for example, if

The National Piano and Violin Competition 2007 would be here in a month's time! Oh how nervous can I get. But I'm not participating though - you know when you get damn tired to compete already. Time to go home and practise, and maybe I'll be back by 2009!

No but this year I shall be relishing the opportunity to watch all my friends play and compete on stage, while I'll be at the comfort of the audience and listening to good classical music. (They'll definitely play their best...it's a competition, like duh!)

Today is John Lennon's birthday, and I felt a need to reiterate this by shouting it out in class before the Mathematics test, and of course, on MSN. 67 years back, this great singer was born somewhere in Liverpool. I just love his style of music! Yummy.

Ah. On the topic of competition: Recently a female runner named Jones confessed to her use of drugs during the Olympics. I don't know why sports has turned this way - in today's world winning doesn't only seem to be everything, it is everything.

The pressure, the stress to win pride and glory for their countries, and also more importantly to keep their jobs get them to do such stupid things. At that point of time, it may not look stupid to them, but soon after they're done with the using of drugs, they regret it, but it is too late.

Why has sports today become so marred with scandals, drug uses, and incidents?

We can only blame ourselves for this - the world population growing larger, more competition, and of course, with competition comes stress.

I suppose if I were in their shoes I may even make the wrong choice.

It is impossible to boost your piano playing through the taking of steroids though. It does not make your fingers faster. To play the piano requires full concentration, adding your own soul into the music, and of course, good technique. A good technique is the ability to organise and do whatever you want to your music.

If you have a bad technique, you are restricted to doing things you wish to your music. For example, if you want to do a scale nicely but do not have a good technique, you are restricted to do the scale up and down beautiful.

Anyway the definition of technique was given by my teacher Miss Hahn - "A good technique is the ability to organise and do whatever you want to the music".

Back to the point - fortunately taking any kind of medication will not help you boost your playing. :) So the NPVC organisation can skip the drug-testing part.

I shall make use of this blogpost to wish ALL partipants for this year's NPVC good luck, and may the best pianist win!