Azarian Realms

That Fateful Day

2012-02-12T20:46:00.000+08:00

It's been close to a year since my last post. Time does fly by, regardless of the existence or otherwise of fun as defined by contemporary terms. Change was the predominant theme of the last three hundred and sixty or so days. Some good, some not and some were to be forever etched in the chronicles of my memory within this short span of existence.

I've switched jobs, though I wouldn't describe this vocation that I currently hold as new. Apart from the dire need of a curriculum and structured systems, it's pretty much an amalgamation of job scopes from two of my previously held positions. My colleagues, for the most part, are nice and the clients are inspiring enough to warrant these minor inconveniences. But this is but one minute level of change among a spate of minute changes in the flow of my life. The most significant, and dare I say life altering, of these changes occurred on Monday, the 6th of February 2012. That was however not to imply that things haven't been building up to that point since the the early days of December of the previous year.

We, that is both my wife and I, had suspected that she was pregnant as early as the December 2011. The physical changes, nausea, purging of food were clear symptoms of pregnancy. Faint second lines on off the shelf pregnancy test kits she took did not help to make the situation any clearer. I for one do not quite give weight to tools which may produce false positive or false negative outcomes. In other words, I do not trust equipment that measures not the object it is meant to measure but instead measures something else that may be indicative of the existence of the object. I understand that most scientific measurement tools has yet to be elevated to the levels of the tricorder but I'm an idealist and that's that. And as if to lend weight to my argument, the supposedly more accurate blood or serum tests showed decisively negative results when she took it in the middle of January this year. And so with the symptoms persisting, we had decided to schedule an ultrasound scan to once and for all confirm or deny the existence of the next of our generation. She had picked a gynaecologist that she was comfortable with and made an appointment for that fateful Monday. I had specifically requested for a delayed reporting time to work for that Monday morning so that I may share in the experience of it all.

But as all things are on life's stage, the play doesn't always follow the script.

We had arrived outside of the gynaecologist's clinic a good hour before our appointment and delighted ourselves to some much needed breakfast. I had chosen a heavier breakfast than normal in anticipation of a long day ahead. Little did I know that this day would redefine what a long day truly meant.

The heavy breakfast

It was only around 15 minutes prior to our appointment time when we received a call from said clinic to inform us that our appointment had to be canceled due to the rise of an emergency that the doctor had to attend to. Setting our thoughts of poor client communication and management aside, we decided to call other nearby gynaecologists in the hopes of being able to secure an appointment and whilst at the same time placate our now ever tense nerves. We were able to acquire an appointment at a clinic in Ang Mo Kio albeit at a later time slot. My wife then suggested for me to go to work and for her to go to the appointment alone but I had decided against it. There was this nagging sense, a vague precognition if you will, that things would not go as smoothly as we would expect. One would even call it the start of a self-fulfilling prophecy. And so I took an urgent leave from work on that day and proceeded to accompany her for the appointment.

When we arrived the clinic seemed, for all intents and purposes, normal. It wasn't until the registration process when we felt that something was not quite right. One of questions the staff was, I assumed, required to ask would be whether or not the couple would like to keep the baby, once confirmed of course. Now there are many direct, indirect, verbal and non-verbal means to ask this but the manner in which we encountered this query really threw us, well me in particular, off.

"You're not keeping it, right?"

Now whether you're like me an avid student of psychology or not, I'm fairly certain you'll be able to fathom the nature of the clinic we were in or at the very least, it's more popular services from that one line. And we should have left at that moment and sought another practitioner but that pressing need and desire to confirm my wife's pregnancy coupled with the difficulty in acquiring a short notice appointment far outweighed what we both, perhaps saw at the time, as a minor inconvenience. During our wait, there were numerous individuals of the female persuasion who were hurried into the second floor of the clinic for them to arrive moments later clutching their abdomen.

The gynae himself, when we did get our turn, did not improve our perception of him or his establishment. Although he did greet the both us with a smile, the conversation after him performing the ultrasound (which took like less than 3 minutes) were littered with phrases of "miscarriage", "complications", "poor embryo quality" and finally culminating in "abort". It would have been too easy and tempting for me to do a case study on this guy on the effects of Conditioning and Desensitization due to one's chosen profession or rather what one had chosen to do with the profession.

The clinic & gynae in question. Avoid at all cost, unless you are looking to get an abortion done.

All in all we paid close to SGD$300 for both the supposed consultation and the ultrasound scan which left the both of us worse off emotionally. It's not about the money or our time, what this Jen Shek Wei took from us, was that initial feeling of wonder and excitement that would be parents would get seeing that black speck that would soon grow into their future sons and daughters for the first time, ever. What he robbed us of was the sense and feeling of hope for a future generation to nurture and care for. He robbed us of all that was meant to be beautiful in that moment for would-be parents to be in awe of viewing their child for the first time.

Although I am sure that he provides a "necessary" service to those who might need it and probably earns quite a sum for them too. Perhaps it would be for the psychological good of this practitioner to retake the Hippocratic Oath and preferably internalize the line:

"I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug."

Took the better part of the day for me to console my wife, inclusive of a trip to our family doctor for assistance in acquiring a more emphatic gynaecologist.

At the end of it all, the only positive thing that I was able to get from that day, is this picture of my would-be child. Who knew that the tiny black speck could inspire such feelings of hope in a guy like me ...

The Story So Far ... From Flag to Flag

2011-04-29T17:01:00.007+08:00

Needless to say there have been a lot that has happened since I last wrote on here. What was once an object of exhilaration, me finally making the shift back to an Android based phone; namely the HTC Incredible S from the dreaded iPhone 3GS, became but a footnote in the whole chronicle of my life when compared to other events of significantly greater importance. Namely that of my change in status.

And no, I have not joined the ranks of the living-impaired and am currently either writing this as a spectral entity or a necrotic fleshed zombie with gestating maggots ready to pop. Most definitely not a change in that status, at least I hope, not for the foreseeable future. You see, I just tied the knot. Just being the operative word, with the religious ceremony having transpired exactly 1 month and 24 days ago. Contrary to what most people have recounted prior to my marriage, things have been going rather well, and if I were to exaggerate, amazingly well. Sure there are a few hiccups here and there, most definitely differences in some aspects of our mindsets and approach towards the completion of certain things. However, these are the aspects that make it all so amazing. The fact that two people of dissimilar backgrounds, genetics, life experiences, goals, familial influences, socio-economic statuses could come into a union and strive towards making the union excel, not for the sole primary purpose of their own selves but in the hopes of being able to create a better life for a generation to-be of which all hopes are then placed upon. This is what makes such unions truly a fulfilling experience. Can't wait till I have my own next-generation to lead. And yes my dear, should you read this, that is definitely a hint. Then again, this may be just my wide-eyed, idealistic naivety at embarking on this new stage of my life.

This is not to say that being married frees up a lot of ones' time. Quite the contrary. In fact one could even say that this would be better termed as a challenge on ones time management and of prioritizing their goals for respective aspects of their lives. One that I honestly find to be quite a contest of discipline and self-regulation between my needs, my wants and the idle things that occasionally meander into my thoughts. Definitely a case for saying that marriage has the potential of turning delinquent young boys into responsible men. That is, given that the challenge would be met with a positive mindset and provided that National Service had not already achieved said result already. Though I do admit being in the line of work that I have been embarking on for more than half a decade that the social problems presented do attribute some of their causes to a dysfunctional family unit either born from an improper creation or through sheer neglect. Needless to say, having seen, heard and experienced some part if not the bulk of their stories, I am steadfast in both desiring to assist them in the alleviation of their issues as well as to prevent any such occurrences from transpiring in mine.

Time is such a precious, intangible and irreplaceable commodity of which the bulk is spent either sleeping or working. Both of those taking up at least 14 hours in a 24 hour-day. Not going to cite any studies here as I don't want to turn this into an academic paper. And to those who deem themselves fortunate enough to knock off work after spending 5 hours or less in the workplace, do note that the time you spend at home, cafe, libraries or anywhere else preparing or completing items related to work, counts as work too. I'd know, having worked in one such profession before. And if you're taking up higher education for the purposes of gaining competence and mastering of the subject matter, to challenge yourself beyond your normal scope of ability or simply for a chance at acquiring a more substantial income then you would realize that the first line of this paragraph is but a gross understatement of how valuable time would be to you. I sense this too. Given that I work the normal eight hours per week day with additional occasional weekend work hours and full day events, have new family life commitments, inclusive of setting up of my home and a coming reception and on the education front, I've got a survey to roll out and gather data for (pending approval and hoping to receive it at the soonest), a dissertation proposal to write up, a presentation on an aspect of Neuropsychology to do up as well as a written paper on that same topic and deadlines are coming fast for all them. Needless to say that I am feeling stressed but it's the good kind of stress, one which psychologists term as eustress. I would merely describe it as the good feeling you get attempting to surmount a challenge. And overcome them I definitely will.

Those who know me know of my passion in writing and of the challenges I face in recapturing that habit. As the loss in time I have to pursue such an act of attaining or at the very least progressing towards competence and mastery has really affected my performance in all aspects of my life. This is the other aspect of stress that I'm sure most people would be familiar with. The bad kind. One which psychologists would term as distress and what I would describe as a god awful shitty feeling. In a bid to overcome this, I had created a travel blog and another blog with the purpose of commentating on socio-political happenings in my nation. The former I would expect to update on a more occasional basis as I do not foresee myself going for travels that often, whilst the latter appears to bring with it a tendency of being saturated with potential things to write about. Especially given that my country's General Elections have just officially begun and the hustings well underway with the Polling Day set on 7th May 2001. Though temptations may make we wish to act the part of a citizen journalist and post updates on thoughts and sentiments be it from myself or from the public, I'm afraid that the current constraint on my time and the importance of other matters may, most likely, lead me to not placate this particular want. Though I am determined to continue to write in whatever way, shape or form. Still these are avenues in which I'd hope to, at the very least, lead to experiencing a sense of competence and mastery of something which I professedly love to do.

PS: I started writing this short piece on the 29th April 2011 at around 3:00 pm, admittedly with frequent interruptions and only ended it on 30th April 2011 at 1:24 pm whilst I'm manning the station for the Handicaps Welfare Association's Flag Day. It shows that there's still a thick crust of rust for me getting my thoughts out into writing.

PPS: Oh and if you see the Handicaps Welfare Association's donation tins going around - Do not vote for us but please give generously!

I really do need to come back ...

2011-04-27T15:55:00.004+08:00

Without doubt a lot of time has passed since I've wrote anything on here almost to the point of being an unforgivable sin. Especially when it should be noted of the many times wherein I've posted my intent to restart my writing. However due to the seemingly innumerable occurrences that seemed to have tsunami-ed itself into my life over the past several months, my intent on reawakening the severely malnourished literary muse that has laid dormant within myself.

Maybe it was the dreaded sense of creeping emptiness, a soul-sucking void in me not being able to express myself through this medium of alphabet sequencing and arrangement, perhaps it was the acquisition of a new status in my life and all the expectations, exhilaration, adaptations and juggling that came with it, the overbearing anxiety over having to repeat a module of Applied Psychology that I should have aced or maybe it was just a sense of discontentment at not being to express myself the way I want to that is impairing me being able to express myself.

Regardless, I am back and I intend to remain here to write, for without it, I am but a shadow of my once vibrant self.

Flagging The Day

2010-10-02T23:49:00.005+08:00

It most definitely has been some time since I’ve written anything on here.And it’s definitely not due to the lack of things to write about what with all the occurrences that keep popping up either globally or locally on a seemingly hourly basis, thanks to the various means of instant information sharing that the internet provides. This is more due to the author’s, ergo my need to filter these at times overloading streams of issues, ideas and the various opinions and related facts with regards to them to ascertain the most salient of them all.

And at this point in time, there is nothing more prominent than fund raising events and activities that act as much needed financial stimulus for the daily operations of the majority if not all of the voluntary welfare organizations in Singapore. One of the more popular or rather well known of such events are these uniquely Singapore Flag Days. Most countries would have a particular day marked in their calendar to commemorate or celebrate either the adoption or first flying of their national flag while a Flag Day in Singapore would mean a day on a weekend allocated to a particular Voluntary Welfare Organization (VWO), which are a fancy if somewhat technical term used to refer to non-profitable and charitable organizations in this island nation, specifically for the soliciting of donations from the general public. These VWOs would need to apply for a Flag Day slot for the coming year through the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) the pseudo national governing body for VWO activities in Singapore.

To those who are non-Singaporean residents or those generally unfamiliar with the culture of this island city that may happen upon this blog entry and find it intriguing enough to read, Flag Day in Singapore to a casual observer could simply be described as a group of people carrying marked tins and going around in an attempt to solicit donations from the general public be it in terms of coins or notes nearly every weekend. Those who would be kind enough to part with their spare change would be given a sticker bearing the mark of the organization that said particular Flag Day event belongs to as is shown in the following set of pictures:

The individuals tasked with the above are usually employees and/ or members of the organization and volunteers which may include students attempting to fill up their Community Involvement Programme (CIP) hours.

So in essence, there are no flags involved in any way, shape or form and most definitely no celebrations or commemorative trinkets issued out on the day. That is unless one would consider the stickers as such trinkets in which case I would, in turn need to consider said person’s state of mind. As such the reasons as to why these events are known as Flag Days seeing as no flags are involved, escape me. And doing searches on the web in an effort to decipher this particular mystery did not also yield any insight. Though I do admit that I did not go into full research mode and unearth the paper printed annals of this nation’s past quadruple decades to make clear the ambiguity, I do at the same time also feel that it should not require such an effort given how widespread the understanding of what a Flag Day in Singapore entails in the first place.

This particular vehicle of soliciting for donations though seemingly simple enough is anything but that as most of those who have been “tin can bearers” would attest to. The amount of planning and coordination in terms of acquiring of permits, registration of participants and their allocation of location and the logistics in the allocation and collection of tins and stickers as well as other related materials, which would include permits for solicitation, mobility aids, banners and tags for the respective centres is, for a lack of a better word, challenging. Also taken into account would be the same coordination and planning for the sensitive nature of the storage of funds acquired and the counting of them. This is clearly evident from the way my colleagues and I have been metaphorically dashing to and fro and most times in a roundabout fashion to ensure that everything that needs to be arranged has been arranged prior to the event itself. A coordination of such massive scale that I’ve only experienced during my term in National Service (NS) when major exercises were being run by various military specialist units on Pulau Tekong. Such an endeavour though an excellent experience that I would recommend for all to experience at least once in their life, does not sit well my ideas and concepts of how VWOs should primarily acquire their funding.

Personally, I have always been an advocate of a more hands on governing of the funding for VWO’s. In other words, it is my strong belief that such organizations should be fully funded by the government directly, if not a majority of their operating cost. And yes this does sound like and would operate much like socialism, whereby the nationalization of social services would be inherent within such an approach. I mean part of the reason why we are paying taxes is so that such services which addresses the needs of the society would be available and could remain available for the foreseeable future and hopefully beyond. At the same time however, I do agree with the Singapore government’s policy and approach towards having the community itself bring about the creation of VWOs for the purposes of addressing the needs within the community, either generally and specifically. However, what I do not agree is the limitation of funding for community created VWOs that have already established its services that addresses those needs. Such limitations however are inherent possibly due to, and I am only basing this on heuristics as I’ve not actually done any actual studies, the huge number of duplicated, if not replicated services and VWOs which if left unchecked in some way, would lead to a strain of the national budget for social services. As such a regulating body for these VWOs be able to identify such duplicated services and streamline or merge them, perhaps such a socialistic approach would be possible. And before any naysayers would point out on the deficiencies of such a nationalized system, I would as easily point out Singapore’s successful implementation of its nationalized mainstream education, military and police force. There would of course still be some fund raising activities on the part of these VWOs, but it would not seem as if the very survival of these organizations would primarily depend on such means of monetary acquisition given a more focused, if not also intrusive, method of regulation. Given the reduction in corporate tax by as much as 9% from 2000 to 2010, one would expect a correlation between the reduction in tax to a reduction in overall corporate donations and ultimately a tooth and nail battle between VWOs to acquiring the remainder of these corporate monies.

However, till the time when such a system is implemented fund raising activities as the one mentioned above, of which I would be involved in this 2^nd of October would remain the norm and a constant sight on nearly every weekend.

Note: Edited to remove some weirdly concocted phrases and sentences as well as to include some ideas and facts that were missed out. Serves me right for writing this out in the middle of the night while being half asleep.

Mobile Dilemma

2010-06-17T06:13:00.007+08:00

So here's the thing. Due to some poor care of my HTC Hero as seen here (yes, I got the bronze one):

It started to display sentient-like abilities in calling my girlfriend every few seconds on its own, literally. This could be due to the numerous times it has been soaked in various forms of liquid substances, not excluding soy milk and certain well-known brands of instant coffee. Now I do realize that the Android 1.5 (Donut) operating system was, at least a year ago, in a league of it's own for mobile phones but I did not quite think that it would go the way of Skynet. Though it did at that point in time feel that way.

And so I needed another smartphone to take it's place, with the Hero being sent for repair (thank goodness for warranties), which may mean weeks with me having to make do with an old Nokia. Having scoured what available cellular concoctions at the time -which was roughly two months ago - I did not feel all at ease with what was on offer. Sure Motorola's Milestone was pleasant looking phone running on an Android 2.0 but the in your face presentation of the first generation MotoBlur really put me off it. Besides, I was never a fan of slide phones with QWERTYs.

And then there was the HTC Legend. The supposed continuation of the Hero's legacy. However, apart from the unibody construction, updated HTC Sense UI and the Android 2.1 (Eclair), there was nothing in terms of computing power or memory that places this as the next logical step up from where I was before. The Legend was basically a Hero-refit, if you will, with an updated operating system, which does not necessarily translate to it running any more smoother or being more capable than the Hero itself. It did look good though and very familiar as well.

Bear in mind too that my options were limited given that I was still contracted to my local mobile service provider and could not quite jump off to another provider without incurring further delays. And thus I did the unthinkable.

I got myself a 16GB iPhone 3GS, without contract. Yes it did cost me a bundle and no, you may not ask me how big a bundle it was. I figured, it's a good enough phone with a relatively high trade-in value should I decide to revert back to an Android phone (which was more than likely) considering that a recontract was due in roughly 8 months from that time. And even though it had just a 600 MHz ARM processor, there was no multitasking ability, so it should run quite smoothly.

I have to admit the experience of using this was good, to say the least. No multitasking meant no overloading of the CPU and very minimal lag. Getting full access to the App Store and all it's contents, paid or otherwise is also refreshing considering that users in Singapore only have access to the free content in the Android Market if one were to use an Android phone, without any special procedures. However, it's the user interface that I find somewhat lacking. Rows of icons spread over several pages doesn't necessarily inspire me to feel as though this contraption is in any way of form, representative of me. I know that sounds a bit absurd, considering that it's just a phone but that was the feeling I get from being able to customize with HTC's Sense UI.

And so I waited for a worthy enough Android phone to make it's way here. What with the Google Nexus One and the HTC Desire already out in the world somewhere. The only downside with Google's first foray into the handset market is that it was, at that point in time a web-purchase only for the rest of the world, which was quite costly in itself and was only tied with certain telcos in the United States. And so I remained hopeful for the Desire.

There were some Android based phones that seemed to make tiny ripples in the mobile world. The Acer Liquid, the Samsung Galaxy series, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, X10 mini and the X8. However, apart from Sony Ericsson's customized layout of Android 2.1, both Acer and Samsung's offerings were more to vanilla Android 2.1. And having said that, Sony Ericsson's own modifications of Android 2.1 did not quite, at least to me, do the operating software justice.

And so I waited. Though it pleased me to know that HTC had in fact released two mobiles of the highest quality in the Droid Incredible and the Evo 4G, I was at the same time saddened to know that these were telco-specific phones for Verizon and Sprint respectively. Still, I was especially impressed with the Evo 4G, touted to be the only phone able to match up to the now announced, soon to be released iPhone 4. Just have a look at the Evo 4G's promo video. Not to mention that it has been placed head to head with the iPhone 4 as it's only real competitor over numerous websites, with this being one of them.

Nevertheless I waited and hoped and was glad to know that the Desire was finally released in Singapore and picked up by the telco that I'm contracted with. So it should be a simple trade and upgrade, right? Not quite. I've kind of grown to like this iPhone 3Gs of mine. And what with all the accessories I've bought for it (solar charger included) it kind of makes it difficult for me to part with this piece of retro-junk. Yet at the same time I would dearly wish to own the one

handphone that I've waited for nearly a year now. And seeing that my contract will only truly end in November, god knows what other HTC-Android gadgets might pop up to temp me. Especially now with the release of Android 2.2 (Froyo) and the rumours of a certain HTC Scorpion sporting both the mentioned operating software and a 1.5 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor.

Oh well, guess I'll just keep watching videos of the HTC Desire over these few months while I make up my mind.

!Hiatus

2010-01-24T15:17:00.003+08:00

The period of time since I last posted here was filled with......... changes. Alterations in perspectives of things that once were thought permanent.

Earthquakes, sessions, studies, tech,social agendas......... and most importantly writing. Something I need to do more often.

Besides, I've been neglecting my blog for way too long.

In A Day

2009-12-06T01:56:00.003+08:00

The day did not start at dawn. Well, it did. It was just that my day, specifically, did not. And if it wasn’t for the phone call from the hotel room that my parents were in, my day would have most probably, if not likely, started at dusk. Not that I would have minded that at all. Periods of hibernation were rare.

The voice through the phone was fuzzy, like those voices you’d hear in dreams and I still had trouble recalling whether it was my mom or my dad. Fuzzier still were the contents of the conversation. All I remembered after was that returning to my slumber suddenly dropped down the list of greatly desired things to do. Like one of those Resident Evil zombies, I moaned as an unseen force dragged my body out of bed in search of nourishment. Donning my light pink polo –T and my faded black jeans from yesterday night, I sauntered out of my hotel room, self hygiene being the last thing on my mind.

