Victor/Victoria

Caught this musical last night starring Laura Fygi, and well, I would say it wasn't too bad, though not exceedingly fantastic.

The story is about a woman (Victoria) who goes to Paris wanting to make it big as a singer. At the suggestion of an acquaintance-turned-friend, she masquerades as a man, masquerading as a woman (female impersonator), which makes him/her the toast of town as people thought she was a superb female impersonator. She falls in love with a man (King Marchan), who also falls in love with him/her (he's not gay, but was actually convinced she was not a man though he had his doubts at 1 point), but she couldn't exactly reveal herself to be a woman due to her career. She had to choose between that or true love. She chose true love in the end...anyway she was exposed eventually.

I would say the story was rather interesting. There were quite a number of funny parts. After all, it was meant to be a comedy. I particularly liked the scene when the King sneaked into Victoria's apartment trying to find out if she was a man or woman, followed by his bodyguard looking for him. There was a whole lot of choreography such that no one gets discovered sneaking around while Victoria and her friend came back home (King & Victoria were staying in the next room to each other in a hotel with connecting doors). That was quite good coz the timing was crucial. However, I felt the "gay" theme was pretty much over-played although I think that's the gist of the whole story, almost everyone seemed gay, except the 2 main leads who were thought to be gay but actually were not. Well, "Gay Paris".

Music-wise, it didn't exactly enrapture me, though the songs were not too bad. I felt it didn't feel "musical" enough. Maybe the sound wasn't so good from where I sat, or the setting, or something. Ok, there were some songs that seemed more memorable like Le Jazz Hot, Almost A Love Song, If I Were A Man and Victor/Victoria. But nothing that is like the theme song.

How will I rate it? Maybe a 7 out of 10.

I lost my Ezlink card!

Yes, it's true, within 5 short minutes, my Ezlink card went missing.

I had already passed through the gantry at Paya Lebar MRT and on the way to the bus-stop (which involved crossing the road), I lost my card. I actually discovered rather quickly as my bus came like 1 or 2 minutes after I reached the bus stop and lo & behold! My card wasn't in my holder!
So I retraced my footsteps...to no avail, all the way to the MRT station.

The lady at the control station wasn't too helpful or friendly as I asked if anyone picked up an ezlink card (I know the hopes are slim but no harm trying) and I was pretty puzzled why she asked my name. I didn't think that will help in any way. So I bought a new card. *sigh*

But as always, one shouldn't dwell on it and I should learn to give thanks even though it's a bit upsetting. Well, thank God that the current system no longer ties our ezlink card to our IC no. and that I think I don't have that much money in it (should be less than $20).

"Never" vs Fear


I was reminded during service that one cannot assume that you will "never" do something or "this will never happen to me". Especially when there is a tinge of complacency, which is most often tied to who you think you are, or what you think you can do (e.g. "I'm a leader, I'm safe" or "I'm sure I can convince him/her and it'll all work out"). In this way, you let your guard down and allow yourself to be exposed to the temptation you thought you were immune to, thinking "I'm sure I will be able to resist the temptation".
In this act of "complacency", you have already taken that 1st step into the "danger zone". Instead, one should not look to yourself for we are usually weak, but look to who God is. Always be on guard as strongholds start from cracks.

Always guard your heart as it is the wellspring of life (Proverbs 4:23). Fear of the Lord helps too as we humble ourselves to recognise that only in seeking Him can we be able to cast out these temptations.

Astro Boy

Finally managed to catch the movie tonight and I loved it.

Honestly, I have a vague memory of Astro Boy as I didn't actually watch the cartoon much, but I know of it.
Some parts were touching, as the story plays out how Astro Boy was actually created - as a replacement for Dr Tenma's son who died. Then of how Astro Boy discovers his purpose and how he saves the people. A robot with a heart. I would have loved it even more if it was less Americanized (in terms of graphics and mannerisms). Nevertheless, I enjoyed it.

Getting into the Christmas spirit with music

Talking about Christmas, I recently downloaded a Christmas album of Rosie Thomas called A Very Rosie Christmas through www.emusic.com which I rather enjoyed. I like the way she sings.

