Thursday, March 06, 2008
One Life REVOLUTION
I was at an AIDS awareness campaign today organised by World Vision called One Life Revolution that was very unique. It's different in sense that it doesn't just talk about symptoms or how you get AIDS but it's a sort of sensory experience that walks you through the life of a victim. Pretty powerful stuff. The One Life Revolution experience is on from today till 8th March in Monash University before it moves on to Midvalley. For more about the whole thing check out the official site here.
And for all you Juwita fans out there here's Ju showing her support for the campaign at the front entrance.
Go check it out cos' it's an eye-opening experience. It was especially special for me because I walked through the life of a Cambodian girl as I went through the exhibits. Having been to Cambodia three times in the past two years the whole thing really struck my heart. There was a point when I actually teared a little. Again I'm reminded how easy it is for us to forget the suffering of others when faced with our own urban challenges.
One Life, One Revolution. Check it out ya'll!
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
The Top 5 Thank List (5th Mar 08)
Here's this week's Top 5 Thank List:
- Thank God for all the strength that I had to do all that had to be done for my best friend's wedding on the 1st of March. It was an awesome wedding and I had loads of fun despite all the things that I helped manage that day. The dance & the speech was super fun ... thank God we looked cool during the opening dance during the dinner even though we couldn't make out the music at all!
- Thank God for Nic my fellow best man ... for being such a support too! And to my MAG members who were sporting and made the Cip San Leong & wedding dinner an absolute blast.
- Thank God for the gorgeous bridesmaids Tans & Keongs! You guys totally rock and the same goes for all the chee muis for J-son & Esther's wedding.
- Thank God for Paul's wedding! It was a beautiful ceremony even though I was super tired & zombied.
- Thank God for being able to start on work after resting some yesterday. It's been a productive day today!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Caught Up
I've been reading the Bible a lot daily since 2008 started and it's been refreshing to be able to delve again into God's Word without feeling angry at Him or sullen. I was just reading Mark 4 and verses 18 & 19 stood out to me. It goes exactly like this ...
Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;
but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth
and the desires for other things come in and choke
the word, making it unfruitful.
but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth
and the desires for other things come in and choke
the word, making it unfruitful.
It's true; it can be so easy to be caught up by the cares of this life. I've had to grapple very much with finances, thinking about the future and also the materialism that I've afflicted myself with. Everything from wanting a nicer car to clothes and even my expensive hobby of video games & comic books. It's so easy to just want more and more.
I realise that the the desire to want more & more never ends. There will always be something new out there that we'd want ... something cool that catches our eye or something beautiful that we must own. I use the word WANT here because it often feels like we MUST have it. Whether it's a girlfriend or wife (something I want very much by the way) or a 40-inch LCD TV. That's why it struck me that I need to be content in my life. Sure I'm working hard at making things better for the future but isn't it better to live within my means? That's something that I'm working towards and it is challenging cos' the human heart is inclined towards being greedy rather than being content.
But godliness with contentment is great gain.
1 Timothy 6:6 is sort of a motto of mine these days and it helps also to consciously be thankful about the things that I already have in my life. I'm working on both ... there's learning how to be more Godly plus there's the bit about being content. Learning to be content is why I have a Top 5 Thank List that reminds me I am already blessed with many good things. It is such a privilege to be able to bless others too and I begin to appreciate the freedom of time I have that allows me to help people out. Sure I may not be able to always afford nice gifts to give away but I can give people the gift of time and that sometimes can be more precious than an expensive item.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
And the Winner is ...
It's official! The replacement format to current gen DVDs is ... Wait for it ... *drum roll please*
Sony's Blu-ray media! Announcements have been flooding the internet and my first news of it just came in over CNET. Boy! Am I glad I got me a PlayStation3 cos' there is a huge difference in terms of picture quality over DVD. But then again not every movie deserves a Blu-ray purchase I suppose. DVD is a great format for movies in itself.
So for all you movie junkies and AV-philes. You don't have to stay on the fence anymore cos' Blu-ray's the new King of the Hill. For more about the closing chapters of the format war click here or check out www.blu-ray.com.
Sony's Blu-ray media! Announcements have been flooding the internet and my first news of it just came in over CNET. Boy! Am I glad I got me a PlayStation3 cos' there is a huge difference in terms of picture quality over DVD. But then again not every movie deserves a Blu-ray purchase I suppose. DVD is a great format for movies in itself.So for all you movie junkies and AV-philes. You don't have to stay on the fence anymore cos' Blu-ray's the new King of the Hill. For more about the closing chapters of the format war click here or check out www.blu-ray.com.
Friday, February 15, 2008
My Dog Rose
I haven't yet introduced all of ya'll to my doggy Rose! My family got her as a puppy when I was in my 2nd year in varsity. When she first came to us she looked adorably like a small polar bear. Her fur was not as speckled with black as she is now and it was pure white with just the black patch on her left eye.
Anyways, we didn't get to name her cos' my cousins already named her Rose after the character in Titanic. So she came to us named Rose and we affectionately call her Rosie. She's a cute and slightly greedy dog but very well behaved. She never snatches food away from us but just waits there at the dinner table whenever we're having a meal ... she especially likes to wait around my mom cos' my mom has a soft spot for her these days and always feeds her scraps from the table; more so compared to my brother and me.
I'm proud to say that I'm Rosie's favourite. He he ... I guess cos' maybe I spoil her and in general I'm the gentlest to her. All the disciplining comes from my dad & brother and rarely from me plus I suppose I'm the one who picks her up and hugs her the most. Ha ha! Not a very manly thing to do but Rose is just so adorable.
I have no idea why I'm writing about my dog back home. I guess maybe I'm inspired by that cute picture I took. Hmm ... alright back to my preparations for my best friend's bachelor's weekend that starts tomorrow. It's been a crazy busy January & February and I think it'll be this way for the whole of 2008.
Cheers!
Monday, February 11, 2008
The Top 5 Thank List (11th Feb 08)
My friend Raz keeps this regular list of things to be thankful of that she updates on a regular basis. I was just thinking about it this morning as I was meditating on what I read in my daily devotional reading and I guess now's a good a time as any to learn how to be grateful for the good things I've been blessed with.
