so i finally watched my blueberry nights with jasmine, karlindi and steven
so what do i think about the movie? just like the blueberry pie, i think its great to have a slice or two of wong kar wai's movie every now and then, and it does go well with ice cream...
i've always been a fan, i think i watch most of all his movies, except fallen angels. looking at the great cast kar wai had with this movie, i thought i should support his first english movie and i was not disappointed
i think kar wai maintained his usual great cinematography and use of colors and frames. anyone who has watched his earlier films would feel well at ease, sorta like meeting and old friend and know exactly what to expect from his stories of the past
the first impression that the movie was strangely similar to chungking express. it had a diner/cafe, a regular that kept ordering the same food, the same philosophy about life and food, a heroine who wanted to go somewhere far away leaving the hero grasping at thin air all of a sudden...
even the characters name and occupation come from his old movies. a cop (tony leung in chungking express), sue lynn (maggie cheung in in the mood for love), a singer in real life playing the heroine (faye wong in chungking express)...
at the end of the show, his fans would think it was a rojak of all his previous movie and would be fun to identify all the character. for those who are new to wong kar wai, i think my blueberry nights would be a great intro his movies
essentially, all kar wai's movies are centered along the relationships between people, don't let the beautiful screen shots fool you...
in the movie, norah jones said "she took the longest way to cross the street", having unable to let go of her old love. are we all taking the longest way to cross the street?
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
friday nite
since a dinner plan did not go thru, i decided to cook my own meal. yes, i'm ashamed to admit but its been too long since i really did cook. it's just too convenient here to just takeway food or eat outside, which could really explain my round face and even rounder belly...
so i thought, lets cook some easy pasta. went down to the nearby super market and bought some spaghetti, mushrooms, bacon, baby corn (they were on sale), mushroom cream sauce, olive oil, and a garlic. i reached home, poured myself a glass of asahi super dry beer (just like they do on the TV, but i ran out of wine) and just started cooking.
it was alot of work, but i was happy with the result. it was a tad too salty with the bacon and probably a little bit too much sauce, which happens when you don't cook too often...
so there i was eating my own home cook meal and watching discovery travel and adventure. i saw the take home chef, which is kinda cool. basically this guy approaches women shopping for groceries and then offers to follow them back and cook for them.
what followed later was nigella feast, and i must admit, i was glued to the tv. i remembered watching her on tv many years ago and i was instantly hooked. apart from her very well endowed upper body, she is so sexy! the way she describes her food, using words like luscious, beautiful, huge, colorful, fresh, with her posh british accent, really does it for me. i wonder if she is so talkative in bed?....
so i thought, lets cook some easy pasta. went down to the nearby super market and bought some spaghetti, mushrooms, bacon, baby corn (they were on sale), mushroom cream sauce, olive oil, and a garlic. i reached home, poured myself a glass of asahi super dry beer (just like they do on the TV, but i ran out of wine) and just started cooking.
it was alot of work, but i was happy with the result. it was a tad too salty with the bacon and probably a little bit too much sauce, which happens when you don't cook too often...
so there i was eating my own home cook meal and watching discovery travel and adventure. i saw the take home chef, which is kinda cool. basically this guy approaches women shopping for groceries and then offers to follow them back and cook for them.
what followed later was nigella feast, and i must admit, i was glued to the tv. i remembered watching her on tv many years ago and i was instantly hooked. apart from her very well endowed upper body, she is so sexy! the way she describes her food, using words like luscious, beautiful, huge, colorful, fresh, with her posh british accent, really does it for me. i wonder if she is so talkative in bed?....
Thursday, January 03, 2008
sex and politics
so what do you know, 2008 started with a bang (pardon the pun) in Malaysia
our health minister, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek was caught with his pants down, having sex with a "personal friend" in a sex DVD. He promptly resigned from all his posts today
having seen the worst of the worst politicians squirm and hang on to their posts through major scandals, i must salute Dr Chua, at least there is someone in the Abdullah administration that has BALLS (in every sense), to own up and resign
there are some interesting lessons to be learned from this episode however
dr chua said : "My biggest mistake was that I stayed in the hotel and in the same room for convenience. Next time, when you stay in a hotel, good luck to you."
