More Confetti; We are all Masochistic!; Reviews Galore

Happy birthday, sis! All the best in your studies and future endeavours - including in finding a bf. =)

Can expect even more confetti next week. LOL. And my bleeding wallet isn't happy.

Anw I have been pretty free this past week - those who know will know why - so I managed to catch "No Country For Old Men", and "The Spiderwick Chronicles" (erm not my choice). Add to that "黄城 "(erm not my choice again) last week and "The Kite Runner" two weeks ago.

Hmm not too shabby, but I'm missing "There Will Be Blood" and "Juno"(!!), which I still really want to watch. I've kind of given up on the rest. And people have been recommending this and that movie but I don't think I have that much time and $$ to catch them all so yeah. More movie dates, anyone?

黄城夜韵
Nostalgia, man. My first time watching 黄城 was in J1, to support aj. Missed J2 (coz of blocks and they say it sucked), and then went in J3. J4... I was probably stuck in the jungles so yeah. And now J5! It's always great seeing the 黄城 people putting in so much blood, sweat and tears for the production, and reaping the rewards - the experience, the friends - at the end of it.

I always ask myself if I'd have joined 黄城 if given another chance. I dislike impossible hypothetical questions, because there's really no point, but indulge me for a moment. I seriously think I'd have, because I've always wanted to be part of something big - like a performance, or a team competition. Like SYF as well, which I, too, regret not being part of.

But maybe because I've only seen the end result, the glorious moments, and not fully grasped the sacrifices they entail. As they say, 台上一分钟，台下十年功. ATEC comes real close, I guess, and the satisfaction of having completed it was immense, especially after all that we went through. It definitely wouldn't have been the same had it been just a walk in the park.

So there, we're all masochistic in some way because we find joy in challenges. We make life difficult for ourselves (or life make it difficult for us), and celebrate when we live to tell the tale.

Ok back to the drama itself. The entire production felt very amateurish, which is to be expected of a predominantly student production. But what disappointed most were the scripts.

The first play is your typical "try-to-be-cheem" melodrama but the actors failed terribly trying to pull it off. Can only say 历练不够 bah. Zebra was dismayed by the quality of the props as well.

The second was slightly better. The script actually held a lot of promise with the interesting premise - all the characters actually had a part in causing the death of the twin of one of the girls, and the sinister stories unravel when they find themselves trapped in a haunted house. They succeeded in creating the ominous atmosphere but alas, the twist that everyone was looking for didn't materialise - just as the ghosts didn't - and they settled on an less-than-satisfying abstract ending after copious moralising.

The third was, by consensus, the best of the lot. As are most comedies, it was relatively easier to digest, but managed to strike a chord with the audience with its straightforward presentation, laudable acting and a pertinent theme.

The Kite Runner and No Country For Old Men
Both book adaptations share breathtaking cinematography and rousing scores but the latter demonstrates, by far, greater competence in scripting, acting and direction.

Which is only to be expected, as "No Country for Old Men" swept four oscars for best picture, directing, adapted screenplay and supporting actor while "The Kite Runner" garnered only average reviews.

It has the perfect mixture of suspense, humor, and compelling performances. "Another triumph for the Coen Brothers, No Country has the perfect mixture of suspense, humor, and desperately compelling performances. The seemingly simple story hides a more complex narrative, and high tension is maintained throughout." - RT consensus

But whereas "Kite" is buoyed by the commercial sensibilities of Khaled Hosseni's debut novel, "No Country" feeds off Ian McEwan's dark morality tale. So I guess "No Country" is not for everyone unless you are satisfied with the seemingly simple story, but "Kite" should be palatable to those who've read and loved the book, though it is nowhere near as poignant or touching.

The Spiderwick Chronicles
"A decent entertainment -- not up there with the 'Harry Potter' and 'Lord of the Rings' sagas, but a notch above 'The Golden Compass' and 'Narnia'." -Time

So there, another fantasy picture cum CGI fest. Nicely done, but boasts nothing we haven't seen before. Rather like "Bridge to Terabithia" in look and feel, but expect more action and humour thrown in for good measure.

Gong Hei FAT Choy

Hmmm it's 初五 already! Time flies when you're having fun. But actually, this CNY hasn't been so fun after all. Besides all the flashy new clothes, ang pow, and good food, CNY has become a mundane affair for me. It's not that I don't value tradition, or think celebrating CNY is passe, but I'm not particularly close to my relatives so 拜年 isn't all that fun.

There's only so much niceties you can exchange, and perennial topics like marriage and kids have become taboo when you know people are too old to get married anymore, it'd only embarrass both parties to ask. I really envy those families that gamble/play mahjong over CNY as it really brings up the festive spirit, and helps kill time.

