will check out the dance studio soon, Mr Gino. And if I manage to, I'll use that studio to practice.


I will NOT stop dancing.

The Memories Are Here To Stay.

I met Lixian at ECM today. She was with Carlmin and another girl.
The moment she saw me, I noticed that her eyes became teary.
She had even admitted so herself.
We hugged, and whenever we look at each other, if even for a few seconds, the tension would be too much and either of us (me, mostly,) would look away, laughing.


She told me that just looking at me makes her want to cry.
Of course, the same can be said for me.


You are missed, Mr Gino.
Still are.
And I think you will be for a very long time.
Neither of us got to say goodbye or thank you.
Why did you have to leave so fast? Your jokes and quips still echo in my brain; the messages you sent me when I was in Kampar have been etched in my mind, and I find myself re-reading it every so often.
Whenever I come across your name under my contacts, I pause.
Sometimes, I feel like just sending a message to the number, just for the heck of it, hoping that somehow, you might be able to read it.
But I know better.


You told me that when I came back to Kuantan and came for class, you'd conduct a class in classical Thai for me.
You promised...


You should be sitting at the teacher's table, one leg resting on the table as you have always did.
You should have been sitting there, scolding us whenever we made mistakes. You should be there, telling us time and time again to throw all our worries at the door when we come for class, because dancing is supposed to make us happy.
You should have been here to pressure us all because exams are coming, and scold us more than usual because you want us to do well.


We've heard all those a thousand times, yet, I don't think we mind hearing them again.
Just so we know that you're still here.
Just so we know that we still have you.


It would be selfish of me to want you to come back, but I think it's not too much to ask, however, if I say that although you are in a better place now, please continue to look over us, your students.
No matter how much we've grown or whether we're adult or children, we'll still need your guidance.
A little nudge from you, maybe, telling us again to leave our problems outside the studio door, and come for class with a light heart and smile.


This song is for you, Mr Gino.

RIP Gino Miranda.

Today was emotionally and physically exhausting for me.
I hadn't managed to get enough sleep the night before, and I had classes in the morning.
I had to walk to and fro from several blocks in uni, as if cycling under the hot sun was not enough.

I got a surprise call from Lika this afternoon.
She was crying, and she told me that our ballet teacher was admitted in the hospital, and that the doctors are beginning to give up hope on him...

What's happening?

She took the next bus to KL to visit him. But she was too late.
Our ballet teacher had passed away at around 3pm.

The last I saw of him was before I left for university. And he would still occasionally text me to keep in touch.
He said he had a urinary infection the last time he saw a doctor for being sick. Turns out it wasn't a urinary infection after all.

According to Lika, he was alright this morning, being able to chat and all. But the same can't be said later on.

I was sort of numb when I was told of the news. It's surreal.
How could someone vanish from the face of this earth so easily and quickly? He was fine this morning.

It's still hard to believe.

The truth didn't sink in until I was in the porch, about to go to see Ann and the rest. My voice broke a little on the phone, but I managed to compose myself.
Then when I arrived at Oxford, Ann welcomed me with a hug and that broke down my barrier. I sobbed into her shoulder.
It was probably the first time she ever saw me cry in the 13 years we've been friends. I knew that man since I was 6.
We literally grew up with him.

He's been teaching me dance for almost 16 years. Bittersweet memories flourished the pages of my life.

And now he's gone.
Just like that.

I wished there was some kinds of warning beforehand.
This is all too sudden.

RIP Gino Miranda.
You will be very much missed.

Why Hello Again..

Still remember me?
Yes? No?


I wouldn't blame you~ I've been MIA for so long, I feel like I've been cut off from the world or something. T^T
My bloody hostel didn't have internet connection for almost a month, although they had said that we would get it by January. Well honey, it's February now, and the internet only got through today.


