#30to30: Day 10 - on prophecies

At CLE:Y on Tuesday, we talked a little about the prophecies surrounding Jesus' birth, and then we got somehow sidetracked into talking about prophecies in general. Reuben brought up a question - when you're prophesied over, do you just wait for it to happen or do you chase after it?

I don't think you just wait for it to happen - if God's word for your life is that you will touch people through your music, you don't just sit back and wait to automagically become great at music, as if you just click a button and download skills into yourself. Obviously, God's giving you talents and opportunities, but you also need to seek ways to improve your skills and get better at what you do. You need to seek His heart for the people, and ultimately, His timing for it all.
Then again, you don't chase after it to try to make it happen either. Abraham did that, and Ishmael was the result. (Random joke: to solve the Middle East conflict, all you need to do is take the Tardis back in time and eliminate Ishmael before he grows up). I guess it's a balance of both - working at what you can work at, and trusting God for the rest.

And sometimes... things just happen without you doing anything. And you don't even know why, except that it's been spoken over you. Way back in 1999, this random prophet was in town (I don't even remember anything about her) and I wrote down what she said. It's one of those things that I record and forget about, find it again when I clear up stuff, and now it's on my desk. Looking at where I am now, I'm seeing parts of it coming true, especially the last bit.

I don't really know how to minister to people. I want to be a potato and not do anything. Or sometimes I want to be an elephant and sit on them. I don't really know what to say or what to do, except to say random comforting words, send random emoticons and cute photos... and to ask if we could pray, though sometimes I don't even know what to pray about. But I suppose it's part of His plan. And if He's putting me in these places, He's going to give me the right words... or emoticons, anyway.

#30to30: Day 11 - on writing

Yesterday I spent 1.5 hours in Nando's writing a script for the next #215live on Oct 4. It's still a first draft - probably will need to be tweaked, especially the beginning and the ending, but I suppose most of what I think should be in the play is already there.

I didn't really have to crack my head too much about it - I was given the theme of the next #215live a few weeks ago, kept it in the back burner of my mind, read up on Jonah, and when I finally sat down to write (I was supposed to have done this a while ago) it just kind of spilled out through my fingers. This is totally different from when I sit down and try to write a script for Short + Sweet. I cracked my head for ages, wrote and rewrote several pages, and ended up missing the deadline anyway.

Any clue on why this is?

The only thing I can think of is... "it's God."

#30to30: Day 13 & 12 - the art of complaining

I was going to write a post solely on how the disappointing the new Nando's rewards system is, but KK said I was supposed to do a blog series which had something to do with my reflections on turning 30. I didn't exactly say I was going to do that, but it has been moving in that direction, somewhat, so I decided I should write about complaining instead.
Only I had a meeting yesterday night and when I got home, I was too lazy.

The thing about growing older is that you often get more sure of yourself, what you like, what you dislike, what you can put up with and what you can't. I've never really been one to complain and make a fuss when I get bad service or bad goods or stuff like that. I just suck it up and never return. Oh, I do tell people I know, of course, but I don't really complain directly to the shop, or wherever it was that miffed me.
I suppose that's something I'm learning how to do - how to complain nicely and to get appropriate responses from the shop/staff. Sometimes people just make a fuss and end up not really communicating what it was they were upset about because both sides are up in arms and being aggressive. That... doesn't really accomplish anything.

Maybe it's just in the way you phrase it - being firm and yet gracious, willing to listen in return, giving respect where it's due.
It's not easy. But it's necessary.

---

So anyway, pros and cons of the new Nando's system:

PROS:
- you get free chicken every 3, 6, 9 'chilis', which is way faster than the old system where you have to collect something like 500 points to start redeeming useful stuff.
- the membership thing is now a free app - so you don't have to worry about losing the card, and you don't have to pay the membership fee (though that was only RM10)

CONS:
- on the other hand, a chili is only counted on a bill of >RM30, excluding tax and service charge, which means I have to eat more at each visit. My usual order of 1/4 chicken set + ice lemon tea only comes up to about RM28 after tax & service charge so I definitely have to order something extra, like a soup or a dessert or something.
- the chili is counted per receipt, so going in big groups doesn't make a difference anymore. I can't sapu like a gazillion points one shot just by going with lotsa people at one time.

I dunno. I can't decide if I like it or not.

#30to30: Day 14 - when the church isn't perfect

I was having dinner with a friend the other day and she mentioned that she's at a time where she's just going to church and disappearing after that. My reaction was: what's the point in that?
It's not as if I haven't been there before. Sometimes you just appear in church for the sake of going to church, because it's what you do as a Christian. Muslims go to the mosque, Hindus and Buddhists (well some variants) go to the temple, so you toddle off to the church like a good religious person.

The point of church isn't just church. If all you want a good singing session or great sermons, you can get those on the internet for free, probably better than any you can find in a local church. The point of church (and here I circle back again) is growing to be more like Jesus as a community. That's why you get involved in ministry. That's why you join a cell (or care or small) group. That's why it's called a body: because you need all the different parts and different types of people to come together to make things work. A body is not going to function if all of its members just show up for two hours once a week. That would be... a zombie. *braiiiinnnsss*

Her defence was that she didn't feel welcomed, that it was hard to fit in. She couldn't really find people with which she could click "so easily, like all the other groups she hangs out with." Been there, done that. Sometimes you suck it up, and self-insert until you feel comfortable with it. *waves at random people in San Jose. Or not*

It would be nice if everyone in the church were nice, accepting, accommodating people who bend over backwards to make you feel happy and comfortable and a part of them. It would be awesome if everyone in the church thought the same way, or had the same culture, or were in agreement so that everyone would be happy and clappy and awesome.

But the church isn't perfect. People aren't perfect. And that's what the church is - people. There will always be people in the church you can't see eye-to-eye with. There will always be things that are done that make you just so hopping mad you want to bash something. There will always be situations where you critically say, 'that's not Christ-like'. That doesn't mean you should up and leave every time it happens.

Because you know what? That's what your next church will be like again.
Imperfect.

#30to30: Day 15 - I'm running out of things to say

I'm hitting the midway mark and running out of things to say so I'll just post a random picture! :)

#30to30: Day 16 - on being single

I suppose as you grow older, priorities change. You stop believing in fairy tales; romance takes a backseat and practical considerations come to the forefront. Considerations like "are we compatible emotionally and spiritually?", "do we have similar/compatible passions and goals in life?" and "is his character stable?" become more important than "is he romantic?" and "is he cute?"

