Crossroads

Its been a while since i've last blogged. I've been really meaning to, but in all honestly, I've been extremely busy with a host of things. Firstly was my political involvement in the recent GE. Apart from promoting 'Vote for Change'.... I was a proud voting agent for DAP for the Bukit Bintang constituency.

I remember on that nite there were SO MANY FREAKING SMS' about violence all around... when in truth... the country has LEARNT from May 13 that it WOULD BE STUPID to go throught that again, hence THERE WERE NO VIOLENCE ANYWHERE IN KL! However most parents (understandably so) had self imposed a state of emegency ordering their kids not to party at nite and be home way before dark.... Hence why i couldn't join the rest for Fern's encore bday celebration @ the Curve from Cava in Bangsar (though it was already 1am).

Anyhow, the highlight of my political involvement (or what little of it) was the thank you dinner by YB Fong Kui Lun. Firstly the food was excellent. More importantly the speeches by the various DAP leaders and some PKR leaders were very inspiring. You feel the country could just improve. My personal favourite was the Segambut's assemblyman's speech.. it was great!

Apart from politics, your humble narrator has been extremely busy with work. Way too many projects at the moment leaving me with many sleepless nights. Speaking of which, I really question why I work? I received an interesting phonecall 2 days ago and it has left me thinking: The foundation of a great system is the policies that each member of the system adhere to (and of course to all the apple polishers around). Its amazing how far one can go by abusing the system for personal gains. Its also how amazing to know how ppl can abuse the system to further keep ppl down. Come to think of it.. the system is so similar to politics... and the system is so similar to BN... however in this system... everyone wants to be part of BN... there may not be an ISA.. but if u fuck the powers that be... you are asking to be fucked in more ways than listed in the karma sutra.

Dont wanna talk about work.. its too depressing. There is no future... Really need to jump ship...

On a lighter note... I am SOOOOOO into Salsa. The only thing that keeps my head up and spirits high is my love for salsa.... Never thought i would be this caught up. I now go dancing 3 times a week and practice on most other days. My love for salsa has further enhanced my love for music. I'm so into percussion based music and go real dreamy whenever i hear cool beats from a conga or a bongo.

Speaking of which, I travelled to Penang recently for the 2nd World Latin International Salsa Congress. It was great fun (though not as professionally organised as compared to last year's Malaysian Salsa Festival, one would think they would've learnt from their shortfalls at last year's malaysian congress and from MSF last year).


I only attended 1 nite of the congress to watch Havana Estudio's KL Caliente perform Rueda de Casino. In other words i went there to support my friends who were performing....

KL Caliente was a success... however i must say the remaining 3 acts were sensational... first up was the pretty boys & girls from New York.. they were awesome with their series of lifts and other acrobatic stunts...

Then there was the Alonso dude with his Japanese partner who did very amazing rhumba and guaguanco style dancing... the salsa was good too... but i was truly amazed with the sharpness in the body isolation movements when they did the guaguanco...

The last act was the probably one of the best performances i've ever seen... It was the venezuelan act. Jhonny Sanchez and his 2 babes were amazing.. the way he spun them (say 15 spins)in unison with crossed hands was superb! And the lifts and ferris wheel.. woo hoo.... i was impressed!

Though i enjoy Francisco Vasquez and Susanna Monteiro and Leon Rose's at last year's MSF... and also the acts at last year SISF... sigh... i love salsa...

Charissa had pre-empted me that the band wasnt as good as Spanish Harlem who performed at last year's SISF.... but i must say, they were fun and played pretty good music... i was most impressed with Thomas the blind pianist.

My only problem with last Sat nite's social dance was that it was a beach party. As much as i love the beach, the beach is not a suitable place to salsa, further more, the floorboard and carpet used did not make sense.... It was fun dancing on stage though...

I was amazed when all the acts like jhonny sanchez, bobby dickerson and the host martin reyes etc etc were showing off their musciallity playing the conga and bongo... made me really appreciate clave and timba beats... in fact when the music ended.. i was dancing on the terrace and lobby to their clave beats.. it was amazing!

Speaking about music, I was in Singapore recently and bar hopped around Clarke Quay. The carribean band at Mama Carribean was cool but i was most impressed with the cuban band and Cuba Libre... their brand of music had a very strong rhumba core.. not so much salsa-able songs.. but alot of merengue-ish songs....

we ended the night and China1 which had a rock band playing... stephanie was in 7th heaven but i didnt think much of them as i felt their music to be a little too teeny poppy with tunes from linkin park, my chemical romance and simple plan.. to be a good rock band must play music from the 70s and 80s...

btw - i was in Singapore for Ben Elton's WE WILL ROCK YOU... and the show certainly rock the hell out of me... I've never really been a huge Queen fan... i love their music.. but i was never a big fan... however, i fell in love with the play and music... Mig Ayeesa was amazing in lead. For the next week or so i listen to nothing but music from Queen. WOO HOO.... 'DONT STOP ME NOW! COZ I'm HAVING A GOOD TIME!'

The weekend before that i was in Genting for the Genting Jazz festival... it was an amazing festival... I really love my salsa group of friends... as they are not discriminative and they know how to have a good time... I suppose the more i fall in love with salsa the more i fall in love with music as a whole and start to appreciate sounds created by different instruments...

the best thing about this jazz fest was firstly... ming drove at lighting speed and the 2 of us were in the genting international showroom within an hour from the jelatek lrt station... but more importantly... our group dance like there was no tomorrow with every performance... infact we didnt care if ppl looked strangely at us.. we were too busy having a good time.... we even danced on stage!!!... and for someone like me... who really hates to be on stage for any reason.... was quick to grap hazel to dance rueda on stage..... and also some salsa towards the end with some of me friends...

well.... alot of other things have happened in the last 2 months... GE tsunami... musicallity... loads of weddings including a trip to kuching for parveen's wedding... alot of salsa... in fact i'll be at Hush tonite to dance....

oyah... to all rock fans.... if you remember watching Sharins' band perform at bala's broadwalk in the past.. .please note that they now perform on most days at numerous places including HRC..... do let me know if u wanna check them out... i normally try to catch them on my non salsa days which is mainly saturdays @ HUSH in bangsar...

ok folks... till the next.. cheerio!