Forgive the cliche but how fast time flies. It was a year ago that I blogged about Cheer 2008 and its winner Shirtliff.
Well, Cheer 2009 is here and it’s set to be a massive event as it is our 10th Anniversary. The R.AGE team, moi included, will be at Stadium Putra Bukit Jalil all weekend, so do pop over to say hi if you’re there.
On Sunday, after the results are out about 5pm, the event will turn into a massive concert – bands like One Buck Shot, Love Me Butch and Bittersweet will be performing at the special 10th anniversary Cheer concert! Best of all, entry to Cheer 2009 is free!
But enough plugging, the point of this post really is to show you guys a couple of these videos. Every year, we bring in a few judges from the United States (two from Ireland this year) to help us run a couple of cheerleading clinics before the event, and be the judges on the day of the competition.
Last year, Santwon McCray – a two-time world champion – really got the crowd going with his brilliant solo performance just for the crowd. Check out the video here.
Well, this year, Santwon is back and he has promised to perform again, this time with a fellow judge Tye Colby Hill. I was YouTube-ing the two of them and wow, Tye can really tumble. And from my searches, seems like he’s quite the star! Check out the video below.
The judges usually get celebrity treatment by our cheerleaders when they are here, and it’s not hard to understand why. The videos above say everything! If only I was 1 millionth as flexible as them!
Check out a video of our interview with the judges – the others being Samantha Gorman, Hayden McGurk and Amy White-Lambe – from yesterday.
I meant to post this earlier but the past few days have just been so busy, with Urbanscapes (which I will blog about soon!), the Standard Chartered KL Marathon and the Michael Jackson Tribute Event (and another one I went earlier tonight at Urbanattic).
This article, a comment piece, was published last Thursday in the NST and headlined:
How the pretentious filch English to sex up their Malay
If you read my previous post about the word “sex”, you’d understand why this article caught my attention. I jest of course. I had previous blogged here about my thoughts on the English language and the Government’s policies on using it in schools through Maths and Science, and the latest debate, making it a compulsory subject to pass for SPM.
In the article by Azmi Anshar, he says:
Here’s the paradox: English was lofted to national obsession when Malay-based TV stations and Malay newspapers, magazines, periodicals, even websites and blogs began (mis) appropriating English words, terms, mindset and philosophy into their communicative artillery. Hear that loud slurping noise: it’s the Malay media, or to be more precise, the Malay intelligentsia, sucking English into the Malay realm.
An exaggeration, you think? No need to go far: most Malay media publications have liberally “adapted” scores if not hundreds of English nouns and verbs.
It’s true. I often have foreign friends who come visit crack really lame jokes about how they can speak Bahasa Malaysia: they only have to use words like Polis (Police), Ambulans (Ambulance) or Restoran (Restaurant). In the article, Azmi quotes many more including cif (chief – this was new to me!), apresiasi (appreciation) and prestij (prestige).
The best I read is probably the Bahasa Malaysia subtitles for an episode of FRIENDS, which translated “I just lost my erection” to “Saya baru hilang ereksi saya”. I blogged about it too.
Strangely enough, many of these words already have existing Bahasa Malaysia alternatives. Even Azmi alluded to this fact:
However, the farcical irony of these transgressions is that each misappropriated word has a perfectly functional and practical Malay equivalent.
Granted, a lot of this has been made popular by its use in the Malay media. But Azmi is quick to also credit Dewan Bahsa dan Pustaka (our national language guardians).
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, the guardian of Malay language’s inviolability, is as guilty as the language’s corruptors. As we understand it, before an English word is embraced, an equivalent has to be found in the Malay lexicon of every regional dialect. If that fails, look to Mandarin, Cantonese or Hokkien, and if that too fails, follow up with Tamil, and if that fails, search the languages of the indigenous and go as far as Sabah and Sarawak.
If all attempts fail, only then would the English word finally be admitted.
