Somewhere Over The Rainbow

I really feel like giving up on this blog... I have nothing else interesting left to write... Oh well, here's the low-down on what's happening in Jordan-world so far...

Ok, I can't name the people here in respect of their privacy... but I've noticed that I'm not the only one with problems... As I many of my close friends share with me what they've been going through, I realise that everyone goes through similar problems and we're all not alone... The song "You Are My All In All" keeps playing in my head... for those of you who don't know it... here it is...

You Are My All In All

You are my strength when I am weak
You are the treasure that I seek
You are my all in all
Seeking You as a precious jewel
Lord to give up I'd be a fool
You are my all in all

Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name
Jesus, Lamb of God
Worthy is Your name

Taking my sin, my cross, my shame
Rising again, I bless Your name
You are my all in all
When I fall down You pick me up
When I am dry You fill my cup
You are my all in all

Brothers, the best thing I can do right now is pray for yall... when the number of words pale in comparison to the amount of pain you guys are going through... but remember God has a plan for each and everyone of you... pressure is needed to make a diamond... and fire refines pure gold... may God reveal to you His plans and purpose for your life at the appropriate times... in the mean time, I'll be in my room praying for you guys...

This phase will soon be over...

She's Funny That Way

Stalkers are soooo not funny!!! Arghhh!!! where have all the fine young ladies of today's generation gone?!! Well, flattered but it's still kinda disturbing... Anyway... I'm not going to put anything more about them on my blog cos you never know who's reading... haha... could be them too!!!

So anyways... Saturday... I went for Jennifer's worship prac then to my farewell party at Rachel's house... thanks for the food and presents guys!!! You guys have always been a blessing in my life... I'll never forget yall... dang, I miss playing hearts with the army guys... nobody there knew how to play... haha... oh well...

Sunday was ok also... played for Shine Forth then led worship at Alpha... then it was supposed to be some dinner at Harry's in Esplanade but we went to Adam Road instead... kinda boring Sunday....

Since all my above paragraphs start with S, I might as well continue with the pattern... ok, that was pretty random... hahaha... just like those stalkers... anyway... I went for Yau Wei and Yin Mei's house warming party yesterday... both of them are doctors... and their place looks like a resort!!! But kinda difficult to get to if you want to use public transport... but if you're living there... who in that place doesn't have a car? haha... yea... saw Kevin and Wan-Ling too... they came back from Australia just for a one week break...

Soo... pretty ok weekend for me.... apart from those stalkers... haha... yea... I also quit the coffee club.... won't be playing there anytime soon.... The Clarke Quay IndoChine looks promising though... I know the guys who play there so I can go up anytime and jam... yay!!! Maybe one last time before I leave for UK... hrmmm... that reminds me... I'd better get my visa done soon...

Bleah, haha...

A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square

Ok, I can't remember what happened on Tuesday or Wednesday... But I remember going to a YFC prac and in the day talking with Raycee for a super long time... trying to explain to her the difference between Catholicism and Christianity... Hrmm... Other than that... Thursday night at CenterStage was swinging!!! haha... A lot of people came and some of them didn't want to leave when I played my last song... They just stood there expecting more... haha... Ok... trying not to let it go to my head... I can't believe I got flowers as well... so out of point... hahaha... Uncle Dan had his birthday party yesterday too... quite fun... same things again lah... haha... just play for the crowd... Aight, this is probably going to be my shortest post ever... but I'm on top of the world right now... farewell party today... yay!!!

Life ain't that bad after all...

They Can't Take That Away From Me

Ok... I realise I haven't blogged in a while... weekend was busy... Taught Hazel on Saturday morning then it was YFC practice in the afternoon... followed by the garage preview for Val's church... Romans and Amy were there to give advice after the whole thing too... Good points... We went for supper at McDonald's and I think the food had something in it... cos Ian and me couldn't sleep that night... so tired... haha...

Sunday I was playing for Sunday School service... Sandra was leading... Surprisingly good response from the 1030 crowd... had lunch with Ben, Daniel and Joel... then we had the worship practice for the alpha thingy... Xiao Hui still wanted to do the "If I Ain't Got You" song by Alicia Keys... so we jammed a bit after worship prac... Zheng Yang popped by and showed me the drop C version of "Neon" by John Mayer... Wha... must go and practice now... haha... Then we had games, dinner and then supper... usual stuff...