And, no Christmas is complete (to me) without Bing Crosby's White Christmas from "Holiday Inn".

A Christmas Carol

I just caught A Christmas Carol starring Jim Carrey (animation) in 3D and well, it wasn't exactly what I hoped for.

It's the first time I'm catching one of these 3D movies in the cinema and I must say the effects were pretty good for this one. The only thing was that this version was slightly more dark and well, I couldn't "feel" the Christmas feel to the story as much. Some parts were a bit funny though like the "candled" Ghost of Christmas Past. Maybe I didn't exactly like the graphics. It was good, but it's not my kind of graphics.

Well, I guess I still prefer a more classic portrayal of this story.

Cameras Cameras!

I'm sad to say I'm "retiring" my Canon IXUS 60. It's a pretty good camera, but it's more than 3 years old, so technology has advanced much since, with image stabiliser, greater megapixels and optical zoom, etc. So I decided to seek out a new camera at SITEX'09 today. I might still use it as a backup though.

Doing my research, I was initially set on getting the Canon IXUS 990 IS...until I found out that it has been taken off the market. I have a soft spot for IXUS due to my old camera, so I shortlisted a few more models like IXUS 120 IS, IXUS 110 IS and IXUS 100 IS, but I wasn't really that sure about them, which turns out true when I went down to test it out today. I didn't like the function keys of these and was hesitant.

I had also researched on Lumix DMC-TZ7.
It had good reviews and looked really nice with strong functionality (25mm Ultra Wide-angle, 12x Optical Zoom LEICA Lens, HD Movie Recording, among other things). And I would have bought it if not for the fact that there was no Panasonic booth at the fair (how can that be?!)! I could not get a feel of the camera and with an uncertainty with the IXUS models I'd seen, I was contemplating not buying a camera at all at the fair (yes, my friends with me would have "killed" me after dragging them along and spending so much time considering), until a photographer friend of mine suggested checking out Fujifilm. I wasn't sure coz I never researched on it, but I checked it out anyway...

And I bought the FinePix F70EXR.
After all that research and I didn't get any of those! Well, my photographer friend said that this model fitted my specs so it's worth a buy since it was selling at only $469 at the fair, inclusive of a bundle pack of an 8GB SD card, 1 spare battery, 1 screen protector, 1 mini tripod, 1 card reader and 1 camera case. It's not bad, with 10x opitical zoom, intelligent flash, 27mm wide angle, etc. It's a bit heavy, but that's due to the metal casing which makes it sturdier. Only thing there's no HD movie recording, and it doesn't look as nice as the Lumix. Well, for movie recording, I guess I have to compromise. After all, the objective here is to take good stills. If I want video, I should get a proper video recorder.

Well, hope this camera will serve me well. I'll treat this as a Christmas present to myself.

December movies

Year-end is always a time when a lot more movies are slated for release, so viewing the situation, I've shortlisted some upcoming movies that I want to watch. Not sure if I am able to catch everything though, and I'm sure there'll be a lot more coming.

Must watch (in no particular order):

1) A Christmas Carol 3D (now showing)
2) Avatar (opens 17 Dec)

3) Sherlock Holmes (opens 24 Dec)

4) The Princess & The Frog (opens 10 Dec)
5) Where The Wild Things Are (7 Jan)
6) New York I Love You (???)

Considering:

1) The Informant (now showing)

2) New Moon (opens 3 Dec)

3) Mulan (now showing)
4) Did You Hear About the Morgans? (7 Jan)

So many movies, so little time!

Sick again?!

I can't believe I'm having flu again. This year, I think I've been falling sick almost every 2-3 months. So terrible.
Probably I didn't get enough sleep last week. And good thing I'm only getting it after the concert.
Fortunately, I think this time round it's not so serious...I hope.

I Like Fencing!

Fencing is great. It requires one to forget everything else and concentrate on the opponent, and at the same time test your accuracy, agility, alertness and tactical skills. I'm not really good at it, but it's a good workout, both mentally and and physically.
I should train up in my "attacking" skills...am usually a bit on the defensive side. And my accuracy too.

