MXV • Views from a KAPJAI

HAVEN'T BEEN BLOGGING since I last went to visit the doctor on 30th Oct, 2007. Been back in my own condo since then, 27 days now. Been mostly down. Doctor had told me to lower my expectations. I had to readjust and still finding patience to let go and let it heal at its own timing. Motivation is at a low, been lapsing in my home physio and coupled with crashes of my new MacBook and G5 Desktop, it has been a real test....

SOME OF THE BEST Broadway productions I have seen are amongst the ones above. It started as a a Top 10 list but it got so difficult to choose especially when it came down to the 9th-10th and 11th-12th. Now it has turned out to be a Top 28 Musicals + 1 Play. Sometimes I feel Hairspray should be in the Top 10 but then again, The Lion King also has its entertaining qualities. This is purely on a recall basis at this moment in time and NOT based on the soundtrack, music or big stars in it. •

TRIVIAL ANNIVERSARIES (I'm Bored): •1• _______________ 9 and 8 years ago: HipHopera the Musical went on stage Sept 2, 1999 for the second run of 27 shows. The first season in 1998 ran for 22 shows thus totalling 49, that time the record of longest running musical in KL. •2• _______________ 10 years ago: When I had stopped volunteer work in counselling at Emmaus Counselling Centre after 5 years. Tonight is Emmaus' 20th Anniversary Celebrations in PJ. •3• _______________ 10 years ago: I had performed in Sydney and visited the Sydney Dance Company. Also celebrated my Birthday at Planet Hollywood with the kind folks of the Low Yat Group. •4• _______________ 10 years ago: Performed Scintillations with Ramli Ibrahim, Michael Veerapan & Ms Malaysia Samantha Schubert and underwater modelling under Michael Loh for the KLCC Gallery Opening. •5• _______________ 10 years ago: Car drove into me while I was on my way to be interviewed by Faridah Merican on...

NEW X-RAYS WERE taken today at Gleneagles Intan Hospital, for my 6th week progress checkup with Dr Shue. Summary: Bone forming according to schedule but I can't help feeling a little down. I had hoped for a speedier recovery with the supplements of Calcium, Protein and MultiVites that I have been taking. I had also hoped for going back to work on both feet a little sooner for Adrenaline! has been rewarded another Digi Amazing Malaysians project in Melaka. Petra and Kennedy, aww... Ossification for that part of the femur is slower than the ends of the thigh bone because it is cancellous or called spongy bone. On x-ray, it is currently not solid white... I do see some white bridges connecting the solids but sadly, more black gaps are visible. So, no weight on my right foot still. Oh well, more rest and physios ahead for another 6 weeks! •

EVERY NOW & THEN I have an assortment of flashbacks from my 12 days spent in the hospital. One of those are of bizarre dreams undulating in and out of my states of sleep, wake and in-betweens. None of them I can remember now but this I remember a nun having said: "Dreams are various parts of you reacting to different situations or feelings. Even the characters that are known to you in the dream are actually mainly you and components of yourself." Try to think of a dream you remember, rather than seeing different people as entirely OTHER than you, pick the general feelings of these people toward you and ask what parallels these feelings are of you ON yourself. ________ This is slightly irrelevant. A friend of mine just told me about her dream, kinda cute. Doreen, this gives me hope *wink*. Doreen's Dream: "I had a dream about you a couple of days ago. You were holding a solo dance performance in some sort of a café. And there were lots of people there, mostly peop...

MANY HAVE ASKED me how I am, so I thought I'd better update my progress on the blog. Tonight marks the 31st night since my fall on Aug 12th. Been a month! I have been out of the hospital for 19 days now (12 days in hospital). For those who need a recap, I lost my balance on my Jaguh on MRR2 at 8.12 pm. No other vehicles were involved. Eventually, the bike landed on my right thigh and broke the femur bone into 2. Straight to the point, ouch! (To be continued on "Scene of Mishap" below) I am now mostly on crutches for short distances and a wheelchair for longer ones. Yeah, I do get pushed around a lot these days! But no lah... I am shown much love and care. Angels around me. Much are the tear-drawing-type kinda care and love-in-action! *wink* I would be kidding if I had not been frustrated at times throughout this recovery period. The nights and sleeps are painful most times... with constant pricking and screwing at my inner bones and nerves. In the early stages I c...

