Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Frankenstein...almost

life is a bit easier when i forego searching for the perfect match or a complete set of anything. the new silverware set is only new until the first spoon lands in the disposal. or my perfect-fit jeans hit the dryer. i can guarantee if i'm ever at a dead end in my decorating exploits or a creative project, the best thing that can happen is an "accident" that turns out to be the perfect solution to my dilemma, like only having enough blue paint for three walls and scavenging the dusty garage shelves at 3am for some forgotten color to finish the project before the company comes for the weekend. just ask renee or maria and they will tell you that i have a gift for doing wonders on a shoestring budget or with an impossible set of materials. the point is that the limitation narrowed the options and at least sometimes brings about a novel solution.

not sure why i am thinking about this now except that i think i'm understanding that the creative process works well where conventional wisdom is turned on its ear. applied to my current educational pursuits, instead of saying "if i had a bigger budget i could just buy the whole set" or "if i would have started this 15 years ago," or "if i had more natural talent this would be easy", i'm learning to ask, "what is the best thing i can do with what i've got?" you know what follows- all the worries that what i have, know, or can contribute is not enough, that my limitations have placed success just out of my reach. i'm also learning that in order to create i cannot flirt the grim reaper or the project is doomed to an early demise.

the problem is that i really long for absolutes and solid substance, but those only come after the difficult work of creating is done. when you come across an intuitive solution you wonder how you didn't see it sooner, right? and time's a-wasting, you know? so would i rather have something resembling frankenstien that is alive and complete or a whole room of unfinished plans?

this is the world i'm in lately. so the decision to swallow my ego and just get to work is a humbling and healthy thing for me and anyone else who is daring to do something difficult or extraordinary. i think of this every time someone learns i am back in school and asks, "so what are you going to with an arranging degree?" i don't blame them because not many people know what you can actually do as an arranger, but i suspect the deeper question has more to do with that conventional thinking about creative pursuits. what if you fail? there are so many out-of-work artists, what makes you different? there are no absolutes so they feel that i am wasting my time or at best taking risks. but that is subjective because if i am taking risks, what do i stand to lose? self-doubt? a flagging confidence in my abilities to achieve?

at least now i can begin to see an answer to "what if i tried it anyway?"

p.s. jessica you can reach me at my first initial followed by my last name at yahoo.com. send me your address as well, i'd love to catch up.

chryl left the ground at 21:29 5 comments

Friday, September 07, 2007

sigh...

it's done. done done done. on wednesday it was only ear training and performance studies, but yesterday was the real deal with arranging, traditional harmony, and acoustics. today i returned to icom to for a performance and a piano lesson, but the testing is over. OVER.

nevermind the fact that my classes are probably only half the intensity of ashley's prep period or brooke's soccer practice, but it's done done done. i'll post some pics nest time.

now it's of to bangkok to celebrate my 18th wedding anniversary (even though i told EVERYONE it was our 17th!!!!!!). maybe i'll sing some pictures from the conrad, the 5-star hotel we'll stay in while we're there. i've never visited bangkok so i'm looking forward to some shopping, a massage or two and some kick-!@#$% tom yam soup!

shalom in your home~
xoxo
c

chryl left the ground at 20:55 6 comments

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

so far so good

today's exam was reasonable due to the kindness of our instructor and my decision to be boring and study most of the weekend instead of play and do silly things like shop for groceries. sacrifices are called for from time to time! not to worry, ashley whipped up some amazing biscotti and i rewarded myself with one (ok, two!) upon triumphal return this evening!

the tiniest bit of relief then back to work. tomorrow is still relatively light with ear training and performance studies during which i'll have to sight read and take melodic and rhythmic dictation. it's hit or miss for me here although i practice waaaay more than i did last semester- you know how unruly those ears can be...

shalom
cb

chryl left the ground at 21:08 2 comments

Monday, September 03, 2007

one down...

...six to go. ok, just a quick post to countdown the week's midterm mayhem. seven midterm exams in four days sounds like fu-un, doesn't it? tonight's exam was malaysian studies, the class in which i get more questions than answers about malaysian history and government! really, it's quite interesting and has helped me become a bit more compassionate when i encounter discrimination or bias based on my foreign-ness.

Tomorrow it's Moral Studies. What does it mean if I don't pass, I wonder???

i'm in pretty good shape at this point although up a bit late for the first day of the run! time to remove the potato chips from my eyes and hit the sack.

goodnight!

p.s. notice my fine hat... GO CUBS!!

chryl left the ground at 23:31 0 comments

Saturday, August 11, 2007

better late than never!

ok, yes, it's the middle of august already!!! yikes. i have a few minutes now while i am standing by to help greg deal with this morning's break in. i am sure he will write about it on his blog in detail, but he was halfway through his 20 mile run at a local park (titiwangsa) and realized upon returning to the car to refill water bottles that the rear passenger window had been broken out and his bag stolen from the back seat. boy, this would be a hassle at home with canceling credit cards and filing a police report and insurance claim, but add a foreign culture and a 10 year technology gap, and you've got a headache to boot. (what does that phrase really mean, btw???)

icom has been in session for five official weeks already and i just finished the first round of assessments in addition to my semester performance. whew. my schedule is full at 18 credit hours. the classes i have this semester are Malaysian Studies, Moral Studies, Traditional 2-part Writing, Acoustics, Ear Training 3, Performance Studies, and Arranging. i've also begun private piano instruction, thank GOODNESS!

i am most interested in arranging (of course) and am taking myself back through last semester's contemporary harmony to improve my understanding of the 'basics,' which were not that basic to begin with. anyone who knows me can attest to my whining about not playing the piano well, but now it is absolutely essential in order for me to fully understand music theory. so even though i'm starting way too late, i hope that the focus i have now and my theoretical knowledge will help me. by the way, i'm not playing classical at all, it is all theory-based jazz progressions and chord voicings. for my normal, non-music-geek friends, that just means that instead of having set notes to play written on a music staff, i have a letters and numbers representing any type chord and i must play the notes where they sound the best in relation to the notes before it and after it. yikes. my brain hurts just explaining it.

