Am/PM

I really don't know what to do, but it always seems like I've got the most energy at night when its time for me to be sleeping!! And when I have to wake up early in the morning, I'm pretty much a walking zombie. But that's when work meetings take place! Acks!

Ps Philip talked about "energy management" today during staff devotion- essentially how we should identify our best energy periods of the day, and give that time to the most important things. Ok...so let's do that for me yeah? I was up at 7am to get ready for staff devotion at 9am. All morning, I was basically feeling super sleepy and tired. But at 8pm, I had band rehearsal. Once the music started, I was like the energizer bunny. And even now at 1am, I find it hard to shut down. How like dat?? Sigh.

Happy Thoughts!!

[Photo Credit: Liew Tong Leng]

I had a rather vexing off day. Was running personal errands when I almost blew my top at the failure of technology and the appalling service standards in S'pore. (I'm not gonna spoil your day by describing what happened exactly.)Yeah, I'm not the most patient person around...but seriously, I don't wanna get upset over dumb things like these.

And so I tried to fill my head with happy thoughts! Like how God blessed Wonderboy (Sam Yuan) with a beautiful rainbow when he asked God for one. And how Joel is probably coming down on 27th July for a Hillsong United concert. And then I was reminded of this silly conversation that took place with Rox last week. haha!

Rox: We're quite similar...both funny, cute, child-like.
Mich: And hot! You forgot HOT!
Rox: Yes yes we are Joel-Houston hot!
Mich: His hotness is off the charts.
Rox: Yay Jesus rocks for making Joel Houston hot!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mich: Eh...you cell leader leh. How can say this kind of thing?

By the way, isn't that a beautiful pic at the top? It was taken by my photographer cell member Tong Leng! Reminds me to heart the world despite how frustrating life gets at times! :)

To-Do-List

1) Figure out harmonies + vocal stylings for "Overcome" in A, then in G
2) Learn how to play "Overcome" on keys, which is in tricksy 6/8
3) Record "Overcome" on Garageband with soprano, alto and tenor parts for the choir
4) Learn how to conduct "Overcome," which is in tricksy 6/8
5) Observe self in mirror or some reflective surface while I practise conducting "Overcome" (yes, retarded but neccessary)
6) Memorise lyrics for "Overcome"
7) Move on to other 3 sets + practise Eunice's wedding item song
8) Paint nails (maybe)
9) Watch Bones (must!)
10) Convince 17 year old cousin that Bourbon Coke should not be a daily after-school beverage.

As Surely As The Sun Rises...

"Let us acknowledge the LORD;
let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises, he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,
like the spring rains that water the earth."

- Hosea 6:3

The Amplified bible breaks down "acknowledge" as such, "to recognize, be acquainted with, and understand," also "to appreciate, give heed to, and cherish Him."

This is such a beautiful verse....singing "You'll Come," which is based on Hosea 6:3, just gives me the chills. Truly, let us press on to know the Lord in a deeper manner. Let us press on to wait upon Him to come to us. Let us press on in believing that He will come through for us!

Crash

“It’s the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We’re always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something.”
- Opening scene of Crash

When I read this quote, something just clicked inside of me. That feeling you get when someone articulates that nagging feeling you've been experiencing for the longest time. In the midst of our hectic, urban lifestyles...have we forgotten to carve out space for each other? What's this barrier that we've formed that prevents us from seeing and being seen? And all this time, the soul just burns to be known.

The Interview

Ricky says this is my "reporter" shot. haha!

The crew getting ready on Fri morning

Thomas, the guy in command

Cass, our super producer, and Amelia, our new intern

Lights, Camera, Action!

It was a very interesting weekend as we zipped through a wild ride of a video shoot. Grace Chapel in Riverlife was transformed into a film studio for the day. We started bright and early at 9am (8.30am for costume change), and filmed till almost 5pm. It was quite an experience watching my video script being fleshed out before my eyes. :)

The sign that we pasted on the door, but curious members of the tech crew still strolled in for some laughs.

Ivan getting his costume on...

Me trying to pin on Arun's wig without giving the guy a brain haemorrhage.

Ricky getting into character

Hmm...I'm not really sure what Ivan is trying to say to Bill.

Our 4 actors in a group shot. And yes, apparently that's what they wore in biblical times.

Arun's our new spokeman for Brylcream. That's Amelia, his 'hair stylist' who had the pleasure of slapping on loads of Brylcream on his hair.

From this particular shot...we learnt that it is VERY hard to laugh silently when the cameras are rolling, and you're trying not to affect the actor. Thomas, the director, could hide his convulsions behind a huge screen, but the rest of us had to either turn away, or hide under the table. You end up with very sore abs after that.

"That Restless Whispering"

Happy belated St Patrick's Day folks! :) One day, I shall visit Ireland for myself.

"Windharp" by John Montague

The sounds of Ireland,
that restless whispering
you never get away
from, seeping out of
low bushes and grass,
heatherbells and fern,
wrinkling bog pools,
scraping tree branches,
light hunting cloud,
sound hounding sight,
a hand ceaselessly
combing and stroking
the landscape, till
the valley gleams
like the pile upon
a mountain pony’s coat.

