Thursday, December 4, 2014

Day 4 Throw Back Thursday and My All time Favorite Singers

Hello Everyone!!!

So it is Throw Back Thursday!!!

Here are a few pictures of me when I was younger. A few of these does include pictures of my family too! At the end, I will be presenting you my TWO All Time Favorite Singers!

Here are some pictures!





I hope you enjoyed those pictures!


My All time Favorite singers!

I have written many many many post about this favorite singer. Her name is Lea Salonga.  Wikipedia actually has a very thorough Biography and about all the wonderfulness she has done. Here is a link to it, if you would like to read more about her. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lea_Salonga   Some of her well known roles are playing Kim in Miss Saigon, playing both Eponine and Fantine in Les Miserables, and the singing voice of Mulan-from Mulan and Jasmine- from Aladdin. She is also a judge on the Phillipines The Voice of the Philippines. 

 Here are a few of my favorites, of Lea Salonga:

On my Own from Les Misearables https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjfmP7h3gBw

A Whole New world, with IL Divo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otbj5mu0orY
Lea Salonga has a concert tour going on right now called "Playlist", but this next video is from a previous concert called "Your Songs". It's the full concert, and it really shows her versatility in singing. Not only in one genre, but in many other genres too. 
 

This next singer is also one of my Favorite All time singer! She just released one of her best albums in November 2014, call "The Refinary". Her name is Grace Weber and she is certainly an up and coming, if not already, star soul pop singer/songwriter.  She has performed on many stages and even on Oprah for a competition. She is a native to Milwaukee-Wauwatosa, WI, so a local singer to us Wisconsinites.

I had the great opportunity to see her in concert and it is really one to see. Her energy and singing abilities are off the charts.  Every note she sings is as good as the first one, perfected to make her music stand out and top notch. She captures you with her voice and you feel connected to her in every song. All her songs has an emotional and a sentimental meanings behind them. They all connected to everyone.  I have to say that it was the best concert of my life. She writes from the heart and from the soul. Which truly makes music for the soul. She has multiple CDs out and videos on YouTube.

Here is a link to her Website and Biography: Check her out and I hope you like her as much as I do!

http://www.graceweber.com/

Here is a selection of a few songs from Grace Weber.










Don't forget to check out my other blog posts. Click "The KaiQaib Journal" at the top and scroll down to see previous post. If at the main page, just scroll down to the previous post.

Please feel free to comment. Let me know what you think!
Thanks to those who have visited my blog and keep doing so! Thanks to those who have decided to follow!
There are "reaction" buttons at the end of each blog, so just quickly select one if you wouldn't mind.

Much Love!

KaiQaib
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Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Day 3. My T-shirt Quilt and All Time Favorite Chinese/Miao Singer

Today I present to you my fall/winter project and my Favorite Chinese/Miao singer, Lei Ayouduo.

This fall/winter I have set a goal for myself to finish a project that I have wanted to do for so so long!  I started to collect a lot of t-shirts over the years and I have just stored them away.  I did wear them for as long as I could, but I eventually grew out of them. I then thought it would be a great thing to collect these shirts and make a T-shirt Quilt.  This way they wouldn't be just in storage. I could keep the shirts and their memories. I had to eventually add more t-shirts to what I had, so I could build the Queen size quilt that I wanted.

This was a very large quilt and it was so much fun to do! It took me about 1.5 to 2 weeks to finish. with about 5-6 hours each day.  It all started with me having to cut each shirt into about an 14x14 inch squares, a Total of 25 shirts. I did use some front and back of some shirts. After cutting up all the squares I put an adhesive backing on to the t-shirts. This way it would be more stable and easier to sew.  After cutting the shirts, I then had to go and buy all the fabric.  The color scheme that I had chose for the blanket is a black and baby blue Mix.  The black and baby blue mix has always been my favorite color combination. To me, it just works well with each other. It compliments and brings out the dark and the light. To me it is very calming with each other.

I went to Jo-Ann fabrics, and luckily enough they had a sale going on. I was able to purchase about $80 worth of fabric for only $60. Once I bought the fabric, I had cut up all the pieces up into each size that I needed. I'm glad I did this first. When it got to sewing, I just sewed. I did not have to cut and then sew.  I also ordered a batting, which is a piece of cotton that is put between the front and the back of the quilt to help make the blanket warm. I did a lot of research and a lot of people advised that the Natural and Warm brand was a very good one.  I agree that it was very easy to work with, and it does keep me really warm.  I was surprised how warm it stays and yet how light it is. This batting cost me about $20. Originally it can cost about 40-50$. Thanks to a friend of mine, who helped me order it, shipping was free on Amazon!