my rationale on this is that by the time i learn to play i will be the same age that i will be if i don't. (makes sense to me, at least.)

yesterday's performance was 'a little more conversation' by the king himself, Elvis. i was unbelievably lucky in that my band was amazing! oh, they were soooo good. the groove was tight, they had fun, and put on a great show. i had josh on drums, nelson on bass, mizi on e. guitar, stephanie on piano, catherine on keys, our man ali on trumpet, and an extra vocalist, my good pal jeevan singing backup. i should have arranged the song to change keys at the climax, but instead i chose to sing up an octave, which made the first half difficult to hear in my low range. we may be able to post an mp3 of it on the blog. (i have such techies in the family you know!) this is probably more information than most can absorb; sorry. unfortunately i talk like this all the time now, which has caused brooke to officially pronounce me a music dork. ("oh man, listen to that color on the acoustic guitar! hey!! that arrangement is brilliant! ...whoa!! did you HEAR that sexy bass line?! i think i'm in love...")

for now it's business as usual for a few more weeks. i'm getting the hang of this schedule and at least at present am caught up in all my subjects. now to decide if i want to gig around kl or lead worship at the bridge more often or sign up for the KL half marathon or stick to the essentials and keep my time free for studies and family. so many good options. how lucky am i???

peace~
chryl
xoxo

Labels: icom, kuala lumpur, music

chryl left the ground at 09:01 3 comments

Friday, April 27, 2007

blog in 10 minutes or less...

hi everyone, here is a quick update for you...

i have a few minutes before my 11 am ear training class and i'm listening to donna summer's' hot stuff' so i can perform it for a classmate next week. ha! i remember an evening at keith and judy's and something about hot sauce on jennifer and steve's answering machine long long ago! today's performance is a song by delta goodrem (australian?) entitled 'mistaken identity' and india arie's 'wonderful'. should be pretty funj.

the earth wind and fire event was unbelievable. i cannot find words to express my gratitude for an amazing experience and opportunity to learn. first the press conference: it turned out to be a private session with about 50 of us from the college with the three original members of the group, phillip bailey, verdeen white, and ralph johnson. we had the opportunity to perform a medley of their songs for them, including 'getaway', 'let's groove', 'after the love has gone', 'september'. after that we just asked questions and received amazing advice and encouragement from the gods of groove. to say that they were grounded doesn't do them justice; they related so well and shared their insights and wisdom gained from almost 30 years of making music. they covered everything from writing 'hooky' music to staying fulfilled as artists. gracious, grateful, and inspiring. sigh.

the only downside is that because we were performing, there are no individual pictures of me with them. i did shake each of their hands, however, and they were gracious enough not to cringe when i sang getaway, so i am content!

and added bonus was that at the end of the conference each one of us received a FREE ticket to their concert that evening!!! so exciting!!! they were worth about $75USD each. YAY!!!!

the next week we performed the full length selections for the icom community and friends. our little theater seats about 70, so there was standing room only and the audience was fantastic. what a great experience. i am glad that i had the chance to be involved although i feel like i am still recuperating a week later.

now it's on to final projects. after 'hot stuff', that is!!!!

much love
xxooo
chryl

chryl left the ground at 10:18 5 comments

Sunday, April 01, 2007

...still around?

it's been a little too long since i've posted, but it's not because there is nothing to write about! any confidence i had previously in my time management skillz has been replaced with the reality that i actually have no skillz to speak of. how have i made it this far without them?? who knows?! i do know that i am still having a great time and struggling a bit to keep up with my classwork.

the good news is that i am singing more than ever and it feels great. right now ICOM is preparing a concert in tribute to Earth, Wind, and Fire, who are in KL for the formula 1 event happening during the beginning of april. the band sounds absolutley amazing, and the vocals are coming along. that music is haaaaard! this week we are performing in a press conference that at least a few members of ewf will attend. (!)

for some reason hyperlinks are disabled, but you can check out the info here:

http://www.malaysiangp.com.my/
motorsports/f1/gala_night.html

greg actually scored some tickets to the event on sunday, which happens to be easter. if i survive the press conference. then we'll have no trouble putting on the concert on april 19. deep breath! and i don't have a thing to wear!!!!

anyway, my semester performance is this friday and i've asked a few players (upright bass, piano, drums, jazz guitar) to back me up to perform the song 'swingin' mood'. my favorite version is janelle sadler's on her 'don't make me laugh' cd. we all back each other up so there is a lot of comraderie and a huge variety of music to learn.
the pressure is minimal since it is a pass/fail performance, but the instructors are very hard on the students, so people fail regularly.

i really am amazed with the students around here; my band picked up the chart and had it in about 15 minutes, which still is a bit astounding to me although a regular occurrence here. now we just work on the groove and have fun. the genre has not been played during the friday performance class yet, so i hope it will be fresh and interesting. i'm also singing a dreamgirls song for my violin-player classmate, rohnie, entitled 'one night only.' disco forever baby.

this week i sang 'only hope' for another classmate, and really enjoyed it. i may be able to put a segment of it on the blog next week. last week i sang anita baker's 'i can't sleep' and 'hillbilly nation' by cowboy crush. what a laugh teaching my chinese classmates the correct usage of y'all and explaining the somewhat negative connotation of hillbilly. of course i outfitted them with my collection of western hats! in return they spent a whole week teaching me the chinese word for 'me' (muah). i may be able to write it with a few more weeks' practice!

we are all beginning to get very excited about our trip home in june! just got news that our very good friend jason will return with us to spend some time exploring kl with ashley and brooke and they can't contain their glee!

my next few weeks will be even busier, but i'm not complaining! we've got our eyes on the final projects already: compose a contemporary piece, compose a bach-style chorale, produce another midi project, and perfrom 5 or 6 pieces in our ensemble. doesn't that sound fun???? i love school!

