staring at square things

Movies!

1. Tangled/Rapunzel
Watched it this afternoon with Suefay (whom I meet around once a year as our breaks coincide though we study at opposite sides of the hemisphere); the usual feel good disney production that was fun to watch! With hilarious comic reliefs too =)


2. The Social Network
Streamed this online and it's pretty interesting as it gives a true account of the founding of facebook (which is as essential for a human being who needs a social life) and it was pretty ironic cause my facebook site was on the other tab while I was watching the movie which indicates its importance in my life XD

3. Tron: The Legacy
Watched this with SH and CC and THboy simply cause we couldn't find other shows to watch and some of them watched Narnia already. The female actor's pretty cool but can't remember much from the movie; seems to be catered to the younger male audience though.

TV series!

Currently hooked on Fringe Season 1... The mystery just deepens with every episode and it's killling meeeee

Books!
finished reading Waiter Rant. Check out my post here.

But honestly still not enough time for friends and family and myself. Argghh I wished winter breaks were longer. I need TIME to chill before I face the world again. >.<

encounters

just learned today that it's far more interesting to explore uncharted land with a physical map in hand and boon tung sui 半桶水 (half a bucket full; means not very well versed) cantonese, because you really might not know what you'll stumble upon.

After attending a baptist church in SoHo, Central, I decided to drop by a 2nd hand bookstore that I googled last night.

Flow Bookstore

1/F No.40 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central,

Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, 852

and the cute thing is, they installed those classic bells that will clinker as you open the door! and the feeling of being surrounded by books that are shelved up to 6 foot high is just SO overwhelming. too bad I'm just so inconsistent when it comes to reading.

I did pick up a few books anyway (who wouldn't?) they have some really new collections like The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, those Twilight books & quite a few from Paulo Coelho. Books that I got:

1. Waiter Rant: Behind the scenes of eating out by A. Waiter (seriously???)

I used to read his blog and his anecdotes as his life as a waiter is pretty interesting! Bought it for $68 (around RM 30)

2. Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance by Atul Gawande 

It was one of our recommended reading for medical humanities. I tried to borrow it from the library but it was already taken, so bought it at $58 (RM 26)

3. Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones

it's supposedly about a teacher in a tiny school, so I sort of took interest in it after my kindergarten job =) $43 (RM 19)

another random thing, I (finally!) stumbled upon a TVB artiste on my way to the bookstore! I was already on Lyndhurst Terrace (check address above) but I couldn't find number 40, so I walked into the nearest store just to ask for directions.

It was a store selling organic products, and as I entered, the woman at the counter frantically turned and that was the moment I realise she was...邵美琪 (Maggie Shiu). 

Actually I didn't know her name at that time, but she really did look nervous. Probably nervous of being identified, so I simply walked up to the cashier to ask directions to 40 Lyndhurst Terrace. In ENGLISH. To eliminate chances of me actually watching TVB dramas.

The cashier guy said he would direct me to the location later, and the artiste who thought I didn't know she was an artiste was really nice, cause I think she thought I was a tourist too (which I technically am, just a long term one =.=) and she even apologized to me! For keeping me waiting for the guy to finish putting the stuff that she bought into the plastic bag...

But anyway I guess I did the right thing not to "identify" her, cause being constantly under surveillance and being criticized for every move is very, very scary. And anyway at that time I still hadn't figured out her name. yet, so it would be a little embarrassing too >.< I didn't want to take a picture with her at that time cause it felt really odd. She wasn't promoting anything, plus she was doing grocery shopping. It just felt like I was taking advantage of her simply being there to gain a certain extent of fame. proof that I REALLY did see her.

now I just hope that she left the shop thinking, "phew, at last. someone who doesn't know too much about me."

Jitters.

I. AM. SO. FREAKING. SCARED. RIGHT. NOW.

A2 results out tomorrow at 10am!

More updates soon, no mood at the moment. Reading The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. Regretted watching the on screen adaptation first 'cause the actors' faces are now imprinted in my brain cells

Reading is my one and only escape.

The Secret

Just want to share some of the secrets with you if you haven't read it:


According to the book, the secret=the law of attraction. Since like attracts like, you have to think positive thoughts to attract positive things in your life.

