"all art has been contemporary" perhaps one of the most memorable lines from my habibi off Isla del Sol...
and he is right. many artists when they start to express themselves automatically becomes contemporary artists and it's not easy to go through the process.
i am among those who never quite understand sometimes contemporary arts. offhand, the impression is that it's quite chaotic and you get the feeling that you are lost trying to understand what it means...
however, after having been exposed to some colleagues in the art and culture sector and exchanging opinions and asking quite stupid questions... i am now convinced that the overall relevance of an artistic product of a specific period (contemporary) is how it reflects the realities of that specific time or era... it serves as a mirror from which you can see what is happening around - whether fancy, depressing, colossal, etc. and i should say that most of these are raw channels...
i guess this is the context from which we can view contemporary arts... perhaps the key is to try to have a dialogue and a disposition of openness and somehow, maybe contextualise...
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Little more things you need to know about India
Know that there is Little India in the little red dot!
You can take the Buffalo (road) to get trimmed hair and henna.
A walk past a tiny little corner (where is the temple) shall provide you dark yellow sweets (c/o God Perumal)
Cross the street and you shall be at your Villas (Komala) - feast there! :-)
Remember to grab coconut (hair) nourishment from Mustafa!
You can take the Buffalo (road) to get trimmed hair and henna.
A walk past a tiny little corner (where is the temple) shall provide you dark yellow sweets (c/o God Perumal)
Cross the street and you shall be at your Villas (Komala) - feast there! :-)
Remember to grab coconut (hair) nourishment from Mustafa!
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
divided by a common language
over lunch earlier, an interesting topic came about trigerred by a malicious comment of a colleague to a colleague...
question: just when do we draw the line between "misuse of words", joke or abuse? which factors to consider when trying to communicate? seniority? authority? gender? culture? personality?
and then came a brilliant anecdote (dont know the reference though). UK and US are two nations divided by the English language as if to answer the previous question.
and then another question: does communication start with common language or the common need and want to communicate?
question: just when do we draw the line between "misuse of words", joke or abuse? which factors to consider when trying to communicate? seniority? authority? gender? culture? personality?
and then came a brilliant anecdote (dont know the reference though). UK and US are two nations divided by the English language as if to answer the previous question.
and then another question: does communication start with common language or the common need and want to communicate?
Monday, September 08, 2008
what can cinema do???
entertainment, information, mover?
i enjoy movies that make me think and also films that make me get away from "my world of work". last night, I watched The Constant Gardener and i found it as such a moving experience. The plot is actually about drug testing in Africa (Kenya, in this case). I may not be a learned "movie critic" but I can say that this one gave me a balance of information, entertainment as well as somehow encouraged me to think more about this issue. i think that the actors were great as well. though some of the "thriller aspects" of the movie would somehow be predictable...
in fact, the movie moved me to search about Drug testing and I e-mailed my friend who did a paper on Malaria and the MNCs just a few months ago...
reading mixed reviews of the movie, i still think its a good one.
i enjoy movies that make me think and also films that make me get away from "my world of work". last night, I watched The Constant Gardener and i found it as such a moving experience. The plot is actually about drug testing in Africa (Kenya, in this case). I may not be a learned "movie critic" but I can say that this one gave me a balance of information, entertainment as well as somehow encouraged me to think more about this issue. i think that the actors were great as well. though some of the "thriller aspects" of the movie would somehow be predictable...
in fact, the movie moved me to search about Drug testing and I e-mailed my friend who did a paper on Malaria and the MNCs just a few months ago...
reading mixed reviews of the movie, i still think its a good one.
Monday, August 25, 2008
are birds really free?
as we were having lunch at the Arts (a favorite, loads of people there!), heavy rain poured. we were thinking, hhhmmmm... its gonna be free afternoon ;-))) we were thinking to order some coffeee or tea after lunch was finished...
then the bird flew in on one of the tables. and Nao said, huh, they can fly with wet wings or something to this effect (perhaps I misunderstood her). but then I, instead wondered if birds are really free?
we do think of birds as free - as symbols of freedom - spread your wings and fly - is a quote borrowed a thousandth time. and even the rain, they can fly through the rain while we were stock there wonderin, strategizin, how to go back to office.
what could be the limits of a bird's freedom? or is there such? yeah, thinking hard and i dont know why...
then the bird flew in on one of the tables. and Nao said, huh, they can fly with wet wings or something to this effect (perhaps I misunderstood her). but then I, instead wondered if birds are really free?
we do think of birds as free - as symbols of freedom - spread your wings and fly - is a quote borrowed a thousandth time. and even the rain, they can fly through the rain while we were stock there wonderin, strategizin, how to go back to office.
what could be the limits of a bird's freedom? or is there such? yeah, thinking hard and i dont know why...