Yesterday was cool... YFC practice was fun... Cephas and Paul were listening to us rehearse too... then we played badminton... and some of us played chaktek with the shuttlecock... hilarious... DeZhang, Fiona and Letitia came by too... I think they were there for some PolyServe thingy... Had supper with Roy, Randy, Ian, Paul and Val... then went home to type out the links between songs... and had this super funny msn conversation with the above mentioned, about cows and the numa numa song... insane...

I bet this week's gonna be fun... can just feel it in my bones... I'm happy, elated, euphoric... and just super high... serving the Lord is more fun than anything else...

=) =) =) ....

Some Kind Of Wonderful

WHA!!! I don't chat with Raycee one day and she sends me 22 messages!!! what the? lol... ok... I went out with Bryan for lunch yesterday cos we had nothing to do... haha... went to get some stuff from town... I got the "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy" yesterday... Apparently it's supposed to be quite funny... gotta read it... argh.... still so many books I haven't finished reading... like the encyclopaedia of jokes I bought in February... hahaha... ok... nothing said there...

Guess what... they're doing my song for YFC garage... I still think it's cheesy but oh well... hahaha... the rest seem to love it... was letting Roy read through my testimony at around 5pm... yea... 2 hours earlier than rehearsal... hey... Ramli burger is good man!!! oh... yea... Letitia and her bro were around too... Romans and Sarah came later that night... both have really nice voices...

After that I went to Harry's at Esplanade to see Paul Ponnudurai play.... at the right time too cos he started at 10.... wha... he rocks man... oh... yea... joined Mei Nah, Kenneth, CongZhi, Hsien Xiong, Kiat, Jens, Jiamin and Kaiyi... Kelwin didn't turn up... but we did get a surprise visit from Ramu... haha... he was gigging at CenterStage with Daniel and Michelle... Oh... then Raymond, my other friend was there too... hahaha... so cool... I was talking more with Michelle as we walked backed to the MRT... no fair... I wanna go to Holland to catch the jazz fest!!! talking with her about life as a musician... risque...

This week has been inspiring... really!!! like watching all the various musicians in Singapore perform... I realise I still have lots to work on... I used to feel demoralised... oh well... choices eh? hee... better start bucking up and stop slacking... going to YFC later for the garage preview...

Some Kind Of Wonderful...

How About You?

Choices, choices, choices... that's the theme for this month's YFC garage... If I hadn't started this blog, I wouldn't have been asked to share a testimony... now... I can choose to say whether sharing my testimony is a good thing or bad thing... intially... you know... one has inhibitions about telling one's life story in front of a big audience... but... one can chose to overlook the common stage fright I'm sure most people have... and notice the blessings God has given in one's life... like, He's blessed me so richly with good friends who are willing to help me out through tough times... and even as I prepare this testimony... I start to realise there's so much more God has given me which I take for granted... my words alone aren't even enough to express the gratitude...

Well, YFC prac was fun... we went on 3 more hours longer than expected... had dinner with Roy, Randy, Ian and Val at Dunman Food Court... took a cab home with Randy... was talking about how God has interesting plans for everyone's life... he said he didn't know how he ended up in YFC... and to be careful what you wish for cos you might just get it... yea... was kinda interesting...

I was talking with Raycee again yesterday... more on religion and relationships... then at night was talking to Minli about her stalker from Turkey!!! mwhahahaha.... ok... sorry... that's not funny... Anyways, I'm going to CenterStage to see Daniel and Ruth perform tonight cos I'm not playing at Coffee Club this week... Again!! Oh well, nice to get out and see other musicians play once in a while... choices... we make them everyday...

How About You...

Somewhere Beyond The Sea

Wow... Uncle Louis Soliano was amazing last night at Ritz Carlton... haha... I went with Ivan from Laselle... I was so tempted to call some girl out but you know... that's not going to be healthy... relationship-wise... Anyway, I gave Uncle Louis the books... And I was also talking with this guy called Mervyn... Seemed to know a lot about the music industry and stuff... Amazing how much you can learn just from hanging out with older, more experienced musicians... Was talking to Kevin Rowe on msn yesterday too... telling me more about the music scene in UK...

