Feels So Good

When I was studying in Kuala Lumpur in 1981, the music that was played by the radio deejay at the end of his night time request program really mesmerized me. That instrumental track sounded like trumpet or whatever, for I was not big into jazz in those days (I was more metal inclined). But the music etched its place in my mind forever.


Fast forward to 1986. I was in Melbourne Australia, and I finally found out (can't remember how) that the instrumental track I have heard 5 years earlier is actually Chuck Mangione's "Feel So Good", from his 1978 album of the same name. It wasn't trumpet that he was playing, but the flugelhorn.

I then bought the vinyl LP, and the whole album is real magic. It is more jazz-pop than deeeep jazz.

The YouTube video below was probably taped during 1979, when Feels So Good was nominated for zillions of award. The version Chuck played in this video is the fast paced version, which did no do the original track justice. The track on the album started real slow and quiet and slowly built up a real loud ending, and it was more than 9 minutes long.

Feels So Good is 29 years old this year, and like all good things in life, it never ages.

New toy

Those who read my gadgets posting last year will remember me listing all the mobile phones I have ever used, right down to the two that I was using at that time. They were the Sony Ericsson K700i and the Motorola V3i:




Well, I have replaced the SE-K700i in April this year with the SE-K800i, as the keys and joystick on the K700i were causing me a lot of grief. Anyway, the K700i has served me faithfully for 2 years which is about the normal lifespan of a cellphone that suffers a lot of usage and abuse.

The K800i is a tremendous improvement on the K700i. Being a 3.2 MP CyberShot camera phone, needless to say it takes really good photos. Construction is robust and the keys can withstand abuse from my fingers (I do a lot of text messages).


The K800i has now even been superseded by the K810i and K850i but I can live with it. I have outgrown that "Must have the latest model of phone" mania so I think the K800i will serve me for at least 2 years more.

As for the 1 1/2 year old Motorola V3i, I have no choice but to replace it because it simply cannot last a day on normal usage when it used to last 3 days when brand new. I have changed the battery but problem remained. Was told that the phone's electronics is consuming too much power as it ages.

So yesterday I junked it and bought the Sony Ericsson S500i. As I was using the Moto V3i mainly for business calls, I don't need Walkman functions, high tech cameras and other bells and whistles normally associated with the latest cellphones. All I wanted is a phone that looks cool, long battery life, clear reception and does not break the bank, and it has to be a slider. I have never owned a slider phone.


The S500i suits me just fine. It is a slider, 2MP camera, BT etc. It is 14 mm thick, same as the Moto V3i, and thinness is also my requirement since I keep this phone in my shirt's pocket.

Hopefully this one will last another 2 years too.