Author: Wilfrid

Categories
Comedy Movie Reviews

The Hangover, For Laughing Out Loud!

Super funny movie!

For the past few years, National Day has often involved music of some forms with my band.  This year, the Movie Review Squad met up and watched a comedy instead.  “Hangover” is quite possibly one of the more bizarre comedies I have watched.  Good news is, the strange plot does make sense as this ‘detective’ story unfolds.

“Hangover” begins with one of the groomsmen calling the bride on his cell phone and tells her that they have screwed up, as the groom is missing.  The story then rewinds to the beginning of the bachelor party at Las Vegas.  Something happens to the group and the groomsmen wake up to a badly damaged hotel suite, a tiger in the bathroom, a baby in the wardrobe, and a missing groom.  No one seems to remember what has happened the night before and they attempt to put together the missing puzzles by following clues that uncover more bizarre stories.

I remember all three of us laughed non-stop from beginning to the end of the show.  Crude jokes, no doubt, but they did it with class.  There is a plan for the sequel and I can almost imagine whose wedding will be next.  Maybe once again, the same gang will wake up from a party without any recollection of the previous evening.  We shall see.

On a side note, how Heather Graham has aged!  Nevertheless, I still think she is really charming.  She seems to be having roles like stripper, prostitutes, porn star, and etc.  I wonder why.

Categories
Photography Travel Blog

On The 7th Day, We Toured The Toledo

Cynthia, and the Street of Madrid

I would never forget the exhilarating experience of driving in the narrow sloppy streets of Toledo with a left-hand manual car.  Some of which I could not quite figure out the one-way road direction.  Another time, we drove into a dead end only to reverse all the way out to the road junction as the street was way too narrow to U-turn.  Overall, it was an interesting experience.  We just have to do it the hard way.

On the seventh day, we toured the Toledo.  And on the seventh day, we drove into the heart of Spain, Madrid.  Below are the options you may wish to read more about our road trip.

To read the rest of the travel blog entries, please follow this tag.

Categories
For the Geeks I See I Write

21 Nokia Applications Reviewed, Just For You

Nokia Applications

Over the last few weeks, I have been busy experiencing the different applications on my Nokia N97 wireless phone.  Most are free, some require purchase that settled via the phone bill.  Of more than 40 applications I have downloaded and tried, I have singled out 21 applications to share my thoughts with y’all here in my website.  Of which, 10 are my top favorite ones.

Maybe you are curious on what our world is like, maybe you are trying to decide if Nokia Application is your cup of tea.  Either way, I invite you to take a look at the review by clicking onto the link below.  Some applications are pretty interesting.  If you already have a Nokia phone, I hope this review will help you in deciding which are the good applications out there for you.

So, are you ready?

Related Article: Experiencing Nokia N97

Categories
Diary Reflection Whacky Thoughts

32 Weeks Have Passed And I Now Have My To-do List

Recently, I read an entry from one of my friend’s private blog.  It is kind of private because I promise her long time ago that I wouldn’t make a link into her site.  She said, six months have passed and she still doesn’t know what she wants to do.  And she has another six months to figure that out.

That inspires me to think: August is here, what have I done so far?  My friends ask me what happens to my band and I go … erm.  They ask if I still write songs and I go … erm.  What happen to that association?  Do you still paint?  I haven’t seen you for ages, what have you been doing?

Erm.

I update my Facebook status often.  Often on what I plan to do.  I reckon if I write something in public – like in here or in any social networking site – I am committed to something.  And there is a higher chance that something gets done, which is better than always thinking of doing something that never get done.

So from now till December 31, I am committed to do the followings.  All of the followings.  Items one, to seven.

1. Do up my MySpace page and put a song or two inside (est. effort: 40 hrs)

I love my band.  If it was up to me, I would set up a practice or recording session every weekend.  Maybe we shall have a summer break and a Christmas break.  But other than that, we should meet up regularly and jam.  Because I believe that any serious hobby warrants a once a week practice.  Like my Spanish lessons.  The reality is, we meet only once in two months, three months.

