Riverlifers @ Seng's Wedding

L-R (top row): Dawn n myself "kicking it" on the Chijmes Lawn during cocktails;
Jerome, our resident pretty boy who got pretty high on mojitos and got trigger happy with Dawn's camera;
Jeremy, our killer drummer, Dawn again and Jerome. haha! I love this cute shot!

L-R (bottom row): The 3 groupies!! Dawn, Andrea and myself. Can you see us spelling "JM" with our fingers? It stands for Jason Mraz/ John Mayer whom we all love;
Dawn and Janice who's like....well, perpetually high even without alcohol;
Seng (the groom!), Reg, Andrea looking very pwetty indeed, Dawnie, and myself.

It was a great evening with beautiful ambience at Chijmes, music by a string quartet (so classy lah), Seng and the Riverlife band, wine (i had 3 glasses!), and cozy fellowship with a wonderful bunch of Riverlifers. :)

Thanks Dawnie for the lovely montage! :)

Keep Me Where The Light Is

From an episode of the TV series "Brothers & Sisters" (Season 1). Reminded me of what a dear fren shared of the difficult journey he's walking through, "sometimes God just wants you to feel the pain....you just have to walk through it." I think there is much honesty and truth in that. There aren't any easy answers for the pain or injustice that some of us have to experience. But when we plunge into the 'dark night of the soul', we can find solace in knowing that we fall into arms of grace.

With that thought...Mich is taking a 'deep spiritual breath' as Oswald Chambers calls it.

Sarah: *in tears* Why can't you say anything? One thing to make this feel better?

Therapist: There are no shortcuts Sarah, in life or in love. This pain must be felt. The alternative is much worse. It's what makes us special, what makes us beautiful, what makes us worthy. The pain of how we love.

But that pain is accompanied by something else isn't it? Hope? With your pain there is hope. And that is where you are. Somewhere between agony, optimism and prayer. So you're human. You're alive...and that is what we have.

Solution

The weather is freakin' HOT as you know it....so Abi and I have taken to singing this chorus of late, "Whoa-oh-ohhh, BEER BE THE SOLUTION! Whoa-oh-ohh" haha! [The original song was actually written by Joel Houston from Hillsong, and it goes "Whoa-oh-ohh, God be the solution!"]

Joel's probably in S'pore as I write this cos Hillsong United is having a worship concert at Expo tmrw. He is SO going to melt in this insane heat....I wish I could take him to Brewerkz for a Tower of Beer. haha! Anyway, isn't the photo a hoot?

p/s: I'm not an alcoholic!

Love & Peace

Why do I let you treat me the way you do?
Honestly, it baffles me when you behave the way you do.
Oh Michelle....remember...love, love, love.
World peace for all mankind!
Joel's I Heart Revolution and all that.

The logic of Arts Students

Mich to Muffin on the bus: Did you know that those green seats designated for the elderly are deliberately placed BESIDE the exit of the bus?
Muffin: Serious?? I never knew that!
Mich: Yeah, so its easier for them to alight. I never realized it too until May-Ann told me about it.
Muffin: It makes sense...now that you mention it. Wow! I just thought it was for aesthetics, colour scheme reasons.

Well....arts students have their own fuzzy way of thinking. haha!

Fellowship of the Naan

It was zany Erica's bday and Mumble gave her a lovely bday surprise by filling her locker with colourful balloons, and his own special bday pressie- A BIG fish! Awww! After classes, a whole bunch of us from BMI trooped down in 2 cars to Anjappar, a North Indian restaurant in Little India, for Erica's bday supper.

Erica and Abi created such a ruckus at Anjappar!

Abi snapping photos for Mumble's facebook account.

Mumble...proud to be at Anjappar! Check out the tie Erica insisted on tying for him. Not so nice...but ah well. ahhaha!

Mumble checks out the menu...hmm....fish?

Table for 10 reserved under Daniel Low's name...he's such a regular there, that when he calls up the restaurant to reserve a table, they ask "Daniel right?" before he can even finish his sentence. haha! Whoa....hardcore!

Waiting impatiently for our food. See...Jo doesn't look very happy. :p

Last one to lift up their thumbs has to say grace! Abi was the last...cos she was taking this photo. haha! Sabo.

Our fav dish...the famous Anjappar Fried Chicken. Its the house special.

Tucking in....

Delectable Naan and curry

Just the girls

Group shot that Erica forced the Indian waiter to take for us. Unfortunately..she kept getting cut off.

Finally, Erica is in the pic! Thanks to Henry Choo! Next stop after supper.....shopping at Mustafa that's just opposite! :)

Music that breaks your heart

"To me, music that breaks your heart is the music that stays with you forever. It's one thing to be melancholy and one thing to be sophisticated, but when you get the two of them together in a way people can relate to, then I think you're on to something. You want the sophistication to lie in the purity of the sound, the beauty of the arrangements, and the quality of the performances."
- Chris Botti on his new album, Italia.