It's so easy to look at other things and to covet what others have. It's even easier to be trapped by past hurts and the funny thing is that Misery loves company. And so Misery welcomes us back again & again. I don't believe that God would want any of us to live in this manner and if I really were to think about the good things in my life; well there are many so here goes the first of many that are to come.Thanks Raz for reminding me that that we need to be thankful all the time.
Here's this week's Top 5 Thank List:
It's so easy to look at other things and to covet what others have. It's even easier to be trapped by past hurts and the funny thing is that Misery loves company. And so Misery welcomes us back again & again. I don't believe that God would want any of us to live in this manner and if I really were to think about the good things in my life; well there are many so here goes the first of many that are to come.Thanks Raz for reminding me that that we need to be thankful all the time.
Here's this week's Top 5 Thank List:
- Thank God that I have Four Forty Records and that my pursuit of the vision laid on me puts food on the table & clothes on my back.
- Thank God for more quiet mornings in my soul & heart where I can sit with Him.
- Thank God for my buddy Paul Sebastian; for all the good things in his life ... and most of all for his wedding on March 2nd.
- Thank God for my best bud J-son, for the time he spends with me and for the calls that encourage me and also for his wedding on March 1st.
- Thank God for the 4 days back home where I had not a care in the world over the Chinese New Year break.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Vote for Altered Frequency on Fly FM's Campur Chart!!!
Hey guys,
Altered Frequency's new single "Beyond Now" has just been released on Fly FM and we need all your help to spread the word to get it climbing on the their weekly Campur Chart! At the same time it'd be great if you made the effort to request for the song at as many radio stations as you can to help us get the song into rotation (that includes Fly FM as well).
I'll be making the rounds to drop the single off at some of the key radio stations so do keep your fingers crossed.
In the meantime do vote for AF via SMS by typing "Campur AF" and sending the message to 33399.
Check out the Campur Chart online at http://www.flyfm.com.my/campurchart.asp or email them at campurchart@flyfm.com.my.
Oh! And Gong Xi Fa Chai everybody!
Altered Frequency's new single "Beyond Now" has just been released on Fly FM and we need all your help to spread the word to get it climbing on the their weekly Campur Chart! At the same time it'd be great if you made the effort to request for the song at as many radio stations as you can to help us get the song into rotation (that includes Fly FM as well).
I'll be making the rounds to drop the single off at some of the key radio stations so do keep your fingers crossed.
In the meantime do vote for AF via SMS by typing "Campur AF" and sending the message to 33399.
Check out the Campur Chart online at http://www.flyfm.com.my/ca
Oh! And Gong Xi Fa Chai everybody!
Saturday, February 02, 2008
The SWITCHFOOT Experience
That blur right there is Mr Jon Foreman ... of Switchfoot!The Switchfoot concert that just ended an hour ago was an awesome one. The band had a full sound and their keyboardist Jerome added a lot to the music. I never thought much of keyboards but now that I'm older I see the error of my ways. Ha ha!
In case you guys don't know (I didn't at first), Switchfoot is made up of (drum roll please) ...
- Jon Foreman on vocals & guitars (plus he writes the songs)
- Tim Foreman on bass & backing vocals
- Jerome Fontamillas on guitar, keys & backing vocals
- Drew Shirley on guitars
- Chad Butler on the drums
It's kinda tough though when I find myself doing daily mundane stuff like accounts but there are days when it's exciting ... to be at a radio station, a press conference or a gig itself. What I love most is the music and I should take a listen to what my label mates have done so far more often to force myself to remember that I do believe in their music ... each one of them; Juwita, Altered Frequency & Liang! The challenges of the market get to me sometimes but looking at Switchfoot ... well, the dream burns in me still and I hope that we make it somewhere further in time to come. It'd be so awesome to tour the country and the region ... and hopefully one day someplace far away like the States.
I had a great time at Switchfoot. Met quite a few industry contacts (Shaz ... this one's for you! Radio mention of the blog would be really nice! Ha ha!) which was great. I loved the music. I loved the awesome, awesome sound that was just so big & full. The band sang so much for us and you could hear the conviction in Jon's lyrics. Most of all I loved the fact that I got to hear one of the best & most refreshing bands to come out of the US of A in recent years LIVE!
For more on Switchfoot check out their official site here and more pix from the concert here. I must run out and get a copy of all their albums tomorrow (what an impulse to have?!). Till then adios amigos!
Friday, February 01, 2008
Switchfoot Live in KL!!!
It really is an exciting time to be in Four Forty Records. A whole bunch of things are happening this year, and in a sense we start off with a bang cos' Altered Frequency the rockers in our family will be opening in a couple of hours for Switchfoot!!!
The boys were asked to attend a press conference over at Sri Pentas and I came along to make contacts and at the same time see what I could do to help them. There wasn't much to be done because they were just expected to take part in the group shots. It was pretty cool and I befriended Andy (one of the guys traveling with Switchfoot) and talked to him a bit. He videos the band's activities and makes PODCASTS!!! Pretty cool! It's something to think about but there's just so much to do at Four Forty that really sometimes I just get so overwhelmed that I don't know where to start. Even with all my web expertise and experience we don't even have a proper website. That totally sucks. Sigh ...
Anyways, enjoy the pix below I took at the press con. Here's one of Switchfoot as they just settled down in front of all the reporters. The guys were rushed to Sri Pentas without even having gotten a bite to eat after touching down at KLIA. But that's what life on tour is like ...
Switchfoot!!!
And here's a group shoot of Andy, Agnel & Daniel together with the band their opening for. The guys in Switchfoot are really chilled out and it was a very enjoyable press conference. It was good to hear them talk about their music in such a positive manner and really digging the fact that their music makes a difference in the lives of their listeners PLUS to hear about the different causes that they support in the States. One day ... I hope we can be like that while at the same time not having to struggle as much as we do now in our start-up period.
Anyways. the concert starts 18-and-a-half hours from now and I am pretty excited about it. I don't know all of their songs but I certainly will enjoy it. Tickets are going for RM140++ at the entrance so if you haven't gotten your tix yet tomorrow's still very much a go for all you last minute music goers. I got mine already and saved RM20 but no sense rubbing it in. Switchfoot is gonna be a once-a-lifetime experience and so far I think I've really been blessed with so much good music over the past 3 years (and also a lot of pain but then again that's past right?).