I didn’t know this fact, but it is interesting. Because it begs another question (than Azmi’s about how English is only used to “sex” up Bahasa Malaysia – to make it more appealing) as far as I am concerned and that is, if we are so comfortable stealing using words from English, then why are we so afraid to embrace it?
Why do we have people – including a national laureate like A Samad Said (shocking, if you ask me; you’d think a man who understands, celebrates and appreciates language and literature would know the value of learning different languages – like English) – who are so adamant that English should not have a bigger role in our education system?
Yes, I understand many worries about implementation – how it is unfair to current students who might not already do well in English to have to pass it next year – but the biggest opposition, from the way I see it, is not in the way it will work but rather in the introduction of the language itself. And that it might be detrimental to Bahasa Malaysia.
Don’t get me wrong, I do really like Bahasa Malaysia, as I’ve said before. But I think it has to go in tandem with such a widely-used language as English.
But I think Azmi summarised it all best when he said:
While they inflict themselves with cultural schizophrenia, the militants will tolerate English, just as long there is a Malay rendering. At the rate English is crudely bud-grafted into Bahasa Melayu, Malaysians will one day be enlightened that they don’t need to learn English to write and speak it. All they need is to be able to understand Bahasa Melayu in all its anglicised disfigurement.
Yesterday (well, technically two days ago) was quite a full day for me. After the run in the morning (and nap in the afternoon), I joined Yin, Lionel and their running friends for dinner in Section 17 to celebrate completing the run.
While I was there, I received a text message from Ian asking if I was heading “to the party”. I had promised Yin before, so I turned him down. But we finished dinner about 9pm, and I thought maybe I could still make it. So I texted Kwee Siong from Sony BMG and he said that it would be going on for another half an hour. I rushed over immediately to 1-Utama.
The “party” was actually a Michael Jackson: Remembering The Legend event organised by Sony Music in tribute to the great one. It was held at 1-Utama Shopping Centre in Bandar Utama and the organisers estimate 1,000 people who showed up.
I had missed all the impersonators and dancing segments (which Ian enjoyed very much). I got there in time for the sing-along session which I loved, being able to sing his music and feel the energy from so many people. Right in front were Yasmin Yusuff (who was also the emcee and wearing a vintage MJ hat!) as well as Chelsia Ng. Adam Carruthers was on the opposite side of the stage but we caught up after.
The crowd really got into the singing and there were many cups with a lit tealight candle for them. I almost cried when Heal the World came on. After a few songs, another impersonator came on to perform his tribute – a rendition of Michael Jackson’s Gone Too Soon, which was apt. He looked eerily like Michael too (picture of him below).
Then as they played a few more music videos (and all of us dancing around – well, just Yasmin, Chelsia, Ian, Jackie and I), people rushed to signed the board even more. I managed to find some empty space and left my note which simply read: “Live On”. I know it’s cheesy but it’s true, methinks.
After the event, Ian and Jackie (pictured below) wanted to get a couple of photos with the impersonator (such a wierd term, calling them that!) so they went backstage to hunt him down. We managed to find him and I got a shot too. Of course, there was some more camwhoring before we went off to Devi’s Corner in TTDI for a drink.
The thing about an event like this really shows how much of an impact Michael had on people. I was not a HUGE fan, but I feel the loss not oinly because it’s sensational. I just listen to the radio and watch television tributes to him, and each of his song from the different albums held memories for me. I may not have thought a lot about him while he was alive but his music was with me at every point of my life, particularly growing up in the ’80s.
I had a friend, Kenneth, who loved him so much that he had the gloves and hat for his immitations. We spent countless of hours perfecting the moonwalk – well, Kenneth perfected it, I tried to keep up. One of my sisters had a Bad poster in her room and we still have his albums – in cassettes! I am reacting more than I thought I would but the tears that sometimes come with suddenly listening to his song on radio have to mean something.
I think the 1,000 people at the event would agree with me.
