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YEAR OF JACKY CHEUNG WORLD TOUR 2007 - ARENA OF STARS GENTING HIGHLANDS 18 JANUARY 2008 (97TH performance of his world tour)

Hello 2008!  Haven't had much time to reflect on 2007 because of busy days and Chloe moving back permanently to stay with us and then she started school on 3rd January 08 and fell sick a week after that....so all tied up but...I was mighty excited on 18 January 2008 as my friend, Li Li and I made our trip up to Genting Highlands on Friday evening to catch Jacky Cheung in concert yet again!  After the wonderful experience at Bukit Jalil, we just could not resist watching him again! 

Being a die-hard fan for 23 years, nothing could keep me away, come rain or shine!  After having our buffet dinner at Resort Cafe in Resort Hotel, we made our way to the Arena of Stars.  It was a cold and misty night but I was feeling the excitement as I saw the hordes of people already there.  It was a sell-out crowd and we were mighty happy that for RM 204, our seats were very near the stage!!!

GOD of Songs Jacky Cheung Hok Yau was as enthralling as ever when he made his entry at 8.10 pm. Barely four months ago, Hong Kong’s most enduring Heavenly King played to a 30,000-strong crowd at Bukit Jalil. Having witnessed so many of his concerts, I can only reiterate that his concerts are beyond compare. Although the songlist was largely similar, the Arena of Stars had a more intimate setting and a more contained stage, which prompted a different performance. In place of the frenzied, frenetic dancing was a much sexier Cheung with delightfully fun and flirtatious moves. The dancing got even racier when he sang his sexy songs, Mandarin number Hong Se (Red) and Cantonese hit Wat Dou Beng (Sick). Surrounded by the writhing bodies of slinky masked dancers in sizzling hot outfits, Cheung showed his seductive side. “I learnt all these moves from watching some programmes on television, but I won’t tell you which. I’ve been an entertainer for so long and there have been all manner of headlines. But I’m still waiting for the one that says "seng gam dik Cheung Hok Yau" (Sexy Jacky).” His adoring audience and smitten fans lapped it all up as the superstar continued to pose and gesture. The much-decorated singer-actor then rattled off a list of personal record-breaking figures in his illustrious singing career.

“I’ve been singing for 23 years. I started when I was 23 and now I’m 46. I’ve released more than 70 albums. No fewer than 1,000 songs have I sung. My hands have held more than 300 awards. I’ve staged more than 500 concerts.” Stars had a more intimate setting and a more contained stage, which prompted a different performance. With the successful completion of the scheduled 105 gigs of this world tour, Cheung will have broken his long-standing record of the 100-show world tour set in the year 1995. “Now, I’m very glad to be standing here at the 97th gig of my world tour, and I thank you all for making this concert a success.

We were so proud to be part of this and excitedly shouted out our approval. He continued, "with the 98th and the 99th concerts, I’ll be wrapping up the overseas leg of my world tour here in Malaysia.” Cheung, who embarked on the world tour last February, will be staging the grand finale in Hong Kong next month. As promised, he presented a half-hour musical with a medley of Mandarin songs from the musical film, Perhaps Love, and the stage musical, Snow Wolf Lake. By the time he got to Fei Seung Ha Yat (Summery Days), more than half the excited audience were on their feet, clapping in time and singing along. We rocked and clapped and each time he walked towards where we were sitting, we went absolutely CRAZY! Haha..I found it a great way to reduce stress and had a great time indeed.  I lost count of the number of high kicks Cheung executed as he rendered close to 40 songs – including 10 chart-toppers for the encore – during the three-hour show. Fans sang along as he ended his concert with a heartfelt rendition of the especially meaningful Zhu Fu (Blessing), and closed with the hope of “keeping my smile forever in your heart to accompany you through every spring, summer, autumn and winter”.   Long live the songs of Jacky Cheung!!!

ROGER FEDERER IN KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA!!

