a closer look at Brooke

the headstock...nice wood, eh?

the soundhole...

pix again are courtesy of gretz! (thanksomuchie!)

for the love of...guitars

And then came Saturday, October 18, 2008...

Karen and Dino, her younger brother, accompanied me to Cubao at Salonga store last weekend. Dino happens to be a good musician, as what Karen always babbles (with pride!) at the staffhouse, so I asked Karen to tag him along so he can pick a good one for me. We went there and as we enter, I can't help but beam with so0o0o0o much excitement! A big smile even if my teeth hurt from the new powder blue ligatures I just had from my dentist appointment that afternoon. It didn't matter that time if I delay lunch for half an hour more (it was past 3:00pm then). It was like going to a fashion botique, and wanting to try on every dress! BUT it was Dino whom I asked to try and choose one for me. He tried this guitar which he was eyeing even before we went there. It has a tuner and pick-up already installed, but the problem is it is less than P5000, which means I can't use credit card for staggered payment. So I let him try this black guitar I saw hanging on the wall. Meet my baby Brooke, yep you read it right. It's Brooke and NOTCobralyn or Gorgonia or Thirdy...

Brooke has neither tuner nor pick up...but she's still a BLACK beauty (like the owner, of course! heh-heh). I bought her a strap and an electronic tuner. From now on Alvin and Alfred will be spared from tuning chores. I can only tune the lower G-B-E strings, based on "Linger" by the Cranberries. Even if I have the tuner I still think I should learn to tune by ear though. I'll get there, "one string at a time". ;)

After paying for it we went to Wendy's to eat and then to Timezone at Gateway. Karen and I played aracade while waiting for the videoke booth to empty. I understand then why Karen is so proud of his brother. He sang a Bamboo song (sorry I don't know the title), and then another (Masaya by Bamboo still), a Lifehouse, a Nickelback and finally a Freestyle. I remember he kept saying before we start that he'll just sing ONE song though. Well what can I say??? He can sing all he wants coz HE CAN REALLY SING!!! He's got a voice like Bamboo's (no wonder he sang 2 of his songs), plus he can play the guitar. Now I agree with Karen that Dino should join the PDA (Pinoy Dream Academy).

Now back to Brooke...heh-heh...After dinner at Karen's house I went back to Cavite and started learning "Desert Song" by Brooke Frasier and went to bed, happily, around 1:00am. And by the way, I can't get my hands off the tuner either, simply because I'm amazed there is such a thing! But again I better not rely too much on it and start learning to tune by ear.

Brooke and Blossoms kinda look alike. Both have curved backs and dark color. Blossoms by the way is a Lumanog while Brooke's an Applause (Ovation). Maybe subconsciously I wanted it to look like Blossoms here (What a great excuse to post my picture! heh-heh):

Picture courtesy of gretz who also took the picture of Brooke. I'll get to pose with Brooke soon. :)

Well, one down in my wish list. More to go, but I first gotta make that list...long. =p

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More of this at Karen's blog.

BH2 revision 3

just tried changing some stuff...more improvements needed...

my "delta 3" (ala-ISO style, heh-heh) are as follows:
Added NASA image of the day. Added random stuff pertaining to me. Added "Kategorya ng Paghinga"

I have the NASA picture of the day in my facebook account too...I should've added astronomy in my random stuff. I guess I'll do it some time later.

I can't seem to make the "Kategorya..." list the actual number of posts. All shows the same number of posts. Somebody heeeeeellllpppppppp please! :(

I tried changing the color but didn't succeed. :(

Oh well...

Wishlist...and more

This will be the start of my "Wishlist" posts...and I think it won't stop ;)

(edited: October 15, 2008)
I bought this dvd last Sunday at Megamall after the evening service. I was really looking forward to buying a Hillsong record - either their latest or the one with the song "From the Inside Out". Found it in their "Mighty to Save" album. As soon as I got home that night I quickly changed, brought down my uniforms, set iron, set the DVD player, and watched it while ironing my 3 uniforms for work. It is indeed a very good buy! I checked the 2nd disc which contains documentaries, drum tutorials, and guitar tutorials! But I don't have a guitar with me to try. Went to bed past 1 am. Here are the 2 discs inside:

Speaking of guitar...Karen told me there is this sale in Cubao, up to 50% off! Credit cards and installments are allowed and I'm so0o0o thrilled this coming Saturday because we're going there to buy me one (but only after we go to the dentist in Quezon Ave.). Blossoms, my Lumanog guitar, will have a baby brother (or sister). Wonder what to name it??? Hmmmmnnn...maybe Brooke or Marty, or Joel! Blossoms, btw, got its name from the first complete song I learned which is "As long as it Matters" by the band Gin Blossoms.

So why Brooke? Because I plan to learn "Desert Song" which she sang. I love Brooke Frasier's voice. It has "texture". Well just listen to her so you'll know what I mean. So why Marty? Marty Sampson sang "From the Inside Out". So why Joel? Joel Houston also sang it in one video I watched at YouTube. (Isn't it obvious I so0o0o love Hillsong???) These two songs will be my priority once I get a hold of my new guitar.

I was eyeing 2 guitars in Yamaha at SM Bacoor but these will be on sale next week. But I guess I can't wait for next week. Saturday, October 18, is the day! Heh-heh.

During our way home last night I just couldn't contain my excitement that I told my officemates that I'm going to buy a guitar on Saturday and I might name it Brooke. From there, lots of name came up, courtesy of the ever-creative Alfred. These are just a few I remembered:

1. Cobralyn - Hisssssssssssssssssss...from the House of Slytherin! This was the first suggestion from Alfred, really and we can't help but laugh. Need I explain why?

2. Gorgonia - i think this is a "she" but sounds more like a "she-monster" to me. I can imagine one instance, "Alfred, I can let you borrow Gorgonia", and anyone within hearing would think it's something creepy...like a pet dragon or something.

3. Philomena - so0o0o saintly...and Karen likes it :)

4. Junior - "Can I borrow Junior?" "Why, sure! Just take extra care of Junior 'kay?" Sounds like a baby-sitting thingy

5. Junior III (the third) - patterned after Alfred Jose III. Maybe it can have a nickname "Thirdy"

6. Globalyn - reminds me of Globe network

Uhhhmmm, thanks but no thanks Alfred. I'm fine with "Brooke"... ;)

Inside Out - Hillsong United

This song is one of my growing fave song list from Hillsong...I especially relate to the first stanza. God is so0o0o0o loving. I can't survive without His mercy and grace.

A thousand times I've failed

Still Your mercy remains

And should I stumble again

I'm caught in Your grace

Everlasting

Your light will shine when all else fades

Never ending

Your glory goes beyond all fame

In my heart and my soul

Lord I give You control

Consume me from the insode out,

Lord, let justice and praise

Become my embrace

To love you from the inside out.

Your will above all else

My purpose remains

The art of losing myself

In bringing You praise

Everlasting

Your light will shine when all else fades

Never ending

Your glory goes beyond all fame

In my heart and my soul

Lord I give You control

Consume me from the inside out,

Lord, let justice and praise

Become my embrace

To love You from the inside out.

Lord my soul cries out.

Everlasting

Your light will shine when all else fades

Never ending

Your glory goes beyond all fame

And the cry of my heart

Is to bring You praise

From the inside out

Lord my soul cries out