Here's to Switchfoot. And here's to good music compadres!
The boys were asked to attend a press conference over at Sri Pentas and I came along to make contacts and at the same time see what I could do to help them. There wasn't much to be done because they were just expected to take part in the group shots. It was pretty cool and I befriended Andy (one of the guys traveling with Switchfoot) and talked to him a bit. He videos the band's activities and makes PODCASTS!!! Pretty cool! It's something to think about but there's just so much to do at Four Forty that really sometimes I just get so overwhelmed that I don't know where to start. Even with all my web expertise and experience we don't even have a proper website. That totally sucks. Sigh ...
Anyways, enjoy the pix below I took at the press con. Here's one of Switchfoot as they just settled down in front of all the reporters. The guys were rushed to Sri Pentas without even having gotten a bite to eat after touching down at KLIA. But that's what life on tour is like ...
Switchfoot!!!And here's a group shoot of Andy, Agnel & Daniel together with the band their opening for. The guys in Switchfoot are really chilled out and it was a very enjoyable press conference. It was good to hear them talk about their music in such a positive manner and really digging the fact that their music makes a difference in the lives of their listeners PLUS to hear about the different causes that they support in the States. One day ... I hope we can be like that while at the same time not having to struggle as much as we do now in our start-up period.
Anyways. the concert starts 18-and-a-half hours from now and I am pretty excited about it. I don't know all of their songs but I certainly will enjoy it. Tickets are going for RM140++ at the entrance so if you haven't gotten your tix yet tomorrow's still very much a go for all you last minute music goers. I got mine already and saved RM20 but no sense rubbing it in. Switchfoot is gonna be a once-a-lifetime experience and so far I think I've really been blessed with so much good music over the past 3 years (and also a lot of pain but then again that's past right?).
Here's to Switchfoot. And here's to good music compadres!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Hap ... hap ... Happy Birthday Raz!
Today's blog entry is dedicated to my friend Razlin (check out her Multiply page here).
Raz, is a good friend and it's great that not all my friends are Chinese. It's kinda uncool that most of the time most Malaysians hang out mostly with our own ethnic groups rather than having a mixed group of friends.
Razlin is one of the prettiest, sweetest and gentlest persons I know. She's got a great zest for the outdoors and life. I think what I like best about her is her laidback attitude, she knows how to take a step back and enjoy life instead of being caught up in the endless pursuit of things. She's on of the few people from my days in UM that I do catch up with. Unfortunately we don't catch up as often as we should even though we do enjoy each other's company.
Raz, I am so happy for you that you're doing so great after going through so much over the past 2 years especially. Here's wishing you an excellent year this year. Yeah, yeah I know we both hit a milestone in terms of age this year but I pray that all the wisdom that you need will be granted you by God. And here's to living life more fully and to enjoy all that He has given us ya? So much blessings to you Raz and don't forget that I owe you a birthday treat like I said over SMS last week.
Thanks for being a good friend and for listening & identifying with me when my heart was in such a bad shape. Have a great time with all your friends and loved ones today. I know you've got a packed birthday schedule.
God bless you on this your special day & beyond of course!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Living Below One's Means
Money, money, moneyMoney. Don't we all just love money? I for one know that I do love it to an extent. Money affords us a lot of things but today I learnt that money is meant to build up our families (especially when you're the head of one) and also to build up others.
Not that it's wrong to buy nice things for ourselves but if that's all is we're doing with our money then I guess perhaps there's an imbalance there. In my last post I was mentioning some of the things I wanted to get for myself this year and today I realised that I've just been thinking about self, self, self! *gack*
I'll be bold and make this statement: we tend to be selfish when it comes to money and lately I've been very much less generous compared to before. To a certain extent I'm guilty of trying to keep up with the lifestyles of my friends and I've grown more accustomed to more upmarket things. My choice of eateries especially can be very extravagant. It's gonna take some time to really learn how to stick to a monthly budget but I guess now's a good a time as any to start.
The challenge would be to live below my means I guess. That means living life and putting aside a whole lot more that would allow me to invest into other people's lives and also to save for the future. Right now I know that I really don't make a whole lot due to the nature of Four Forty Records being new and all but I know that it is do-able to live in a more simple manner. It's just gonna take time to adjust to things. Since I started driving my monthly expenditure has gone up tremendously and I realise now that my riding a bike all these years really allowed me to enjoy life a whole lot more, hence why I've gotten so accustomed to spending so much on myself and on food!
Gosh! I've been telling myself to draft up a proper monthly schedule for myself so I can measure how much time I spend on myself, on work, on church and on catching up with other people but I STILL HAVEN'T done it! Procrastination is such a terrible thing. That's my challenge for this year really ... to order my life while living room in it for a lot of spontaneity. Order is good. And I know that I need to balance it just right cos' I'm very much a creature of spontaneity. Some people really get annoyed with me for that cos' I can just up and go for a movie and be perfectly satisfied with even front row seats. But that's what exactly allows me to be spontaneous cos' I don't fret over getting the best all the time. More so when it's an impulse thing.
Lotsa food for thought in this post. Stay tuned for more!
P.S. If you're interested to find out more about what I mean about money drop me a line and I'll gladly start a discourse with you OR just comment on Multiply and let's start a running thread for everyone to chip in.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Perspective
I was thinking about writing about this yesterday and filed the idea away in my brain so here it is ... I got up pretty early on Tuesday and was getting ready to settle into my daily routine of reading the Bible & writing in my journal when my mom calls me to let me know that she & dad are on the way to my apartment and they wanna have breakfast together.
Anyways, to cut a long story short ... I was having breakfast with my mom & dad at the market when this little Standard 2 boy walks up to us to sell nasi lemak. My parents have bought nasi lemak from him before many times and as I observed this exchange a thought struck me that us young adults can be very selfishly stuck in our own wants, desires & petty problems. Here I have in front of me a very young boy going from table to table, person to person to help his parents make ends meet. Sigh ... It's all about lifestyle really ... all of us are caught in a trap where we want to look good, have the latest things ... have luxuries. I know I'm caught ... I have an expensive hobby in comic books, video games & movies and when it comes to food, gosh I find it hard to resist a nice meal at Chilli's or some other eatery that has a price tag of at least RM10 above for a bite to eat.