And if it was up to me, I would like to do some decent recording and share with the public.  But my [lower] standard is not the same as some of my band mates.  I am a blogger.  I produce contents on a near daily basis.  I am happy to share the demo musical works with my readers regularly.  Keep the engagement going.  To hear some feedback, and to grow.  Especially when that CD quality band recording seems so impossible to attain given our pace.  Time to do some solo works.  More like an incubator of for the band, at my personal turbo pace (everything in life is relative).

2. Finish digitalizing my CD collection (est. effort: 24 hrs)

As of today, I have already digitalized 11,127 music tracks.  Just keep going!  Don’t stop!

3. Clear the photo back log (est. effort: 75 hrs)

I would love to visit the Singapore Zoo and take some pictures but I don’t feel like doing so.  Because I have such a huge back log to clear.  The good news is that I have established some kind of Sunday rhythm to spend some time with the photo processing and categorization work.

4. Properly tag my 1,100+ blog entries (est. effort: 24 hrs)

Tagging is a new concept for me.  I put my entries into fixed categories, year after year.  Recently, I discover that there is something called tagging, alongside with categories.  I may be messy in real life.  But I love structures.  So I will have to go through each entry one by one and tag them nicely.

5. Spanish!  Onto Lower Intermediate and read a Spanish book (est. effort: 24 hrs + ?? hrs)

After 20 lessons of Beginner level, 20 lessons of Elementary level, Cynthia and I are heading to the Lower Intermediate class.  The date is set: August 25th.  But there is a catch.  We have to pass the examination on August 22nd.  That is hard!  Super hard!  I am really not good at the language department.  But I will try.

About that Spanish book … we shall see.

6. Quick recording of all my 158 songs (est. effort: 158 hrs)

Year 1994, I wrote my first song.  I reckon I still remember most if not all my 158 songs.  However, I know one day my memory may fade.  And some of those songs may be lost forever.  Now, that’s sad.  In view of this rather probable rather depressing reality, I have always wanted to record all my work.  It’s not as easy as it sounds.  I tend to spend time rewriting the parts that didn’t work, readjusting the key of the song, and on top of that, being a perfectionist, I wanted to do some decent recording.  That project didn’t last.

So now, I have reset my goal.  I need some quick and dirty recording.  Get it over and done with.  Some sort of documentation.  And then, I can pick ones that I like and do a better job.  Have them posted to MySpace (see point #1) for public sharing.

7. Seek direction on that blogger association I am associated with

I have to find an answer to that question: Where are we heading?  I am looking forward to seeing a new team.  Either way, my 1 year tenure will be up, after this year end.  A toast to all-good-things.

*     *     *     *     *

Wow, a total of 344 hours span over the remaining 20 weeks.  Now you know why I need a more balanced working life.  And unlike some of you, I am not inspired to work that extra hours for the big bucks plus promotion (otherwise, why would you trade more time with the same amount of reward?).  If I can complete all of the above before 2009 ends, I can start 2010 with a much lighter load.

On a separate note, one day I was really excited setting up my N97 as a web server – a future looking solution from Nokia Beta Labs.  What is more interesting is how people react to this ‘concept solution’.  One friend listened with interest and immediately, you can see his mind was working fast and he nodded: this could be useful.  One friend cracked some jokes on the potential applications, kind of similar to my initial dramatic thought that involves a striking long legged spy and her N97 (you can activate the phone’s camera remotely via Internet anywhere in the world amongst other bizarre things you can do).  Another friend, a Nokia non-supporter said: It is kind of pointless eh?

Life is full of pointless little things, I think.  At times I wonder what is the point in spending time with those social networking sites.  Recently, I looked into the periodic table via a free application called “Elements” from the Nokia OVI Store.  Did you know that there is an element called Einsteinium (Es)?  Its existence, from what I read, is pretty pointless.  Named after you-know-who.  To artificially create Einsteinium, first you need to irradiate plutonium-239 inside a nuclear reactor for couple of years.  Then mix the resulting plutonium-242 isotope with aluminum and further irradiate this mixture inside a nuclear reactor for another year or so.  The result is a mixture of Californium and Einsteinium that can be separated.

