Thursday, 11 December 2008
Tuesday, 9 December 2008
Playing For Change
I would like to introduce you to a remarkable documentary about the simple but transformative power of music: PLAYING FOR CHANGE: PEACE THROUGH MUSIC. I accidentally saw this clip on Youtube, love it! I then searched for "PLAYING FOR CHANGE", and learnt that this is a movement setup 7 years ago to unite people all over the world through music and inspiration. The film brings musicians from around the world to collaborate on songs familiar and new, playing together yet in their own traditions. Music lovers will sure fall in love with these powerful works!
Monday, 8 December 2008
我的旧作品（一）
我的老部落被Friednster搞得很不像样，我心有不甘，决定在这儿再炫耀一次我的旧作品。嘻嘻！
刚开始到园姬报到时，我难得成为安分守己的好学生，按部就班的，一心一意想要把我的第一盆胡姬花做好。不过，我的耐心并不持久，在我把我的第一盆胡姬花完成的同时，我其实也打岔作了一个小猪吊饰以及一个荡秋千的快乐小女孩。
我的第一盆胡姬花其实也是我至今唯一的一盆陶艺花。说来有趣，我和美美2007年年头到园姬报名时，园姬还是一家默默无名的小店。老板Chris给了我们超级大优惠，我们当时报名的陶艺花课程是没有时限的（材料自付），百五零吉学费是确保我们会制作三盆陶艺花为止，这期间我们可以免费学习制作任何小玩具及陶娃娃（材料自付）。可怜Chris遇人不淑，遇上两个超级大懒人，学了两年只完成一盆花(其实第二盆总算是开工了一半啦）。假设我们用四年时间来完成我们的三盆花，以RM150除以48个月，平均学费是RM3.125。要是每个人都像我们这么不思长进，老板真是吃谷种了！不过，也就只有我们会懒惰得连材料都被我们弄坏，得重新进货，老板总算还有得赚。;p
刚开始到园姬报到时，我难得成为安分守己的好学生，按部就班的，一心一意想要把我的第一盆胡姬花做好。不过，我的耐心并不持久，在我把我的第一盆胡姬花完成的同时，我其实也打岔作了一个小猪吊饰以及一个荡秋千的快乐小女孩。
我的第一盆胡姬花其实也是我至今唯一的一盆陶艺花。说来有趣，我和美美2007年年头到园姬报名时，园姬还是一家默默无名的小店。老板Chris给了我们超级大优惠，我们当时报名的陶艺花课程是没有时限的（材料自付），百五零吉学费是确保我们会制作三盆陶艺花为止，这期间我们可以免费学习制作任何小玩具及陶娃娃（材料自付）。可怜Chris遇人不淑，遇上两个超级大懒人，学了两年只完成一盆花(其实第二盆总算是开工了一半啦）。假设我们用四年时间来完成我们的三盆花，以RM150除以48个月，平均学费是RM3.125。要是每个人都像我们这么不思长进，老板真是吃谷种了！不过，也就只有我们会懒惰得连材料都被我们弄坏，得重新进货，老板总算还有得赚。;p
把心思挂在耳垂上
好久都没到园姬“搞搞震”了，上个星期六终于到课室亮相，老师也不知是好气还是好笑。“你们不近农历新年就不亮相是不是啊？”她是这样子抗议的。我原想把我“做”了半年的莲花做完（其实就只是在园姬的几堂课才有动工，平时我可把我的莲花忘得干干净净），然而，当我把“ka chang”从盒子拿出来时，才发觉全蒙上一层厚厚的灰尘了，更令我伤心的是，我的粘土全硬了！美美和我半斤八两。她几个月前来做的上百个花瓣，因当时匆匆忙忙离去，没待粘土完全风干便收了起来（回家后又完全忘了要拿出来让它风干），结果全都生锈了（花瓣里头得用铁线定型）。我们伤心欲绝，跟Susan撒娇说今天没有心情继续了，于是她又拿出私家粘土及耳环钩子哄我们、又答应美美会帮她收拾残局。我们见奸计得逞，便喜滋滋地开始动手做耳环。
对于这两对耳环，我其实满意得很。再加上这怎么说也是世上独一无二的一对耳环，看来以后可以靠这个赚外快了。哈哈！
Saturday, 6 December 2008
一种永恒
发现泽灵在她的部落内谈起我，害我的眼泪不听使唤地流。
大家都说，所有的情感（亲情、友情、爱情）皆需要时间空间细心经营。然而，有一些感情，由于心灵上的投契，即使没有朝夕相对、即使没有频频联系，我们仍然相信那会是一种永恒。我和泽灵的友情，便是如此。
泽灵是个吉普赛般的女人（这绝对是褒义的！），她崇尚自由、热情、奔放、洒脱（还能歌善舞！）。每一次想起她的时候，她的真性情总使我心中特别温暖。我们的联络其实也不算频密，大家在地球不同的角落里寻觅着自己的Dharma，但是，我反正一直就觉得她贴得很近，我们仿佛不曾走远。她的存在赐我力量与信念，我知道无论我在生命中遇到了怎么样的挫折、做了怎么样的错误，她一定会谅解（甚至可能觉得理所当然应当如是！）；我知道无论我在生命中找到怎么样的喜悦、达到怎么样的成就，她一定会欢欣（甚至可能比我有过而无不及）。我知道，她必然也坚信我会为她做着同样的事。
