I Can Only Imagine

Fiona has gone to be with the Lord...

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for You, Jesus, or in awe of You be still?
Will I stand in your presence, or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine, I can only imagine...
~I Can Only Imagine, Mercyme~

Vie

On this date, exactly 7 years ago, I joined the UEM Group. Yup, I've been with UEM Group for 7 years now.

It's also JJ's birthday today. Called him up this morning to wish him, and he was lying in bed sleeping...haha, he took the liberty of taking the day off.

Fiona Tham's not doing well. Cancer infiltrating the lungs, laboured breathing, panic attacks...Lord, may Your grace see Jeff, Fiona & their children through this trying time. Let them grow old together, let her see her kids grow to be men & woman after Your own heart.

One of our Canticle Singers, Kelly...her dad passed away today from heart attack. She's only 16.

Reminds me of what's important in life. I recall pondering about how I'd live life if I only had a year left to live. Helps to keep focused on what matters.

And He (Jesus) told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God."
~Luke 12:16-21 (NIV)~

Muzik

Highlights from my experience in The Canticle Singers' A Grand Night For Singing (in no particular order):

Good Response
Ticket sales were brisk, with more than 70% capacity filled even on weekdays and matinees. Sunday night was full. As proceeds from the show go in aid of Rumah Juara (an orphanage in SS1, PJ), I really thank God for this, as we can maximise the amounts that go to them.

The Kids of Rumah Juara
The kids from Rumah Juara came for the show on Saturday afternoon, and it was nice to be able to meet them. Very friendly and enthusiastic kids, never ceasing to wave, smile and respond to us as we perform.

Of Ovations and Waving Glow Sticks
It was very moving to see how the audience supported us by waving their glow sticks as we sang You Raise Me Up. Being an audience myself at times, doing such things usually doesn't seem like much, but now that I'm standing on the other side of the theatre, it really meant a lot. And thanks, Lok and Rudi, for the two crosses that you guys put up using the glow sticks ;) Also, the "wow" feeling when people give a standing ovation is indescribable.

Walking Out
There were people who actually walked out mid-show, for reasons unknown. Personally, it was a good, sobre reminder that in life, there'll always be criticism and opposition. It's important to keep that conviction before God and press on.

Grandie
For a good, solid week, I got to play a high-end Yamaha grand piano! :D I loved it. Part of the reason why I kept going into the theatre early. Priceless moments of playing a grand piano in a quiet, empty hall that has good acoustics.

Blood, Sweat & Tears
I'm really glad my parents were able to come for the show. Thank God, they enjoyed it. Had it not been for their disciplining, I would have dropped out of music classes a long, long time ago. Their time, effort, resources & sacrifices went a long way in developing their two kids' musicality. I'm glad they could come and see for themselves the fruit of their labour. It was also quite fun to see the horror look on their faces in fending me off when I tried to get them on stage to dance :P Priceless. I would have also loved for my music teacher to be there, but because of Parkinson's, she couldn't make it. Here's hoping that there'll be a video recording out soon so I can send it to her for her viewing pleasure...again, so that she can see the fruit of her tireless labour.

Backstage
Istana Budaya is quite an amazing theatre. It's huge. Pretty state-of-the-art. Can get lost if not careful. It was great to be able to see the whole system that makes a theatre functional....the hydraulics, the ropes, the mixers, sound and light systems, etc etc etc.

Make Up
Not exactly a highlight, but this is the first time in my life that I've had make-up applied on me. Not very pleasant, in my humble opinion.

Dancing
Nice to see the audience having fun when we dance or interact with them. Even though some really can't dance to save their lives, it didn't matter because most importantly, they were having fun! :) Having said that, I can't dance to save my life either :)

The Company
My fellow singers (psychos, all of them :P ) are a great bunch. Added much oomph and fun to the whole experience.