Lover of My Heart

We sang a song that I love very much at service today. It inspired me to write a song (All I Want Is To Live For You) some years ago, so thought I'll share it here. (Sorry, couldn't embed the full sound clip, but you can click on the link to listen to the full song)

Here are the lyrics:

All I want is to see Your face

All I need is a moment of grace
It's in You that I have the faith
to stand up and be strong

'Cause I know I'm no longer bound
It's in You that I have found
Piece of mind freedom from my sin
and the power to love and forgive

I want to walk with You everyday of my life
to talk with You in the good and the strife
You're my friend you're my Father for all time
Nothing can keep us apart
You're the lover of my heart

I forgot?

I thought I forgot. I was happy I forgot. I was convinced I forgot. I wished I'd forgotten. Should I have forgotten?

3rd Songcraft Mini-Concert

With aching feet (high heels) & tired eyes (contact lenses), I can finally take a breather to write about tonight's concert. But it was worthed it because it was a success! The setting was beautiful & intimate, and the set up went generally well. We achieved almost full capacity, with close to a hundred guests!
This year, we "upgraded" to a more pro place at the Playden@Arts House, which was more a black box theatre, but the acoustics and staging was better than the previous venue. The setting was also cozier and more comfy. We could also have refreshments here and people actually stayed around to mingle after the concert.

Everyone did really well and the songs were all great as each talented songwriter presented their songs. It was a really good mix, with each song being really "heartfelt" songs...I think that's the way with singer-songwriters.

I presented one too (my song "Hi"), but being nervous, my starting was a bit soft, but it slowly rode out more confidently (while closing my eyes in between to get into focus and be less conscious of the audience...yah, it looked like I was immersed in my song right? haha...). As B said, maybe my newly started vocal classes helped a little as I recalled it was worse last year when my voice was really stuck in my throat. I tried to recall how to breathe in between, partly to calm myself down and I actually managed to memorise my lyrics! It was a good experience.
A big THANK YOU to Jeremy for helping me play the guitar. Also a big THANK YOU to V and S.E. who came for the concert. It really made a difference.

Well, the night passed really fast and the adrenaline rush from the concert is still lingering (B said I was a bit "high" after the concert). I really enjoyed it and hopefully, next year we'll have another!

rehearsal for Songcraft Mini-concert

Well, after the musical, my friend & I went in search of a venue to rehearse my song for the concert tomorrow (or rather today since it's past midnight now). And we found a rather nice place - the City Hall steps. I really liked the place. Upon reaching, I realised the countdown timer for the YOG was brightly lit and couldn't resist a photo.

Anyway, I think the steps was a great place to rehearse (if weather permits) and the feeling was pretty cool. It felt open, but yet private & carefree at the same time. ok, I admit there wasn't really anybody around except a small group of people packing up after a photo shoot. But I think I'll still feel the same if there were people around. The important thing was it was bright and we could actually hear ourselves, despite the noise from the traffic. (Actually, I felt my song seem to fit into the environment)
After rehearsal, as I departed, I realised I have not been walking this area for a while and seeing the new buildings coming up (Marina Bay Sands) and the lights made me want to dwell a little longer, except it was getting late and I was pretty tired after a long day. I should take half a day off some day to come here again for a walk like I used to. The colonial district always has this effect on me.

Anyway, we managed to settle on the final structure to present my song, which was a simple standard one, verse-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus-repeat last 2 lines of chorus. Initially we though we go "fancify" the ending but it didn't work out. And a simple intro was chosen with G C G G. I think this sounded a bit more "uplifting" than Am C G, which will help set the mood of my song. And there! We're all set for the concert (well almost). Just need to rehearse again before the concert. Hopefully I don't get stage fright and "lose" my voice.

The concert is at Play Den@Arts House, 7.30pm, Sat 21 Nov.