lesson : if you gonna have an affair, always go to a different hotel, and don't be predictable
dr chua said:" Well, after I made the confession, I hoped Malaysians would be able to accept my apology. But unfortunately, based on the feedback that I have received, I observed that Malaysians were unable to do that. Some Malaysians can be said to be “holier than thou”." what a load of crap!
its not that most malaysians are "holier than thou", its because the subject of the matter is the Health Minister of Malaysia! if it were any 61 year old uncle having sex with a 30+ year old women in some luxury hotel in batu pahat , do you think anyone would give a shit? it's because as a political leader, you have lost your credibility, and credibility is all that matters. would you vote for a roving, randy 61 year old? come to think of it, we have some political leaders who have NEGATIVE credibility, and yet they are still hanging around. tough luck, dr chua
lesson : when caught out, do what any malaysian politician would do, DENY EVERYTHING. he could have just resigned and cited health problems and nobody would know. i guess his plan backfired, he probably taught he could own up and still hang on his posts, fat hopes!
it could well be that this was a trap set up by dr chua's political enemies. i have not viewed the video (nor do i have an interest in watching a 61-year-old doing the dirty deed), but it has been suggested that the "personal friend" was more like a "pay-me-money-i'll-be-your-friend-tonight" kinda friend. and consider the timing of the dvd release, just ahead of the malaysian general election, something does SMELL FISHY eh?
lesson: the good old keep you friends close, keep your enemies closer.
sex and politics has always been a potent mix, one invariably leads to the other and most of the time leads to the downfall as well
p/s. i wonder if Dr Chua used a condom, if he did, at least he could say that he was promoting safe sex!
our health minister, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek was caught with his pants down, having sex with a "personal friend" in a sex DVD. He promptly resigned from all his posts today
having seen the worst of the worst politicians squirm and hang on to their posts through major scandals, i must salute Dr Chua, at least there is someone in the Abdullah administration that has BALLS (in every sense), to own up and resign
there are some interesting lessons to be learned from this episode however
dr chua said : "My biggest mistake was that I stayed in the hotel and in the same room for convenience. Next time, when you stay in a hotel, good luck to you."
lesson : if you gonna have an affair, always go to a different hotel, and don't be predictable
dr chua said:" Well, after I made the confession, I hoped Malaysians would be able to accept my apology. But unfortunately, based on the feedback that I have received, I observed that Malaysians were unable to do that. Some Malaysians can be said to be “holier than thou”." what a load of crap!
its not that most malaysians are "holier than thou", its because the subject of the matter is the Health Minister of Malaysia! if it were any 61 year old uncle having sex with a 30+ year old women in some luxury hotel in batu pahat , do you think anyone would give a shit? it's because as a political leader, you have lost your credibility, and credibility is all that matters. would you vote for a roving, randy 61 year old? come to think of it, we have some political leaders who have NEGATIVE credibility, and yet they are still hanging around. tough luck, dr chua
lesson : when caught out, do what any malaysian politician would do, DENY EVERYTHING. he could have just resigned and cited health problems and nobody would know. i guess his plan backfired, he probably taught he could own up and still hang on his posts, fat hopes!
it could well be that this was a trap set up by dr chua's political enemies. i have not viewed the video (nor do i have an interest in watching a 61-year-old doing the dirty deed), but it has been suggested that the "personal friend" was more like a "pay-me-money-i'll-be-your-friend-tonight" kinda friend. and consider the timing of the dvd release, just ahead of the malaysian general election, something does SMELL FISHY eh?
lesson: the good old keep you friends close, keep your enemies closer.
sex and politics has always been a potent mix, one invariably leads to the other and most of the time leads to the downfall as well
p/s. i wonder if Dr Chua used a condom, if he did, at least he could say that he was promoting safe sex!