While having tea in Berkeley, Monica asked the question, "What are you looking for in a husband?"
The word that most readily came to mind was this: stability.
Which, I suppose, may seem strange because I sometimes feel like a rock in the middle of the stream when everything is going crazy and I'm just... there, because that's where I've always been and I refuse to move. And yet behind the seeming steadiness, I feel like a whirlwind, a tempest, a coming explosion, a jack-in-the-box, a time-bomb, and I need someone who can look me in the eye and say, "It's going to be okay. Calm down."

It wasn't meant to be this way. I was supposed to fall head-over-heels in love and get married some five or six years ago. I "fell in love" a few times, but it was never mutual. Or maybe it was, but I never realised, because he never said a thing. I became adept at pulling away, hiding my heart and my interest. Maybe I do it too well now. I don't know.

But people always ask questions I cannot answer. So maybe I'll just set the record straight right now.

To the question "why aren't you seeing anyone right now?" the answer is "no one is asking."
To the question "how come you've never dated?" the answer is "no one has ever asked."
To the question "aren't you just being picky?" the answer is "if no one is asking, who am I being picky about?"

Thank you for asking.

#30to30: Day 17 - On being lazy

I was planning on writing a long post about being single. I had this list of things I wanted to say and points I wanted to make and arguments I wanted to use.

And then I spent one hour on facebook being lazy because I didn't know where to start.

So I figured I'll write about being lazy instead. Because I am. It's like pushing a rock up a hill to get started on anything, and even when you get started it's so easy to get distracted because. Lazy. And then you put things off til tomorrow, and then tomorrow, and then... you know what? Tomorrow never comes. There's always a tomorrow that will take whatever you need to do.

Then I make lists to make me feel like I have a lot of things to do, so that I will start doing them, and then I get overwhelmed because there are too many things on the list and then I give up on them and just start doing whatever I feel like doing and then I get distracted by the internet and then there are too many "and then"s in this sentence (and in this whole post).

But the point of this post is, I guess, the fact that I'm trying not to be so lazy because there are so many things in the world to do and I mean to do them.

At least I've finally written this post. :)

#30to30: Day 18 - #215live

Today I'm leading worship at our #215live service and I'm breaking all the rules.

I'm fresh out of 6 weeks away, not knowing what we sing anymore (though the list of songs seems to have gone back to the '80s) and I've just resigned from the worship team.

We've only sung one of these songs in church before, that I know of.
There's nothing terribly deep or profound or insightful about the lyrics of the songs.
The rhythm may throw people off.
I don't know if it's too difficult to sing, or if it's too high or if it's too low.

But these are the songs that have been speaking to me.
These are the words that resonate with my soul and pull me deeper into worship.
So these are the songs I am sharing with my generation.

#30to30: Day 19 - Theatre | S+S Review

There's just something about being on stage.
About portraying someone you're not.
About putting yourself in someone else's shoes, feeling what they feel, saying what they would say.
About understanding.
And being bigger than yourself.

---

I just (an hour ago) came back from watching Short +Sweet Theatre Penang, so I'm updating this post with a mini review. (More info and photos on their blog here.)

This year's short + sweet felt extremely lacklustre. Less than half of the plays had a solid storyline, and most of the acting felt rather meh.

1. In My Mind - this felt like a shaky start to the whole show. It's a simple enough play about a guy who's stuck in a shitty job and is being convinced to try to kill his boss. There is some development in the short 10 minutes, but it wasn't a very compelling story. I think it could have been made much darker. 
2. Cargone - this was silly slapstick about two (really weird) guys who lose an imaginary car, and report it to the police, who look for the imaginary car... It's funny, sort of, but doesn't really lead up to anything. 
3. Revenge of the Ugly Step Sisters: A Rewritten Fairytale - I found this utterly confusing, partially because of the Malay slang/patois they were using (especially when they whined/screamed the words and I couldn't make out what they were saying), partially because the story felt increasingly erratic as it went on...
4. A Thick Skin - I suppose this was an attempt to be educational. Maybe it was written in conjunction with the Tapir fest thing - the whole story was mainly about how special the Tapir is. I'm not sure why the actor who was representing the school kid on a zoo tour also had to act as if he was somewhat retarded. School kids are innocent and say stupid things, yes, but they don't act so... dumb. 
5. Goodbye - There was a sadder tinge to this story about a widow trying to let her dead husband go. But between the overacting of the widow and the strange vacillation of the man (was he supposed to be part shrink, part remembrance of the dead man?) it muddied the whole story hopelessly. (Apparently the script was originally a musical from 2013.)
6. A Pinch of Fate, A Shot of Destiny - this was one of the best shorts of the whole night. A solid, funny story matched with really good acting. The only minus point of this one was that the actors felt too young for their supposed ages. 
7. The Surgeon's Creed - This was hilarious. Again, a pretty strong story, coupled with great acting. 
8. Cari - This short felt like a really long ramble to nowhere. I suppose the twist at the end was supposed to be interesting, but after listening to the two girls ramble for so long, I was like, get it over with already. 
9. (don't know how to write the Chinese character) - It's shorts like these which really make me wish I was better at Chinese. Alvie is a great actor and his monologue was astounding. Unfortunately, I could only grasp maybe 10% of what he was talking about. Everything else I inferred from his body language and acting. It was something about sibling rivalry (how his little brother was always favoured/pampered instead of him - he always got punished?), there was a little bit of abuse (I gathered his mother or father, or well a parent figure, pulled his ear and dragged him away and scolded him and beat him a bit) and he went a little ballistic and beat up his little brother... and I think he choked someone to death and later he went out to get a knife...
10. Knock knock - For some reason this doesn't show on the S+S blogspot, so maybe it was a late addition. This was totally heartwarming. It revolved around a man and his autistic brother (friend? brother? relationship wasn't defined - I'm assuming brother)

I don't know. I think last year's offering was way better.

#30to30: Day 21 & 20 - Saying NO in order to say YES

Life is beautiful and complex, and if not managed properly, tends to grow into a time-eating monster that pulls you in a gazillion different directions.

First there's work, or career, because how else are you going to eat?

And then there's your family, or lack thereof.

Next there are your friends - those here and now, and those that weave in and out of your present that you really want to maintain contact with. 

There's also ministry in church - all the things that nobody else is doing that you need to do, or all the things that people ask you to do because you either a) have the skill or b) are single therefore should have the time to do, as well as all the things you want to do. 

At the end of it all comes your passions and the dreams that you have for your life.

And one day you wake up wondering if you've short-changed yourself. And if God has short-changed you.

The thing is, busyness isn't what's required of you. What's required of you is to make God your "one thing" and allow him to set everything else in place, in its order, in His time.