What happened subsequently remained between the realms of sleep and wake. My hunger was satiated and it was only after coming into contact with the cold waters from the shower did my senses spring into consciousness. And I instantly remembered of getting my hair cut whilst being here.

In pretty much the same attire I was in before, I headed to where I remembered the line of barber shops were at. It was about two lanes down from where the hotel I stayed in was. Passing by both the Haniffa Department Store and Mydin Megastore, which were not unlike the Mustafa Centre found back home, I came to the area where the barber shops were. Something about the whole layout of the lane was different from the image being recalled in my mind but I put it down to a probable progress in the development of the area. Not having any particular preference of barbers, I stepped into the center shop on the right of the lane. The Coliseum it was named, not after the Roman arena of death but after one of the nearby hotels that have been earmarked as a historical landmark.

One of the unique experiences of getting your hair shaped by the talented hands of the barbers in K.L., were their equally talented gift of the gab. Conversations with barbers were few and far between back home, most preferring to only initiate communication when permission was required to either shave off ones sideburns or begin further removal of ones hair. Or in some other cases, they would even speak over you with the other barbers in the same shop. That is if you’re lucky enough to get any conversations going, regardless of your involvement in them.

The barber that styled my hair was a native of Malacca and had moved to the capital to make his livelihood nearly twenty years ago. Most of the skilled tradesmen in that immediate area seemed to share similar backgrounds. Traveling from their native counties and even countries, in the hopes of finding a way to sustain their lives. The scope of the conversation spun from origins to those of current events and of course, what manner of conversation would it be between males if topics relating to politics did not come up every so often. I even got wind of a fire that broke out in the lane not so many months ago, which explained why it looked much from different from the memory that was stored in the recesses of my mind. Most of the shops in the affected area have been shifted to a nearby mall which lay in the outskirts of this immediate densely populated and high traffic area. The stylist himself, now putting the finishing touches on what would come to look like something out of a line up of Ivan Drago impersonators, was once a permanent barber in one of the shops that fell victim to the flames, having now moved to the Coliseum to continue his trade.

With the haircut now done, I then made my way towards the nearby Maybank where I was meant to meet up with my parents and brother. Taking a spot somewhere outside the flagship bank of Malaysia, I scanned the area for cigarette butts. It’s the normal thing a smoker does before lighting their stimulant inducing sticks. Well, the normal thing this smoker does anyway. Like one of those Red Indian trekkers who search for signs of wild animals before setting up camp in the woods, except not quite that nature friendly or even as cool. Call it a smoker’s trekking habit because I know that’s what I call it.

Upon meeting up with the rest of the entourage, we then went to the Central Market or what the locals would call Pasar Seni (Art Market). Five minutes was all it took for us to get there, pass the permanent bazaar near the Indian mosque and then onwards beyond the Masjid Jamek station interchange for the Ampang and Kelana Jaya LRT Lines. As the name suggests, it’s the place to go for art supplies as well as to view amazing portraits, sculptors and other works that would inspire the quarks of creativity vibrating within us. Although the experience there was still as how I remembered, there was one aspect of the whole place which caused some other quark to vibrate. You see, you needed to pay fifty sen (around 20 or so Singaporean cents) to gain access to the sanitary facilities of the place but it wasn’t the price that bothered me. It was the manner in which you’d enter that caused some rearrangement in my schemata regarding toilets. Like the action of dropping said coin into a slot not unlike those found in jackpot machines which was then linked to a turnstile fit for most subterranean train systems. This was coupled by swinging double doors that you might find in movies set in the Old West. If I didn’t really have to go then, I would have probably been quite mesmerized with this mix and match theme. Needless to say pictures were definitely taken for the purposes of verification, if not anything else.

Fast forward again and we’re in one of those red and white topped Proton cabs, heading towards Selayang. This was a stop to visit our relatives there who were going to accompany us to the now popular and well-known night bazaar in Setapak, or what the locals would call Uptown or Danau Kota. The cab ride itself was something out of the French movie Taxi with the driver initiating moves into back lanes, hotels and petrol kiosks entry and exit ways to make headway despite the jam. The only thing lacking was an ultra fast automobile and death defying stunts but it was close enough.

The conversations that transpired between my dad and the driver though was something that, though expected, still boggles me from time to time. It was more due to my dad’s ability to strike up a conversation with almost anyone regardless of the situation – coach bus drivers, cab drivers, cleaners, security guards to name a few. I guess it helps when one is working in the frontlines of service. Then again, it was always the other party that begins the conversation and that aspect of my dad’s ability to draw someone to share their experiences upon first meeting, is quite a skill in itself.

It was nice to have met my relatives in Selayang and them bringing our family to Uptown was much appreciated, what with me getting whole loads of reasonably priced polo-Ts and other apparels. Reaching home at nearly 3 am, we settled into our separate rooms in Hotel Noble but our day didn’t quite end there. My brother had this idea of attempting some light writing. It was a photographic technique that required a dark room, time setting manipulations, a singular light source and several flashes. After an hour of trial and mostly errors, we finally got it right. Now he has one of his photos with his pseudonym under it.

All in all a good day ending at 5 am. Need to go get myself into the hibernation process now, hopefully.

In The Journey

2009-12-05T21:48:00.003+08:00

The moon stalked me. Its full form surrounded by a ghastly aura seeming to shimmer amidst the clouds surrounding it. And it followed me still. Through water streaked windows it peered, like the watchful eye of a concerned unseen. For long moments my gaze was fixed upon this celestial of the night sky. The wonder of its existence making my own appear inconsequential. Devoid of all thoughts and emotions, save for the unusual sense of contentment then emanating from the deeper reaches of my being. The feeling was short-lived though. For as WRX 2132 sped along the highway, it seemed to traverse in the opposite direction, bidding farewell as it did so.

So then there I was in seat 3C, hammering away on my old school heavyweight Compaq Presario M2000 laptop. Everyone else on the coach bus had already gone to sleep, what with the serving of onboard movies ranging from It’s All Gone Pete Tong, Pinata: Survival Island and Hairspray not quite being the proper kind of stimulation for a trip like this. The sights at twenty three hundred hours in the night did little to help in the matters of staying awake either. Unless you were one that finds the alternating flashes of passing street lights to be one of sufficient amusement. Besides, it was already close to midnight, the time when most diurnal creatures would have chosen to go through their much needed cycles of rapid eye movements. Then again, I am not like most diurnal creatures.

Sleepless nights were somewhat the norm with the occasional lack of sleep nights and the quite rare periods of hibernation. And this night was no different, trip or no trip.

In about an hour or two I would be exchanging SBS and TIBs for Metrobuses and Rapid KLs, Delgro backed Hyundai Sonata cabs for Proton backed, red and white topped taxis, the Mass Rapid Transit for the Ampang and Kelana Jaya Lines. There would be no thrills of possible meetings with potentials this time around. Just me, my parents, my brother and my thoughts.

With the NICE coach bus now easily doing 150 kilometers, if not more on the highway and the low battery life icon flickering on the bottom right corner of my laptop, I am left to ponder here in the semi-darkness of this large vehicle. Grateful of being sequestered from Singapore’s hyper-rhythmic tempo of the mundane but at the same time unsure of what really to do in this first phase of overseas trips.

It was here in the stillness of the moment, devoid of watchful eyes, human or otherwise that my mind became most active.

A Letter To My 15 Year Old Self

2009-09-25T19:59:00.003+08:00

Dear Asrorie,

I guess there’s no other way to say it other than I’m from the future, more specifically, your future. Well, one of your futures anyway if you believe in the idea of multiple timelines and parallel dimensions of existence. Of which I’m very sure you do. And no, I’m not writing this from beyond the grave, not by any means. Be sure that I’ll find more prominent ways of contacting you if that were the case. Not to mention the temporal-metaphysical implications of such a venture, which in itself is a nice sub-plot for a Doctor Who episode. You might not know it now but this will be one of your favourite sci-fi series along similar lines as Star Trek, Babylon 5, etc.

Anyway, I’m sure you’ll be glad to know 15 years on or so, you will still entertain the pseudo-megalomania that has in some if not most ways shaped much of our drives in acquiring or initiating something. This undying need to create an influence for the betterment of mankind, as a whole or in part still plagues us. Not necessarily a bad thing, though selecting a specific focus of particular aspects of humanity’s spectrum of dysfunctions would by its own nature be both a necessary but altogether messy process. Not to mention the conflict between abilities or potential in abilities and of pursued interests further adds to the messiness. And all that is regardless of whichever dimensions of existence you or I may hail from. Perhaps it was due to our perceived birthright, our genealogy, our given name and that which would have been our name. More so given the manner in which we were named giving rise to such perceived implications. I know for a fact that you have struggled with this name of ours. What it means and how it relates to the grand scheme of things as seen by your eyes, whether or not your actions would impact the world in the way it should and of your own significance or lack thereof within this complex meshing of realities.

Charles Gunn (played by J. August Richards) said it best in the Inside Out episode of Angel Season 4 “The final score can't be rigged. I don't care how many players you grease. That last shot always comes up question mark. But here's the thing. You never know when you're taking it. It could be when you're duking it out with the Legion of Doom or just crossing the street deciding where to have brunch. So you treat it all like it was up to you, the world in the balance, 'cause you never know when it is.” (link) What’s Angel you ask? Only what will be one of your most favourite TV series of all time that would in some and maybe most ways assist in refining your, our moral and purpose compass.

In a lot of ways, this very reason of influencing change for the better is why we seek to be an author. And though I know that you have placed writing on the backseat at this time in your life, preferring to pursue other means of self expression and possible avenues for a career, I’m also very sure that you realize that your potential abilities in those areas are not quite the ideal. Nothing wrong in trying to be the next Jaco Pastorius but through time, you’ll realize that there can only be one Jaco, due to more factors imaginable to you now. Experiences that you will garner through this endeavour though are without a shadow of a doubt priceless and the insights will give you more than just an idea of why most of your musical idols left this realm of existence early. Your current preoccupation with alternative, grunge and punk overtones though are natural, given your age. Nirvana, Green Day, The Offspring, they all kick ass yeah. Helps you to create schemata to deal with all these nuances in what you’re experiencing. You’ll learn more about the whole schema thing way in the future. Hey, even I still listen to them in my age.

Oh and even though I can tell you now that your exploits in pursuing a career as a professional footballer would ultimately come to no avail, pursue it anyway. Trust me when I say that you will be thoroughly tested both physically and mentally and will come out the better from it. Not to mention that you will find other aspects of football more appealing to you than merely being a chess piece in the field of play.

You will ultimately return to written words and the writing of them given due time. That is ultimately the solace for us, both as a form of catharsis and resolution as well as a tool in spreading influence for the betterment of others and a reflective tool.

You will soon read that all throughout history the various ways and means in which literature had inspired nations and cultures to rise and adversely sent them toppling. Of how scores of people are invigorated by ideas proposed through combinations of symbols. From Hitler’s Mein Kampf to the Bhagavad Gita. From Shakespeare’s Othello to Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin. We both realize the impact of carefully concocted words on the teeming masses, both the intrinsic burden and of their uplifting effect.

Such are notions that I’m sure you’d love to keep hidden for the most part from your friends and even your family. Fear being the main motivation for this. The fear that nobody would understand all this preoccupation with the betterment of humanity through such means as music, written words and elevated levels of fame, all but a means to an end. Or of how such things could even possibly have any impact on you other than a superficial stage that requires one to pass over from. A naïve view of the world before reality sets in and age and the demands of responsibility wither your so-called passion. Stephen King, our most beloved author wrote in one of his intros in the Dark Tower series of books that you will, in time, read as “the Highway Patrol Boy who would cut you down for going too fast and having too much fun”. But cut down or otherwise, the Highway Patrol Boy failed in his attempt to slow King down. This in most ways reflect the fear you had in the possible judgment others would impose upon you or your choice of actions and how whatever reasons you may present might seem insignificant, inconsequential, negligible at best if at all. “How will that put food on the table?” “Being an author isn’t a job.” “So you think you can save the world through words?” would be the common representation of the feedback you’d get. Doesn’t matter though, in time, you will learn to harness these fears and skeptical remarks to aid our pursuit of the very same goal they themselves reject the possibility of.

I also know of the rejection you received for one of your original manuscripts from one VJ Times back when we were 12 years of age. Demographics, lack of marketing ability, branding direction and demand were the reasons cited for why the genre we pursued within would not be profitable. Shitty lame ass reason was the thought you had then and honestly its still the same thoughts I’m having now. The fact that you’ve lost that manuscript further added on to the notion that a break from pursuing this dream of ours might be the best option. I also believe that by now, you would have already read much on demographic crap, business plans, marketing and branding and have immersed yourself on how you could, in the future, publish on your own. Take heart in knowing that given developments in your future, it is more of a possibility than you are able to imagine now. Reading has always been one of your better habits and you’ll be glad to know that it is still one of mine too. It is one of the means to acquire knowledge and develop our ability to sift between one crap and another. Add movies, songs and other media and there’s more wonderful shit to sift through and either assimilate or accommodate into our schema.

And trust me when I say that you are not alone in this, not by a long shot. Every author, every writer past, present or future is, was and will be ego-centric. The need to express oneself and by extension create impact within the lives of others is I guess in some ways a social drive within us all, whether we acknowledge it or not. You will get to meet like minded individuals in the most unusual of circumstances from the most unlikely of places and through the most inconceivable means to you at this time. And they will be the most enlightening of people you’d ever meet, you can bet our lives on that.

The jobs that you will undertake in the years bridging from yours to mine will not quite be what you envisioned them to be. And not all of them will be of your choice. Choice or not, there is no doubt in the impact it had on your selection of a profession. Yes, you heard me, there is a very strong possibility that you will be a professional and get your manuscripts published at the same time too. Not quite the ideal but I guess given our limited resources, this is the best course of action.

Of all the things I have divulged to you thus far, vague though they may be I have to admit, the only thing that remains an enigma to me of which I’m sure you will agree are those concerning of the opposite gender.

By now I guess you’ve had one pseudo relationship which is close to the current number that I myself have had. You still feel as though your trust has been betrayed in what transpired then but know that it won’t be the last time. And also know that you do and will take a long time to get over such transgressions. I guess there is a similarity in experiencing betrayal and that of grieving for us. The one that was once there for us is in most ways forever lost to us. Still, it wasn’t as painful an experience for me as that which most would classify as “the one that got away”. For the purpose of easy reference and that individual’s privacy, let’s call her Elle. This name is derived from one of the characters of one of my favourite anime series Rave: Groove Adventure. Oh yes, you’ll be very much into anime and manga too. Either way, I digress. You have not met her yet at this time in your life but knowing you, you’ll easily decipher that name and draw conclusions as to whom I writing about here when you do meet her.

If there was ever the closest thing to this concept of “The One”, she would most probably be it. I don’t really know what went wrong or right in the whole thing. Neither can I justify to you on how I could lose something that isn’t really mine to begin with. You see, we were never really together. I guess all in all I was too afraid to spoil this, whatever it was we had and have it ended up wrong in the end anyway. Sounds like a self-fulfilling prophecy and it most probably was. Prophecy or not, it still sucks either way. And I guess, since then most of the women I’ve met have been set against Elle as the benchmark. Unfair to do so, I know as each woman has their own unique qualities but it is always hard not to when one has left such a deep imprint on my very soul. And what makes it ironic is that Elle has somewhat of a forgetful quality about her, similar to the anime character of which she is named, though hers was more of amnesia than anything else.

If I do have a time machine, I would so dearly love to go back through time to fix this perceived error in my life. Maybe that’s why I’m writing to you in the first place, to warn you against making this mistake as I see it right now. And though I have learned much from this mistake with insights that have enriched my life in amazing ways, it just doesn’t feel right. Perhaps it’s a sense of regret at me betraying myself. A consequential grieving process of which I have yet to go through all the stages. Something which I hope to do soon for the good of us both.

Whatever it may be, me knowing you the way that I do, I know you’re one stubborn headed ass. You will plug through life the way that you want to, regardless of the consequences. And this letter, be it prophetic or clairvoyance of your impending future or not, you will continue to plug on anyway. Just like how I am plugging on, regardless of what I know, think or feel might happen. That’s just the way that we are made to be, I guess.

Enjoy the next fifteen years of your life man, you might not realize it but it will definitely go by in a flash.

Sincerely

Ahmad Asrorie

1 That Flu The Coop

2009-06-20T04:38:00.004+08:00

There have much rumours abound on whether the recommencement of the school term here in Singapore might possibly be held up by a week or more. Great news to all my friends who are teachers by profession if that would indeed be the case. Much of this was down to the ever increasing number of H1N1 cases in this country with the total number at 126 as of 21st June 2009 with two identified locally infected clusters appearing (report). These clusters have already began an attempt to minimize the virus' spread (report). Further surges of this virus is expected leading hospitals in a rush to equip themselves in handling the increase in numbers over the coming days or even weeks (report). The increase in infection would most possibly lead to even more clusters being formed over time. Even the World Health Organisation (WHO) as of 11th June has raised the flu pandemic alert level to phase 6 (report). It stands reason to speculate that the nature of global transit as it is contributes much to how the virus has been spreading. And with Singapore being a hub of sorts in terms of travel and transit for this region, as well as a country that encourages influx of foreign workers and students, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that this was going to happen sooner, rather than later. Not to mention that the period between the end of May and the end of June being the school holidays, it would make sense to speculate that most parents would bring their children overseas for some nice R&R as well. Though what remains a question, I feel anyway, is to what extent is this pandemic affecting our daily lives. In other words, how fatal is it and do I need to subscribe to the hypercondriac in me and wrap myself up in an anti-viral bubble.

The current strain, referred to medically as the A(H1N1) is a subtype of the Influenza A virus, which is the predominant cause of influenza in humans. As it is never before encountered strain and a mutant hybrid of swine, avian and human strains the majority of the world's population would have little to no immunity against it (WHO report, Wikipedia article). The virus transmits as any other flu viruses. As of 19th June 2009, a grand total of 44287 people have been infected worldwide of which there were 180 deaths (report). Not quite as staggering a figure as compared to the Spanish flu outbreak back in 1918 (article). Much of this I believe is down to the improved hygiene practices amongst people all over the world as well as improved sanitary conditions over the last century or so. And though there are anti-viral medicine that works against this, the amount is limited and also limited to the ones in critical condition amongst the infected as well as those handling the infected (report). Perhaps much of the fear that is circulating out there is down to the fact that there are no vaccines available for this strain at this present moment (report). Although the WHO has assured the masses in the progress of the development of vaccines, the lack of one as well the sheer mass and weight in distributing the vaccines on a global scale, once developed, isn't quite as rosy a prospect as most laymen would hope it would be.

Even in Singapore, most general practitioners fall short in the requirements needed to diagnose and treat A(H1N1) cases and the numbers were only based on the 1,000 clinics that have registered under the Pandemic Preparedness Clinics plan (report). What with the ongoing Asian Youth Games, (website) of which the Prelimary football tornament is going on and upcoming major events, of which the Formula 1 Singapore Night Race (website) is one of them, one can only speculate that more spreading of this virus would occur before there is a reduction.

With all that said, I honestly do not believe that this is the onset of the super flu predominant in most apocalyptic, science fiction novels. Though this particular strain might be the bridge between such fiction and fact due to the ability of the virus to mutate given their surrounding conditions and interaction with other similar viruses as such was the fear during the bird flu [HPA(H5N1)] virus in the period of 2004 - 2007 (article).

Given all this, although my friends who are teachers by profession and their students would enjoy the extra week off, should it occur, I'm quite sure that they, like me, would much prefer that this pandemic begin to die down than anything else. Its all hand washing and sanitizers from now on. Now where's that Dettol spray.....

Vita: An Introspective

2009-06-13T18:20:00.003+08:00

I should have done this a long time ago but time hasn't been an amiable entity lately. Then again, from what I've experienced thus far, it hasn't ever been one. Even though the conditions surrounding my sudden acquisition of an abundance of free time is not entirely ideal, being one who has been deprived so much for far so long, I can't really complain.

Looking back, it has been close to three years since I've had any opportunity to sequester myself from the chaotic klaxon of life's many demands to honestly define and redefine what exactly it is that I deem as living. And in most such cases of prolonged isolation from ones self, one does get dazed and jaded as to the nature of ones existence, let alone be able to ascertain the purpose of said existence. Not being that much different from other humans, I too had fallen into such a stupor. Rather than preferring to linger in such a state, my scorching need for self-evaluation forced me out of that drunken paradise.

Three years on and I have moved but an inch towards where I want to be. Some may say that its progress, but me being me, I compare it to the lethargic, yawn inducing Superman Returns movie. Nice to see similar faces, settings and actions but for small additions in character development and improved CGI, nothing much has truly changed. The same I guess, is true for me. Apart from an increase in mass, much darker skin tone and acquisition of a number of certifications of which their values are not entirely suspect, I am essentially the same ol' megalomaniac. Still hell bent on ruling this world, to change it, morph it into my view of a social, ecological and economical utopia. Grandiose, if not naive, I know but that is still essentially who I am. There are no problems beyond solving. No dreams beyond ones grasp. These are what I believed and still do to this day. I guess I'm just that stubborn, which is another thing that hasn't changed.

And nothing pisses me off more than meeting those with the 'bo chap' attitude in these past years. Those without purpose or drive in their lives and who are unable (more likely unwilling) to find a reason to wake up in the morning and awakes simply because their biology dictates them to. The apathetics, devoid of a sense of sympathy and compassion. It is not that their nature irks me, it is within right to be such but their inability (or rather refusal) to alter their perspectives for the betterment of themselves at the very least. These are the collection of homo sapiens that have caused much anger to swell within my being. Now, they're just the objects of my sympathy and to some extent my empathy. I guess in that sense I have changed but then again its just measured in inches and not miles.