Americana Gallery JUST CREATED A Gallery for some pics I had taken in 2003 in the USA. During that trip, Dr Verner (my best American friend with an Asian soul) had taken me to some marvellous good old country wonders of Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and my favourite state Colorado. Happy Birthday Verner!!! Earlier, I had attended the International Christian Dance Conference in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. Hello all my ICDF blessed folks! Yee Haa! Now I stand at having visited half of the US - 25 states. It was an amazing amazing trip because I had set another record, I watched 12 Broadway shows in 9 days! Phew! That was exhilirating! More pics ahead later... • HERE IS A GALLERY of mostly actors I got a chance to meet in NYC in 2001, 2003 & 2005. The saddest miss was Julia Roberts cos we were walking in to watch The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Musical. I asked her for a pic but was turned down, aww. Not included in this gallery are Bernadette Peters, Cast of Avenu...

(HipHopera Season II, 1999) I HAD A sleeping pill last night but still tossed around in bed. After 6 hours I decided to get up coz I left out the name of Elaine Pedley in my blog (who had visited me in the hospital). I still get some calls and visitors especially those who have just found out about my fall. Atilia Sarani the powerful vocalist from Malaysian Idol II dropped by yesterday. It is also this time perhaps that I have reflected a lot about my life, arts career and friends of past and present. I live such a great life having had so many diverse experiences. Despite my performing, fine and graphic arts college education, a depression and spiritual shakeup took me over to social work upon my graduation and return to Malaysia in 1990. I did nothing for a whole year except for youth and volunteer work in Ipoh, even chancing upon meeting a whole bunch of talented youth whom are blossoming today as tomorow's experts in their fields. Prior to 1990 and back in the 70's and 80...

QUICK PLUG HERE. Just created a bunting for my longest friend from childhood, Fook Sun (since kindergarten till leaving St Michael's Secondary). His new Wontons & Noodles stall is at the new food court of Wisma MPL, Jalan Raja Chulan. Their specialty is their home style of cooking with no msg and totally pork free. You must try their amazing Cheese Wonton, out of this world! Sekian, terima kasih. •

JACLYNVICTOR.NET is the new Jaclyn Victor Fan Club Website that was launched coincidentally on my birthday. Go register yourself at jaclynvictor.net. You can find me there chatting with the community and joining them on their activities once a while. The fans are pretty International! •

IT IS OF course impossible to say what can be regarded as the best birthday present. No doubt, the gift of life precedes all. When the fall happened, my prayers immediately took me back to 1975 when I had my first fall. I was riding pillion with my sister where the bike hit a small cow which rushed onto the road. I was thrown off it and my face hit the road first and broke half of my 2 front teeth and had stitches on my eyebrow and top corner of my upper lip. I was rushed to the hospital in a Samaritan's car while I was reciting the Hail Mary. That day, my brother was 12 days old as he was being baptised at St Michael's Church. Upon hearing the news of the accident, my mother thought she may have lost a son while having just given birth to another. It's amazing how life is... that was my major flashback while I was lying in the middle of MRR2 (right after the flyover of Taman Connaught). I thought I received the best birthday present last year - an OSIM hand held massager a...

THE FANS OF Jaclyn Victor planned an advanced surprise birthday party for me on Saturday night. The naughty ones included Kenny, Leon, Milo, Idolfan, Kristin, Arjuna, Arviena, CM and silent accomplices like my sister Irene, Calvin and nephews. Usually I would be the one springing from one end to another taking pictures and arranging for fans to meet their Idols at birthday bashes from karaokes to restaurants and pubs. This time it was different, felt weird... haha. They all brought food which included a most delicious chocolate cake (I didn't give hoots about my diet, oops), chicken, specially prepared salads, Pizza Hut and much more. Thanks for the gifts, the great effort and sacrifices you all have made to come cheer me up. I was indeed touched beyond words. I was in my pink and red pyjamas... and that was a SHOCK and not a surprise to the gang! Well, at least the colours covered the Jac and Daniel fans part! God bless you all ... including those who had sent wishes, were sick or...