November 22, 2007

Ten Minutes with Roger Federer: Fans' reception surprises Federer

The world’s No. 1 tennis player, Roger Federer, arrived in Kuala Lumpur yesterday for an exhibition match against former World No. 1 Pete Sampras at the Malawati Stadium in Shah Alam today. Their clash, titled ’Clash of Times’, is expected to be witnessed by some 12,000 tennis enthusiasts. Federer, 26, has won 12 Grand Slam titles with a total prize money worth US$38 million (RM129.2m). He is the only male tennis player to have won eight Grand Slam singles titles in three years (2004-2006)

Q: You beat Pete Sampras in the 2001 Wimbledon Tennis Championship. This is the first time you are playing him again since then. What do you think of the match tonight?

A: It is going to be a tough match, even though Pete has gone into retirement, he still has his game plan and his strength. He is my all-time favourite player, and I am honoured to play against him.

Q: Do you analyse your game through recordings, after your matches or tournaments?

A: Well, I used to watch whenever I played against top players during my younger days but I don't do it anymore.

I guess at this stage, I don't need it unless I am watching the TV and I always try to do something else besides tennis.

Q: How tough is it to be a touring player?

A: It is very tough as it requires a lot of discipline and mental toughness.

We travel so much and I play close to 80 competitions a year.

Q: Tiger Woods and you are good friends. It is very rare for two top sports personalities to be so close. Can you explain this?

A: We are close although we don't meet that often. We do talk on the phone a lot. Tiger is a great person and we have many things in common. There is mutual respect and I think it also helps us as well to support one another.

Q: This is your first "short visit" to Malaysia. Would you come back again one day to spend more time?

A: Yes, of course. I like beaches and I have been told that Malaysia has great beaches.

Q: What would you like to say to your Malaysian fans?

A: It is an honour to have fans around the world. I was surprised with the treatment we received from fans and people who are involved in this tournament. I hope the fans will enjoy themselves at the (Malawati) stadium today.

JACKY CHEUNG CONCERT - WORLD TOUR IN MALAYSIA - 14 SEP 2007

Jacky Cheung Concert - Bukit Jalil -14 SEP 2007 - 8.30 PM More than 30000

Jacky Cheung fans witnessed a spectacular world-class concert with breathtaking pyrotechnic displays, which include spinning fireworks and metre-high flames.  Coupled with superb choreography and high-energy performances from his bevy of sizzling-hot dancers, this was a Jacky Cheung concert to remember for all times. There was one giant LED screen and four other screens set up around the stadium for fans to enjoy close-ups of Jacky's nifty footwork and dramatic sequences.  Cheung rendered a mix of his new hits and all-time favourites. The song list includes Ngoi Fo Fa (Sparks of Love), Tau Fat Luin Liu (Messed Up Hair), Ting Tian You Ming (Leave it Up to Fate), Yi Qian Ge Chang Xin De Li You (One Thousand Sad Reasons), Cheng Yi Sai (Love Is Gone), Ji Seong Yat Sang Gan Nei Jau (Only Want to Be with You Forever), Ngoh Long Chuin Shuit (Legend of the Hungry Wolf), Yiu Yiu (Lullaby) and Gong Nei Ji (Letting You Know).  The later part of the show includes an half-hour-long musical, which features Cheung's works in his musical film Perhaps Love and his stage musical Snow Wolf Lake.    The God of Songs sang a medley of numbers, which include Shi Fou Zai Lian Ai (Are We in Love), Ai Shi Yong Hen (Love is Forever), Ni Shi Ai Wo De (You Do Love Me), Ming Yun Qu (Destiny's Song) and Ru Guo Ai (Perhaps Love).    My friend & I had so much fun singing (or was it SCREAMING? haha..) from beginning till the end!!  And when it came to the encore, hits like Lei Hoi Yi Hao (After Leaving), Ngam Luin Nei (Crush On You), Wan See Gok Dak Nei Jui Hou (Still Feel You're The Best) and Yuet Boon Wan (Crescent Moon) almost caused the whole stadium to explode! The strong crowd and the atmosphere was absolutely electric!!  And when it came to the last song, Ju Fu (Blessings) it was an emotional night for those who have 'grown-up' with the music and songs of Jacky Cheung, me for example! It was indeed a show to remember and I was so glad that I WAS THERE!!!