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
project makeover
so here goes for 2008 - resolution 1 - makeover
i just had a windfall of HKD4,000 and since it was unexpected (don't ask , i will use the money for a makeover
i plan to do the following:
1. tailor a nice suit
2. take some cool profile shots (better now or never) by a professional photographer
3. seek professional treatment for my dark circles
4. sign up for a slimming package to reduce my belly and hit the gym to maintain
5. maybe a new watch if i can sneak it in
i already have a new hairstyle, a new pair of specs and the coolest gadget in the world - the iphone
i'll update you on how far the HKD4,000 stretches and i'm open for new ideas, comments...
i just had a windfall of HKD4,000 and since it was unexpected (don't ask , i will use the money for a makeover
i plan to do the following:
1. tailor a nice suit
2. take some cool profile shots (better now or never) by a professional photographer
3. seek professional treatment for my dark circles
4. sign up for a slimming package to reduce my belly and hit the gym to maintain
5. maybe a new watch if i can sneak it in
i already have a new hairstyle, a new pair of specs and the coolest gadget in the world - the iphone
i'll update you on how far the HKD4,000 stretches and i'm open for new ideas, comments...
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
another year
happy new year and welcome to 2008
another year has passed by and I can't believe 2007 went by so quickly. its good to look back and reflect on the year that was
2007 was a turbulent year for me. moving to a new city, a new job, made a bad investment, losing the love of my life after 7 long years and starting a new life all over again wasn't easy (it's still tough)
i was lucky to have a great family and a bunch of good friends (old and new) to help me through these trying times. maybe it is true, you only truly appreciate things that you have lost
during the last 7 months in hong kong i had plenty of time to reflect on what happened in my past few years. i could have done many things better, in terms of personal, relationship, financial and career development. but what has happened has happened. in a Wong Kar Wai movie, there is a quote, loosely translated as " we humans are so troubled by the past because we have such a good memory ".
my greatest regret was the ending of my relationship with my love. its been a year since my breakup, and it has taken me just as long to recover. there's really no point of discussing whose fault it was, and probably in retrospect, we did take each other for granted. my heart still aches when i see familiar scene, smell a distinct fragrance or hear a unique laughter that reminds me of her. i'm trying really hard to not think of the past and move forward, but i don't know if i could ever love someone as deep again. if you are reading this, i am truly sorry for the hurt i caused, you will always have a special place in my heart
being alone in hong kong has also made me more independent. though i appreciate my alone time, its kinda lonely when you have no one to connect with. during my 1 week x'mas break back in malaysia, i truly comprehended the importance of connecting with people (not a nokia ad).
so look around youselves, appreciate the loved ones/friends/family around you. accept them as they are, as they have accepted you as who you are, and show them you love them
may you have a happy love filled new year...
another year has passed by and I can't believe 2007 went by so quickly. its good to look back and reflect on the year that was
2007 was a turbulent year for me. moving to a new city, a new job, made a bad investment, losing the love of my life after 7 long years and starting a new life all over again wasn't easy (it's still tough)
i was lucky to have a great family and a bunch of good friends (old and new) to help me through these trying times. maybe it is true, you only truly appreciate things that you have lost
during the last 7 months in hong kong i had plenty of time to reflect on what happened in my past few years. i could have done many things better, in terms of personal, relationship, financial and career development. but what has happened has happened. in a Wong Kar Wai movie, there is a quote, loosely translated as " we humans are so troubled by the past because we have such a good memory ".
my greatest regret was the ending of my relationship with my love. its been a year since my breakup, and it has taken me just as long to recover. there's really no point of discussing whose fault it was, and probably in retrospect, we did take each other for granted. my heart still aches when i see familiar scene, smell a distinct fragrance or hear a unique laughter that reminds me of her. i'm trying really hard to not think of the past and move forward, but i don't know if i could ever love someone as deep again. if you are reading this, i am truly sorry for the hurt i caused, you will always have a special place in my heart
being alone in hong kong has also made me more independent. though i appreciate my alone time, its kinda lonely when you have no one to connect with. during my 1 week x'mas break back in malaysia, i truly comprehended the importance of connecting with people (not a nokia ad).
so look around youselves, appreciate the loved ones/friends/family around you. accept them as they are, as they have accepted you as who you are, and show them you love them
may you have a happy love filled new year...
Friday, August 10, 2007
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Lan Kwai Fong Festival
been pretty busy the last few weeks, finally had time to update the blog
anyway, last saturday I managed to go to the annual LKF festival, as you can see from the 2 smashing models:
okay not the above 2, but these 2:
we proceeded to a bakery, no really, a bakery called La Barguet which served reasonalby priced Hoegaarden beer at HKD46 per pint, thats 500ml.