Oh, and a quick shot with “Michael” (I look totally ghastly – I was tired from the run and was in no mood to do my hair though Chelsia did comment about how this was THE one time I should have wore my fedora. I didn’t think about it – silly me).
What a day! I was up at 4.45am this morning (went on Facebook and my friends were all just coming back from clubbing!) for my first run since the Terry Fox Run last November, and since I started my four-months physiotherapy in December.
Last year, I was aiming for this run to be my first 21k, but after my physio, did not even contemplate it and besides, my doctor wouldn’t have been too happy. So when the registration for the Standard Chartered KL Marathon opened, I signed up for the 10k, not knowing if my knees and hamstring would have gotten better (but signed up anyway). So glad I did!
I was afraid of parking, so I went over to Le Meredien hotel at KL Sentral and parked there before Zahim (sorry, Dato’, I mean hehe) and I walked over. Consider it a warm up. I was excited for him because it was his first run, and I still remember mine at the Nike+ Human Race 10K last year in Singapore. We arrived at Dataran Merdeka about 6.15am, just as the half-marathon (21k) runners were flagged off. Looked out for some friends – Yin, Kubhaer and Kenny but too many people!
After taking enough pictures of the half-marathoners, and being amazed at home many people were there, Zahim and I started camwhoring – we had to capture the moment. And the Sultan Abdul Samad building looked really good with the lights.
And then it was time to get ready for the run. And as we went over hand out bags over to the bag storage people, @partypooper101 who came up to say hi and take a pic (nice to meet you out of the Twittersphere, Trecia!). Then it was a quick warm up before we had to get ready at the starting line. I liked that we were given small bibs to tag to our bags, so that made it easy for the storage. The mass warm up session was a bit short though, so I did some of my own. Not knowing how my legs were going to react for my first run in a while (and I didn’t train – my last run was 2.75km last week and I walked home limping!), I stretched quite a bit especially the hamstring (didn’t want a repeat of last year!).
And then we were flagged off and that’s when I said by to Zahim and we did our run separately. I thought the route was okay – it wasn’t too hilly (thank God!) and I really didn’t expect it to be quite so flat (I didn’t do my homework, obviously). The weather was very nice, a slight drizzle as we took off but then a gentle overcast until we came back which was perfect!
I still have my Nike+ wristband from last year (though it’s gone wonky and I can’t read half the screen) so I used it to help me pace myself and keep time. That dip at the 5th point was when I took a toilet break (couldn’t hold it in any longer!). The second dip was when I thought my knee was flaring up and so I stopped for a bit at the next drinking stop.
Other than that, I was pretty consistent till the end, just a few stops to walk after the 7km mark (about 8.5 on the marker above). As we arrived at the DBKL building, I was so sure that we were almost done and would turn right to Dataran (my watch was reading 9+km at that point) but we were directed left and we had almost 2 km left. Can die! My watch isn’t THAT accurate (or maybe blur case like me just don’t know how to calibrate properly). Cursing under my breath, I continued and made it back in just over 65 minutes.
I’m not unhappy at the results at all although my runs last year have all been sub-60mins. Considering I didn’t train, and I was ready to just walk all the way if my knees flared up, I am thrilled (not to mention the toilet break!).
I cooled down after my run while waiting for friends to return and also went to collect my finisher’s medal (another to add to my collection!). The one above is actually Zahim’s but mine was in my bag and I was too lazy to take it out. I guess I came back before the flood of people, cos I got my bag and medal without much of a queue. The baggage claim was a bit strange, because they just returned our bags without marking collected or anything, so I’m glad that mine didn’t go missing (one guy couldn’t find his bag while I was queuing up – hope they found it).
Then of course, I checked Twitter and all the messages were streaming in. Some of us managed to find each other (like Zahim, Smashpop, Selena – did I get your name right? and EVo. I also met Anna Rina, Mike Foong and AprilYim (who didn’t run but was there for moral support). Didn’t manage to meet other friends who ran though. Tweetup tak jadi!