What?
Many, if not all, of my friends were surprised that I could sing. I'm surprised myself too. As one colleague of mine said in coming for the show, "I want to see the other side of Colin" :P I've never really been the performing type. I must say, that I'm surprised at what has transpired throughout the past 6-7 months. Even my own mum was surprised I could move like that on stage :P (I've used the word 'surprised' a lot in the past few sentences...hmmm) God has taken me out of my comfort zone and pushed me to do something which I had never imagined or thought I could do. It was an experience jagged with challenges and grimaces, but God's promise held true throughout: His grace is ALWAYS sufficient. Again, I've learnt the value of working hard, doing the best I can, offering all that to God and letting Him do His 'thing'. An enriching experience. I'm treasuring it, and wondering how such 'treasures' can be used from here on for God's glory and further blessing of others.

Guatz
God-sent. Made things so much easier. My poor dear had to put up with all my ramblings and doubts and nervous-wreckness...but she's been a great source of strength and support. Thank you dear...and thank You, God, for her.

It's been a great blessing and privilege to be part of the show.

To borrow a few lines from songs we sang, I really thank God for the music and the songs we're singing and all the joy they're bringing....He has raised us up to more than we can be.

One heck of a time for singing

The reaction of 9 out of 10 people who found out that I'm with The Canticle Singers this year:

"You sing?"

Yeah, I didn't know either, really :)

This is it. Six and a half months of intense rehearsals culminate to the next few days. I'm excited & nervous at the same time. I get stage fright, even though I've been on stage many times for various reasons. By God's grace, I'm gonna just relax, get up there, and have fun. As our host told us last night at our sound check & full-dress rehearsal, "Sock it to 'em!" :)

The write-up on the show (for more info, visit www.thecanticlesingers.com):

The Canticle Singers proudly presents A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING, from Wednesday 16 July to Sunday 20 July 2008 to be staged at Lambang Sari, Istana Budaya, Kuala Lumpur.

Come experience a joyful celebration and fusion of some of Broadway’s greatest music and acclaimed pop, rock, folk, jazz and gospel hits; with music ranging from ABBA to Schonberg. Revel with Mama Mia, whistle along with Oliver, stroll through Anatevka with Fiddler on the Roof, find your rainbow with The Wizard of Oz, groove through Earth Wind & Fire's September, soar over Rome with Light in the Piazza, roar delightfully with Lion King, rock with Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, be captivated by Miss Saigon, mesmerized by Sweeney Todd and more.

With a chorus of sixteen vocalists and two guest soloists we will take you on a passionate journey spanning several decades, from the 1920s to the present day, moving through a musical kaleidoscope and enjoying an ecletic anthology of songs and choral selections from distinguished stage and screen productions, billboards and pop charts that will keep you humming well after the show. Net proceeds from the musical will go to Rumah Juara, a home for children.

Members of the Company: May Ang, Timothy Au, Chang Yow Keong, Cheah Jan Mie, Brian Cheong, Jason Cheong, Eunice Lew, Jade Liew, Suzan Manen, Hana Nadira Mazlan, William Ng, Matthew Ong, Joanne Poh, Colin Wong, Tan Sue Yee, Brandon Ting.

Guest Artists: Cheong Whye Mun, Geoffrey Woo.

Show Host: Timothy Ooi

Alumni: TCS Alumni appearing with the Company for the encore at the 8.30pm Sun 20 July 2008 performance: Shirani Amarasingham, Elvira Arul, Kok Soo Aun, Low Tze Liang, Ling Yoke Li, Timothy Ooi and Elaine Wong.

Production Partners: Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd, Berjaya Corporation Bhd, Selangor Properties Bhd.

Other Partners: Sony, 7 Eleven Stores, Starbucks, Jesprin, Stella-In International, Clio, Blooming Florist, Malaysian Today, The Sun Daily, Spritzer, YTL Infoscreen.

Directors: H K Chong (Producer & Music Director); Chin San Sooi (Co-producer & Artistic Director).

Stage, Technical & Support Crew: Wong Wing Thim (Technical Director), Kenneth Ooi (Sound Engineer) Noel Jayaratnam (Stage Manager), Mark Koh (Asst Stage Manager), Joanne Poh (Asst Music Director), Pearlly Chua (Front-of-House Manager), Kenneth Quek (Media & Public Relations), Low Tze Liang (Webmaster & Show Trailer), Vanessa Seng & Wong Li Jian (Multimedia visuals), Kevin Thomas (Graphic Artist), Leslie Hong & Stella-In International (Make-Up Artists).