It's just as easy to serve in church and to allow ministry to become your idol and your burden as it is to not serve in church and refuse to allow God to grow you through His people. The latter contributes to the former, and it's a destructive cycle that has to be broken. I'm not saying that everyone needs to serve in church. Some of your greatest ministries may be outside the church. But you need to serve somewhere. And in serving, you need to know why you do what you do.

There are many good things that need your help. But not all of these need you. And if you've come to a stage where the many good things that you do are draining you and distracting you from what you do best, there is the time to start saying no.

No, because you are one person and you have limited time.
No, because you are one person and you have limited energy.
No, because when you are pulled in too many different ways, you will not be able to do your best in any of them.
We're not called to be lacklustre Jacks of all trades in approaching God and his Kingdom. We are supposed to be excellent, skilled workers, bringing glory to His name.

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23-24)

Do you see a man skillful in his work?
    He will stand before kings;
    he will not stand before obscure men. (Proverbs 22:29)

Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going. (Ecclesiastes 9:10 )

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Jesus said to him, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. (Matthew 23:37-38)

There will always be things that need to be done, and there will always be ministries that need people. However, you don't need to be involved in every single one of them. You can't.

And you can't serve God in the place He's called you to, if you're already too busy in all the places that He hasn't called you to be.

So sometimes, you really need to say 'no' in order to say 'yes'.

---

So I was supposed to post this yesterday, then I forgot. Whoops. :)
So I expanded it and made it longer that I had originally intended it to be, in order to make it a double post. :)

#30to30: Day 22 - The difference your community makes

I realise that over the past few posts I've written the word "community" quite a lot. Saturday night, when Monica was dropping me at the airport after hanging out all day at Berkeley and San Francisco, we (or at least I) talked a little bit about the importance of community, especially the church community. It feels weird coming from me, because I've always seen myself as the loner, the one who would rather not bother going out and being social and who really doesn't care if I'm alone all day. Except on the days that I do care.

Humans are inherently selfish and self-centred and it's really your family and eventually your community who teaches you how not to be. The places you've lived in changes your perspectives, and the people you hang out with regularly has a huge impact on the way you see the world and your place in it.

I've been blessed with great people to hang out with even in the midst of my introverted anti-socialness. People who spur me on with their life stories, people who are not afraid to talk about the difficult things in life, people who are always willing to ask the spiritual questions that make me want to cry.

I would not be who I am today without all of you.

Proverbs 4:20 - 27

My son, pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.
Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.
Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
Give careful thought to thec paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.
Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.

#30to30: Day 23 - Airport Poetry

Six in the morning
Touched down, bleary eyed
In search of a place to rest

Seven in the morning
Warmed by hot tea
Looking for something to see

Eight in the morning
Missing the people
Who're hanging out for bubble tea

Nine in the morning
Writing this post
Thinking of going back to sleep.

---

Thank you for reading my lame attempt at "poetry". My better attempts were in those angsty college days, full of rhymes and rhythms and, I dunno, hidden meanings. I guess simplicity works for me these days.

I am in transit home, sitting in the HK Airport, being too lazy to either go out to town or go shopping in the airport. I have my laptop, free wifi, two books, an ipad and a kindle. I don't think I'll get bored.
I suppose I'll take a nap before looking for lunch.

#30to30: Day 24 - Selamat Hari Merdeka!

I'm going to be celebrating Merdeka somewhere up in the sky over a bunch of different countries. It's a little sad. Then again, it's not as if I would actually be doing anything huge or different back home. 

I thank God for Malaysia and all that she has been to me. A home. A familiarity. A comfort. A safe place. I'm not very good at adapting to change, or to new things, and I suppose that's why I've always returned home, I guess, besides the fact that I keep thinking, if everyone goes, who will stay?

We always hear about people being called to go. Go to the mission field. Leave your family, leave your comforts, leave your job and bring the gospel to the unreached. And yet, lift up your eyes. The fields are white for harvest. You don't lift up your eyes and see across the world. You lift up your eyes and look across the street where you live, at the person in the cubicle next to you, at your classmates and your lecturers, at the homeless in the street, at the people who walk by you every day, who talk like you and think like you. And I believe that for everyone who is called to go, there are more who are called to stay. 

Stay in a Malaysia that is crumbling, because who else will be her strength? 

Stay in a Malaysia that is corrupt, because who else will be her justice?

Stay in a Malaysia that is in pain, because who else will be her healer?

Stay in a Malaysia that is in chains, because who else will be her freedom?

There are so many things wrong with our nation, but then again, no nation is perfect. Everywhere you go, you will find something to complain about, you will find corrupt and illogical practices in government. The answer is not ditching it. The answer is asking the question, "So what should I do about it?"

It doesn't mean that you will be involved in politics. It doesn't mean that you start a revolution and march along the streets. It just means that you make your voice heard, one way or another, through your votes, through the way you deal with people, through the way you bring up your children, through the way you slowly change the culture.

Because really, what makes up a nation?

The people.

And when the people change, the nation changes too. 

#30to30: Day 25 - Dear America, thank you for loving me

It's the end of my business trip in San Jose. I'm flying home tonight, and I don't really know what to feel. I'm a little sad and heartbroken to leave my new friends and community, and yet relieved to be finally heading home. I feel like I'm going to miss out on a lot of things that are going to happen here, and yet I'm excited for the things that are happening back home. 

I know I'll be back again so it isn't forever goodbye. Still, it's like I'm leaving a piece of my heart here. Thank you for welcoming me into your houses and  hearts. I'll miss hanging out with you guys.

See you in January.

#30to30: Day 26 - #Fridayflash

I've been involved with the #Fridayflash community on and off since I started my twitter account in late 2009. It's a great way to network with other writers (when I'm not too lazy to blog hop) and to have some fun, quick fiction to read.

So anyway, in conjunction with that, here's a little flash fiction. :)
Writing prompt: Name

---

He lay on his bed, staring at the white ceiling. His blankets lay crumpled around him where he'd tossed them off during the night. He couldn't get her out of his head, even though two years had passed since the divorce. Two years, to the dot, though why he remembered the exact date of the divorce and not their wedding day was a mystery to him. Two years, and her name still wouldn't stop ricocheting in his head.
SharonSharonSharonSharonSharonSharon
I miss you.
The curtains weren't doing much to keep the sunlight out, so he got up and sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his feet. He studied his toes, and the hair on them, desperately trying to find something that would keep his eyes away from the ring that lay on his bedside table. He wish he'd thrown it away. But he couldn't; not when he still thought of her so often. She'd probably thrown her ring away, or given it to whoever she was with now.
SharonSharonSharonSharonSharonSharon
Won't you come back?
Maybe he'd call Maddie today, he decided, see if she'd like to hang out. She was a nice enough girl; kept his mind away from Sharon, distracted his heart from the stabbing pain that refused to go away. He should be over this by now. He reached for his cell phone and heard something drop. He bent down and picked up the ring absently, almost mindlessly. Turning it round in his hand, he closed his eyes and thought of her, her name changing in his head, as it always did when he held it.
SauronSauronSauronSauronSauronSauron
What was good has turned to evil.
He needed to get his life back in order.

