Saturday, May 28, 2005

THIS IS TOR NOT GLOR

Writing this while waiting for the little star wars clip to load.

... Ok, watched it. That was really cute! I watched episode 3 last night and found myself enjoying immensely, apart from having to confer with Cat about who was evil and who was who and gagging at the incredibly 'romantic' romance scenes. 'It's because I'm so in love.' 'No, I'm so in love' 'You mean love has blinded you?' Urgh...

I disagree with all the bad reviews it got. I was with Ewan McGregor when he fought the cool robot-with-heart thing, and cheered very loudly when said thing exploded. Every scene was laden with dramatic irony! Along with the audience (most of whom were my friends. It was a late, late show) I shouted, no! don't turn to the dark side! during the anakin-turning-into-darth-vader scene. For people indifferent to the star wars phenomenon (like myself), who possess only a passing knowledge of the plot, this was pure pathos-filled entertainment, a good old fashioned celebration of the human condition. Just what films are meant to be. None of this pretentious bullshit about cute guys who go around shagging random models at photo shoots.

Now I have to go and watch the whole thing again. The last time I watched it was (I think) when I was small, during CNY in my grandmother's house in toa payoh, on tv. Glor, when was the last time we watched any of the Star Wars movies? I only remember the ewoks well because that was the point when our aunties/uncles at our grandma's house would point and the screen and say, 'see! cute bears!' And I'd be like, 'ya, so what?'

Pre-movie dinner conversation at our house:

Chris: I only remember the last scene in the last movie (episode 6) where the bears came out after the evil guy died.
Everyone else: We have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.
Me: Err, do you mean the ewoks?
Cat: What are ewoks? I don't remember.
Florian: No, they weren't ewoks. Ewoks weren't in the last movie.
Marc: Or were they wookies?
Cat: What are wookies?
Me: You know, the big furry furry things that go woarghorgh!

Hmm, I don't think the humour translates very well onto the page. Obviously we are all not star wars fans. It's very pleasant to find out interesting facts like how anakin really does turn out to be the chosen one! Facts everyone else knows but I didn't, and now that I've watched the movie, I can easily find out what happens next without knowing it from before! Haha! And what's more, I can easily talk about what happens in the end to people who haven't watched the movie and not be a spoiler, because they all know what happens anyway! Haha!

I must be a very sad and deprived person.

Surreal walking the deserted streets, through leicester square and covent garden market after the show. We all got free posters and v-zhing v-zhinged them around, squawking excitedly about our favourite parts of the film. Somehow, we were part of the scenery, along with the little piles of homeless people in the doorways, drunken yobs chanting 'Li-ver-pull, li-ver-pool, li-ver-pool!', and all the denizens of night-time central london. We were the cut-price late-night ticket student gang walking to chinatown to have supper, having come from dinner before the show. There's a melancholy beauty to be found in places which are alive and bustling with tourists during the day that shows itself at night, in the dark, alone, that has the quality of truth. We sat on the cobblestone road (carefully avoiding the patches of vomit of course) continued to v-zhing, v-zhing, and just breathed in the silence (punctuated by occasional screaming and crying of course). Simple pleasures.

...

Did you know that in the books, episode 7-9, Luke is somehow lured by the ghost of sidious and turns to the dark side too? (noooo! so sad!) but in the end, is converted back to the non-dark side by his son? I'm never gonna read those books cos that sounds like they ran out of ideas.

Oh! Don't watch hitch-hiker's. I hated the beginning, the title song, the end, the characters (I know we all have to PC now but have you ever imagined Ford Prefect as black? I mean, it's one thing to be inclusive and another to be totally un-true to the character in the book) I know Adams helped to write the screenplay but I'm sure he'd be turning over in his grave at some of the liberties taken. The ending! Oh! The ending! (The humanity! No-- I'm not going to say that. It's rather, oh! The non-humanity) Ok, you won't understand that unless you know the book and watched the film, and I won't tell you why I think it's completely missed the point in case you still want to watch it. Please don't.

I mean, I laughed. It was funny. But it was only funny because the lines were funny, and the lines are funny because the book is funny. The only good thing about the movie is the dialogue and narration. And of course the story. But not the end! And for some strange reason the makers totally missed out on some of the classic scenes in the book-- like they ignored the fact that the reason for the Heart of Gold's shut-down during the Vogon attack was Arthur's request for a cup of tea! Oh, I shan't go on, this is starting to sound pedantic.

The more difficult my work is, the less refined my entertainment tastes become. But all I'm asking for is a minimum level of clever/interesting plot, decent dialogue and really cool flinging people around via the force and lightsabres that go 'v-zhing, v-zhing!' OK. *shrug*

Everytime I think of the word wookie, I think of Khayce. woarghorgh!

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

Exams coming soon, this should be interesting. Will be slogging all through the June hols, interrupted by fencing prac. Which is muchly fun, I don't even mind getting up at 7 in the morn on a Saturday for it.

No, am not going away like as planned, anymore. Seeing as how with the exception of GP, all my papers are on the last week of June I obviously cannot go anywhere for obvious reasons. At this rate don't think will make it to London at all, oh well. We'll see how it goes, as usual.

