thank you, NUSWS clarinets! this is indeed a very pleasant surprise! and i completely love the trumpet soft case man! and love the mouthpiece pouch that came with it, now it protects my Yamaha Custom 14B4 GP mouthpiece! hehehe. i’m all set to become a trumpet player man. this doesn’t sound too right…
i greatly appreciate the effort guys. THANKS!!!!
you guys make growing old more bearable for me 
you know, i have been so caught up with negativity these days and i really have missed the whole point of life. i am already so blessed, yet i easily missed out looking at all the blessings i have. when you count your blessings, you’d realise that life isn’t that unfair after all!
so… here’s a tribute to all my blessings, as far as i’m allowed to say:
first on the list has got to be my family. although things aren’t always smooth sailing in my family, and as "every family has a difficult book to read", we are still a very blessed family because we get to put food on the table. we get a roof over our heads. and my family is tolerant of my profession. thank you mom, dad, and my two brothers!
next has got to be my dear. she has always been a pillar of support for me, and she just helped me out with the concert order of pieces i was planning for Beatty. i’m truly blessed to have her by my side, and i will always cherish her great companionship and ever-lovely smile! thank you dear!
i have to thank my teachers-in-charge for all my bands for believing in a young and relatively inexperienced conductor like me, and despite some misunderstandings somewhere, i think i’m really blessed to still have them support me all the way. i’m sure that with all your support, i will continue to grow as a band instructor, and i really thank you all for being such fantastic blessings in my life!
i really have to thank my mentors for teaching me so much about band and band teaching! i am blessed to have Mr Richard Png as my band instructor in secondary school, and then continuing my clarinet with him, finally bringing me out as an assistant band instructor. my sincerest gratitude to Mr Png for giving me all the opportunities that i’ve always wanted! a true blessing indeed!
also, thank you Mr Leonard Tan for sharing with me so much of your knowledge through NUSWS! i have learnt so much from you and i really cherish all the valuable lessons. and really, thank you for giving us so much fantastic music! NUSWS has become a very different place after you came; you’re our biggest blessing! 
and thank you Mrs Chua for the wonderful music at Mus’art Wind Orchestra! we have learnt so much under your direction and i have personally improved a lot because of your belief in me. thank you for the opportunity!
and i shall not forget all my friends; every single friend who made an impact in my life, you are not forgotten! although i don’t have many friends, i’m truly blessed to have these few but great great friends who always have faith in me, and who are always giving me valuable advice, and who always seem to appear and give me a helping nudge in times of need. you are my true friends indeed! i’m blessed to have my friends by my side; nothing is impossible with you guys’ support
and of course, i’m truly blessed with all my students, many of whom have been with me through those days where i was an almost completely clueless band conductor to where i am now. although i haven’t made my mark, but i sincerely hope that i have made a difference to your lives. you are my blessings! because when i wave the baton, i don’t make a sound; you guys and girls do! thank you for the music and the fun and the gossip
make it a point to count your blessings every day! have you counted your blessings today?
or rather i was reminded of it. why i’m in this profession.
because the only time i feel really really alive is when i’m on the podium.
even without dinner. lol.
that being said, i still messed up some parts. haha. more homework on the pieces! i’ll be ready
do come watch us, NUS Wind Symphony, on 15th March 2008. we will bring to you:
Stars and Crescent
English Folk Song Suite Mvt 1 by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Finlandia by Jean Sibelius
Cartoon by Paul Hart
and…
Symphony No. 3 - Planet Earth by Johann de Meij
InTempo 2008 will be a blast, celebrating 40 years of music making in NUS Wind Symphony. come!
you know, i really do hate uncertainty.
and then you wonder why i’m in my current profession.
sometimes, i wonder too. can we survive on passion? but i really do love the job.
amidst this madness, i will search for the answers. hopefully i’ll find them soon.