Before we left, bumped into Keith and Yin again who had collected their 21km finisher’s medal. Obviously, I was very jealous (and wanted to do it too – though sitting here blogging feeling all achy, I think maybe not hehe). I also took an after shot with Zahim before we walked back to Le Meridien (yes, more walking!!!).
In terms of the race, I had a good time. I felt pretty good running and wished I was more fit or had trained, but it reminded me why I like running so much. The event itself was okay – I heard some complains about organisation but I didn’t encounter any problems. I felt bad for people like Yin and the others who came in later than the 10k runners though, they ran out of bananas.
My biggest peeve was distance markers. The only one I saw was for the full marathon folks, so I couldn’t really gauge how far I had left etc. At one point, as we were approaching Bank Negara, I actually sped up thinking I was already so close to Dataran Merdeka only for them to direct us left towards Sogo. Straight away pancit!
But otherwise, I’m already thinking of what other runs I can do (probably not the King of the Road, maybe the Wave Run. Trying to arrange to go to Singapore again for the Human Race 10k again though!
What I also really enjoyed was my new pair of shoes. I was told that these were the only pieces on the road in Malaysia at the moment (but Mike Foong said he saw it in Nike stores last week – but global launch of the shoes are only on July 1). Anyway, the Nike LunarGlide+ were great.
I’ve only worned them once before (wanted to wear them in, and then the pain happened) but they worked out really well for me today. I like that they looked like shoes – not one of those which wraps around your legs and was still pretty light. I was worried they might get a bit warm – they started getting warm at 2.5km the other day and I was worried how it would last in a longer distance run – but it was actually turned out okay.
The road was wet for part of the way, and the grip on the shoe was really good. I wasn’t too worried running on the roads or pavements, I could maintain my speed (or lack of it!) which I thought was good. The shoe also features this technology called Dynamic Support System, which makes it ideal for both cushioning and support. I really haven’t been running long enough to know what all this means but they were comfortable.
So, I am very happy (and yes, showing off too).
Back to the day, Zahim and I took a slow walk back and then went for breakfast at Hilton KL to celebrate finishing the run! How posh! But since we were sweaty and icky, we just went to the poolside. The pita-bread chicken was yummeh!
So, you might have figured by now from my blog posts and Tweets that I’ll be running in the 10km category at tomorrow’s Standard Chartered KL Marathon which kicks off at Dataran Merdeka.
I was just there earlier this afternoon (before I went off to Urbanscapes, which I will blog about soon) to collect my race pack. I was told that due to the rain, it was quite chaotic yesterday for collection, but I had no problems at all today. In fact, it was a brreze – I just walked up, got my bib and left. The photo below says it all.
Of course, I had to be very blur and spent a few minutes looking for the timing device in the pack. When I was running last year, the device was something we had to tie to our shoelaces. After a phone call to my friend Yin, I discovered – ahem – that the device is embedded into the number we had to pin to our running gear. Malu right?
Truth be told, I’m not too confident about tomorrow. While I managed to run two 10k races last year below the 1hr mark (even my first ever run in Singapore at the Nike+ Human Race 10k), I’m only hoping to make it back tomorrow within the allocated time (I believe it’s 1.5hrs for the 10k run).
This is my first run since I underwent physiotheraphy for a busted hamstring and two strange knees I was born with, and a run last week proved that I’m not yet ready to run at the pace I did last year (not that it was even that fast!). Still, I would like to grow old with two functioning knees, thank you very much.
I am looking at this as a gauge of how much work I will need to do over the next couple of months in order to repeat my under 1hr run at this year’s Nike Human Race 10k in Singapore (again!). Big hint, Nike.
Wish me luck folks, and look me up if any of you are gonna be there tomorrow. I should have my mobile when I’m back from the race, so Tweet me or something and I’ll check it out. Don’t laugh at me if I’m too slow okay?
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