Oh good news!!! My dad called me up yesterday to tell me I got accepted into the uni of my choice... mwhahahaha!!! Praise God!!! Middlesex here I come... so it's like all the unis I applied for, I got unconditional offers... whoohooo... hopefully I can get a scholarship once I get there... hrmm...

I was talking with Raycee from the Philippines yesterday too... seems we got lots of things in common... talking about everything from religion to relationships... she wants to become a nun... hrmmm.... kinda interesting...

Anyway, I'm steering clear of romantic relationships for the time being... I'll use this time of singleness to do God's work and do everything for His glory... yea... and anyway, I'm going to be going to UK soon... so I'll see what the Lord has in store for me... His ways are higher than ours... can't wait to get out there and jam with some jazzers... hahaha....

UK, here I come...

I Could Have Danced All Night

Ok... apparently some people can't seem to live without reading my blog... ahem ahem... lol... tis the highlight of their day... hahaha... kidding lah!!! I haven't blogged in like 4 days man... so... here goes...

The OZ musical was super fun!!! People didn't want to leave the place... had loads of fun on both nights... Went to Cafe Cartel at Serangoon Gardens with Phil Jin, Mei Jian and Huis on Friday night after the show and on Saturday, it was McDonald's at Serangoon with Aaron, Jane, Hashani, Shantini and a few others... didn't get to know the names of the rest... Oh and all of us were trying to dodge Yunqi... nothing said there... hrmm... Oh... Johnson Lee my officer from SAF bands came to watch the show too... said it was good... then there was Hasif, Gideon, Fazli, Heng tin and some other former students I guess... didn't join them for supper though cos it was too far away... Saw Bronwyn too... Heee... Anyway, it was a magical evening...

Sunday was usual... very boring Mother's Day too... it was raining most of the time... and I wanted to sleep... oh yes... I had to play for Mandarin Service... haha... couldn't understand what they were singing but oh well... I went for the Shine Forth sermon after worship... Then it was games and dinner... had dinner with Joo Teng, Shanli and Dorcas... Sunday was boring lah... aiyo.... hahaha...

Monday was a bit better... I went for the YFC garage practice... Met this guy called Paul... thought he was like super hyper!!! hahahaha... fun guy... then went for dinner at Lagoon with Roy, Ian, Val and Ailin... wah... I got to learn this song "Everlasting Love" by Jamie Cullum... the range is soooo high.... anyway.... I went back home and caught the 4 shows I watch every Monday... haha...

Today gets better... Some girl wants to meet me on tickle... ah... can't be bothered... then I just got a call saying I received a free gift for some lucky draw thingy... hahaha... after the lady explained what it was all about... she got the wrong person!!! she couldn't stop talking too... lol... all that for nothing... she thought I was a Mr Tan from Toa Payoh!!! Sigh, guess I won't be getting that free trip and accommodation to China, Bali, Thailand or Sentosa... Not like I care right? hee...

Oh... Coffee Club cancelled on me again... I feel like quitting... oh well, see how things go... I'm visiting Uncle Louis today too!! gonna pass him his fake books... then in that case... I might drop by CenterStage on Thursday night to see Daniel play... I needa sit back and chill and watch other musicians play sometimes just to get my creative juices flowing again... Which reminds me... I think I'd better start on that church camp worship...

This week seems like fun...

Moment to Moment

Ah... 3 days of Mei Jian's rehearsals... Tuesday to Thursday... Must say it's been really fun hanging out with the cast and all... getting know Yu Han, Terry, Fazli, Jasmine, Ravin, Jane, Huis, Vilist, Wan Jun and lots more pple better... don't really know the rest of their names... haha... made so many new friends it's hard to keep up with the older ones... lol... ok anyway... besides that, I had a gig at CenterStage last night with Daniel...