So, what’s the use of Einsteinium?  It could be pointless to some.  Or as an intermediate step in advancing scientific research to others.  I wonder if it would be safe to drink from a mug made in Einsteinium.

Einsteinium on Nokia app Elements

Categories
Fantasy & Sci-fi Movie Reviews

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra – Loved It Or Hated It?

GI Joe

Ah ha!  I so didn’t choose this movie to watch.  Apparently, the ban is still on.  Because I chose that Thai film that nobody seems to enjoy watching.  OK, I shall leave the decision making process to the rest of the Movie Review Squad.  We all know that the critics have beaten this one bad.  But it’s a genre we love to watch.  We went into the theatre with open minds, with little expectation.

I can understand why some hated “G.I. Joe” the movie.  Most highlighted that the storyline is ‘stupid’, the script is weak, and the effect is too ‘over-the-top’.  Some even compare this to the Transformer franchise (which I am pretty sure it works for some).  To be fair, like our friend TK has pointed out to me, “G.I. Joe” started off as action figures sold by a toy company.  It evolves into comics and cartoons and surprise, surprise, video games in the late eighties, early nineties.  To me, the entire movie felt exactly like watching a video game on a very big screen.  Maybe that’s why “G.I. Joe” is breathtaking to me in its own way.  Yes, audio checked, video checked.  What I found lacking – strange to say and no fault of the filmmakers – is the kinetic interaction like what we gamers derived in computer gaming.  Throughout the show, I felt like grabbing my invisible mouse and keyboard and get involved in the storyline, the hack and slash, or the massive explosions.  What you see on the big screen is only half of what gamers are experiencing, minus the interaction bits.  Back to the movie, when I first saw the underwater fortress and the mad scientist, that is so BioShock.  The military suit?  Crysis has it with the “nano suit” doing quite similar things that the Joes are doing on screen.  And I had flashbacks on Mass Effect. It must be those military command ships and characters in costumes.

I have no idea why Cynthia and TK enjoy “G.I. Joe” (I reckon she likes the actor Channing Tatum).  For me, I couldn’t help but chuckle (in a good way) whenever something unbelievable happen.  It helps when I don’t question some of the logics (seasoned computer gamer I am, just enjoy the ride).  Some asked why do they need to ”˜weaponize’ a weapon by charging the nano warhead at a particle accelerator only to be fired off by human hands?  Well, if the story says so, it is so.

I like the car racing scene in Paris.  I like the lady in black hair more then the red head.  Seeing the Korean actor Lee Byung-hun on big screen is cool.  Classic movie it is not.  But I may consider watching the sequels.

Categories
Photography Travel Blog

Jellyfish Is Called Medusa In Spanish, Out Of Valencia And Into Toledo

Inside a Marine Center in Valencia

This post is dedicated to the loyal followers of this Spain holiday series and to those few of you who constantly ask me if the photos are coming out any time soon and drop some comments here.  It is your anticipation that keeps me going.  Thank you.  At the end of this series, we may have a 15,000 words journal completed with 600 photos.  All because of you!

Day 6, we have approached the midway point of our journal.  Of all the episodes, I look forward to the photo album of this one the most.  It is because the subjects are so different from the rest of what we have.  The structures in the “City of Art and Science” are so futuristic, so unexpected of.  I wish I had more time to tour this part of Valencia.

As usual, below are the options you may wish to read more about our road trip.

  • A photo collection for day 6 of our trip to Spain (39 photos with captions)
  • A journal written in details on what we did and more (approx 1,800 words)
  • A highlight of the photos below (8 photos – and for Facebook readers, please view the original post)

To read the rest of the travel blog entries, please follow this tag.

Categories
Diary

It All Happened So Fast, Fireworks Over My Head (Working Title: Happy Birthday Singapore)

“You shouldn’t push yourself too hard.  You are still recovering,” said TK over MSN.  That particular week, I was resting and working from home most of the time.  That particular Saturday, my friend Mark has invited me to accompany him for a photo shooting session.  By the seaside overlooking the floating platform, where the rehearsal of the National Day Parade took place.  I’ve made a promise that as soon as he gets hold of the right gears, we would go for a night shooting.  Mark chose fireworks; and fireworks it was then.

