brought 3 packs of tissue, used half pack only. OK lah.
Well, I learned not to have high hope to go to any movies that are adapted from books. Like Harry Potter, like many others, lots of should-be-in-the-scenes stories are not included in the movie.
Nonetheless it is a nice one, especially for those who don't read books or yet to read the book.
I was brought to tears in 2 scenes. 2 scenes only. I expect more but... nah. Partly also I don't want the other cinema goers saw my pig face so I actually held myself together during some scenes that reminds me of some sad or touching descriptions in the book. And funnily, when it is supposed to dig into that deeper feeling or some further details in the book, the movie stopped right there and switched to something else. Which made my tear held half way and kena telan balik LOL. Now that's funny^^
I would say the first half of the movie is very well-executed although not all details from the book are included. The second half.... erm, like, I don't know how to put this: too fast? skipping too many things? I don't mind if they will make this a 3-hour movie, I rather watch this for 3-hour and get back-ache rather than the 3-hour King Kong that really gave me not only a back-ache but also headache -_-"
Some interesting facts on the actors: http://www.licunxin.com/film.htm They are all related to Li Cunxin himself in real life! I love the cast and the actors :)
I like the review written by Jim from The Age. I agree with him on almost all points :)
Confucius is born 2559 years ago, happy birthday 孔夫子!
*Western Georgian calender is 28 September; Chinese Lunar calender is 27th day of 8th lunar month, which falls on 15 October this year 2009)*
Am posting this because in Mainland China they are celebrating the teacher's day in conjunction with Confucius birthday today.
Some well known Confucian quotes:
"When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them."
知錯能改，善莫大焉。(Lit: To know your faults and be able to change is the greatest virtue.)
"What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others"
己所不欲，勿施於人。
"With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my crooked arm for a pillow - is not joy to be found therein? Riches and honors acquired through unrighteousness are to me as the floating clouds"
疏食飲水，曲肱而枕，樂在其中矣。不義而富貴，于我如浮雲。
"To understand nothing is to understand everything."
知錯大 能改，善樂在其莫焉。
I disagree with the translation for the last quote. It should mean something like "know your wrong deeds and willing to correct them, there is joy in doing so". I am not sure of the meaning of the second verse though .but the first verse is definitely about "to realize what is wrong and attempt to correct it". We learn this in the shortened form: 知過能改，善莫大焉 during primary school. I don't think I am mistaken about this, but... who knows the larger meaning of it is "to understand nothing is to understand everything"?
Argh, unacceptable. That English translation is deviated too far away from its true meaning!
When I googled and apparently lots of Chinese site take this translation and circulate it as the correct translation for the proverb. Oh please Wikipedia, that is wrong!
Saya akan timbang diri sendiri sama ada pada hari Rabu atau Jummat ini, kemudian buat pelan detox dan jadual masa gym serta renang. Sekian.
I have lots of pimples now and my stomach is bloating almost all the time. Urgently need to detox myself not only from the oil and charcoal food but also from lack of sleep. Will start to adjust my lifestyle back to normal. An email from my student that titled (translated from Mandarin): "Irregular sleeps equals to commit suicide---for people who don't sleep at night", somewhat rings an alarm to me and I suppose I should live a healthier lifestyle.
I will force myself to go to campus everyday and do my work in the office as much as I can. And this, will require me to wake up early and my room will be the place for leisure and rest only. Making the bedroom as my workplace is probably the factor that contributes to my on-and-off insomnia. But to tell the truth, I love to do work in my room. Hmph.
Need to build up my stamina at the gym, I lost to a nanny in swimming on the last Thursday and I am ashamed of myself^^
Lately it's cold again and I don't sweat much. No detox activity at all. No good^^
Raya Open House of Desa Bundoora at Reservoir Civic Centre
Lots of things on my mind that I wish to say here but my brain is too tired to function. I think the most important thing is gratitute and appreciation during Raya. We hope people are REALLY forgiving each other and appreciate the bonds we bind either from Malaysia and also in Melbourne. You girls are the precious Elixirs that I found in the PhD journey and I thank GOD for that.