ALL ABOUT JACKY CHEUNG'S NEW MANDARIN ALBUM...

19 January, 2007

2007 All-New Mandarin Album
JACKY - By Your Side

Only his voice can touch our souls
Only his heart can express one love
When everything changes, only Jacky stays the same
A song title in Jacky Cheung’s All-New Mandarin Album, “Long Time No See”
Your immaculate voice, Your enchanting music, Jacky, we’ve waited a long time....

For Jacky’s fans, 2007 is certainly the year worth waiting for. First is the release of the long awaited Jacky’s new Mandarin Album, “By Your Side”. Then, The Year of Jacky Cheung World Tour 07 will soon kick off.

Jacky is without a doubt one of the biggest stars in the world of Chinese pop music. From the success of “Snow, Wolf, Lake” to performing at the opening ceremony of the Doha Asian Games, Jacky Cheung is a bona fide shining star of Asia. With the release of “By Your Side”, Jacky will once again breathe new life to the Chinese music world.

Four years after the release of “Where Is He” in 2002, Jacky has finally released the all new Mandarin Album “By Your Side”. After the completion of “Snow, Wolf, Lake”, Jacky spend almost one year to produce this new album. Of course, we’re always curious as to what surprises Jacky has in store for us every time he releases a new album. Without a doubt, his music this time around is more enchanting than ever.

At first, Jacky had a difficult time in preparing the new album. He was working without his producing partner, 區丁玉 Michael Au, who had worked with Jacky for over 20 years. And he was also faced with the pressure of the declining Chinese music industry. Jacky stated, “I can’t produce an album by following today’s trends. That’s just deceiving my fans. How can I convince people to listen to my music when I can’t even face it myself? My fans won’t like that, so in the end, I’ve decided to produce the album I want.” This new album was produced entirely by Jacky himself.

From selecting the songs, lyrics, composing, mixing to producing the music for the whole album, Jacky was personally in charge. Even when his schedule got overwhelming, he didn’t want anyone’s help.

This album is considered Jacky’s first with the credit of “Music Producer” and it’s also his greatest personal achievement yet.

After the music production, Jacky wrote a personal note for Michael Au, his partner for more than 20 years in the music industry.

“I know what love is. I have loved one person, then a few more, then more and more. Now I know how to love, I’ve been looking for love songs, one after another. And I’ve put them in this album. I dedicate this album to the one who has enlightened me in music and production, my partner for over 20 years, my old friend, Michael Au.”

Note: September 2006, Michael Au decided to leave Hong Kong and the music industry to pursue his own personal endeavors. I wish him the best of luck.

Jacky Cheung “By Your Side”

People have said stars are meant to shine, but I said it’s all your support that made me shine for the 20 years. Without you, without Jacky Cheung.

The production of “By Your Side” clearly demonstrates Jacky’s strive for perfection in the quality of the music. The contents and style of the 10 songs brings a pleasant surprise to the listeners.

When everything changes, Jacky stays the same with his passion for music.

We have all listened to Jacky’s music while growing up. “I grew up listening to you” is what fans often say to Jacky. His music is embedded in all our childhood memories.

But in Jacky’s heart, we are the ones by his side for these 20 years of his music career, he truly feels that way. Without you, there would be no Jacky Cheung.

Only music can express Jacky’s most personal feelings, “By Your Side” expresses Jacky’s personal feelings and experience for the past few years.

The concept behind this album is “Love”. Since Jacky has two adorable daughters in his life, watching them grow up made him realize a deeper meaning of love and how to express it.

Because of you, I’ve learned how to love
Because of you, I understand  the simplicity of happiness
Because of you, I can enjoy the purity of joy
Because of you, I don’t want to lose it all

LONG LIVE THE MUSIC AND SONGS OF JACKY CHEUNG!!!!

BACK IN ONE PIECE AFTER TRIP IN NEPAL, TIBET, XINING AND BEIJING!!