Friday, August 22, 2008
an interesting MSN article
Mike Leigh: portraying women as "not just male fantasies"
"I'm a feminist, though that's not where I came from," says British award-winning director Mike Leigh of his latest movie "Happy-Go-Lucky", a comedy featuring Sally Hawkins as the free-spirited heroine.
Hawkins, who plays positive-about-life primary schoolteacher Poppy, took home a Best Actress award for the role at this year's Berlin Film festival, where the movie was shown prior to its release in different parts of the world.
An ode to the homespun wisdom of always looking on the bright side, Leigh with his trademark kitchen-sink realism shows how irrepressibly positive 30-something Poppy takes all sorts of problems in her stride.
But he also shows how disconcerting this can be to people without a naturally happily predisposition.
"I come from a bourgeois, terribly repressive background from Great Britain in the 50s," he added. "My whole life has been about personal freedom, many of my films are about that."
In counter-point to Poppy is her driving instructor Scott -- played by Eddie Marsan recently seen in "21 Grams", "Hancock" and "Gangs of New York" -- who is so alienated he cannot handle his infatuation with her.
"The point about Poppy," Leigh said in an interview, "is she is ultimately serious, she has the capacity to care. But with that she's open-minded, free-spirited."
While Poppy was at one with existence, Scott was completely out of touch, he said. "He understands nothing, he's totally cut off from his emotions, his feelings, his own motivations."
Leigh, now aged 61, has won multiple Oscar nominations for his slice-of-life films, including the 2004 feature on a backroom abortionist "Vera Drake", and his 1996 drama about family secrets "Secrets & Lies".
In many of the films, women play a prime role.
"Though I see the world as a heterosexual male person, my job is to tell a story in a way that makes each character keep its complete integrity, no matter if it's a man or a woman."
"As a film-maker, I feel I have to make good parts for women because there aren't many in the world, parts that are not just male fantasies."
"Happy-Go-Lucky", said Leigh, did not have a single message.
"It's about a multiplicity of things," he said.
"It's about being fulfilled by the richness of life, not about joy or happiness, but it has to do with responsibility and work and caring."
"In all my films, it is not conscious but it comes from my own life, there is a battle, a struggle, a tension between repression and freedom, anarchy and free spirit."
"I'm a feminist, though that's not where I came from," says British award-winning director Mike Leigh of his latest movie "Happy-Go-Lucky", a comedy featuring Sally Hawkins as the free-spirited heroine.
Hawkins, who plays positive-about-life primary schoolteacher Poppy, took home a Best Actress award for the role at this year's Berlin Film festival, where the movie was shown prior to its release in different parts of the world.
An ode to the homespun wisdom of always looking on the bright side, Leigh with his trademark kitchen-sink realism shows how irrepressibly positive 30-something Poppy takes all sorts of problems in her stride.
But he also shows how disconcerting this can be to people without a naturally happily predisposition.
"I come from a bourgeois, terribly repressive background from Great Britain in the 50s," he added. "My whole life has been about personal freedom, many of my films are about that."
In counter-point to Poppy is her driving instructor Scott -- played by Eddie Marsan recently seen in "21 Grams", "Hancock" and "Gangs of New York" -- who is so alienated he cannot handle his infatuation with her.
"The point about Poppy," Leigh said in an interview, "is she is ultimately serious, she has the capacity to care. But with that she's open-minded, free-spirited."
While Poppy was at one with existence, Scott was completely out of touch, he said. "He understands nothing, he's totally cut off from his emotions, his feelings, his own motivations."
Leigh, now aged 61, has won multiple Oscar nominations for his slice-of-life films, including the 2004 feature on a backroom abortionist "Vera Drake", and his 1996 drama about family secrets "Secrets & Lies".
In many of the films, women play a prime role.