Fresh orange juice and fresh vege with strawberries salad. I love organic food but I have to travel to fresh markets to buy them at cheaper price^^
Don't skip breakfast. Even if you wake up late. No matter what, even if you're going to be late for something, grab something to eat, don't skip!
Don't take bath right after you eat a meal. So the best way is to bath first, before taking any meal. Taking a bath right after you eat is the cause of your tummy/small belly! Or, rest at least 1 hour after taking a meal before taking a bath.
Take the stairs instead of lift. Walk more can tone your legs. Though there are myths saying do more legs exercise would make your legs more muscular, but hey, that is really not the case. Look at the models on the runway and imagine how many miles or kilometers they walk in 1 day (including training and all). Yet they also work out in the gym (on the treadmills some more!). So the muscular thingy is just another reason to be lazy.
Think positively. Be happy!
Don't go to sleep straight away right after having a meal.
So far these are the things that I can think of, they are additional notes to my detox plan. These are some very simple things to do but apparently nobody is willing to do it. Sigh.
Avocado blended with soy milk and topping with blueberries
It sounds simple and what you need to do within these 3 days are: Detox for 2 days, eat fruits only for 1 day (on the first day), and 1 hour workout at gym for 2 days-----my total weight loss is 3 Kg. Cool!
Alternate Plan A
My detox plan used to be very simple: drink 2 litres of water in the morning for 1 week. And then you eat normal lunch, tea break and dinner or even supper for the rest of the day. I did this during primary school and secondary school when I felt there is too many toxin in my body LOL. Sounds good? Not everyone can drink 2 litres of plain water in the morning.
My first try (primary 5 I think) I could only drink 800 ml. But I manage to swallow down 1.5 litre the next morning and on the third morning I can drink 2 litres without feeling want to puke.
I repeated my water detox plan later in university not because I were gaining weight but because I ate nasi lemak nasi goreng and all the unhealthy devilish yummy Malaysian food everyday but still remain slim. I thought there must be something wrong with me (ada ulat dalam perut?) so decided to wash myself clean by drinking lotsa water.
And I can tell you that for my 3 years of Bachelor study, almost everyday I peed oily urine and also oily faeces. What to do, we were not allowed to cook on campus (no kitchen at all by the way) and I stayed on-campus for 3 full years, so I ate out EVERY SINGLE DAY and the food are damn oily.
Kiwis and fresh blueberries
Alternate Plan B (which I was adopting now)
But here in Oz the food are fatty in terms of margarine fat and yeast fat and I don't really fancy salad without salad dressing. Hence on Day 1 I try to use fruit detox: Avocado soy drink with blueberries and 2 kiwis for brunch on the first day of detox. That's all.
When feeling hungry just drink lots of water. When you go to pee you will see oily substance in your urine! That means the detox plan is success! I also did an one hour workout at the gym in the evening: burn 100 calories on treadmill, another 100 on the peddler, and another 100 on cycling. I did some weighing too on my legs and arms. And of course don't forget a must do routine: pilates. Go to sleep early if you are very hungry.
On Day 2, if you cannot stand drinking plain water only in the morning you can choose to make yourself some tea. Some people prefer green tea but for me OoLong tea is the best. For the differences and benefits read this, and this.
I love Oolong tea since I'm young, before I read about these articles, mohoho. I ate 2 kiwis for lunch. But in the evening I felt very hungry so I decided to eat very little rice with lots of carrots, 100g of baked beans and very little tuna. And then rest for at least half an hour before you drink water or tea (if you drink right after eating it won't help digestion).
On Day 3, repeat Day 1's routine: water or tea in the morning, avocado drink for brunch, workout at the gym for one hour. It was at the gym that I weighed myself and found out I lost 3 Kg. So I happily went back and make myself Day 2's dinner with more rice, more carrots, more tuna, and more baked beans LOL. Topping with cheese some more^^
And with this detox + exercise plan I manage to fit into super skinny jeans in the shortest timeframe possible, yay! Which means I lose 1 to 2 size perhaps?
I've just finished watching the finalist of BMW Short Film Competition. I Love to watch the finalists and so far I've watched ASTRO Kirana Short Film Award and London's Bob Award's participating films, all in 2009. I guess I am only able to be so active watching short film now because Malaysian internet connection sucks. Period.