大家都说，所有的情感（亲情、友情、爱情）皆需要时间空间细心经营。然而，有一些感情，由于心灵上的投契，即使没有朝夕相对、即使没有频频联系，我们仍然相信那会是一种永恒。我和泽灵的友情，便是如此。
泽灵是个吉普赛般的女人（这绝对是褒义的！），她崇尚自由、热情、奔放、洒脱（还能歌善舞！）。每一次想起她的时候，她的真性情总使我心中特别温暖。我们的联络其实也不算频密，大家在地球不同的角落里寻觅着自己的Dharma，但是，我反正一直就觉得她贴得很近，我们仿佛不曾走远。她的存在赐我力量与信念，我知道无论我在生命中遇到了怎么样的挫折、做了怎么样的错误，她一定会谅解（甚至可能觉得理所当然应当如是！）；我知道无论我在生命中找到怎么样的喜悦、达到怎么样的成就，她一定会欢欣（甚至可能比我有过而无不及）。我知道，她必然也坚信我会为她做着同样的事。
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
Twilight
This time must get the title right. The previous post get Wei Wei very confused. haha!
I have finally finished reading the dumb yet entertaining teen novel - "Twilight" (published in 2005. And yes, I know, I'm always slow ;p).
My conclusion is, I confirmed this is not half as good as "Harry Porter" as per my taste (so if you wanted to give this a chance, don't buy it, just get it from me). I can still remember how I stayed up whole night because I just can't put "Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone" down. However, it took me days to complete "Twilight". But, of course, I shouldn't compare this to Harry Potter. The targeted reader of these two is totally different. JK Rowling most probably started with age 5 ~ 15 in her mind (but surprisingly ended up having the whole world, 3 ~ 80, go crazy) while Stephenie Meyer clearly targeted at young adult only. I can easily connected with all the fun and fantasies in Harry Potter but there are too many things about "Twilight" that I couldn't connect with. (of course, obviously, I've never learnt to like Hollywood teen movies and I can never understand US high school culture.
When I first started, I actually enjoyed it. The opening is quite interesting: Bella moves from sunny Arizona to gloomy Fork to live with her father. She gains instant popularity at her new high school—with the exception of the beautiful Edward Cullen and his siblings. Even though I already knew that Edward is a vampire, it's still fun to speculate about what exactly is going on—why does Edward seem both drawn and repelled by Bella? What are a bunch of vampires doing impersonating students at a small town high school?
However, now I'm not sure if I still want to continue on 'New Moon'.
