Keep Smiling, Keep Sparks-ling

Did some reading on Idol Gives Back after watching the show. Well, mostly to check out on that Elvis trick whether Celine really was there... and to confirm my suspicions about the fame of a certain guitarist since he got to hug Kelly Clarkson at the end of the performance. (Okay, so I'm falling behind on my celebrity recognitional education.)

Anyway, given the theme, there were of course links to Bono, and I landed on this page. When he started with "Please join me in praying that I don't say something we'll all regret," I certainly couldn't resist reading all the way down. He said some really meaningful things there, about finding our stand, about what equality really means, about not "asking God to bless what you’re doing" but instead getting "involved in what God is doing"... well beyond a plain plea for charity, so go take a look.

And, about Celine, I realized the (at least, my) senses are really not to trust... much. Just because Elvis wasn't real I began suspecting if Celine was real. (Of course she exists ^^0 -- just whether her performance was taped or live.) If I'm the only one not seeing much difference between the effect and non-effect, oh well... What's more, felt like she looked younger there, the gorgeous lady, isn't it so?! ^^

And now I really want that song. In her voice.

Requite

These years, they are taking away
bit by bit of your life;
the same years that watch me grow
in and out of your sheltered side.

The way it flows, this inevitable course,
we can't stay in those roles anymore;
so go on and lean on me now
even as I'm learning to be strong.

As much as you love me, please
do not shield me from your pain.
Know that, the much that I love you
it hurts all the more not being there.

Life For Rent

I haven't ever really found a place that I call home
I never stick around quite long enough to make it
I apologize that once again I'm not in love
But it's not as if I mind that your heart ain't exactly breaking

It's just a thought, only a thought

But if my life is for rent
And I don't learn to buy
Well I deserve nothing more than I get
'Cause nothing I have is truly mine

-- Dido, "Life For Rent"

Heart of Bronze

Looks like it's Singapore Poly Flag Day today. Came across several waves of them on my way to campus.

First wave was just standing there without approaching me. In semi-rush, I passed them by.

Second wave was standing in a group of 5 or 6 on either side of the overhead bridge, chatting to pass time -- looking in all appearances to be ganging up on people. XD Brought the nostalgic term "tukang kompas" ("extorter") to mind... except that these were of course decent girls and boys for a noble cause. This time too I didn't make time to reach for my wallet, and passed them by.

Third wave was just a few meters away from the second, by herself, looking enthusiastic and asking sweetly. Naturally, I stopped and put in some money. =3

This is definitely the wrong way to approach the subject of charity, so I'd like to disclaim first that this post is not meant to go in that direction.

I am of the type of people who do charity if it is convenient. While in a rush I most likely will not stop for flags; if the rush is not so bad, I will contribute if I feel like it. (In fact, most things I do whenever I feel like it, regardless of the rush factor. ;P)

And yes, I belong to the camp of thoughts that says humans do good because it makes them feel good. I volunteer for things I enjoy doing. After all, taking pride or joy in what we do, charity or not, can only be a good thing, isn't it? Purpose has to come from oneself to be a sustaining power.

Does it make us hypocrites then? I hope this quote won't be looked down upon if I tell you it's from a manga, =D but a volunteer doctor in Fullmetal Alchemist impressed me when he said he'd "rather be a hypocrite than not do good" and went on to treat people who'd rejected him because he belonged to the other side of the war.

But I digress. I guess the point of this entry is that, most people will judge a god by his vehicle, and that's just natural.

I used to frown upon those charity shows on TV, but come to think of it now, they did what it took to be effective. I am idealistic enough to believe in the existence of pure altruistic intentions, but I don't think there are enough of these to make an impact on its own without a strategical push in other aspects.

Not to criticize the passive flaggers, though; certainly not from me who do things as I feel like it and who've been out flagging a total of once. =P Charity shouldn't turn into a reward system, at any rate. But the fact remains that people will be more inclined to give to those who "earn it", hence the need to tailor charitable efforts accordingly.

Conversations with Other Women

Watched Conversation(s) with Other Women with usual partner (Eka). =) A bit of an artsy film I suppose, what's with the split-screen cinematography. What's more, it's only screened in Cathay Orchard, in a small studio. Not bad for some VIP feel, huhuh.