Anyway, I enjoy watching short films by the finalists and I vote for them :)
In BMW Shorties there are 9 finalists, and I will comment according to the order presented in the website here.
The director use the first person's view to film the whole story. At first I was not fascinated by this technique due to the shortcoming of using such way to film the story. But as the story proceeds, it starts to get interesting and I have to say I love it.
I vote for this :)
At first the loud and noisy opening of Ma Chai irritated me, but as it proceeds it is so funny and interesting to watch, that it became one of my top favourites :)
I can't stop laughing watching it and it's sooo Malaysian^^ (with heavy Indian style of course).
Seriously, I am very sure and certain that Afiq Deen's short films are better than this one (sorry Chow!).
Make sure you manage to enter the next BMW Shorties Afiq :)
I kinda expected what is the end of the story when Tok Imam talked to the troubled guy. And little bit of Final Destination feeling. Hmmm, makes me wonder about some values and thinking related to Islam but I'm not going to talk about them here.
This director has a funny nickname "Katak Chua". Though the story is soooo ordinary that it would touch everyone's heart, somehow there is something missing. What is missing I don't know, you have to watch it yourself.
But I have to say out of the 9 films, this one gives the strongest impression on BMW car XD
I have to say the plot surprised me a little bit. I thought this would be like Yasmin Ahmad's "Chocolate" where the parent's face would not be shown throughout the film, only at the end the audience realied why it is the case. The actors speak Hakka, reminds me of my next door neighbour in my hometown :)
The second strongest impression on BMW----> the car key XD
I am very much annoyed by this film. May be I just dislike loud speeches, that's all. Er, may be it is also because I don't like Cantonese, remind some of the lousy Hong Kong TV shows. In my opinion, though dogs pay attention to their breeders but it does not mean they would focus on their owner's face for THAT long. If you ever tried to talk to a dog (of yours), you would know what I mean :p
By the title of the film I thought there would be a conversation between the two (either people to people or people to animal, it does not matter), but from what I see it is only one-sided story-telling. Misleading betulpunya title lah Mr. Bernard Loh.
I am surprised that a short animation is included. I have no faith in Malaysian 3D or CG animation making but I would say this one is not bad. The Boutique's owner reminds me of the old man in Pixar's "Up".
A very french-themed animation. Guess the production unit loves French culture very much. I would suggest the title be changed to "Les Mannequins". There are 2 mannequins there people. LOL.
*Mannequin is pronounced as mah-ni-kan (short n) in French*
Finally, a short film about suicide message. I have many dissatisfaction regarding this film. Minus the personal fact that I dislike the narrator's low-tone voice, I would like to question that would you read a boring creepy suicide notes falls out of no where until the end of the letter and just threw it on the street (no civil responsibility as well)? And many more regarding the points made in the suicide note and the method of suicide but I need to rest LOL.
Just checked the news about the winners from NST. And I become a fan of Parakash's Flashes on Facebook.
Hmmmm, seems like my predictions are not much differ from the outcomes but I am very surprised about the Conversation with the Mad Man :(
Because I sit down for 12 hours per day everyday, now my butt is obviously gaining lots of fats on it, plus a potato chip diet non-stop for weeks, I hereby officially declare that I need to resume my exercise routines!
I especially like the shoulder bridge routines, which is also part of my favourite pilates moves.
Don't forget to stretch before your gym routines especially if you are doing some intense running on the threadmill.
I love pilates and the routines are easy to perform. They are effective in toning your abs, muscles, and keep fit.
Below is the pilates routine performed by a Ford Model Lorie Baker which I practiced since half year ago (but stopped after indulging in my reading and writing T_T):
After you can do the pilates routines on a regular basis and is comfortable with it, try to increase the difficulty level of pilates moves. This is the 'high level' pilates which I found difficult to do but really effective:
I cannot make my legs straight and thus I cannot perform the routines which require a total straight strectched leg but I do them anyway with a little bent on my knees. To correct this I actually need to practice yoga but I fail miserably with even the simplest yoga moves. Period.