What really is need & what really is want? A lot of the things in my life are wants rather than needs. A real need is to have food on the table & clothes on our back. A need is having electricity & running water. A need is having the means to get from point A to point B in whatever form of transport that we're using. A need is being loved. Wants are all those shiny new things that eventually we get tired with. How do we stay contented? The answer to that eludes me right now and I'm still trying my best to be more sensible with my money. After spending the whole of 2007 going crazy on purchases I'm in a better place now although I still have to clear things off with my mom for my lack of self-control.
That little boy gave me a sense of perspective. Are we looking around us to get a little perspective or are we all stuck with our eyes fixed on our own problems & selfish desires? Just some food for thought. I've been telling myself that I need to order my life more and also work on keeping those expensive purchases in check. This is my wishlist of stuff for this year.
Number 1
A pair of Levi's jeans. The one pair I have now just doesn't cut it. Actually any other pair of comfortable jeans would do ... it's just that I don't know any other brand other than Levi's that are actually very comfy. You do pay for what you get I suppose.
Number 2
A couple of new shirts. I don't really buy clothes for some reason. Heh heh!
Number 3
Some ties ... Again ... the reason why I'll have to pick some up is cos' I don't have any nice ties at all! Ha ha!
Number 4 (the FUN stuff - clothes aren't FUN!)
Video games of course! In alphabetical order:
Fallout 3 (PS3)
Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of The Patriots (PS3)
Resident Evil 5 (PS3)
Super Smash Brothers Brawl (Nintendo Wii)
As you can see the list of things to buy never really ends. But I think I shall keep it to these few items this year and these will really cost a bomb. At the end of the day I guess I really want to be wise with what little I have. I do realise that money & material possessions aren't everything and so these items will remain as wants rather than needs. It's really hard right now cos' I know I want a nice lifestyle as much as the guy next door and perhaps God is teaching me to simplify the way I live. I always figured myself to be an anything goes kinda person but that's increasingly becoming not true.
I guess by putting down all those things above I hope to really keep my frivolous purchases to a set of items this year and learn how to save for them or work a freelance job or two extra to afford them. After all I do get my reality escape fixes at the movies already don't I? No more comic books this year I guess ...
Perspective & contentment. These are 2 good principles to live by don't you think?
Anyways, to cut a long story short ... I was having breakfast with my mom & dad at the market when this little Standard 2 boy walks up to us to sell nasi lemak. My parents have bought nasi lemak from him before many times and as I observed this exchange a thought struck me that us young adults can be very selfishly stuck in our own wants, desires & petty problems. Here I have in front of me a very young boy going from table to table, person to person to help his parents make ends meet. Sigh ... It's all about lifestyle really ... all of us are caught in a trap where we want to look good, have the latest things ... have luxuries. I know I'm caught ... I have an expensive hobby in comic books, video games & movies and when it comes to food, gosh I find it hard to resist a nice meal at Chilli's or some other eatery that has a price tag of at least RM10 above for a bite to eat.
What really is need & what really is want? A lot of the things in my life are wants rather than needs. A real need is to have food on the table & clothes on our back. A need is having electricity & running water. A need is having the means to get from point A to point B in whatever form of transport that we're using. A need is being loved. Wants are all those shiny new things that eventually we get tired with. How do we stay contented? The answer to that eludes me right now and I'm still trying my best to be more sensible with my money. After spending the whole of 2007 going crazy on purchases I'm in a better place now although I still have to clear things off with my mom for my lack of self-control.
That little boy gave me a sense of perspective. Are we looking around us to get a little perspective or are we all stuck with our eyes fixed on our own problems & selfish desires? Just some food for thought. I've been telling myself that I need to order my life more and also work on keeping those expensive purchases in check. This is my wishlist of stuff for this year.
Number 1
A pair of Levi's jeans. The one pair I have now just doesn't cut it. Actually any other pair of comfortable jeans would do ... it's just that I don't know any other brand other than Levi's that are actually very comfy. You do pay for what you get I suppose.
Number 2
A couple of new shirts. I don't really buy clothes for some reason. Heh heh!
Number 3
Some ties ... Again ... the reason why I'll have to pick some up is cos' I don't have any nice ties at all! Ha ha!
Number 4 (the FUN stuff - clothes aren't FUN!)
Video games of course! In alphabetical order:
Fallout 3 (PS3)Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of The Patriots (PS3)Resident Evil 5 (PS3)Super Smash Brothers Brawl (Nintendo Wii) As you can see the list of things to buy never really ends. But I think I shall keep it to these few items this year and these will really cost a bomb. At the end of the day I guess I really want to be wise with what little I have. I do realise that money & material possessions aren't everything and so these items will remain as wants rather than needs. It's really hard right now cos' I know I want a nice lifestyle as much as the guy next door and perhaps God is teaching me to simplify the way I live. I always figured myself to be an anything goes kinda person but that's increasingly becoming not true.
I guess by putting down all those things above I hope to really keep my frivolous purchases to a set of items this year and learn how to save for them or work a freelance job or two extra to afford them. After all I do get my reality escape fixes at the movies already don't I? No more comic books this year I guess ...
Perspective & contentment. These are 2 good principles to live by don't you think?
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Crazee, Crazee 2008
It's been a crazy few weeks and January is already half-way through. I've been super busy juggling freelance work while at the same thing doing my utmost to make things work for Four Forty Records. 3 major things are happening right now ... getting more publicity for Liang, Juwita's upcoming participation in a major singing competition and Altered Frequency opening for Switchfoot. There's just so much to do and at the same time I've been figuring out whether or not I should take up a part-time position to bring some order into my work-life. Things are looking up this year but I've not been handling the stress that well and there are days when I just feel so drained. Gosh! Is this what it's gonna be like for the whole of this year?!