Dear Ed is back~! Missed him awfully, but have only seen him once, so far. Will probably have coffee during June, I hope. Then we can talk about fencing too~

I miss RK, and everyone in my graduating year, for that matter. I do believe we really need to meet up for an RK coffee meeting one day. Bern could do with some more cheering up.

Which reminds me, I've nothing to wear for Camelot this Saturday...

Thanks so much for the essay outline, Tor! Very big help, wish me luck for the blasted exam!

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Marc just sent this to me... it's the cutest Star Wars thing ever! The clip may take some time to load, but it's hell worth it, especially the ending shot!

@http://www.starwars.com/collecting/news/lego/rotb.html

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

(Random update written in school today.)

A breather during class, before extra econs lesson starts. Incessant drizzle (i.e. high storm intensity, contributing to higher infiltration rates) that's lasted from recess, making everyone relaxed. My previously overdue stuff for this week is all done, just need to focus on project work and econs test on Thursday.

Assorted collection of iPod shuffles being plugged into class speaker. Generally good tastes in music, my classmates have. Boulavard of Broken Dreams, Scar Tissue, among some other pieces I've not heard in a while. But when they started on the techno I decided to listen to my own stuff. Haven't yet decided, to promote Budak Pantai or not. Or that utterly ridiculous D&D song! On second thoughts, they wouldn't understand it, "I've got my twelve sided die and I'm ready to roll...". Have yet to find a gamer in this blasted school.

Oh! But have found other Pratchett reader, in CLB class! Think I've mentioned. Steffi's also anticipating Hitchhiker's! I know it's already out in other bits of the world (you shut up Tora.) and I don't know why it's taking so long to get here. Like Butrton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, opening here a month later than the officila release date. Oh well, at least it's coming here at all, unlike Mirrormask.

(Ooh, have to go for econs tuition now. Sometimes I wish I could blog in class...)

Friday, May 13, 2005

Ran 2.4 on Wednesday and passed, suprisingly. Fell down at some point though, so now have mild case of grass rash on left shin and knee as forgot to wash it off, was too damned tired.

School is good, but the workload is erratic. Sometimes it's alot then at others, it's even more. Good thing the hols are coming soon, then I can properly do up my notes and study for the exams. Especially my sorry, sorry Lit notes that are all over the place.

Aargh! I have to complain about my ridiculous Huxley tutor! She doesn't bloody teach during tuorials, just scolds us a lot. I hardly have any notes from her, dammit. Had to resort to photocopying Tsu's notes instead. Good thing I write cursive so I can read her handwriting.

Been hanging out with Tsu and Agustine (though not at the same time). Agustine's the only classmate I automatically gravitate to, not sure why. We don't have alot in common, but we just like each other's company.

Tsu on the other hand... is the only person I can comfortably be myself with, can rant about books and fangirl too. It helps when we know what the other person is talking about, which is usually not the case, with classmates. Us misfits must look out for each other, ne? She's currently letting me go through her comic collection, Fables in particular, written by Bill Willingham, and am indefinatly holding on the Arkham Asylum, that Grant Morrison wrote and Dave McKean illustated.

We see each other mostly at lectures we have in common, and of course, CLB class. Gosh, I love chinese classes so much now, we just go there and slack. And all the other peope are pro-CLB too! Then there's the other girl who reads Pratchett, Steffi, and that boy Benjamin, that Tsu is shamlessly pimpimg Fables to, who is borrowing it. It's just a group of random students coming together and having a breather during school.

Which reminds me, went to OCS last Friday, and got Fables confiscated by brother Paul for trying to bring it along. Got it back from him after though, with him calling me the 'girl who owned the weird comic'. Hah, wait till he meets Tsu. Was also shamelessly pimping it to him. Hey, no harm trying right?

Gah, then there's this boy I like. We've got much in common and I just love having conversations with him. Mm, I'll probably just leave it, like I always do.

Tor,

checked out James' watch. Turns out the watch shop in J8 doesn't stock Omega, so I've got to go down to town for it. I'll probably do it tmr, since I've got a dental appointment too.

I should go now, have school tmr. And a wretched Huxley tutorial.

Sunday, May 01, 2005

Actually got around to writing the thing. It's something that I've always wanted to write, a nice short, one-shot thing, not about any particular anyone that could apply to nearly everyone. I hope you like it, if you decide to read it.

This is for Jenny, I hope it makes her feel better.

And for the one who makes me smile.


'Mm.'

She rolls over and presses into his arms, inhaling, and slides a leg over his waist. Then-

she realises it's only a bolster.

The female human lies there in the cold darkness, drawing the covers tightly around her, trying to grasp the last edges of the Dreaming, when the door creaks.

Someone climbs into bed and under the quilt with her. An arm encircles her from behind, ending with a hand clasping hers, over her breast near her heart. She feels warm lips against the back of her neck, feathery, then they pull away, only to nuzzle at her hair, making her smile. She snuggles closer.

Then there is stillness, and silence.

A strong gust of wind blows the curtains aside, making them flap, like wings. For an instant through half-lidded eyes, she sees their limbs, pale and motionless, entwined in the silver moonlight.

Then in the darkness, there might have been a soft voice, that might have whispered three words. Already asleep, she did not hear them, if there were anything to hear at all.

~

She stirs under the harsh morning light. Frowning slightly, she rolls over and presses into his arms, inhaling, and slides a leg over his waist. Then-

she realises it's only a bolster.