chryl left the ground at 22:47 8 comments

Sunday, February 11, 2007

back to procrastinating

having successfully completed my first round of exams and fifth week of school, i can still say that being back in school is the best! turns out i will need to study after all, as evidenced by the difficulty i experienced during last week's tests, but that is just what i want to do! it still blows my mind that i am learning all the stuff i have known i was missing all these years like contemporary harmony and music technology; one of the most fun is an ensemble class, or arranging-for-rhythm-section-on-the-fly. some of these classes were not offered at rice university way back and are still not part of a traditional classical music education. lucky me!

some things have not changed, though; i find that my knack for procrastinating has improved over the years and am delighted that my car will get the living daylights cleaned out of it during the monthly assessment weeks to come. really, it could be just what i've been waiting for to give me the motivation to put all those loose photos in books (finally), finish my last painting, make that curtain i designed last year, or update my blog. =]

my classes are small, ranging from 6-30 students, and are comprised mostly of students in my 'batch,' or on my program schedule and/or degree track sprinkled with some repeaters hoping for an improved grade the second time around. i don't know if i can pick a favorite although the friday performance class is one thousand times more fun than the gut-wrenching nervous-flu-inducing ordeal at rice. since we have arranging, performance, music technology/production, film-scoring, and audio production majors, friday afternoons are a complete blast. every student must perform once during the semester and the teachers give them a pass/fail grade and a critique on their band, the groove, the performance, etc. the class is set up like a concert in our mini hall complete with sound system, stage, and lights. wish i could include a file of the film score a senior performed this week; i found myself, along with my classmates around me, momentarily struck dumb in wonder; imagine monster house meets chariots of fire and lord of the rings and you get the picture. the orchestra was sampled and sequenced on her macbook and she played the fool out of the piano along with it. it was like being in an imax theater, you could see a story unfold in front of you. this is SCHOOL. amazing.

surely i have a different focus after waiting all this time to complete my degree. to say i am grateful just doesn't capture the sentiment- the fulfillment of a hope deferred is like getting a new pair of prescription glasses. things look clearer and more defined, and colors have shades previously unnoticed and full of life. if we were still in the U.S., i would not have this opportunity for several more years- at least until ashley and brooke had graduated from university. but greg has made this possible by stealing us away from the 'comfort' of home to this exotic place! so, i choose a life of adventure any day of the week. i am fortunate and blessed, and this time around it is exactly what i truly hoped for (who knew?!). i am experiencing a gift and am so grateful; God is a good daddy who not only redeems us but restores things that seem long gone in His perfect timing.

thanks greg, you are a perfect match for me and i am so glad we are lobsters. i love you to the sky!

...okay, i have one more exam- a presentation on the future of online music distribution to place out of english with full credit. better get to work! =]

chryl left the ground at 15:01 11 comments

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

It's Almost Time!!!

Here is a note I wrote to my dear friend, Christi Chavez today! She came to the rescue of friend on shaky ground with just the right thing to prop my confidence up! I thought it was a good summary for a post!


Registration and orientation are successfully completed, and I am now waiting for Monday classes. Orientation yesterday was actually quite fun. The schedule included all kinds of good stuff like meeting the faculty and staff, having the rules and grading system explained to us, and some time with the 'course leader' for the Berkley Transfer Program and my Foundations Certificate in Music and eventual Bachelor of Professional Music. So, the BTP (Malaysians LOVE acronyms!!) students will be at ICOM (International College of Music) for two years and complete their degree at Berklee in Boston and the rest of us will study for 4 years and receive a degree awarded by Westminster, UK.


Yesterday started out with introductions led by Victor, a spunky professor and director of marketing. We were joined by some returning students who supervised a competitive game of charades. That was a hoot with the language and culture differences although much more reserved than your typical college freshmen in the states. That is the norm with Asian culture in general, really. Too bad I am so NOT reserved! Even though I am aware of it and feel like I simmah don na', I could not blend in if my life depended on it. I will settle for being a complimentary shade. It’s going to work well; there is so much to learn from the other students, most of them accomplished musicians already, and music crosses any boundary you can think of.

One cool thing is that two students introduced themselves and right away said they were Christians. I really admire that especially in an environment that values the collective group and shies away from being singled out. Not to mention our faith is one more thing we have in common. During some down time I whipped out the ipod and swapping favorite artists and music ensued. I also got some laughs when I opened my computer and showed everyone the pictures of my big fluffy dog and the rise and demise of the late great towers.

Today we had placement and evaluation auditions. I called a taxi to come at 11am because there are two parking spots in front of the school and I didn’t want to risk being late for the 12pm audition. The driver shows up 30 minutes early and I decide to be grateful that he is not late and resolve to snag a practice room at school and warm up there. Except there are none open and I have to sing in a class room on the same hall as auditons with the students outside. No biggie, that’s how it goes in school- but I was surprised to see several peeking faces through the window during the auditon. They were giving me thumbs up (international sign language for ‘way to go’ ). That felt good. =]

We already have assignments that are due in the end of the term and I am a bit intimidated by all these things I said I wanted to learn and now must turn in for a grade! Among them are sequencing a song with sound changes, value changes, sine waves, and a jet engine for good measure (ok, something a bit less complicated but just as unimaginable), and writing a Bach-style chorale with all kinds of stuff like deceptive cadences, borrowed chords, SATB voicings, and progressions I’ve never heard of. Mommy!

I can do this. Heck, I have teenagers- I can do anything! And if I can’t figure it out, I’m sure Ashley and Brooke can help me with my home work! I mean, of the very legal and acceptable-to-ICOM's-administration sort.... The girls already have to explain all the junk on my computer. Then there is Greg who could teach a doctorate level seminar on time management. Not to mention my successful, encouraging, super-smart friends and family! What a bunch of smartypants!