And of course, if the butt is getting bigger, it also means the belly is popping out too! I have been losing my flat stomach every now and then since I hit 25 years old. I guess women start aging at that age is not a myth T_T
These are some 'easy' steps to flat abs and I particluarly love the step number 4 and 5. Practice that way if you are in your room. Taking a weight ball (I use 1 kg) if you are at a gym, make sure your feet don't touch the ground and switching side for a set of 8-15 reps. After you get used to this exercise, try to do it slower, like from left to right or right to left using 12 to 13 seconds. Make sure your muscles are shaking and your feet are not touching the ground during that 12 seconds. I love it, huhu.
And also, for office ladies and students, these are great flat-belly exercises on the chair because we sit on the chair all the time (so there is no reason to say "no time for gym"!). And trust me, they are not easy as how they look, so it's definitely a must do when you decide to move your eyes away from the screen or books :)
These won't help you Lose 2 Inches in 2 Weeks unless you couple it with food diet. But these are great exercises (I am very bad at sit-ups or push-ups type of routines >_<) to keep yourself in check. And if you own a dumbbell or two, there is no reason not to do these. They are so damn easy so just do it if you want to fit in your smaller dress size.
To summarise what I do in order to slim down:
Don't skip breakfast. I eat 2 half-boiled eggs.
Do pilates 3 times per week.
If you don't want to forget or procrastinate, do them everyday!
Eat little for dinner.
Detox---no meats, only fruits and vegetables and tuna or salmon to fulfil your craving for meat.
What's the fuss for me to write this post?
drum rolls..................
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I cannot fit in my skinny jeans!!! Argghhhhhhhhhhh!!!
This is so sad. I've been looking forward to its release and I am not disappointed. It sounds irony because this short film shows the disappointing picture of Malaysia. I teared watching it. Hmph.
I just watched the second installment of 15 Malaysia short film project, "Chocolate" by Yasmin Ahmad. Unlike "Potong Saga", the first installment starred by NameWee which is very hilarious, "Chocolate" leaves something deep in the viewer's heart.
剛剛看了雅斯敏的 "巧克力"。之前看了黃明志主演的 "Potong Saga" 超搞笑。再加上聽聞 15 Malaysia 有許多喜劇, 原以為這也是個輕鬆的短片, 沒想到竟是個深沉傷心的片子。
My 2 cents:
It's 2 minutes and 16 seconds, but leaving us wonders more than a 2-hour movie, as one reviewers quipped.
Tan Mei Ling is a good "supporting actor" of this short film, though we didn't see her face at all (but you can see her in "The Making of"), the way she talked (or shouted?) to her "son" Howard Hon is done in a very typical Malaysian-Chinese-mother way.
I always remember a Confucian buddhism teaching that I learnt when I was younger: the louder you shout, the more distant the hearts are. I think you can find this in one of those forwarded mails too, LOL. It took me 15 years to truely understand this and I am still trying to improve myself, on not to shout.
I don't understand why this boy does not want to further his study on full scholarship. OK lah, you are worried your mom will be cheated by the useless boyfriend of hers. But since she threw you a "I don't mind being cheated, how's that?" message, I would love to fly away to study in a foreign land and left a don't-cry-to-me-or-ask-for-help-if-you-are-cheated-in-the-end message before I left.
I saw in "the making" Howard Hon is still wearing a singlet. Why does he has to be shirtless when filming? LOL
I read lots of comments on why the boy wouldn't sell the chocolate for 15 cents which is priced at 20cents. Well, watch THIS to have a deeper understanding on Chinese businessmen^^ Though it's kinda stereotyping but the truth is not so far away from it^^
OK, I am just joking on the last point. This boy in the film apparently has a very bad temper that he would not care less to jaga his image in front of a girl which he is fond of----but would hand out a wrong item to the girl to show that he is head over heels for her? Or at least pretend that he forgot what she requested and ask the girl again what she wants before hand her the AA batteries lah.