The film itself was great, in my opinion. Considering 90% of the movie is a conversation between two people in a hotel. Or, depending on perspective, a very long (ahem) sex scene. =D Very refreshing for a change.

Speaking of which, I don't quite get the plurality in the title. I don't think the short lines exchanged with the few other female characters are significant enough. But anyway.

I've always been drawn towards mature characters in any kind of fiction, and I guess it's the top reason why I like this movie. Rational characters, rational conversation, nothing dramatized, nothing over the top. Still the woman (Helena Bonham Carter) has such strong personality, and the man (Aaron Eckhart) has such charming enthusiasm, that really engage attention from beginning until end. That plus some quiet humour from both as well as other characters.

I guess the clever use of split-screen helps too, since it keeps things alive with flashbacks and split-sequences (don't know if it's a technically correct term; what I mean is they split an event sequence into two and run both on the parallel screen. Like, say, the way you ask two kids to count one to ten in order, with one kid saying only the odd numbers and the other only the even numbers). And the last scene is quite a perfect ending technique. (Won't spoil it for you. Go watch.)

The official site justifies this technique by saying, "Since there are two sides to every love story, split screen proved to be the perfect way to tell both sides of Conversations with Other Women." It does heighten the interaction feel, though I don't think it is really about "two sides of a story", for which, in my opinion, they'll need to be consistent about which side represents whose side of the story. I'd say they interact quite amiably that the two sides aren't so different at all. But of course this way of telling it is much more interesting. =)

It is fairly open-ended too, with a slight suggestion towards a happy one =D so that's just perfect for me. Hahah. After watching moral-heavy movies like Hero and The Banquet, I'm starting to favor open-ended movies over simple happy endings. That is what life is like, after all.

Patching Up On Milky Way

An aspiration.

An insecurity.

Certainly not the sun
But could it be, perhaps, a lesser star

You don't have to see it
Just a quiet, outshined star

Rather than just a strategically located moon
Better at least, a self-lighting star

A nourishing planet may still do
Better still, a life-sustaining star

Light up the darkness several miles around
In equal standing with the other stars

Warm up an infinitesimal of the sparse galaxy
In a give-and-take with other lonely stars

Don't need much of anyone else to see
Just for oneself to know, it's living up to a star

While not yet the sun
Growing to, in its own right, one full-fledged star

---

Title is of course, twisted out of "Walking On The Milky Way"... that can be sung to the same tune. =D

Sister, Where Art Thou?

Watched Because I Said So with Eka. More her kind of movie I guess =D but I enjoyed most of it too.

When Eka wrote that the mother-daughters quartet made her think about sisterhood (which she doesn't have), only then I realized that my own kinship situation matches that of the movie. =)) Though I guess the similarity in traits only goes as far as "the generic": the eldest is the dependable one; the middle, fashionable; the youngest... confused? Haha.

(Er, usual disclaimer, that all generalization is false... and you know the continuation of this. ^^0)

For all the analogousness, I didn't quite sympathize with Mandy Moore's character. My type of heroines, as you might already know, is the Lauren Graham (eldest daughter) type. Kinda similar "character feel" as in Gilmore Girls even though it's the reverse role -- and anyway, she's part of the reason I wanted to go for this movie. =)

But as it turned out, the character I relate best with is the mother. (I wonder if it's a sign of aging? >_<) Of course credits to Diane Keaton for playing it so well, too. In her emotional screamy moments, she said some stuff that really nailed it for me, even when the lines were hilarious -- so I was tearing up while other people were laughing.. oh well. =D

But back to the sisterhood issue... I'd say that even with a favourable situation like mine, such bonding as in the movie is a thing to behold. Interests differ, which is just natural, but then it is all about having a common ground strong enough to do things together.

Say we extend the "playing field" beyond blood relations, it's the same thing. As Eka put it, we realize we cannot put our friendship "eggs" in "one basket". Which makes my friendship cliques look a little like "interest groups" (most with a total of two members)... though it certainly needs more than that to click as we do.

Coincidentally I've also been thinking in this direction since the brother of a fellow research student joined us in the lab, and I overheard some of their scientific discussions. =D In the same way Eka wonders how it's like to have a sister, I also wonder how it's like to team up with one.

Isn't "the seaweed" "always greener in somebody else's lake"? =)