*Sigh of Relief Here*


Love to all~
Chryl

chryl left the ground at 17:05 4 comments

Sunday, January 07, 2007

Sweet Destruction

Today Cheryl has invited the first-ever guest blogger to make a post on her super cool blog. Yep, it's me, Greg, as the guest for the day. Today we will bring you in on the fun we had yesterday bringing the life of our "world's largest" gingerbread Petronas Twin Towers to a sudden and rather shocking end. In previous years, we simply destroyed our Christmas gingerbread houses with a firecracker, or maybe a hammer, or MAYBE a sledge hammer. But those forms of destruction would be far too tame for this masterpiece. For this destruction to be done right, we had to drop them from the roof of our house here in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia!

What follows is the telling of the story in full color. Enjoy....

Here we are, preparing to move our beloved Towers from the driveway onto the roof of our car port. What we didn't yet know was that our Towers were going to help us by self-dividing upon our attempts to lift.


Greg the Destroyer carries Tower One to the launch pad. We handled our masterpieces with the utmost in love and care....


Cheryl can't resist taking a nibble off of Tower Two while Greg is transporting. Ahh, the taste of four-week old stale cookies and M&M's...


Greg carefully places the base of Tower One onto the launch pad and begins his descent for more Tower...


Note Greg's skillful (yet artful) method of carrying the base of Tower Two to the car port launch pad.


Alfredo the Clean-up Canine pre-licks the driveway to make sure it's ready to receive its new cargo. Note how CLEAN the driveway looks now...


Greg and Destroyer Brooke make some adjustments in the positioning and orientation of Tower One.


Ready for the Countdown... Brooke sheds some final tears while Greg gleams with unbridled joy. 'Tis so much fun to break stuff...


Let the countdown begin. Greg and Brooke moments before the Towers met their date with destiny...


And THIS is what became of our beloved Towers. The video (at the bottom of this post!!) shows how the Towers exploded upon impact. Cookies went EVERYWHERE... Under the bushes, under the car, into the lawn, you get the idea. It's amazing what 30 cases of cookies look like upon collision. We think David Letterman would be proud.


View from Ground Zero. Ashley shot this impressive landscape of cookie shrapnel. Pieces of the Towers remained partially intact in various places...


Ashley brings some of the larger pieces to justice by "helping" them to a more comfortable pulverized state...


Brooke drops additional pieces from the roof as well. This is so much fun...


Ashley and Cheryl toss their cookies... Literally. Is this a picture of cookie joy or what? Note the flying wafers at the top of the frame!!


Greg with his super-duper Caterpillar Cookie Plow. Actually this was a very good way to clean up the crime scene.


A beautiful photo of crumbled Christmas cookie construction. The high resolution version of this is now on our computer desktop as the background. Let us know if you'd like the JPG for your own!!


Super Brooke reacts to the display with "Shock and Awe" as anyone would do. Her "powers" of cleaning were soon put to the test...


Our memorial to Christmas 2006, complete with commemorative candy cane:


One final moment of silence. Ashley snags a mouthful of stale cookie...


Here is what 30 cases of cookie, 10 pounds of sugar, 3 dozen eggs, and 5 bags of candy look like at the end of a successful BONCIMINO Christmas:


AND NOW....THE GRAND FINALE -- ACTUAL video of the destruction event. ENJOY!


Hope you enjoyed the pictures and the video. As always, please give us your comments and feedback. We also need to figure out how we are going to top this next year. Suggestions?

Love,

G, C, A, B, and A...

chryl left the ground at 14:17 10 comments

Monday, December 25, 2006

Happy Christmas!

Christmas morning with teenagers is the best! I am the only one up and it is 10am, a bit different than all you friends with little ones. The days of kids jumping on the beds at dawn too excited about presents to sleep another wink are long gone. They have been replaced with a more leisurely affair that is gratefully welcome after last night's festivities. We still capture the excitement and joy by requiring the girlies to relive their glee for posterity after the coffee is made and daddy is armed with the video camera!



We need our beauty rest after a super late Christmas eve which found us awake until about 4:30 am! Ashley Brooke and Greg were all involved with me in the Bridge Candelight service not only setting up the stage and hanging one zillion Christmas lights, but they all played key roles in the service as well. Greg lent his mad audio mixing skills, Ashley played Silent Night with the band beautifully on her cello, and Brooke was the dramatic light-switchy-offer and created beautiful ambiance during the candlelight part of the service.



For my first time leading the band, it was a bit more involved than a typical Sunday due to several special details and a Christmas story woven together with music, but along with some funny comments about perfection being overrated, the general feeling was that it worked well. We did an acoustic set with two guitars, some Kenyan drums, and vocals, and hopefully created some space for breathing in God's presence in awestruck wonder. At least that is what I felt my heart and soul needed as the remedy for the busy season.



Christmas in Asia has been unusual and a bit surprising. Here in our very heavily Muslim surroundings, we hear Bahasa Melayu, Chinese, and Tamil spoken everywhere we go (even here at our house!) every day; we hear the melancholic call to prayer and see decorations for Muslim holidays along with men dressed in traditional clothing walking to the masjid, or mosque, and have become accustomed to seeing a surau, or prayer room in every establishment here from the mall to the health club. To see a Christmas tree is, well, a shock. To have a woman with a traditional head covering (I think it's a tudung or hajib) wish me a Merry Christmas takes me by surprise every time!



Although one could argue that the season's greetings are motivated by commercialism, I would ask, does that really matter? To me, it has not only reminded me of our home in the United States and the love and warmth of family- it reminds me that God's got the whole world in His hands. He is here despite the religious atmosphere that characterizes Kuala Lumpur, and the world is not such a big scary place after all. We have found a church family that reflects the beauty of God's creativity in every way from skin tone to spiritual gifts and again I am safe and sound and home in His loving hands.



I am also reminded again to look closer, past the unfamiliar customs and unusual styles of dress, to see the one God was thinking of when He sent Jesus to the world long ago. There are so many things to take in and many things to consider and reflect upon- this 'foreign' culture feels more like home every day.



Ok, everyone is up and it's time to open our goodies!!!