"Though I see the world as a heterosexual male person, my job is to tell a story in a way that makes each character keep its complete integrity, no matter if it's a man or a woman."
"As a film-maker, I feel I have to make good parts for women because there aren't many in the world, parts that are not just male fantasies."
"Happy-Go-Lucky", said Leigh, did not have a single message.
"It's about a multiplicity of things," he said.
"It's about being fulfilled by the richness of life, not about joy or happiness, but it has to do with responsibility and work and caring."
"In all my films, it is not conscious but it comes from my own life, there is a battle, a struggle, a tension between repression and freedom, anarchy and free spirit."
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Brown Penny
I WHISPERED, 'I am too young,'
And then, 'I am old enough';
Wherefore I threw a penny
To find out if I might love.
'Go and love, go and love, young man,
If the lady be young and fair.'
Ah, penny, brown penny, brown penny,
I am looped in the loops of her hair.
O love is the crooked thing,
There is nobody wise enough
To find out all that is in it,
For he would be thinking of love
Till the stars had run away
And the shadows eaten the moon.
Ah, penny, brown penny, brown penny,
One cannot begin it too soon.
And then, 'I am old enough';
Wherefore I threw a penny
To find out if I might love.
'Go and love, go and love, young man,
If the lady be young and fair.'
Ah, penny, brown penny, brown penny,
I am looped in the loops of her hair.
O love is the crooked thing,
There is nobody wise enough
To find out all that is in it,
For he would be thinking of love
Till the stars had run away
And the shadows eaten the moon.
Ah, penny, brown penny, brown penny,
One cannot begin it too soon.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
of Kant and perceptions
one of the most striking lectures of Jak to our class is about perceptions - in particular the attribution error that many of us commit unconsciously. to quote an article on The Straits Times (June 2008 by Gary Hayden):
"In general, the way people act depends partly on character and disposition, and partly on circumstances. But when we judge the actions of others, we tend to make a fundamental error. We attribute too much to personality and character and too little to situation and context."
i always believed that i give the benefit of the doubt to any person and any circumstance - meaning even if i hear something bad about a person, im not easily swayed that a person is such. i postpone any judgement at first instance and at least try to see the situation. basically what happened and why it happened. of course the who part is inevitable to crop up. we all are influenced by our characteristics but then behavior are influenced by factors in our environment. motivation, rewards and punishment do play a part.
perhaps this is one of the greatest lessons i learned in the MPA classroom of Jak. i was a true blue Kantian (categorical imperative) until i was swayed by this strong theory. and indeed it has many circumstances to back it up. though i still believe that people do choose to do good or right on his or her own not because of fear of going to hell or jail but because it is right, now i can say that sometimes people choose to do otherwise not because of their own free choice but because they are pushed by circumstances.
- to be continued...
"In general, the way people act depends partly on character and disposition, and partly on circumstances. But when we judge the actions of others, we tend to make a fundamental error. We attribute too much to personality and character and too little to situation and context."
i always believed that i give the benefit of the doubt to any person and any circumstance - meaning even if i hear something bad about a person, im not easily swayed that a person is such. i postpone any judgement at first instance and at least try to see the situation. basically what happened and why it happened. of course the who part is inevitable to crop up. we all are influenced by our characteristics but then behavior are influenced by factors in our environment. motivation, rewards and punishment do play a part.
perhaps this is one of the greatest lessons i learned in the MPA classroom of Jak. i was a true blue Kantian (categorical imperative) until i was swayed by this strong theory. and indeed it has many circumstances to back it up. though i still believe that people do choose to do good or right on his or her own not because of fear of going to hell or jail but because it is right, now i can say that sometimes people choose to do otherwise not because of their own free choice but because they are pushed by circumstances.
- to be continued...
Monday, July 28, 2008
discoveries while home...
Charles really eats a lot! and likes to give many alibis when asked to read... yet he can read and great with numbers!
My sister is really great in choosing gifts for kids ;-)));
Bagoong Club Resto (Sacred Heart, Quezon City, +632 929-0544; 929-5450; http://bagoongclub.multiply.com/) - its really great with its very homey feeling and the good food and very personalized service. As I said like a 5 star hotel. You are given customized attention ;-)));
Meryll Streep is fabulous with her high jump antics on Mama Mia;
Helen is a strong storm;
Found a cozy cafe (with wi-fi) in Antipolo called Espresso Excelso and its really great!