Lost in Transit

I caught the musical "Lost in Transit" tonight and well, I found the songs quite nice, except that it seemed there were too many reprises (at least I thought they were reprises).
The storyline was a bit too predictable and you know right from the start what is going to happen. It might have been done better if there was an interval.
The lead female singer/actress was not bad, but 1 of the male leads (the boyfriend character) seemed a bit awkward in his acting, even though he sang quite ok.
A good effort nonetheless by Musical Theatre Ltd.

Prioritising Our Lives

It was an intimate time with God at the beginning of vocal lessons yesterday, as we started off with thanksgiving and meditating on who God is in our lives, e.g. our Provider, Banner, Shepherd, Peach, Healer, etc. God plays many roles in our lives and some aspects are more dominant at different phases of our lives and walk in faith.

As I gave thanks of the role He is and is always playing in my life, my spirit was especially moved as He is surely my shepherd. How often He has guided me, especially in my career & relationships, and as He knows I can be rather indecisive (I think too much), I usually ask for straight answers, like specifically closed doors and really just open that 1 door for me if it's what He wants. (Actually I can just imagine how my 矛盾 makes Him 啼笑皆非 at times...haha...)
Like a shepherd too, He also guards me and disciplines me (a shepherd's staff has many uses). I make mistakes and am occasionally a little disobedient, or forget about His hand, but He often reminds me to focus back on Him as I try too hard to use my own means. And really, once we make the decision to leave it to Him, it's really a load off the shoulder. I hope I'll always remember to focus on Him, such that I will not stray.

And all these boil down to priorities. As Christians, we should always put God as No. 1. As it is written in Matthew 6:33 -

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

With this, I consider the changing priorities of people. Many times, we see that people tend to change priorities like career, relationships, etc. Sometimes, maybe work is No. 1, and another time, romance takes priority and other things are neglected. However, if one puts God as a constant No. 1, there is security even when all these other things change. Because God never changes. And if God is no. 1, nothing can go wrong, and all things work out right according to His purpose (and your purpose) at the same time.

Sometimes, I wonder why people allow themselves to fall into situations which they know will make them stray from God, or why some just stray. Not that I'm saying I'm so "holy" or anything, but I'm referring to situations that would really cause oneself to draw away or backslide. For example, allowing oneself to start a romance with a non-Christian. I have seen a couple of friends succumb to this temptation and 99% of the time, it draws them away from God...maybe out of guilt or being afraid of the other party's disapproval (ironic/contradictory as it sounds, if you know what I mean).
Personally, I will never allow myself to fall into this trap, i.e. to let myself fall in love with a non-Christian. I have a strong opinion about this, not just because it's my opinion, but because it is a command. There cannot be synergy and edification in this sort of relationship. I totally envision myself serving God together with my partner, and maybe also because I come from a non-Christian background, so after I converted, I don't understand why when you become a believer, you will want to be restricted in serving God in this sense for the rest of your life (a pretty scary prospect). Mind you, I still regard these people as my friends, but I'm just puzzled. I'm also just as puzzled at why some can "just stray" even after experiencing God. I just pray they turn back to God. God is a gracious & forgiving God.

Basically, it's all about getting one's priorities right. For a Christian, God should be top priority. And indeed, when you trust in Him, "all these things will be given to you as well." Actually, I feel very blessed that I got someone like God to rely on. I just hope that I will always remember this.

Lush 99.5

I recently "discovered" Lush 99.5 and I think I kinda like the music. I knew this channel existed, except that I never really explored it...I usually listen to Gold 90.5 or Class 95 (the oldies channels) or FM92.4, if I ever listen to radio these days.

It's not pop or as mainstream as FM98.7, etc., but more my kind of music (the more current genre of songs I listen to)...at least on Sunday's evenings while I drive to & from fencing class. It's the only time I can listen to what I like in the car, all by myself.

Is it an opportunity for me or it's not time yet?

Recently, there was a broadcast for a librarian with another division and being tempted, I submitted a transfer request.

However, I do have some doubts and uncertainty if I would even be considered (or if my boss will approve my request first). Firstly, I have had some restrictions placed on me, but I think that can be worked around. Another issue though would be, would my current boss let me go? I haven't yet had the chance to "coach" someone in my duties, even though I have recently suggested it, and as I'm the only person doing or overseeing some areas, it is a concern.