Tonight was the long awaited night for the Chris Botti concert! (2nd time watching him for me) Abi and I were literally counting down the days, and the hours. haha! After I ended my class, we made a MAD DASH to the Esplanade. In our excitement, we banged into poor Rachael who got in our way at the office. I've never seen Abi walk that fast. Quite funny! Once we were comfortably in our seats at the concert hall....I said hi to a couple of frens who were there too. Audrey was seated right opposite me, across the hall. So we did the girly thing of waving dramatically...and to signal that I was with Abi, I spelt out 'A-B-I' with my hands. Abi joined in....and Audrey spelt it back from across the hall! Hilarious...machiam 'YMCA'.

At around 7.40pm...the lights dimmed, and the audience waited in anticipation for Chris Botti and the band to take the stage. You could literally hear the collective female swoon when Chris walked on stage with his trumpet, dressed smartly in his tailored black suit, crisp white shirt and skinny black tie. A winning classic look, and he cut such a dashing figure in it. Ok...shall stop gushing. Moving on to the music....

Chris' first performance here was in Oct 2006, at the Victoria Theatre. For his second concert at the Esplanade (a much better venue), he returned with pretty much the same band...and what a world-class, top-notch band they are! We were truly in the presence of some musical greats!

Musician List
==========
Chris Botti- Trumpet
Billy Childs- Piano
Billy Kilson- Drums
Mark Whitfield- Guitar
Bob Hurst- Bass
LaShanda Rena- Vocals

Here's what I can recollect of the set list. It's not complete as I couldn't remember/identify some of his older songs.

Set list
=====
Ave Maria
When I fall in love
Flamenco Sketches (Miles Davis)
Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley)
A thousand kisses deep (Leonard Cohen)
My funny Valentine
What'll I do (feat. LaShanda Rena on vocals)
The look of love (feat. LaShanda Rena on vocals)
Caruso
Why not
Cinema Paradiso (Encore)

It was a very well planned set I thought.....comprising of songs that span Chris Botti's entire career, and showcasing his dazzling versatility. Within 90 mins, the band effortlessly flowed between different musical genres- jazz, classical, soul, funk, and even rock on one of Chris older songs. It was quite a journey for the audience! :) Although I heard some of the songs performed here during the first concert, the band still managed to blow me away with impressive new arrangements. And not only are they still sounding fresh....they band is now tighter than ever, and playing with a more soulful, groovier feel! Their solos were mind-boggling too. Abi kept going "STEADY AH" during the concert. haha!

It was simply magical to witness the intuitive synergy among the band...watching them dance around each other's melodic and rhythmic lines. One thing about this awesome band, is how graciously they give each other space to shine. They don't neccessarily have to play a lot, or very loudly...but when they play, every note and beat counts. It's also amazing how they're able to create lush atmospheres with a 5 piece band. They're so skillful and expressive, that I often found myself just closing my eyes, to breathe in the music....and it's music that goes so deep into the soul. As Chris Botti said, it's "music that breaks your heart"....with its poignant expression and sheer beauty. (And yes, I was moved to tears on many occasions.) He's truly an inspiring artiste who causes one to fall in love with music all over again. :)

Chris Botti is really gifted at connecting and engaging with the audience. I always enjoy it when he shares the background behind the songs (he is so knowledgeable!), and even his personal stories or anecdotes. His charismatic presence, great passion for music, and easy, humourous banter with the audience had us hooked. haha!

Kudos to the band too for being so entertaining with their playful antics! At one point, Billy Kilson, the drummer, went missing! Just as they were about to play "A Thousand Kisses Deep" *horror of horrors* Guess he gave himself a long break. So Chris had to stall for time, by stretching out his banter and asking the audience if we had seen the slow-moving drummer. haha! When he finally STROLLED back to his place, Chris flashed him a dirty look while playing on his trumpet. The audience burst out in laughter. At other points, the band was dancing, jumping, even 'flying' (yes, it was the electric guitarist Mark Whitfield) around on stage. They were clearly having a ball, and they were just sheer joy to watch. I love it when musicians really enjoy the music. :)

The closing song was the big band number "Why Not" which allowed Billy Kilson, to wow the audience with his fantastic, entertaining drum solo. Once they ended, the audience cheered loudly, and rose to their feet immediately to give Chris and band a well-earned standing ovation. I screamed myself hoarse that night...haha! Chris really brings out the groupie in me. But man, if you were there..you'd understand. THEY WERE SO GOOD!

As the encore, Chris Botti played "Cinema Paradiso" and dedicated it to this pregnant woman's baby...she was due in 5 weeks. He actually stepped off stage to play to her! At that point, you could hear all the females in the audience go "Awwww". haha! Billy Childs who accompanied Chris on the piano, spontaneously tweaked this delivery of the song to sound like a lullaby, surprising even Chris I think. Brilliant! The evening ended with a second standing ovation for Chris Botti and band. By then, everyone was feeling quite high I think. :)

What a splendid night! :) I can't wait to hear him live again. [Well, he did say 'hope to see you soon!' So I think he quite liked us?] Till then, I'm inspired to work harder on my music! :) Yes, Chris passionately advocates the importance of diligent practice....and you can see how he lives it out.

p/s: Apparently...our dear Corrinne May was spotted at the concert too. Yes, she's in town...but not to give a concert. Can you hear Muffin Boy's cries of protest? He's seriously having withdrawals symptoms. :p

Leaning into the beauty of the next....