Anyways, the main point is that I'm still alive; yes, I haven't died or anything.
And damn, do I miss blogging. =D
I'll just put up a short entry I had typed up one of those days when I was feeling a little homesick and dancesick.
I've sorta gotten over the homesickness, but I'm still dance sick. I miss ballet sfm! T^T

14/01/10

I miss you girls so much. Looking back at the videos, it makes me feel melancholy, almost if I had taken every moment I spent there for granted; every moment in the studio was taken for granted.. I thought I always had next week.
Knowing that that week was my last, it was hard. I was smiling, laughing, but I really felt like crying. I felt like hugging everyone tighly, but that would cause me to completely break down and cry, and I hadn't wanted to make it seem like I was overemotional or something. I promised myself I wouldn't reminisce and cry, but it's hard NOT to think of the very thing you've been doing all your life when you have nothing to do here and are all alone.
Same with Ashley. I KNEW I would cry. But that morning, I was still half awake, so the emotions weren't really warmed up yet. But I did, silently, as soon as the car started moving. The moment I knew I was gonna leave everything and start a new life.
I won't be able to come for class during the CNY holidays; it's too short. But still, I hope we can meet up again sometime.

So yeah. I hadn't managed to join the dance club this semester; I swear the recruitment came and went so discreetly, I hadn't even known about it! So I'd definitely catch it next semester~! ^^
Instead, I had joined the Photography (they'd lend us those Canon cameras and teach us about photography; they'd LEND us the cameras! =D) and Drama & Public Speaking Club.


Oh, and another thing; I probably wouldn't update this blog as often anymore, seeing as there is close to no dance in my life anymore.. T^T
But please, comment on this post/ in my c-box to keep in touch! ^^


Till then, ciao~!

This Is It. My Last Ballet Class.

Penguin wanna go pee. xD

EVERYONE.

I'll miss you so.fucking.much.

I Hate Goodbyes.

Especially when I've known these girls for as long as I can remember.
And some, I have only just known, but it feels as if I've known them forever and they're such amazing kids that I'd miss them terribly.
To know that today was the last I'd see some of them in God knows how long, it almost made me teary.


Seow Hui. Chia Hern. Tze Ping. Kathrina. Kai Hong. Lixian. Jermaine. Wan Hui. Sayaka. Misaki. Jovian. Chrystal. Michelle. Samantha. Loi Eean. Khai Li. Joe Ye. Xing Wei. Mei Li (Pity you had to stop against your wishes). Wei Yun. Gina. Irene. Esther. Agnes. Luvina. The Pok Poks. Jean. Bi Ying. Branice. Sammi.


Everyone.


Don't stop dancing, girls.

New Ballet Diagnosis Discovered.

After almost an hour of pointe work, the 'special' students of Premier Dance Academy has discovered a common visible, energy-draining side effect to the Medulla Oblongata.



The dialysis is called Post-Pointe Syndrome (PPS). The symptoms include:


~Weak and shaky leg muscles
~Temporary (or permanent) insanity [varies in different people]
~Excessive laughter for no apparent reason
~Blurting out random phrases/words
~Loss of energy and/or enthusiasm
~The Leaning Tower of Pisa Effect; in other words, slant-walking (due to imbalance of toes)
~The ability to do double pirouettes and fouettes (applies to penguins only)


Symptoms may vary in individuals depending how serious the PPS is.


One of the reasons for PPS is the excessive weight one's toes would have to bear. Straining (especially placing your body's weight purely on your toes) in general strains the brain, thus triggering these side effects.


(Are we geniuses or what? xD)


That is all.

Gino Speak Thai.

Yup.
Lo and behold, Not only does he speak Japanese, Chinese, English, Malay and Portuguese (VERY little Japanese, Chinese and Malay though, xD), turns out he speaks Thai too, as we found out today.


.....
....
...
..
.


Ok fine, so he doesn't speak proper Thai.
He speaks Gibberish Thai. xD
It's composed of random Thai-sounding mumblings to make it sound as if he's speaking Thai. I wonder what Nickhun would think if he heard the gibberish coming out of that old man's mouth. xDD
Probably facepalm silently. xD


For the most part though, the fashion in which he dragged pronunciations at the end of the sentence had Lika and I cracking up like mad.
So no surprises there when I laughed till my tears came out.


As if that wasn't enough, Lika began speaking in Japanese to Michelle all of a sudden, leaving poor Michelle confused.
But then again, all Lika ever said was 'お元気ですか?' and 'わかりません' (which she translated to "Wah, kari masin~" xD) and that was with help too. Lol. x]
Of course, I just had to turn the poor, innocent sentence ('お元気ですか?') into something.. Not so innocent. orgasm desu ka? xDD


And then, history also repeats itself, like how it does everytime a new Grade 6 enters the picture.
The scarf dances.
The students would at least have to get a good scolding every now and then, and this time was not different.
Oh, and I had to fetch Ashley at the beach halfway through ballet (during Intermediate), because mum was asleep. =_=
On the plus side, Lika hopped on my car as well and bought McDonalds as I waited for Ashley.


