Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Moulin Rogue

I finally watch this classic love tragedy a decade (probably even longer) later.

I see Nicole Kidman in a different light. She is a beautiful woman. In that movie at least. A wishful, tragic drama. A bit too wishful, and I suppose there were some bits that flowed a little funny, some parts that didn't seem realistic, but an okay drama/musical nonetheless.


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Movies to catch... At some point

Invictus
Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.)
The Informant
Salt (another JOLIE movie! There are a few Jolie ones that I want to see Changeling, Brave Heart)
Alice in Wonderland - mmm, Johnny Depp. There are also a number of this movies that I haven't seen.
The Proposal


To be updated.
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Friday, December 25, 2009

A Merry Christmas

Came home from a very filled Christmas day. I think this is one of the fullest that I've ha, at least from what I can remember.

Lunch Buffet with a good family here in Singapore. They have been so kind, warm and welcoming, long before I even set foot on Singapore soil. I am very grateful and fortunate to have had such lovely hospitality from them. In a land where I know no one, it is very nice to have someone reach out their helping hands to you.

After spending my lunch with the wonderful family, they drove me home and I prepared to set off for my next celebration with the dear friends that I've made in Singapore. Ann Marie invited me to her house for Christmas Dinner. My ignorance did not serve me well. Nor did my bad manners. They were very fine people indeed to embrace the situation despite my ignorance and my bad manners. Big people with big hearts. I am lucky to have these people around me, to support me and be here in Singapore with me. It was a lovely Christmas spent with them indeed. To come to think of it, I think that was one of my first Christmas Dinners where there was turkey, ham and a fully blown meal. Thank you for allowing me to experience that in Singapore.

On my way home, I was greeted by a nice taxi man who wished me a very merry christmas when I stepped into the cab. Very nice way to end the evening.

Tomorrow is another day. Tomorrow I will head out to the University for my first Chemistry tutorial. I want to learn something and get something from that session, so I will. :)



As 2009 draws to an end, I wonder to myself, what will 2010 bring? One thing that I have learnt, if I want something, I can't still, wait and wish for it to come to me. I need to go out and GET it.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Scissors

Edward Scissorhands. That was Johnny Depp, and that was Winona Ryder - this movie is an oldie. Indeed, a 1990 movie, a good nine years prior to Girl Interrupted (1999) where Winona starred along with Angelina Jolie and Brittany Murphy in another good movie.

Johnny Depp does not cease to amaze me with his talent. I knew it said Johnny Depp on the cover of the DVD, it just didn't seem like him. But then again, neither does it seem like him in Pirates, or the Secret Window, or anything he acts in really. He is one of the actors that I really admire for being able to portray the character so well that we forget the man behind the man we see is Johnny Depp. In Scissorhands, from his speech, to the way he walked, his emotions, and actions. I just couldn't find Johnny or any resemblance of him! Maybe it was the make up, or some sort of synthetic device to change the pitch of his voice, but whatever it was, it fooled me good.

I really need to get my hands on Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. I guess he doesn't leave Scissors, eh?

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Welcome 2010

As 2009 draws to an end...

Thinking back unto this year. So many things have happened. It seems that drastic changes have taken place with the snap of fingers. Time has flown by, really like the blink of an eye.

I had set out to accomplish several things when I set out on my journey to a country half-way across the world, alone, away from my family and friends. I had made promises to my friends, my loved ones, and myself. I was thinking of evaluating how far I'd come in achieving those goals and promises, but am deciding against doing that. After reading a blog about keeping new years resolutions, I think i'm going to have a different approach to this resolution setting thing. And thus, not really a need to evaluate my own progress in lieu of the "new year", because my goals have nothing to do with the new year.

I would like to write about an inspiration from Karen Au regarding about how I count my days. It was really something that struck a chord somewhere. To count my days with the connections that I make and break. Thanks for sharing that.

I've also written somewhere before, and more recently, remember talking to someone about the one ting that i've learned. And that this, if I want something, I need to go and get it. It doesn't necessarily mean snatching or forcefully taking. It does mean I need to be assertive, and at times even a little aggressive in taking action to get what I want done.

Another lesson about 'doing things' that I need to remember is that doing something (even though it might turn out not as great as one would have hoped/wanted) is better than not doing anything at all. I've found that with my numerous encounters with friends and family, my final decision of action ends up being: nothing. I don't take any action because I don't want to make a wrong move, I don't want to make things worse than they already are. I would like to remedy the situation, but I don't know how I can go about ensuring that my actions will really make things better instead of worse. And working within the time constraints (because actions need to be taken within a certain time frame of the event to be effective) is not my strength. Most times, I am slow at thinking of good solutions or actions to take. By the time I come up with a solution, the time to action has already long gone. The end results ends up being the same - that the action is: nothing.