Not Again...

Everyone is cooking spinach soup/ stir-fried spinach for me. I love veggies but this is getting quite sian liao. Sigh.

The Mosaic Buzz

Dawnie 'playing the keys' at the Mosaic festival

Last nite, Cheryl, Dawnie, Ricky & I headed to the Esplanade to catch Mike Stern & The Yellow Jackets in concert. We managed to soak up of the Mosaic buzz before the show. I love these music festivals! :)

Cheryl and I checking out the souvenir booth, where we eventually bought some funky Mosaic lanyards. This is the first photo that got Ricky into a bit of a scuffle with security.

Nigel is convinced I was looking at some J.H poster. haha!

Ricky was at the side and back of the booth snapping pics when he was approached by a security guard, who was convinced he was some stalker preying on the ladies. haha!

We had to convince the security guard that Ricky was actually our fren after we made our purchase. Gosh, that was funny!!

I love the blurry, artistic shots

Having some pre-show drinks

Sheer Genius!

You know how most churches/organisations have a "about us" or "FAQ" page on their websites? I think Community Christian Church has the most creative, fun and interactive one I've ever seen yet! Check it out here.

So Much To Say

Worship is a journey...

There's so much to say, but not much time and energy left for me to write. I'll attempt to do some "speed blogging" now, so at least you're in the loop. It feels a little strange...because it feels like months has passed, and yet, it's only been a week. And what a rollercoaster ride it has been!

1) Answered Prayer: My dear grandma, the dearest human being on the face of earth to me, accepted Christ last Fri. We started talking about religion (she was a buddhist), then I shared my testimony with her, and then the gospel using a tract. I didn't expect her to agree to say the sinner's prayer straight away, but she wanted to! Praise God!

The beautiful thing that blows my mind is this.....while I was sharing the gospel with my grandma, my cell group was praying for her in Pasir Ris. And I know even before that, many of my frens & colleagues in church were praying for her. The RiverLife community has been the most incredible and immediate source of support to me during this difficult season (my grandma was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer abt 2-3 wks back, and is due for surgery this coming Tue, March 17th.) Thank you so much guys! I'm not kidding when I say I was on the verge of a breakdown. But because of your prayer support & care...I'm ok. :)


2) The Deluge:
You know how the bad stuff always comes in an avalanche? Yeah...its been crazy these 2 wks.
- my workload has never been heavier. I've been clocking in 12 hour work days and even working on my off day. Haven't been able to sleep well either.

- I fell sick last week....I guess due to the lack of rest. (Cheryl fell sick last wk...this wk several others in church fell sick too...including Dawnie & Marcus) I'm still a bit sick..and it seems like its turning into a cough.


3) The Crash:
As you know, my shiny new Macbook arrived last week. And the past few days, I've been transferring files over from the old to the new Mac. The only thing that was left, were my work documents cos I wanted to transfer that last when it was fully updated. Before I could do it, my old Macbook froze & couldn't start up again after that.

The weird thing is, Cheryl had the same prob with her Macbook last nite. But she managed to retrieve her data and get it fixed. My 3 year old Macbook didn't fare so well though. After a thorough inspection and several resuscitation attempts, Thomas, my colleague and "Mac Technical Specialist," announced that the hard disc has most likely crashed. Yes...this is the 2nd time it has crashed. Mich is not a happy trouper. Ok, then as I was working on my new Mac in the evening, my mouse started to go wonky!! Ahhhhh! But I plugged it in again..and it was fine after that. *phew*

What people are saying:
=======================
Cheryl: "It's not funny anymore..." (on our combined IT woes)

Abi: "I think your Mac is possessed by a PC" (That's quite funny rite? haha!)

Dawn: (after I told her how relieved I was I still had AppleCare until May, and that maybe God wants to give my Mac new insides before AppleCare expires)
"Yes, I'm sure God really loves your Macbook!"
(my fwens r so sweet lah)

Arun: "I'm not getting a Mac anymore."

Lesson of the day:
=================
Back up, back up, back up!!!


4) Love, Save The Empty
After a draining week, and a most frustrating day....I think I'm more or less resigned to the fact that I've lost my data. But I can slowly reassemble 70% of it from my gmail accounts. I think the choir rehearsal that we had at nite really helped to lift up my spirits. Alicia from the choir, also shared with me how she's been having a shit time at work, but that choir really helps her to destress. It's so encouraging to hear stuff like that! Working with the choir felt really easy and comfortable today....with lots of laughter and joy. Singing our all-hymn set with their timeless truths also helped my faith level to rise up. I think I'm gonna be ok. :)


5) Then Sings My Soul...
Some of Wayne & Libby Huirua's teaching has been really hitting home lately:
- "we are more than conquerors through him who loved us"- Romans 8:37
I think I've been playing 'defense' way too long....it's time to play 'offense.' After all, our God is a warrior, and He's on our side! (Eowyn was a shield-maiden who loved passionately and fiercely defended her king and loved ones. I want to be like her.)