This entry will be a short one; it's already almost 6am, and I've got class in around 3 hour's time. >_>

Another Lazy Post.

I really, really should be researching the Bridal Fair event and writing my report instead of blogging. Seriously.

But the 'power' of blogging can just be too darned tempting. >_<


I would have updated yesterday, but as I was prone to doing, I got so sleepy that I slept in front of my laptop, and when I woke up (which was around 2AM[FTW! xD] something), I felt too lazy to update. It's a 'virus' I've been having lately; lazy.
And I know as well as everyone else that I really shouldn't. >_>


Yesterday, though, Lika had conveniently forgotten to tell me that Gino wouldn't be here this week. Sick again, it seems.
I suspected that much when I was greeted with darkness and desertion in the studio as I went up.
My first guess was that Gino and Lika might be at Snipx buying dog food for Gino's dog. But then common sense hit me and I realised that if they had gone down to Snipx, I was sure either of them wouldn't need to turn off the entire studio's electricity; and then there's the other logic that he could've asked Lika to go down for him.


Which just proves how smart my 'in-the-moment' intuition can be. 


When I called Lika for clarification and asked where she was, my final guess was confirmed. Gino had called in sick and was not coming this week. When I complained that she hadn't told me, she replied with a  "I thought you knew? I posted it in Facebook!"


Uh, ohkayy, Lika. 


Then during her class, Bethany told us something about a sort of live comedy skit (of some sort, I think?) in Scotland involving a few men wearing kilts, then tearing them off one another only to reveal their British Flag-printed undies. xD


One thing we (Lika & I) like to do in class though, is twist the pronunciation of the ballet terms. Because the terms are in French, the pronunciation can be totally different from the spelling. For example, Pas De Chat is pronounced 'Pa-The-Sha'. But we like to pronounce it as the spelling suggests.
So during Grade 3, Lika had one of those moments and asked the students to do 'pass-the-chart'.
The 'senior' students (aka Joe Yee, Jean, etc) were used to Lika's pronunciation by now and went to places almost lazily, while the newer ones (Misaki, Cassandra & Michelle) looked at each other in confusion and asked, puzzled; "... Pass the chart? (or, as Misaki heard it, "Pass the tart.")"
And it cracked Lika up so much that she began mumbling other mispronunciations and laughing so hard, her face turned red, in turn cracking ME up.
The students (the new 'uns, I mean) probably thought she had gone crazy. I had thought that I saw their faces, although smiling, showed a little concern in it for her sanity. xD


But we had the most laughs during Primary. In fact, everyone was more cheerful and less stressed when Gino isn't around, even if he's joking and all.




And then today, I went to the studio after going to the office (in which, not long after arriving at the studio, I realised that I had only put the pictures in the folder and completely forgotten to send it in; which was the main reason I went to the office in the first place), so I was clad in my Jefferson shirt and jeans.

(OH, and did I mention I got my 2PM 1:59PM CD today? [Ok, technically it was yesterday, since it's waaayyy past 12am now, lol, but still.] *squee* xD)

 Yup, that's my man Jjit-Taec over there. xDD

 The boy abused the 'ㅋㅋㅋ' and '하하하' characters in his Thank You speech. Oh Chansung.. xD

The drillings in the next building almost drove me to insanity; I swear I could've screamed in frustration. You couldn't hear anything else; just the loud drilling and the occasional vibration.
You couldn't even hear what the other person was saying; it was like being at a rock concert or something, only more... annoying. 


Thankfully, they had to stop at around 6pm, so we had peace then.
We did have fun and all, especially with Penguin as always, though she stayed until quite late today. She was still here when Grade 4 started, but she went back not long after.
We spent the entire Grade 7 class talking, mostly to Tze Ping about her ballet Grades, because she said she wanted to do Advanced 1 with us too.
It started when Lika asked her if she could come for extra class, since it's the holidays (She's taking her SPM, but still) and she should be able to come for more than one class.


But what was really surprising was that the atmosphere during Grade 4 wasn't as glum as it normally was.
Lika was cheerful towards them today and didn't pick (I mean correct, xD) on En Yi as much as she normally does.


That being said, I'd better hit the sack, otherwise I'd look like a zombie (2PMMMMMM~! xD).
Without makeup.