3 basic steps to the secret:

Step 1: Ask
The first step is to ask. Make a command to the Universe. Let the Universe know what you want. (remember to be specific though! and don't say "I don't want"... must always say "I want")

Seems pretty easy...I want:

• to grow 10 cm taller (hey it's not demanding at all k... 148cm+10=158 only! gosh i just realized I'm really, really short...ok nvm)
• have good skin (zit free, oil free) so there won't be any temptation to pop them.. Even when it's not ripe yet... (okay it's getting gross, I know)
  

• to be able to stuff myself with food and still not get fat (don't we all?)

• a cute, simple, humble, loving,... *babbles an endless list of adjectives into space*.... boyfriend *blushes*... or not LeeHom also can la :)

Step 2: Believe
Believe that it's already yours. Have unwavering faith. Believing in the unseen. Start make-believing. As you make-believe, you will begin to believe you have received.

So it's me getting delusional and imagining things = me trying to believe. Here it goes:

Sometimes I just feel so darn tall. I don't like wearing heels anymore 'cause I'm taller than Lee Hom. Not good to lower his self esteem eh? And speaking of self esteem, I suspect he's inwardly jealous of me; he keeps stuffing me with food, food and more food!


Apparently he's trying to ruin my 36-24-36 figure but it's not working... And gosh, I have really smooth skin. Did I mention my great body? Haha. I'm so in love with myself. I know you love me too :)

Step 3: Receive
Begin to feel wonderful about it. Feel the way you will feel once it arrives. Feel it now.

Haha I think I felt it in step 2 :)

Try it out! But if you end up in Hospital Bahagia / Tanjung Rambutan it's so not my fault :P

Just a Thought

Went to watch Wall-E with parents yesterday night at Sunway Pyramid... complimentary tickets from my dad's company ^^

WALL-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) has been piling (literally) skyscrapers made out of trash for hundreds of years to clean up the mess made by humans... while us earthlings enjoy life up in a spaceship waiting for the time where earth can finally be inhabited again.

For one thing, the first 45 minutes of the show was practically conversation-free!

But it was enjoyable to see Wall-E scuttling along dirt beaten tracks as he stacks up piles and piles of trash into buildings with his pet cockroach, the only biological living thing left on Earth (this proves how toxic resistant they are! hail cockroaches!)

There was also budding romance between Wall-E and Eve (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator) which was really sweet to watch :)


There's plenty to learn from this cute little thing:

1. This movie might not be an exaggeration--Earth could seriously end up like this. So stop right there and pick up that crumpled piece of paper that you just threw into the rubbish bin. Yes, that is how telepathic I am.
   
2. We are so often blinded by technology that we fail to appreciate simple things in life. Up in space where humans made their temporary home, humans sat in mobile chairs with a holographic screen right in front of them; Only when Wall-E accidentally deactivates one of the humans' screens that she went "oh I didn't know we had a swimming pool round here!" So when you start going "oh I didn't know my grandparents lived here!" then there's something seriously wrong with you. But don't throw away your high-tech gadgets la. Give them to me :P
   
3. Err actually I'm lazy to think already... when I started the post I was still emo-ish but now too alert, cannot write XD

By the way go watch this video:

http://www.vimeo.com/1211060

Matt Harding, a video game developer went around the world in and asked people to dance with him. It was extremely meaningful and I was even on the verge on crying!

But anyway since I'm at it has anyone read The Kite Runner? Absolutely, totally, freaking touching eh? I even cried at the end..*sob* please leave your comments about the book if you have read it ya!

#2: My Family and Other Animals

This is a book casually mentioned by my English tuition teacher--after I saw her laughing her heads off reading the 2nd book in the series, "Birds, Beasts and Relatives”. Her words are like GOLD to me, so these are my findings after reading the book:

Book Title: My Family and Other Animals
Author: Gerald Durrell
Bought for: RM 29.95

Brief Overview: Gerald and his family move from England to the island of Corfu, Greece, and the story evolves around, obviously, his family members and the animals that he finds on the island (by the way, he is a HUGE animal lover!) The flowers, trees and animals are described not only with plenty of detail but also you can feel that he really loves nature… I mean he can just spend the whole day just looking at tortoises! It’s just a pity that most of the plant and animals species aren’t inhabitants of the Malaysian tropical rainforest, which pretty much holds back your imagination by a notch… (Unless you look it up on the Net or something!)

What I like about the book: It’s really very funny, and I mean the laugh out loud kind of funny… Durrell really knows how to play with words, and just imagining the crazy antics of his family and the animals will really make you wonder—how different are we from animals? (This is where the book title comes into picture!) I was reading this at the hairdressers’ and I reckon the customer next in line thought I was going cuckoo with me practically guffawing almost every 2 minutes!

