I finally deflowered Bach today by blasting a few arpeggios. My sound needs a lot more fine-tuning but the overall tonality is still there. In other words, I'm a bit rusty. Even struggled to hit the high C I used to reach with ease. Nothing five hours of practice a day won't remedy. I hope.

I have named before my idols in Wynton Marsalis and Sergei Nakariakov. Of course, the prize for looking good while playing the horn would go to Chris Botti. Today I went on in search for more inspirations who have climbed the Mount Olympus of trumpet-playing. And was pleasantly surprised to find his site updated with enough multimedia videos to send me into a musical orgasm. He is none other than the pride of Australian jazz scene, James "The Genius" Morrison. Even if you are not a Morrison aficionado, you should really check it out. Begin by watching "The Scream Machine" and "I asked for Blues".

The next toy I would really like to get is this. Highly recommended for those worship bands who are always short on budget yet dream of getting every single instrument they could lay their hands on. This baby has it all.


And finally to show how naughty i was.

Behold. The extension of who I am.



A Thousand Kisses Deep.

Aw...ain't that cute?

Looking at this picture reminded me of the good ol' days. When life was carefree, when risks were commonplace, when our schedules were often filled with late nights at Stalactites, cooking garlic cheese naan at G's home, running through Crown's water fountains in the freezing winter.  When kissing each other in front of 20 people was...well, us. 

That was then.

Now? Y is married. And G is off to the workforce soon. And J is contemplating a career change.

It's true. We are growing up. 

Re-reading that sentence, it's got a sad ring to it.  What does it mean? No more throwing caution to the wind, not caring what tomorrow may hold? Could be.  For each one of us, destiny is starting to drive each member of the JYG on different roads, with different destinations. We are all feeling the strain of responsibility on our shoulders, the burden that comes with worrying about how to support ourselves, how to succeed in this crazy rat-race, how to stay afloat in life's busy times and still love those closest to us.

And I thought the JYG was invincible, indestructible, above all that.  I guess not.

Yet, it's a new chapter in our lives, as individuals and as a group of friends walking together in this spiritual journey.  We have no clue at what the future holds...and it's exciting.  Is Y gonna be the greatest accounts director the advertising world has ever seen? Is G gonna be headlining his own fitness television programme on Astro? Is J gonna get together with a girl...and fight through his fears to get married? 

And most importantly, will we get to experience it all together?

Damn exciting.

So many times, I do wish things could be like before, when life seemed more simple. But I'm learning to look at the future with a smile, that adventure beckons the three of us, and we're all cheering each other towards the day when we can lie next to the beach sipping our Ribenas, looking at the blue sky, with our missus and kids in hand, and saying to each other: we made it.

j