It's a good thing I chose to do this gig to and forget about the coffee club one cos it was raining that night... haha... Just before I started playing... guess who came walking around the corner... Uncle Louis Soliano!!! Some fantastic drummer in the music scene... haha... My dad's friend lah... He's known me since I was a kid... Yea... then we chatted a bit... at least he didn't call me Jonathan this time... YEsSsSs!!! haha... He also got to know Daniel and said he might call us for a wedding gig next time... His son is getting married... Oh yes, and he asked me to photocopy the 2 fake books for him... gave me $50 to do it... I didn't want to take it but he was so persistent... anyway... I owe him THAT much... he's been a real good "uncle" to me... might drop by Ritz soon and pass him the books... well, I was quite surprised Ian and Josh dropped by... I guess they saw the bulletin in my friendster... haha... yea... they brought their dates too... nothing said there... hee... CenterStage was cool... I like the place... only thing is the food is like super expensive...

Oh! Samantha and Guen dropped by... yes... and I played "Put Your Head On My Shoulder" as requested... Then we went to Nooch to get something to eat... My dinner, their supper... Actually, they just had a drink... I was eating some Oyako Don or something like that... hee... Can't remember what we were talking about... but we were laughing most of the time... haha... oh well, I was on my way home and I bumped into Fiona at the Ang Mo Kio bus stop... quite surprised haha... She had to catch her bus so didn't talk with her...

Well, other than that... during the course of the week... I've had various job offers but rejected like 3 of them... too busy and I'm leaving for UK soon so I don't think it'll work out... haha... I'm looking forward to the musical and the next big project will be the YFC garage and the Alpha Celebration... arghh... so much stuff to do!!! haha... anyway... I got accepted into Leeds!!! yay!! Now the only universities that haven't replied are Middlesex and TVU... All the rest I got unconditional offers... Praise God... Anyways, I'd better be off now before I start writing too much again... hee...

My life just picked up...

I'll Remember April

I'm trying to blog less mainly because almost every time I blog I write lotsa stuff... so I'm giving you people a chance to catch up with previous posts... haha... I think the month of April had like lotsa issues I had to deal with... but I'm glad lotsa it has been sorted out... And I especially thank all my friends who have helped me along through some rough patches... all of you are priceless... hrmm... was that some Citibank ad slogan now? hahaha...

Well, Friday night was cool... I was supposed to go for Mei Jian's rehearsal but some lady called Annie phoned me up to ask if I could play for this singer named Nadia Ali... So yea... I took the job cos I needed the cash... haha... $150 for the night... I also got to know this great singer lah... hahaha... but I had to transpose all the songs to her key in less than an hour... and believe me there were lotsa songs... So... was quite frantic... also found out that this Nadia is a painter and is going to UK to study painting... how cool is that... and she rides a bike! wowzers... Might do gigs with her or Marina when I go back to UK... which reminds me... I think I'd better email Andy Dickens and Jeffery Wilson to see if they're up for a jam anytime soon... haha

Saturday... hrmm.... I was supposed to lead worship at the Yam Jam thingy... but it got cancelled due to lack of people... I was there at 1 but the actual thing was supposed to start at 4... thought it was 3.... oh well... went to Bakerzin at United Square with Yue Chang, Suyin, Melissa, Yan Ping, Bianca and some other guy who's living in Japan now.. I forgot his name... bleah.... then I went to Borders to buy a Jazz Superband and a Joe Pass CD before going home...

Sunday was the usual... Communion, Lunch, play for 5pm, games then Dinner and Dessert... Oh... I got to know Shanli and Vincent a bit better cos they came for dinner too... Ah... I also talked to Bernard about the alpha thingy... I need to get an electric guitarist and 2 backup singers... hrmmm... Anyone up for it?

Well, other than those events... I was chatting with Jac and Jeremy the other day... Both from Laselle... about life and stuff... haha... some guy called Aaron added me to friendster... He's like the 3rd guy who wants to know me because I play jazz piano... but cynicism aside... I'm sure they are all very nice people... haha... ooh... that reminds me... I still need to get my cash from Roger this Wednesday... oh... Was also talking to Raycee last week... that girl from the Philippines... apparently she's a model or something... can you believe she's from the YFC there... cool... Well, April's been fun... a tiring emotional roller coaster ride but fun....

Learnt a lot...