For you shall not go out in haste,
and you shall not go in flight,
for the Lord will go before you,
and the God of Israel will be your
rearguard.

– Isaiah 52.12 (NRSV)

Happy New Year to you.

Highlights of the past year: Sonic Festival; Signs Of Life; S.O.L. DJ Sessions; John Digweed @ Zouk; ZoukOut; BayBeats; Carl’s Jr.; Pepper Lunch; trip to Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Chicago; Bali; elevator music; portrait photography for The Lonely Eye; a certain lightsaber; Sonic Edge BBQ; the David Pearce seminar.

Christmas was cool. I think this is the first in many years I feel the spirit of Christmas, that is, the real Christmas: a Christmas when we celebrated Christ’s birth and the reason for which He was born into this world.

I made a concrete decision not to buy Christmas presents for most of my friends because I didn’t think anyone should feel obligated to buy everyone a present. So, indeed, only my family got gifts from me. Yet I hope that my presence in fellowship is a worthy enough present for my spiritual family, because that’s all the presents I ever need, worth more than any material thing in this world.

The Sonic Edge BBQ went well enough. It was a great time of fellowship for most of the people who came. I enjoyed myself too. And lucky thing was that I didn't have to wash much since everything went into the dishwasher. Praise God for dishwashers.

Anyway, I just came back from Angel’s party in Serangoon Gardens. It was cool. I got to chat with some friends as well as bump into some acquaintances like Sarah and Desmond.

Tomorrow night, Rueben, Jacq, Vernice, others and myself are heading to Zouk for the NYE countdown. Danny Tenaglia is spinning! It’ll be the first time I’m seeing Tenaglia live.

Oh, here’s the lyrics for Skydive by Freefall feat. Jan Johnston, an old Renaissance (the label) trancer from ’98. I dug it out of some old boxes recently and realised (again) how fierce this track is.

The first moment, before the first touch
We know the longing
We have to hold each other
I will drown you in love
Must suffocate your needs
Now we’re healed.
We have our own language

Collect your words
I have them when you're gone
I silently smile
Even miss you in my sleep

No rush, no loss, no lies
This journey is our love
You’re my hero
From heaven did you call

I feel wonderful
I could skydive from the moon
Sail an ocean,
On my fingertips,
When the wind screams my name
Take his hand and pray
To run run run to you

We will cling to the natural virtues, while all the time God is trying to get us into contact with the life of Jesus Christ which can never be described in terms of natural virtues.

– Oswald Chambers

Ps 139.7–12: Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night’, even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.

Great films I’ve seen recently:
• Michael Bay’s The Island; and
• Stanley Kwan’s Everlasting Regret.



ZoukOut was . . . fun enough. I was on Sentosa from 1pm on Saturday. We went walking around the island, taking strolls especially in the ‘nature walks’, for all its worth. We went into ZoukOut at about 9pm.

Of the bands, I thought Electrico wasn’t too bad. But, of course, bands are really an afterthought at ZoukOut. Chus and Ceballos was pretty good—dark and dirty tribal house to the X-Press 2-esque twisted and tough sound. Nick Warren was utterly boring. Armin Van Buuren is a cheesy trancer, but I suppose that’s not exactly news.

I caught only the ending of Sven Vath’s set. It was nice but below expectations. He did lighten my mood when he played Aztec Mystic’s Jaguar. That’s my sunrise track. But it seems to me that Aldrin is really the only DJ that rocked at ZoukOut. He only had an hour, but he has done more with his crowd than with any other DJ. And his track selection continues to be really good. He also has really good showmanship.

I won’t talk about the other DJs.

After ZoukOut, we ate breakfast at Harbourfront. I felt some relief about leaving ZoukOut. I suppose it’s because a couple of friends put me in a bad mood by leaving early. Actually, it wasn’t because they left early, but rather the reason why they left early. In any case, it put me in a bad mood.

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