Leaving my job as a teacher for special needs kids was a couple of months ago, a much heated topic of debate between the would-be scholars within my head. I loved what I did though not the necessarily the job. I loved the kids, though not necessarily what I foresaw was to become of them. In essence it was not a vocation which provided the means by which I truly desired to impact this world. Perhaps in the future it would be but not in its current incarnation. And I, given the 'youth' I currently possess do not have the time to persist in the hopes that the profession might, and I cannot stress the word enough, might materialize. Time to go, time to move, because time, as they say, waits for no man. It was time to seek a path more akin to what I envisioned at the very start. And time demands as well that I accept no substitute, lest I end up a shell of what once mortal once again. I've been settling for less each and everytime before and ended up with squat. What are the odds that the outcome will be different if I don't do things differently this time around?

This current process of applying for jobs is one that I have always dreaded. Its not so much the interviews, I don't have a problems with those. Interviews are more a case of whether they like what they hear and see ....... or not. Its the waiting that I find, in particular to be quite irritating. The state of being in oblivion, the in-between, of being neither here nor there. The constant waiting of the phone to ring or to receive that one email that says that you've been called up. Well, sucky or otherwise, I guess its just something that I have to go through especially with the 'No Substitute' policy I have recently enforced upon myself. The only thing left to do now, I guess is to just sit back and wait.

There are some other aspects of what has happened that I wish to dissect but perhaps that deserves an entry all on its on.

Movie Review: Wolverine

2009-05-24T09:58:00.006+08:00

Language: English

Run Time: 107 mins

Distribution: 20th Century Fox

I have been a long time fan of this particular character in the Marvel comics franchise. It would be interesting to see how the scriptwriters would interweave the mystery surrounding the character as well as the origins story already in place across several graphic novels. The signs were encouraging from what I saw of the trailers and of the news permeating across the internet though there were some scenes that I didn't quite agree with.

Hugh Jackman reprised the role that had shot him to prominence over the recent decade. Liev Schreiber takes on the role of Victor Creed or more popularly known as Sabretooth. Tyler Mane was initially interested in reprising this role but Jackman however felt that Schreiber's natural competitive streak gave him the edge in the landing the role, given the plotline. This version of Sabretooth pre-X-men movie seemed a more human and analytical version of the one most comic fans are familiar with though the the influences of his primal nature seemed quite evident. I kind of like this version of Sabretooth, though it would take some explaining (perhaps a Sabretooth movie) on how he evolved (or rather mutated) into the form seen in the first X-Men movie if continuity is to be preserved. Being depicted as Wolverine's half brother in the movie varies greatly from the long standing but ambigous relationship between the two most feral characters in Marvel's history. Although it makes for easier story telling, the loss of impact through the removal of ambigouity makes for a much less interesting prospect, for me at least. One of the more eye-catching of casting is that of Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool and Weapon XI. Though it has been argued that both Deadpool and Weapon XI are separate characters in the comic continuum. Reynolds gave himself a startling performance worthy of the Deadpool name and dare I say it, his own Deadpool movie. Though this is good for him as an actor, I shudder to think of what fans of The Flash would make of this apparent betrayal after indicating his intent in taking on the role as the wise cracking Wally West.Will.I.Am landed a role as John Wraith, a mutant of similar abilities to Nightcrawler though his impact in the movie is negligble. Other less popular characters in Marvel reality also made the jump to the big screen in the form of the Blob, Agent Zero and Emma Frost. Though it has been argued if Emma Frost was indeed the same Emma Frost with the original character being able to read minds while only developing the secondary ability of diamond hard skin only later in her life. Cyclops also makes an appearance as is younger self played by Tim Pocock. The choice to cast Gambit/ Remy Le Beau is something that I do have qualms with. With the original character in the comics being more suave and more Cajun in his accent and not to mention taller. Though it is understandable how much of a feat it would be to find someone taller than Jackman. Still, somehow I feel that Taylor Kitsch's portrayal of this popular X-men character leaves much to be desired. Whether this is down to poor script writing, the actor's adaptability to the character or just my own deep bias remains a lingering conundrum. The main protagonist in the movie is that of Colonel Stryker played by Danny Huston. Brian Cox who had played the role in X2 was interested in reprising the role and argued that with the help of CGI tech, he would be able to make himself look younger. Though for some reason this idea was rejected. Huston's portrayal of Stryker was more calculating and menacing than complex and it blended a little too well with the story, almost to the point where Stryker seemed like just another plot moving character.

The Plot

The year was the late 1800s and young James Howlett had just murdered someone claiming to be his father. Howlett flees with Victor Creed and forms an alliance with the half-brother to go through thick and thin together. The proceeding scenes show both James and Victor partaking in various prominent wars in the last two centuries. The movie begins proper when scenes of Victor attempting to rape a Vietnamese woman and then attacking American soldiers attempting to prevent the cruel act, culminates in a firing squad execution for both James and Victor after the former had defended the latter. Identifying the unique abilities of these two, Stryker enlists them into an all mutant team that acts as a strikeforce for the government.

On a plane ride to Nigeria both James and Victor meets Wade Wilson (Deadpool), John Wraith, Fred Dukes - aka The Blob (Kevin Durand), Agent Zero (Daniel Henney) and Bradley (Dominic Monaghan of LotR fame) where James reveals his all too familiar fear of flying. Upon landing and invading an underground diamond smuggling operation, Stryker reveals his intent in acquiring a unique piece of metal fragment. This led them to a remote village in Nigeria. Whilst persistent questioning by Stryker of the village head gave no headway into the location of the metal fragment, Stryker ordered a complete annhilation of the villagers. Victor snapped the head of the village chief and a brief moment of massare ensued before James halted his brother's actions and ultimately the rest of the team. Making his objections known, James left the team, preferring a more peaceful and non-violent life.

Fast forward six years to the Canadian rockies, James, now going by the name Logan lives with his girlfriend Kayla Silverfox (Lynn Collins) and seems to enjoy his newfound life. Elsewhere, Victor visits Bradley at his new life as a circus showman and kills him, though the reasons for doing so were not made clearly known. Stryker appears at Logan's workplace and warns him of the death of members of the previous team but Logan pays no heed. After an incident in which Logan's nightmares injures Kayla, she tells him a story of a wolverine and his love for the moon. After Victor kills his girlfriend, Logan goes on a rampage for blood and tracks down Victor. A fight ensued but Logan was savagedly beaten and got the claws on his left hand broken. Stryker meeting Logan in the hospital after his injury offers him a way to beat Victor to which Logan agreed.

After the scene shifts to a laboratory in an undisclosed location, Logan was given his old dog tags but he refused and requested the names on them to be changed to Wolverine and Logan, in memory of his late girlfriend. Logan was now secured in a supine position within a steel tank filled with a clear unknown liquid. With limbs clasped with metal brackets, Logan listens to Stryker explaining of the importance of the metal fragment they were searching for before and of how from it they were able to create the near indestructible alloy called adamantium. The objective was then to fuse Logan's skeletal structure with adamantium. As the process began the pain felt by Logan caused him to relive all the his previous moments of misery and torment and ended with him flatlining. But Logan's regenerative powers kick in soon after and upon hearing the Stryker wanted to erase his memory broke out into a rampage and escaped. Running into an elderly couple, Logan was given shelter by them while he explores his newly acquired abilities. The bonding occurring between the elderly couple and Logan dissipated soon after in the morning when both were assassinated by Agent Zero. A skirmish then ensued as Logan attempted to evade capture by Agent Zero, taking out Zero in the process.

Meeting up with Wraith and Dukes afterwards, Logan acquired information on the location of a mutant named Remy LeBeau, who knows of Stryker's location. Wraith elects to tag along. Upon meeting Remy, the Cajun was distrustful of Logan's intent and began to attack him while Victor slays Wraith and takes a sample of his blood. Logan faces off with Victor and has got the better of his half brother but Remy interrupts the fight, allowing Victor to escape. Once convinced that Logan was genuine in his intent of eliminating Stryker and destroying his project of abducting mutants, Remy brings Logan by plane to Stryker's facility on Three Mile Island. There, Logan learns that Silverfox is still alive and was conspiring with Stryker the whole time in exchange for her abducted sister's safety, but still genuinely loved Logan. Logan, feeling hurt and betrayed, leaves and Stryker refuses Victor to give the adamantium bonding promised for his service, on the basis that he will not survive the procedure. Victor, enraged, tries to kill Kayla, but Logan hears her screams and stops him. Logan nearly kills Victor but spares him, and agrees to help Kayla free the imprisoned mutants.

Stryker then activates the "mutant killer", Weapon XI, a combination of DNA and abilities from various mutants, inclusive of Logan's own healing ability and adamantium skeleton. Logan engages in battle with Weapon XI while allowing time for Kayla to free the other prisoners, including her sister. Overwhelmed by Weapon XI's fighting ability, Logan finds it difficult to stave him off and is joined by Victor in the fight. The freed mutants escape, led by a young Scott Summers, while Kayla mortally wounded, elects to stay. In the proceeding scene, it shows the escaped mutants being greeted by Professor Charles Xavier who offers them sanctuary. Logan then lures Weapon XI to the top of one of the cooling towers there and is assisted by Victor in decapitating Weapon XI. Victor flees after stating something along the lines of "We're brothers. We look out for each other." Gambit saves Wolverine from the collapsing tower and then proceeds to check on the already escaped mutants. Stryker then appears from his destroyed complex and shoots Logan in the head with adamantium bullets causing him to concuss. As he approaches Silverfox to shoot her, she grabs his leg and uses her power of suggestion to make him walk nonstop before she passes on. Wolverine now awoken by Gambit and apparently acquires amnesia from the gun shots to the head. As the ambulance and fire trucks arrive, Gambit urges Wolverine to follow him but he refuses, preferring to go his own way. Logan sees Firefox and perhaps noticing her as someone familiar, stops to regard her before making himself scarce.

The Critique

First off, any self-respecting Marvel comic fan would know how much mangling was done to the original Wolverine storyline just so that it could be fit onto the big screen. Maybe the writers and producers had forgotten the very idea which makes Wolverine interesting, in that it was always the enveloping air of mystery around him. Of him not knowing who he was and where he had been and despite of Professor X's efforts was still unable to retrieve his memory. This is the aspect of Wolverine, his vulnerability, so to speak which endears his fans to him. Otherwise he would just be another indestructible walking killing machine that is used as the main gear in an action driven plot, which I suspected was what they were aiming at. And with all due respect to the medical researchers who assisted or advised in the plot creation, how does heavy trauma to the head guarantee a total memory wipe? I've personally seen alcohol, drugs and cerebral vascular accidents having more effect than most cases of head trauma. In the comics, wasn't it some intricate brainwashing technique that was used on Logan to wipe his memory?

Then again, maybe I'm comparing the movie to the comics a bit too much. On the basis of the movie alone, it was a movie of sufficient standard. Given the plot holes within as well as the overuse of cameos of established Marvel characters. Not that I do not welcome such cameos but perhaps it should have been done with more taste than just simply adding them into the plot whenever possible. The CGI was good but then it is sort of the norm to expect such standards of computer generated imagery in movies, especially in those involving high action content. All in all, personally, I was a bit disappointed with the movie. I had hoped that it would retain the air of mystery surrounding the main character but unfortunately it has made him, at least in the movie world, a much less interesting character.

Watch it if you really have to but otherwise wait for the DVD release but even then, the comics would be a better bet.

Movie Review: Star Trek

2009-05-16T11:19:00.005+08:00

Language: English

Run Time: 127 mins

Distribution: Paramount

Needless to say I, along with many Trekkies and Trekkers alike have been, for far too long been deprived of good old Trek stimulus be it on the small or big screen. Though there have been a number of Trek novels out with constant frequency post Enterprise series, their impact as compared to the films or TV serieses are not quite as far reaching. As to how extensively the Trek books affect ‘canon’ Trek though is up for debate especially since its creator, the late and great Gene Roddenberry had passed on.

But I digress. The purpose of this is not to debate the canonity of Trek books in defining the Trek universe and timeline as is. More so to review the latest Trek movie, simply titled Star Trek.

I had not quite made plans to watch this movie, preferring to leave it till it had spun its last yarns on the screens and made its way into some portable disc format. Much of this was down to what Berman and Braga had done to the legacy of Trek with their consistent tampering of what could be perceived as Trek culture. To which what I believe most Trekkies or Trekkers would agree. Then again I digress.

I was making my way to the Singapore National Library when what I could only describe as Fate’s ever so nudging hands prevented me from acquiring either a locker space for my bag or a seat in the Reference floor of the aforementioned bibliotheca. The heavy downpour during my journey didn’t help matters either. So in a bid to cheer myself up, I went to the nearest cinema with the hopes of being able to find a movie time slot that would end prior to the commencement of my night classes. The cineplex in question a newcomer into the cinema scene in a mall at Bugis, which is in itself, another story entirely. And the movie was of course Star Trek.

I have attempted to keep track of this movie's development from time to time ever since I knew that production works were underway. The offiially released summary of the movie's plot was that this was the time when the now famous character of James Tiberius Kirk first enlisted into Starfleet and the events surrounding them. Casting definitely intrigued me then as it would seem hard pressed to find actors in these times that would resemble the iconic Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner in their equally iconic roles as Spock and Captain Kirk, respectively. And I was indeed surprised when Zachary Quinto of Heroes fame was chosen to play a younger Spock. Gabriel Gray wasn't exactly my first choice for the role having not seen him in act as anything other than power hungry, serial killer. However after the application of makeup, one can clearly see why. Zachary's performance has been dubbed to portray Spock as colder and more rebellious than Nimoy's version of the famous character to which I wholeheartedly agree. There's even a hint of Sylar in there somewhere. The selection of Chris Pine to play Captain Kirk another one I questioned inititally because... well, with all due respect to Pine, he doesn't look much like Shatner to me, past or not. The decision to choose him was reported in Wikipedia as something like so "Pine recalled having difficulty with his audition, which required him "to bark 'Trek jargon'", but his charisma impressed director J. J. Abrams.^[35] Pine's chemistry with Zachary Quinto, playing Spock, led Abrams to offer Pine the role.^[35]" to which I agree wholeheartedly after watching the movie.The interaction between the two reminds me a lot the exchanges between Nimoy and Shatner but with a lot more zest.

The rest of the cast were not quite exactly how I would have pictured them being younger but close enough. The most prominent of which was Chekov's character now played by Anton Yelchin. Granted the accent was there but it was hard to correlate the similarity between looks. Then again, one would be find it tough indeed to find another, younger actor who can imitate the unique accent of Chekov and has the looks of Walter Koenig. The choice of John Cho of Harold & Kumar fame as the youthful Hikaru Sulu seemed to fit, though the tone and ring of Cho's voice differs from that of Takei's. The younger Nyota Uhura played by Zoe Saldana is admittedly a more alluring figure with the same confidence and inclination portrayed by Nichelle Nicols. The choice of Simon Pegg of Run Fatboy, Run and Shaun of The Dead fame as Scotty is another close enough for me. Though the portrayal of Scotty's character was more of a comic relief than James Doohan's was. And of course last but not least is Karl Urban taking on the role of Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy with as much vest and essence to DeForest Kelly's original portrayal.

(WARNING: SPOILERS WITHIN!)

The Plot

The movie begins with a Romulan starship appearing from a 'thunderstorm' in space, which would be later revealed to be time-space warp, akin to a black hole. Encountering it was the USS Kelvin. Suffering heavy damage as the result of the Romulan assault, the crew abandoned ship, its captain sequestered aboard the hostile vessel, acting Captain George Kirk takes control to old off the enemy so that the others could escape. Devoid of photons and phasers after a brief retaliation of the Romulan vessel, George Kirk elects to do a kamikaze and ram the Kelvin into the enemy starship thus saving the crew members and his newly born son. The son, James T. Kirk, grew up to be an intelligent yet bitter young man. After a chance meeting with Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), Kirk chose to enlist within Starfleet Academy. Portrayed as a ladies' man (as with the the original character) he is seen attempting to chat up Uhura several times as well as going out with other women. Accused of cheating in the Kobayashi Maru simulation in his third year, Kirk begins to form an uneasy relationship with Spock.

During the hearing for Kirk's alleged fraud in the test, a distress signal was received from Vulcan and the Academy mobilizes to send aid to the United Federation of Planets' member planet due to the main fleet being engaged elsewhere in the quadrant. Kirk, under suspension was smuggled aboard the USS Enterprise by McCoy by injecting him with an easily treatable virus. During this time a 'more-than-friends-and-mentor' relationship between Uhura and Spock was also revealed when Uhura insists that she be assigned to Enterprise instead of some other ship and Spock relenting to her request. Whilst in travel, Kirk recognizes the conditions reported (thunderstorm in space) in the Vulcan distress signal to be similar to that of when the USS Kelvin was attacked when his father was in charge and pleaded with Captain Christopher Pike to stop. The Enterprise arrives in Vulcan space nonetheless only to find that the forward fleet had been destroyed by a Romulan vessel. Promoting Spock to Acting Captain and Kirk to First Officer, Captain Pike agrees to the protagonist Romulan, Nero's (Eric Bana) request to negotiate a 'ceasefire'.

With Captain Christopher Pike held hostage on board the Narada (Romulan vessel) and an unsuccessful attempt at foiling the Romulan attempts at drilling into the Vulcan planet's core, the Romulans deployed a batch of Red matter. This led to the creation of a black hole which would suck the planet into the dark abyss. Spock teleports to the surface to rescue his father and other elders but was unable to save his human mother. Upon his return to the Enterprise, Spock is seen lamenting that he is now part of an endangered species after witnessing the destruction of his homeworld. Nero is then seen torturing Pike for Earth's perimeter defense codes. After a heated argument on whether to save Pike, return to Earth or rendezvous with the remainder of the fleet, Spock uses the Vulcan nerve pinch, immobilizing Kirk and strands him on the planet Delta Vega. There, Kirk encounters future Spock (Leonard Nimoy) who explains the sequence of events which led to the destruction of of his home planet, the capture of his science vessel and his exile through the process of a Vulcan mind meld. Of which it was due to future Spock's actions that the planet of Romulus was destroyed in the future. Also explained was of how these events have created an alternate reality in which events flowed. In which the Kirk, having his father live and become a successful Starfleet Captain was the main inspiration to Kirk enlisting in Starfleet and creating his own legacy. Convincing Kirk to retake captainship of the Enterprise, both of them travel to a nearby Starfleet installation. There they meet a marooned and younger Montgomerry Scott or more famously known as Scotty (Simon Pegg).

Upon seeing Scotty, future Spock explains to him of how he would come up with the formula for transporting in midwarp and win an accolade for it. Future Spock then assists him in the configurations of the formula and successfully transport both Kirk and Scotty onto the Enterprise, midwarp. Both Kirk and Scotty gets captured by the Security team on the Enterprise and were interrogated by current Enterprise acting Captain Spock (Zachary Quinto). Upon getting Spock to show his anger and resentment at losing his homeworld, Spock relinquishes the position of acting Captain as per Starfleet regulations in which whenever a Captain is deemed emotionally compromised then he is not fit to lead. Taking on the role of acting Captain, Kirk sets an intercept course of the Romulan vessel heading for Earth. Spock returns to the bridge to lend his assistance in both the rescue mission and the assault on the enemy vessel after consultation with his father Sarek (Ben Cross). Scotty assumes the all too familiar role of Transporter Chief.

Spock and Kirk are to beam aboard the Romulan vessel and rescue Captain Pike, with the Enterprise berthed near one of Saturn's moons, using the radiation there as cover. Uhura's affections for Spock were made known again and for the last time prior to both Spock and Kirk being beamed aboard the enemy ship. Upon materializing on the enemy vessel both Spock and Kirk came under heavy fire from the Romulans there but were able to suppress their assailants. Mind melding with a fallen Romulan assailant, Spock discovers the whereabouts of Captain Pike and proceeds to rescue him. Along the way they found future Spock's science vessel and after some minor convincing by Kirk, Spock decides to pilot it, confident of his familiarity with it for some unfathomable reason. Using the vessel as a heavy hitting decoy, Kirk saves the severely injured Pike while Spock attempts to destroy the vessel from within and also destroys the drilling mechanism. With Kirk and Pike safely transported back onto the Enterprise, the Starfleet flagship in conjunction with Spock piloting the Vulcan Science vessel decapitated what remained of the now immobile Romulan vessel. The subsequent implosion ignited the remainder of the Red matter and caused the Romulan vessel to be sucked into black hole. A nice touch was when Scotty suggested to eject and ignite the warp core (a common practice in a lot of Trek episodes) to escape the gravitational pull of the black hole.

The end scene where Spock meets future Spock was a surreal and somewhat fitting moment in which future Spock attempts to convince his younger self to remain in Starfleet whilst rebuilding what remains of the Vulcan race. Added to this was also the now all too familiar (to Trekkers and Trekkies at least) scene of a crew preparing the Enterprise for launch in the last scenes of the movie.

The Critique

For fans of Trek over the decades and even those of more recent Trek serieses have grown all too familiar with the overuse of time paradoxes. Used initially in the Voyager series to great effect in the episodes, Future's End Part One and Part Two which explains the advancement in the level of technology on Earth in Trek reality through the reverse engineering of future technology, as well as Endgame Part One and Part Two it has become somewhat of a norm when reused frequently enough. As could be seen in several episodes in the Enterprise series as well as the Star Trek movie, Generations. It was even suggested that the franchise be renamed Time Trek given the current general direction. And one could be forgiven to think that with the arrival of this current movie that the suggestion was not too far off by any stretch of the imagination.