Errrrr..firstly...before April ends, thanks again for all those bday wishes, flowers, cards, gifts, makans, never ending sms which kept me busy from morning till nite hehe, calls and whatsoever!!  Really appreciated the time and money you guys wasted on me... I will switch off my phone next year..haha..

So what's up in my life?  Was a bit lazy and hazy after the IATA Exams but life is slowlyyyyy getting back to normal..or is it "abnormal"? Yikes..Was on a "discovery trip" to Nepal yet again..departed on 10 April 2007 on an early TUE morn flight and returned on 17 April 2007 the following TUE.  Transitted in Bangkok from KUL at the new Suvarnabhumi airport..geez..did not like the airport for now..too new maybe..it was kinda "cold" and without a "life" and signboards at the airport were not sufficient, washrooms were in terrible conditions - dirty and with no water supply...flight from Bangkok to Kathmandu was better..on the 777 aircraft with the same "space shuttle designed seats" which I went on previously on Bizness Class.

Being the movie fanatic that I am on a plane, I was straightaway watching Holiday nope, not that Mr Bean one but the one with Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet and Jude Law, it was ok.  Was whisked away to the highlands of Nagarkot which was about 45 mins away from Kathmandu town after visiting the ancient city of Bakhtapur upon reaching Nepal.  All along, the views were fabulous and it felt good to be on holiday yet again away from the hustle and bustle of KL city!!  Our resort up on the hills - Club Himalaya was absolutely stunning!!  The room was spacious and we managed to catch the sun setting in the evening and also the sunrise the next morning. 

After bidding farewell to Nepal on the 3rd day, we caught an Air China flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa - errrr this was where the adventure began!!  Upon arrival in Tibet, our Tibetan guide who speaks English, Mr Tenzin was there to greet us.  He was a knowledgeable and helpful guide.  I could not believe that I had landed on the "ROOF OF THE WORLD"! Lhasa was about 3660 m up high so you can imagine how thin the air was.  Because of the lack of oxygen, all of us had to walk very slowly upon descending from the aircraft, we can't even afford to speak a lot which required a lot of patience as we were so used to talking and doing everything at a fast pace back in KUL.  The guide advised us to drink lots of water into the nite after checking into our hotel - (Hotel Lhasa formerly known as Holiday Inn Hotel) and we had to limit all activities on the first day/nite in order to get acclimatized to the thin air.

So we were like imprisoned in our room on the first nite and just went down to the cafe in our hotel for dinner - a plate of fried rice was at about RM 34 and a personal pizza RM 44 after conversion - the pricing left us almost breathless instead of the thin air!!  ok..the sleeping part was the most difficult, when you throw your head back on your pillow..it sort of spins and you might have difficulty catching your breath at some point during your sleep though it wasn't that bad for me as I had all kinds of prevention stuffs/pills ready - panadol, mountain sickness pills, cold pills, fever pills, headache pills, minyak angin cap kapak, tiger balm you name it, I had it !!  haha..my hubby was worse off...that's a long story..some of you might have known by now geezzz..

Anyway, the temples, monasteries and palaces each had a story to tell and you would come out of Tibet culturally and spiritually motivated though it won't make me hold a joss stick every day at home hehehe.  The Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple were the main highlights.  We had to do a lot of climbing at times, it was cold and windy but it was worth it.  The people there lead a hard life as well and you look at life at another angle after that and tend to think more for people less fortunate than we are upon leaving the place.

The highlight of my tour was actually the 27-hour train journey from Lhasa to Xining which came complete with sleeping berths and a dining car.  It was a once in a lifetime experience and the scenery was breathtaking at most parts.  Upon reaching Xining, we checked in at Qinghai Hotel and walked the streets of the city which was clean and vibrant.  Flight from Xining to Beijing on Air China after 1 night.

