My 2009 Year

I am just only starting to think about what 2009 will be like. Certainly it is scary to imagine a whole new year ahead and the things of the 'future'. But i think what will be more scary is that the year will be "the same". Looking at my list of things i want to do, it pretty much goes back into the same things, like work on my exercise, web project or string stuff that is the SAME every year.

But anyway, its alright. Que Sera Sera, whatever will be will be.

So now, at my present state (dreaming of a wonderful future... idealistic and naive perhaps)... I would wish for my 2009 year to be able to complete these things:

1. - Continue Learning Japanese
2. - Do Art. Get that exhibition idea going!
3. - Visit Japan. If not, maybe Sarawak with Pau, or Cambodia, or anywhere affordable!
4. - Play viola with NTU SO again
5. - Get the string quartet going (incl website)
6. - Do up the Worship Lifestyle website
7. - OLPS Ensemble = make a CD?
8. - Continue in OLPS Youth (1 more year term)
9. - Arrange more photo outings
10. - Exercise more (Tennis, Blading regularly!)
11. - Take mama Penny, Mum & Dad out for more events/fun
12. - Do some Poetry!
13. - Continue serving in YAM (get new musicians to step up)
14. - And last but not least, the foundation of everything, Prayer. To pray more consistently and wholeheartedly.

That's all. I am pretty ambitious eh. Or simple. How do you want to see it?

My 2008 Year

I was going through my 2008 year. It's been a wonderful time. It's wonderful being 26 yrs old. I love this year greatly!

My goals this year was to "Live it up, Laugh more, and... Love"

I had a list of "to-dos":
1. Visit a new eating join every month or do something different = YES
2. Take up Japanese lessons = YES
3. Save for Japan = NO
4. Play in a musical or drama = Auditioned for St Paul musical but guess I didn’t make it! but YES Coz i did play in a choir concert.... plus the ntu string concert too.
5. Do my web projects = A BIT (YAM & OLPS Youth) so YES but there are many still pending!
6. Get the String Quartet out there/Get a viola = NO
7. Art Exhibition = NO
8. Exercise 2 times every month = YES cept for NOV & DEC
9. Do Resume = YES

Other things I did:
- Got a new job, new phone, new laptop and new camera this year!
- Visit Melbourne & Sydney for World Youth Day
- Visited Passion concert in KL and Santa Cruz church in Malacca too!
- Learn about photography
- Become more self-confident, relaxed
- Check out more films at Sinema Old School, SAM, National Museum

Super obsessions / Cool things this year:
- Eminence Ensemble
- Joe Hisaishi
- Hajime Chitose – KatariTsugukoto
- Turtle Island String Quartet
- Ghibli the Classics
- Salle Gaveau (Mar)
- “Cordas Quad”
- Photo books!
- LOTR Symphony
- Sinema Old School
- Story of Miman City (Aug)
- National Museum’s Gallery Theatre
- Japanese Language
- Photography Talks

And... i have done a super headcount. As u know, i have a diary. So i just jot down every movie i watch or every event... here's the super list man... maybe some of my friends still beat me at the dramas or animes though hahaah...

I have watched --- 11 Dramas, 13 Animes (some still ongoing), played at 17 different Violin events (in NTU, OLPS & Own Quartet),

Also managed to do 35 new things (so average about 3 things each month!) such as eat at a new location or do a new sport/visit a concert or artsy event!

And I have watched 44 Movies (cinemas & rented). Wow.

Amazing. What's next for 2009 then?

Merry Christmas from Nikon Singapore

http://www.nikonclub.com.sg/ecards/xmas2008v5/ecard.html

Show Us the Ancient Paths - Again...

THis is a song that never fails to inspire me, draw me back to the "path" and to hope for the future once more. It's a majestic song,.. poignant tune,... and simply breath-taking. Today, i hear this song again, and am amazed that I was able to find lyrics and a youtube video online. Previously, could not find anything much.

I was hearing this song and just closing my eyes trying to picture the scenario. ANd i just thought of a very "lonely" eternal highway. It's quite empty. But it is going on forever. Of course, it leads to Jesus. or Jesus is the one walking on it. But people are not... they are in their own businesses, occupying themselves in their worlds. The highway is empty...

Show us the Ancient Paths



Intro: C-C9-F C-C9-F

C F G C
Lord we confess that we have wandered
F G Am F-G
Far from Your purpose and plan
C F G
And willingly walked in the wrong
C
Direction
F G Am
We’ve disobeyed your commands
F G
Father forgive us
Em Am
Spirit come lead us
Dm C
Back to the way, back to the truth
F E
Back to the foot of the cross

Chorus:
Am Em
Show us the Ancient paths
F G Em E
Lead us along eternal highways
Am G F C
We want to walk in the ways of Jesus
Dm F E
We want to enter Your rest
Am Em
Show us the ancient paths
F G Em E
Lead us along eternal highways
Am G F C
We want to follow the footsteps of Jesus
Dm G C (Intro)
We want to enter your rest

Lord it’s Your mercy and good intention
That constantly calls us to You
Your infinite patience and kind correction
Your covenant love coming through
You promised joy, you give us grace
And courage to carry the cross

We want to leave a clear set of footprints
For those who would follow behind
Signposts in our lives that point to Jesus
A pathway they’ll easily find
We want to fill up the suff’rings of Jesus
As we obey, our lives display
The glorious way of the cross

You are our hope and our salvation

---

Another song (really oldie) that i love is "Send Your Fire". ho ho ho... this is the super oldies of P&W music. hahaah. Something like music of the 50s ... even before the 60s. The "60s" would be something like Hillsong's 'touching heaven changing earth'... ho ho ho ...

Then again, this is only in "sam's" timeline. It works differently for everyone i think! ;)

Seek Ye First

Tonite, I asked the Lord... what is my life to you?

God said...in my heart... don't you want to live in heaven with Me forever?

And I broke down in tears...

Flying

Had a flying dream again yesterday. I don't remember what it was.. but it was a very pleasant one... I could fly anywhere though I was in the company of a lot of people... it was like a special ability coz everyone else was not flying.. haaha

And at the moment, listening to "Yukon River" from the album Music of Light, by Rob Mathes... is an absolutely liberating feeling....

Rhapsody in Blue

Absolutely Thrilled. After a long weekend helping out with the OLPS youth ministry's canteen duty... it's beginning to feel like a "job" rather than ministry. So tiring. Makes me grumpy. Perhaps it's the usual PMS thingee... or just feeling so damn tired, organising, organising, being unsure of turnout.. yet finally satisifed that people DO turn up to help out at the canteen, and it's still great after all. I even had some bad dreams about that. Finally it is over. Now just to relax and look forward to Christmas... Revival Seminar 2008 (19-21st Dec) and the Youth Christmas Party on 27th.

Today I feel totally rewarded. Woke up early for breakfast at the Kovan HK Cafe, with my Quartet pals, WH, KY, Claire & JJ. Claire was late again as usual.. JJ woke up late... so we had food first. Then we had our quartet Jam... played lots of new songs coz JJ brought his scores too... really fun.. things like Over the Rainbow, Theme from Ice Castles, Spring, American Quartet, Viennese Blood, Blue Danube, Some other songs, and finally, we did Rhapsody in Blue.

If you don't know, this is by Gershwin. I don't really know many composers but after hearing this in Nodame Cantabile (A japanese anime, then TV series)... I absolutely love it.

Watch it - the TV version from Youtube:
*Aside... Sam squeals together with Claire.. "NODAME!!!!!! Rhapsody in Blue..!!!!"

This is enough to make me smile the whole day...

Absolutely thrilled.