I am not against the use of time paradoxes per se but it does seem a cheap way to right the inconsistencies that have infested a long standing franchise by simply saying that "All those things that happened before....well...they didn't actually happen." Then again, it is understandable given that the original actors of TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY are already aged and unlikely to withstand the test of time in reviving the franchise that it would be prudent to use a new cast, in a new setting under new rules. Though how detrimental this would be to the near fanatical following that Trek itself has garnered remains to be seen.

This movie does however set in motion a new era in possibilities of story telling in the Trek reality. Devoid of overused Borg and devoid of the once familiar Vulcan planet. With clear advancements in this alternate reality which would, I believe now be the Prime Trek reality as opposed to the previous one it would be interesting to see how future Star Trek serieses develop based on this. Perhaps a revisiting of the explorations of the Enterprise in this new environment akin to that of TOS. Something which I feel the big wigs at Paramount are eyeing at.

It was also more of a tribute to the character of Spock which has been somewhat of a pivotal figure of focus in the Trek reality. Nowhere in the movie was it more succinctly shown than in the end scene where young Spock met future Spock in a somewhat symbolic passing of the baton to a younger and arguably more different generation. And though Kirk's somewhat resurrection also plays a role but none more so than Spock who was more, I feel anyway, more affected by the occurring events than Kirk ever was.

Whatever the future or current implications may be, this movie in itself is a good watch if not for the CGI alone. The acting is an honest tribute to the original cast members of the TOS. The plot however may be lost to those who are not truly Trek fans in the first place but otherwise enjoyable and would certainly intrigue those who would bother enough to find out about what all this is in the first place. All in all, a good movie and worth top dollar to watch in a good cinema. And if I were to be honest, I'm quite ecstatic at the prospect of a Trek series or at least a spew of Trek movies based on this current cast.

It Lives!

2009-04-14T13:20:00.003+08:00

And I thought this place was done, over, kaput (or however you spell it). For some time now, all that I've written on here have been movie reviews and upcoming movies. Not quite what I intended it for. And sure enough and soon enough it pretty much irked me to post yet another movie review on here, as if watching movies were the only thing I did. Something about a thing not fulfilling its purpose leading to its own demise.... sort of.

Irk led to disillusionment coupled with a severe lack of time and/ or inspiration (take your pick) and so led to the ghost town effect in my blog. Heh.

Man I've not toyed with this place for so long I don't even know what that 'Monetize' tab is.

Either way, I'm back and this place is back. More out of a need to write than anything. As it is fast becoming the only outlet through which I feel I can express myself to the best of my ability and through which I can be best understood. More of that in another post, later on.

Suffice to say that I'm back to writing again. On here at least. For a long time to come this time.

Movie Review: Watchmen

2009-03-06T17:42:00.003+08:00

Language: English

Run Time: 163 mins

Distribution: Warner Bros
Paramount

I feel compelled to write a disclaimer to all those who are planning to watch this so dubbed super-hero movie. And so I shall. This is not your typical super hero movie. This is not a feel good movie. And you definitely need to have your brain and sadly, your heart switched on to be able to relate to all that is going on in it. So people who are looking for the next X-Men, do please stay away.

Set in the period of the late 1980s in alternate history/ reality (take your pick) where the US was having its standoff, as in our reality and history with the then, Soviet Union. The world was on the brink of nuclear disaster, the coming of a Third World War. And Nixon was, for all intents and purposes the leader of the free world. The main difference of the reality portrayed in this movie is the existence of masked heroes and vigilantes.

I was and still am a huge fan of the comic book it was based on. And though I was slightly dismayed that aspects of the critically acclaimed comic book such as The Tales of The Black Freighter were excluded from the movie, I can fully understand how these same aspects could be difficult if not altogether impossible to incorporate into a full blown movie. Added to the notion that I've always held that some comic books were never written with the big screen in mind.

The imagery throughout the movie seemed at times inconsistent though the digital imagery was amazing. to say the least. The plot tried to remain true to the comic book. And in that sense I guess would have a hard time enticing fresh viewers though those who already know of the backstory details would most definitely enjoy it. Casting was excellent, as I felt all of the actors chosen fit their roles as perfectly as possible. I was particularly impressed by Jackie Earl Haley who played the role of Rorscharch, my favourite character throughout the whole printed series as well as the movie due to his moral absoluteness. If there was ever an actor that managed to capture the essence of Rorscharch, he was definitely it.

The flashbacks though great in the comic book format, did not really pan out so well on the big screen. And though it was needed to give more insight into each characters' background and history, it unfortunately added on to the already draggy feel that the movie sometimes exudes. What with there being near a total of 8 characters by which the story revolve around. Twists and turns in the plot that was consistently maintained throughout the original comic book was also lost through these flashbacks.

All in all, I loved the plot, though one had to sift through a multitude of force fed information to get at it. And the ending, which I shall not divulge here, is one of the best endings, literarure wise of most of the books I've read.

As I said before in the disclaimer, expect a grittier, more real version of a world with superheroes than have ever been seen in the movie theatres. This movie is not a joyride, no thrills, just dreary dark floodings of reality. And it will test your gray matter and patience (especially if you've never read the comic book) to its limits.

Somehow

2009-01-02T16:16:00.002+08:00

There seems to be no end to the strife in the Gaza strip. As for seven days straight Israel continues their bombing of targets in that region of the Middle East, to much disdain of the world and denouncement by several of the world's state and religious leaders.

And that pretty much is what the rest of the world can do at this point, show our disdain and anger at the deaths of innocents. Denounce their barbaric actions. Gather together in groups to write petitions against this assault on human lives or to parade in protest in front of the respective embassies. What does all that accomplish though, really?

The killing continues still, regardless of how it began or whomsoever began it.

We do so in the hope of pressuring the respective military powers of this world into action into stopping this mess that has dragged on for decades and seemingly without end. And yet all they could muster is a meeting to denounce and condemn these acts. Isn't that what we normal, average, every day people are doing already? Save for the phonecalls to the governments of both countries to end the bloodshed.

And when the one major military power that in itself would be able to end this states their claim of support for the onslaught, whatever the reason may be, things can and do look pretty grim. Makes the call for Obama to step in much earlier than the 20th of January all the more vociferous I guess.

It's sad but I guess it's true in such cases when all us normal people can do is hope for the right outcome to bear fruit, somehow. Taking up positions in groups and discussions or parade demonstrations against this debacle would definitely help alleviate and distract us from what is actually happening. And though it does not really make much significant impact, it does give us the feeling that we are making a difference, somehow, in some way. That our stand against this atrocity would somehow give those afflicted the same hope to perhaps to be able to end what has been thrust upon them.

Movie Review - Local Color

2009-01-02T15:26:00.002+08:00

Language: English

Run Time: 107 mins

Distribution: Empire Film Group
Media 8 Entertainment

(Warning: Spoilers included)

It’s a coming of age story. It’s a love story. It’s a story about pursuing your passions in life. It’s a take on the beauty that is around us and the insanity that has fogged our view of that beauty. Most of all it was based on a true story.

Armin Mueller-Stahl gave one of his best performances to date as the aged and troubled painter Nicoli Seroff, whose words of wisdom were almost always ironically in conflict with his actions. And Trevor Morgan as John Talia Jnr. completes this somewhat mismatched duo of painters. One of accomplished background with a bleak perspective of his own future and another an eager talented young dabbler whose enthusiasm is yet to be dimmed by the world around him.

The movie begins with a monologue of supposedly John Talia Jnr.'s older self, though throughout the movie one never really gets to see this narrator in full view. The scene focuses on the younger John in a museum, sketching while others look on in either ridicule or envy all while the monologue attempts to introduce the scope and path of the story.

The setting shifts then to John's house where his father, John Talia Snr. (Ray Liotta) utters his disdain at his son's interest in paintings and sketches. The narrator every so often coming in with bits of information on his dad and his mom, giving a brief overview of what life in that household would have been like. Fast forward to a store where John Jnr. attempts to get one of his art pieces framed but is instead getting tips on how to capture the moment from the store's owner Yammi (Charles Durning). Noticing a painting of Nicoli Seroff, John Jnr inquires on how Yammi came about it and thus the path towards the young John meeting Nicoli was made.

Early meetings between the two were expectedly abrasive but the dogged determination of youth made Nicoli relent in time. Nicoli's refusal to impart the skills of his art were a constant feature and yet he also gave John insights into the perception of things. A push and tug routine that brought them closer as time trodded on.

The introduction of Carla (Samantha Mathis) then gave insight into how Nicoli's bitter self came to be. It was through Carla as well that John was finally able to make headway both for his own self and towards reaching the Nicoli that he come to admire so.

I particularly enjoyed the scenes where Nicoli was made to judge a local art festival in Pennsylvania. As well as scenes of where he helped mentally challenged children draw and paint and what became of those sketches afterwards. Most of all, I enjoyed the transformation of Nicoli from the beginning to the end, perhaps telling us that it is never to late to change. Never too late to be able to see beauty again in all the things of this world. And most importantly, never too late to see the beauty in oneself.

By far my most favourite of 2008. Of course if you're one of those action flick seeking fans, then avoid this at all cost. But for me, personally, my movie of the year.

Movie Review - The Day The Earth Stood Still

2008-12-27T17:29:00.002+08:00

Language: English
Run Time: 103 mins
Distribution: 20th Century Fox

(Warning: Spoilers included)

The title sounded familiar when I first heard it. And rightly so as it's a remake of a 1951 film of the same name, one which I did not have the opportunity to catch.

The movie begins with an explorer (Keanu Reeves) on a mountain range somewhere in the 1950s who encounters a shimmering orb. Attempting to initiate contact with the object, the explorer is knocked off his feet and becomes unconscious. When he comes to, the explorer notices a mark on his hand.

Cut scene to the present day in a laboratory where Dr. Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly) was discussing with a group of students on the conditions required for life to exist. Class ends and the scene shifts to Dr. Benson's home. Her son, Jacob Benson (Jaden Smith) plays with his game console before an exchange ensues that highlights the friction in the relationship between mother and son. A theme that would run throughout the whole movie. She then receives an ominous phonecall signalling the start of cascading events in the whole movie.

Whisked away to a military facility along with a few other sceintists and professionals, they were briefed on the impending collision of an asteroid body with Earth and had selected them as men and women who would assist in the rebuilding of civilisation post impact. Though there was no impact as expected, rather the asteroid body, in the form of the orb seen at the start of the movie descends slowly upon Central Park. An alien being about the size of a human appears to exit the orb accompanied by a large automaton but was shot by one of the nervous soldiers that had gathered in the area, prompting the automaton to activate in an aggressive manner. The alien, suffering from a gunshot wound however prevented the automaton from doing any real damage.

I especially liked the special effects done during this scene. Especially the animation of both of the automaton and the shimmering sphere. One particular act of note that was especially emphasized was the shooting of the yet unnamed alien at this point. Perhaps stressing humans' natural fear of the unknown and our all too often aggressive reactions towards things we do not understand.

The alien was taken back to a military installing where scientists were attempting to heal it. As surgeons removed the bullet, more and more of the alien's outer exterior drops off until in the end it revealed a seemingly human infant. The infant then began to grow at a rapid rate to the point where it reached adulthood in the form of the mountain explorer we saw in the opening scene. Identifying itself as Klaatu (Keanu Reeves) to its captors, it explained itself as having come with a message to the leaders of the world. There was one particular exchange of words between Klaatu and Regina Jackson (Kathy Bates), the US Sec. Defense acting in the President's stead that brought about a subtle sense of realization.

Regina: Why have you come to our world?
Klaatu: What makes you think this is your world?

Klaatu then, with the help of Dr. Benson, escapes through the use of his alien abilities which seems to be tied into modern day technologies. A chase scene ensues with now fugitives Dr. Benson driving Klaatu and her son around as Klaatu searches for agents already implanted on Earth a long time ago. And as the movie progresses, Klaatu's intention became clearer. In that he was here to save the Earth though not necessarily humanity. A rendezvous with Klaatu's kin, another agent on Earth explains to him of the nature of humans. Of our destructive and aggressive nature and yet there is a side to us that he cannot explains. Klaatu's meeting with Prof. Barnhardt (John Cleese) a Nobel-Prize winning physicist was one of the highlights of the alien's trek across American. The argument of how a particular formula was supposed to equate done through writing reminded me a lot of the kids that I handled in my workplace. And the philosophical discussion on the nature of humans was something that for some reason ignited my perspectives of things at that point in time.

As all this was happening the military had already gotten control of the automaton, now dubbed GORT (Genetically Organized Robotic Technology) by it's captors. As experiments were being conducted on GORT, the automaton was transforming itself into tiny insect-like nanites and pretty soon into a swarm that began to disintegrate everything it touches. This was another excellent piece of CGI work, especially with the nanites.

Attempting to outrun GORT, Dr. Benson and company head towards Central Park in order to reach Klaatu's spaceship. When Jacob gets infected with the nanites, Dr. Benson pleads for Klaatu's help to cure her son before she herself got infected as well. Complying he cures them both before making his way through the GORT swarm, losing parts of himself as he does so before managing to release an pulse similar to that of an EMP blast sending the GORT swarm hurtling down to the ground. The blast also halted all forms of technology on Earth leaving everything in a standstill. A fitting end.

There is in my opinion nobody else who would play the role of Klaatu any better than Keanu Reeves. I mean, come on, slow speaking man with powerful abilities in a black suit? Who else? John Cleese's cameo performance was also a delight. Apart from those most of the acting was relatively normal with the special effects, cinematography and storyline playing a much larger role and effective role.

Special effects even though good were not anything that was extremely breathtaking.

The message was clear. Change the way we live or perish, which is pretty much what's going to happen to us regardless of whether an alien's coming to tell us so or otherwise. And it's a timely message what with all that is going on in the world at this time.

All in all a movie worth the full price whether you're a sci-fi fan like me or not.

Of Lights, Sounds, Smokes & Mirrors

2008-12-27T13:26:00.003+08:00

A belated Christmas wish to everyone and to hoping that everyone did have a merry enough Christmas. All helped by the provision of much needed electricity by the one and only power supply company in Singapore. Reminds me of a particular board game. Anway, if it weren't for them being able to provide ample power then the festive periods would quickly look like one of those scenes from a a post-technology apocalyptic movie.

And their service has been excellent if recent record is any indication. There was only one massive blackout of note in the past decade. And any smaller interruptions have been extremely rare. I guess this is the only feasible means in which we would be able to measure the quality of their service. It's not like there are varying grades of electricity that they could supply us with. And customer service, well, that's debatable and entirely subjective because as far as I am concerned, it mostly the customer in customer service that hinders the actual service.

There were also murmurings that nearly crescendo-ed to cries of profiteering when this sole power provider decided on increasing tariffs to cover the then rising cost of fossil fuels. But these same rumblings of concern turned mute when this power provider decided instead to reduce tariffs in response to a decline in oil prices. I didn't expect loud boisterous cheering but I didn't expect complete silence either. Guess people get confused when this concept of the whole world out to get them being false rises up as a sudden realization.

But I digress...... Not quite what I wanted to talk about here.

My uncle, the one who has diabetes and has one leg amputated has moved out of my home here and is staying solo in Selegie. And if you don't already know, Selegie is one of those old housing estates that have just gone ancient. Sure there was a facilities upgrade not so many years ago but we all know it's not the outside that counts. Just like a human being, it's what you put in and remains that makes up what you are. And for an old estate that houses a majority of seniors, my uncle included, I guess the label of ancient isn't too far off.

The issue here isn't my uncle as he is quite capable of being independent, should he choose to be apart from a deficit in his vision that prohibits his near sightedness but otherwise he's fine. The slight issue here is that he was asked to submit the utilities meter readings online beginning from this coming January. I guess they assumed that everyone has internet connection these days. Not a problem, other than a) His eyesight prevents him from reading the meter and b) there's no computer there, let alone internet access. Which would mean that someone from my family would have to go there each month on the 11th to read the meter and then submit it online back home. Problem solved, great right? Not really.

What happened to all the meter readers that go from house to house, read your meters for a few months then tabulate an estimate for you to pay each month? What happened to the integrated electronic tracking systems that is able to ascertain exactly how much you use each month, though albeit slightly backdated in its information delivery?

I know that times are bad and companies are trying to cut cost but still, this is a bit much getting the customers to do the work for the service provider especially when they have ways and means of tracking who uses how much. And a bit much when the customer has vision impairment and is computer illiterate. A good thing my uncle has my family who is able to help out. What of those that do not? And whom all hail from similarly primordial estates and are just trying to make their way in life as independently as possible given the physical and mental inhibitors these people would most probably have.

Maybe that's something they could hopefully, look into and work at. Either way, seems like I'll be making more frequent visits to my uncle from next month on.

Movie Review: Quarantine

2008-12-09T16:11:00.002+08:00

Language: English
Run Time: 89 mins
Distribution: Screen Gems Films

(Warning: Spoilers included)

My first impression from the trailers was that it was your standard zombie movie. Dawn of The Dead, Night of The Living Dead, George A. Romero inspired sort of of stuff except in a confined area and viewed through a single videocam shot ala-The Blair Witch Project and other similar movies. Apparently I found out later on that this was also a remake of a Spanish zombie movie called REC released around a year ago. Have not seen the original Spanish movie, so I can't and won't compare.

The movie started much slower than I expected. And though the tour of the firehouse and the camaraderie between the firemen gives a nice wholesome and normal view of how things were, it also did feel a bit stretched at times, leaving me to think "Geez man, get to the biting and tearing flesh to bits part already."

The flow got better once the scene migrated to the apartment building that was to be quarantined later. Though it was only (and I'm sure it's normal for any zombie movie) after the first encounter that things really started to get interesting for me. It wasn't really the blood spilling from Mrs. Espinoza or her trying to grab a bite out of one of the firemen and the tangling that ensued. These are all pretty standard for zombie movies and I've seen to much of them to date already. It was more of the who, what, where and how questions that got me hooked then. Since I personally have not seen a zombie being able to speak or froth at the mouth prior to going berserk in any of the movies before. The dog leaving the room as the firemen broke through was a nice hint to it all.

Broken bones, spilling blood, panic and your standard 'Guy who's just in it for himself and gets killed pretty soon after' pretty much makes up what happened next.

There were some attempts at unveiling what was happening in between from a vet that was tasked to treat the wounded and also from a member of the CDC though nothing more than the theory of a super-evolved strain of rabies. More running and biting ensued.

There were a number of commendable attempts at surprising and shocking the viewers but honestly nothing to really make me jump out of my seat. In fact the only time I reacted verbally was when Scott (the cameraman) grabbed Angela on her shoulder as they went up to survey the room where Mrs. Espinosa was which was more reflective of the cheekiness of the moment than anything else.

Only one scene in particular that stood out for me in the movie. That was when Scott used his videocam to smash the living daylights out of a zombie. The effects of the camera movement and sounds of impact as well as the reactions of the zombie getting her brain knocked out of her was more real than anything else that I saw in the film.

Even the final scene in the penthhouse where the 'revelation' of how all this began was not quite as intriguing for me. And that included the introduction of patient zero and the end that was already much publicized in their trailers.

All in all, it was an ok movie. Worth the full price if you're really bored or a hardcore zombie movie fan. But otherwise get the DVD or wait for it to air on your local TV networks. Trust me, you're not missing anything special.

Reel'em In

2008-12-05T16:50:00.003+08:00

Just recently raided the movie trailers on Apple.com and needless to say I was pleasantly surprised. Picked out a number that I really want to catch when (and if) they get released here in Singapore. Click on the posters for a link to the respective trailers.

Horror/ Thriller

Comedy/ Animation

Docu-Movies

My Really Must Watch List

Evening In The Chair

2008-11-28T02:57:00.007+08:00

(A fictional super-short based on real events)

I laid there paralyzed. More by fear than the humming, trance inducing glare of the overhead light. The blue motorized reclining chair would have been comfortable what with the padded headrest if not for the circumstances then. I tried to speak, to protest but blood garbled the words into an incoherent foreign language devoid of proper vowels. And all the while she sat there right beside me. Cold eyes beneath dark rimmed glasses calculating her next move. One could almost hear the slopping of her lips in anticipation of what is to come from behind the pale white veil hiding her mouth. The machine then began purring as if confirming my fears that the worst is yet to come.

I should have heeded her warnings. Should have relented to her requests those many years ago. Back when things were manageable, when things were much simpler. But I was young, brash and understood not the full extent of the consequences then.

In that brief moment of respite my mind recounted of how I was greeted upon my return. "Have you been a good boy?" she asked then. Her voice stank of concern. False concern, augmented to conceal her sadistic motives. And yet I trusted her. I gave in. Perhaps thinking that I would be spared from her wrath. Hoping that admitting to one's mistakes would grant a much needed pardon.

I guess I was as much a fool now as I was then.

The machine's purring began to grow into a groan reminiscent of a starving beast. And she had begun stirring too, her hands reaching unto a cream colored table slightly beyond my sight. My eyes snapped shut, bracing for what was to come. The groans then were accompanied by a whirring that edged ever closer by the second. I did not wish to see, I did not wish to look. But it did not matter anyway.

Spinning metal met flesh. Tearing tissue, scraping bone.

I bled. I teared.

Excruciating was not even close to describing the torment I felt. My muscles tensed with every gnaw and each penetrating scrape. Seconds became minutes and minutes felt like hours. What little respite she gave in between only sought to worsen the pain. As if she wanted me to feel the aftermath before the onrushing of another storm.

"You can rinse now."

Words that presented much needed relief. And as I gargled and spewed out the blood, saliva and tartar stew that had formed in my mouth, I was hopeful that this was the end.

"You should brush harder next time. And try to get your gums too. Ready for me to do your upper part?"

My hope faded that very instant...........