Agnel & Andy of Altered Frequency
That's a pic of Andy & Agnel of Altered Frequency doing a promo over at FlyFM last Monday. I really had to rush things out for this and all lot of things happened all of a sudden. The band will be featured on FlyFM's Campur Chart this Sunday so do tune in from 7pm - 8pm to catch the debut of their brand new single 'Beyond Now'. Vote for the band if you like the song at the official FlyFM site by clicking on this link.
That's all from me folks! I hope I can find more time to sit down and write like this. It has been awhile. It'd be good to hear from some of you so do drop my a line to let me know that this blog is being read.
Cheers!
Agnel & Andy of Altered FrequencyThat's a pic of Andy & Agnel of Altered Frequency doing a promo over at FlyFM last Monday. I really had to rush things out for this and all lot of things happened all of a sudden. The band will be featured on FlyFM's Campur Chart this Sunday so do tune in from 7pm - 8pm to catch the debut of their brand new single 'Beyond Now'. Vote for the band if you like the song at the official FlyFM site by clicking on this link.
That's all from me folks! I hope I can find more time to sit down and write like this. It has been awhile. It'd be good to hear from some of you so do drop my a line to let me know that this blog is being read.
Cheers!
Friday, January 04, 2008
End-Year 07 Movie Mania
I've been going crazy on movies for a bit over the end year season and I haven't had time to write about any of em' due to a busy schedule with Children's Church in DUMC. The kids did an awesome job with the play and 13 of em' even appeared on the 8TV Quickie Christmas eve special. I've got some pix but my iBook sorta gave problems and now I don't have iPhoto anymore. Bummer. Anyways here are my quick thoughts on the 7 movies I caught as 2007 drew to a close.
The Golden Compass
It's a little draggy and after a run of good movies I didn't think much of it. I didn't read the novels and again it's one of those movies like Harry Potter that sorta lead you into next one. It had cool polar bear warriors though and I thought Nicole Kidmas was beautiful (as usual) although her character was a little psycho. (2 Stars)
The Heartbreak Kid
Dumb stuff but there were sweet moments too. The movie wasn't terribly funny but it wasn't terribly bad either. Michelle Monaghan's sweet but I found Ben Stiller's character a little wishy-washy cos' for all he felt for her he still ended up messing up even at the end of the movie. (2 Stars)
I Am Legend
Will Smith was strong in this one. Loved his acting and the plot was somewhat interesting although in the end I don't think it was as good as the original pulp novel it was based on. I Wiki-ed it and found out about the book and the plot which was brilliant. The movie didn't use much of what the book was about I think - except for the basic premise of Will Smith being the last man on earth and the vampire-like creatures. (3 Stars)
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
I loved this one. Nicolas Cage is one of my favourite actors. National Treasure is like a modern-take on the whole adventure genre (much like Indiana Jones). I loved the way the writers take urban legends and other modern myths; spinning it all into one delightful story. (5 Stars)
Alvin & The Chipmunks
A fun watch but I think that's cos' I went with 2 kids from Children's Church. Sorta had to mind them for a bit while the parents went Christmas shopping. But that wasn't the main reason-lah ... since my involvement with Children's Church it's nice being in the company of kids. The movie was cute on the whole and I quite liked it. Definitely a better watch compared to The Golden Compass & The Heartbreak Kid. (3 Stars)
Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem
Gory. Bloody. That's all I can say. I liked it a lot more than the first movie. And the Predator is a much stronger one in this one. The idea of a roving Queen-like Pred Alien's pretty cool though. Freaky. (3 Stars)
Atonement
A Kiera Knightley flick. I went with my ex-cellie Daphne & her cell member Michelle. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a bit of a depressing movie but the plot was really good and it just demonstrated how life can be sometimes and how things can't be fixed. We suffer the consequences of our actions. A moving & thought-provoking movie. (5 Stars)
2008's here! And there's just so much to sort out in my life. Happy New Year everyone. Hoepfully I can post a bit more instead of being so sucked into working out personal issues and vegetating on my PS3. Cheers!
The Golden Compass
It's a little draggy and after a run of good movies I didn't think much of it. I didn't read the novels and again it's one of those movies like Harry Potter that sorta lead you into next one. It had cool polar bear warriors though and I thought Nicole Kidmas was beautiful (as usual) although her character was a little psycho. (2 Stars)
The Heartbreak Kid
Dumb stuff but there were sweet moments too. The movie wasn't terribly funny but it wasn't terribly bad either. Michelle Monaghan's sweet but I found Ben Stiller's character a little wishy-washy cos' for all he felt for her he still ended up messing up even at the end of the movie. (2 Stars)
I Am Legend
Will Smith was strong in this one. Loved his acting and the plot was somewhat interesting although in the end I don't think it was as good as the original pulp novel it was based on. I Wiki-ed it and found out about the book and the plot which was brilliant. The movie didn't use much of what the book was about I think - except for the basic premise of Will Smith being the last man on earth and the vampire-like creatures. (3 Stars)
National Treasure: Book of Secrets
I loved this one. Nicolas Cage is one of my favourite actors. National Treasure is like a modern-take on the whole adventure genre (much like Indiana Jones). I loved the way the writers take urban legends and other modern myths; spinning it all into one delightful story. (5 Stars)
Alvin & The Chipmunks
A fun watch but I think that's cos' I went with 2 kids from Children's Church. Sorta had to mind them for a bit while the parents went Christmas shopping. But that wasn't the main reason-lah ... since my involvement with Children's Church it's nice being in the company of kids. The movie was cute on the whole and I quite liked it. Definitely a better watch compared to The Golden Compass & The Heartbreak Kid. (3 Stars)
Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem
Gory. Bloody. That's all I can say. I liked it a lot more than the first movie. And the Predator is a much stronger one in this one. The idea of a roving Queen-like Pred Alien's pretty cool though. Freaky. (3 Stars)
Atonement
A Kiera Knightley flick. I went with my ex-cellie Daphne & her cell member Michelle. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a bit of a depressing movie but the plot was really good and it just demonstrated how life can be sometimes and how things can't be fixed. We suffer the consequences of our actions. A moving & thought-provoking movie. (5 Stars)
2008's here! And there's just so much to sort out in my life. Happy New Year everyone. Hoepfully I can post a bit more instead of being so sucked into working out personal issues and vegetating on my PS3. Cheers!