#30to30: Day 27 - Childhood friends rock

I've made great friends along the way, but there's something comforting about the familiarity of friends you've known for your entire life. Well, maybe not your entire life yet, but at least from when you were in school.

Sometimes you drift apart. It happens. Life gets in the way. Distance does make a difference. Time takes its toll.
But then you somehow get into contact again, and it feels like you've never left. Besides, they know your deepest darkest secrets and your most annoying quirks but still talk to you anyway. Who else does that?

#30to30: Day 28 - Letting go

The thing about life is this: it's filled with moments that you need to let go of.

Some of these are bad stuff - times when you were hurt, disappointed, or trod over. It could be times when you did stupid things and had to face the consequences. It's usually easy to let these go because you don't want to remember them. It hurts too much. But at times, it's difficult to let them go as well because you've grown to let pain define you; you've started to think of yourself in terms of what you're NOT. (Or you're just secretly a masochist.)

Then there are the good stuff - the things you've achieved, the accolades you've earned, the great experiences you cling to. You remember these with a little bit of pride and nostalgia and it's hard to let go of, because why should you? 

And yet, sometimes it's our own successes that hold us back, because we're so satisfied with what we already have that we stop moving forward. And sometimes, we're so caught up in the memory of what used to be that we can't grasp the new thing that's coming, instead ending up wallowing in the bitterness of "when I was young(er)".

Letting go. 

It's not easy, and I still struggle with it. 

But at least I am aware of the need to let go. 

#30to30: Day 29 - Work anniversary!

Today marks my first year at my current job!

There are many things to be thankful for in this job, summarized into three MAJOR DEALS for me:

1. No need for super crazy overtime (there are still deadlines but... *shrug*)
2. I get to travel to the U.S! 
3. I have time to write. (When I'm not being lazy)

It hasn't been all smooth-flowing. There have been some bumpy-ish patches, but overall, I've had a pretty good year here. :)

#30to30: Day 30 - Celebrate yourself

I'm probably asking for trouble, but I decided to do a little mini personal blog challenge. It's not as if I have nothing else to do. I have an editor chasing me, a script (or two) to finish, a friend's chapter to critique, lots of work to finish up... BUT ANYWAY.

I don't really know what I'm going to post, but it's probably going to be a combination of random thoughts, appreciations and highlights.

And I'll start it off with the reason why I'm doing this. It's really just to celebrate me and a looming milestone. :)

Photo credits: someone on facebook. Gabe, I think?

One thing I've come to realise over the years is that sometimes, if you don't make an effort to celebrate yourself, no one will. It's not to say that you think you're better than anyone else, or you think that you're so great that everyone needs to celebrate you. It's just the fact that sometimes, when you're feeling low, or if you feel people have abandoned or forgotten you, the best thing you can do for yourself is to decide not to wallow in it. Instead, count your blessings and do something crazy. Like this #30to30 blog challenge. :)

p/s but if you have clinical depression, please seek help.

#bookreview: Games of Chance by Will Hahn

Games of Chance by Will Hahn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

At 121 pages, Judgement's Tale: Games of Chance is a novella that paints for you the background of the Lands of Hope, giving you glimpses of the strange young man from over the sea, Solemn Judgement, and yet not telling you quite enough about him or what he's supposed to do. You meet unlikely heroes: Linya, Mhoral, Treaman, Haltar and Bildon - swept away on an unwanted quest.

Will Hahn's writing and world building is interesting enough to keep you wanting more - and that's the problem. There isn't enough in this book to keep you satisfied. It ends too abruptly, making you feel short-changed, as if the book is unfinished.
Maybe I'm too used to long fantasy books that I can't wrap my head around the fact that Judgement's Tale and its sequel, Eye of Kog, is going to be released as a series, with a new book (or at least part of it) released every 3 months. I'm not one for watching TV series. I don't know if a book series will be any different.

I guess we'll see.

View all my reviews

The belated #wdnwc14 day 3 post

So I was supposed to finish off my post on Sunday, except that after rushing off to the airport (spending more than 1 hour in the shuttle to get there), I was hungry. And then I started reading Jeff Gerke's "The First 50 Pages" and then when I finally got back to San Jose, we headed off to dinner and The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (which was full of plot holes).

Anyway, so Day 3.
First session of the day was lots of dirty little publishing secrets revealed by Phil Sexton, followed by revision tips from Barbara O'Neal. I'd say one of the most informative (for me) slots was the one after that, by Carlie Webber, regarding the query letters and agents, though I don't know if I will ever use that information, seeing... I don't even know if agents exist in Malaysia. Unless I'm trying to publish it in the USA first. Hmmmmm.

In between sessions I was eavesdropping on people talking about science fiction. Haha, well not really eavesdropping. They were right beside me and they knew I was listening. I think.

Final plus point of this writer's conference - got invited into a critique group on facebook. Let's see where it goes! :D

Day two of #wdnwc14: of workshops and friends

Today's programme was chock full of really informative sessions. I don't know if I've finished processing everything yet, but I can say this - at every session I feel like a sponge, soaking up stuff, wondering if I'm going to start leaking. Which isn't a bad thing.

Also, I'm hearing stuff that makes me go 'hey, so maybe if I applied *this* and added *that* it would make my story go much better. 

One was definitely the Writing Active Setting session, which talked about how even how you describe a scene can be put to good use to show facets of your character, or even build conflict and tension. 

Bits of the plotting workshop tied back to Larry Brooks' session yesterday about the first plot point and I'm going 'those bits in my NaNoWriMo drafts that I thought were conflicts... I think they were really the first plot point or maybe even just an inciting incident. No wonder it seemed so stuck.'

But it's not just been workshops. In between I've made friends, Howard, Luke and Naomi, to name a few, and met a fellow accountant who's in the middle of edits (whose name I forgot. Oops.) 

Looking forward to the final few sessions tomorrow (no Hugh Howey, bummer) and maybe making a few more connections before heading back to San Jose and being boring. 