I seldom shot fireworks and I certainly cannot measure myself up to Mark’s enthusiasm.  That day, he reserved a spot for us along the Nicoll Highway 2 to 3 hours before the fireworks took place.  I, on the other hand, turned up half an hour before the fireworks began.  Nearly missed the shot had the traffic jam was any worse.

According to Scott Kelby, I should bring my zoom lens for some tight shots.  If I was shooting fireworks at the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, it probably would have worked better.  In Singapore, we are pretty close to the action.  So, a zoom lens seems to be a bit too long.  Mark has done a much better job.  Check out his.  I really suck at shooting fireworks.  Like I said to Mark (and he disagrees), each photographer works within a certain set of genres.  I have a lot more patience shooting animals in the dark.  Or even the moon.  And I have better connection with nature’s creations or monuments that stand or will likely to stand the test of time.  My analogy is that I can comfortably write a piece of music in the Alternative Rock genre.  But I don’t think I can ever write a Jazz or Country song.

Below are some of the shots taken on July 25th (Facebook readers please view original post at my website).  It all happened so fast!  3 or 4 minutes was all it took for the 2 settings.  Each setting I reckon was a 1 minute of fireworks display.  When it was all over, Mark asked if I wanted to do it again for the next rehearsal.

Hmmm.  Maybe not.  And for the fireworks lovers, do drop by Hong Kong during the New Year period (Jan 2nd I think), July 1 National Day, or Chinese New Year.  Hong Kong has the mother of all fireworks I have seen so far.

* * * * *

Ahead of my country mates’ entries, which I am sure you will see hundreds and thousands starting in the next 1 or 2 hours’ time, happy birthday Singapore!  I know my accent often confuses people.  And believe it or not, some friends of mine despite this “open secret” of I being a Singaporean still think that I hold a blue IC.  No.  I am pink.  I am very pink.  As pink as my IC can be.

For this National Day, I am thinking of doing something slightly different.  Having lived in Singapore for 14 years and have become a Citizen since 1998, below are the frequently asked questions when I told people that I hold a pink IC.

What happen to your Hong Kong Citizenship?  Do you need to give it away?

First, Hong Kong is not a country.  For those who are born in Hong Kong after WWII and before 1997, we are born as a British Subject.  What it means is that we had the right to reside in the then-British colony called Hong Kong.  That’s about it.  In short, we – or at least how I see it – are born with no country, and no religion.  Was I happy to toss the British Subject status away?  I was indifferent.

Were you running away from 1997?  The return of Hong Kong to China?

Not really.  I didn’t think that with such a strong economic establishment, China would want to tear it apart.  The Basic Law was enacted way before 1997.  While I wasn’t entirely bought into China’s promise on “50 years of life remains as it is (in Hong Kong)”, I saw this return to motherland part of a bigger plan to unify Macau and maybe eventually Taiwan.  So, was I running away from anything?  No.  In retrospect, I think China has done a pretty good job to Hong Kong and Macau so far.  It helps when China is rising, a trend as predicted a decade or two ago.

Ain’t you glad that you don’t need to do National Service?

It’s hard to say.  If I was born and grew up in Singapore, I would just do it like the rest.  But as a first generation immigrant who has passed the age of enlistment, I am not sure if I would be thrilled to do NS (however if I could bring my camera and blog about what I experience …).

But I guess we all do nation building one way or another.  And I always joke to my friends that those 2 years and more of working with the MINDEF as an external consultant shuttling between the military camps is my very own way of doing NS.  Sir, yes sir!

Why Singapore?

I chose this region because I love its diverse cultures.  I chose Singapore as my home because there is no other place I’d rather be living in for long term.  I haven’t lived in Africa or South America yet.  So my view may change.  But for now, I am still happy with that decision I made 11 years ago.

Would you return to Hong Kong or migrate to another country?

