12 Mar 2010 – The Jack Neo Scandal

Jack NEO’s latest SIN-based movie Being Human/做人** is showing. Unfortunately or fortunately news of his 2-year affair came to light recently as well. This local news would not have made the news outside of the SE Asia region. Being human reflects on us all, but most of us are anonymous, unlike Tiger WOODS and all the other public figures whose affairs have been in the news. Did they not think of the consequences first if they did not want their private life out in the public? Having a difficult time to understand why they misuse & destroy their fame when they have either been blessed with a talent or have worked hard for their dreams.

The movie was just about to be released before his affair became public but I had already decided to see the movie before the scandal. Do try my best to see the local movies as long as no violence and horror. Most have been entertaining, especially Forever Fever & Singapore Dreaming but to really get into them, one must understand Singlish otherwise the gist is lost in translation and this one is no exception.

Have always enjoyed Mark LEE and he plays an unethical slimming centre owner whose unscrupulous business methods lead to a chain of consequences. The message here is that you reap what you sow, perhaps the director did not think that this also applies to him! It is interesting to see how the movie’s ending scene changed when fast rewinding back to the beginning scenario with a different twist resulting with a predictable ending. I thought for a second I saw Jack NEO in one of the scenes as a waiter! The Cantonese word for a waiter=four-gay and with a slight mis-pronunciation four-geir=turkey 🙂

Have a wonderful weekend!

Nothing is more pleasurable than to sit in the shade, sip gin and contemplate other people’s adulteries and while the wormy apple of marriage still lives, the novel will not die – John Skow

11 Mar 2010 – The Movie/のだめカンタービレ****

Happy Bday cousin Ken TAN

Cantabile in Italian means in the singing way, flowing & clearly. Was unaware that this Japanese cartoon character Nodame Cantabile is from some famous Japanese magazine, Kiss. The story line was not the reason I watched this Japanese movie which is a conclusion to a popular TV series based on a pianist. Nodame’s acting is exaggerated, but her cutesy image fits well in this modern-day fairy tale teeming with magic realism and quirky humour. She has to sort out romantic and professional issues involving her conductor boyfriend Chiaki.

The nearly 2hr movie was worth my time as the music in it is totally exquisite to the ears. Am not a musical/boardway fan but a great fan of good classical music and the opera. The performance of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture is inspiring, not an easy work to conduct or perform well. The touching part is when the conductor narrated parts of the work in his mind as he was conducting. The firing of the canons added to the dynamics and if you know the history for the era, you might be able to relate this master work of war and peace in music.

Why I sectioned out this movie on its own? Is it because of my passion for music or perhaps a reminder for when I used to play the piano and won prizes, scholarships etc? Now that my arthritic fingers are not as nimble as they were but they still enjoy playing the piano when emotions need to be released, which is often lately!

Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life – Ludwig van Beethoven

9 Mar 2010 – Happy Bday to niece LEONG SueLyn

72 Tenant of Prosperity/72家租客** happenings from 1970s where HKG landlords try to evict 72 tenants. In this confusing musical comedy, only the singing is kept to Cantonese and the rest dubbed to Mandarin/Putonghua. Dubbing is a no no no for me. I like to watch movies in their original language and prefer to read sub-titles.

Hot Summer Days/全城熱戀熱辣辣*** shares six entwined stories in which people strive to discover the meaning of love, where the heat ignites emotions and changes lives. The movie is done in both Cantonese and Mandarin, depending on the situation and where the location is. For me it is charming to hear the different dialects as long as there are sub-titles, even if it means to be sometimes lost in translation 🙂

Life is short, make full use of it.

Dear John*** a young soldier, John on home leave and falls in love with Savannah during a spring vacation. The couple is separated by his dangerous deployments. They stay in touch by continuous steam of love letters. Henry Thomas who played John, hmmm… quite a feast to the eyes 🙂

There are many Johns in my life and the best so far is grandson John W. No more Dear John! but sometimes what we want is NOT what we get. Fate has strange ways to remind us that we are not always in control.

I’d learned that some things are best kept secret.

Nine** a famous film director struggles to find harmony in his professional and personal lives. Was not aware that it is a musical; would not have watched it if I knew, even with such great stars; Penelope Cruz, Kate Hudson, Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren and Judi Dench.

You’re a world class liar, darling. Go out there and lie for Italy!

