Reading my old posts made me cringe. I said such silly things, but the old posts also made me laugh. I saw the ugly physics diagram I drew--so horrid looking! (Haha) and I found this silly poem I wrote back in 2005. That's why I love my blog--it's just full of silliness. I still feel that silliness is one of my best qualities (as a human being).
I have a dream (exam free version)
I have a dream that one day, we may live in a world without exams.
When students can live without the fear of deadlines.
Children can play their video games without tuition.
I have a dream that one day test may be abolished,
And in the lecture halls of universities students can stop drinking coffee.
I have a dream that one day I can whistle a happy tune to the solemn echoes of exam halls.
When students can be free from the chains of grades.
Slackers can join hand with the muggers.
When P4 streaming can be a fear of yesterday.
I have a dream today.
And on that day, it can be declared an eternal public holiday.
The country of high stress level for children may finally not live up to its creed.
Coffee addicts in JCs and Uni may finally discard that unhealthy stimulant.
Let freedom ring from the soppy dramas on channel 8.
Let freedom ring from every Jack Neo movie.
Let freedom ring from the repetitive messages in MRT stations.
From every handphone, let freedom ring.
By: Nippy | Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 6:47 AM | | 
Five minutes before I leave for work, so just enough time to drop myself a quick note. For a copywriting position right now, I'm writing about history again. My first, well, second love. Forgot how much fun it is to research and write. Still mkaing progress with the "longer" story, it's moving at snail pace though. Oh well, that's probably why short story seems more statisfactory, one sitting get it over and done with--it's like diahorrea. (God, still can't spell this word) Remember Madam Teo and home ed? how she tried to make us memorize this word? Hah, completely failed her. Madam Teo--who's (was)? afraid of ghost. There was once she made me go up the dark stairs to the Home-ed room with her to turn on the lights. Strange.
There are more strange things to update but I gotta run--work. Sigh. Life, I guess.
By: Nippy | Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 3:44 AM | |
It's not the first time I've had this suspicion, but I feel that good writing stems from passion, and my problem is that I feel that I lack that passion and conviction. I stumbled upon an interesting writer on food, wine, sake and life in Japan. Her name is Melinda Joe and her blog is such an interesting read. To be fair, everyone loves to read about exotic places, especially if it involves food and drinks, probably becasue it stems from our desire to experience new places, and if we can't do it outselves we want it through other people's eyes. Travel writing has been popular, even before the advent of teh word "globalization", but she does write extremely well,not beacuse of her technique but because of her interest in food. Writing from a specific stand-point about a different place also helps.
The demand of a writing is vigorous, but there is also such joy. Her joy for life comes clearly across to the readers. In a way, I think all great writers have this joy for life--no, I think it is more accurate to say they have a joy for their vision of life, whereever it leads them.
Below is the link to Melinda Joe's website.
http://tokyodrinkingglass.blogspot.com/
Seeing other writers doing such a good job, always makes me slightly depressed. I'm going to watch Fantastic Mr Fox instead.
By: Nippy | Friday, June 25, 2010 at 12:39 PM | |
I seem to have this knack for attracting weirdos. A middle-aged classmate at my extension writing class seems to think that I like him...Weird. weird. weird.
Lee says that guys think that I'm easy because I'm gullible. Damn this place! Since when has being trusting and friendly become a vice?
By: Nippy | Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 2:23 PM | |
Hard boiled detective writer: James M. Caine is an excellent read. Nabokov's short stories, on the other hand, is surprisingly difficult to read.
By: Nippy | Wednesday, June 23, 2010 at 2:25 PM | |
Second movie post this month. I'm becoming so aware of story constructions now that it may actually be in the way of me enjoying a movie. Karate Kid--the new Jackie Chan movie was ok overall, but there were some really awkward cheesy moments. They completely overdid the ending when all the rival kids bowed down to Jackie Chan.... (I laughed out loud--it was terrible, I think the guy next to me got ticked off), but it was honestly funny. The whole time I was watching the movie, I was also thinking of the zig-zac of tension that my writing instructor talked about--and it is absolutely true and obviously identifiable. Things go well, but not for long and something worse happens until the protagonist overcomes it and is faced with yet another obstacle. And the tension zig-zacs and mounts.
Don't even want to go into the whole cultural stereotype thing. Haha that girl dancing was awkward* Oh yes, and the temple with all the crazy Taoists doing insane things. Now, that's what you'd call "real Kung Fu."
By: Nippy | Friday, June 18, 2010 at 3:29 PM | |
I got my driver's license! I did it ! (dance about) I did it! YiPppppeEEeeeee!!!