Day one of #wdnwc14!

I had been thinking of live blogging the conference but I decided against bringing my laptop (one less thing to worry about) so I'm basically pretty much old school with pen and paper. 

Anyway it has been a mix of anticipation and terror coming here but I'm glad I made it! Thoroughly enjoyed the sessions with Larry Brooks (on structure) and Jonathan Maberry (opening keynote). Probably should have hung around and/or visited booths and gotten things signed but LK was waiting for me in the lobby! LK was one of my first writerly friends on twitter and though she wasn't attending the conference, she braved traffic and drove about an hour plus to meet me and have dinner. *so touched*

So I'm just tuckered out right now and going to sleep. Tomorrow should be exciting :D

#bookreview: Shadow Swarm by D. Robert Pease

Shadow Swarm by D. Robert Pease
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Arbethol Nauile is the promised saviour and the rightful heir to the throne of the Nuadaim. He just doesn't know it yet. When he wakes up in a mausoleum not knowing his own name, or anything that has happened to him in the past 300+ years, it looks as if the ancient prophecy has failed, and the Neglafem's sacrifice to protect him has been in vain.

Elise is more than ready to give up on the prophecy and leave the strange man to fend for himself after watching her grandfather, Iliam, being killed on the day of the King's Presentation, but her grandfather's sacrifice and faith means more to her than anything in the world. Leading Nauile out of the citadel where they were beset by the enemy, she is soon taken hostage by the enemy to be used against Nauile.

Because Arbethol is remembering things in flashes as well as being told them by the people he meets, you do get a rather good background of the Nuadaim over the course of the book, usually when you need to know it. The list of names and terms at the back was also quite useful, though a little clunky to refer to on the kindle (that really only works well on paperbacks). The world is pretty well-built, and the narrative is well-written. The characters seem a little flat and one-sided at times - it's not to say that they weren't well-developed. It's just that they felt a little stereotypical, especially Elise. Other than her kidnapping being the catalyst that launches Nauile to start a war against the enemy, I don't really see why he falls in love with her or how. I guess traipsing through the woods together might make you attracted to one another, but... that was it?

Shadow Swarm is very strongly Christian allegory - I could smell it from the middle of the book, though that's probably because I'm extremely sensitive to these kinds of things. It doesn't really detract from the story itself; it's only just a little predictable at the end.

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About the Book - About the Author - Prizes!!!

About the prizes: Who doesn't love prizes? You could win one of two $50 Amazon gift cards or an autographed copy of Shadow Swarm! Here's what you need to do...

1. Enter the Rafflecopter contest
2. Leave a comment on my blog

That's it! One random commenter during this tour will win the first gift card. Visit more blogs for more chances to win--the full list of participating bloggers can be found HERE. The other two prizes will be given out via Rafflecopter. You can find the contest entry form linked below or on the official Shadow Swarm tour page via Novel Publicity. Good luck!

About the book: Aberthol Nauile doesn’t know that he once led legions in a war that raged since the dawn of time, against an enemy that cannot be killed. He doesn’t know that he rode on a dragon with his father, and saw his mother die while giving birth to him. He doesn’t know that he once saved his great, great, great grandfather by defeating the black enemy on the slopes of a volcano. Aberthol doesn’t know that he beheld the creation of the world, as his grandfather eight generations before took the planet ravaged by a war of the gods and began anew. All he knows is that he awoke in a coffin in a tomb, and now the whole world thinks he is their savior. All he really wants to know is his name, and why he keeps hearing voices in his head.
Get Shadow Swarm through Amazon or Barnes & Noble. 

About the author: D. Robert Pease has been interested in creating worlds since childhood. From building in the sandbox behind his house, to drawing fantastical worlds with paper and pencil, there has hardly been a time he hasn't been off on some adventure in his mind, to the dismay of parents and teachers alike. Also, since the moment he could read, books have consumed vast swaths of his life. From The Mouse and the Motorcycle, to The Lord of the Rings, worlds just beyond reality have called to him like Homer's Sirens. It's not surprising then he chose to write stories of his own. Each filled with worlds just beyond reach, but close enough we can all catch a glimpse of ourselves in the characters he brings to life.
Connect with D. Robert on his website, Facebook, Twitter,or GoodReads.

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#bookreview: Cephrael's Hand by Melissa McPhail

Cephrael's Hand by Melissa McPhail
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I first started reading this, I was reminded strongly of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, minus the annoying women and plus faster pacing overall, which was a win for me.

Trell of the Tides embarks on a journey to discover his heritage.
Prince Ean val Lorian is being hunted by persons unknown.
The Adept race is dying, and Cephrael's Hand, an unlucky configuration of stars, hangs in the sky for all to see.

McPhail weaves these stories through the tome leaving you wondering: Who is good? Who is evil? Is Bjorn really the traitor he has been branded or is he working to the same purposes as the other Vestals - to protect the realm of Alorin?

I enjoyed Cephrael's Hand and am looking forward to picking up the sequel, The Dagger of Adendigaeth.

* I received this ebook as a review copy from Novel Publicity.

View all my reviews

P/S Lovely new cover revealed yesterday, along with a giveaway! Check out yesterday's post.
PP/S I may have posted this review before. I think. But I couldn't find it via my tags. So maybe I didn't. I can't remember.

Guest post: Three Must-Read Series for the Fantasy Connoisseur

A Guest Post & Cover Reveal by Melissa McPhail

Having been a fantasy reader for more years than any southern-bred lady should ever admit, I’ve encountered some excellent fantasy novels. Over the decades, I’ve watched many wonderful books rise to a height of popularity, enjoy the thrill of riding that wave of reader buzz, and then bob away to take their place on a shelf with others of like fame. With so many outstanding fantasies rising and ebbing across the years, it’s easy for newer readers to overlook some classics. Since I’ve been swimming this sea for a while, I thought I would share a few favorites you might’ve missed.

All of these novels have inspired my work in some important way.

Roger Zelazny’s Chronicles of Amber

“Amber is the one true realm, casting infinite shadows of itself.”  Only the royal family of Amber have the innate talent to navigate the shadow realms of Amber, of which Earth is one such shadow. At the beginning of Nine Princes in Amber, the first book in the series, Corwin wakes in a hospital with no memory of his identity. As he learns that he’s a prince of the royal family of Amber, so also is he pulled back into his brothers’ and sisters’ perpetual treacherous vies for their father’s abandoned throne.

Corwin moves from one near-catastrophe to another, each one often devised by a different family member, but his wit and his wry, cynical view make all of his misadventures—and indeed, this series as a whole—a joy to read.

