I GOT IT BACK!! Complete with everything inside. Man, I am so thankful!!

But still a little peeved at the hotel for not calling me, even though BOTH my handphone numbers were written on the outside of my bag, together with my full name. I bet you some of the staff who found it were hoping I didn’t realise that I left it there, so they could claim my precious gadgets as their own. And it was only after I called that they figured they couldn’t get away with it. Hmph.

I went to Malacca for the weekend, to accompany Bronya on a dance workshop she was conducting. I was also supposed to perform with her, but I hadn’t gotten the music ready yet as we were both so busy the past few weeks – she gave me the list of songs to use last week, but I had no time to fix the medleys, so on the drive down, I worked on it on my laptop.

I’m pretty sure that the workshop attendees must have thought me unsociable, because I sat in one corner fiddling with my laptop instead of mingling with the crowd. But then, the 2-hour drive was only enough for me to cut one medley, and I was supposed to do three! So I worked on the other two as the workshop was in progress. Fortunately I-Vee was with us, and she helped me take a video of the entire workshop. From time to time, I managed to take a few shots of Chief Guru with my DSLR though.

…. which goes to show how last-minute our performances were planned. We did have a rehearsal between the workshop and dinner, but that was obviously not enough

I performed with Bronya in two of the medleys (a funky mix, and a cuban mix) while she performed solo for one (smooth). Erm. We did pretty well in spite of the last-minute cuts, if I do say so ourselves. OK, maybe she won’t agree with me, because I messed up some of the beats. But the crowd did respond to me, and to her, when we played with the crowd. So I guess they enjoyed our performances in spite of our mistakes. Hahaha!!!

No, I’m not putting up the videos. The performance was probably only fun to watch live. If you want to watch it, well… you should have been there!

The next morning Bron had 2 private classes, so we had breakfast together before she went off. My right wrist felt stiff, and I thought I slept on it wrong. It was only much later that I realised it was a slight injury from last night. What happened was this: we didn’t have a changing room so we were given the stage (with curtains drawn) to change behind. The actual performance was on the floor in front of the stage, where the dinner tables were arranged around. As I was walking down the short flight of stairs from the stage, I slipped and grabbed the railing to stop myself from falling. I hit my thumb, so there’s a small bruise on it, but I thought that was it. I didn’t realise then that I’d probably sprained my wrist as well.

Anyway, so when we left the hotel, we were in a bit of a hurry to leave as we supposed to meet some ladies for lunch. Bron had come back to the hotel to shower after her private classes. I had like, 3 million things to carry… as usual. I had all my videocamera/camera gear, my make-up, my clothes bag, etc etc etc…

AND I LEFT MY CAMERA BAG BEHIND. WHICH HAD MY VIDEOCAMERA, MY DSLR CAMERA, 2 LENSES, FLASH AND MY WATERPROOF CAMERA.

Trust me, I screamed louder than you did.

I couldn’t believe it. I only realised it when I had reached home, unpacked everything, and switched on my computer to convert the videos, and suddenly went, “Eh? Where’s my camera bag?”

I was in total shock. I thought that I left it in I-Vee’s car initially, but my memory was very clear on that one. I could picture her car boot in my mind’s eye – what it looked like after unloading all my many, many things, and I knew it wasn’t there. And then it hit me. I knew exactly where it was in the hotel room, and I remembered that I was carrying many bags, but I had not carried it out of the room when we checked out.

I had never left anything before in a hotel room, and it’s horrifying to leave something so expensive and precious behind!

And here, I was lucky. I normally wouldn’t have the phone number of the hotel we stay in that has arranged by someone else, but today I did. I-Vee had gone downstairs first to check out, while Bronya and I had struggled out with our many bags (she herself had many bags too). I pocketed the hotel keycard which was left in the room slot (to trigger the electricity) and didn’t return it to the reception because I was carrying too many bags. And it had the hotel’s address and phone number on it.

So I quickly dialed the number and spoke to a hotel staff (who seemed to be rather *blur*) and made him check with the cleaning staff for me. And yes, it was there.

THANK GOD!!!

(Which brings another issue to mind as to why they didn’t call me to tell me about my bag. You see, I’ve labeled my bag AND cameras with my name and phone number. But that’s another issue altogether)

I called the workshop organiser, Helen Fan, who was the one who also arranged the hotel for us, and asked her to pick it up for me. Fortunately she’s coming to KL tomorrow, and I can meet her then to take my bag from her.

Actually, if Helen wasn’t able to pick it up, I was prepared to drive all the way back there myself just to get it!!

Yes, I know I’m lucky. And I’m every bit grateful for that. I had once also left a cheque book behind at a cheque deposit machine in a bank on a Sunday. And when I went back, it was GONE… but someone saw me looking for it, and his friend was the one who kept the cheque book with the honest intention of giving it to the bank. I cannot say how lucky I was. It was perfect timing as well… that the guy happened to be at the machines when I returned to look for the cheque book. If he wasn’t there, he wouldn’t have seen me hunting, and wouldn’t have told his friend to pass the book back to me.

