12 days already passed for the new year. I haven't been able to come up with the whole new year resolution. I have ideas here and there. But due to many changes in my life, it's hard to put up a comprehensive plan. Like I signed up for this risk management exam, just to find out I will resume working soon and thus have no time to take on any exam. As well, my creative writing and comedy "careers" become second or third priority now.
Yet, piecemeal resolution might still better than no resolution. Writing them out will always be better than keeping them in between my ears, where things get forgotten or ignored once a while.
Here's Number 1 resolution: Simplify my life. Be Compact.
I am very inspired by this article from Time Magazine "The Year of Living Thriftly" and this blog of this group called Compact. This is " a group of individuals committed to a 12-month flight from the consumer grid. They borrow, barter or buy used.
I don’t know how much I can follow. It’s definitely quite a challenge, might more so than going vegetarian (which I occasionally tried that for just a week). That’s also why I didn’t think of starting it on the first day of the year. Instead, I waited till now so that I could do some last minute shopping before heading back to Hong Kong, which is a shopping paradise and quite an evil temptation in this case.
OK, setting goal is still better than no goal. I will look back at this entry to remind myself.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Monday, January 08, 2007
伤春悲秋
Revisiting Bay Area this week brought back lots of fond memories – the favorite Chinese restaurant in Mountain View (though I now know Toronto offers many better versions), the 101 highway that used to be a challenge, the house I stayed and partied during my second year. I also almost forgot how fantastic the weather is that swimming in outside pool is actually doable even in winter.
I drove around Palo Alto area a couple of times but didn’t make it to Stanford.
I have this peculiar fear to visit my Alma Matar – a fear of feeling old when facing all the aspiring young men and women, or an avoidance of overwhelming memories, or the fear of “same place, different people, different feelings”.
也许, 伤春悲秋是诗人的歌词, 怀念是闲人的奢侈.
偶尔怀念怀念也好.
I drove around Palo Alto area a couple of times but didn’t make it to Stanford.
I have this peculiar fear to visit my Alma Matar – a fear of feeling old when facing all the aspiring young men and women, or an avoidance of overwhelming memories, or the fear of “same place, different people, different feelings”.
也许, 伤春悲秋是诗人的歌词, 怀念是闲人的奢侈.
偶尔怀念怀念也好.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Letters from Iwojima
I have been avoiding war-related movies. I find those American ones (say, Saving private Ryan, Pearl Harbor) are too heroic, too American-centric and too Hollywood-formulaic; While those Chinese ones (say Men Behind the Sun) are somewhat too close to home that watching is hurting.
Letters from Iwojima is the best movie I have watched in 2006, very solemn and heavy. It took me minutes of silence to recollect myself after watching it.
A sequel to the Flags of our Father, Letters is about the invasion of Iwojima from the Japanese point of view. The story follows that the Japanese soldiers, under the leadership of General Tadamichi had to plan for the best unsupported defense against the unparallel opponent’s force.
Through the flashbacks and letters communicated with their families, personal stories were told and smoothly interweaved with the battle scenes. These stories told the internal struggle, cultural influence, society pressure on these soldiers. These stories transcend nationality; the characters can be you and me. The character development and actors chosen for those roles are excellent. Ken Watanabe never disappoints.
Success of story: really hinges on the success of character development - characters that people can associate with and sympathize for. I thought of another recent movie, Curse of Golden Flowers. Apart from the distasteful and repetitive music, overly-colorful scene and over-exposed costumes, the weakest link is the unconvincing characters. Even I love Jay Chou as a singer, his role as the second prince (also a lead character) doesn’t convince me to have any sympathy, and same for all the rest of the troop.
Fighting Spirit: It reminded me how often I faced untouchable goals and was tempted to drop efforts. In 2007, I wish I can always fight with spirits, even when there is slim chance to win.
Letters from Iwojima is the best movie I have watched in 2006, very solemn and heavy. It took me minutes of silence to recollect myself after watching it.
A sequel to the Flags of our Father, Letters is about the invasion of Iwojima from the Japanese point of view. The story follows that the Japanese soldiers, under the leadership of General Tadamichi had to plan for the best unsupported defense against the unparallel opponent’s force.
Through the flashbacks and letters communicated with their families, personal stories were told and smoothly interweaved with the battle scenes. These stories told the internal struggle, cultural influence, society pressure on these soldiers. These stories transcend nationality; the characters can be you and me. The character development and actors chosen for those roles are excellent. Ken Watanabe never disappoints.
Success of story: really hinges on the success of character development - characters that people can associate with and sympathize for. I thought of another recent movie, Curse of Golden Flowers. Apart from the distasteful and repetitive music, overly-colorful scene and over-exposed costumes, the weakest link is the unconvincing characters. Even I love Jay Chou as a singer, his role as the second prince (also a lead character) doesn’t convince me to have any sympathy, and same for all the rest of the troop.
Fighting Spirit: It reminded me how often I faced untouchable goals and was tempted to drop efforts. In 2007, I wish I can always fight with spirits, even when there is slim chance to win.
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