Alive n still kicking

Am still alive, what a great thing to be…though the past few days I have been having intervals of distractions in my mind thinking about where my next month’s rent is going to come from.

My laundry is still spilling out from the basket but I don't have dreams about models and disasters at shows anymore. I have a long list of to do list still, mainly singing-related activities.

I was congratulated by a friend yesterday on my quitting of the full time job, well, quitting without a new job and quitting with arts in mind. While I felt a little stupid at the side, she said money is secondary if I still have cash for my gas and food…not many people have the confidence to do it, she added.

Finished my temp job at a recent conference, I now start my official deployment as a bum. This bum is low on cash, but been on an emotional high since I start bumming.

Of course, the thought of quitting came when I realized how much I was dreading screwing up at work because of my increasingly heavy singing schedule; and not willing to compromise on my quality of life, the low point of the juggling between the booker job and my singing include

Getting all up-tight about my lack of time for house chores (anal-retentive I am)
Getting all bloated with late dinners
Began to enjoy meals while driving way too much
Running out of everyday clothes to put on while laundry piled up
Slacking in my vocal training
Growing more Panda-like
Falling asleep while driving
Not calling my parents

With some rough plans jotted down and discussions with possible people on launching me as a more active singer, I put down my walking paper to the agency. It was nice that I got a few calls from job offers straight after my last day at the agency, for both full time employment and temp jobs, no one should starve in this city…though I understand I have a slightly unusually high monthly overhead, I have this lifestyle….this very life style that seem to be part of the package for aspiring singer – voice lessons fee, gas, car maintenance, rent for a cozy pad (nothing too fancy but fancier than my last rented pad), theatres, grooming costs for those gigs….etc.

While I hope this strange time to be my great character-building period, I have been swamped with very exciting experiences. There have been strings of gig-opportunities for me to attend to, both paying and non-paying…

It is absolutely thrilling to know that people will be paying for me to do what I love and that people have appreciation for what I do on stage, it’s even more intoxicating to know that I get these jobs when the fact is that this city of mine is currently being overrun by many great, young talents.

I should be envy, I guess I am, but this is a feeling of overwhelm I think, overwhelm with the wealth of always being around with people with enormous gift in music. I have been meeting people whose musicianship is blowing my mind…

Yes, it is of course naturally can be annoyingly intimidating to have so many other more talented souls out there in the same market, but I guess this can only be benefiting – having highly competent people in your industry will push you to be better than yourself and at the same time you learn from the good people you work with.

Hopefully this month of temp-job hunting will allow me some time to soul search my singing abilities and my REAL potential of becoming the real Soul Doctor. To many I might appear to be a `trained singer’ but having been trained in singing technique is really, only the beginning of the long journey of art of singing. Next to my incredibly talented new friends, I know I have only just started to probe the craft of performing, communicating music. What makes a Soul Doctor different from a mere singer is what your singing can do to the people listening to your singing, touch souls.

While all these are taking place, I have been kept on my toe with my housing affair. You see, the day has come, about three weeks ago my housemates (one became two, how? will explain below) informed me of their moving out by end of October. It almost became too much for me to handle.... my state of affairs.

Quitting the agency (losing monthly income)
Going on full-force rehearsal for Pygmalion
Losing my pad?
Moving out?
Taking over? -- What about the expenses, great timing with the loss of regular income

I managed to smile again hours later...

So who is looking to stay at my pad? Have decided to take over the tenancy, not going to go through the pain of scouting for rooms and moving out.

Drop me an email if you are game :)

Anyone looking for temp help?