View Magdalen's Live Journal 7/14/08 Greetings from Magdalen, I know its been way too long since I have made a news post but I have been finishing up my degree at Berklee College of Music . Somehow, even with a full-time academic schedule, I was able to continue touring (though it trequired some serious multitasking). This past Fall and Spring I visited many campuses throughout around the country, meeting the most amazing student leaders and administrators. One of the nicest places I performed was the chapel at Colgate University - a truly amazing venue. I met some ultra-cool people at University of North Dakota, Agnes Scott College, St Edwards University, University of Oklahoma, Salem State, Washington and Lee University, and San Joaquin State University to name a few. Other highlights of the tour include a blizzardy ride to Houghton (way up in the upper peninsula of Michigan). Due to a blizzard on the original date the show had to be rescheduled 2 weeks later. On the rescheduled date another snowstorm happened. Luckily I made it and the show and people were awesome but mother nature seemed to be having fun with us. So much is going on right now in the US and beyond. We have a crucial presidential election coming up this Fall. Our economic system in crisis and the airline industry is barely hanging on. I am astonished at how plane fares have gone up over the last year. But we musicians have to keep plugging on as touring is our livelihood and one of the primary ways we meet our audiences and bring our music to people. 8 years ago, I predicted our current economic situation would happen to my friends and family. Some of them believed me and some didn't. I try to look at the bright side of things nowadays. This is part of the evolution process of our consciousness as a country. Every great civilization rises, peaks, and falls. Perhaps we as a country need to fully experience the shadow and learn from it before we can come into the light again. It's important for us to humble, realise our vulnerability, stop our wastefulness, raise our consiousness, develop diplomacy instead of war-mongering, and make the right decisions ecologically so we can survive into the next century. Above all, it's important we choose our leaders more carefully this time around. We need to choose leaders that have the consciousness and egolessness needed to bring us to a higher place, spiritually, socially, economically, and ecologically. I made some major strides at Berklee in gaining a complete knowledge of music theory, and developing new skills in music technology, recording techniques, songwriting, and arranging. I can sight read, notate music, sing and play much better than before. But the highest point for me at Berklee was founding the Asian Students @ Berklee Club. I helped create this organization to to be a networking and advocacy resource for Berklee's large Asian and international student population. I'm very proud to be leaving the club in the hands of some wonderful student leaders who will carry the torch for the organization. This Fall I look forward experiencing freedom and songwriting just for myself again. I also look forward to eventually moving to San Francisco and back to the west coast again. For now I am still based in Boston, Ma and I have some wonderful memories of this city and what it means to live here. I look forward to touring without the constraints of a full-time academic schedule - without having an important test or exam hanging over my head. After all, the most important test is life and living it from your highest self!... Journal Archive | Last Updated: July 14, 2008