The patterning described in my series is nothing like the pattern the royal family of Amber must walk in order to manipulate the shadow realms of Amber, yet Zelazny’s novels did provide a spark of inspiration for my own realm of Alorin, where “all things are formed of patterns.”

Anne McCaffrey’s The Rowan

The Rowan is a beautiful blending of science fiction and fantasy. The story follows The Rowan’s life from a traumatic disaster on a far colonized planet through her training as a telepathic and telekinetic adept with a powerful gift. Adepts such as The Rowan form the foundation of space travel in McCaffrey’s tale, which is part adventure, part coming of age, and part love-story. Ultimately, in trying to save her true love, The Rowan births a gift that may be the key to saving all of humanity.

The way McCaffrey described The Rowan made an indelible impression on me. The Rowan provided the early inspiration for the Healer Alyneri in my series.

C.S. Friedman’s Coldfire Trilogy

This is one of those series that never really loses that popularity wave. But in case you missed hearing about it the last time it crested, the Coldfire Trilogy, starting with Black Sun Rising, is a must.

Gerald Tarrant is one of the most memorable anti-heroes ever written. More admirable still when you realize Friedman wrote him long before Mark Lawrence made the villainous blackguard interesting. In Gerald Tarrant, Friedman presents a man of cold arrogance and bold evil—and makes you fall in love with him, hook, line and sinker.

The artful way she crafted Tarrant inspired me to explore virtue and vice in my own story’s cast of personalities. Some of my more alarmingly compelling characters have Gerald Tarrant as their distant grandsire.

The Cover Reveal & Giveaway

Are you ready for the reveal of the new Cephrael’s Hand cover? Because here it is! 

What do you think? Does it do a good job conveying the fantasy genre? Is it a book you’d be attracted to in the store? Does it make you want to learn more?

Thank you for helping us celebrate! If you’d like to see the new covers for books 2 and 3 in the series stop by www.MelissaMcPhail.com, and check them out.

Guess what else? The author is offering a special giveaway as part of this grand event. Check out the Rafflecopter form below (it’s also available at www.novelpublicity.com/cephrael-cover-reveal/) to find out how you can win a Kindle Fire. Hooray!

Oh, and don’t miss learning more about Cephrael’s Hand and where you can pick up a copy—that’s below too.

“All things are composed of patterns…” And within the pattern of the realm of Alorin, three strands must cross:

In Alorin… three hundred years after the genocidal Adept Wars, the realm is dying, and the blessed Adept race dies with it. One man holds the secret to reverting this decline: Bjorn van Gelderan, a dangerous and enigmatic man whose shocking betrayal three centuries past earned him a traitor’s brand. It is the Adept Vestal Raine D’Lacourte’s mission to learn what Bjorn knows in the hope of salvaging his race. But first he’ll have to find him.

In the kingdom of Dannym… the young Prince Ean val Lorian faces a tenuous future as the last living heir to the coveted Eagle Throne. When his blood-brother is slain during a failed assassination, Ean embarks on a desperate hunt for the man responsible. Yet his advisors have their own agendas, and his quest for vengeance leads him ever deeper into a sinuous plot masterminded by a mysterious and powerful man, the one they call First Lord.

In the Nadori desert…tormented by the missing pieces of his life, a soldier named Trell heads off to uncover the truth of his shadowed past. But when disaster places him in the debt of Wildlings sworn to the First Lord, Trell begins to suspect a deadlier, darker secret motivating them. Honor-bound to serve the First Lord in return for his life, Trell continues on his appointed path, yet each day unveils new and stranger secrets that eventually call into question everything he knows.

Get it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or wherever awesome eBooks are sold!

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No, wait, what? I didn't cross post my review to my blog? 

Okay, check out the review tomorrow!

Destiny Conference, 215District and serendipity

It's been a crazy weekend at the Destiny Conference. I could put it all down to coincidence or serendipity, really but let's just say it as it is. God's been pulling strings. ;)

I had been ambivalent about attending the conference despite ohmygoshit'skutless and lookpeopleit'stheexactsameverse!Serendipity! moments.

So I did what any normal person in 2014 does. Divert ambivalence into a complaint about lack of money on facebook. And then this woman full of awesomesauce GIVES ME EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED FOR TICKETS AND MEALS at the conference. (Though it turns out I didn't actually really need to get meals, it was so near my hotel). (No linky on this woman because she might hate me for it... she shall stay anonymous until she decides to say something.) (Really, don't listen to me when I complain about money because I really, really, really do have enough. I'm just stingy and trying to convince myself to spend on something I want, other than books.)

I just opened my book of notes, and I love it how the (kind of) first phrase I wrote down from Mario Murillo says, "Some of you look at how impossible your dream is. You're looking at the wrong thing." Somewhere down the page, it continues, "Even when you don't know what to do next, God is going to do amazing things!" It's as if God is just affirming again and again and again that I don't have it all, but it doesn't matter. He knows what's going to happen.

Your latter will be greater

"A culture of victory and excellence can be handed down to create a generation that exceeds the prior generation." - Mario Murillo

Even as we start to build 215District, I believe this is a word in season, this is the word that we need at this time. It seems as if things are falling apart, and we are trying to build a new culture, a new identity from scratch. It's difficult. But we have the people and the tools in place - setting that culture of victory and excellence NOW is what is going to ensure the future of the generations to come.

We are called to be counter-culture, and in a world where standards don't matter, where excellence isn't a big thing (even in the church), we should (and need to) build a culture of youth that care about doing the right thing, and doing it well. Let's not buy in to the lie that it's okay to be mediocre, it's okay to kind of just follow along with what everyone else is doing. The verse says that we shine like stars. Another verse says that we do it all with excellence as if doing it for the Lord. Other verses promise that we will be the head and not the tail.
I covered the book of Daniel in cell group before I left, but this was an interesting thing Mario brought up that I don't think we considered during our discussion. Daniel served through the reign of 4 kings. We know that. But the thing we didn't think about was that in those days, each new king that came into power purged (i.e. killed) all the servants of the old king and put his own people into power - but Daniel was so valuable, that they couldn't kill him. Each time, he was reinstated to power.

If you stay right with God, He will promote you to be the leading edge of your culture.

And we need that. We need to stop playing catch-up with where the world is going. We need to stand up for our convictions. We need to be so good at what we do, and so strong in what we believe in that people will stop and listen. Even if they don't agree.

There's more to be said, but I'm sleepy.