Another point though is that I haven't exactly received any "notification" from God, especially regarding this opening, and there is a sense of uncertainty. Maybe because this position though related, might not be fully exactly what I want (i.e. music aspect), but it is still related in a broad sense. Or does this opening already mean something? I'm not sure. Maybe I haven't really asked him specifically yet as I don't really know what I want yet as the options seem split in 2 directions at this point of time (organisational structure issue). I actually thought there was something else in store which had some possibility in that direction, and seemed a pretty good timing considering my current situation, even though there's no guarantee an opening will occur then.

Anyhow, I've already submitted my request and though with this feeling in me, I leave it in God's hands, as I always have for this aspect of my life and if it's meant to be, it'll be an open door, if not, then it'll be closed, just like what He did for me before.

The 'Light Bulb' Phenomenon

As I was mentioning earlier, I've been a little bit more conscientious in my daily devotional recently and as such, have been a little more attuned with God, where something just *ding* in my head when I read the Word and the spirit warmed. I suddenly thought of this analogy yesterday to describe this phenomenon, which is the analogy of the light bulb.

The brightness of the light bulb is related to how well it is wired/connected to the power source. If we seek God conscientiously, we will be more attuned and connected to Him, our source of power and strength, and thus we will shine brighter as His people, and serve our purpose as light in the world. If we have faulty "wiring" or we do not communicate with Him, the light is dim, off, or may even fuse.

Amelia

I caught Amelia today and well, I don't find it good or bad...it was technically pure history to me.

The show was the biographical account of Amelia Earhart, the 1st woman who flew across the Atlantic. Well, honestly, 1 reason I watched it was because Ewan McGregor was in it (he's 1 of my favourtie actors) even though he didn't appear much. Another reason was that I've actually heard of Amelia Earhart (nope, not only through Night at the Museum) when there was a short segment about her disappearance on 1 of the cable channels (I think it was the History channel). The show was almost like a documentary (as a biographical film is like), nothing dramatic but still managed not to bore. I think I'll give it a rating of 3.5 out of 5. I do occasionally watch biographical films, though it is normally determined by who acts in it, e.g. Ned Kelly, Aviator, etc.

Talking about favourite actors, I managed to catch another version of the Avatar trailer today, which made me really want to watch it (was slightly hesitant at first)...because it has Sam Worthington in it (I knew that already, but this trailer made it more clear what his role was). He's another actor I'm getting to like since his role in Terminator: Salvation. Basically, my current favourite movie stars are Ewan McGregor, the late Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp and now Sam Worthington.

Also caught some other trailers today, including Mulan and Without a Reasonable Doubt, which I might consider watching. Haven't watched a Chinese movie for a while I think.

Well, next up should be Astro Boy. Waiting for my friend to confirm a day with me to watch it. And also My Girlfriend's An Agent, which I'm also waiting to find a day to watch (it had to be postponed as the person I was supposed to watch with had a last minute commitment).

Was there a purpose at NAFA?

Having been blessed by the Lord in my path, especially my career, I sometimes ponder/reflect in each "phase" if there was a purpose in specific journeys such that I had somehow served Him well. As I "weathered" through my time at NAFA, obviously I would somehow wonder a bit...

Well, when I started the course, it was all pretty uncertain whether I would even be able to take the module due to some admin delay. But somehow I managed to take it and there it proceeded. Well, this music studies path was planned by God anyway, so I figured it was a continuation of my journey along this path; I took it as just another course.

It was really until recently when an incident made me think that maybe there was another purpose. Don't know how it came that I had the opportunity to get to know my classmates better...was after a rehearsal and we went to have prata before the performance. It started with a short sharing of insecurities and somehow, it progressed further as the time passed, even when we returned to wait for our turn and even after. Basically, she shared on her disappointments and hurts, her struggles but yet she still tries her best in putting her faith in God. I guess she has voiced these before to others as the other classmates were somehow familiar with her situation.
Somehow, I was prompted to respond to her, which later manifested in a card I wrote to her. Actually, I waited 2 weeks before I gave her the card on the exam day...just in case she takes it "negatively" and it'll be awkward if it were still school term. Well, as she's a fellow Christian, I basically wrote something to encourage her to let go of the past and to always look to God. I don't know if she had already read the card, if she found it too preachy and take it "negatively" or whether it served the intended purpose to encourage her. Of course I prayed she would take it positively. Well, if she contacts me, then I guess she'll be ok with it.