Re Action

2008-11-25T18:12:00.004+08:00

The economic downturn, financial turmoil, global recession. Call it whatever you wish but it still sucks any which way. And the effects of the current financial climate on the Singapore has been telling.

Pay cuts, projected layoffs and reduced bonuses. Then again, this is not old news, we have been through this before. Times are bad, people get laid off. I guess that's normal reaction for any business.

And all the criticisms of these companies not exploring alternative means of cost cutting are just hogwash. I mean, come on. Multi-billion dollar companies that don't have well thought out rescue plans for situations like this? (/sarcasm)

Reaction.

I guess it all began when news of the US subprime mortgage crisis first leaked out to the world, though most would agree that the factors leading towards this current recession are varied. The Bush administration did attempt a bail out of two of the largest companies in this whole subprime mortgage debacle, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Perhaps fearing that the deep rooted problem would spiral across the country's financial infrastructure. And with names like those, it's a wonder why people trust those companies with securing a roof over their heads in the first place.

Reaction.

And much was made of Obama's message of hope and change. Most were well founded, in my opinion at least. And with the crumbling of the US economy well at hand, there was no stronger message made by the Americans then to elect the Illonois Senator as the first black President of the United States. Hope is definitely a valued commodity in these times. Though most would place too much on it too soon.

Reaction.

Constant increases on crude oil prices did not help matters either. And though prices have tapered down, albeit slightly the ripple effects on the economies of the world would continue to ripple for a long time to come. And with the now, hopefully well spread, knowledge of the limited availability of fossil fuels, it wouldn't be that uncommon to expect crude oil prices to spike again. And it wouldn't be uncommon to expect governments to remove or limit subsidies once prices soar too high.

Reaction.

And of course the most of us would attempt to stinge. Stretch the value of the dollar if not the cent. More bang for your buck, or so the saying goes. It's only natural, despite whatever governments would dish out to encourage spending.

Reaction.

I guess it all comes down to reactions. Despite the best laid of plans.

Maybe it's too much to expect of people to do the things that needs done now, rather than wait for a knee jerking from some crisis threatening the very civilization from which we depend upon.

?????

2008-11-09T18:48:00.002+08:00

Sometimes I wonder if my words twist beyond what they should be. That they somehow became things I did not mean.

Am I this complicated, nonsensical idiot lacking the simple ability to know of where and when to speak of things?

Am I this moron, this fool that hopes for acceptance, of who I am and who I am to be from those that had claimed their place in my heart and soul?

Do I linger upon the past that no longer harken me........ Do I envision a future that only I can see?

Why does truth eviscerate in many ways.... from the orator to those that beckon their words.......

What makes it so noble.....

Yes We Can!

2008-11-05T19:05:00.002+08:00

Indeed

We can mend the world

We can alleviate poverty

We can heal the sick

We are the change we want to be

To be the change we want to see

And the time of change

Has indeed come

Yes We Can!

The Word Now Is Clean

2008-11-03T18:30:00.003+08:00

So I spent the bulk of today cleaning my room. Never knew that long idle dust bunnies could pose such a challenge. Almost seemed as though they had minds of their own. Constantly mocking me as I chased them with my Dustbuster 8000, a wet yellow towel.

Room's as clean as I can make it to be. Quite satisfied with myself, though the time it took me to actually arrange, wipe and replace things was something that took longer than expected. Not to mention the amount of things that were never supposed to be in my room in the first place that for one reason or another I won't divulge here. Regardless, this was something I've always wanted to do, though I do admit it was not with the greatest of passion but the ebbing, itching want was there nonetheless.

Bad part was it left me with very little time to do other things that I've planned for today. No Glade, Airwick or Febreeze for today but definitely a priority tomorrow. Not to mention a few other toiletries and stuff that I've always been meaning to get.

Heh, never felt so hopeful before. Soooooooo infused... Didn't know life could look so.....bright.

Maybe I'm just a damned fool. Time will tell, as always.

Reds & Zergs

2008-10-19T14:45:00.003+08:00

Its funny how work tends to detract anyone from the things that once made them enjoy life. I guess I am no different in that respect. And though I have tasted and most liked the most recent installment of the Command & Conquer series in the form of C&C 3: Tiberium Wars, I have not quite followed up on the other arguably less popular franchise, C&C: Red Alert and C&C: Red Alert 2.

I guess one of the main reasons why the franchise was somewhat of a turnoff for me was the whole time paradox plot employed in the storyline. Its a cool tool to use only if one is able to maintain a consistent link between events affected in the past and the consequence in the newly developed timeline. Needless to say that the whole prequel approach wasn't done to the best of what it should have been. And nothing has changed in the latest installment of this particular series.

Nevertheless, I thought that I should give it a try anyway what with there being not much to choose from in terms of real-time strategy games to date. And with it coming out this 27th October 2008, it won't be a long wait.

C&C: Red Alert 3 picks up (sort of) where the previous two games left off. People traveling back in time to "fix" the future to their own perception of what should have been. A new faction has been added into the mix to do battle with the Allies and Soviets. And its not that big of a surprise when this new faction just happened to be Japan in the guise of The Empire of The Rising Sun. The new units for all the factions seems cool but its difficult not to draw parallels with units from rival real-time strategy gaming series Starcraft, which has its own game out this year (that I'll talk about later). Even the rendering of the units and background and backdrop feel similar to that of their rival game.

One original concept that the game does not shy away from developing is the influence of sea based battle and support. It seems quite well thought through and certainly seems to blend well with other more conventional means of RTS style offense.

Star studded names have also taken up roles as key characters in the game's film cutscenes, though how well this would pan out, I can only say when I actually play the game itself.

Either way, here are a few videos that I could find on Youtube for you to make your own judgment.

Next up would be the eagerly anticipated sequel to the popular RTS game Starcraft. That's right, Terrans, Zergs and Protoss are at it again in Blizzard's Starcraft II.

I've personally been waiting for this game for a long long long time. And it is certainly great to see that it is finally here. New units have been added to all three factions of this game and some new abilities were also added on to familiar units from times past. The same feel remains from what I've seen of videos of this game.

If anything I just want to get on with the storyline of that once caught me up so much in the past. To see what the future holds for the Terrans, the noble Protoss and the evil Zergs.

I've included some videos I've found on the gameplay on Youtube for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy.

I guess that's at least SG$130 that's going to fly out of my pocket come the end of this month.

Feel'ems

2008-10-19T12:53:00.002+08:00

Its that time again when distributors decide to release movies in the hopes of riding onto the pre, post and during festive bandwagon. Nevertheless, good movies are good movies and these are those that I wouldn't mind catching. Though to be honest there's none here that I'd truly say I'd rip myself in two over if I did not manage to do so. Though the film Call+Response and Pray The Devil Back To Hell does come close to that.

Anyway, here goes:

Got a few horror and suspense flicks that I thought was rather interesting. The first one is definitely one that I'd love to catch amongst. And what with Halloween coming up, why not..........

And for those are fans of animation, there are two in particular that caught my eye. The first one being the more progressive of the two, melding contemporary flash with modern animation giving it an apt feel for the tale it portrays.And what is my rundown of upcoming films to catch if it doesn't include docu-movies or films that uplift you and make you question the morality of the social constructs in which we live in.

The time is NOVEMBER!

2008-09-15T21:48:00.004+08:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a huge fan of management simulation games. Business, sports, you name it. If there's one thing I like almost as much as penning down the would-be masterpieces locked within my psyche, it'd have to be tangling with the nuances of the world of management where you get to decide the success you want to achieve.

And the best of these simulations thus far has just been announced for worldwide release on the 14th November 2008. Football Manager 2009, the best in football management simulation that I have ever experienced or dare I say it the best ever in the simulation genre.

The brain child of Paul and Oliver Collyer who in their early 90s felt that there weren't enough football management simulations out there of quality decided to create one of their own and start up their own company Sports Interactive. And they have not looked back since. The 90s was also around the same time I introduced a pen and paper and folded-paper football men Subbuteo- type action-management game to my schoolmates. I guess it was a case of what-if for me.

Either way, I've always looked forward to the next release of this particular franchise, from when it was still called Championship Manager marketed under Domark then Eidos Interactive and still remain true to the original creators of the series when they renamed it Football Manager after somewhat bitter split from their previous distributors and switched over to Sega.

I've included a promotional trailer for the up and coming version of this franchise. The main features of this new installment that has got me so psyched has got to be the 3D match engine, pre-post match conferences, an actual media relations variable and more options in terms of training up and coming youth players.

Enjoy. I know I will.

4 ... Hike ... 7 Hike ...15 ... HIKE!

2008-09-12T21:01:00.003+08:00

I'm pretty sure that the announcement to be made today (or if it has already been made) about the changes in fares to the current rates on public transportation would be met by derision in most sections of the public. And I don't blame them because over here in tropical sunny Singapore, whenever a change in anything monetarily related is announed it is assumed to be a hike. Which has generally been the case over the decades.

And although there will be hikes according the article "Bus and train fares up on October 1" on Channelnews Asia's website, it would also come with some much needed increase in rebate value for transfers. Plus there would also be some reduction in fares though it wasn't really made clear as to exact when, why and hows.
I guess its about time. Everything has been adjusted to inflation, albeit slowly but most definitely surely, so why not the public transportation rates. I mean sure, oil prices have been declining but everyone also knows that it can and will most probably spike over the days, weeks and months to come. Add that with the overall global financial climate, that sadly is affecting this island nation too and you can somewhat understand where all this is coming from. And its not like the government isn't doing something to help those with problems absorbing the increase in fares that will be implemented as stated in this article - "S$5.2 m to help the needy cope with bus, train fare hike", though I doubt such assistance will stretch into the middle class. And the fact that this proposed implementation went through so many checks and balances in itself shows that the government isn't just out to get more of the people's money.

Besides, the changes in fares are also timed with the Growth Dividends payout package for this year. That would definitely be helpful in staving off the perceived increase in living costs.

All in all, it's not going to be that bad and is most probably what is needed to keep the country running as smoothly as possible.

Because

2008-09-09T04:18:00.002+08:00

I'm sick, can't sleep, everything feels crappy and things seem to fall apart. So this is something I came across to help keep me sane and keep my spirits up......at least for the moment.

Remember this?

Rolling The Reels

2008-09-07T19:31:00.002+08:00

And since I've been stuck watching and previweing films, I thought why not just roll out a few films that I feel would be interesting to catch, even if at most here in Singapore, it'd most probably be on DVD. As usual, click on the posters for a link to the trailers of the respective movies. I've also included a link to the official websites where possible.

So here goes:
A story of a talented but wayward young rugby player who is given a second chance at life and the sport that he loves. The scenes depicted in the trailer was either very well picked or the movie does seem that good. Besides, this is the first time I think that anyone has chosen rugby as the focal sport of a movie and that alone I think is worth enough of a gander, amidst the underlying premise of the plot.

Forever Strong - Official Website

A comedy centered around an Asian-American who dreams of the high life in the sporting industry. When thrust into running his parents' table tennis training center, he soon realizes the potential of grasping his dreams, amidst all the gaffs and kerfuffles of course. Good watch for laughs.

Ping Pong Playa - Official Website

If you're a fan of Micheal Moore movies then you'll enjoy this parody of Moore himself and the movies he has churned out so far. From the creator of Airplane!, The Naked Gun and Scary Movie 3 & 4, its political satire at its most fun.

An American Carol - Official Website I've been waiting for a good Sean Penn movie for some time now and I think the wait has been worth it. MILK is a story about a man, Harvey Milk fighting for his rights to live, work and exist in modern times as a gay. It is an uplifting story of how one man's life changed history and his courage changed lives.

MILK - Official Website

The following are my:

MUST WATCH MOVIES

This is quite simply, anime come to life. I don't know much about the director seeing as I don't follow Japanese movies as closely as I want to but if Quentin Tarantino says Takashi Miike is the next big thing in directing, I would be more than inclined to pay attention. And after having a gander at the trailer I can safely say that this new take on a spaghetti western is most definitely a welcome change. A cowboy tale with Japanese actors..... trust me its going to cool....

Sukiyaki Western Django - Official Website
A compulsive gambler is brought face to face with a situation where he only has an hour to live. Faced with the perplexing reality before him, he is forced to reasses his life and the values and priorities that once ruled them. Seems like just the kind of self-realization movie I'd love watching. Simple in its execution yet consists of enough depth in the message that it wishes to convey.

No release date was given though and no official website that I could find only means that I would need to wait a long while longer before I'd have a chance to cast my eyes of this film.

Just like Man In The Chair last year, this is THE movie that I'd love to catch this year in whatever form possible. It tells the story of a young aspiring painter who chances upon his idol and seeks to learn from him. Embittered from his experiences, the master and student each gain from each other's insights into what life has to offer. The reality of existence and beauty existing within it all. A movie of epiphanic qualities and undoubtedly my prime target for this year.

Local Color - Official Website

Chapter 27

2008-09-07T17:00:00.002+08:00

It's been awhile and though it wouldn't be best to announce my return from a hiatus from life here by doing a movie review but hey, that's where the neurons in my brain are twinkling at for some reason so that's what I'm going with.Chapter 27 was an independent movie that I had planned on catching, be it in the cinema or on DVD. Slightly unfortunate that it had to be the latter. The premise, which I don't think is anything close to being what contemporary, mainstream film-makers dish out every so often, was what got me interested in how the story would play itself out.

The plot circles around the three day period leading up to the assassination of legend and musician John Lennon. Focusing around the experiences of Mark David Chapman, Lennon's murderer, it gave an insight into an unstable mind that yearned for help in the gloom that he sensed was yet to come. Convinced that his life not only mirrored but was that of the character Holden Caulfield in J.D. Salinger's The Catcher In The Rye, Chapman sought to end Salinger's story as an extension of his own life tale.

I particularly liked the narrative setting of the film. It makes it feel as though you are there within Chapman's thought processes as he laments between accepting reality or the comfort of delusion in a made up link between his life and that of the character Caulfield. The cinematography and storyboarding is commendable though sometimes one does feel as though a certain crucial aspect of what needed to be shown was left out.

Jared Leto's weight gain to portray Chapman in as authentic a way as possible, inclusive of his more than apt portrayal of the disturbed man is worthy of more than just a simple mention. Now if only the script and screenplay writing was able to match up with Leto's passionate embrace of the role then Jared could very well be up for an award.

Lindsay Lohan's bit part yet seemingly crucial role in the movie was anything but that. In fact it was one of those characters that would not even impact the storyline had she been omitted from it completely. I guess she was there just to be another pretty face I guess. Her acting was good enough though which is a far cry from being good.

Overall, the movie was not entertaining in the high paced action or laugh out loud sort nor was it disappointing in any sense of the word. Though if you are someone who enjoys picking out the puzzles that are the minds of other people then this would be one hell of a joyride. Or if you are a pop culture history buf then this would definitely be something to check out.

Otherwise I'd advise you using a ten foot pole to keep this movie away.

Allah Made Me Funny

2008-09-02T21:43:00.003+08:00

Found a trailer of a to-be-released independent movie that I think would be fitting for this Ramadan period. And though I think that there's very little chance of it being screened here in Singapore, I'm going to hope anyway. I'll definitely get the DVD though. So here you go...... Click on the poster for a link to the video. Click here for the Official website of Allah Made Me Funny.

Rumble In The Tummy

2008-09-01T04:13:00.004+08:00

Just want to give a shout out to all the Muslims in the world who will (or will not) be fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.

May you find yourself in the trying days ahead. Your true cause and purpose in life for the betterment of yourself, your family, friends and the denizens of this world.

May peace reign where it once did not and may light now shine where darkness once ruled.

Must Must Watch Films

2008-08-22T20:04:00.002+08:00

Yep, you guessed it. More great movies that will be released in the next few months. I'll just be glad if one of them gets screened here in Singapore. Anyway, here goes.......

It's about the electronic voting system currently employed by the US for most of their election campaign and frailties inherent within such a system. A similar system which might be in place for the coming US Presidential elections in November.

A documentary movie centered around an aspect of life greatly affected by the wrath of Katrina. Schools and their sports. One particular sport and the young athletes whose lives, hopes and dreams revolve around it.

Follow two linguists as they race around the world in an attempt to chronicle the languages of the world before they become extinct. I don't know about you folks but I've always been a fan of languages, so this is definitely a must catch for me.

The following two movies are definite, without a-doubt must watch films, if you ever watch any movies these next few months.

I am not that big of a fan of movies that do not employ the proper languages that are relative to the era and region. Call it a quirk of mine. This movie though really sings out to me with a tale so intricate and poignant in its definition of innocence that I'm willing to overlook all that. A must catch for me, even if it most probably be on DVD.

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink. Believe it or not, this is a problem that is about to become very real. One of the most scariest documentaries I have come across that cuts across all aspects of life. "Who really owns water?" That ludicrous inquiry my friend, has now become a question of questions as water emerges as a multi-billion dollar industry. Where water only reaches those who can afford it and not those who need it. A mandatory watch for everyone.

I Live In Singapura

2008-08-13T03:49:00.002+08:00

Can't believe I passed this over, what with all the things that have been happening by choice or otherwise in my life......

Happy belated birthday Singapore!

And to commemorate, a special music video on YouTube that has been around for some time now that has, so far, been the only one able to point at what being a Singaporean is all about. And the tune was plagiarized from a well known Billy Joel song in the true Singapore way. The good, the bad, the ugly and the utterly unexplainable. Enjoy!

Wheddon Is Back

2008-08-12T00:24:00.004+08:00

I've never hidden my respect and admiration for Joss Wheddon's works. I wasn't entirely a fan of the Buffy series till it matured somewhere around Season 3 or 4 but I've always been and will always be a huge fan of Angel. And needless to say I'm a fan of the Firefly series as well. Shortlived though it was.

And now Joss has managed to come up with another series that looks like it will be hit with his faithful fans. And assuming that he'll infuse the Wheddon style of story telling plus the inclusion of actress Eliza Dushku (Faith from the Buffy/ Angel series [I've always had a crush for her - Both the actress and the character]) makes this more than enough reason for me to try and catch it.

Dollhouse, will be premiering in January 2009 on Fox. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that one of the cable channels airing in my country would pick it up. I've included a trailer I found of this show on YouTube below. If you can't view it for some reason, click here for a direct link.

From Water To Sand

2008-08-11T16:56:00.003+08:00

A few other movies that I think will definitely be worth ones money. (Click on the respective posters for a link to the trailers. Quicktime required)

A docu-movie taken by citizens of New Orleans themselves before, during and after hurricane Katrina hit them. One of my own must-catch, must-see movies this year.

A mock war in a mock city to help better prepare the real troops for a real war. It's a fun movie, at least from what I've seen from the trailers though the underlying connotations though are not for one to giggle at.

Fatal Fiscals

2008-08-11T16:31:00.003+08:00

If you must waste your money to watch a movie, then you just have to catch this one. (Click on the poster for a link to the official website)

Opening on August 22nd 2008 in the US, it focuses on the current fiscal problems that is systemic in the US economic system. These financial mis-handlings would definitely have a ripple effect throughout the world's nations, developed or otherwise because, let's face it the bulk of the world's nations, developed or otherwise are tied into the US economy, whether you like it or not. And that means the country I am residing in too. And if something is not done to alleviate this problem, then we could very well go into another recession. And we all know how wonderful that is.

The Hunt

2008-08-09T14:29:00.002+08:00

(I wrote this fantasy themed short tale many years ago. Just thought I'd repost it here so that I'd get some feedback from people who actually do read my blog, since I do realize that I have not actually written anything much lately nor posted any of my writings here)

Lightning flashed before rumbling thunder as the rain pelted down hard upon the lands, creating a seeming fog amidst the forests. Still, he pressed on. Water seeped into his boots and drenched the cloak was now pulled tight around his large torso. His left hand was free though, hacking away at vines and growths that were in his path with a crudely fashioned axe. Every so often he would halt and examine his surroundings - broken twigs, bent branches, impressions upon the ground - all made harder, if not impossible by the downpour. And yet find an indication he did, for even the heavy pelting of raindrops could not mask a piece of torn robe, clinging desperately upon a thorn of a nearby bush. Already dried blood marked the ripped yellow-brown fabric, denoting that its former wearer was only but a day away, if not nearer.

Tilting his hooded head upward from the dangling fabric, his eyes studied the immediate area, seeking further traces of where his pursued have gone. Vision sifting through the misty strands of rapidly descending raindrops, a tight grin formed upon his facade. For fifty paces or so lay the source of his amusement - a cave bored from the hard rock of the nearby mountainside. From three days before the cloudburst began, seemingly unending and the cave was the only shelter for a week’s treading at least.

Hacking at the vines that stood in his path, the barbarian continued on. Stealthily this time, axe concealed within his cloak now that the vines were removed, taking each splashing step carefully, hoping that the roar of the drizzle would mask his approach. Though cautious, his progress was as steady as the falling rain. A clap of thunder announced his arrival to the mouth of the cave and he lingered not, immediately slipping into the shadowy darkness with ease as if it were his own skin. The further he progressed inwards, the fouler the air was, decaying corpses of woodland creatures were scattered across the hard ground, some half eaten, most without a limb but all dead. Large boulders stood at random distances to each other within the cave, a norm to the oblivious and oblivious the barbarian was not. Their smooth untainted surfaces, a stark contrast to the moss carpeted walls and semi-grass strewn ground. Smooth, save for the scratches near the base of each large rock, marks of impact from height and yet the ceilings of the cave left no indication of such an occurrence.

“Magic.” He murmured, almost to himself if not for the slight echo of his voice reverberating back to him, again and again, fading as the momentum of the sound wore off.