#bookreview: Special Agent Francesca by Mimi Barbour

Special Agent Francesca by Mimi Barbour
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Special Agent Francesca Donovan can't wait to start her new life as an undercover FBI agent in Las Vegas. All her life, she's been trying to prove herself to her mother, the Special Assistant to the Director of the FBI, and now she gets the chance to do just that - if only she doesn't mess up her first assignment! Other than that, she just has to pop by and introduce herself to the father she just found out she had... and try not to fall in love with her new partner, Sean Collins, Psychiatrist and LVPD Profiler, who's posing as her fiance.

Mimi Barbour takes you on a wild ride with Francesca and Sean as they work undercover to clean up the gang that has been threatening hotels in the neighbourhood. It's pretty light and funny reading, with Francesca's sass and Sean's reactions providing a lot of comic relief. Special Agent Francesca is definitely not a serious girl, so don't expect anything deeper than an entertaining afternoon read.

Parts of story are steamier than I usually read (this is NOT for the kiddies) and there were times I skimmed through thinking "Am I really reading this?" so that contributes a little to my ambivalence between a 3 and 4 star rating.

Also, some strong swearing involved. Just saying, cause this deviates from my usual fare.

I received a free copy for review from the author in exchange for an honest review.

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Snapshots is back with a new look and a #giveaway. #SnapshotsRelaunch

Welcome to the SNAPSHOTS relaunch blitz!

Add to your Goodreads shelf

Buy on Amazon | Smashwords

It's said the eyes are the windows to the soul, but that's a lie. They are snapshots of a time yet to come–the future of the person to which they belong.

Cyclop Blaine stands out in a crowd with his pale skin and mismatched eyes, but it’s his ability to see the future that really sets him apart. The unusual gift makes him an invaluable asset to Tyler, his adoptive father and leader of the Victory Street Gang. It also means Cyclop must hide what he can do from others. Once, a man he knew only as Master controlled him, using him for experiments. Cyclop has no desire to return to that life.

But he may have no choice. A man claiming ownership over him haunts his dreams and waking moments, leaving him no choice but to go back to the past he thought he had escaped. Cyclop must face this man, along with his past, if he wants to reveal his own future.

About the Author

Patricia Lynne never set out to become a writer. In fact, she never considered it an option during high school and college. But some stories are meant to be told and this one chose her. Patricia lives with her husband in Michigan, hopes one day to have what will resemble a small petting zoo and has a fondness for dying her hair the colors of the rainbow.

Follow Patricia on Twitter | Goodreads | Google+ | Author Blog

Giveaway

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#fridayflash: The friendless generation

"I have no friends," she whined, as she marked the 30 notifications as read and skimmed through the long list of links and updates in her feed. "Why doesn't anyone want to go out?"
She picked up her mobile phone and stared at it, finger hovering over the dial button of the one friend she was fairly sure might want to go out for a coffee. Oh wait, he's dating Mindy now. He's probably busy. She put the phone back down on the table and scanned through the vapid conversations some of her friends were having in the Whatsapp group. She added a few random comments just to remind them of her existence.
Turning back to her laptop, she opened facebook again and searched through her 2,364 friends, trying to find one who might possibly be physically near her location and also online and maybe willing to hang out. She fired off a few messages only to see them pop offline. She frowned, then decided to ignore the coincidence. A message popped up and she looked at it eagerly:

Sorry, girl. Busy tonight.
Oh, alright. You take care.
See ya.

There went the one person she normally thought she could count on. She sighed and shut down her laptop, put her phone to silent and turned off the light. Her bedside clock blinked 22:30 and she turned it to face the wall so she wouldn't have to see its depressingly early time.
She woke up to 10 messages apologizing for being too busy to hang out, 5 requesting a rain check. She shook her head in despair. "I really have no friends."

---

Theme: Paradox

#bookreview: The Ghost Bride by @yangszechoo

The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So I had to read this because it was written by a Malaysian, right?
I'd heard about The Ghost Bride sometime last year, probably through Goodreads, but was always putting off getting a copy because I'm not really a fan of ghost stories/Chinese superstitions. Then I saw it in a bookshop and I was in a book buying spree... so... *shrug*

Seventeen-year-old Li Lan has received a marriage proposal into the esteemed Lim family. However, there are several complications: The groom is dead, and Li Lan has her heart set on another. Set in both the beautiful bustle of ancient Malacca and the terrifying Plains of the Dead, Yangsze Choo weaves a haunting story of a young girl struggling to save herself and protect her family after she is drawn into unseen world of the afterlife.

The book is split into four parts and I would frankly say that I loved parts 1 and 4 the most. The first part of the book draws you into beautiful Malacca, inviting you into the interesting culture of the Straits settlement Chinese in the 1860s. Part 2 and 3 plunges you into the strange world of the afterlife, and though it was very well written, I didn't enjoy it as much (as I said, I don't really enjoy ghost stories). Part 4 brings you back to Malacca again, and its lovely romantic ending will leave you teary eyed.

Excited to read more from Choo! (I believe her next will be set in Ipoh...)

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I don't suppose I'll be on hiatus, but we'll see

Hello from San Jose!

I haven't decided if I'm going to blog more or blog less. I suppose it depends on my mood at night and whether I'm rushing (or not) to complete anything.

Or if I'm lazy.

I owe my editor stuff.
I owe my pastor stuff.
AND I haven't written a few e-mails I was supposed to write.

OH WELL.

And I started a few draft blogs here as well as one on medium.

And I'm supposed to finish that script for Christmas as part of my Camp Nanowrimo challenge (20K words in July)... and I am still at the grand word count of.... ZERO!

*GO ME!*
*waves pompoms*
*dies*

Happy birthday, @yeohjo!

Where do I even start?
I've known you since... forever. Hah. :) I was going to dig out some old photos, but I figured that *I* would probably be more embarrassed about them than you, so... I'm sticking to (mostly) what's already on the internet. (Also I'm lazy. I can't remember where they're kept and I'm a little disinclined to go search. Besides, that's what Facebook is for.)

You've always been the musical one, so it's not surprising that most of my memories with you include music somewhere - singing Disney ballads after watching the cartoons, caroling, firebrands worship team, youth camp...

... and the fasollado singers!

I am blessed to call you a friend. Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend," and I believe I have learnt so much just by growing up with you. Where else would I have learnt to be such a perfectionist? (and competitive as well!) I am always encouraged to hear what God has been doing in your life, even if we only meet like... once in six months or so. Haha.