I know I was such a fool to have made such a horrible mistake, and I cannot say enough how lucky I am. Oh, and because I don’t have the photos, I can’t put anything up with this post yet…

So now I’m waiting for the bag, and I hope everything’s still inside. My wrist is stiff, but it will recover. And I’ve just had a cup of Milo, which, to quote I-Vee, has made me “warm, comfortable, and contented”.

David Archuleta in Sri KDU

I met David Archuleta!!

OK, not really met. Stalked him with a videocamera, more like. But on official business.

David Archuleta actually came to Sri KDU! We won the Hitz.fm interschool competition. The morning crew DJ JJ and Ean came first (arrived 1.30pm) to entertain the school students in the hall. I was assigned to videotape David?s entire movement in the school. We were told to be await his arrival by 12.45pm. He arrived only at 2pm.

Jessica (the only official student photographer assigned for this) and I were waiting by the steps at the school foyer, complaining about the heat and the wait. I was dressed in a very pretty blue flowy top and black pants, but because it was halter neck, I put a jacket on. I regretted it. It was BOILING HOT.

We were discussing the car he would be coming in. Jessica was betting on a black limo. I suggested a Proton Saga. Or a Perodua Kancil!!!

We were both wrong. He came up in this white Bas Persiaran van.

Damn, I don?t have the photos here. I?ll upload soon.

It was so? low-key, uncomfortable, and well? unbefitting a superstar. Like, seriously!!

But David is such a sweet boy. He was so nice and friendly and obliging. *I* didn?t get to have a photo with him or even shake his hand unfortunately. I didn?t even get an autograph I was busy videographing mah.

Luckily I?m not a huge fan though, otherwise I?d be crying. I like him and his songs, but I?m not dying to meet him. HOWEVER I did get to be in one of the group photos! You see, the school had selected a few groups of students to take photos with him, and they of course had one photo of the top management of Paramount Corporation Berhad to take a photo with him too. I quietly snuck into the photo and stood next to the Finance Director? hahahaha!!! But I did get permission from my principal to do so.

Damn, I do not have the photo yet, so I can?t upload it here!!! It?s depressing to write about something so exciting without accompanying photos. I do have the videos, but I?m waiting for them to convert now on my other PC.

ANYWAY? he?s so polite and sweet. He was very obliging – signing autographs and taking photos. It was the security guards and the Sony people who kept pushing the students along, but I guess it was for security and also to speed up the time as he didn?t have much time with us at the school. In fact, one of the student girls threw her arms around David when she came in, screaming that she loved him!!! But he didn?t push her away or anything; the security guards had to pry her off him though.

The photos were taken in a special room that was set up for this, and after that we were all shooed out for him to do his make-up (not that I saw any difference) before he went to the hall. Inside the hall, the DJs were keeping the kids entertained; and just before David came on, they played a prank on the kids by making Germaine (the head prefect) read out a letter which announced that we were runner-ups in the competition, and as consolation, we would only get DJ JJ and Ean (many students actually fell for it? and gasped in horror), but Ean went, ?Oh wait, that?s the wrong letter? and screwed the letter up into a ball. And THEN they announced David was actually here, and the kids went wild!

David Archuleta went on stage and first answered a few questions posed to him by Kareem and Elliot. Then he sang his 2 famous singles (Crush and A Little Too Not Over You) before he was whisked away to the Bas Persiaran and out the door. It was all I could do to just run and catch him leaving. It happened in a matter of minutes.

All I can say about this is? WOW. David is exactly like how he behaves on TV. What you see on TV is what he really is? the sweet, polite boy, with the beautiful vocals that sound just as amazing live as it does on the studio recording. No airs about him at all. In fact, when he pulled up in that Bas Persiaran, he had no bodyguards with him, just his father (I think it?s his father, anyway) and a couple of people from Sony BMG. The security guards who ?protected? him were employed from a local company who had been waiting for him in our school before he arrived. He was dressed in a simple green shirt and jeans. Quite frankly, he looks just like any ordinary kid; if his face wasn?t so famous, if he arrived at our school, he?d look like just an international student in our school. When that Bas Persiaran van pulled up, I actually had to stare for quite a few minutes to really see if it really was David Archuleta inside!!

I hope he stays this nice and humble – that?s his selling point, which has snared many a young girl?s heart, and even caught the raptures of many ladies too. I bet mothers all over would love for someone like him to marry their daughters. I know that our principal is a HUGE fan of David Archuleta! With good reason, too.

[Now, if only David Cook would come...]

Oh. And I?m not going for the Sunway Lagoon concert. Sorry, David. I think you?re cute and you?re a fantastic singer, but I got to meet you for free, so that?s good enough for me =D

Oh. And you can see photos of David A at our school on Hitz.fm?s website. You can?t see me cuz I?m a right at the back on the platform videotaping him though