Removing his drenched yellow-brown cloak, he calmly placed it upon the boulder nearest to him. Its weight more than doubled from the water it held and coupled with the dampness and chilly breeze coursing through the cave, became an unwanted burden to his task. Remnants of water from his already removed cloak, trickled down his arms, as both reached downwards before pulling two daggers of ebony hilt, one in each hand, out from their scabbards. His movements were more fleeting now, smelling a stench fouler than the dead corpses that cluttered the grass patched ground. Death had made its home here, even before the arrival of the one he hunted and its grasp was none more apparent when he came upon the carcass of a cave bear. Head crushed, leaving but a pool of what was once its blood. A boulder of similar size to the ones before stood upon the corpse’s back, or what remained of it. Though the raven-haired barbarian had seen much bloodshed in his time, purposeful or otherwise and much of it from his own hands, he was slightly appalled and yet understood the very motive behind it. Every action is driven by gain. Be it for the higher powers they worship, for their families or friends or even for themselves. It was always the want or need to acquire that drives the mechanism of action. Even though the gain in the bear’s death was for a temporary shelter, it was a gain nonetheless, though the price was debatable, certainly in the bear’s case.

He would have said a prayer for the fallen beast, had he a deity to worship. A moment of silence was all he offered, before continuing to his task.

The sound of dripping water echoed throughout the cave, its rhythmic beat coupled with the silence, formed an almost hypnotic melody. A sharp turn could be seen a few paces ahead from where the echoing tempo originated.

With furtiveness belying his size, the barbarian sneaked around the turn and hid, just as stealthily behind a jutting formation of rock. His back against the rough surface of the rock, the barbarian titled his head, glancing from beyond the obstacle and grinned at what his eyes perceived. A pool of crystal clear water lay to the northwest end of the on lying cave. As a dead end, it housed what appeared to be the nexus of the dead bear’s lair, strewn with the bones of many animals that dared trespass and most that did not. The stench of bear excrements though strong did little to overpower the malodor of its current inhabitant. An orc of about five feet in height, if not slightly more, draped in a leopard skin robe ornamented at its neckline with the skin of a viper, sat there, body leaning upon the hard walls of the cave. Its mouth muttering as a skull topped staff was held upright by its right arm, its left dangling lifelessly towards the floor. Orc blood dripped from its mouth with each utterance. Drop by drop falling upon the necklace of human ears that hung from its green hued neck. Three tearing wounds where the bear had struck marked its chest, though partially healed, blood still oozed from them, tainting its torn leopard skin robe, as well as the shredded monkey hide vest that clung to his body. With a stagger it stood, dropping the arm that held the staff, lips moving as an eerie glow appeared about its form, but for a brief moment before disappearing. Its wounds now mended, albeit slightly, it returned to its previous position, eyes closed, sitting and muttering.

The barbarian grinned, for he knew of the opportunity before him. Swiftly he moved, gliding between the shadows with enough stealth to keep his target from realizing his movements. It took but a second, if not lesser for him to reach within sufficient striking distance of his prey, still unseen and hopefully, unheard.

Another staggered movement brought the decrepit creature up to its feet with eyes closed as it began chanting. Like a sudden gale an ebony dagger carved through the still air before striking piercing the orc’s leathery neck. Dark red was the blood that gushed from the wound on its jugular as the barbarian launched himself into a battle frenzy, hands both clasped upon the metal handle of his large twin-bladed battleaxe. Eyes wide, with a hand still grasping the puncture on his neck, the orc attempted a failed curse as blood frothed from its green-blue lips. Lifting its skull adorned staff up, parallel to his body, fireballs shot from the skulls’ eyes and though the mercenary avoided most of the barrage that were aimed his way, the full brunt of a missile that struck his right shoulder could not be avoided. His body twisted to follow the direction of the force, sending his massive frame, hurtling, shoulder first into the jutting rock face from where he hid before. Turning to face his foe, the barbarians’ eyes widened before he kicked at the hard stone wall, propelling him just before another missile of flame crashed upon the protruding rock face.

Right arm still numb from the scorched flesh, he swung the other with as much force as he could muster, sending the axe hurtling through the air before wedging itself diagonally across the orc’s head. He could almost hear its silent scream as its torso bent backwards before the rest followed, sending the frail shaman slamming to the ground. The final fireball that departed from the staff struck the stone ceiling, sending bright sparks sprinkling down, like white flakes on a day of snow. Sheltering his eyes from them, he rose, right hand still hanging limply by his side as the large man strode towards the motionless form before him. Stooping, he searched the pockets of the dead orc’s robe.

“There you are.....”

His voice though a whisper veiled not the jubilation in its tone. Slowly he pulled the item out from one of the deceased shaman’s pockets. A golden medallion, with the crest of a roaring lion, tarnished from years of improper care. It mattered not to him what care was taken of the medallion. As long as it was intact, the bounty would be his, regardless. Retrieving his axe from the orc’s head after rummaging through the corpse’s pockets once more for other valuables, he collected his ebony dagger before covering the scorched wound upon his right shoulder with a red hued rag. Pocketing the medallion, as well as few coins and some jewels, the barbarian strode towards the exit of the cave. All manner of stealth was gone from his movements then, the prey killed and the target, claimed. What pain that throbbed in his right shoulder paled before the visions of the bounty promised to him. An image that no sooner diminished as he approached the cave’s exit. Grabbing the cloak he left on a boulder there, he stood in near perfect stillness as he eyed the form at the mouth of the cave.

A slender man stood there, clad in a faded green tunic. Darkened redwood was the material used to make the longbow that hung diagonally to the man’s back. A color complimented by Earth brown pants and even darker leather boots. The man grinned as he saw the cloth wrapped around the barbarian's shoulder.

“Enjoyed your slaughter, Master Windraven?”

Romance Rekindled

2008-07-11T17:10:00.003+08:00

It's about time. I have been waiting for someone of caliber to make a movie out of the epic Chinese novel I've read those many years ago. One that has spawned the popular games series Dynasty Warriors over varying gaming consoles. That's right, The Romance of The Three Kingdoms. The only Chinese novel (translated of course) that I've ever read and loved at the same time. I know that there was a Three Kingdoms movie made and distributed earlier this year, The Resurrection of The Dragon or something but that one....well to put it nicely....sucked. Mainly due to the fictional or rather non-canon elements that were introduced.

And the best part is, the movie opens today! That's right, it opens in my country on the 11th July 2008. And from what I've seen of the trailers it's a damn good interpretation of that one part of the whole novel. And this is only Part 1 of the movie with the second part cited to be shown somewhere in December 2008 or January 2009.

The movie in question is of course, if you don't already know (or don't even have a clue as to what I've been writing about) is Red Cliff (Chibi) or The Battle of The Red Cliff. I've also inserted a trailer with English subtitles I found on Youtube below for you guys to have a gander at what I'm talking.

Click here in case you can't view the trailer.

Man, did I ever need this....

2008-07-08T18:16:00.005+08:00

I don't know how many non-Americans who are actually reading my blog even know of the existence of The Daily Show or its spin-off show The Colbert Report. If you do, great, if you don't then the video I'm posting here would definitely be a great introduction to the incredilous meshing of intelligent humour, political satire and outright craziness. This is one of the best segments of either shows in my book. I've watched this a gazillion times and it still cracks me up. I mean come on, Stephen Colbert vs Cookie Monster........ You can't go wrong with this one.

Enjoy!

Or if you can't view the video for some reason, click here for a link to it.

The Lion Used To Roar

2008-06-14T21:25:00.003+08:00

As far as I could remember, I've never commented on anything football (soccer to you Americans) related on my blog. Partly because of the disgust I felt as to how the football administering body in my country handled the supposed 'nourishing of local football' more than a decade ago. And I suppose I still hold such a resentment, if slightly, to this day.

Singapore was once a nation that produced footballing talent good enough for export to football clubs beyond the shores of this island city. Even if some were just clubs north of the Causeway. Players that included the likes of Malek Awab, David Lee, V. Sundramoorthy and the football legend and once Golden Boy of Singapore Football, Fandi Ahmad. With the latter two even having a chance to play for top teams in their respective European countries, namely FC Basel and FC Groningen, respectively. Not to mention that the country's participation in the then Malaysian Football League also helped with raising interest and fostering unity amongst all football loving Singaporeans. It was as close to being patriotic as I have ever felt my entire life. Bellowing my support for my fellow countryman and hurling scathing insults at visiting teams. A behaviour when collectively combined gave birth to the Kallang Roar, of which a movie shares that very same name.

So when it was decided by the Football Association of Singapore to pull the country, my country out of the Malaysian Football League with the infamous quote of "Now we shall shift our focus from twenty-two men to more than two hundred men...." post the 1994 season, I instantly became one of the greatest cynics of this 'new dawn in Singapore football'.

And so the funds were allocated into the creation of the S-League where it was touted as an avenue that could produce more Fandis and Sundrams for the future of Singapore football. Not to mention the goal (though it seemed more like a dream then as it does still now) for Singapore to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, inaptly named Goal 2010. Should've been Wishful Thinking 2010.....

The S-League did help with the producing of more job opportunities, not only for footballers but for administrative positions within the club, physiotherapists and the likes. Apart from that, the aim of producing more talented footballers as well as qualifying for the FIFA World Cup proper, never truly materialized. The induction of clubs from other countries such as Dalian Shide Shiwu FC (China), Super Reds FC (South Korea) and Albirex Niigata FC (Japan) amongst other foreign clubs that have already left the S-League though somewhat key in helping to improve the standard of play in the league and the local players as a whole, is detrimental, I think, to Singapore actually focusing on developing its clubs and indirectly also the job opportunities for locals. That is if you don't count the jobs created in Singapore Pools through the betting of S-League games.

I would not dare say that Singapore football had not improved over the course of this whole experiment. The inclusion of naturalized Singaporeans such as John Wilkinson (England), Mustafic Fahruddin (Serbia), Daniel Bennet (England), Precious Emuejeraye (Nigeria) and Aleksandar Duric (Bosnia and Herzegovina) along with a few other pioneers of this naturalization program named the Singapore Foreign Sports Talent Scheme have helped to somewhat raise the level of competitiveness between footballers within the country. Though these players are talented in and off themselves, I for one, would argue on whether some of them are far better than the crop of locally born players that we currently have.

With that said though, Singapore is still some ways far off from even dreaming of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup. Which can be seen from their performance in the on-going World Cup Qualifiers, especially highlighted in the recent 2-0 defeat to Saudi Arabia on home soil in a must win match. And though Singapore was dubbed the Asian Football Confederation's 'Mover of the Year' in 2005 by achieving a rank of 20 that year, their world ranking hovers around the 100-140 range. Which is a far cry from the heyday of Singapore football when Fandi and Sundram were around when Singapore was ranked 73 in the world in 1993. And that team couldn't qualify for the World Cup either..... So I guess it'll be far beyond 2010 before, if ever Singapore will qualify for the World Cup. Or perhaps we could host it, since Singapore's been hosting a lot of such big sports events lately.

I am all for the naturalization of talented foreigners, however focus must not be lost on the development of young Singapore born talent.

The inclusion of the Singapore U-23 team into the local league for the purposes of improving the crop of young players for the future is commendable. Though I felt that more could be done such as sending the Singapore U-23 team to play in the leagues of overseas countries or possibly even in the lower leagues in European countries. The purpose of this would be two-fold. One to improve the players and secondly to put our young players up in the overseas market. A younger set of players, perhaps the U-19 team should then compete in the S-League proper. This would help to speed up their maturity on the pitch against faster, stronger and wiser opponents.

I know that the Football Association of Singapore might never do this and will probably continue their Singapore Foreign Sports Talent Scheme until the whole team is full of unwanted Brazilians and Argentinians. And I shall continue saying that unless the focus remains on the youth that is Singapore born, we are not going to get anywhere football wise.

Onto Goal 2100!

Where can I get me some films....

2008-06-13T14:19:00.003+08:00

I'm miffed....pissed more like it. There were three damn good movies that were scheduled for release in the first quarter of this year (and one that was already released early in the year) that did not even manage to get picked up by any of the cinema companies here.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for your commercially viable movies like Iron Man, Indiana Jones and all that. At the same time though, I still yearn for movies that are not just a fancy CGI, action packed, blood spilling, wit churning vehicles. I mean, have a look at the trailers for the movies that got passed over and you tell me.....

I know that there are the cinemas like The Picturehouse and Cinema Europa (those are the only two that I know of - if any of you know more, please tell me) that caters to independently made movies and films that veer off the commercial mainstream, of which I am thankful for. And their current line up of Black Book and Shine A Light (respectively) are good in and of themselves, however it is amazing that for a multitude of good, award-winning movies that there's only two cinemas in Singapore dedicated to them. Perhaps the rest of the cinema operators need to consider having a single cinema dedicated to such films, which would ultimately increase the number of cinemas to at least four.

Now if the problem was in the assessing on whether a movie is good enough to be shown (or bring in economic returns) then look to hire me. I am in need of a new job... *hint* I'd be more than happy to screen award winning films for potential future screenings in Singapore and of course get paid to do it (yeah, I wish)

And to think this country of mine has its own film festival when in truth such films are not even supported well enough by the industry the rest of calendar year.....

True Pretense

2008-06-12T20:21:00.004+08:00

I pretend to live
To be alive, to be in existence
Executing installed programming
Like a robot, some humanatronic device
The whim of a mad scientist gone insane
Silent whirring gears
Clicking beats of an animated clock

I pretend to work
To act with busy-ness, with presence
Neither caring nor wanting to
Zombiefied
Diluted by fabricated barriers
Of coulds and could nots
On a path preset, premade and unrelenting
A routine washing, waning
Of my once dogged interest

I pretend to know
Of this world, within and beyond
Of each grief and bliss
The suffering of the one, the many
Innumerable, transcending, esoteric, hysteric
A gospel-less prophet
Regurgitating epiphanies of ancient times
In a modern era of cynicism

I pretend to care
Of your plight and of mine
Of the need to render assistance
To the oppressed, suppressed
In the eradication of poverty, inequality
Upholding freedom and liberty
And the very causes that were and are noble

I pretend to pretend
So that I need not live
Need not love, need not wish
For hope and dreams are just concepts
Never to be realized, never to manifest
In the truest facet of life's reality

To be or not to be
I choose to pretend

M.O.V.I.E.S.

2008-06-07T02:43:00.002+08:00

Got myself an injection of movies these past few days. Yes, yes I have been procrastinating from writing my manuscripts. And reading too but there’s this block that I felt needed some smashing to smithereens. Recent happenings haven’t helped matters either. My granddad’s sick again. I guess those things only left for a short vacation or something. Either way, it has got me severely drained…..

On to more distracting things.

Managed to catch the latest Indiana Jones movie today - Kingdom of The Crystal Skull. I have always been an Indiana Jones fan since my younger days. The most original American treasure seeker/archeologist/part-time lecturer/ government agent (at times) in my book and with this fourth installment of the Indie-series, nothing has changed in the character. Apart from a lot of grey hairs and wrinkles of course. Harrison Ford’s most notable character still sports that brown hat, trademark whip and still dishes out that signature wit in times of distress.

Set in the early 70s (or at least I think it was) when anti-Communist sentiment was rampant in the U.S and when the seeds of the cold war were beginning to be planted (or were already growing, take your pick), an aged Indiana Jones set forth to find another treasure that could spell the end of the known world. This time with the KGB as the main protagonists, led by a sublimely cool but unmistakably deadly Dr. Irina Spalko played by the ever alluring (to me anyway) Cate Blanchett.

If you were once an Indy fan, then you won’t be disappointed with this one. It has all the adventure promised from previous franchises. Insects and snakes too….well one snake but what’s an Indiana Jones movie without snakes. I particularly enjoyed the short 2 seconds or so where the Ark of the Covenant (link) could be seen housed within a semi-thrashed crate. The standard chase scenes that is a must for any good American movie and the whole I’ve-gotten-away-oh-no-I’m-caught-again-now-I’ve-run-away thing that is the trademark of any Indiana Jones really makes it an interesting ride. Best of all though, the storyline was the most feasible I’ve seen for some time where revived franchises are concerned.

If you are not an Indy fan though, I doubt this would be a good movie for you to start. The movie can get heavy on background dependency for a first time Indiana Jones watcher to follow, at least at the start. By the time the middle of the movie sets in, you’re pretty much in it for the ride.

A must watch from me then again I am biased when it comes to Indiana Jones. Besides if the ending is any indication then there might just be more Indiana Jones movies to come….. well I can hope can’t I.

Next up is a movie that I planned to watch when it came out some time last year but for some reason just didn’t get around to doing it. And unlike The Pirates of The Caribbean: The Curse of The Black Pearl, this one involved a compass that actually works. Though like Captain Jack Sparrow’s compass, it doesn’t necessarily point north.

The Golden Compass is a movie based on the book Northern Lights by Phillip Pulman. And seeing as I’ve read the book, you might find that the written impressions of this movie can be quite partial.

The premise of the movie was great. In a billion worlds connected by Dust, there are those like in our world where our souls are housed within and there are also those who have their souls walk beside them and are called daemons. That got me hooked and it would have been line and sinker if they had just taken the time to flesh out the characters and plot a tad more.

My main gripe was that everything felt rushed. And the Magisterium didn’t really feel like the threatening totalitarian regime that it did in the book. Bits and parts were missing that would have made more sense on why the Gyptians kept watch over Lyra other than the matter of fact manner that was delivered. This also includes the involvement of the Witches added with Scoresby’s and Iorek’s backstories. Lyra's character also did not respect the leap in change in her role at the appropriate moments. Definitely did not help....

Regardless it is still a good watch if you are not a stickler for details like me, especially when it comes to book-to-movie adaptations.

Last but definitely not least is a movie that I practically reprimanded myself on missing when it aired here.

El laberinto del fauno

Or rather Pan's Labyrinth. Though there was this whole confusion on the name as the literal translation should be The Labyrinth of The Fawn. Oh well, whatever the reason might be, I was definitely placated by this movie.

Set in Spain of the 1940s during a time of the Spanish Civil War, it tells the tale of how a child (Ophelia) deals with the events occurring around her by creating (and living too I guess) a world of fantasy and hope. Without exposing too much for those who have yet to cast their eyes upon this wondrous Spanish masterpiece from Guillermo Del Toro who both wrote and directed the film, I can safely say that this movie is a heartwrencher from beginning to end. And the end is such a fitting one for a tale of this beauty. I wish I could've written something this wonderful.

Can't say much more than I already have without spoiling it. Excellent story telling. Definitely, certainly a must must must watch.

Well, that's all from me for now.... You guys have a nice productive life, k.

Liberation By Pen

2008-06-04T14:05:00.004+08:00

So the school holidays have started and so that meant a vacation from work for me. Or at least in theory..... Nothing like inquiries from work about when you're going to get working to throw you off your down time....

Had a rather interesting Monday. Won't share too much of it here, rather than it was a day of mixed outcomes, planned or otherwise. Tuesday though was slightly more satisfying.

Woke up late as I normally do during these periods of expected inactivity. And after the usual routines of freshening up, I popped in this DVD I acquired a week or so back from my trip to Johor Bahru. One of ten that I purchased.

The title of the movie was Freedom Writers, starring more notably Hilary Swank and Patrick Dempsey. It was a movie that I've been aiming to get ever since I saw the trailers. Mainly because it was based on actual real life accounts of the struggles of youths in our twisted world, secondly was because it was a movie about writing and lastly but not least its a movie about the teaching profession. Now all this, if you haven't already noticed, are issues that I either hold close to my heart or are things I am involved in work-wise on a daily basis.

The movie didn't disappoint. The actors (those playing the teens included) were more than convincing. Add that to the excellent cinematography and editing and self-narration of each of the stories within this tale gives the show more impact. You have the usual moral dilemmas faced by the youths of today, peer pressure vs being an individual, survival vs doing what is right. More compelling is the way in which this tale is told, each journal entry interweaving and interlaced between the rest and with present occurrences. It was heartening to know there are those who do attempt and succeed at making a difference in the lives of others.

Needless to say this movie did loads to help boost my hopes for my own dreams.

To sum it up - Insightful, uplifting, inspiring and yet somehow extremely real. A definite must get if you are budding writer (like me), teacher or someone who works closely with the community.

Did a check on what happened to the real life persons of which this movie is based on and I'm glad to know that they are alive and well. More than that, they have formed the Freedom Writers Foundation that aims to help those that are caught up in the mess of a world we are in, much like they were.

Please click on the logo below to visit their webpage learn more about them or on how you can help......

The Guitar Man

2008-06-03T15:11:00.004+08:00

He stood in the tunnel
Fingers strumming rusty strings
Singing of angels without wings
In a period of many kings
And queens without crowns
A tale of great renown
For a pence for a shilling
His meal time yet to come

And the townsfolk
They walk by, conversing tales of happy cries
Still caught in the sorrow that they wallowed
Once in

And the guitar man played on

A ballad of hope, a ballad of love
From beautiful roses
To gentle doves
Flying high in a diamond clear sky
Without a care
Life in its fullest flair
For a pence for a shilling
His meal time yet to come

Awkward murmurs had now gathered
From the crowd that now converged
Upon this ragged man, worn out clothes
That were once already bland
Casting judgement, throwing pity

Still the guitar man played on

He sang of justice, of causes lost
The whims of fate
And the incurring cost
Of blue moons and fabled tales
Of when peace once reigned
And compassion and virtue
Were not yet a stain
For a pence for a shilling
When would his meal time come

Movie Review....sort of

2008-05-31T20:36:00.002+08:00

Been doing some housekeeping. Now if only what I meant by that entailed anything of the material world, my mom would undoubtedly be pleased. Well too bad the memory clog up of both my thumbdrives and my one and laptop required more immediate attention than the apparel infested floors of this location once dubbed as 'My Room.'

Its amazing what remains undeleted in your storage devices if left unsifted for over a year. I was half expecting Max Headroom to pop out.......