Okay, that picture wasn't on facebook, but, for memories' sake, that was a big part of our history! (At least before everyone started going their merry ways.) Still waiting for the next one... or at least the next album from you. This year, right? ;)

As you enter a new stage of life, may you find greater fulfilment in Christ; may Christ alone satisfy your every need and deepest longings. May His fire and His passion fill your soul; may your mind and your eyes be renewed each day to think as He does, to see as He sees. May your mouth be filled with endless praise and your heart be filled with ceaseless songs; may you be His instrument of worship as you transcribe the songs of heaven, and raise them up again as incense to His name.  

Thank you for being a significant part of my journey so far. This has been us. :)

Happy 30th, Josh.

Mini #bookreviews

A to Z in 10 by 10 [flash fiction compilation] by Donna B. McNicol
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Picked this up from Donna during the 2014 A to Z Challenge.
A to Z in 10 by 10 is a quick read - 26 flash fiction pieces arranged from A to Z which will take you less than half an hour to finish.
I enjoyed most of the pieces - some had rather interesting twists.



Half Way Home by Hugh Howey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After hearing so much about Hugh Howey, I jumped at the chance to pick up one of his novels when it was offered free on Noisetrade Books for a short period of time.

A little ambivalent about this one. I liked it quite a lot until I got to the end and went... "eh?"


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#bookreview: The Depths by Nick Thacker

The Depths by Nick Thacker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jen Adams' boss, Dr Elias Storm, is killed on the same night that her son Reese is kidnapped. Jen and Mark Adams sneak into Dr Storm's office to look for clues - only to find themselves snatched up by the British Royal Marines, Amphibious Task Division and taken to the Agartha station - an abandoned research station deep beneath the Atlantic Ocean.

The Depths is pretty much a classic thriller. I read it in (almost) one sitting; it was a very enjoyable read, despite a few errors (well, I think they were errors - swapped names and such which didn't make sense - either that or I was speed reading too much that my brain fried).

I loved the plot-twist towards the end (*jeng jeng jeng, you've all been looking at the wrong person and in the wrong place!) though what Mark did right at the end threw me a bit. I didn't think it was necessary and I'm not sure it made sense, but oh well.

I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

View all my reviews

How many fronts can you have? Of having too many things to update you about

I've been surprisingly productive for a Monday evening, so I thought I'd keep the momentum going by actually blogging something.

On the writing front, I've gotten feedback from my editor for chapters 1 - 6 of my fairy tale (I really should think of a title!) and so I've been doing more edits. I was really afraid she'd hate it, but she likes it so far and most of her comments are in the line of - YOU NEED TO EXPAND THIS/BE MORE DESCRIPTIVE HERE. (I mean, besides fixing my awkward sentences.) I'm just waiting until she gets to the last few chapters and goes "eh, what? End like that one arr?" hahahaha.
Today's the deadline for submissions for the SEA Steampunk thing as well as KL Noir: Yellow and I haven't written anything. Also, I missed the deadline for S+S Penang scripts and probably S+S KL scripts. Meh. Guess it's just not meant to be.

On the editing front, I agreed sometime back to help edit the Charis Hospice 10th year anniversary magazine and I haven't gotten round to it yet. *halp!* I think it's due in August, so I better get my butt in gear, especially seeing that I am such a loyal citizen of Procrasti. =D

On the drama front, we just had a great workshop over the weekend with Shakespeare Demystified. Observation from these drama teachers: when working with Malay actors you have to work hard to get them to cut back; when working with Chinese actors, the main problem is getting them to express more. Hmm... Anyway, this workshop was for those shortlisted for the Hamlet production by USM that's coming up in October ;) Actual roles will apparently only be assigned in August, I think, so we'll see how that goes.
The funny thing about my brain is that when I'm pretty free, it goes into hibernating mode and refuses to think. And now that I'm busy with a lot of work, it decides to wake up and go hey you need to start planning things NOW! So anyway, I kicked my butt into gear this morning and talked to Alvin Looi about the possibility of him running a workshop for our church team this November. So something is starting to move! *little jig*
Ha, random observation while driving this morning: I figure God is just shaking his head at me and heaving huge sighs of frustration because I keep panicking and saying "I don't know what to do/where to go/how to do it" at the same time that I have all these ideas of things to do, but never get round to doing it because I'm uncertain/unsure/afraid/confused/not sure if these people even remember who I am. And it's kind of like *facepalm* where do you think you're getting these ideas from? Why do you think you even know these people in the first place?
Ah, so yes. One step taken today, more to come. And the way to stop the procrastination is really to NOT READ ALL THE BOOKS.

Which leads to the reviewing front, where some lovely random people have contacted me via my facebook page, website and email to give me free books for review! (Also including the awesome Dan Rix who has been letting me gorge on lovely sci-fi/time travel stuff.) *sighs with satisfaction*
That being said, cos I sometimes have a spotty memory, if any of you feel that you've sent me something for review and I never got back to you, please send me an email to bump it to the top of my erratic, neverending TBR list! I know I'm just horrible sometimes and I don't want to feel guilty for taking a free book from you and then forgetting about it.

And finally, on the music front, a song for the week:

You are more thanMy words could ever sayYou are Lord over allOver all of my daysI will see this season throughI will fix my eyes on YouOnly YouOnly You

The God is Able album happened to be one of those that just didn't cut it, for me at least. The songs are exceptionally underwhelming, but for some reason, one line of this song just struck me and has stuck with me all week: I will see this season through. (Partly because I am too lazy to change the CD in my car player so it has been looping in there for quite a while)

In a dual way, it speaks to me of seeing this current season through, of how it feels like it's time to really work at building the creative arts (or as Alvin says it, the performing arts) in the church, but it also somehow speaks of seeing the end of a season, because something has to end before something new can arise. And I've semi-made up my mind after struggling for at least a year (as you can tell it takes forever to move me - I'm coming to understand my pattern) but something has shifted, just as it shifted when I decided to move on from FGA previously. I'm still waiting though - waiting until I am removed from the situation (at least by physical proximity) enough to see if my thoughts clarify further. But as it goes, I think I'm pretty sure. But no, I'm not saying anything now until I am very very sure.

And to conclude, on the travelling front, I will be going to San Jose again in mid-July! It's a business trip to the HQ (which will be just like, meh, boring, hahaha) but I'm looking forward to a couple of things.
First, reconnecting with my cell group over at Ignite/ROLCC, and secondly, the Writer's Digest Novel Writing Conference! Woohoo!! This will be my maiden writing conference and I'M SO EXCITED. Hahahaha. I am also so noob, I don't know what to expect or prepare. I've registered for the conference and booked my hotel, but I have yet to get my flight tickets from San Jose to Los Angeles!
(Anyone else going?? Anyone have any advice to share?)

Okay. I think that's all the updates I have.