Happy Christmas to you sweet friends and to my wonderful family in Texas, Florida, Illinois.



Love and peace and joy and rest to your souls on this wonderful day!



chryl








p.s. i apologize for the lack of spaces making this post seem like one giant run-on sentence. having html trouble!

Labels: yuletide cheer

chryl left the ground at 10:11 4 comments

Sunday, December 03, 2006

A Day At The Races...

Well, he did it! The Singapore Marathon is now a memory. Maybe not so fond a memory, but another in the list of Greg's accomplishments. For a more detailed account check Greg's blog. For now here are some pictures to enjoy...

Greg at 15K. Looking solid. Only 28K to go!!

Runspirator Chris cheers on strangers at 30K.

Runspirator Cheryl says, "Excuse, sir. Have you seen a tall-ish white guy with red hair? He may have passed you recently?"

Runspirator Cheryl waves her clappy hands in the ear of a frustrated taxi driver.

A view at the finish line. Greg was here approximately 10 minutes ago.

A view of the Singapore skyline and two proud brothers.

Want to see some cool video of Greg just 15 mins after race.

More to come on Greg's blog. Stay tuned.

chryl left the ground at 11:18 3 comments

Thursday, November 23, 2006

happy thanksgiving!

while not as warm and full of family love as last year, this thanksgiving finds us in thailand! we were enjoying sweet potato biscuits and yummy green mashed potatoes crafted by tommy and ashley this time last year. boy was that cool, especially in our beautiful house with all ashley and brooke's cousins swimming in the pool! so we can't do that this year, but thailand is the next best thing! we send our love to those gathering at 921 for festivities on this day of thanks.

well, the week has been the good type of busy around our house and there is anticipation in the air! here's the short list of reasons:

i finally completed my ICOM application. i was really worked up about this because a college application is a big deal, but i followed the instructions to the letter and submitted my application with attachments, transcripts from RICE, six passport pictures, and the dreaded tape. (you may not know this, but getting a good recording is hard to begin with, but doing it in your living room in one take is the impossible dream.) so i drove it over and proudly handed it in to find that they wanted an audition and test after all. oh, and could i do it today? argh. i bought a little time by scheduling it for the next morning and proceeded to cram my level 5 theory for the rest of the day. the test was more like level 1.5 (no complaints) and when i came in to the audition they said they had not listened to my tape (!). so i just sang what i had on the tape. they seemed particularly interested in the jazz selections, so i sang frim fram sauce, errand girl for rhythm, and popular. i only recorded secret love, if it makes you happy, popular, and an old italian aria from the yellow book we all learned in high school, alma del core, for good measure. when i was done singing we did some sight singing and improvisation with a chord progression. that was funny because the professor was plunking through the progression and abruptly stopped, looked up over his glasses and said "you sing at church?". i said, "um, yes," and that was that. they didn't have questions for me, but you know i had plenty for them! school starts in january and i will begin as a vocalist and switch to piano as my primary instrument after some brushing up. i wonder if they have any idea of what they are getting into...


christmas is in the air. we left all of our christmas decor at home when we packed up; it was too involved to cimb up into the attic in the 100*F+ and try to figure out which boxes contained our usual decorations. so, we are starting again and having fun finding stuff for the traditional christian/european holiday. we're all looking forward to a christmas party we'll host on the 17th at our house! we hope to have some cheerful music, funny white elephant exchange, gwadzillions of cookies, and a gingerbread creation or two grandma barb would be proud of. ashley is working on the invitation and scheming to find a santa among her high school friends.


thanksgiving in phuket, thailand! i'm not sure i can describe how differently i am understanding and appreciating our great country, the united states of america. maybe i needed to move away and see the difference that a weak economy, clearly divided racial lines, and a religious government can make not only in the atmosphere but in the lifestyle of a people. we all know that our country is far from perfect, but girls and boys have the same educational opportunities, racial discrimination is actively and progressively being eliminated, and our government is accountable to a religiously free people. i am so grateful that my grandparents dreamed of a good life, a better life for their kids, my parents. my mom's parents came to america from italy right through ellis island and worked hard to help her and her siblings get ahead. my dad's parents were just crazy enough to believe that if you worked hard, you could change your future. i hope every generation brings us closer to the ideals that they dreamed of and i now see much more clearly in this contrasting environment. i love our country and am so proud to be an american!


the marathon in singapore! greg has been quietly training away on our treadmill in the office and is in very good condition for the event the first week of december. he is hoping for a personal best, which i know he will attain despite the revolution his new job has wrought in his personal life. the best part is that his brother chris will be in town for business and will return to kl with us for a day or two! greg is so excited he can't stand it and we're all looking forward to seeing him! the girlies especially have a blast with uncle chris because they can do bad stuff and not get in trouble when he's around. thankfully the bb gun is in storage!


our plan is to hurry up and do the family christmas shopping so we can send prezzies home with uncle chris because shipping from malaysia is unbelievably expensive. like $100US to send a 5-pound parcel! yikes! we'll do our best to get it done! shipping to us here is not a problem because solar sends our goods through interoffice mail from california, so feel free to send us press-n-seal, almay mascara/cosmetics, laura scudder's peanut butter, or powerbars anytime you want!


i have some fun pictures from breakfast for the next post. asians have such interesting food! tonight we are off for a seafood satay thanksgiving dinner. lobster kebab, anyone??


love chryl

Labels: kuala lumpur, malaysia, phuket, thanksgiving

chryl left the ground at 17:51 2 comments

Friday, October 27, 2006

teenagers rule

we are ending a week of school vacation and everyone is well. i love having teenagers so much! they are air-headed and profound in the same breath and bursting with energy.

the time is almost accelerating with ash and i am savoring every moment of her high-maintainance life here with us. =] right now ash is sitting with 6 of her friends in the complete dark squealing at whatever movie they are wrapped up in. ok, the karaoke-o-meter is rising and i expect to hear wicked at any moment.