7 Mar 2010 – Visitors from Florida

Janice TUBBS and I go way back to Linn’s Middle & High School days in Florida where she roped me into the PTA!  Scott & Linn were classmates and have been friends ever since. My first meeting with the TUBBS was an exciting one… Linn’s bday party when I dropped her bday cake, no joke! Linn reminded me of it when they celebrated my 60th with two cakes incase I drop one of them and also 60 candles could not fit onto one cake 🙂

This is the TUBBS first visit to SIN and I have not met up with them since I left Florida nearly 12 years ago. They are here on route to their 2 weeks cruise around this region. So delighted to be able to catch up and show them around… real sport of them to walk the East Coast Parkway the first evening after landing. One of May’s favourite chicken dish here , Samsui Ginger Chicken is also Janice’s favourite plus Yak Kun’s Kaya toast. Janice asked what is the official language of SIN. The answer is in the picture with intimidating gun pointing to the official languages 🙂 🙂

The first time I saw anyone off a cruise was at the exact same sport in 1956/57. Brother Lawrence was on his way to London to further his studies and the only means of transportation was by ship then. We were able to board the ship to see his cabin and also to see where how he would be living for the duration on board, about 1 month. The ship sailed and colour streamers were thrown down to us who were waving our goodbyes; the bagpipe band was playing and mother was in tears.

A picture is worth a thousand words – Napoleon Bonaparte

4 Mar 2010 – Marine Parade MP/马林百列…

in SIN is a town and an urban planning area east of the central business district. The public housing/HDB comprises 58 blocks here and over 85% of SIN 4.99million population live in HDBs including me. MP is served by MP Town Centre, which consists of several neighbourhood shops and a major commercial complex Parkway Parade  that houses offices and a shopping centre. A popular seaside weekend getaway for leisure, East Coast Park is well-known to locals and about 5mins walk from my place.

MP Community Building was completed in 2000 where MP Community Club & Library are located. Other facilities within the three-storey complex include a 263-seater theatrette, gym, basketball court and sports hall. Politics of MP is also a component division in the much larger MP Group Representation Constituency, a group representation constituency which elects six members to the Parliament of SIN. Senior Minister and former Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong  is a Member of Parliament for MP.

This area is in demand due to all the reasons above including good schools and private condos with a view. Bought my HDB 10 years ago and it has doubled its value since, not that I have any plans to sell! The only missing element for a movie buff is a cinema in the neighbourhood!! There used to be one by Parkway Parade many years ago. If there is no traffic jam, it will take about 10mims by car to the airport and 20mins to the center of town, add 5/10mins if by bus or heavy traffic. Now that I am a senior citizen, the bus ride cost 69cents from one end of the island to the other and watching a movie on the big screen for S$4 is rather enjoyable and affordable 🙂

Every man is surrounded by a neighbourhood of voluntary spies – Jane Austin

1 Mar 2010 – More deaths

What’s with Feb… tremors, storms & deaths! Exactly a year ago, I was the mistress of ceremony for Shakib’s memorial service. At a wake last week for Violet’s, (walker buddy) mother who died at age 81. Then I received this shocking news-a friend of a friend’s kid died in his sleep last week, Auckland/NZ. He was age 15. A day after the funeral, they got burgled and lost the computer with all the photos too. In the newspaper article, the owners begged the thief to keep everything but to mail them back the photos. This is so sad.

Early yesterday morning I heard from a friend in Kuching, Sarawak/Malaysia that his daughter was in coma. Was thinking of her all day as I was hoping to see her end of the month; later in the evening, she died. My deepest condolences to Chuan & AnnChee for the loss of Kelly JiaXuan who was only 5years young. The dead do not feel but we who are left behind will feel the loss and will miss them. As Chuan said, they will be holding mass on CELEBRATION of her life and that is the best way to remember her and to deal with her passing.

Mar Family Dates

9 Mar – Happy Bday LEONG Sue Lynn

11 Mar – Happy Bday Ken TAN

14 Mar – Happy Bday Ellie HALL

17 Mar – Happy Bday LEONG Pat Lynn and Happy St Patrick’s Day

18 Mar – Happy Bdays Linn HALL & LAM Yi Sun

21 Mar – Happy 40th Wedding Anniversary to Ivy & Leslie LAM

31 Mar – Happy Bday Josephine LAM

Happy Mar Bdays to: Anthony CHAO, John LIM, Gel YEO & Natty TAY (SIN); Amelia POWER, Paul DRUMM & Steven KAO (Dublin/Eire); Alexander CHUA (Bangkok/Thailand); Thomas HEGGELUND & Hannah LEONG (Norway); Al SOSA, Cee WOREL & Janice TUBBS (USA). Amazing to know 20 people with bdays in Mar!

There are as many nights as days, and the one is just as long as the other in the year’s course. Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word ‘happy’ would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness – Carl Jung