First of all, Bella's infatuation with Edward is annoying. She keep on commenting on Edwards 'perfect face,' 'amber eyes,' and 'perfectly-muscled chest'. Sigh.... Why does Stephenie wasted a good 100-something years old vampire with 17 years old humanity? If I were to write a novel with a 100-something years old vampire, I will make him the most attractive man in human history. Think of it, a guy with 100 years old wisdom and 17 years old humanity!! He can be extremely wise and still young at heart. He should have developed the most loving character after 100 years of perfection. He can be thoughtful and playful at the same time. He can be a gentleman (from humanity) and wild (from his vampire family) at the same time. He can excel in playing at least a few dozen musical instruments, excel in various arts, excel in every sports that human have ever invented, because he has more than 100 years to practise! He knows almost anything and everything on earth because he didn't sleep for the past 100 years and he should have spent all those sleepless nights reading and studying and experimenting! And with all these possibilities, the only thing she can think of for Edward is 'beauty'????
Secondly, James the villain, is too forgettable. We started to know about 'You-Know-Who' at the very beginning of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and there are so much anticipation about 'You-Know-Who' throughout the whole story. The merciless "tracker" vampire, James, on the other hand, appear in "Twilight" very sudden at the 2/3 of the story (maybe Stephenie suddenly realized that she forgot to give her hero some real challenge and her story a climax). James is supposed to hunt human beings for sport, and supposed be unusually gifted at what he does and always gets what he wants. However, there's not a single paragraph describing how James and the Cullen family fight! Out of suddenly we knew that he is set on fire and thus permanently destroyed. So anti-climax!
And the worst part is, the books end with EDWARD TAKING BELLA TO THE PROM!!!)
I have finally finished reading the dumb yet entertaining teen novel - "Twilight" (published in 2005. And yes, I know, I'm always slow ;p).
My conclusion is, I confirmed this is not half as good as "Harry Porter" as per my taste (so if you wanted to give this a chance, don't buy it, just get it from me). I can still remember how I stayed up whole night because I just can't put "Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone" down. However, it took me days to complete "Twilight". But, of course, I shouldn't compare this to Harry Potter. The targeted reader of these two is totally different. JK Rowling most probably started with age 5 ~ 15 in her mind (but surprisingly ended up having the whole world, 3 ~ 80, go crazy) while Stephenie Meyer clearly targeted at young adult only. I can easily connected with all the fun and fantasies in Harry Potter but there are too many things about "Twilight" that I couldn't connect with. (of course, obviously, I've never learnt to like Hollywood teen movies and I can never understand US high school culture.
When I first started, I actually enjoyed it. The opening is quite interesting: Bella moves from sunny Arizona to gloomy Fork to live with her father. She gains instant popularity at her new high school—with the exception of the beautiful Edward Cullen and his siblings. Even though I already knew that Edward is a vampire, it's still fun to speculate about what exactly is going on—why does Edward seem both drawn and repelled by Bella? What are a bunch of vampires doing impersonating students at a small town high school?
However, now I'm not sure if I still want to continue on 'New Moon'.
First of all, Bella's infatuation with Edward is annoying. She keep on commenting on Edwards 'perfect face,' 'amber eyes,' and 'perfectly-muscled chest'. Sigh.... Why does Stephenie wasted a good 100-something years old vampire with 17 years old humanity? If I were to write a novel with a 100-something years old vampire, I will make him the most attractive man in human history. Think of it, a guy with 100 years old wisdom and 17 years old humanity!! He can be extremely wise and still young at heart. He should have developed the most loving character after 100 years of perfection. He can be thoughtful and playful at the same time. He can be a gentleman (from humanity) and wild (from his vampire family) at the same time. He can excel in playing at least a few dozen musical instruments, excel in various arts, excel in every sports that human have ever invented, because he has more than 100 years to practise! He knows almost anything and everything on earth because he didn't sleep for the past 100 years and he should have spent all those sleepless nights reading and studying and experimenting! And with all these possibilities, the only thing she can think of for Edward is 'beauty'????
Secondly, James the villain, is too forgettable. We started to know about 'You-Know-Who' at the very beginning of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" and there are so much anticipation about 'You-Know-Who' throughout the whole story. The merciless "tracker" vampire, James, on the other hand, appear in "Twilight" very sudden at the 2/3 of the story (maybe Stephenie suddenly realized that she forgot to give her hero some real challenge and her story a climax). James is supposed to hunt human beings for sport, and supposed be unusually gifted at what he does and always gets what he wants. However, there's not a single paragraph describing how James and the Cullen family fight! Out of suddenly we knew that he is set on fire and thus permanently destroyed. So anti-climax!
