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Another talent I wish I had. Painting.

So, I just got myself broadband to bring back to Kuantan. I will (definitely) be more active online and (hopefully) constantly updating my blog. Although, I usually lack of brilliant things to post here. I just get those moments when I'm inspired to write every once in a while, and I have been smart enough to strike when the opportunity comes.

I was just thinking about it and I realized how I have no actual talent. Which is a depressing realization. Some are just born with it all. And others, like me, just don't have it. Despite being the shy and introvert person I am, I'd say that I have given myself a fair shot at different things. One thing I've always loved doing, ever since I was a little girl, is singing. I had dreams of becoming an actual singer, but I was always so timid and shy. When I grew up, I realized that I do not have the talent to sing. To be fair to myself, I am not tone deaf. I do not sing out of tune or anything, but there is nothing special about my voice.

When I was 7 years old, I picked up ballet, by pure accident. I had thought that I was just registering for a normal or modern dance class. Only when we started classes did I realize what I signed up for. Ballet was certainly fun, but after a while, it was tiring. Back then, school finished at about 3.15 p.m. and then we would have to stay back once a week, on Mondays, until 5 p.m. I would reach home at 5.30 p.m. or so because of the distance of the school from my house. It was tiring. And torturing. Ballet, or just about any form of dance, is all about discipline. With ballet, flexibility and grace is the key. All that bending about sure did hurt. We also had to always tuck our buttocks and stomachs in. Our feet pointed to perfection. When I was 9 years old, the classes were no longer available at my school. I had to go to a nearby clubhouse and that further discouraged me. And so, I decided to forget about it. A decision that I didn't know I would regret up until today. I never even took a single examination.

Then when I switched schools, I was actively involved in sports, namely athletic events, netball and handball. Not that we were good enough to win anything (my school was a new school), but I definitely tried. But it didn't last very long. When I entered secondary school, I just couldn't join athletic events any more because I would always feel out of breath every time I ran. It probably has something to do with my sinus condition. When I was in Form 1, I tried out for my sports house cheerleading. I made the team, most probably because of my incredibly small size back then. Hence, I was made the flyer. You know, the person on top of the pyramid. Somehow, I developed a fear of heights. Which was funny, because I used to be fearless. As a little girl, I climbed rooftops. But when I was made the flyer, I was just so scared of falling when I was up there. And it was only the basic elevator, not even an extension. So again, I pulled out. When I tried again the following year, I was made the supporter, a position I was comfortable with. But I wasn't an exceptionally talented dancer. I took time to pick up dance moves, it didn't just come to me naturally like it did to most people who were born to dance. Which brought me to the conclusion that dancing is something I enjoy, but am not actually talented in.

Then there is public speaking, which, as the name suggests, includes everything that has to do with speaking in public. The first time I had to speak in public was when I participated in an inter-class storytelling competition in Standard 1. My knees were shaking like crazy, and I just couldn't continue with my story! Then I just got off from the stage, embarrassed. Talk about stage fright. I was just completely freaked out by the thought, and the actual situation of every single person in the room paying full attention to me. My second attempt was a public speaking competition when I was in Standard 4. My prepared speech was bad enough, because I was kind of stuttering from nervousness. Then came the dreaded impromptu session, which I totally screwed up, because nervousness and stage fright doesn't help when you're unprepared. When I was in Standard 6, I entered a Bahasa Melayu public speaking competition, and I got just a teensy bit better. Good enough to get 4th place in the zone level, just a few points behind the 2nd runner up. I only got the chance to really polish up my skills when I was invited to join debate in Form 4. That was life-changing, I swear. I confronted my fear of speaking in public, almost completely. In Form 4, I was also involved in a lot of emceeing for school events and also for the zone level public speaking competition. When I was in Form 5, I participated in the duet acting event for ISKL's SEA Forensics, and well, stage fright aside, I am not really a talented actor. Despite having been on television for about six times now, ever since I was five years old, none of my stints actually required acting skills, except for maybe the last one.

I've tried writing too. But I never have ideas to write a fiction. Nothing long enough to turn into a novel. Most short stories I write (for SPM) are my versions of stories I've read. I have never come up with something purely original and genius. Even more saddening, as you can judge from the consistency of my blogging, I barely know what to write about myself!

I have no qualms or fears about performing in public anymore. I shall shamelessly admit that I love being in the spotlight. There's always that jittery feeling in my stomach everytime before I perform. But when I'm on stage, out there, all the fears and worries just disappear. I assume a different character. I feel alive. Having said that, even with such confidence, I still don't believe that I possess any actual talent. I am not much of a singer, or a dancer, or an athlete, or a sportswoman, or an actor, or a speaker, or a writer, or, well, anything. So, what am I good at? What is my true calling?

If you actually read this up until the end, well, you've surprised me. Thank you for having read everything I have to say, and I am terribly sorry for having wasted your precious time with my petty ramblings. Truly, I am. But it's nice to know that someone cares. Even out of pity.