JUST A QUICK note to say that I was released from the hospital on the night of 23rd August, Thurs, 2007. Upon release (bill amounted to almost RM21k) I rushed to the wake of Uncle Lai. Surprised to have met Julie Lai (Daniel's Fan) and Cheryl Lim (Christian Songwriter and vocalist)... small world eh? This morning, I was at the funeral service and proceeded to the Christian Cemetery in Cheras by noon. Later I had gone home to pack essentials and bills/letters to transfer to my sister's where I'll be recuperating for the next month or so. Also dropped by the bike shop to leave notice about my bike and a police report to be done when I am able. My loving sister Irene and Bro-in-law Mark helped me to do all these all day... carrying me in and out on wheelchair and crutches! Love you all! Some good news - while I was ransacking my bag of "junk" mail yesterday, I realised that by chance, I had stumbled across an insurance letter from MAA which I'd received just befo...

DEAREST FAMILY & FRIENDS I am so touched by the love and kindness all have shown - through calls, msgs, visits, gifts, thoughts and prayers. Tuesday was a low day but it ended up cheery by many of you. Thanks sis and Stu for the love and massages, thanks Fook Sun and Sam for the massages too, thanks Hon Ning for the wheelchair and pushing me out and around for a breath of fun and relaxation. I thank all for your continued prayer, I should be released in 2 days. Will stay with my sister for a while till I am more mobile. These 6-8 weeks would be crucial for my bones to join up. Am currently doing physio daily. To those who only heard of the news late, I apologise... I just couldn't think straight to call everyone from the bed. Thanks for all your kindest thoughts and prayers... may God richly bless all of you... Michael MXV (Collage of those who visited... some didn't get their pics taken - Deborah Michael & Joel Grossman, Mark, Chan Nyim, JP Thong, Sam Tseu, Allan Yap, ...

AM SITTING ON my hospital bed on Monday night 11:05 PM (20th Aug, 2007). My buttocks are in such a sore when I sit too long. But I better get this done before my sleeping pill kicks in. (Taken by Mr Wan, a kind Samaritan) SO, MORE THAN a week ago, I met with an accident on MRR2, 15 mins out of my house on my way to Putra Jaya to support Jac in ASEAN Ikon. I fell from my bike when my front wheel's brakes were applied stronger than the back, so I lost balance and fell about a stone's throw away. The bike ended up on my right thigh. I did not hit the car in front and neither was I hit by the car behind me. The good Samaritan came out of his car (Mr Wan) and directed traffic and then lifted the heavy bike off me. I then scooped myself off to the middle of the highway by dragging my left hip. I soon realised that something was wrong with my right leg as it was completely numb and sore. I couldn't move it. I suspected something was broken. Mr Wan described having seen sparks fly ...

(Inside Hagia Sophia. Istanbul, Turkey) JUST ADDED 10 new countries from my recent backpacking trip to Eastern Europe and Balkan. Repeat countries were Austria and Serbia. New ones were (in the order of visit) Czech Republic, Spain, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Macedonia & Poland. (Sleeping in Eurail train passing Slovakia enroute to Bucharest, Romania) (Passing Creepy Transylvania and Breathtaking Mountains of Brasov, Romania) (Train view of station in Bulgaria) (Sunny Thessaloniki, Greece) (Disallowed entry into Serbia at Presevo, Serbia Montenegro) (Skopje, Macedonia. One of the newest countries) (Gaudi's Sagrada Familia. Barcelona, Spain) (Majestic Churches. Warsaw, Poland) (Polish Children. Warsaw, Poland) (Dark past of Nazi occupied Poland at Auschwitz Concentration Camp. Krakow, Poland) (Favourite. Krakow, Poland) (Classical Vienna, Austria) (Beautiful Sound of Music, Salzburg, Austria) (Athens, Greece from the Ancient Acropolis) (Amazing Prague,...