And the worst part is, the books end with EDWARD TAKING BELLA TO THE PROM!!!)
Sunday, 30 November 2008
Forbidden Love
Do you, sometimes, get into the mood where you want your brain to totally stop thinking and crazily feed it with all sorts of junk? I'm in that stage for the past few days.
Well, first of all, I filled my days with "brainless activities" - shopping. (I'm not criticising shopping as an activity, but I do have to admit that I only love shopping when I'm in the mood of giving my brain some rest, or when I'm in the mood of hanging around with my mum, my aunts, my sister, or my girl friends. Never fond of shopping actually). Also, I watched a lot of movies (even re-watch Ironman and let Robert Downey Jr. entertain me, again). However, still, the real activity that can always give my brain some rest (but killing my eyes) is to read some mindless novels ;p
So, I went to Popular Bookshop for shopping. And I saw "Twilight" on sale. I remembered that I read it some where saying that this book is a phenomenon among the teens around the world after "Harry Porter" so I decided to give it a try. (Considering the content, where the storyline involves a male vampire and a human girl, I expected the novel to be a bit silly and twee, just right for shutting down my brain)
Like "Harry Porter" as to J.K. Rowling, "Twilight" too is the the first novel of Stephenie Meyer. However, it is not as interesting as "Harry Porter". After reading 2/3 of the book, I come into a conclusion - it is far as good as "Harry Porter" and I'm not as hooked. However, this is definely a book that's so entertaining that you'd love to kill time with.
I can understand why this book is a sure success among teenagers, especially girls. The forbidden love theme is so hopelessly romantic. Edward Cullen is of course a vampire and Bella, a girl he finds interesting. They are both teens in high school, where they met and fall madly in love. But Edward is having a hard time controlling the blood lust she arouses in him, because he's a vampire. At any moment, the intensity of their passion could drive him to kill her. But Bella would rather be dead than part from Edward, so she risks her life to stay near him. Love burns high when thwarted by obstacles.
She is not supposed to love him, but she's unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him. She is so brave and me too, was touched by her total acceptance of love.
Well, first of all, I filled my days with "brainless activities" - shopping. (I'm not criticising shopping as an activity, but I do have to admit that I only love shopping when I'm in the mood of giving my brain some rest, or when I'm in the mood of hanging around with my mum, my aunts, my sister, or my girl friends. Never fond of shopping actually). Also, I watched a lot of movies (even re-watch Ironman and let Robert Downey Jr. entertain me, again). However, still, the real activity that can always give my brain some rest (but killing my eyes) is to read some mindless novels ;p
So, I went to Popular Bookshop for shopping. And I saw "Twilight" on sale. I remembered that I read it some where saying that this book is a phenomenon among the teens around the world after "Harry Porter" so I decided to give it a try. (Considering the content, where the storyline involves a male vampire and a human girl, I expected the novel to be a bit silly and twee, just right for shutting down my brain)
Like "Harry Porter" as to J.K. Rowling, "Twilight" too is the the first novel of Stephenie Meyer. However, it is not as interesting as "Harry Porter". After reading 2/3 of the book, I come into a conclusion - it is far as good as "Harry Porter" and I'm not as hooked. However, this is definely a book that's so entertaining that you'd love to kill time with.
I can understand why this book is a sure success among teenagers, especially girls. The forbidden love theme is so hopelessly romantic. Edward Cullen is of course a vampire and Bella, a girl he finds interesting. They are both teens in high school, where they met and fall madly in love. But Edward is having a hard time controlling the blood lust she arouses in him, because he's a vampire. At any moment, the intensity of their passion could drive him to kill her. But Bella would rather be dead than part from Edward, so she risks her life to stay near him. Love burns high when thwarted by obstacles.
She is not supposed to love him, but she's unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him. She is so brave and me too, was touched by her total acceptance of love.
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