Check out the beet to human ratio:
"mom, i'm scared!"
of course there were also some really hot beer babes:
and happy drunk people
scenes from outside
of course there was a street dancing
and i went to check out what it was all about, and i was sorry i went there
eewwww.... almost vomitted all my beer.... and not from beeing drunk
on positive note, had my picture taken with homer and bart simpson. bossini had a promotion where you buy a simpsons t-shirt (HKD49) and you get to take a picture with homer and bart for free
anyway, last saturday I managed to go to the annual LKF festival, as you can see from the 2 smashing models:
okay not the above 2, but these 2:
we proceeded to a bakery, no really, a bakery called La Barguet which served reasonalby priced Hoegaarden beer at HKD46 per pint, thats 500ml.
Check out the beet to human ratio:
"mom, i'm scared!"
of course there were also some really hot beer babes:
and happy drunk people
scenes from outside
of course there was a street dancing
and i went to check out what it was all about, and i was sorry i went there
eewwww.... almost vomitted all my beer.... and not from beeing drunk
on positive note, had my picture taken with homer and bart simpson. bossini had a promotion where you buy a simpsons t-shirt (HKD49) and you get to take a picture with homer and bart for free
Monday, July 16, 2007
beach day
finally went to the beach yesterday!
since meng yip came to hong kong for a conference and extended his stay, i thought it was a good idea to finally go to the beach, which i had wanted to go for weeks
it so happened to be the warmest day of the year, which it was. kara, law, meng yip and myself took a trip to repulse bay, which is on the south side of the hong kong island
reached the beach at about 4pm and it was already crowded. plonked our stuff down, slap on some some block and of course, rented 2 big umbrellas, and off we went.
had a great time, though i think my back is hurting from some sun burn, hahahah
the hong kong peopel really love the beach, and the bikini was the standard outfit for most gals, really a feast for the eyes! the water was not really pristine, but overall it was bearable. can't wait to go visit the other beaches around hong kong...
since meng yip came to hong kong for a conference and extended his stay, i thought it was a good idea to finally go to the beach, which i had wanted to go for weeks
it so happened to be the warmest day of the year, which it was. kara, law, meng yip and myself took a trip to repulse bay, which is on the south side of the hong kong island
reached the beach at about 4pm and it was already crowded. plonked our stuff down, slap on some some block and of course, rented 2 big umbrellas, and off we went.
had a great time, though i think my back is hurting from some sun burn, hahahah
the hong kong peopel really love the beach, and the bikini was the standard outfit for most gals, really a feast for the eyes! the water was not really pristine, but overall it was bearable. can't wait to go visit the other beaches around hong kong...
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
The Four Hour Workweek
I've been reading a bit more than I did before I came to Hong Kong, and I think its a good thing. Sometimes being alone in a big city allows one to spend more quite time and reflect.
Anyway, I picked up this book, The 4-Hour Workweek and I must say it is revolutionary. I've read plenty of reviews on this book and decided to give it a read and I was impressed. The book basically explains that we do not have to follow the tried and tested life path of study/work/retire/travel. It takes a very radical approach, as you can see from the title, on how he pushes the limit on work and life.
Working in a professional firm or having friends working in a professional firm, you would appreciate that its almost impossible to even get a 40 hour workweek, the figure is most likely to be a 60 or something like a mind boggling 80 hour workweek during the busy season. So what have I got to lose even if I can shave a few hours of work and a bit more life?
So before I step into an in depth review of the book, consider the following:
- Do you want to work for yourself or have others working for you?
- Do you want to work when you want to or just to work the minimum to produce maximum results?
- Do you want to retire early or have mini retirements throughout life on a regular basis?
- Do you want to buy all the things you want or do all the things you want to do and be all the things you want to be (this includes owning the thing that you want)?
- Do you want to be a boss or the owner that lets the boss runs his business?
- Do you want to make a ton of money or make a ton of money with specific reasons, dreams, ambitions?
- Do you want to have more or have more quality in life?
- Do you want to have a jackpot or have cash flow coming in everyday on autopilot?
- Do you want to have freedom from doing what you dislike or having the freedom from doing what you dislike and also the freedom to do what you like without reverting to work for work's sake?
have a think about it, more to follow
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