brooke and i spent the day together first visiting the u.s. embassy, the doctor, had fantastic tandoori chicken and naan with amazing mint sauce and a dessert that uncle chris will have to try, and finally the coolest mall crowded with more shops than you could literally shake a stick at. not joking, you could try, but you would not succeed. she is now visiting a friend proudly sporting her new asian-styled-fashion finds. she's so sweet and cute and looks like the aftermath of a wild 70's party involving strawberry shortcake and the captain of the geek squad. she's the best.

greg took a little trip to singapore today and will be home in about an hour. we are all looking forward to seeing uncle chris in singapore during the marathon- can you believe it?? crazy. greg is really beginning to help ashley sort out the decisions surrounding her college choice and her future career, which is difficult because the girl is all over the map when it comes to interests! so we could have a journalist or a biologist or a philosopher or maybe even a professional chef! i wouldn't put it past her to try them all. it is a great time for them to spend time together because everyone knows little girlies need their daddys, especially when they are making important decisions about the future.

and i miss my daddy, too! as an expatriate for many years, he was the first to really be excited about our move to malaysia. of course, i wanted him to tell me i couldn't move because he would miss me too much, but instead he told me how enriching it would be, how much the girls will benefit, how we will develop new friendships and deeper appreciation for our own country. just like him to be right. we had the same type of conversation when i was entering college; again full of great advice. daddys are just like that, i guess!

chryl left the ground at 20:56 8 comments

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

as promised

better late...

here are those pics i promised. sorry if they take a long time to load; still learning! this is part of the route that i run with alfredo, pood dude. he has so many friends it's hard to make the 1.8 km without interuuptions to greet his peeps.
typical street in the area; many of the locals live in row houses and everyone has a gated-in yard.
this is jenny. she is on the trail most mornings and loves using this giant hula hoop thingy.
cool house on the way to our street. i'm told it's a traditional style for malaysian royalty. just looks pointy to me.
alfredo with mimi, one of his several lady friends on the trail.

since islamic types are afraid of/ forbidden to touch dogs, most of alfredo's friends are chinese. the women especially are charmed by his handsome looks and will all but chase us down to bury their fingers in his fluff. really, this can be a problem since the trail is very hazardous with upturned bricks, tree roots, the cars that stop to point at him, and the motorcyclists that amuse themselves by seeing how close they can get before i bail out into the drainage ravine. it's downright dangerous! i have been known to take a tumble or two trying to avoid the hazards of having such an unusual and tragically suave pooch. =]

have a great weekend~
chryl

chryl left the ground at 13:06 10 comments

Monday, October 02, 2006

time for a plan...

i have spent the better part of the afternoon struggling to fit into words the accumulated hopes and dreams of the last 17 years. i am staring at a college application, grasping the previously untethered thoughts of 'next time i do this i'll...' or 'if i can just finish that degree, then...' amazing how they cloud my sky at times, giving a dismal hue to the landscape. ironically it is clear skies today. a blank horizon that stretches for miles. go figure.

who knew it would take a deep breath and a little moxy to do something that didn't take a lot of courage last time i tried it. how much do i say when the application asks what i plan to do with their degree? when they ask me to state anything that i want them to consider when reviewing my application? i'm a nice caucasian? (they ask for both race and religion on the form!) does it count that i'm all (well, mostly) grown up now? when i look at my original transcript i am taken aback by how much i assumed i knew about life and relationships and accomplishments; how things are wonderfully and sometimes tragically different and how i have been changed by those experiences. somehow that all fits into my music. how do i write that?

will they laugh? will they reject my application seeing that i am just about 20 years older than the average student? ouch! (don't be surprised if they are allowed to do that in malaysia!) when they ask what i plan to do with the degree, do i need to make something grand and important up? how about enjoy a sense of accomplishment or increased self-respect? how about increase my love for the joy of music?

the good thing about being where i am in life is that i've seen it demonstrated time and again that an education improves your life while going to college to get a job just gives you something to do. i've already been doing the things i want to do, so i want the education- who knows where it will lead me? what does God have planned? does God have anything planned? He can use whomever whenever and however, so it's not like i'm increasing my marketability to Him.

i guess from that standpoint i am already quite well educated and don't need a degree to prove anything except that i am still alive and growing and interacting with the world around me. so it doesn't matter what they say when they read my comments.

except yes, that is!

chryl left the ground at 15:47 4 comments

Thursday, September 14, 2006

random thoughts on a typical day

it seems like too long since i've written because i don't want to repeat what the rest of the family blogs about, so here are some random thoughts of life here in malaysia for the moment. i promise pictures soon. the following is a note i sent to my dear and immensly talented friend, reneé mass. i got a little carried away and figured everyone should be caught up. (the large text should be easy for you to read, mom!) =]

i've just dropped girlies off to school, like i do every morning. usually they get out near the crosswalk to avoid having to cross opposing traffic (RIGHT turn! still not fully used to that!) and then i go on to the train station to drop greg off. lately he has had to take a train OUT of the city and get on one that has room; his record is 5 trains passing without room and the latest development was the addition of white-gloved people pushers to help pack everyone in as the doors close, keeping the compression until the next stop. yikes! i don't know if we've told you about the whole asian-body-odor thing, but deodorant is optional and these people are clothed from head to foot (muslim modesty) including their heads, and they walk everywhere. let your imagination run wild!

alfredo and i usually go from there to a very pretty road in our neighborhood that makes a 1.8 mile loop around the local golf club ('kelab' in bahasa, pronounced like 'clob' in english) and part way up a mountain. at the top there are beautiful trees shading the path and a barrel of monkeys that people bring offerings of fruit and food to regularly. this is highly discouraged for several reasons, the main being that if they become too tame they don't search for their own food but instead terrorize people in their homes. (you can actually insure your property against monkey damage.) there is a trickle of water from the top of the mountain and a nice bend in the road that makes it a favorite for the locals and taxi drivers to rest and wash their cars(?!). it is picturesque but covered with rubbish- fruit peels, plastic bags, and fast food containers from well-meaning but misguided folks. every time we go there a very nice man says hi to alfredo; yesterday he was inside the kelab and cheerfully greeted alfredo across the parking lot. this is unusual for locals; they are at best shy and at worst openly hostile toward caucasians.