Next I was able to borrow a wonderful friend of mine, who is my second mom, sewing machine. Once I got the sewing machine and started pushing that fabric through, it went so quick! It makes the entire process so much easier and quick.  I admit I got a little addicted with sewing fabric together and making my t-shirt quilt. In addition to the pictures that were already on the t-shirts, I also added a few of my own.  I bought a packet of about 5 sheets, that were fabric transfer.  I picked a few pictures that would fill in blank spots. Printed them on the fabric transfer and ironed the pictures on. Some examples are the pictures of the musicals that I like, and some Cancun pictures.  After all the long hours, I finally completed my quilt and here are pictures of my final product. I hope you like it as much as I do!

I have to say, some of the hardest parts of putting this together, was getting all the measurements correct, putting the front and backs together, and tying the blanket all together.  I also advise to have a lot of space, enough to lay your quilt flat. That will help with aligning everything together. Always allow for a little extra batting on each side because you can always cut it down. When selecting fabric wait to shop with coupons, and try to search for cheaper alternatives to the fabric you are buying. For example, if it is a premium quilting fabric being sold at 9.99 per yard, see if there is a cheaper one for a less price. I had to do that. The lower priced fabric felt and looked the same at only 4.99 a yard. Money saver.

Quilt completed: 12/03/14.





Let me know what you think!




Back


The tutorial that I used was: http://quiltfinger.hubpages.com/hub/tshirtquiltquiltfinger 


Today's music selection is my Favorite Miao/Chinese Singer.  I just love the vocal clarity, range and the vocal talent Lei Ayouduo has. Very clean, crisp, ethnic and so traditional, yet so powerful and truly vocal beauty to my ears. She has a lot of different vocal timbres and she really shows you her skills in all her songs.

Here is a link to her bio, as it does the best in explaining more about her life. http://www.cnr.cn/2008zt/hjcd/csmp/gz/qxp/200803/t20080325_504744921.html

Listen to the selection below. You'll see why I love her singing and her talent so much. I know you may not understand her too, but some videos do have translations. I also don't understand her because this is the Miao language.  I do still enjoy her singing just based solely on the singing and music. If she is able to capture someone just based on that, then you know she is good. Plus she is a very beautiful person too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmxetAHrEZY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8QdP2jE6VM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ke-h9GON_4

Don't forget to check out my other blog posts. Click "The KaiQaib Journal" at the top and scroll down to see previous post. If at the main page, just scroll down to the previous post.
Please feel free to comment.
Thanks to those who have visited my blog and keep doing so! Thanks to those who have decided to follow!
There are "reaction" buttons at the end of each blog, so just quickly select one if you wouldn't mind.

KaiQaib



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Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Day 2 Rollar Coasters and my all time Favorite Pop Music

 Hello Everyone!!!!

Today, I want to talk about my experience of riding roller coasters and then present to you my list of favorite pop songs/artist.


There are a few people out there who knows that I am not a fan of roller coasters at all.  This experience may have been probably ruined by my first ever ride at Six Flag's Great America.  I was about 12(in 2003) and was there with a group of friends. I had never ridden one before, not even a smaller one to get to know the feelings. This was probably a mistake of mine, because I was peer pressured into riding the "Vertical Velocity" as my very first ride. As many of you know, that is a very intense ride even for people who have been riding roller coasters for a while. So the feelings you receive are about 100x(okay maybe a little exaggerated) more, when it's your first time.

Since I did not know at all what it was like, I just went on to the coaster, sat down and waiting patiently for the machine to start. Of course my heart was racing and I panicking, but I didn't know what to expect. Then randomly it shoots you forward from 0-70 mph, within 4 seconds. The first drop happens, then backwards and forwards and backwards with lots of free fall. This website explains it in much better detail than I can. https://www.sixflags.com/greatamerica/attractions/vertical-velocity

Here is a Point of View Video too.
I know there are a lot more rides that are scarier, but this one was quite the one for me. I was admit I was terrified and did not want to experience that again. So I have not gone on really big roller coasters like that since.

I would be a long long while before I have been able to ride roller coasters again.  I do certainly love the concept and designs of them, but have not been fully needing to go on them.
After my first experience, I have visited Six flag's Great America many time after, but just have done the smaller rides. Senior Year of High School, I finally was able to go on the American Eagle. Which surprisingly was not bad at all. That one I could do multiple times.  This meant for me, that I just needed to try out more rides that were more suited for me, and also trump my first experience.

In 2013, I had the opportunity to go with one of my friend to Six Flags again. It was for an event called Out in the Park.   During that time frame, it was also a time where I was working on trying new things in life, and do something different. So I decided to try out roller coasters again.  My friend can attest to you, that it took some alcohol and LOTS of peer pressure to finally be able to get me on my first one, but it happened, and the rest is history from there.

With the little time we had, I went on the most Roller Coaster rides ever!  Here is the list of what I finally went on.

Little dipper
Rajin Cajun
American eagle blue backwards
American eagle red forwards
X flight
Viper
Superman.

These all make the Vertical Velocity experience not so bad anymore.