A quote from 'Watermark', which consists of husband-wife duo Nathan & Christy Nockels, for their final album, "A Grateful People". I've always loved them for their beautiful lyrics and Christy's expressive vocals (you hear her distinctive voice on the Passion albums as well)....and their music has seen me through my formative years as a young Christian. So yeah...their music really means something to me. :)

This precious quote from Christy really resonated with me....and it was quite comforting for me as I journey through and embrace the different seasons that God has ordained for me.

"God has beautifully used moments in time, songs, people and places to show us that He's weaving us into His story and using us for His glory and fame. It's in these transition times that we realize that He moves...He takes His hand from one thing and places it on another...however He wants, whenever He wants. As we follow Him and deliberately move where He moves, He's able to use us powerfully to make Himself shine

I'm reminded of the definition of a Watermark that we came across so many years ago: "An impression only visible when held up to the light." The Light of this world is moving and pursuing people who will align with who He is, no matter what it takes, so that He becomes visible through us to the world. as we move where He 's moving, with His purpose and His heart, He takes shape in us, we come alive, and His glory is shown on the earth around us. What a treasure it is to transition, to move, to align, to grow, to recognize the ending of one glorious season and to lean into the beauty of the next...

We are truly grateful people"- Christy Nockels, Watermark

Things that make you go "Yeah Baby!"

1. Jason Mraz's groovy new album "We sing, we dance, we steal things"
- esp like the super tight syncopation on "Live High" (on the line "Live righteously" in the chorus) So kena!
- oh oh, or the part where he sings "and all the angels sing La la la la" on "Make it mine"
It's just so happy! :)

2. Ice-cream/ Strawberry Yammi Yoghurt with granola on a humid day. :)

3. Watching Chris Botti live in concert with fellow insane groupie, Abi!
(its this Tues!!!! wooohoo!)

4. Fwens who randomly sms you chords/song lyrics that they're singing along to. haha!

5. Shopping at Mustafa at midnite....and chancing upon the 'chiong' version of Kitkat, named "Two Finger" (printed as singular, not plural mind you). Best right? haha!

Coloured Fwens @ Riverlife

L-R: Shirley, me (Purple Fwen), Muffin Boy (Dark Green Fwen), Abi (Generic Green Fwen), Erica (Olive Green Fwen), Jo (Golden Fwen), Daniel, Jason (Dark Red Fwen).

Yesterday, a whole bunch of my coloured fwens came down to visit Riverlife Church. It was buckets of fun having them around. :) It also happened to be my first time singing as lead vocals for service...not that I invited them to watch ME hor....I was substituting for another vocalist who got sick at the last min.

Anyway, service was about to start...the pastor was on stage and the worship team was taking their places on the stage. Imagine my horror when I heard a high pitched "MICHELLLEEE!!" My eyes widened and I saw Erica, Abi and gang in a row, all laughing in glee. Aiyoh! And when service ended, and they were waiting for me to be done, they did a mexican wave for me from their row of seats. Very hilarious....and in a way, heartwarming too lah. To have such crazy and supportive fwens. haha! [yes, I love ya mad pple!] I gave Erica n Abi, "my groupies," a hug once I got off stage. haha!

It was really really wonderful serving on the worship team again, as lead vocals. :) Its been 3-4 years since I left the FCBC worship team....it's really been quite a long journey. And somehow words alone fail to capture that long, restorative journey God has taken me on. But believe me, I was so so blessed to be serving again, alongside Andrea, my Pink Fwen, and the other fantastic people on the team! I had great fun. :) And you know...it's just so beautiful that we're all growing together, not just in terms of skills, but in terms of our heart for God and His people. That's what church is all about eh? I really thank God for this church. :)

Anyway, after service...Andrea & Reggie came to speak to 'the groupies' for a while. haha! Then Abi wanted to see our roof terrace. It's this area with a great sea view, and where we have tables for new-comers to hang out, have a cuppa, and there's even a bbq pit! So the coloured ones were ooh-ing and ahh-ing...and we did the touristy thing of taking a peekture! haha! That's the pic you see above.

Erica and myself in Daniel's car...on our way to Ikea for lunch. See Erica's nose stud?? Wahhhh! Somebody so cool lor. :p It was quite a noisy car-ride too with Abi and Erica jabbering away. haha! They crack me up man. At one point of time, some car behind us started horning us for no reason. Erica and Abi shouted "Ah shuddup lah!", and simulataneously, Jason in front gently said "we love you too brother!" I laughed so hard, cos I thought the difference in behaviour btw the front row and back row of the car was so different. Oh my fwens...they're so cute.

Our big big lunch....after we finally secured a table. Ikea was so crowded lor! Abi and Erica had the herbed chix, the rest of us had the poached salmon, there was also a plate of meatballs and chix wings that we shared.

Contented & full after lunch. Abi on the opp side of the lens.

"Walking in His footsteps?"
Jason and his cute footprints shot at the Ikea carpark.

Thanks once again you guys, for visiting Riverlife. :) It was very fun hosting you all.
Be good to each other!