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Never After
I came out of Enchanted today wishing that love was as simple as the silver screen makes it out to be. All of us want to love and want to be loved but as time goes by we develop lists and other things to complicate things. Sigh ... Shouldn't love be about caring for that other person and wanting to be the best person you can be for him or her? Shouldn't it be about looking into that person and finding the best qualities in that person and believing that in time the person can grow to be something so much more beautiful?
I hate reality in some ways. It's harsh. It's complicated. And it's ugly. I hate being here because it's so imperfect here.We all judge each other so much and it's so easy to not like someone because of how they look or how they are. I used to think I was an OK guy and I could get a long with everybody but increasingly I find that isn't true. As much as I want to be able to accept everybody I realise that some personality types and some traits just don't agree with me. Is there really a happy ending out there for us? Is there a happy ending for me?
Things seldom work out the way we want to and I guess we just have to accept that as part of life. Maybe part of being happy is being content. Although there are things that I want very much to happen in my life but I'm learning to take all that I have now and to enjoy it. That means enjoying the freedom that I have in being single rather than seeing it as a curse. I do have freedom now but there's a price to be paid for freedom. This isn't a perfect world after all hence why there will never ever be a happy ever after here on Earth hence the title of my post.
I hate reality in some ways. It's harsh. It's complicated. And it's ugly. I hate being here because it's so imperfect here.We all judge each other so much and it's so easy to not like someone because of how they look or how they are. I used to think I was an OK guy and I could get a long with everybody but increasingly I find that isn't true. As much as I want to be able to accept everybody I realise that some personality types and some traits just don't agree with me. Is there really a happy ending out there for us? Is there a happy ending for me?
Things seldom work out the way we want to and I guess we just have to accept that as part of life. Maybe part of being happy is being content. Although there are things that I want very much to happen in my life but I'm learning to take all that I have now and to enjoy it. That means enjoying the freedom that I have in being single rather than seeing it as a curse. I do have freedom now but there's a price to be paid for freedom. This isn't a perfect world after all hence why there will never ever be a happy ever after here on Earth hence the title of my post.
Monday, November 26, 2007
What is Love?
I've been thinking a lot about being in love and how easy it is to fall in love with someone we've made up in our minds. A part of me wonders just how much I truly know about a person before I fall in love with her. How much of it is made up? How much of it really is her? How much of me is blinded by the attraction that I feel and the deep need to be attached?
Attraction and character don't always match and I am very much confused on how to judge the kind of girl who'd be good for me in the long haul. Someone who'd love me for me and would accept me just as I am. Who can see the person that I will be one day and is willing to invest in my life. Seems like such a tall order to make of someone. I was reading 1 Corinthians 13 and it says this.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
I broke it down and I realise that I've failed to love her in all those ways. I've not been patient. I've not been kind when my heart was broken. I was jealous and at times arrogant when I lashed out at her. I was angered. And the worst part is that I had so much bitterness in me because I was so hurt & could not forgive. I want to love in the way that Paul writes about. Am I able to always protect & always trust? Am I able to always have hope and persevere? Now that's something to work towards and I hope one day my loved ones will be able to truly say that I have loved them.
Right now being able to love like that seems so far away ... I can love like that a little but the past 3 years have shown me just how angry I can be and it saddens me cos' I wanted nothing more than to love & care for her. Oh how easy it is to hate someone and how difficult it is to forgive. I'm glad that I've chosen to forgive cos' life is to short to hate and I do enjoy life a lot more compared to before.
I am recovering and I thank God for restoring a lot of things in my life that I had lost along the way. I smile a lot more easily now and my mind is not far away as much as before. I thank God I can live in the present now and am a lot more contented. That's a good thing isn't it? :)
Attraction and character don't always match and I am very much confused on how to judge the kind of girl who'd be good for me in the long haul. Someone who'd love me for me and would accept me just as I am. Who can see the person that I will be one day and is willing to invest in my life. Seems like such a tall order to make of someone. I was reading 1 Corinthians 13 and it says this.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
I broke it down and I realise that I've failed to love her in all those ways. I've not been patient. I've not been kind when my heart was broken. I was jealous and at times arrogant when I lashed out at her. I was angered. And the worst part is that I had so much bitterness in me because I was so hurt & could not forgive. I want to love in the way that Paul writes about. Am I able to always protect & always trust? Am I able to always have hope and persevere? Now that's something to work towards and I hope one day my loved ones will be able to truly say that I have loved them.
Right now being able to love like that seems so far away ... I can love like that a little but the past 3 years have shown me just how angry I can be and it saddens me cos' I wanted nothing more than to love & care for her. Oh how easy it is to hate someone and how difficult it is to forgive. I'm glad that I've chosen to forgive cos' life is to short to hate and I do enjoy life a lot more compared to before.
I am recovering and I thank God for restoring a lot of things in my life that I had lost along the way. I smile a lot more easily now and my mind is not far away as much as before. I thank God I can live in the present now and am a lot more contented. That's a good thing isn't it? :)
Monday, November 19, 2007
Emotional "Flashing"
Is it rude to over-expose what one is feeling even if it's something as public & voluntary as a blog? Does it greatly damage the reputation of the person who is baring his heart and soul? The Bible says this in 1 Corinthians 10:23-24.
1 Corinthians 10:23-24
"Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
Blogging in some respects can be a very selfish thing. I know I do it for my own therapy. Why do I just bare everything? Because it's difficult having all these thoughts & emotions cooped up inside. It's easier to just vent it out rather than to be silent about it. Maybe it's a selfish thing to do ... the question I'm asking myself is this; do I blog for my own good or do I blog for the good of others?
A part of me really would like something good to come out of this blog. Maybe what I'm going through can help encourage someone else who may be going through something similar? Maybe some of my deep thoughts will strike a chord in someone and lead them to discover what the Bible says for themselves? Maybe my foray into the music industry will also inspire someone else to pursue their dream to make a difference in our country and beyond?
What I do not want this blog to be is this - a meaningless exercise that I go through in putting my heart & thoughts down on paper. I want this blog to make a difference in the lives of the people who actually drop by regularly to read my posts. That's what I want. So here comes the hard part ... I leave it to all of you to make a decision through a poll.