By: Nippy | at 3:09 AM | |
Already, I had borken my resolve, but I'm much happier. That's my problem. (I can't help but laugh about it.) I once met someone who told me that he would never date his ex-es as a principle. I don't have that kind of resolve. I am too rooted in habits. I found my answer to my own question. But never mind that, I found (but perhaps it is more accurate to say re-discovered) an excellent writer: Graham Greene. I remember shunning his books on library shelves. That god-awful cover of
the quiet american with the movie poster naked back of some girl. So awful, I had sworn off Graham Greene. I did read a page--and my immediate response back then was : Ugh, political. BUT now, I have read two of his short works: The Third Man and The Fallen Idol. Both excellent. Greene is of the opinion that the Fallen Idol is better for literary reasons, I disagree for the exact same reason. "The third man" was excellent precisely because it read so effortlessly. And it was funny. I am learning how important it is to have a sense of humor. It doesn't have to be laugh out loud kind of humor, but it has to be there. Every writer I admire has this humor, often not even detectable and they simply comes across as irony, sacarsm or something else, but they never fail to take a detached look at things and their characters and I like that. There is an absolutely fine line between absurdity and brilliance. I can't quite explain this right now, but maybe I will be able to at a later time.
By: Nippy | Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at 3:28 PM | |
"He's dead. That's the end. Everything's over , finished. What's the good of talking?"
"We both loved him."
"I don't know. You can't know a thing like that --after-wards. I don't know anything any more except--"
Graham Greene, "The Third Man."
How can I know a thing like that afterwards...Day 1 is always the hardest, but I guess over time it would hurt less and less until it wouldn't matter eventually. I guess it's the small things I am missing right now, calling and talking at night, silly word games. When I was younger, I used to think that love is solid and I can grasp it, but now I feel that I don't know it at all. Maybe Lee was right--when he said he doesn't know what love is. Neither do I. Of course, there is crying. But even though it hurts right now, it may not be a bad thing in the long run. Something better may come of it, this is the optimism I will carry. Perhaps, we both deserve someone better.
And, I have faith that there will someone who will love (whatever that truly means) me just around the corner.
By: Nippy | Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at 12:59 PM | |
Huahahahaha....
By: Nippy | Monday, June 14, 2010 at 1:14 PM | |
I should be happy with Lee. I should be very happy with Lee. I should be happy. I should be.
By: Nippy | Wednesday, June 09, 2010 at 12:40 PM | |
1) The "Totoro" from the wonderful animation (very possibly) comes from the word Troll. I watched the Japanese version with subtitles and they talked about the "Totoro" from under a bridge. Sounds like it too, don't you think?
2) I was looking into the mirror after my shower, I suddenly knew what I would look like when I am old. (If I am lucky enough to live to a ripe old age) I have a pretty good guess what I would look like. I saw it tonight in the mirror.
3) Mormons on the bus talking to two Chinese girls made me realize that it is infinitely more difficult to win an argument if you have something you believe in. You have so much more to lose. A single question can demolish your argument. I have always felt that skepticism and cynicism are lacking as an academic and intellectual position--they are meant to be starting points not ending points. My heart goes out to the Mormon on the bus. It's hard to believe in anything this day and age.
4)Division of chapters in a book is an art, and Murakami is a master at this.
5)Writing a short story is like making an acquittance. I have yet to make a friend in writing yet--I am working on trying to excavate more. I found two characters I like and decided to keep writing about them. Don't know what will come of it yet.
6) I also found out that ending a chapter in a book and ending a short story are completely different things. Completely. The sense of completion I always find myself doing at the end of a short story must be reserved until the very end for a longer work. The ending of a chapter must be a a middle point that pushes action--it must make someone else turn the page.
By: Nippy | Tuesday, June 08, 2010 at 3:59 PM | |
I saw Iron man 2 with a friend tonight. Usually I don't make a point to write about movies, but I have to tonight. It was so abysmally bad. Robert Downey Jr?---what is going on? I paid a good $11 for the movie so I am opening up myself to be charmed, I tried my very best to be charmed but he just comes off as a brat--where's the appeal? I don't find him attractive physically, but never mind that--is he supposed to be a cute, fun-loving vulnerable guy? I don't know. Ask the screenwriter. That person should be hung. Created a new element? Oh Puh-leeze. Really, do they think the audience is that dumb? Even with my willingness to go along with the story and with the money I paid to be entertained, my suspension of disbelief refused to remained in suspension. The whole thing came flopping down about half-way through the movie. It's not that I hate Hollywood movies as Lee argues, it's simply a bad movie. I want to be entertained and I expect to be entertained. Hollywood formulaic blockbuster--that's fine, as long as it can entertain. Explosions definitely help. Stupid predictable plot didn't. Besides, everything was neither here nor there. To be honest, if they threw in a sex scene maybe it would have helped, but I don't think it would have saved the movie experience for me anyway.
Anyone who can seriously write the scene of the father's video in there and use the line (and I quote badly): "... But my greatest creation (pause for dramatic effect) was you. " really really should be hung. Bad writing. And I rolled my eyes. Do you know how rare it is that I roll my eyes in movies? It simply hurts too much to do it, but I couldn't even control myself. After that line, the movie just went beyond the point of no return for me. It sank--that's all I can say.
By: Nippy | Monday, June 07, 2010 at 4:15 PM | |