In other news...... I watched The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian....... and that's a first ever for a movie that I wouldn't really rate as a jawdropper or spirit lifter. And yes Corrine, I was mistaken, Liam Neeson was and is the lion. I guess I kept thinking it was Sean Connery was because I had it in my mind (most of the time) that he would have done a better job. Now the movie wasn't bad or anything..... it was good but not as good as I hoped it to be. Then again it is unfair of me to base it against other truly solid book to movie adaptations of fantasy tales which I would also include The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe as one of them.

Now my friends who were with me during my first viewing loved it so I decided to give it another go today. Who knows, I might've missed something. And when you've got someone who wants to treat you for a movie, how could you say no?

I particularly liked the CGI in the movie itself, it was almost as good as the first movie. Plot wise, there was a lot of things going on, mostly revolving around the growing pains of the Pevensie children mirrored by the crown prince of the Telmarines' own struggles in accepting his seemingly preordained fate. Add that with the prevailing notion of an 'evil' force invading the nice, cuddly and peace-loving creatures of Narnia and you'd have what would seemingly be a rock solid story.

The not so good parts were at times I felt the cinematography or editing could have been better as there were moments when I felt as though a particular scene felt stuck in a single lens shot or just plain too long. The Iberian (Spanish or Portuguese...) accents (at least I think were Iberian) were a bit difficult to follow. Now I understand that the Telmarines are meant to appear, feel and sound foreign to Narnia and I guess that includes the Pevensie children but I guess to me they went a bit far on the sounding part.

The worst part to me was a feeling of lost direction on where to actually go with this movie at the start (and some ways close to the middle too). I know that the director was trying to give a feel of a more savage and 'human infested' Narnia devoid of the Deep Magic. To me, it didn't quite come off and felt a bit like neither here nor there. It was only when Aslan began to return and also a cameo appearance of the protagonist in the first movie did it feel somehow right. Then again, it is always difficult to define the feel of a movie and I'll have to give kudos to the director on at least attempting to get it right.

Now this being the first of the Caspian trilogy I would've expected them to put more effort into its making. With The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Silver Chair still yet to come to complete this trilogy, Prince Caspian left me a wondering if the following two could be any better (if not worse).

Regardless, the Caspian trilogy had always been what I felt was the more interesting of the Narnia stories and I guess I'll still watch the next one and probably complete watching all three movies in the Caspian trilogy, that is if they don't suck so bad.

Which I hope they don't as there are another three more stories that could be adapted to the screen apart from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and the Caspian trilogy.

I've become so.....

2008-05-28T18:44:00.003+08:00

I have this freakin' song running through my head and I don't know exactly why. Doesn't help that I have it running on loop on my iTunes......

Anyway, I've been itching to get myself a good enough camera as it seems kind of weird for me to be part of the photography team training the students in my school and yet not own his own camera. Besides finger's getting the whole snappity-snap syndrome. And it wasn't that I haven't ever had a digi-cam. I used to have two. One which I bought from a friend and another which was given to me, both around the same time. Needless to say, one proved unable to withstand my usage (and I don't blame it, some cameras just can't take moisture...cough) and another I gave away coz it was just too much of a sissy cam for me to use without having the heeby-jeebies.

Have my eye specifically on the Canon Powershot A series of cameras.

"[sighs] Look what you made me do, look what I made for you
Knew if I paid my dues, how will they pay you
When you first come in the game, they try to play you
Then you drop a couple of hits, look how they wave to you
From Marcy to Madison Square
To the only thing that matters in just a matter of years (yea)
As fate would have it, Jay's status appears
to be at an all-time high, perfect time to say goodbye
When I come back like Jordan, wearin the 4-5
It ain't to play games witchu
It's to aim at you, probably maim you
If I owe you I'm blowin you to smithereeens
Cocksucker take one for your team
And I need you to remember one thing (one thing)
I came, I saw, I conquered
From record sales, to sold out concerts
So muh'fucker if you want this encore
I need you to scream, 'til your lungs get sore"

The Canon Powershot A590 IS really caught my eye.

Not really the best picture but I guess that'll have to do. But I definitely do want it in black. Doesn't have the depth of zoom that I like but price wise though, its an affordable SG$370. Plus its a familiar tried and tested model for me features wise, especially for the things I'm going to be putting it through. Affordable if I had that kind of cash in the first place. Well I do, but I guess eating, drinking and several other activities of daily sustenance take precedence. And though I would love to get those cameraman's cameras, I doubt anything close to SG$2000 would fall into my lap any time soon.

"I'm tired of being what you want me to be
Feeling so faithless lost under the surface
Don't know what you're expecting of me
Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes
(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)
Every step that I take is another mistake to you
(Caught in the undertow just caught in the undertow)
And every second I waste is more than I can take"

Does my itch at getting a camera far outweigh that of getting an iPod of my own? Most definitely, at least for now. I already have my brother's iPod to leech off from time to time. Besides, I'd rather make my first iPod a touch. Works well as a PDA, plus it can access the internet wirelessly, so....yeah, it'd definitely be my first iPod. And that whole thing about getting my own MacBook? Well, goes without saying that it'll take a lot more time. Unless I somehow get a novel writing contract for my unfinished manuscripts....heh.

"I've become so numb I can't feel you there
I've become so tired so much more aware
I'm becoming this all I want to do
Is be more like me and be less like you"

One step at a time I guess.

Captain's Log .... somewhat

2008-05-27T19:25:00.005+08:00

Yeah yeah, I know I haven't wrote on here for some time...... but seriously I'm not in a mood to update you guys on every little gritty bit of detail in my life. So I guess I'll just pick an incident that occurred that I thought was....oh well, you be the judge. Besides, I'm hoping this'll help get my writing muse up and running. Just so happens that this transpired yesterday......

I've been taking cabs lately, sometimes to but mostly from work. No, that's not the incident.........

It's mostly due to work, taking cabs tends to ease the stress off. Especially when I got a good convo going with a complete stranger. That ain't the incident either, though I realize how this could be news to you.

So, I was assigned the job of picking my mom up from my relative's house sometime in the evening, but she wasn't clear on the time. Not that my mom couldn't get home by herself, it's just that well, you know how it is when you're attending a function at your relative's place. They'll definitely bagging foodstuffs for you to bring home. No? Well, I don't sympathize with you either way. Besides there were also around 50 plastic trays, some Tupperware tumblers and containers that my cousin had already shifted transported there a few days back that needed some transporting back. And though my mom's still quite a fit woman given her age, lugging those things around when you're going to travel from the west side of Singapore to the east side is quite a thing to ask of.

Long story short, I had just completed watching The Diving Bell & The Butterfly DVD I got from a few days (I think) back when the sms to activate me came in. The time was around 8:30 pm and so I rushed in getting ready which was not really that difficult considering I'm a guy and got moving as fast as I could.

Took the first cab that decided my outstretched arm was worth a gander. It was an old school Toyota Crown taxi sporting the blue of the Comfort Taxi group. The cab driver was like how all cab drivers were, chatty when you don't want them to be and eerily silent when you needed a voice to listen to. And I was in no mood for chatter.

A crash course in pedestrian ethics and a civil engineering thesis on road mapping later, we arrived at the entrance to the CTE heading to the AYE. It was just before Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10. Traffic seemed good, despite the moans and groans of my 'chauffeuer' for the day. Well, at least it was moving....... or so I thought.

We edged into the expressway and a bit of the way further in before the congestion seemed to truly be a congestion. No problem right? I mean this is the Central Expressway and all, what with central meaning most traffic passing through here.

Seconds became minutes and I saw an ambulance trying to squeeze its way further down the expressway to where I assumed an accident could have occurred. I mean, this is normal too right? Accidents occur on highways all the time. Some drive too fast, some drive too slow and some drivers should just not freaking have a license. The ambulance came to rest some ways up ahead while several motorcyclists were weaving their way through the stagnant hunks of humming automobiles. They have the advantage of doing so and I knew I would do the same given the situation. Yeah, nothing but the green jealousy monster emanating from where I sat.

Minutes felt like hours and the ever escalating swear-mixed groans of the cab driver I was with didn't help matters.

It was only when I saw the bikers that had once so eagerly meandered their way to the front of the non-moving queue backtracking the other way, did I have a true sense of something being truly wrong.

An eternity went by before the police arrived. And it was only then that I got wind of what was happening up ahead. After much prodding of course. You know how wonderful the men in blue are at dispensing much needed information. Turns out that there was this huge tree that fell across all the lanes of the expressway. There were motorists that were severely injured by that huge log now sprawled some ways ahead from where I was.

I hope they weren't too badly hurt. And I did the only thing I could....I paid the fare ($15 as it stood) and walked out, casually informing any inquirers of what lay ahead to the dismay of my already severely disgruntled cabbie. Even did my civic duty (or at least I thought it was my civic duty) by informing the motorists nearer to the exit to turn back out.

Not much else to add on here, seeing as I was not near enough to Ground Zero. But it was indeed a cab ride to mark all cab rides I've ever had.

Finally, It's Over....... For Now

2008-03-08T23:21:00.002+08:00

Yeah, finally the school term is over and the holidays are in full swing (sort of). And though the MOSAIC Music Festival is being held during this timely break, I doubt I have the finances to fulfill that particular fancy of mine. So, apart from me attempting to win at a game of Hide-and-Seek with my muse in order to complete the would-be novel I'm currently writing, read two of Stephen King's books - namely The Dark Tower and Lisey's Story - which I've put off reading for over a half a year now and catch up with the happenings in the lives of those around me, I thought I'd treat myself to another fancy of mine that I've neglected for a good while now......................................
MOVIES!

And not just any movie either, I've got a list of some must-sees (that is if the movie even gets shown here in Singapore). For those of you who knows about my movie tastes, knows that my must-sees are definitely a must-see.

I've listed them here, with accompanying movie genres and/or studios for the ease of you folks skipping the movie genres you don't quite fancy as well as their US release dates. I've even provided a short snippet of my thoughts on what the movie is from the trailers I've seen as well as links to the trailers. I've even added some to-be-released movies that I'd love to catch. Enjoy...... I know I will.

Currently screening (Please tell me if you've seen the adverts for these films or where they are screened)

Man In The Chair – 7^th December 2007 (Independent)

This is the prime movie that I would want to catch, if I ever do watch movie again. An uplifting story about an over-the-hill director who gets a second chance. Definitely a must watch.

The Diving Bell & The Butterfly – 30^th November 2007 (Miramax)

Another must, must catch film for me. An incredible true story about a man living the high life before the sudden onset of stroke and how his imagination, set him free.

The Great Debaters – 25^th December 2007 (Weinstein)

I know that I've seen the adverts for this movie somewhere in Singapore, though I could be mistaken. Another definitely must watch. A story about how a debating team from a black college in the 1930s changed the way America viewed its own people.

I’m Not There – 21^st November 2007 (Weinstein)

An autobiographical film (somewhat) of the life of the elusive Bob Dylan in which six different actors plays Dylan throughout the movie. Definitely an interesting take on this musician's life.

War/ Dance – 2^nd November 2007 (THINKFilm - Documentary)

Definite must-see if you love docu-movies. Its a true story about how a group of children from Southern Uganda who were formerly abducted and how music gave them new hope.

Taxi To The Dark Side – 18^th January 2008 (THINKFilm - Documentary)

A disturbing yet revealing documentary on the ongoings of the US occupation of Afghanistan in 2002. Don't expect anything close to the fun-loving style Micheal Moore employs in this one.

The Air I Breathe – 25^th January 2008 (THINKFilm)

If you love Crash and Babel, then you'll love this one.

Beaufort – 18^th January 2008 (Independent - Foreign Film)

A movie you definitely cannot miss if you love foreign films. Its a tale about the much untold life of an Israeli solider during the army's withdrawal from the Lebanese border in 2000.

Shootdown – 25^th January 2008 (Independent - Documentary)

This documentary revolves around an incident in 1996 where Cuban jet fighters gunned down two civilian volunteer patrol planes within the maritime border between the US and Cuba.

He Was A Quiet Man – 14^th January 2008 (Independent)

A beautiful story about an everyday man given an extraordinary chance in life.

Cassandra’s Dream – 18^th January 2008 (Weinstein)

A powerful story of the choices life hands you and the decisions we make of them.

Meet The Spartans – 25^th January 2008 (Fox - Comedy)

Arguably one of the best comedies of the year.

The Orphanage – 28^th December 2008 (Picturehouse - Horror)

I've seen a lot of horror films but this one is unique.

Postal – 1^st February 2008 (Independent - Comedy)

If politically incorrect and undeniably offensive comedy is your thing, then this one is definitely for you.

Diary Of The Dead – 15^th February 2008 (Weinstein - Horror)

If you're a fan of George A. Romero and his zombie movies then you'll definitely enjoy every decaying flesh of this, his next installment since Night Of The Living Dead, Dawn of The Dead, Day Of The Dead and Land of The Dead. Taken in the vein of Cloverfield, it offers an interestingly different perspective to the whole view of an Apocalypse where the dead returns to life.

The Year My Parents Went On Vacation – 15^th February 2008 (Independent - Foreign Film)

Another must watch foreign film about a boy who was left in the care of his grandfather's neighbour during the political upheaval in Sao Paolo.

Romulus, My Father – 29^th February 2008 (Magnolia)

A beautiful story about a boy's life and his struggle between his deeply moral father and his depressive mother.

Snow Angels – 7^th March 2008 (Warner Independent)

Just watch it. Its guaranteed to be a poignant tale.

Persepolis – Unknown (Sony Pictures Classics) - I know this one is already out, so let me know if you see it.

An animated story about the coming of age of an Iranian girl who escapes her troubled home to live and learn in France.

Be Kind Rewind – Unknown (New Line Cinema - Comedy)

Mos Def and Jack Black. Plus they own a video store. Trust me, you can't go wrong with this one.

Coming Soon (Keep an eye out will ya!)

Superhero Movie – 28^th March 2008 (Weinstein - Comedy)

In the vein of Scary Movie and Naked Gun, how could you even think of missing this?

The Visitor – 11^th April 2008 (Independent)

As much as I want to watch The Man In The Chair, I want to watch this movie just as badly.

88 minutes – 18^th April 2008 (Sony Pictures)

Like to get your mind stretched to its limits, then this is definitely the movie for you.

Young At Heart – 18^th April 2008 (Fox Searchlight - Documentary)

A movie following the ups and downs of a senior citizens singing group (if you can call them that) and how singing gave them new life and hope.

Where In The World Is Osama Bin Laden? – 18^th April 2008 (Weinstein - Documentary...sort of)

If you enjoyed Super Size Me, then you'll definitely enjoy this.

Iron Man – 2^nd May 2008 (Paramount)

Do I even need to explain this?

Redbelt – 2^nd May 2008 (Sony Pictures Classics)

A story about a fighter trainer who tries to make his ends meet. And when a big time fight promoter steals his training methods and turns it into a money making competition, he is forced to fight to regain what was rightfully his.

Son Of Rambow – 2^nd May 2008 (Independent)

A heartwarming tale of a couple of Irish boys who come across a pirated copy of Rambo: First Blood. And living in a society where movies prohibited, the boys attempt to make a film of their own. A definite must see.

Indiana Jones and The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull – 22^nd May 2008 (Paramount)

Forget all that National Treasure, Tomb Raider crap, this is the original treasure seeker. It's Indiana Jones man and he's back, need I say more?

The Happening – 13^th June 2008 (Fox)

M. Night Shyamalan. Nuff said.

Get Smart – 20^th June 2008 (Warner Bros - Comedy)

With Steve Carrell playing the part of Maxwell Smart it's as good as the original, at least from what I saw in the trailers. Definitely one not to miss.

MOSAIC!

2008-03-01T21:26:00.004+08:00

The MOSAIC Music Festival returns. Its something I've been waiting for, for a long time. Its the only event other than WOMAD that gives me a chance of experiencing the different musical cultures that the world has to offer. And especially so because of the ensemble of musicians who will be coming. Especially since Lee Ritenour, one of my favorite jazz guitarists would be coming to town.

The festival itself would also be held during a prime period for me. The 7th to 16th of March would land it smack dab in the middle of the school holidays. Perfect.

The only problems now would be having to come up with the money to pay for the concert tickets and another would be needing to find someone to go with..............

So................ anyone interested?

What's With All These Remakes?

2008-03-01T19:08:00.003+08:00

I'm not against remaking old TV series or movies but I guess I can only digest it if it was at least to the standard of the original. Of course everything has to be made relevant to current times but I just can't stand it when these remakers change the elements that make a particular series or movie unique.

First off, there's the remake of Bionic Woman, showing over on Star World cable feed in Singapore. I've always been a huge fan of the original, that and the Six Million Dollar Man counterpart series. And though I applaud the producers attempting to contemporarize the series, it looks too much like a Dark Angel wannabe from the trailers I've seen. Also it seems that a face lift isn't the only thing that the series aims to accomplish. With the main character still being Jaime Sommers, it pretty much screws up the storyline of the original Bionic Woman saga. What with her now also able to do what the Six Million Dollar Man does, it almost seems as if a return of Lee Majors' character near impossible. To be honest I haven't really followed up on the series, the trailers put me off (the looking too much like another Dark Angel copy bit) plus, I'd rather watch reruns of Heroes than a semi-standard - at least according to me - remake of a good original series.

Next up is a remake that isn't quite a remake. I've always been a huge fan of the original, I mean, come on, it's a thinking, talking car! That's right, KITT makes his return. And when I saw that he would be in an all new Ford Mustang body, I was all pscyhed. I know that it isn't exactly an expected transition one would expect from a Firebird Trans Am, a switch to a muscle car though definitely gives KITT more possibilities. What really peaked my interest though was the plot itself. You see, it isn't a remake in the sense of the word. And though KITT got a major face lift, along with a new voice which I will touch on later, its still the same storyline. This time though its the son of Michael Knight who shall continue the tradition of driving this great machine. The Foundation still exists though the people running it seemed to differ which is to be expected if the story followed the effects of time.

The only gripe I have with this new series is with KITT's new voice. And these next two words, you could probably understand why - Val Kilmer. I mean, can you imagine listening to him as the voice of a car? And the only other gripe I have is that its not getting shown here in Singapore. I hope that it does get shown here some time soon. I definitely miss KITT and wouldn't mind giving this new series try.

Knight Rider Trailer

Knight Rider Preview

The Day I Took Off

2008-02-18T11:33:00.004+08:00

Would it surprise you to know that I'm here at home writing this? Got myself a medical leave for today not because I too badly decommissioned with flu. And though I do have the classic symptoms, fever included, I could've still plugged through the day but chose not to for a myriad of reasons. One of which, if not the main one, was that I miss writing. And every single life stimulating nuance that flows from it. It is something that I intend to attempt today, hopefully without much distractions.

Any of you budding writers out there know what I'm talking about right? And you also know that in order for you to even get in the zone to even begin writing, you've got to get a hold of your muse. Whatever that may be - as it differs for different people and some even have more than one. Sometimes the muse comes, sometimes it lingers and sometimes, it too takes a day or year off. It's not something I can control at whim though I have tried forced-writing and have come out, most of the time, none too happy with the results. With that said though, muse or not, I will get some writing done today.

Oh and on a side note, why do people assume that poets who write would also be those who spout those written words? Can't I just be someone who writes or do I need to read what I write to someone too? Isn't the point of me writing for someone to read and not for me to read to them?

And why, oh dear me why, do people always think that I could just pull a stanza from out of the air? Or recite verses plucked from sheer nothing? Is it because they think they are my muse? Or are they trying to poke fun at the one thing in life I truly am passionate about?

Even the greatest writers in this world, past and present needed the time and space to create their masterpieces. And though I know I am not the greatest now, I definitely do deserve the time and space to explore the possibility of becoming great in the future, right?

Chopping Up Photos Again

2008-02-10T16:30:00.000+08:00

Been messing around with Photoshop again and I've finally made a new profile image in the sidebar. Tried to keep with the grey-ish theme somewhat set by the title banner. I know it ends up looking kind of X-Files-ish. It wasn't what I intended at the start but as it progressed, I just decided to let it develop on its own. And there you have it. I know I'm not that good with layout colors and all that. So any comments on that is much much appreciated.

I've also decided to give life to my Livejournal account again. Been meaning to use it as a personal diary of the thoughts that dwindle in the recesses of my mind and I guess I'll have a chance to do that now. I've added a link to the sidebar under AZARIS@NET, namely Azaris@Livejournal with the name of the site being Azarian Dominion. Though there will be some posts there that will be made public, most of the posts I make there will be restricted either to myself or to close friends that have access on Livejournal.

Anyway, please comment on the images that I've made for this site. Feedback would be more than helpful.

New Title Banner

2008-02-10T03:31:00.000+08:00

It has been quite some time since I've fiddled around with my Adobe Photoshop CS2. In fact if one were to ask me to recount the last time I used it, I wouldn't be able to give an accurate answer. Maybe early last year? Or maybe it was when I was still playing the football management game Hattrick and was making club badges for fun. And that would've put it at around 2 years prior to today.

Anyway, I've decided to mess around with the Adobe Photoshop software again just to see how much rust my skills in it have acquired. Plus I think my blog here needs a new face lift, even if it's just a new title banner. This is also bearing in mind that I'll be in charge of teaching the kids in my school on how to use this software for photo editing for the school's Photography & Video club.

So please let me know what you think of the new title banner. And please be ruthless, I need it. For those of you who are receiving this via a feed into your email, please visit my blog proper and tell me what you think. Pretty please......

I'm going to get to work on a few other things to add to this site as well as some banners for my other blogs.

The Sands of Life

2008-02-09T01:45:00.000+08:00

I finally had the time to check my email and clear them too. You can't imagine the amount of spam and old, irrelevant emails that I still had.