In recent years, attention at CNY gatherings has been diverted variously to my cousin's dog, and this year, to my 9-month old niece. She's so cute and cuddly, I only resisted the urge to pinch her for fear that she'd cry. My mum told me that it's just because there's hardly anything to hold a conversation about, so woo-ah-ing over the baby would relieve the awkward situation, and I wholly agree with her. Luckily, I brought my Naruto manga along this year, so I didn't have to stone on the sofa pretending to watch TV, gorge myself with CNY goodies, or attempt to join the conversation.

Speaking of CNY goodies, I've been eating so much that I have put on 2kg (FAT!) over these past few weeks! It's a wonder I still have my voice. But nvm, I will be working hard to shed those kilos for the rest of the week, in preparation for the monstrous training schedule coming up. This is probably the last long break we will get before ATEC ends, so there's nothing to be envious about.

Birth & Death

My uncle was cremated today. It was a very sad moment, when his coffin was pushed into the furnace. The wailing of my cousins and aunts was almost infectious. Gone forever is his physical being, but he will continue to live in the hearts of all of us. We weren't close, but I could see that he is a fatherly figure in the family, being the eldest son and considering that my grandfather died even before I was born. Memories of him congratulating me (although he was wearing an oxygen mask and had trouble speaking) on my A-level results when I visited him in hospital last friday were floating in my mind. That alone brought tears to my eyes.

Sometimes I just wonder if death is deliverance from mortal sufferings. FWIW, my uncle had been down with this terrible illness for more than 2 years, and it pained all of us to see him wilt by the day. Was death, then, a good thing? I would think so, simply from a personal standpoint, with no wish to debate euthanasia-like ethical issues.

It's so tiring being human sometimes that I wonder what the afterlife is like, if there is even one. Would it be so much better that we hate ourselves for not dying earlier? (A very interesting premise I have been contemplating) No, I'm not suicidal. But I wouldn't mind if I were to die a painless death, say, tomorrow. *Touch wood*

On a more serious note, many people are afraid of death because they have "unfinished business" to attend to, or can't bear to leave behind their loved ones. But the inevitability is that you would die sooner or later, and the eventuality is that you would leave behind loved ones whether you die now (your parents and gf) or later (your wife, children and if you're lucky, grandchildren). And personally I feel that I would die with no regrets as long as I have not done anything which is against my conscience. It's ok that I have not been to university, established a career, or that I'm still a virgin. But that's just me, and my opinion might change if and when that fateful day comes.

Incidentally, it is my sister's birthday today. Here's wishing her all the best in the year ahead. One thing I realise about birthdays is that, the older you get, the less enthusiastic you are about celebrating birthdays, because they occur every year, just like any other day. I used to think that birthdays (esp. my own) are the most important days in a year, and would feel unhappy if my parents did not apply for leave to spend the day celebrating it with me. Now, I am happy to spend my birthday alone at home, doing the things I enjoy, and having a simple little feast to celebrate it - this day which is that little bit more special than all the others, and a good excuse to give myself a treat.

Happy Birthday, Mummy!

May she be healthy and happy always, and may all her dreams come true! I will surely miss her cooking after I enlist. =(

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Today is dad's bdae. We had a 2nd round of celebrations, basically more good food and the cake. Argh... how will I ever slim down. I am grateful for such a wonderful dad, may all his birthday wishes come true!

Anw went to collect my army specs in the morning. Just realised that the lens are dreadfully large, and I look really ugly in them. Whatever, not like there are any girls to attract in NS. LOL. Also got rid of the slippers that gave me blisters, and bought a much more comfortable pair. Yeah!

Headache

I have been having headaches for the past few days, argh! Can't concentrate and feeling very grouchy, but must still force myself to smile and tok crap. Decided not to go out with the rest then headed to Causeway Point to see if Stef's album has arrived. Had tt impulse to buy even though I already pre-ordered the Taiwan version. Anyway it didn't arrive until quite late so I didn't buy. Saved some money lor.

Oh yah saw Zejia's blog, the part about children taking after their parents. Did he kope that from me? LOL. I remember telling aik joon that on the way home from jinny's house the other day. Maybe it's pretty obvious. It's not just the looks, but more in terms of the character.

Like for me personally, I got my "act cute" personality from my mum. But I can also be very serious and repulsive at times, like her as well. And my whole family is slightly autistic. My parents don't really have friends (like the kind that become your godmothers/godfathers), and we don't talk to our neighbours that much.

I also remember i had no friends at all in nursery, and every day I'd just sit alone on the school bus, for the entire year, when all the other kids were so rowdy and mixing around. It's a little better now, but I still feel that I would cope fine even if there's no one else in the world to talk to. LOL.