Midnight Train by Alarice

This video is for my Dawnieeeee, who missed Alarice's gig @ the Esplanade Concourse cos she's holidaying in Tokyo. This is a new song from Alarice, which I really like. :) Will upload more tmrw. Takes awfully long to get one up!

Alarice: Guit and vox
Nigel Tan: Guit and percussions
Jocelyn: Keys/Piano and backing vox

Closer

"At the end of the day, when it comes down to it, all we really want is to be close to somebody. So this thing where we all keep our distance and pretend not to care about each other, it's usually a load of bull. So we pick and choose who we want to remain close to, and once we've chosen those people, we tend to stick close by. No matter how much we hurt them. The people that are still with you at the end of the day, those are the ones worth keeping. And sure, sometimes close can be too close. But sometimes, that invasion of personal space, it can be exactly what you need."- Meredith, on Grey's Anatomy, S3

Life and Love and Why

I'm learning from the wisdom of Dawnie....heart.needs.to.learn.
[I think the raspberry vodka is getting to me...]

"Keep it kind, keep it good
Keep it right
Throw yourself in the midst of danger
But keep one eye open at night."- 'Elephants' by Rachael Yamagata

a_CROSS//the_EARTH:: Tear Down The Walls

The new Hillsong United album, out in S'pore on the 26th May!!
Can't wait. :)

And here's a message from J.T.H taken from the Hillsong United blog. It seems real apt for the launch of the new album. I just love how powerfully he writes. Sigh.

Here + Now
================

I’m convinced.
The cross is written across everything.
Fighting for our attention.
Disturbing us from the temporary.
Revealing what is eternal.
The unshakeable kingdom;

Faith.
Hope.
Love.

Is our Faith in circumstance. Or God’s word.
Is our Hope in the here and now. Or in the Cross.
Is our Love for consumption. Or for others.

The cross.
Written across all things.
Calling us toward the one thing.
Once you’ve seen it.
You’ll see it in everything.
And everything will change.
Love.

+jth

Damaged Goods

I don't know why...but I seem to be pretty destructive of late. Just over the past few months, I've damaged 2 pairs of audio technica earphones...and the screw cap of my Benetint blusher (I was just trying to ensure it was screwed on tightly!). I so violent meh??? Apparenly Dawn thinks I am. Boo!

And as if I'm not nearly destructive enough with my personal property, the RATS that have been on the loose in the office, decided to chew through my Macbook power adaptor wire. How to explain the sad state of my wires to Apple?? But I'm thankful I didn't kena rat poo pellets on my desk like Darren. They really don't like him. This is not funny you know...and not cute like Ratatouille. We need to shut down this 'underground cell of rats'!!

On a totally unrelated note...I thought this tweet by Joel was so funny, "sometimes i wake up...and I have a beard...??" hahaha! The story of his life eh? :)

Baby Love

I.Am.Happy. :) Had a lovely evening having dinner and drinks at Michelle Poh's house. For those who dunno...she's like my vocal 'sifu' and mentor. We had a good time catching up, and playing with her beautiful baby boy, Krabi, who's 3 years old now. Mich Poh married a Dutch guy, so you can imagine how super cute and hansum Krabi is.

Didn't get to take photos because Krabi was glued to me the whole night...so my hands were quite full. He insisted on feeding me his food and drinks, and happily plopped himself on my lap to watch cartoons, while giving me affectionate hugs and kisses the whole night. When it was time to go out for a car-ride, he stuck out his little pudgy hand to hold mine. Who wouldn't love a baby like that? Awww. Apparently he's rarely this attached to people, so I'm a lucky gal. :) (Maybe he liked my vanilla scented hair? haha! I dunno.) His favourite word is "Yayyy!!!" haha! Which he exclaims regularly. So cute lah.

Soundbites

Mich: *in mid-conversation* Fat like panda! :(
Amelia: HUH?? What??
Mich: Oh sorry....just a random outburst. I'm feeling fat. Like a panda.
Amelia: Huh? You?? Where got fat? (says the skinny one who keeps tempting me with cookies!)
[minutes later...]
Darren: *walks in innocently* No more Hello Panda ah? (Darren is always strolling in with food/looking for food)
Mich: :( Its a sign!!!

Mich: I'm thinking of going to Sydney in Oct for the Hillsong Encounter Conference.
Rox: *eyes wide open* OMG!! *jaw drops* HAVE YOU PRAYED ABOUT IT???? *seriously looks worried*
Mich: hahaha! Why are you being so dramatic? Its not like I'm going there to get married.
[Rox thinks I'm a Joel-stalker. Warrau! I'm not that siao can? But anyway, I must thank her
for the fabulous stash of free perfume samples she generously gave me. haha!]

Mich: I'm going blind...
Jet: What are you doing??
Mich: Editing some documents. I don't understand why people have to be so CHEONG HEY!! And then I get all depressed at the horrible state of English in S'pore, and how I'm going blind editing it. Why do people have to say the same thing 3x in a paragraph??
Jet: Ahhh....that's just the ego speaking....or some mysterious character flaw.
Mich: haha! Wow! That's the best excuse I've heard for bad English ever.

The Love of Musical Beauty

"Chris & I bonded over the love of musical beauty"
- John Mayer, on his collaboration with Chris Botti.

I was watching the Behind the Scenes feature on the "Chris Botti in Boston" dvd, when I heard John Mayer drop this line from his lips casually. "The love of musical beauty"-that perfectly sums up what I feel each time I listen to Chris Botti's music, which is so refined and sophisticated that it obviously comes from a place of passion & commitment to his craft.

What's up with the artist's obsession with beauty anyway? Well, I think its because beauty in art reminds us to step away from the daily grind, and to simply let our soul breathe, heal & rejuvenate. Art persuades us to look at the world afresh with wonder, and in its sublime beauty, provides us with a glorious glimpse of heaven & the Creator.

Spread The Happy!!

Talk about randomness...this video will most definitely cheer you up! We all need to spread the happy! :) Thanks Dawnie for sending me the link. I LOVES IT!!

About the video: More than 200 dancers were performing their version of "Do Re Mi", in the Central Station of Antwerp. With just 2 rehearsals they created this amazing stunt! Those 4 fantastic minutes started the 23 of march 2009, 08:00 AM. It is a promotion stunt for a Belgian television program, where they are looking for someone to play the leading role, in the musical of "The Sound of Music".

Chris Botti Live in Boston

Chris Botti live at the historic Boston Symphony Hall with the Boston Pops Orchestra on Sept 2008. I've been waiting for this cd/dvd for quite a few months now. Chris Botti is quite incapable of producing a project that is less than impeccable and gut-wrenchingly beautiful. He takes it to a whole new level with this album that excites music lovers with an outstanding line-up of guest performers like John Mayer (!!!!!), Sting, Dominic Miller, Josh Groban and Yo-Yo Ma. Abi and I were just saying it's like audio porn. haha! Sting, Josh Groban and Chris sharing the same stage at once! It's crazy! Watch the videos below and you'll know what I mean.

Right now the album is only available at HMV. Clueless Gramophone staff don't even know of this album's existence or arrival. Tsk tsk!


"Glad to be Unhappy"- Chris Botti, featuring John Mayer, guitar-less!! John Mayer singing Frank Sinatra with a full orchestra...an amazing first. This classy performance makes me so happy!



"Shape of my Heart"- Chris Botti, with Sting, Dominic Miller & Josh Groban sharing the stage for the first time!