Some opine that the boy intended to hand the chocolate to the Malay girl after she left but he left the candy on the counter after his mother is calling him over to continue the lecture.... I would prefer if he would at least get out of the counter and paused at the exist (or in front of the counter) and thought for a while before put the chocolate down and head toward his mother. I don't know if it is only me but the speed of him rushing towards his mum is way too fast that I don't even notice he is actually intended to chase the girl and give her the chocolate. I only thought of it as the girl left he needed to put the chocolate back into the bottle but was unable to because his mom called him. Oh well, people can decipher the meaning of the miliseconds of the action in anyway they want to :)
我的想法:
就如其中一個評論者所言, 這2分鐘16秒的短片給觀眾留下比兩個小時電影還要深刻的印像。
Tan Mei Ling (陳美玲?) 意外地被列為配角, 對我來說她像是個主角, 從片初到片末都是她的聲音。我得說她的謾罵聲像極了我的嬸嬸 (sshhhhh)。她把馬來西亞華人母親的神韻捉得很準確, 雖然片中從頭到尾連她的影子都沒看到。
I especially like the reviews written by Rui Wen, Lum Chih Feng, and clockworkcat. (All in mandarin, sadly have not found any review in Malay or English---only one mention in Malay language HERE in regards to Yasmin Ahmad's passing and her "Chocolate")
Yasmin Ahmad and Sharifah Amani. – Picture by LIM SOK LIN
Not to be missed is the making of "Chocolate", very touching. Sharifah Amani is so lovely and cute that she can still act as a secondary school student :) I miss Yasmin Ahmad...
This Route 86 tram with La Trobe University's infinity sign on it is roaming on the route passing through Waterfront City, Docklands, City Centre (Bourke Street), Getrude Street, Smith Street, High Street, City of Darebin (Northcote, Preston, etc), La Trobe University, Bundoora, Brand Junction, and RMIT University Bundoora campus.
I was reading about the news on the release of 2 American journalists by North Korea government after Clinton went on a "private humanitarian mission". I notice that given how often American has negative stereotyping towards North Korea and its supreme leader, a funny typo occurred:
Can you notice the typo from the interview dialogue above?
Kim JongIl becomes very Ill.
Note that it is actually a popular joke indicating Kim's deteriorating health by changing his romanized name from "Il" to "Ill". But this is a formal academic interview (and it is published by the Washington Post!) so this mistake should not happen.
I guess the editor also thinks that kim Jong Il is ill ^^
His name is 金正日, 日 is translated as Il after romanized; while in Mandarin it's "Ri" or in Japanese as "Hi", "Bi", or "Ni".
This post is inspired by Eyes Wide Open. The content is copied and pasted from there. I find this amusing but at the same time sympathised the minority group in Sarawak.
"Let them eat cake!"----"qu'ils mangent de la brioche."
The quote, as attributed to Marie Antoinette, was claimed to have been uttered during one of the famines that occurred in France during the reign of her husband Louis XVI. Upon being alerted that the people were suffering due to widespread bread shortages, she is said to have replied, "Then let them eat brioche." This type of callousnesson the part of the monarchy has often been referred to in writings about the possible factors that led to the French Revolution.
In Sarawak, Malaysia:
(Bernama) - Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan was shocked over news reports about 3,000 Penans in the remote settlements in upper Belaga in the Kapit Division facing starvation due to shortage of food.
"I'm very shocked...it is impossible. If nobody helps them, the Penans can still survive in the jungle easily as they can hunt for animals and forage for edible plants," he told reporters here today.
Meanwhile, Ulu Rejang MP Datuk Billy Abit Joo also expressed shock over the news reports, but also amusement, saying that "shortage of food does not mean the Penans are starving".
"There are about 1,000 Penans in the six settlements and they are not starving."The Penans have always faced food shortagedue to the destruction of their food source, but this year they had poor rice harvest because the crop had been destroyed by insects and monkeys," he said.
"The Penans will share their harvest, hunt for animals and look for wild sago as their staple food. They will not starve," he said.
"Too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like."
~ Will Smith
I want to remind myself not to be this kind of people. It's hard to imagine these words of wisdom comes from a superstar like Will Smith. May be that's why he's rich!
Update:
Smith spent money freely during his early career and underpaid his income taxes. The Internal Revenue Service eventually assessed a $2.8 million tax debt against Smith, took many of his possessions, and garnished his income. He was nearly bankrupt in 1990. Reference: Smith, Will. Interview with Steve Kroft. 60 Minutes. CBS. 2007-12-02.