Who should read the book: Not recommended for those who like fast-paced, mind-boggling and mystery-solving plots… This book has no actual “storyline” and it’s more like a “diary” in which Durrell indulges his thoughts and daily encounters… This book really is a combination of literature, documentary (you’ll know why you need to put a scorpion into a tin full of oil!) and adventure… It is definitely a breath of fresh air from all those Da Vinci Code-style novels!

#1: Rewind, Fast Forward

~ Ok so I decided to join the MPH Search for Young Malaysian Writers Competition this year (did someone just stifle a giggle?) and FYI, I joined last year too and wasn't shortlisted (do I hear LAUGHTER?) But anyway I wanted to read the winning/ shortlisted essay for the competition in the year 2005 (it's an annual competition) ~



Book Title: Rewind, Fast Forward
Available in : MPH Bookstores (only, I think)
Price: RM 19.90
Brief Overview: A rather well done compilation on 39 of the best entries for the essay writing competition--teens could base the setting of their short story in the year 1940 0r 2030 and be 16 or 65 of age
What I like about the book: While some are just plain OKAY, there are some stories that are really thought-provoking, reflecting either the past or present of human lives, how we progress through the years and our inner desires.
For example? : "Lotus" by Amelia Foong Yee Ching depicts the life of a girl who is thrust into a strict and orthodox society where foot-binding plays a vital role in getting a good husband. When the protagonist has, unfortunately, the largest pair of feet in town, she is rejected by the town's most eligible bachelor with cries of "Too big!" (meaning her feet, of course). But finally the Revolutionary Party breaks into the village and large, liberated feet soon becomes the "in" thing. The "eligible bachelor" asks for her hand in marriage and guess what? She rejects him! Good for her!
Who should read the book: Any avid teen reader who would like to learn more about writing good stuff and drawing inspiration from promising writers (not copying ideas, mind you!)

p.s. sorry for the blur image...

More to come in future posts!

I...must... write... this....

Warning! Spoilers of HP 7 ahead!

FYI, I was one of those smart-alecks (I am, after all, Librainy) who went to pre-order the book at 109.90 (got discount, so the price was actually 98 ringgit) and was pretty mad when the others went into a shopping frenzy at Tesco & Carrefour! *mutters angrily under her (good smelling) breath*

But if you have still not read the book, Tesco Shah Alam still has a cupboard full of them... WHY oh WHY???

Anyway like plenty of you out there who have read the book, or THE book, I think it was pretty much worth the wait, with tragic deaths to some of the characters. However, though, I think some characters who died weren't given much credit, e.g. Hedwig. How could she, like, just drop dead after being alive alongside the most pursued-after character in the book, Harry Potter? JK Rowling's way of "eliminating" her, in my opinion, was rather harsh, abrupt and unappreciative. (Dobby's death, however, was done with great respect. *sob* I loved Dobby! I mean, in a muggle-to-house-elf way, if you know what I mean)

Besides, Mad-Eye Moody also disappeared without a trace, so was Sirius Black (in the 5th book)... So some fans (like me) still linger to a strand of hope that they are alive, when in fact they are gone forever. But I must say that I simply lurrrved the idea of the deathly hallows, as its intrigue managed to keep readers (like me) suspenseful, craving for more as the story slowly unfold. (I don't really understand how the resurrection stone got him to get back from the dead, though. Enlighten me, please? someone...?)

Some parts were probably predictable, e.g. the part where Harry was a horcrux. I don't know 'bout you, but after finishing the 6th book, my elder sister had already "prophesised" that Voldemort (oops! the Taboo!) had to kill Harry to destroy a Horcrux, since

..........Neither can live if one survives..........

and there was a scar left on Harry, which is pretty suspicious since it's supposed to be there for a reason, right?

Surprisingly, the part where I started to get bleary-eyed while reading was not the Fred dying part nor the Lupin and Tonks dying part, but the part where Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and even Ravenclaw students stood up for Harry and trusted that he could bring down Mr. V... I was also touched when Dumbledore's Army stood up for Harry (who was thought to be dead) when Mr. V gave the usual villian's let-me-brag-before-I-kill-you monologue at the edge of the forbidden forest...

Sigh.

It's mentally exhausting writing about HP 7, you know... But this is the last and only HP book that i'll be reviewing on so...

thanks, JK Rowling!

for weaving these amazing stories and bringing them to life! May the wizarding world live on in our hearts till the end of days...