Theatre Venue: Lambang Sari, Istana Budaya, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.

Seating Capacity: 300 per show.

Running Time: Approximately 2 hours, exclusive of a 15 minute intermission.

Dates & Times
Evening performances:
8.30pm on Wednesday 16 to Sunday 20 July 2008.
Matinee performances:
3.00pm on Saturday 19 & Sunday 20 July 2008.

These Performances Are Sold Out:
8.30pm Wednesday 16 July 2008.
8.30pm Friday 18 July 2008.

Ticketing: Tickets on sale from Thursday 5 June 2008. Ticket prices at RM48, RM58 and RM68 (inclusive of RM3 AXCESS Fee per ticket) via AXCESS Hotline: +60-3-7711 5000, AXCESS website at www.axcess.com.my and all AXCESS outlets.

"I got a half tank of gas..."

"...and if we run all the lights, we'll slip across the border, on the wrong side of right..."

I've got that song stuck in my head at the moment, for some strange reason. Right Side of Wrong, by Bon Jovi.

Speaking of half tank of gas, thank God my car gives pretty good mileage. I sure darn hope the government rids itself of its infamous inefficiencies and that the $$$ saved from fuel subsidies will be invested properly to create wealth & benefits for the nation. I just wished that it could all have been done more progressively & systematically over a period of time, rather than one big bombshell at one go. Things have been very interesting on the political front, what with the motion of no-confidence against the PM, and the next couple of weeks will be quite crucial in the changing landscape of Malaysian politics.

Sabah is really pushing hard. I'm actually quite delighted about this, and the turn of events that had led to this, for reasons that I shall not disclose here. If you're curious, just ask me personally. But God's working. Yup, He's moving.

Busy time of year, hence the lack of updates on my blog. I had a great time in Sipadan. It's an underwater paradise. The island itself looks humble, but it's home to a myriad of bird species. As if that's not enough, the real treasure of Sipadan lies below the surface. About 20-25m of shallow waters, then it's a 600m drop into the deep deep blue. Amazing.

I've never seen such bustling marine life before (this in spite, I'm told, that it ain't as good as it used to be anymore). In some other places, to be able to see just one turtle would be the highlight of the whole trip. In Sipadan, you look left, there's a turtle. You look right, there's another one :) Turtles swimming in midwater, what an awesome sight. Amazing.

Barracudas! Hundreds of them! It just got me awe-struck. Sharks, giant trevallys, tunas...haha, Sipadan is like the Kuala Lumpur of the Malaysian underwater world :)

And I officially proposed on the first night we were there, as we were enjoying the night sea breeze and taking in the beauty of the millions of stars above. It came as a huge surprise for her, because she absolutely did not expect it under the circumstances we were in. It was a pleasant surprise for her, so I'm glad :)

Rafting at Sg Selangor last weekend was awesome! Bruising affair, given it's narrow, windy, elevated rapids and sharp rocks, but it was fun riding down the river, especially without the raft :)

We're progressing along. Final lap, so to speak, of rehearsals before production 16-20 July 2008. Tickets range from RM48-RM68, available at Axcess outlets, or Axcess hotline 603-7711 5000, or website http://www.axcess.com.my/. Production will be staged at Lambang Sari, Istana Budaya. For more information on the production, click on the poster above.

Work has been piling up. Taking it all in stride by God's grace. Had a really interesting training lately. It's a business simulation competition, where we're divided into teams and given a business to run. It was fun, although this is the first time I've attended trainings that go up to 8pm in the evening :P

After a long hiatus....I went karaoke last Tuesday :P Nice to just scream our lungs out without having to worry about whether we're singing properly or not :P Hahaha...

Looking forward to the weekend back in my hometown. It's always nice to catch up with parents, and get away from the city.

