hello everybody. on my second week of leave so far, and i must say i think im doing rather well trying to avoid the malls and the bait of excessive spending. have to really start saving up if i ever wanna get anything done. or perhaps that's just a handy excuse that i bought myself with, convinced that i'm spending my time as fruitfully as i should.

managed to catch quite a few movies though, some which were sitting in my computer dying for attention since before my enlistment and some others from quite recent. oh and i just finished the whole series of Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg's Band of Brothers too. i must say its a really moving show, a nice blend between the heroism of war veterans and the harsh realities of war. watching it kinda made me miss all those times in OCS where we had those endless exercises and all, the late nights planning of missions, charging up the knulls, shouting our throats out to be heard over the barrage of gunfire. then like any other hotheaded 20 yr old i told myself i would certainly love to get a piece of combat experience and some stories for my own. but now come to think about it, war is indeed such a scary thing. towards the end of the series they had this concentration camp scene, which was both appalling and moving. makes one wonder what does the word 'death' and 'torture' actually meant to the people who endured their last moments in them.

and guess what arrived in my mail last friday?



yes lincoln brewsters' instructional DVDs! been searching for them via the local christian distributors for quite some time now, having many of them say that they aren't able to get the rights to distribute them. and since i'm a good and upright citizen who doesn't in any way support the industry of piracy, i ordered them from the states through his website. though i would say they are quite expensive and cost me around $90.

haven't got the time to open volume two yet, but had a considerable amount to take home from volume one. he covers some basics such as vibratos and string bendings, all the way to stuff like improvisation philosophy and a detailed breakdown of a couple of songs. managed to steal one or two licks of his but still got quite abit of practicing to do to justify my $90. That being said though, they kinda forgot my autographed poster!! wanted to write to them but figured i probably eventually throw it away anyway.

my sis is back too from taiwan. thank God she's safe and sound and not affected in any way by the earthquake. she mentioned they felt the tremors and all but thankfully that's about it. oh yeah i believe she's singing for this christmas service so be sure to drop by(haha right like that warrants a reason to).

and boy is it christmas already? this christmas seems like one of the least of christmas to me. in fact i didnt actually realise christmas was really happening till david mentioned that it was only 4 days away on the train yesterday. must be those endless calls and emails i've been receiving regarding work. yes SAF loves you to much to ignore you regardless of whether you're on leave, such a pity. or maybe i'm just too preoccupied with trying to occupy myself. things haven't really been smooth sailing in my family as well. found myself at the bitter end of things for numerous nights, nights with thoughts that i'm less than proud of.

So here it is merry Christmas
Everybody's having fun
Look to the future now
It's only just begun

I hear the Savior say,
"Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all."

* Refrain:
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim
I'll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv'ry's Lamb.

And now complete in Him,
My robe, His righteousness,
Close sheltered ’neath His side,
I am divinely blest.

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy power, and Thine alone,
Can change the leper's spots
And melt the heart of stone.

When from my dying bed
My ransomed soul shall rise,
"Jesus died my soul to save,"
Shall rend the vaulted skies.

And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete,
I'll lay my trophies down,
All down at Jesus' feet.

And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete
Jesus died my soul to save
My lips shall still repeat

it's once in a while where u hear a new song and go, "gosh!! that's awesome music!! the style, song writing, and voice texture makes such a wonderful blend. why isn't he more famous than he already is!?"

and of course, he's using the piano..

http://www.myspace.com/wakeywakeymusic

check out Clinton St. Girl and War Sweater as well.

It's a shame, I know, but it all shakes out real slow
When the follies of your weekend hang like smoke onto your clothes.
And the shame of it grows when you whisper it nice and low.
But all the walls have ears my darling, and all bad things get known.
And I know about you. I know about you.