greg has experienced blatant discrimination several times, most recently when he entered a long-awaited cab the driver refused to take him anywhere. he had to get out and wait for another. brooke and i experienced a little more blatant offense when a cab driver agressively cut me off on the way home then pulled up to my side of the car and was repeatedly making the 'bang-bang-you're-dead' motion with his hand while shouting what must have been explitives in his native bahasa melayu. he followed me for about 50m; a little scary with my princess in the backseat. i don't think she saw me flip him off, but i am ashamed nonetheless. (gimmie a break; we all have our fits of passion- i'm sure he didn't even know what that means!)

for the most part people are at least cordial and the more adventurous types are downright friendly. like the wedding reception we attended on sunday evening. janaki, our housekeeper, invited us and had been eyeing the saris we had around the house (to decorate, of course!) for several weeks. when we asked her if we should wear them to the reception, she was delighted- she measured us, brought the saris to the
'tie-ler' (tailor) and had the tops made in traditional indian fashion. she then recruited her sister-in-law to tie us up in them properly and we were a sensation at the event. even the photographer wanted to take pictures with ash and brooke; i'm sure he included me out of respect. =] later janaki told me that several of her relatives asked her if we had lived in india because we knew the 'nice way to wear the sari'. how cool is that?

all in all, i am learning a lot about being gracious under pressure and being a guest in a foreign country. in a small way i feel that my actions promote the goodwill of americans in general and i need to lead the way in my small circle of influence. some westerners have an understandably jaded attitude toward ethnic malaysians, and i can't blame them. but for me, i am just asking for grace to be an example not only of a gracious guest who happens to be american, but an example of christ's love in everyday life. i've got some ground to cover, as the aforementioned event illustrates, but grace is for all of us, right?

be grateful and grace-filled, friends~
love chryl

chryl left the ground at 08:57 6 comments

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

roti nan, mopeds, and crazy foreign drivers...

we've been here for just under 5 weeks and seems like we'll have another three until we can move into our new house. so, we're just going to prepare for the start of school and try to stay out of trouble in the meantime. living in a hotel is fun, but can get a little monotonous at times. thankfully i've finally discovered the cure for hum-drum, endless days:

driving.

...yep, just the thing to get that heart pounding and remind me of my own mortality. you may even call me a thrill seeker 'cause it seems that every time i get behind the wheel i cheat disaster. like sunday night after leaving ash in the hospital, for instance. i pulled out in front of an apparently invisible malaysian on a moped. his 'motosikal' was ok, and he was unhurt despite the torn khaki's and cracked car bumper. i knew i was going to be thrown into malaysian prison, and ashley and brooke would have to fend for themselves at the hospital until greg got back from thailand on thursday. so i did the logical thing and offered the guy 50 ringgitt for new pants and waited for the authorities.

a funny thing that happens when you drive on the left side of the road is that you just can't remember which is your left and right- right is easy with traffic and left is against traffic. NOT. my friend jason mass sings himself a little song when he gets in the 'reversed' car- maybe i'll actually write one to put in my icom portfolio if i ever see my piano again.

ash and broo have become great navigators, too; they know the directions just as well as i do and always seem to get me out of trouble. yesterday was no exception. we've all learned that just because you see the building doesn't mean you can actually get there, but we were trying to go somewhere we've been before and knew it was theoretically possible. once you get to wherever you want to go, a miracle of the Lord is the only way to find a space since the roads are packed with cars and very narrow. so, as i was petitioning, i followed a motorcycle down a street that looked like an entrance to the center- completely lined with cars promisingly parked in both directions.

somehow i was faintly aware of a gradual narrowing of the road, but pressed on confident that i would find that perfect space right near the restaurant. you can imagine my surprise when i found myself at the abrupt end of a single-car width lane bordered by a high curb and a sidewalk crowded with mopeds and motorcycles (!). ok, no problem, i thought, i'll just back up, turn around, and drive out the way i came. much to the amusement of the locals shouting things that may just have been 'have a great day, lah!', it took the girls and me about 15 minutes and a valiant attempt at a 27-point turn to straighten the car out, look over my left shoulder and back out of the 200m lane, receiving encouragement from the gathering in front of the store where the locals were probably praying the loud, hysterical, 'rich' american and her cute daughters would trash their bikes.

lunch was worth it, though- sooo tasty! ash even ate my tandoori chicken along with her fair share of roti nan biasa, which is a delicious giant flat bread with fantastic sauces for dipping. i am also developing empathy for all those 'crazy foreigners' i used to see and laugh at back home. they must just be adrenaline junkies, like me. =]

chryl left the ground at 17:34 4 comments

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Some Quick Pics

Hey guys, look who we saw this week! Alfredo is having a grand time at the house of our pet consultant. He has several other pooches to push around and cats to bully; you know how he's got to keep his tough guy image. Unfortunately, we will need some counseling to counteract the undesirable effects of his untimely discovery that

he is indeed

a dog.

Here is Brooke at our first-ever American Night celebration feast. We are very adventurous when it comes to dining, but there just comes a time when you miss the golden-fried comforts of home.

Ash and Greg at the feast. Pizza, hamburgers, margaritas... American food is the best!!!!

chryl left the ground at 20:22 5 comments

Monday, July 17, 2006

I actually drove the other day with the girls, and with the exception of a little wrong turn, we arrived at the intended location. The girls and I are trying our best to fend off listlessness, as there are not many things to do besides shop and we've been sightseeing for more than three weeks now. The irony is that we have nothing but time now, but as soon as the furniture comes and it is time to unpack, they will be entering school.

At the risk of repeating what may have been written in my family's blogs, we had an interesting weekend. I really try not to repeat, which is the cause of my irregular postings, but you've got to hear about this amazing wedding we attended on Saturday!