Anyway, of course it made me wonder if that was the intended purpose He had for me to go to NAFA in the first place? If it was, I do hope I have served it well. I was pretty fearful actually and might have skipped giving her the card.

I Need More Discipline!

I have been more conscientious in my QT the past few days as I was on exam leave and comparing with my notes, what better way to procrastinate in studying than to do some QT! Ok, ok, it might not be the most "holy" approach to QT, but at least I did do some, even though it was for a short time. It was good starting with QT first before trying to study anyway. Also, my church has recently started subscribing to this particular devotional, so everyone in our church is supposed to be "on the same page".

And within these few days, it made me realise the truth of intimacy with God through the Word. Not that I didn't know, but I never really thought about it as more than a fact that we all know. You see, I could sense the growing intimacy as each day, I discovered that I was more in tune; one gets to hear God better in a way that you can "pick up" on what is written quickly (increasing perceptiveness). I recalled I did something like this before 2 years ago and it was really powerful.

Tomorrow it's back to work and the bustle of life. I just pray (again) that I'll be able to keep discipline in doing my devotional. Got to keep the momentum going...the usual start-stop, breaks-in-between approach is a bit disruptive to the "connection".

Learning to carry my nephew

Can't believe today's only the 2nd time I've carried my little nephew and he's turning 2 months old tomorrow!

I do play with him and such, but am usually a bit "scared" to carry him coz he seems so fragile and am afraid that I might hurt him if I don't carry him properly. So when I want to carry babies, I must make sure I am sitting down securely.

But today, as I carried him for a short while while my sis-in-law went to prepare his bath, it felt really good as I think I'm getting more used to it...and he didn't cry! :D He's getting quite heavy and tall, but I think I'm getting the hang of it...as long as he doesn't wriggle too much. Ah...the nice baby smell.

This Is It

I've never really followed MJ's songs and career, but I realised I actually liked some of his songs (without knowing they were his songs). Anyway, with the hype and good reviews, I guess I had to catch the "show" coz 'this was it'. There will not be any more shows by him nor would it be as meaningful as it should be, following the aftermath of his death. So I did.

I believe MJ fans would love it. Coming from a rather neutral perspective, it was quite good actually. It was the "behind-the-scenes"of his concert that never came to pass and going through it, one could see the magic of MJ on stage. Even though it was just the rehearsals, his professionalism and dedication came through. And he was very polite even in his "complaints". Looking at the way he went in the film, my friend and I agreed he was in pretty good shape.
What I felt really was that for someone watching the film, MJ seemed alive again.

I'm glad I caught the film.

End of module at NAFA

Yesterday marked the last lesson of my course (1 module only) at NAFA - Ethnomusicology I.
Over the course of the semester, I don't really know how much of it went into my brain, but there were a lot of stuff that the tutor talked about outside of the notes (mainly his experiences and stories). Also, he only gave us the lecture notes for the whole course yesterday! It was a pretty unstructured kind of module and the curriculum wasn't really fixed till near the end. Hopefully I know how to study for it!

Well, the exam's next Monday, so I'm on study leave these 2 days so that I can 啃书 for the weekend. Bless me!

D.O.M. Black Cake?

As some of you might know, I recently became an aunt and now, my home has a few bottles of D.O.M. which my sis-in-law isn't keen on drinking (she prefers Yomeishu). So what are we going to do with the 3 bottles of D.O.M.? The only way is to use it for cooking.

So I'm having this crazy idea to make a D.O.M. cake! Well, basically, I shall try using it in place of rum and see what the taste would be like. If it's good, it'll be what I'll make for Christmas this year. If it's not, don't worry my friends, I will make a proper Christmas fruit cake. :P