que pasa

Today the younger son of my host family really struggled to practice his piano. He clearly didn't want to and his mom had to practically threaten him (but I knew with no intention to execute) in order to get him to sit down. And even when he did, boy was it painful to observe and hear.

The little boy reminded me of myself – how torturous I felt when I had to practice. I hated piano when I was learning it and finally I had a fight with my mom in 5th grade about it and insisted that I want to quit. The truth was that I thought the pieces were difficult and uninteresting. There was no enjoyment in playing which led to the vicious cycle of not wanting to practice and the pieces sounding very unspectacular.

Today, the piano still sits in our house. It is only used when guests who know how to play come by – which is a rare occasion. My mom would then say to me, if only you had continued your piano lessons, you might be playing like that now. I would reply with a “Yeah maybe” but I know in my heart that I would never play like that. (I blogged about this previously two years ago I think) My mom gave me the opportunity that she didn't have, I had the ability to play, but I didn't have the interest or the talent for it.

But these few days I've been sitting at the piano trying to work out some hymns. I'm in the mood where I just feel like playing and I know enough to play for myself. This feeling is familiar, and lasts for a few days. I pick songs whose tune I already know - that helps me figure out the notes and rhythm better. But I know this feeling will pass in a while. In fact, I think I can see the end already.

The mood for piano playing comes and goes.

Lately I've been doing some strange things.  I did the dishes at 845am this morning.  I played the piano (albeit rather choppily) yesterday. I've been cutting fruits for my friends' kids.  I've been making a pot of coffee every other morning.  I do laundry and hang the clothes out and bring them in when they are dry.  Went with my friend to buy vegetables.  That is not my normal behavior at home with my parents, not even when I live alone.  I think my mom would be pleased if she found out.

It's almost as if all the ideal behavioral traits that my mom has been trying to cultivate in me when I was a kid surface themselves when it's apparent to me that this place definitely could use the extra hands, legs, eyes and so on.  Right now, I'm staying at my friends' place in Beijing – they have 2 boys.  My friend (the mom) has her hands full with her younger son and she's been very tired lately.  She has part time help but the help only comes in the morning for half a day, every other day.  So this hidden part in me has actually spoken out and expressed its willingness to help wherever possible. 

I have also started to manifest the eldest child traits, which is even stranger because I'm the youngest child in my family.  (But then again, maybe that's just a function of age.) I'm glad though that they boys like me enough to listen to me when I have to ask them to do things.  I "watch" them when the parents are not in the immediate vicinity, not because they need babysitting but just in case.  I make sure the younger boy eats his food when the mom need to do other stuff.  I think the younger boy knows that he can't fool me because I know all the tricks in his book – I was a terrible kid, lol.  I can read some music so I know when he's not playing the piano right.  (Incidentally he's at Grade 3 in piano now, which is where I stopped, so I can kinda play his music pieces.)

I guess what I'm trying to do is to fill in the gaps and not be so much of a burden to my friends who have so kindly let me stay at their home and be part of their family for this time.  I guess it also has something to do with me feeling like I am representing my family when I stay with my friends (who also know my mom) and I want them to know that my parents did bring me up alright. 

But the best part is knowing that I can step up to the plate and help out in tangible ways in the house when required to.  I don't think my folks will ever see this side of me because when I'm at home, I seriously cannot find this part in me that would to lift a finger - I don't know why.  I'm a much better help in other people's homes or even my friends' place than in my own.  It's like an ability that I can only summon when the need is strong enough, sigh.

Googled for reviews on the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony just now and it seems that the world really liked what it saw. Stuff along the lines of "perfect 10", "perfect night" and "rave reviews" were peppered among my search results.

I disagree though. I think the Chinese were trying too hard. I know that it's rare to have such an opportunity when foreigners watch the country with their prior prejudices put aside, but the crash course in the evolution of the nation was absolutely unnecessary.

I also felt that the build up was poorly done. I thought such ceremonies should generally want to peak at the end, but it seemed like the best of it was at the beginning. The countdown, fireworks (29 steps from Tiannanmen Square to the Bird's Nest stadium) and the opening drum act was spectacular. But the rest of the program failed to keep the momentum going, which led to a lull instead. My friends (also foreigners) and I were bored.

What I was really disappointed with was the lack of aerial perspective performances, i.e. formations, play of colors and motion from the bird's eye view. The costumes were very detailed and many of the performances were beautiful if you could actually see them (i.e. front row seats or on tv) but most of the people in the stadium probably couldn't (unless there was something on the big screen). But I felt that if you have so many people performing, then you should really try to maximize the "macro" effect. I guess Zhang Yimou pretty much arranged the opening ceremony to be like one of his movies.

The lighting of the torch (they lifted up the torch-bearer and he did running motions in the air around the stadium) was also tacky and lame. Worst of all, there was a timing screw-up between the speed of the cable and the projection of the scroll unveiling itself. That should have been rehearsed many times, the mistake was unacceptable. Also, the fireworks display at the end was just pure overkill, no choreography at all.

Of course, the Chinese probably do not share my opinion, nor do many of the foreigners who have not seen much of Chinese culture, and the on-site spectators must have been really felt the excitement. They were just ready to be impressed, and I have always been rather critical. I think that Singapore's National Day celebrations are more entertaining, despite being on a smaller scale. And I wouldn't even consider myself a die-hard patriot. (Speaking of which, that's tonight – I'll find out if I have to eat my words. But first I need to find somebody with cable TV so that I can watch it...)

Anyway, I think the Chinese could have done a better job.