We attended a Malay wedding this weekend at the home of one of our new neighbors. What an event! They blocked the street off and covered its entire length with canopies and an endless stretch of banquet tables. The food was traditional Indian/Malay food, which is eaten with the fingers, not forks, and had a healthy kick to it. The colors and smells and sounds were fantastic, complete with traditional 'kampung,' or drummers that were unbelievably loud for their number. Everything happens outside here, even weddings, and although we were hot (about 90*F), there were happy people everywhere and more food than you could shake a stick at! There was a shuttle service set up and traffic 'polis' around the neighborhood to alleviate the traffic of an estimated 1000 guests, guys on walkie talkies wearing the coolest outfits ever, and about 20 greeters helping the parents host the wedding on the block. As a bonus, we met all our neighbors at once, among whom is a dog-loving ISKL teacher, Karen. It is possible the girls will have her as a teacher sometime during high school. Pretty amazing.

A funny thing here is the common greeting given by Malaysians; just like we say, 'hi, how are you,' they say 'hello, have you eaten?' We were encouraged to eat so many times my Grandmother would have shed a tear! Oh, and the wedding party (all Malay wedding parties) wear purple. Guests do not; it is the only way to tell who is who. We were four of five caucasians there and although we stick out, we're all getting used to being objects of interest amongst the natives. I guess I understand because I still remind myself not to stare when I see nothing but a pair of eyes behind the traditional black Arabic robe or the brightly colored headscarves and full-length dress of the Muslim women. I think I am just more subtle in my people watching! For some great pictures, see Greg's blog dated July 15.

Again, it is deceptive to think that because the locals are friendly and speak English that they live in the 'same world' as we do. I guess we will notice the sublties by and by, but it takes much thought to communicate in ways that steer clear of religious or political differences. Today I made a comment about beef to a Hindu (oops)- he didn't take offense, but I felt like an insensitive cad. The learning curve is still steep.

For now, we will pay attention to the experience of being a minority, foreigners, guests in someone else's country, and remember our manners. Beginning Bahasa Malayu lessons will be very helpful in basic communication, but even learning some basic cultural things will help. For instance, anyone older than you is pleased to be called 'Aunty' or 'Uncle,' as it is a polite term of respect and more personal than a first name or Mr. such-n-such. Also, the handshake is a bit weak here because it is really a 'salaam,' or a gentle brush of the hand and then a reference to one's heart to show sincerity. Understanding food is also a way to gain a little respect, especially when we shun the western fork and knife in favor of the local manner. Eating with our hands is pretty messy at first, but seems to show that we are open to the culture and respect it.

I find myself even more proud of my American-European heritage. Flipping through the channels the other day, I was surprised to find myself listening to a symphony and being glad it was a composer I recognised, reminded of how beautiful and rich our roots are as Americans. I am appreciating things more and more about home, but for now will be a good houseguest in Asia. As long as we can have an occasional 'American Night,' I think we'll be fine.

chryl left the ground at 23:41 2 comments

Monday, July 10, 2006

I Need A Wira!

Here in 'MY,' the Wira is a popular car named 'hero' in the native Bahasa Malaysia...and I need both the car and the superman version right away. Greg accelerates at work, we girlies are just marking time, waiting for our furniture to arrive, seeing the sights, being tourists, and we've just about had it. Brooke has aptly named the condition "culture anxiety;" longing for some familiarity- our doggie, a logically organized grocery store, a nice meatball and a plate of pasta, cooked to my specs. Um, none of that? How about food I can PRONOUNCE?!


Things take so much more time and energy here; conversation, traffic, grocery shopping, understanding customs so as not to offend. Something that we are not used to yet is the curiosity of the locals- it is common for anyone to ask you how old you are. Another thing is the unflinching racial divisions: it is normal for someone to use your race in descriptions, like, "she is an Indian lady," or, "those shrewd Chinese women run the shop," and one of my favorites, "only Indonesians do that." These descriptors make us squirm from the politically correct environment of the US, where we would shy away from using race to describe someone because we separate performance from ethnicity or skin tone. Oh, and there is a 'Non-Malaysian' tax on everything from phone service to automobiles. Our cell phone deposit is about $360 for each phone because we are not Malaysian natives; many of the fees are attributed to Malaysia's goal to become a first-world nation by 2020. Ok, fine.


Anyway, churches are different here, too. The names are mixed-up sounding and cross descriptors we would usually understand in the states, like the 'Lutheran Redemption Center,' or 'International Church'... so one that sounds charismatic is actually just an enthusiastic evangelistic church. We've visited two so far, and boy do we miss our wonderful church in Houston, CFCC. Sigh.


I'll go out on a limb here and say that there is a reason we are here; not just Greg's job, but a reason why I call a Muslim country home for now, a reason why we will cross paths with Hindu and Buddhist people every day, a reason for radically different experiences in daily life and schedules. I just hope I catch it; I need the faith to trust God's got good stuff in store. Yes, this is a great opportunity to explore, to see a different part of the world, but there has to be more to it than that. I yearn for my faith to grow and and my perspectives change so maybe I can make a difference- in my family, my circle of influence. Anywhere.

There are times when my faith is so fainthearted, when I lack vision for my relationship with God and rely too much on others for my identity as a Christian. Maybe being aware of that will help keep me from falling for that line? Or maybe, in removing me from all that is familiar and comfy, God's plan is to remind me (again) that I really have no control over any of that except to make way for Him: to trust God, remain in Him, and hang on for the ride as He provides the rain or sunshine or wind or clouds or whatever. The John 15:5 tutorial. Again. Yay.

When we find a church, I hope we'll feel a little more grounded, but for now, it feels like aimless wandering. Remind me of this in about a month, when our shipment arrives and we're longing for these lazy days of summer.

For now, the girls and I continue to meander and cheer Greg on in his new position, loaded with responsibility and not a little stress. He's our hero!

PS~ Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you... Dad! Come see us soon!

chryl left the ground at 14:07 4 comments