Drop me a line. Let me know what you think. Because blogging for no reason means that I'd much rather stick to my own private journal and forego putting my heart on its sleeve here.
Is it rude to over-expose what one is feeling even if it's something as public & voluntary as a blog? Does it greatly damage the reputation of the person who is baring his heart and soul? The Bible says this in 1 Corinthians 10:23-24.
1 Corinthians 10:23-24
"Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
Blogging in some respects can be a very selfish thing. I know I do it for my own therapy. Why do I just bare everything? Because it's difficult having all these thoughts & emotions cooped up inside. It's easier to just vent it out rather than to be silent about it. Maybe it's a selfish thing to do ... the question I'm asking myself is this; do I blog for my own good or do I blog for the good of others?
A part of me really would like something good to come out of this blog. Maybe what I'm going through can help encourage someone else who may be going through something similar? Maybe some of my deep thoughts will strike a chord in someone and lead them to discover what the Bible says for themselves? Maybe my foray into the music industry will also inspire someone else to pursue their dream to make a difference in our country and beyond?
What I do not want this blog to be is this - a meaningless exercise that I go through in putting my heart & thoughts down on paper. I want this blog to make a difference in the lives of the people who actually drop by regularly to read my posts. That's what I want. So here comes the hard part ... I leave it to all of you to make a decision through a poll.
Drop me a line. Let me know what you think. Because blogging for no reason means that I'd much rather stick to my own private journal and forego putting my heart on its sleeve here.
The Long & Lonely Road
I had a pretty long day today, was up at around 7:30am and spent the better part of the day in church at a leaders planning from 9:00am all the way till 2:00pm. Then I caught Lions for Lambs with my brother, his cell leader Jac & her boyfriend Alvin. But the kicker came in the evening when I hung out with some of my old Varsity Christian Fellowship mates in UM and wow ... almost everyone of them have kids & are MARRIED!
I'm really happy for everyone but they made me realise that my life is heading down a very different path. I too want a family and kids but I can't have both. Not at the moment. WIth every challenge that I face building Four Forty Records it's gonna be difficult to raise a family much less take care of a wife whom I wanna love with all my heart. No sacrifice ... no victory.
A testimony I heard from one of the leaders in my zone (thank you for your honesty Uncle Beng Keat) made me realise this. We all wanna achieve something, do something in life but not many of us are prepared to pay the price. In Christianity one of the things we believe in is that all of us share the sufferings of Christ. I figure I'm sharing in a part of it right now - going through a huge career challenge, being rejected by the very person I loved with all my heart, etc and we feel like quitting or gripe/complain about it. The part of me that is still somewhat strong says ... "BITE THE DAMN BULLET! STICK WITH IT!" and there's the part of me that is so emotionally scared that goes "I FEEL LIKE I'M DYING...". Ha ha! I should just listen to the strong voice and stick with it. So what if she doesn't love me back. I know I have done all I can to love her and prove to her that I love her and I wanna grow as a person. And that should be enough ... it's her choice at the end of the day. And we all have the gift of choice so it's her right.
This is my road to walk ... WALK IT THEN! And stop complaining about how darn tired I am and emotionally drained my inner being is. Just walk the line! No need to charge into battle but just walk the path and take my time to do it.
And that as they say ... is that.
I had a pretty long day today, was up at around 7:30am and spent the better part of the day in church at a leaders planning from 9:00am all the way till 2:00pm. Then I caught Lions for Lambs with my brother, his cell leader Jac & her boyfriend Alvin. But the kicker came in the evening when I hung out with some of my old Varsity Christian Fellowship mates in UM and wow ... almost everyone of them have kids & are MARRIED!
Some of my old PKV mates (GOODNESS! I AM FAT!)
I'm really happy for everyone but they made me realise that my life is heading down a very different path. I too want a family and kids but I can't have both. Not at the moment. WIth every challenge that I face building Four Forty Records it's gonna be difficult to raise a family much less take care of a wife whom I wanna love with all my heart. No sacrifice ... no victory.
A testimony I heard from one of the leaders in my zone (thank you for your honesty Uncle Beng Keat) made me realise this. We all wanna achieve something, do something in life but not many of us are prepared to pay the price. In Christianity one of the things we believe in is that all of us share the sufferings of Christ. I figure I'm sharing in a part of it right now - going through a huge career challenge, being rejected by the very person I loved with all my heart, etc and we feel like quitting or gripe/complain about it. The part of me that is still somewhat strong says ... "BITE THE DAMN BULLET! STICK WITH IT!" and there's the part of me that is so emotionally scared that goes "I FEEL LIKE I'M DYING...". Ha ha! I should just listen to the strong voice and stick with it. So what if she doesn't love me back. I know I have done all I can to love her and prove to her that I love her and I wanna grow as a person. And that should be enough ... it's her choice at the end of the day. And we all have the gift of choice so it's her right.
This is my road to walk ... WALK IT THEN! And stop complaining about how darn tired I am and emotionally drained my inner being is. Just walk the line! No need to charge into battle but just walk the path and take my time to do it.
And that as they say ... is that.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Slow Burning Music?
Do you know what it's like to feel like you have a raging anger in you that's on slow burn? As it simmers ... it continues to fuel you and then at the wrong time & wrong place it'd just explode. That's what it feels like for me. I feel like I'm on this timer that threatens to overwhelm me when not kept in check. It's damn frustrating to feel so stuck and trying hard to get unstuck but not really making much progress.
I am very sure of a lot of my choices and it really hits me hard when I get questioned constantly. It drives me up the wall that people assume I have not thought things through and what's worse is that it feels as if people don't realise that a lot of times I have counted the cost of making a decision. It's not easy to stick with things but the cost has already been weighed out. What I cannot say is what the future would hold ... while I know that my decision now to build up Four Forty Records means sacrificing every short term financial payoff, it doesn't make it any easier especially when everything I work towards now goes towards building the artistes in our stable. What do I see out of it? Honestly ... nothing much right now in terms of personal gain but everything in terms of working through the daily grind. What's worse is doing a lot of waiting around because we don't really call the shots. I really love what I do but it's tough facing the reality of the challenges that I must face. I do hope that this investment will pay off in the future but there really is no guarantee to that is there? I guess that's what it means to risk it all doesn't it?