In 2014, I also went on some more smaller but intense roller coaster at the State Fair in Milwaukee. It was with a different friend, but she can attest that it took some peer pressure, but not as much as it was with my other friend. lol. These smaller rides all have different thrill elements to them.

It certainly have been a lot of up, downs and free falling for me to go on roller coasters, but I am glad I have gone on them today.

What do you think about roller Coaster? What are you favorites? Let me know what you think. 



Okay now on to my next list of songs, These are my favorite pop songs and singers out there.

Many of you know them really well. So I won't have to say much about these.

Enjoy!
Katy Perry "Teenage Dream" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98WtmW-lfeE
Carrie Underwood "Undo It" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH5i4IvtKzU
 
Jessie J. "Price Tag" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMxX-QOV9tI
 
John legend "All of Me" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=450p7goxZqg
 
Beyonce, "I was Here" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i41qWJ6QjPI
 
Colbie Caillat "Try" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXoZLPSw8U8
 
ABBA "Dancing Queen" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFrGuyw1V8s
 
Glee-Kristin Chenoweth "Last Name" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03-oDCLVUQ4
 
Kelly Clarkson "People Like Us" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWbMz_aBlMU
 Lady Gaga " GUY" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNu_-deVemE


Don't forget to check out my other blog posts. Click "The KaiQaib Journal" at the top and scroll down to see previous post. If at the main page, just scroll down to the previous post. 
Please feel free to comment.
Thanks to those who have visited my blog and keep doing so! Thanks to those who have decided to follow!
There are "reaction" buttons at the end of each blog, so just quickly select one if you wouldn't mind.

KaiQaib





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Monday, December 1, 2014

The KaiQaib Journal. It's been too long 2.0!

Hello Everyone!



As you may have noticed, it has been a very long time since I have posted on my blog.  It's been 3 years now since I have posted something on this blog and it has been quite a 3 years since.  One of the most exciting thing that has happened was Graduating with my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Composition and Music Technology! Woot Woot for graduating!

There are plenty of other things that I have done and that I have accomplished.  Some quick highlights, Year of Self Empowerment, riding on more than one roller coasters,  organizing and directing a concert, Premier a composition I wrote, finding a full-time job, and living on my own. I will eventually be writing about each one of these in a blog post, so stay tune for all of that.

I re-ignite this blog again, to do what I enjoyed doing so much when I first started.  I just want to share things that I like, enjoy, and fun things I do.  Maybe share some interesting facts here and there, some projects I am doing, or just things in life that I want to share.  I have also decided to change the name of this blog from Vaikang to Kaiqaib. I decided to make this change, because I think Kaiqaib is a little more catchier, and it is something that goes back to my first screen name ever created on AOL 1.0. When AOL 1.0 was finally released to consumers to use, there was also screen names that we had to create.  I was never personally clever on creating screen names, so I had asked my brother to make me a screen name.  He then created "Kingkaiqaib" which literally translates to "King Kai Chicken" It was also a screen name that no one will ever have and so I have always kept it. So something that was created as a joke, has become something that makes screen name signing up very easy. LOL.

"Qaib" is the Hmong word for Chicken. To pronounce it, it is a glottal "Q". In phonetics, it is a [q], the "ai" is [ai], and the "b" is a tone marker. So do not pronounce the ending consonant. If you need more help with learning how to pronounce it, find a Hmong person and have them pronounce it for you. Also ask that person about the Hmong culture, you'll be surprise what you will learn. :) 

So to start sharing again, I have decided to do an entire week of Music Artist, singers, songs and genres that I have enjoyed so much in my life. I will be sharing music that are my all time favorites.  I will be putting them in order of what music I was exposed to first, to most current. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have too!!

To start off, .  A couple of my all time favorite Hmong singers are Sua Lauj and Suab Nag Yaj.  Both of these wonderful singers are from Laos, and they have sung for so many years.

Sua Lauj has been singing for many years now and her first album was released in 2001. She has released 12 solo albums and her last album was in 2008.

Here are a few of my favorite songs from her:





 The second singer that I love at lot too is Suab Nag Yaj. Suab Nag has been singing for many years too. She first started singing under a different name of Manivanh. Her first album as Suab Nag Yaj was in 2001, and she is still currently making albums today. She has plenty of albums out there, as solo albums and collaborations.

Here is a collection of her songs already compiled into one of YouTube video!

 

I know if you don't understand Hmong, you will not know what they are saying, but I think they are musically and vocally talented too. Especially in Hmong singing.

Don't forget to check out my other blog posts. Click "The KaiQaib Journal" at the top and scroll down to see previous post. If at the main page, just scroll down to the previous post. 
Please feel free to comment.
Thanks to those who have visited my blog and keep doing so! Thanks to those who have decided to follow!
There are now "reaction" buttons at the end of each blog, so just quickly select one if you wouldn't mind.

I will be posting more tomorrow music tomorrow!

KaiQaib








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