Together

I'm adding something new to the mixture
So there's a different hue to the picture.
A different ending to this fairytale
And no sunset into which we sail.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Memento

So my friend passed me an electronic version of this film. A pity that this amazing film is nowhere to be found in Singapore. If I could get it, I would. Was almost going to have this prized possession from my sis before she get back from USA, but unfortunately she had to come back early and there goes my online shopping.

Why is this film among my favourites? I don't believe there is any intelligent crime thriller that even comes close to this. Bryan Singer's The Usual Suspects is second to this and also very entertaining and enjoyable, but Nolan's Memento is almost unsurpassable.

It is about how a man who suffers from memory loss (he can only remember the last few minutes of his life) uses notes and tattoos (thus, memento) to find the one who raped and murdered his wife. Lots of unexpected twists that have become Nolan's trademark. This is one director that is able to anticipate audience reaction and thinking and almost manipulates his films is such a way that the audience, no matter how seasoned or smart, cannot guess his plot. Watching it for the second time reveals very little plot inconsistencies despite the highly intricate structure of time-chronology. Above all, an amazing movie experience that reveals more and more as the movie progresses. Things aren't so simple.

Perhaps my experience of watching The Dark Knight is aggravated by my extremely high expectation of what Nolan can do, after watching a series of immensely satisfying movies like Begins, Prestige and Memento. And which is why I don't get how The Dark Knight became no. 3 on IMDB top 250 movies. Sure it was a great movie, but surely it was nowhere near Memento! And surely it is nowhere near a lot of other films over the years as well.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

2 Weeks in School

Now I'm starting to feel the pressure coming.

Currently I have two projects, both on vastly different disciplines. For Biochemistry, a paper on protein purification techniques (1000 words) and for Samurai, a paper on stereotypes, topic which will be determined by myself and group mates(s). Average words is 2000 per person.

I am particularly interested in writing on the puritans who are perceived as being prudish, people who live by extreme moral codes and who cannot enjoy things like humour, sex and alcohol and who live very dull, weary, joyless lives. Even the word 'puritannical' has negative undertones, which I feel is somewhat a plausible way to start things off. And of course, my area of interest - I shall not hide the fact that these theological giants are my personal heroes of faith :) Of course, the worry is that the topic is too "Christian", though we can always treat the puritans as a historical social group arising from the Reformation. Another worry is possibly the lack of academic journals and books about them, concerning this issue. Much of my knowledge of them have come directly from their preserved 400 year old books, and of course modern Christian books which I believe would hardly be counted as 'academic'. Will have to go to the library to check things out...

Other possible stereotypes will be on the Muslims/Arabs and the Hispanics...

Interesting right, except the mad rush that accompanies such projects. Imagine the hours needed to spend on reading, searching for books in libraries, penning words of your own so that you do not plagiarise etc.

Tick, tock, tick, tock...

My, I think I shan't blog further. Time is catching up with me.

Monday, August 11, 2008

NUS Starts Here!

After almost a year of working and resting, now is the time for studies! Four years of intensive, strenuous, gruelling, tedioous studying await me... Another period of my life where I will test myself if I can handle the things thrown at me. Studies, ministry, church, relationship... perhaps this is the best time for me to grow more mature.

These are the modules I'm taking:

1. MLE1101 - Introduction to Materials Science and Engineering
2. MA1505 - Mathematics I
3. EC1301 - Principles of Economics
4. GEK1527 - Genes and Society
5. GEK2022 - Samurai, Geisha, Yakuza as Self or Other

As you can see, I am only taking 2 core modules... Was hoping I could get at least three so that I can still take my GEMs in other semesters. But they never seem to reply to my request to have another core module put in. Crap. I don't look like I'm studying Engineering!

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Yellow - Coldplay

Look at the stars,
Look how they shine for you,
And everything you do,
Yeah they were all yellow.

I came along
I wrote a song for you
And all the things you do
And it was called yellow

So then I took my turn
Oh all the things I've done
And it was all yellow

Your skin
Oh yeah your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
D'you know you know I love you so
You know I love you so..

I swam across
I jumped across for you
Oh all the things you do
Cause you were all yellow

I drew a line
I drew a line for you
Oh what a thing to do
And it was all yellow

Your skin
Oh yeah your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
D'you know for you i bleed myself dry
For you i bleed myself dry

It's true look how they shine for you
look how they shine for you
look how they shine for you
look how they shine for you
look how they shine for you
look how they shine
look at the stars look how they shine for you

Sunday, June 29, 2008

And so the two sides of me will battle. A bold side, which could really care less about the embarrassment and hurt awaiting me, that says with much audacity, "Heck it, take the risk!", at the risk of becoming the Greatest Fool in the world, to be laughed at and ridiculed for my supreme silliness. And the other, a meek and unambitious side, skeptical of every truly positive sign and which loves hanging upon an air of extreme pessimism. Always rejecting all possible advances and being contented with wallowing in pathetic self-pity and in an eternal state of wishing thinking, that I could be somewhere better, somewhere greater, if only I had been wiser.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

I Want To Go Holidays Lah.

I have been working since I ORD'ed, with some breaks in between. But those breaks are too short and I remained in boring Singapore all these while. I really love my time in Australia even though I was with the army and in some exercise.... I remember we went to a deserted beach in Rockhampton and I really loved it although it was only for an afternoon. There were beach crabs, so tiny that just one careless step and you would kill them. They were digging their holes and appearing once in a while. See how fast they had ducked underneath once the sea waves came in. Amazing. And then there were those beautiful rocks, and urchins and some creatures I have never seen before here and there. And the waves. How they rush against your feet and bring a cooling sensation to you. And as you gaze far into the horizon, you know that the world God created is big and beautiful.

Just knowing that I was somewhere else is in itself something to be relished...

The world is so big. Earth is so big. I am letting myself stuck in a small area of the earth. I wish one day I can see National Geographic pictures right in front of my eyes. Waterfalls, oceans, forests... whatever.

So come July 11, I will try my best to jio people overseas. Don't care if it is Malaysia. Just go out, and I hope my friends would be free... I have toyed with the idea with J to go China, and I hope he is free this time round.

Forget about paying bills lah. Hostel fees, school fees, driving test. Probably need like at least 6k to pay them all. I cannot pay them all anyway. Just go for holiday since I am already broke. Haha.

Just wish that I could enjoy time together with friends, before the gruelling and monotonous days of studies dawn again.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

And I Love Her

I give her all my love
That's all I do
And if you saw my love
You'd love her too
I love her

She gives me ev'rything
And tenderly
The kiss my lover brings
She brings to me
And I love her

A love like ours
Could never die
As long as I
Have you near me

Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
Will never die
And I love her

Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
Will never die
And I love her