Songbirds

We use to be followers of the AF diaries and concerts, from the AF1 till even last year's AF4. Well, I say followers in the sense that we try to watch the diaries as often as possible each weekday nights and the concerts on Saturday. If you have never been hooked on these AF thingy, let me tell you this, if you do have been following the diaries in a particular week, you kinda want to know how the contestants fare on the real concert night with the costume and bright lights. So you will definitely stay in on Saturday nights and watch the concerts. The last 4 years, during the AF season, I am shameful to admit that I do plan my Saturdays around this concert time. Though sometimes you can't really afford to miss your friend's wedding or some relative's kenduri... you know what I mean right? And of course there'll be the discussion during breakfast on Monday morning at work with the girls. You know, things like; did we expect the contestant who were voted the least and gets to roll the flight attendant bag last Saturday night really deserved it; or was his or her clothes nice or suitable for her performance etc etc. I never was an AF fanatic, never the ones who actually vote. This year however is quite a let down. I just cannot bring myself to watch the AF anymore. I don't care about the diaries and not even the concert. Don't even know the contestants this time around. I know whether the contestants are just so not as talented as before or I guess 4 years is the maximum number of years that one could follow a reality show. The same goes with the American Idol, tried to follow the season this year but... I just can't. The Daughtry factor is just isn't there. By the way as I am typing this very sentence I have Daughtry singing in the background. This guy is something else eh? Ok, I better stop and not deviate from my original topic in mind. Chris Daughtry deserves a complete full posting, at a later date perhaps.

Now, where was I, oh yes! The fact that I am not following AF or American Idol this year. Since we are so not into watching people sing or at least try their best to sing, we decided, well actually the singing enthusiasts in my office thought it is about time we have another "TML Idol" (Talisman Malaysia Limited Idol). The last time we had one which was really my very debut to a Karaoke Lounge was perhaps about the same time last year. Imagine that, so you can just imagine how crazy we got at the idea of going again. Me, well I am not that into singing. Just never had the voice to sing those high notes. The only reason they excepted me into the Drama & Choir Society back then in school was perhaps I was good in acting and half of my close buddies are in the society already. If it were for my singing alone bet they wouldn't have allowed me anywhere near the stage!

Anyhow, we suddenly found ourselves to be available to stay on in KL after work yesterday. The previous Thursday afternoon, we had Fida started the email invite to see how many PCD wannabes are interested to join us. The response we got, was amazing! We were shooting emails at each other at such an alarming speed that when Linda was away from her desk like about 2 minutes she had like 16 emails to catch up. Norlina claimed that she was in a mad state to clear the Northern Field issues (don't bother to understand, if you are a non TML), but these emails that keep popping up, you know the 5 seconds email splashes at the corner of the screen, that you get each time an email enters your mailbox, so that you don't really need to be opening you Microsoft Outlook, to get the gist of who just emailed and what the email is abt.), you just cannot ignore it, no matter how busy or screwed up your brains are with the current worksheet(worksheets in the case of our Economists) you will read the damn pop ups. Maisura came to my place at one point hissing, could you all stop the emails already, I am getting my excel sheet links all wrong cause I'm singing... I think we're alone now (Tiffany) while doing my work. Ha! ha! ha! Tough luck. Me and Izam, well we are kinda like taking a sabatical even if it's only for a day or two. Never knew that a reforecast excercise could leave me feeling so tired. I just have no energy to work on my next thing to be done on my To Do List. I was recuperating on Thursday so I really welcomed the distraction even by way of those crazy conversations via emails.

So to cut the long chain of "emails" short. It was decided that there'll be about 8 or 9 of us going. There were 2 email contributors that Thursday afternoon who never had the intention of joining us yesterday. Azleen just don't do things after work other then her netball sessions and Linda well our Dato' of Cuti-cuti Malaysia (recently moved one up one notched to be Dato' of Tourism of any Air Asia Destinations, not limited to M'sia, why we call her Dato' perhaps another posts I'll tell you about it, long story) had her "back to Melaka once a month" trip scheduled.