Probably not Hong Kong because Cynthia can’t speak Chinese.  And my sister has married my buddy in Singapore, most of my friends are from Singapore, I am pretty much rooted here.

I guess my question is: How long can I afford to live in Singapore?  The other day, I was asking my Singaporean friend how much I need to survive in Singapore.  She tossed me some six-figure numbers judging at my current lifestyle (because I said I want to retire now … ha ha ha) and it was kind of depressing.  Jokes aside, the government’s message is clear: We shall remain as productive for as long as we can.  I read those news of sixty odd seventy odd years old people still happily working.  For me, I don’t think I want to work for money till that age.  I reckon I will have many ways to keep myself productive.  Will I have enough money to live in Singapore looking at the rising cost of living or will I have a much better quality of life elsewhere with the finite amount of savings I have?  I have no clue.  I need to do some serious calculation first.

*     *     *     *     *

It all happens so fast.  Time to celebrate Singapore National Day again.

PS. Because of this National Day entry, my usual Spanish holiday photo entry will possibly be postponed by 1 day (Aug 10).  Thank you for your understanding.

Categories
I See I Write

Don’t Miss Flight of the Conchords 2 Season Premier Rerun This Sat 1am

Watching FotC 2 at Art Museum

How time flies!  A year ago this month, HBO has invited Cynthia and I for the screening of the Flight of the Conchords (FotC).  This year, the The New Zealand Trade & Enterprise together with HBO have invited us for the special screening of the FotC Season 2.  In case if you haven’t heard, FotC is a New Zealand comedy production that carries a “HBO Original Series” branding.  Cynthia and I have watched the entire Season 1 and it was h.i.l.a.r.i.o.u.s!  We still play that CD whenever we need something just to cheer us up.

We were looking forward to the season premier last Monday at 11pm.  Unfortunately, Cynthia fell asleep watching Pirates of the Caribbean (episode 3) while I was busy blogging.  And because of that, we have missed the season premier of FotC 2.  Aahh~!

Fear not!  If you too have missed it like us, there is a rerun this Saturday at 1am (or Friday late night if you count the day ends when you fall asleep).  From the two episodes we have watched at the Arts House this evening, Bret and Jemaine as well as the band manager Murray are still as hilarious as ever.  Music is a major element in the FotC series and in this new season, the music appears to have sounded fresh and interesting.  Probably because Bret and Jemaine have composed this new set of songs after season 1 versus a ready-made music album years in the making for the previous season.  We have also noticed that in this season, Jemaine seems to play a larger role than Bret.  Maybe they want to do something different this season.

My alarm clock is set.  No way we are going to miss this rerun.  FotC 2 is broadcast at HBO on every Monday at 11pm and a Saturday rerun at 1am (OK, the entertainment industry may refer that as Friday).  As always, a big thanks to the HBO team for extending the invitation to us as well as the lovely dinner.  How time flies eh?

Categories
I See I Write

Condo Bulletin: The Sex Edition

News #3

Text excerpt in case you can’t read the screenshot: “Residents, please advise your domestic helpers not to fraternize with the guards, cleaners … in the estate.  Of late, a domestic helper was found … at a staircase offering sex service …”

One evening, Cynthia told me that our condo was featured in the local newspaper on how much the residents – past and present – love to stay.  Old condos do have their charm.  And ours comes with a very good management team on top of wide open space and greenery.

At times I wonder how does our condo manager finds the energy to write the bulletin month after month.  Cynthia doesn’t read any of the bulletins.  If not for me, she would chuck them into the bin right next to our mailbox every time she sees one.  As for me, I read each bulletin if I get to them before Cynthia does.  One, I would like to keep abreast of what’s happening in our estate.  Two, Mr. Manager has been writing bulletins non-stop for more than a decade.  What a waste if nobody reads.  I write too, here in this site.  So I can relate.

Item #3 “Scratching of Vehicles” caught my eyes first.  Before the sex related items above and below it does.  In fact, the second item I read was the latest installation of free wi-fi access at our pools.  Finally.

