Charismatic

I'm a little jittery. I have a photo-shoot for the upcoming hymnal album this afternoon and a rehearsal tonight for another friend's album launch that I'm back up singing for.  Jittery because I had a cup of steaming black coffee on an empty stomach. Q, a friend, said it helps to flush out water from the system and reduce bloating. And friend also insisted that I do a mask this morning for make up. Hmph, the things people do to look good for one silly day.  Well, so far, today has been ok. Not too bloated. I can't do the whole protein sake thing without feeling starved and miserable. So I won't try. But I've been working out regularly for the past few days.  I remember every formal shoot I've done and I've always been a little nervous because posing for photos is actually very tiring and it's a real skill. The first one was the worst.  I didn't know how to pose. I didn't know how to describe something I wanted. I didn't know ...

My thoughts are everywhere. So this post is going to fly all over the place. Apologies in advance.  I have a deadline to meet. It's a frightening one. Not impossible, but tough because of how long it normally takes me to focus on arranging. Usually a couple of days of trying to arrange before the arranging actually happens. I want to say I hate arranging, but I can't. Love-hate is more accurate. I love making music. I hate that daily life and making music doesn't make very well. If I have to cook healthy meals and exercise and go to church and keep up friendships, it's very hard to be 'in the zone' for making decent music.  That's why I'm listening to this song by the twins. As annoying as I find their (莫名奇妙)popularity, they have been a blessing in some little way to many people. So God bless them.  Weary. I have this supposedly awesome life. A few people have messaged me privately on FB and congratulated me on my awesome life. ...

...for a breathtaking birthday. Thank you for the computer keyboard. Although you insisted on getting one with Taiwanese characters (which I don't need), I don't mind. Haha... Your stubbornness about geeky things makes you pretty special. The novels. You don't like reading, but you don't mind buying me a bunch to kick-back and enjoy (while you watch Game of Thrones. Hah) The card. It cracked me up. Your whacked sense of humour is what I love about you. The exquisite dinner. Smoked salmon and char-grilled tuna Caviar Lobster/Sea-food soup French wine The best tasting steak on a bone I've tasted in years The cake. Although you didn't like chocolate, you bought that pricey cake just because it was in my wish-list. Lastly Mr Ipad. THAT was a surprise. An OMG OMG OMG extravagant kind of surprise. Well, w did save a lot of paper on that gig because of your gift. Yay :D. Thank yewwwwwww.  Th...

Hebrews 10:1-4 New International Version (NIV) The law is only a shadow  of the good things  that are coming—not the realities themselves.  For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect  those who draw near to worship.   2  Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3  But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.   4  It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. The passage talks about the imperfect sacrifices israelites used to offer. 'The law…can not make anyone who approach perfect'. It served as a 'reminder of sins every year'  Because if those sacrifices worked, the worshipers, 'once purged would have no more consciousness of sins'. 'For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away...

"Dear Sir. Although you understand certain aspects of my personality, I don't think you have much of a clue about my background, upbringing and country. Suffice to say that my background is vastly different from yours. It's really hard to accept advice that is tailored to a different culture. You've never been in my shoes and I don't know what it is like to be you either. How do we communicate properly like that? " The more I travel the more I realize that most people from a different culture/country will never fully understand me (even up to about 70% is very rare), and if I don't work very hard, I won't understand them either. Obviously, the onus is on me to work harder to understand them, because I am in their land. I'm trying. Wish it wasn't so uncomfortable 70% of the time.

I was a little pressed for time when I posted this a few days ago. Now there's time to blog a little. I haven't really sat down and had proper "me-time" for a while. Sigh. I've come to realise that my psyche needs that time to reflect, plan and also give thanks periodically. Or I become a groucho without knowing why. Anyways, this post is about my recent new job.  One of my music producer friends, Andrew, called me in March and asked me if I would like to sing backing vocals for David Tao for his 2013 World Tour. Of course, I said, "Why not?". Now, I had been praying about getting a reputable concert-tour gig for a while, and preferably a background vocals gig first (as opposed to a keyboard gig because that would be more stressful as a starter). God is really faithful and He provided this gig that is tailored exactly to my current needs. David Tao was one of my favourite Mando-pop singers while I was in high school. In fact, he is one of the onl...

"I see an emerald in a metal setting. An emerald in the darkness.The emerald is you. God has given you creativity and giftings. However, there is a film over the emerald. There is a hindrance, a covering. Something that hinders the emerald from shining out, from 'bursting forth' with light. Father, I pray that You remove all hindrances. You will take away everything that is hiding and covering up the light. Father I pray that her heart will beat with Yours. Lord, besides the creativity and giftings You have given her, You have given her compassion. A compassion that mirrors Your compassion for people. I pray her heart will beat with the rhythm of Your heart. She will know your heartbeat so intimately. Lord, whatever that causes her heart to be indifferent, I pray that You will take it away. She will be so connected to Your heart, and she will value what You value. She will live out Your purposes. Father, she has been bold to step out even when stepping out means hindra...