More recently, i've noticed that my inaction speaks louder than my actions. Or at least, I think that they leave a longer lasting impressions. Not necessarily for the better. I think because when i display 'inaction', the message that is received/perceived from the other party is that of apathy, lack of support, that I don't care. I also forget that silence most of the time means silent consent. When I am silent, I am thinking and trying to analyze what the person's just said. I also forget that the person I'm talking to doesn't know this, and I forget to tell them that I'm thinking about what they've just said. I spend a lot of silent moments trying to think of how to express my ideas (or perhaps I might agree with some of your p.o.v, but not entirely). But, I take a bit too long, and the time has passed and we've already moved onto another topic. The person having taken my "silence" as consent to their p.o.v. A wee bit problematic, innit?

The list continues, but it's a bit boring talking about all this social conundrums and how they fit (or don't) into my life. I know that some of my friends would say: Knowing and accepting is the first step. True. now, let's try to take the next step.

I'm looking forward to 2010. Looking forward to learning about life and what it brings. It's as good as we make it, and I'm looking forward to making it a good one, regardless of the ups and downs that it might throw at me. Much easier said than done. But whatever happens, life will go on with or without you. We need to move on.

起初的愛心

Found this playing in on my shuffle list.

It hit a chord and resonated with a certain string. 起初的愛心.



尋回起初的愛心


如我的心被冷冰封鎖 我無力關心他人
重記主恩為我竟犧牲 請你重燃我心
回望我主十架中犧牲 我流淚為何忘掉救恩
求你賜恩讓我可更生 重建舊日的愛

重拾信心 尋回起初的愛心
原來主愛未離棄 眷顧我已成就救恩
重建愛心 敬拜我主用盡我心
獻上我一生作活祭 我要以你愛服待人

重拾信心 尋回失落了的心
原來主愛沒嫌棄 挽救我已尋獲永生
重建愛心 敬拜我主用盡我心
獻上我一生作活祭 我要以你愛服侍人

Thanks to Hasan for the Link.
Credits to:
尋回起初的愛心 – 新曙光教會
作曲      朱仔
填詞      朱仔
主唱      鄧婉玲
監製      林少聰
錄音      鄧婉玲 @ 有聲奶昔

Monday, December 21, 2009

Avatar

I've been wanting to see this movie ever since I saw the trailer back in Hong Kong, and I managed to fulfill that want today.

The 3-D version was a bit hit, and of course with only 1 hour til the show, only the first three rows were available. To my surprise, there was also a 2D playing, and good seats available. Surprising only because I couldn't locate the 2D version of it online.

I also need to mention that this is my first time going to see a movie alone, and I thoroughly enjoyed the show. I laughed laughs and managed to well up a few tears. I really liked it! I think I like it so much that I wouldn't mind going with friends to see the 3D version, provided that we can get seats somewhere remotely within the vicinity of the back of the cinema hall.

I don't want to share too much, but I do recommend this one.

And, while I'm on the topic of movies, I also watched Saw V and Saw VI recently. (Been taking "movie-watching" breaks in between my study sessions). I don't particularly like Saw VI, but Saw V is interesting. None of them match up to any one of the first three, though. As expected. I think the plot gets a bit messy, but you sort of think of yourself as a "fan" because you've seen the first one or two, so you might as well just continue and see what it's all about.

By the way, thankfully, I didn't/ haven't had any nightmares yet. Knock on wood.


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Friday, December 18, 2009

What's going on in Singapore Dec 2009

I started December off by being in Hong Kong. It was really good to be back. My last trip to HK was about a year and a half ago. The purpose of my trip was to visit family and friends, and I'm happy about my trip because those two purposes have been fulfilled. I've come to realize that we are always short on time, but we all only have so much - so, how do we choose to spend it?

I'm going through the loss of a friend, someone who played such a significant role in my life, as a friend, a confidant, a role model, a source of comfort and hope. I've never really experienced this before, and i'm not quite sure how to deal with it. I'm also not sure how to talk about it, but since the underlying purpose of my trip related to this, it felt natural to include it here. The purpose of my trip to HK was to spend time with my grandparents, to be with them while they are still here. Too many a time have I taken for granted and learned not how to cherish. Too many a time I hope there will be no more.

On another note, I have been studying for my MCAT to be written late April next year. Physics has been quite a challenge for me and I've found someone to help me. I am extremely grateful that I happened to find a physics instructor.

Browsing the internet: I've also been reading lifehacker.com quite religiously recently and have been downloading add-ons to my Firefox 3.5. A lot of neat things on that site! I'm also looking to get Windows & for my MacBook, but that might wait until the new year.