Beijing to me has changed a lot over the years.  There are sooooo many cars on the road now and the feeling that you are back in KUL will suddenly emerge!!  With the Olympic Games just around the corner in 2008, they were busy sprucing up the city and their manners.  After checking in at the Red Wall Hotel which had a mini bowling alley - only 10 lanes haha visited Wangfujing Street, last minute grabbing at Silk Street where the items were ridiculously jacked up...we managed to get some stuffs at a final price of RMB 20 and the price started at RMB 260, believe it!!  My hubby was great at bargaining..his Mandarin was much better off than mine..I was only good at poking at the calculator!!

Flight on MH from Beijing back to KUL, me the movie manic watched The Pursuit of Happyness, have always liked Will Smith and his acting so it was ok..though the ending part of the story was a bit abrupt for me..sat through a Hong Kong movie would ya believe it????  Mr 3 Minutes with Ronald Cheng..errr not that I wanted to but this one was on a big screen..and I was in Economy so not for me to choose hehe..errr..u can skip this movie..I don't sleep much on a plane or any other transportation vehicle so it was either movies or music or games or reading...

Anyway, being in the travel & tourism industry, the trip to me was an eye opener in many ways and a good learning experience even though there were no theme parks or great shopping in Tibet!

NOTE : Will be very, very busy with FOOTBALL in the next few weeks as MAN UNITED is involved in the Premier League, FA CUP and UEFA Champion's League haha..sooooo till my next blog..have a good day everyone!!

GOODBYE 2006, HELLO 2007!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

Helloooooo!!  I am back!!  hehe  Errrrrr...this is only the second time I am in here (since March 2006 - feeling guilty) so I want to make this long and meaningful (I hope haha)... it shows how busy, how hardworking, how pre-occupied and how BAD my time management is that I can't always seem to find time to come in here hahaha and before you know it, time just whisked past and it's the end of the year already!! 

I know it's the month of holidays and merry making and the time where everyone is busy making New Year resolutions, holiday plans, thinking of how much angpows they are going to get/give out this coming Chinese New Year hehe and a whole lot more but to all of you who have taken a bit of your precious time to read my blog in here, I would like to thank and appreciate all those wishes, messages and testimonials that you guys have sent me throughout on whatever occasions.  You might not get one of those picture testimonials back from me in return (yikes I know you young people like those stuffs..) due to my terribly busy schedule & limited computer knowledge hehe but I do try to make it up by doing the next best thing as you all have realised by now....SENDING SMS..haha...

As we reflect on another year gone by in 2006, we should be grateful that we are still around to greet another year, family and friends are still strong pillars of support in our up and down days and to my current students..gosh..I love you guys because you all created a lot of beautiful memories and laughter during the year...even though I always have to grumble and push you guys to study..sheesh..and if you all are reading this, my one BIG WISH for 2007 is I do hope that you guys will pass the IATA exams in March 2007...if not for me..do it for YOURSELF cos' you guys deserve it for all the hard work already put in..to all former students and old/new friends, ..thanks for always being there and may our friendship continue to grow and grow and growwwwww..do keep in touch..and to my relatives..may we continue to be related ...hahaha..and my staff..gosh..thanks for all the wonderful support and work done, really appreciate it...I would also like to thank my father, my mother, my brother, my director ooppss...sorry..got carried away thought I was on one of those AWARDS show..hehe

To everyone who knows me or those who don't or those who are still trying to figure me out or not too sure if they know or don't know me haha I sincerely wish you all a HAPPY, PEACEFUL and HEALTHY 2007 from the bottom of my heart!!

YEEEEEE HAWWWW..a BLOG?????

Ok, ok....what's a blog in the first place????  Hehe it's not in my Oxford Dictionary...or maybe my dictionary is out of date!!! (I actually searched for it) Anyway, while still trying to figure out the meaning in here, I did some research and found out what YOU PEOPLE do in BLOGS....I ADMIT, I am OUT...I am out of time, out of date, out of my system, out of everything but I am trying to get back IN!!!  So, watch out WORLD!!!

Life is normal....to me not being normal is normal...but then how many of us are NORMAL in the first place???  okie, gotta get back to work...have an exceptionally NORMAL DAY..geez..how BORING....hah...