"And just like Butch and Sundance, we'll ride until the dawn, sipping whisky, singing cowboy songs, on the right side of wrong."

my cross

Do I sing what I mean? Do I mean what I sing?

I have decided to follow Jesus,
No turning back, no turning back.

Though none go with me, I still will follow,
No turning back, no turning back.

The world behind me, the cross before me,
No turning back, no turning back.

My cross I'll carry till I see Jesus,
No turning back, no turning back.

Must Be The Sea-son

Mask, check.
Fins, check.
Wet suit, check.
BCD, check.
Regulator, check.
Gloves, check.
Tank banger, check.
Torch lights, check.
Knife, check.
Dive computer, check.
Dive log, check.
Flight ticket to Sipadan, check (well, Tawau actually, if we want to get into technicalities).

Apologies in advance if I can't reply your sms or return your call instantly.

Secara Rawak

It's interesting the kind of things people say when ordering their Subway sandwiches.

"Don't want so much meat, please give me more veggies."

"You don't want olives, you don't want pickles, you don't want green pepper, then might as well don't eat."

"Do you have thousand island sauce?"

"No onions where got nice?!"

Thomas & Uber Cup is on! Bumped into the national team during their team-building camp at Port Dickson, at the exact same resort where we had our department retreat. Our ladies team did well to beat New Zealand yesterday, so did the men who had it easy with England. The real test for our men's team will be today, when they play the scarily unpredictable and strong South Korean team.

Iron Man was a good watch. I recommend it. All-round entertaining, great performance by the cast especially Robert Downey Jr, nothing corny about the romance that goes on, humorous, and really cool CGI...loved the part where Starks ran a test-check on his new prototype silver Iron Man suit. Slick, real slick.

I had to do something way out of my comfort zone yesterday evening. Way out. Hopefully, with more practice, it will become better. But, ugh, it's gonna be hard work for me. So unnatural. But yet, got to make it natural. Ugh. Things we need to do. Story of our lives.

Thank God for the upcoming Sipadan scuba trip. I think I really need the breather (no pun intended).

P/S - Guatz is having fun teasing me about doing out-of-comfort-zone stuff.

Happily Tired

I'm tired.

:)

My heart is quietly grateful to God.

I had an awesome weekend up in Perak. After arriving back from JB on Friday, we went up to Ipoh on the same night. After putting up a night there, we headed to Gopeng on Saturday morning where the guys at Riverbug took us to the starting point of our white-water rafting route on the Kampar River.

The weather was superb for being outdoors (another hallelujah point!). Kampar River is beautiful! Water's actually quite clean....of course, nice and cool and refreshing, with lots of lush greenery along the river. Rapids weren't as rough as those in Padas, Sabah, but they were still "syok" :) This time around, we even paused halfway to do some body-rafting, laze around in the water, climb a tree and jump into the river.

After lunch, we had a short trek in the jungle before we returned to Ipoh, where we just indulged in good Ipoh food...right until the point where we returned to KL on Sunday afternoon.

A tiring but fulfilling weekend, what more with Sunday night (last night)'s rehearsal ending at its latest ever time @_@ So here I am, sitting tired at the computer. Grateful and happy, nonetheless :)

This weekend, my department's having a 2D1N retreat to Port Dickson :)

Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain

It's pouring outside. I'm in Nusajaya, Johor now. Much work to be done in a short period of time. Decided to take a break and take in the "pitter patter" outside a bit and do something that I haven't done in ages: blog :P

What a busy time it's been! Not that I'm complaining :) When I get back to KL this Friday, I'll be heading off to Perak for a weekend of trekking in the forest and white-water rafting down Kampar River.

I had an awesome 4 days in Tioman last Thursday to Sunday doing the Reef Check Eco Diver course. Thank God I passed! Substrates (i.e. corals, rock, sand, algae, etc) in particular gave me quite a hard time and I seriously thought I'd fail that section. Am very happy to be part of a reef monitoring programme. Just trying to contribute whatever I can to take care of God's beautiful creation and our country's national treasure. Thank God for the good weather and good company in Tioman too.

I should get back to work.

Anyone interested to go see The Canticle Singers?