The state of the industry is not too great right now and world-wide we're seeing a shrinking in terms of sales. That's why it's really important we begin educating the young about intellectual property and the damage it does to just go out there and download or buy a pirated CD. That includes software as well. Don't any of you every wonder just how many people depend on the sale of software or a music CD to keep on doing what they love? And while I'm on a roll here ... would it hurt to support local music or even international artistes as well? I really have seen lots of great local talent but what do we hear on radio more? Lots of recycled international songs and not that many local efforts. Make a difference ... and start listening to all kinds of music. We have some really good stuff locally and I'm not just talking about Juwita but people like Reshmonu and so many others both in the English & Bahasa Malaysia segment of the market.
Nuff said! I shall shut up now ... but I leave everyone with this question. Is there a future for the Malaysian music industry? And what can you guys do to be a part of it?
I am very sure of a lot of my choices and it really hits me hard when I get questioned constantly. It drives me up the wall that people assume I have not thought things through and what's worse is that it feels as if people don't realise that a lot of times I have counted the cost of making a decision. It's not easy to stick with things but the cost has already been weighed out. What I cannot say is what the future would hold ... while I know that my decision now to build up Four Forty Records means sacrificing every short term financial payoff, it doesn't make it any easier especially when everything I work towards now goes towards building the artistes in our stable. What do I see out of it? Honestly ... nothing much right now in terms of personal gain but everything in terms of working through the daily grind. What's worse is doing a lot of waiting around because we don't really call the shots. I really love what I do but it's tough facing the reality of the challenges that I must face. I do hope that this investment will pay off in the future but there really is no guarantee to that is there? I guess that's what it means to risk it all doesn't it?
The state of the industry is not too great right now and world-wide we're seeing a shrinking in terms of sales. That's why it's really important we begin educating the young about intellectual property and the damage it does to just go out there and download or buy a pirated CD. That includes software as well. Don't any of you every wonder just how many people depend on the sale of software or a music CD to keep on doing what they love? And while I'm on a roll here ... would it hurt to support local music or even international artistes as well? I really have seen lots of great local talent but what do we hear on radio more? Lots of recycled international songs and not that many local efforts. Make a difference ... and start listening to all kinds of music. We have some really good stuff locally and I'm not just talking about Juwita but people like Reshmonu and so many others both in the English & Bahasa Malaysia segment of the market.
Nuff said! I shall shut up now ... but I leave everyone with this question. Is there a future for the Malaysian music industry? And what can you guys do to be a part of it?
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Control
It's been awhile since I last put up a blog post. I've not been feeling like writing anything lately but that's cos' I'm pretty busy with the Children's Church Christmas party helping the kids out in the play. I am so glad that I'm able to put my creative thinking cap on.
Anyways, I've been thinking a lot about control and how much we (we as in we humans) want so much to be in control of our lives. We want our choices. We want to be able to determine the outcome of things through our actions. We want to believe that we have control over our lives and our place in our part of the world. I realise more and more that we do not have control over a lot of things. While we may be able to put our hands to the plough and work hard at things ... many occurences in life just aren't within our control.
I've been feeling this a lot in my singlehood and Ps Mike (the guy who has been spending loads of time with me to sort out my internal issues) has been sharing with me a lot about surrender and making a daily decision to surrender my deep, deep desire to be with someone. It's just the same as forgiveness ... where whenever I feel the urge to still be angry I remind myself that I have chosen to forgive despite the fact that she may not even be sorry for the pain that she caused. Forgiveness is an act. Just the same as surrender.
I guess there goes all the control that we want ... all out the window. We can't control whether a person will fall in love with us. We can't control the share market. We can't even control the outcome of our work short of just putting in our best. The actions of people around us affect everything and nothing is truly predictable. The point I'm trying to make is ... is there truly control? And does it make sense to some of you to believe in a God who loves us so much and takes care of us regardless of whether we appreciate it or not. And that's what I hope to really learn out all this; to learn how to be secure in who I am rather than to let someone else judge me with a measure that he or she can't possibly hold up to as well. It's not the easiest of things though.
Cheers! I'm off to Children's Church now ... by the way I just received a shipment of Liang's new album After 8 so look out for it in stores soon. Enjoy a sneak preview of the album cover right here ... The CD is loaded with goodies, a coaster, postcard (I think) and of course the album itself. Check it OUT!
It's been awhile since I last put up a blog post. I've not been feeling like writing anything lately but that's cos' I'm pretty busy with the Children's Church Christmas party helping the kids out in the play. I am so glad that I'm able to put my creative thinking cap on.
Anyways, I've been thinking a lot about control and how much we (we as in we humans) want so much to be in control of our lives. We want our choices. We want to be able to determine the outcome of things through our actions. We want to believe that we have control over our lives and our place in our part of the world. I realise more and more that we do not have control over a lot of things. While we may be able to put our hands to the plough and work hard at things ... many occurences in life just aren't within our control.
I've been feeling this a lot in my singlehood and Ps Mike (the guy who has been spending loads of time with me to sort out my internal issues) has been sharing with me a lot about surrender and making a daily decision to surrender my deep, deep desire to be with someone. It's just the same as forgiveness ... where whenever I feel the urge to still be angry I remind myself that I have chosen to forgive despite the fact that she may not even be sorry for the pain that she caused. Forgiveness is an act. Just the same as surrender.
I guess there goes all the control that we want ... all out the window. We can't control whether a person will fall in love with us. We can't control the share market. We can't even control the outcome of our work short of just putting in our best. The actions of people around us affect everything and nothing is truly predictable. The point I'm trying to make is ... is there truly control? And does it make sense to some of you to believe in a God who loves us so much and takes care of us regardless of whether we appreciate it or not. And that's what I hope to really learn out all this; to learn how to be secure in who I am rather than to let someone else judge me with a measure that he or she can't possibly hold up to as well. It's not the easiest of things though.
Cheers! I'm off to Children's Church now ... by the way I just received a shipment of Liang's new album After 8 so look out for it in stores soon. Enjoy a sneak preview of the album cover right here ... The CD is loaded with goodies, a coaster, postcard (I think) and of course the album itself. Check it OUT!
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