Anyway, I came across this recent email from my friend Miona (whom I have not seen in a long time) and it carried with it an attached video that was both beautiful and moving. So much so that I did a bit of research based on the information in that video and turned up some interesting results.

The video's main website is called Sand Fantasy and it features a gifted artist named Ilana Yahav (an Israeli if I were to make an assumption based on the name alone) who is talented in sketching, sculpting and three dimensional art. However her most intriguing and inspirational works have been her sand drawings which are done in real time with accompanying music. There really are no substitute in words for what she does. It tugs at the soul like no other artwork that I have ever experienced before.

I've uploaded the video Miona sent me to my Multiply webpage. Click here to view it. There is also a download option there.

These are some of her videos that I found on You Tube:

Let's Get Together - Ilana Yahav

Just Imagine - Ilana Yahav

Sand Dream - Ilana Yahav

Sand Dream and Love 2008 are my favorite of her works both because of the art and the music. There are more of her works on her Metacafe channel - Click here to view her Metacafe channel. And there are more of her works on her website at Sand Fantasy.

Truly amazing. Definitely another avenue for me to draw inspiration from.

Azarian Realms Presents Update:
According To Az

Is it .........

2008-02-09T00:45:00.000+08:00

In the everlasting glow of hope
I hoped........
No
I yearned for hope
For an inkling of a reverie
In escaping the mundane
The everyday, of yesterday, of today
In expectation of a different tomorrow

Of times when my thoughts would be heard
Piercing through walled ears
Through shelled minds
Flowing into the hearts of those who matter

Of a time when I would matter
Amongst all things that already mattered
When I would find one who would comprehend
The me in its entirety

An outlet for the fears I hide
A boost for the dreams I pride

Is that too much to ask
In these times of loneliness
For another who knows me
Or must I wander as I've always had
Alone, sifting through the unforgiving
With voices urging calm
Not knowing the raging storm
And the one yet to come

Is it too much to desire
To be understood
When I have fathomed
The polar of possibilities
And all in between
When I have accepted
The faces and hearts for what they are
Where they were and where they might be

Is destiny's cruelty forever my fate
To cast this heart
For countless times
Into the dark abyss
Where echoes be the only companion

Is it too much to hope for hope
Against all hope

Is it too much...........

A Ratty New Year & A Catty Habit

2008-02-07T05:11:00.000+08:00

Well, it was the eve of the Chinese New Year yesterday and my school had their Chinese New Year celebrations for the kids at the school. They had a good time and I'm truly happy that they did. I've posted up some pictures of the celebration on Multiply about the celebration. It's restricted access though and I think you folks know why. For those of you who can access it, click here.

After school ended and the students were dismissed, I had to accompany a student of mine for awhile before his parents would arrive to pick him up. Managed to clear some work during that time and once the kid was off, I was off and out of the school grounds too. Made my way to Hougang Mall as I needed to get a 2 GB thumb drive. The old 1 GB Imation flash drive that I have just doesn't cut it anymore, what with all the pictures I need to take for creating worksystems and all that. Got a Toshiba 2 GB thumb drive as soon as I reached there. More because that was the only brand they carried with 2 GB worth of memory than a matter of choice. That however, isn't the real tale that I wanted to share with you.

I was walking out of the mall when I saw a huge crowd gather around the KFC outlet that was there. Now at first I thought there was some promotional event happening, like KFC giving away free Zingers or something. But upon closer inspection (not that I could get any closer than 3 m away) it seems like something a lot more sinister than freebie giveaways happening. And so I took a position someways away from the main focal point of the crowd's attention and dug up my camera.

Crowd gathering around the outlet

And as I panned left, it struck me that the situation was a lot more dire than I thought.

An ambulance and a fire truck (a bit hard to spot that)

A few minutes after I took that picture, Civil Defence Officers came running from the glistening red gargantuan mobile towards the outlet, whilst some were rushing back towards the two emergency vehicles. For a long period it seemed as though they were playing some incoherent relay game with an invisible baton. And after a longer few moments came a cry from within the crowd saying "Alright. Everything's ok. Everything is fixed." And a Civil Defence Officer, a Major from what I make of his rank, stepped out and calmly proceeded towards one of the emergency vehicles parked there. I tried to grab a picture of him but there were too many bystanders who were more standing in front of me than by. The best picture I got was when the last batch of the overall wearing relay runners returning to their vehicle.

This was then followed by a stretcher that came out with a young Chinese boy on it. The stretcher was placed in a seated position and the boy had his hands over his face but there were no blood or any wounds that I could clearly see. I couldn't snap a good picture of that too. Had too many 'concerned' on-lookers looking on. Managed to get the back view of whom I assumed was the mother of the child as they making their way towards the berthed ambulance. And of the vehicles exiting the area.

And when the crowd cleared (which took a good 15 minutes or so) I noticed that the side entrance to the fast food outlet (where the people were gathering upon) was blocked.....well sort of.

I doubt that piece of ribbon could prevent anyone from entering through that door if they truly wanted to. Anyway, whatever it was, the boy must've met some kind of accident in that entrance. I hope he's ok. It would suck to spend your New Year in a hospital because Fate decided to play dice. My prayers go out to him in the hopes that whatever happened to him that it wouldn't be too serious.

I'd like to wish that he'll have

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR

regardless. Same goes for all my Chinese friends out there. Kind of makes you feel fortunate that you're still alive and not debilitated, chronically or by some moment of discord. Cherish it, I'm sure that boy will when he's better, we should all too.

On a side note...................

I just can't seem to get my cat out of his 'hotel room'. Heh.......cats and their weird obsession with cramped spaces.

Azarian Realms Presents Update:
According To Az
RPG Project: Valion

Tagged by Ian

2008-02-02T13:16:00.000+08:00

I was actually tagged way back in December of 2007. Oh well, I guess its better late than never.

So anyhoo..... Here goes nothing.....

Part 1: On The Outside

Name: Ahmad Asrorie bin Abdul Rahim

D.O.B: 11th October 1978

Current Status: Single, unattached and will probably remain so for a very long time to come

Eye Colour: Black

Hair Colour: Black with some strands of grey appearing here and there

Righty Or Lefty: Right-handed, left brained

Zodiac Sign: Libra

Part 2 : On The Inside

Your heritage: A little bit of Baweanese, Javanese, Bugis, Riau, Indra Putran and all Human (I hope)

Your fear: To be without purpose, to live forever

Your weakness: I have none

Part 3: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow

Your thoughts 1st waking up: I'm still alive?

Your Bedtime: What is this.............. bedtime?

Your most missed memory: My late grandmother telling me to sit still....heh

Part 4: Your Pick

Pepsi Or Coke: Coke and not the diet kind either. Pepsi's for wussies

MacDonald's Or Burger King: Burger King for the burgers, KFC for the chicken, McDonalds for the....uhhh....calories?

Single Or Group Dates: Don't know, haven't really been on any in a freakin' long time

Adidas Or Nike: Adidas. A hallmark of German engineering of sports apparel. "Weltmarke mit den 3 Streifen"

Lipton Tea Or Nestea: Not really a tea drinker

Chocolate Or Vanilla: Some of this, some of that....

Cappuccino Or Coffee: You mean cappuccino isn't coffee?!

Part 5: Do You?

Smoke: Yes and please stop asking me to quit. I will when I want to.

Curse: Linguistically, yes. Magically, I'd love to learn how to

Drink: Ummm.... kind of makes it hard to live if I don't.....

Part 6: In the past month

Drank Alcohol: This past month? Nope.

Gone to the mall: Yeah, twice. Once to book a copy of Heroes season 1 DVDs and the other time to actually collect it.

Been on stage: Two days ago in fact. Presented during Assembly to the whole school on Anger Management ..... yeah, I know.

Eaten Sushi: Nope but I sure miss eatin' em

Dyed hair: Never did before, no reason why I should start now

Part 7: Have You Ever?

Played a stripping game: Yes. And that's all the info you're gonna get

Changed who you were to fit in: Yes. Felt like crap and I won't ever do it again

Part 8: Age

You are hoping to be married: When I meet someone who can truly understand and accept me for who and what I really am (translated: In my wildest dreams.....)

Part 9: In a Guy Or Girl

Best Girl Eye Colour: Natural eye color. Meddling with eyes freak me out. Freaks me out even more to see different eye colors on the same person every now and then

Hair colour: I have a thing for women with reddish hair or red streaks.....weird but otherwise anything other than white's ok.

Short Or Long Hair: At least shoulder length or longer.

Part 10: What were you doing?

1 min ago: Updating my Daily Living Skills lesson plan for Weeks 6 to 10 in Term 1 whilst also writing this

1 hour ago: Checking my emails

1 mth ago: Started the first day of school and it went amazingly well. No meltdowns, no freakouts

1 yr ago: Same first day of school but was in Track 2 back then. Didn't really know then what to expect

Part 11: Finish the sentence.

Love: is trust and understanding.

Feel: like I'm meant for some bigger purpose, a grander design.

Miss: writing.

Hate: Idiots, ignoramuses, injustice, oppression, suppression

Need: to write and be alive again.

Part 12: Tag 5 people!

1. Jyn Malekeith The 13th
2. Fidah
3 & 4. Niza & Shiella
5. Marina

Azarian Realms Presents Updates:
RPG Project: Valion

We Are Brothers Forever

2008-02-01T22:36:00.000+08:00

Now, I'm not an American Idol fan through and through. Though I do love some of the contestants like Bo Bice, Chris Daughtry and Taylor Hicks to name a few, I don't follow the show the whole way through. I much prefer the auditions portion of the show where anybody and I do mean just anybody can and will show up. However none has been as errr...I don't know if uplifting is the right word but this guy definitely is nuts. Certifiable or otherwise...... Either way, he's made my day. And I'm inclined to agree with Simon, this song would be an instant hit, just needs some tempo and beats added to it

So without further ado, (or much to do) I present to you, Renaldo Lapuz...........

We Are Brothers Forever - Renaldo Lapuz (American Idol Auditions 2008)

For The Love Of God

2008-02-01T20:49:00.000+08:00

As the title says. One of my favorite instrumentals from Steve Vai, rearranged and replayed by Matt Rach, a phenomenal 17 year old (or at least he was 17 when I came across his vid) self-taught guitarist. Probably one of my preferred versions of this song. I've probably posted this before but eh, this kid rocks enough for me to post him twice. And God knows I need this inspiration....................

For The Love Of God - Played by Matt Rach, Original Composition of Steve Vai

Back From The Dead

2008-02-01T17:11:00.000+08:00

Whoa...............

Never figured out that I'd be sequestered from my blog for this long. Seems like my last entry was prior to the now, not so new New Year.

A December of sleep, eat, games and occasional sleepovers suddenly shifting into high gear once school duties began again. More like moving on an NSX jacked up with a supercharged turbo and fed with permanent nitrous oxide.

Well, whatever it was, it sucked like a hungry vacuum on crack. I could barely keep time in check. Days were nights and nights was like watching a feed of Gurmit's World on permanent loop............ and I lost the remote. My already lacking social timetable got a severe downgrade and my frequent rider miles into Johor was abruptly discontinued. There were moments when I thought I'd snap and then there were other times when I thought the world would end. But neither happened, to my slight dismay.

I guess it was all for the good of the students and yet I say this with two cement trucks load of salt. Try throwing that over your shoulder.

It wasn't all that bad though. I managed to sneak in some game time on my PS2. Namely the Need For Speed: Most Wanted, Gran Tourismo 4 and my fav, Romance Of The Three Kingdoms X. But those were still a Milky Way away from what truly gives me respite from the mundane interruptions in this play we call life.

Suffice it to say, I'm glad that I'm writing again. I hope that I've managed to keep this work-demon in check, because hell for me is truly a world without means for expression.

I've missed the manipulation of bytes, transforming them into symbols of meaning. I've missed running my fingers across the keyboard, giving birth to a reality of thought not constrained by doctrinal purposes.

To give life to words, to give hope to imagination.......... for otherwise I might as well not live at all.

Azarian Realms Presents Updates:
According To Az
Azarian Tales

Silhouette

2007-11-08T06:32:00.000+08:00

When I truly danced
Did you see me?
When I sang, laid myself bare
Did you hear me?
When unease stifled me
Did you notice enough to embrace me?

Or were you too caught up in some other me

With breath I have spoken
Yet I wonder now who, if anyone, was listening
With strength I have endured
Yet I wonder now who, if anyone, even understood

Perhaps it was some other me you were hearing
Some other me you claim you knew

The me without troubles
The me with eyes, heart, soul and mind for none but you
The me who would follow you anywhere, everywhere
Without even a word against

The ever agreeing me
Of a single minded desire
To simply follow your every whim
Every motion, every breath, every heartbeat

Then perhaps it is my silhouette you knew
My silhouette that caught your fancy

For the real me is a cursed existence
Of logic fused with empathy for all
Where every act of good will
Tears my soul apart

Yes, it was my silhouette you knew
My silhouette you preferred

For you never knew me at all
And how could you ever, when it was never about me?

Festival of Lights

2007-11-08T06:30:00.000+08:00

Just want to wish all my Hindu friends.....

A HAPPY DEEPAVALI (OR DIWALI - or however you spell that)

Enjoy the holiday!

Forecast: Clearer Days Ahead

2007-11-05T20:19:00.000+08:00

It's amazing how you think you've been through the worst of what work has for you and then it just keeps churning out more stuff for you to clear. With deadlines to boot. 'Time constraint' in itself is an understatement, especially for the past few weeks or so for me. I mean, barely even have the opportunity to update this blog of mine. And you know that if I ain't writing here then I pretty much ain't doing any other forms of writing either.

If it weren't for Nizam (and of course his kind wife Ian, who was willing to part with his time) offering me a game (well, a series of games to be exact) of Winning Eleven on his PS2 then I guess I probably would not have any downtime at all.

From exam papers to mark, Communication Updates, Marks Analysis, Progress Reports, physical restructuring of the Office Skills Training room, jig-making, worksystem creating ........ I guess its enough to drive anyone nuts. This is all on top of the Certificate In Autism course that had just ended last week...... Thank God. I've yet to submit two assignments that are due this Friday though, so I guess I shouldn't thank Him just yet. Am planning to utilize the Deepavali public holiday that is coming up this Thursday to clear those.

Not to mention that I've got a good amount of pay docked for my 'unsanctioned' medical leaves last month. Well, can't fault anyone for that but myself. No rampant spendings till my next paycheck comes in, which would be a long, torturous 3 weeks. Which pains me because I can't get Football Manager 2008 which came out at the back end of October. If there's any kind soul out there who could lend me $60 or so for me to get this game (which would go a long way towards keeping my mental well-being healthy) I'd gladly appreciate it. Promise to pay whomever that kind soul is come the end of November.

Been so busy I've forgot to mention that my younger brother got the new iPod touch (this was like a month or so back). Yes, I know I said that they wouldn't be making any more iPods but this one really isn't like your standard iPod. For one it has the same touchscreen technology as the iPhone, plus you can actually surf wirelessly with it, like a PDA that plays MP3s and MP4s.

My younger bro's array of Apple products thus far.

And I thought I'd be getting his older iPod since he has gotten a fancier one but the only hand me down I got was his PSP. It ain't even the new slim ones but the old bulky version. Not that I'm complaining but the color truly doesn't match me. I mean, I'm more of a black guy than a pure white guy. Got myself Smackdown vs Raw 2006 as my first game. Its an old game I know but that's the only one I could afford. The only part I like in the game is where you get to be the General Manager of either of the WWE brands and attempt to win over as many fans as possible over a season. Get the clue yet that I love to play managerial games?

The PSP my younger bro gave to me.

And just to give you folks out there how stricken for time I've been over these past few weeks. Here's some pictures of the better parts of my room.

Ghastly ain't it? Definitely need to tidy this sty up once the school holidays come rolling around. But until then, these are the things I need to keep sane:

Football Manager 2008
Try to catch up on what's happening in WWE (I hear Degeneration X is back)
Watch Comedy Central (I miss The Daily Show and The Colbert Report)
Write, write, write, write, write (And no more reports please)

With numbers 1 and 4 being the top two priority, though why I didn't put them in the proper order I've got no idea. Oh and though the title of this post did say "Clearer Days Ahead" I guess I'll just leave that news for another time as I think there's enough on here for you folks out there to chew on for awhile.

Till next time.... Ciao.

"And I thought roller-coasters were supposed to be fun rides....." - Az

The Nice, The Bad and The Very Sinister

2007-10-27T01:20:00.000+08:00

Honestly, I just don't get it.

I help people and they think I'm kind and nice. Don't they know that if I do help them its only because I like them to begin with? I mean, if I was really that kind and nice I'd be helping those that I despise. Then again, this is sort of a free world and every individual has the right to think whatever they want to.

Worst part is when you try to do good and all you get in return is disassociation. I mean if you're a person with autism or dementia or something similarly mentally debilitating then I guess that's acceptable.

Even worse when they don't know how ruthless and malevolent (or cold and unfeeling, take your pick) I can be as how all who truly know me knows

Maybe I should just be the megalomaniac I was before, without a care for any other soul but my own. I mean, that is how the world is right? Or how else do you explain how bad things always happen to good people?

Aren't we all born into this shithole alone? Without created concepts of ties of family and friends, save for the umbilical cords of sustenance to our birth moms? And do we not leave this cradle of decadence alone? Buried, cremated or just plainly fed to the animals alone, without any to accompany us?

I guess a person will always choose to feel or think in the way that suits them best. And most times without regards for others. Which is of course their choice.

Perhaps I should just go with this current trend of selfishness. I mean it seems to work fine for almost everyone else in this 6 billion population fishbowl.

Just me against the world and everything else, once again and from the looks of it forever and ever.

Crappashittyf****

2007-10-17T11:53:00.000+08:00

Man, things could've been better. I mean, Ramadan has ended and I'm supposed to be celebrating Eid ul-Fitr. The first two days were fine but I couldn't quite go out to visit any of my relatives. What with them coming to visit my maternal grandfathers and my dad, both the eldest on each side of my family.

Monday was the start of the drag though it was entirely my fault. I should have gone out but sleeping in just felt so good. That and I had a couple of work related stuff I needed to clear up that I didn't have a chance to do over the weekend. It was at night when I got that shitty feeling. You know....when your head starts to throb and your nose begins spewing forth liquid from God knows where...

And would you know it, I'm down with fever the next morning. Doctor gave me medical leave for two days and lotsa medications. Most of which put me to sleep the majority of a 24 hour day. If it weren't for text messages and phone calls, I think I'd be out for the whole 24 hours. Its going to be a problem when I do get back to work. Probably another counseling session in addition to the amount of salary cut from my monthly wages due to exceeded leaves. Oh well.............

I really need to win this fight against viral threats. Any suggestions? Vitamin Bs? Veggies? Toss me some help here.

Anyway, whenever I am awake, I tried to sober myself up by watching some Jeff Dunham videos on You Tube.
It helped a bit. Mostly because this guy was one hell of a ventriloquist. Check out his work. I've embedded a video involving one of his more recent characters. Enjoy!

You Tube Link

Azarian Realms Presents Updates:
According To Az

The End of Ramadan, The Beginning Of New Hope

2007-10-12T21:16:00.000+08:00

WISHING ALL MUSLIM BROTHERS AND SISTERS

A HAPPY EID UL-FITR!

Hope all of you managed to complete your month of fasting coz I couldn't. Silly gastric flu.

Azarian Realms Presents Updates:
According To Az

Twenty Nine Years Since Hatching

2007-10-12T00:11:00.000+08:00

It was as most of my hatchdays has been over recent years. Busy and with lesser opportunity to do some seriously needed lamenting that I usually do come each birthday. I guess I'd only be able to do such things during the school holidays of which I'm glad to have. It was kind of a weird day where I needed to clear a buttload of last minute stuff.

I'd like to thank those who took the time to wish me a happy birthday. And even though I do not celebrate it as how most people do, well wishes are always appreciated. A big thanks also goes to Nizam and Iannie for their birthday gift and especially for inviting me for a dinner night out. And yes, I agree, no more patronizing The Coffee Bean at the airport. Its just something about an outlet that runs out of the ingredients of the dishes that they are selling that puts me off.

Twenty nine and counting....... and for some reason that counting part seems to tick louder than normal recently.

Azarian Realms Updates:
According To Az

Umbrella

2007-10-09T19:55:00.000+08:00

Yeah, you know that song. That one by Rihanna that's been getting lots of airtime for the past number of months now. Its nice there's no doubt about that but the constant repetition of the song on the radio and wherever else makes it seem more irritating than anything.

Well thanks to a friend of mine (and I found this out while blog hopping through my friends' blogs), Niza that there are other better versions of that song. And I whole heartedly agree with her assessment. The two versions she posted on her blog are the ones by Mandy Moore and Marie Digby (new singer) and I personally liked the Mandy Moore version. Has a certain kind of sincerity to the whole song that the original lacks. Either way, enjoy them both as I'm posting both embeds of the song and the respective links as I just realized that the emails sent by Feedblitz doesn't include the embedded videos.

Mandy Moore's version of Umbrella

You Tube link

Marie Digby's Accoustic version of Umbrella

Azarian Realms Presents Updates:
According To Az

Reminisce

2007-10-07T16:47:00.000+08:00

What does one do when things feel crappy and the whole world seems out to get you and you alone?

Well, I don't know about you guys but for me, I contemplate. And every so often contemplation, for one reason or another, brings you back onto the path long since traveled. To remember old things and maybe to hope for new ones in light of them.

Anyway, just wanted to share some of this silly, nonsensical stuff that used to cheer me up back then (and now too, I hope). And all this was way before Spongebob's zany antics. Enjoy the following vids. I've added links to the sites that host them in their entirety (looped that is). Hope these brightened up your day as it did mine, even just for a little bit.

The Llama Song

Full version (loop)

The Badger Song

Full version (loop)