- Wayne & Libby said they sensed that RiverLife was going through a period where we're learning to be a people committed to worship. And I guess for that to happen, it's gotta start with us first, the leadership team & the worship min. At least that's my take on why so many of us are going through a difficult season. We're learning as a team, to make worship a choice.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, can reduce the greatness of our God, or diminish His glory.

"Half Of My Heart"-by John Mayer

How can one NOT love John Mayer? :) I got this from his new blog, where he shares a new song he's been working on....great work with the "vocal stacking" as he calls it. And I am quite encouraged by how he says we should "write without questions or fear." Awesome! I'm on fire again.



Here's the very nascent stage of this song called "Half of my Heart"... there's a chorus that's done, but I don't want to give it away and have you sick of it before I even track it.

As my own producer, the point of the entire game is to write without questions or fear. If it's not good, who cares?? I'll have good songs and I'll have bad songs in life, but if I fear 'bad' songs I won't be able to write anything from an honest place.

I should be done with this song by mid-week, assuming I stay on point and keep on writing.

This is fun... Glad you're along for the ride.

JM

OMG Jason!!!

Last nite, I had this little exchange with Jason, who's studying in Melbourne now...and I thought it was quite funny.

On msn last nite
==================
(Mich's msn nickname was changed to "OMG Jason!!!" after being blown away at the Jason Mraz concert)

Jason W: Is your nickname about me? :)
Mich: *thinks: EH??* Err....you say leh?
Jason W: Dunno. :)
Mich: It's abt Mraz leh. I went to his concert. hehe!
Jason W: Oh! :)
Mich: *feels bad* It can be about you also lah! :)
Jason W: There was an earthquake in Melbourne earlier today. 4.6 on the Richter scale.
Mich: *feels supremely bad by now* OMG Jason!!!!!! Are you ok???
Jason: Yeah I'm fine. Was just outside the epicentre. No casualties so far.
Mich: Oh gosh! I was just talking to your brother about you last nite.
Jason W: No worries....I'm good. Came online to check on my schoolmates.
Mich: Hey! Did the quake hit Sydney??? (and we all know who's there)
Jason W: No it didn't...only a part of Melbourne.

"Sleeping To Dream/You and I Both" Medley by Jason Mraz

Another video from the concert earlier! I was pleasantly surprised by this medley with 2 of my fav songs by Jason! They fit together so beautifully. :) His vocals are absolutely flawless and mesmerising live. I didn't get a chance to record the high-energy, full band numbers and his breathtaking solo (with just the keys) on "Curiosity" cos I was busy having fun or simply getting lost in his magical performance. The sound's quite clear on the recording...but its not very sharp visually cos he's so far away. Sorry about the blinding lights too. Not my fault ah!

"Unfold" by Jason Mraz

Jason, live at the Singapore Indoor Stadium!! Will post a full review of that fantastic concert later on. But I will share a little video first, especially for those who attended the concert and can't wait to relive the memories. :) I love the part where he starts grooving at the end. Sweet!

Unboxing My New Macbook

Look who arrived in the office today! :) My nice new shiny toy. Everyone gathered round while I unboxed it. I could hear "open it! open it!" in the background, and 2 different people offered me their penknives. haha! We're major Mac geeks.

Hellooo baby! This super intelligent guy logged on to our office internet network all on his own. Usually, we need the IT guy to set up the connection, even for Macs. Clever rite? I'm naming him Joel! :)

My 2 Macbooks side by side. Joel and Kiera.

What's Up With That?

First it was the Mosaic Festival, then Jason Mraz and Coldplay in March.
Now I find out that Rachael Yamagata is coming in April for a concert at the Esplanade.
As Dawn said, "they all pakat one! All come at the same time."
No money lah. At least I know Alarice's concert at the Esplanade in May will be free. :)
I will definitely make an exception for John Mayer or Damien Rice if they come though.

A Late Nite Adventure

Its close to 2am, and I got home not long ago from a nite out with Erica. We met for dinner at Secret Recipe Vivo City, and traumatised the waiter there when he told us there was no more Chocolate Banana cake. We tried persuading him to open a new box (we were sure they had more in the fridge)....didn't work. Then he suggested we try the Choc Indulgence cake, and he'd put banana slices on the side. haha! The things we do.

After dinner, we went to watch "Benjamin Button" at GV. I thought the cinematography was really beautiful and artistic, F. Scott Fitzgerald's themes were thought-provoking.....but my gripe is that the pacing should have been tighter. It got rather draggy after a while.

There was one really entertaining part at the end though, not from the movie itself, but from this super-emo girl seated next to me. Crazy emo girl started BAWLING at the end...and when the movie got to the quiet bits, you could even hear her trying so hard to control her noisy sobs. I don't know if she was genuinely affected or trying to get some attention from her bf. I wish we could have video-ed that moment. You should have seen the major "HUH???" expressions on Erica's face and mine. haha! Seriously, what's up with that?? It wasn't that emotional a scene. Cate Blanchett was so cool throughout.

The movie finally ended at 11.45pm!!! We really didn't expect it to last for nearly 3 hours, and we had to make a MAD RUN for the last train, which was departing in 1 min. haha! But it was a fun nite out with Erica.....a much needed relief from an emotionally and physically heavy week.