I decided to drive to work yesterday cause Jack had to go to Perak and won't be back till late. So I figured, it'll be too scarry to go back by LRT should we finish at 9'nish like the last session. On the way to City Square from our office, it started pouring. not just Spitter Spatter rainfall, but major downpour, and suddenly beep! went my phone indicating a message. Thought it was from one of the girls in the cars I'm following in front, but it wasn't! It was noneother then Azleen, won't join us but let's be funny (nicer word for b*#&@? don't cha think?) instead Azleen. Her message was, "... eh belum start croaking dah hujan?". E ee leeee!!!! Sibukkkk!!!! So, I went like, hello!!!! obviously the rain isn't from our singing then!!!!

So there we were, I let those 60's babies choose their songs first. I tend to get a wee bit shy when we just arrive. Don't know why. I need sometime to warm up to wanting to choose a song and grab the mike. So, at first I order food. Maggie Noodle in a Cup, Curry flavour is a must cause the hot of the noodle cup offsets the chillness of the room. Plus, you kind of eat it in semi-darkness so, so what right? Well, actually I am the sort of person who loves eating maggie but just feel so damn guilty about eating it each time. So eating in the darkness is as if noone can see it ... so ... heck I don't know. I'm not going to explain any further. Ok, maggie and fries. Forgot the nice chicken wings that we ordered last year. Fidah, brought along Roti Arab with Chicken Curry, and we we brought along with us cans of drink from the ...... . Norlina, the mak yong, as in Mak Buyong (pregnant momma), though she can also me called Mak Yong, referring to Mak Yong the Kelantanse "Mak Yong" cause she loves singing and dancing (her dream job was to become a traditional dancer but she became and Engineer instead) and she can tell long long stories, brought a whole 1 ltr of Marigold Juice! Nak pergi memekik ke, nak pergi mencekik. Obviously from the spread on the table when all the food came, we went there to do both! Hey, how can we sing if our stomachs were also croaking eh??? Come on, where's your common sense?

Where was ours when we chose the songs to sing??? My god, Siti Nurhaliza's soppy songs... who has the vocal chords to sing the chorus for her songs??? Well, some of us thought they had... Thank god, Simon Cowell wasn't in the room. I mean even Paula Abdul wouldn't be able to find a nice word to "compliment" some of our singing.

The 60's (as in born in the 60's) ladies were a bit worried when I warmed up towards the whatever you call the computer thingy for you to choose the songs. They were afraid last year's incident (which they still bring up each opportunity they get) where I have chosen a long lists of 80s singers which really weren't their cup of tea and deleted their choices of Broery Marantika's ballads. You have to agree with me, come on isn't I should be so Lucky by Kylie Minogue such a fun cute karaoke song to sing? Besides you don't have to have Siti Nurhaliza's vocal chords to carry this number unlike if you're singing Widuri or the likes right??? Thank goodness they are ok with Madonna's 80s numbers or else I just wouldn't have anything to sing, just it down in the corner of the horseshoe shaped couched in the cold sipping my pot noodle.

Last year Fida hasn't joined us yet. So, this year she brought a fresh new feel to our KTV group. A fresh new feel as in this time we had dangdhut numbers in our choice of songs and we have a head banger and also someone who's probably high on something if not drugs to be on the sofa like 40% of the time. Another new addition is Zila our new dept secretary yeah, the same girl with the new Nike Futsal Shoes and Ilme from Finance, another KTV buff I reckon from her confidence with the mike. Not forgetting G-Ha from Drilling group, gosh this woman can make many voices and can she grunts. The other usuals (cewah, like real) are Maisura, Norlina of course, Izam, and Mel.

Unlike last year's session when we all left at about 9 nish, I left a little earlier this time, cause I promised Zila I'd give her a ride half way. Excuse, or I would have stayed on!!! I begged her to stay on for Like a prayer (Madonna) and for my grand Finale Dancing Queen (ABBA), not quite my era but hey if I can sing it at mid-tone range, I love the song babe! So ladies thanks for the rare, good, let our hair down or tudung time! Will pay my share of the thingy on Mon first thing ok. Till the next time, just hope it isn't next year till the next one.