Back to item #3, one resident got his car scratched twice, in the dark.  And he deduced that it was the same parking lot when that happened.  Maybe someone is not happy that his or her preferred parking lot was taken by another resident.  That is vicious.  Because in our condo, we can park at any available parking lot.  I could be parking at that lot.  Back to the story, an ambush was conducted (!!), with the participation of our security guards I suppose.  But they have failed to catch the culprit.  Therefore, Mr. Manager ends that paragraph with a stern warning instead.

One morning, Cynthia put down the newspaper and said to me, “There have been a lot of corruption cases lately.”  “In Singapore?” I asked.  “Here and everywhere!” she replied.  Times are bad, I gather.  And when times are bad, vices breed.  Maybe that’s why some domestic helpers are offering sex to the construction workers, guards, and other men in our condo.  If I had a domestic helper at home – which I don’t think I would want to – I seriously have no idea how to ask her not to fraternize with the men here.  Wouldn’t I give her the idea instead?!

Item #4

Text excerpt of the above screenshot: “The Management Office received many complaints of young couples doing indecent acts in the swimming pools especially at night … We wish to inform residents that … it is an offence for any one … to cause embarrassment to other[s].”

Cynthia and I were laughing hard after we have read the shocking news on the sex life of some of our condo’s domestic helpers.  We were in tears when we read some of the younger couples are making out inside the pools.

The pools?!

I reckon there are more than 150 units facing each pool.  Too bad, my unit faces the pool that is next to the guard house.  The action must have happened over at the other pool.  But still, inside a pool?  There are many dark spots in our condo.  I would feel freezing cold inside the pool in wee hours.  Tsk tsk tsk … those hot blooded young couples.  Would I feel embarrassed if I see a couple making out in public?  I don’t know.  Perhaps not.

Maybe Mr. Manager is bored at writing the same sort of bulletin month after month and wanted to do something different.  For what is worth, I am looking forward in reading the next condo bulletin, due to arrive at our mailbox some time this week.

Categories
Book Reviews Fiction

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami – A Structured Love Story So Dark, So Beautiful

A noval by H. Murakami

“Norwegian Wood” is the second book I have randomly picked up from Kinokuniya prior to my holiday in June.  Substantially thicker than “South of the Border, West of the Sun” – considering how thin that book is – the two stories are strikingly similar.  Read almost like another one of his ‘autobiographical fictions’, which the translator Jay Rubin insisted in his note that it is not.  “Norwegian Wood” is a myriad of love and friendship through the eyes of Watanabe, from his age of 18 to 37.  A story that anchors between this first love Naoko and another girl Midori.  One that ends with a choice of the past and the future Watanabe has to make.

“Norwegian Wood” is one of Murakami’s earlier works.  Hence, less surreal than “South of the Border”, almost read like a straightforward love story.  By no means make “Norwegian Wood” a lesser work but rather, a different kind of work.  The most striking feature that stands out from the rest of his novels is the structure within.  I notice that each sub-plot involves three persons.  Something would happen to one party, change the entire dynamic, and the sub-plot dissolves, replaced by another sub-plot of three persons.  It is read like a continuation of one sub-plot riding onto the next one.  All the way till the end of the novel, the same structure is maintained.  I personally find this way of story writing original.

A lot of details have gone into the texture of the story.  Hence, I wouldn’t be surprised that some readers have identified “Norwegian Wood” as an autobiographical fiction.  Beyond the detail description of the school compound down to how the buildings are laid out, the characters are distinctly alive.  Down to the tone each character uses, and to the change in tone as the same character face different characters of varied personalities.  It is this level of details I appreciate deeply as I read this book during my holiday.

This book was released in 1987.  I believe it was the same book that elevated Murakami to an International status with the readership grown to millions that year.  Hence, in a way, “Norwegian Wood” could well be one of his most accessible work.  Even as a die hard fan who is in love with Murakami’s special surreal treatment to his stories, “Norwegian Wood” having little of that surrealism still ranks high in my book.  For a simple love story though can be dark, can still be beautiful.

After my holiday, I have visited Kinokuniya again and have randomly picked another two of Murakami’s books.  So, stay tuned for more book summaries.