The theme of the Dark Knight is so similar to the dilemna faced by most policy makers - then the State of the Nation Address (SONA) by GMA!;
I missed Filipino telenovelas;
I really miss phinesfreak and van dam! of course i miss orleans too...
Charles really eats a lot! and likes to give many alibis when asked to read... yet he can read and great with numbers!
My sister is really great in choosing gifts for kids ;-)));
Bagoong Club Resto (Sacred Heart, Quezon City, +632 929-0544; 929-5450; http://bagoongclub.multiply.com/) - its really great with its very homey feeling and the good food and very personalized service. As I said like a 5 star hotel. You are given customized attention ;-)));
Meryll Streep is fabulous with her high jump antics on Mama Mia;
Helen is a strong storm;
Found a cozy cafe (with wi-fi) in Antipolo called Espresso Excelso and its really great!
The theme of the Dark Knight is so similar to the dilemna faced by most policy makers - then the State of the Nation Address (SONA) by GMA!;
I missed Filipino telenovelas;
I really miss phinesfreak and van dam! of course i miss orleans too...
Thursday, July 10, 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inUKxeeHSM4&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-fmhEmt_t0
hhhmmm... the song i heard before i even know about Winnie the Pooh!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-fmhEmt_t0
hhhmmm... the song i heard before i even know about Winnie the Pooh!
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
ha the wisdom that can only come after the fact! and then you realize you may have missed doing something or just feel sorry you didnt do otherwise.
still, we are instruments even with our own fears that we were unfit to face the tides.
at least we can describe how it was in our moment, leave the rest of the deciphering to the ones after us.
still, we are instruments even with our own fears that we were unfit to face the tides.
at least we can describe how it was in our moment, leave the rest of the deciphering to the ones after us.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
I know... the joy is in the journey. You have to live at the moment... breathe it... But sometimes it gets tiring, or maybe because no matter how new each leaf that flies... you somehow see similarities, patterns...
There are lines... and these lines you see in each...
There is shade and light...
There is that smell - different they may be
And the sensation... you touch and you feel...
This touch makes you wish something is more permanent. Because, that fleeting moment of connection gets to you.
Sometimes you wish its not too wishful thinking to hold on to something...
There are lines... and these lines you see in each...
There is shade and light...
There is that smell - different they may be
And the sensation... you touch and you feel...
This touch makes you wish something is more permanent. Because, that fleeting moment of connection gets to you.
Sometimes you wish its not too wishful thinking to hold on to something...
Friday, June 27, 2008
... some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default.
Failure gave me an inner security that I had never attained by passing examinations.
Failure taught me things about myself that I could have learned no other way.
I discovered that I had a strong will, and more discipline than I had suspected; I also found out that I had friends whose value was truly above rubies.The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive.
You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity. Such knowledge is a true gift, for all that it is painfully won, and it has been worth more to me than any qualification I ever earned.
- an excerpt from J. K. Rowling's Harvard Commencement Address
I could not agree more, there are failures in my life that are more valuable than any winnings and triumphs. I have recognized that I would have been a different person otherwise...
And friends, yes, those friends that stay... they are those who will stay for the next 100 years (even if we all cease to live that long enough, at least they are willing to be there!).
Failure gave me an inner security that I had never attained by passing examinations.
Failure taught me things about myself that I could have learned no other way.
I discovered that I had a strong will, and more discipline than I had suspected; I also found out that I had friends whose value was truly above rubies.The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive.
You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity. Such knowledge is a true gift, for all that it is painfully won, and it has been worth more to me than any qualification I ever earned.
- an excerpt from J. K. Rowling's Harvard Commencement Address
I could not agree more, there are failures in my life that are more valuable than any winnings and triumphs. I have recognized that I would have been a different person otherwise...
And friends, yes, those friends that stay... they are those who will stay for the next 100 years (even if we all cease to live that long enough, at least they are willing to be there!).
Thursday, June 19, 2008
I would like to beg you, dear Sir, as well as I can, to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.
- Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet (Letter Four Worpswede, near Bremen July 16, 1903)
- Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet (Letter Four Worpswede, near Bremen July 16, 1903)
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
SURVIVAL KIT ANYONE?
Be your own person. Never let the goings on outside change or influence you, if the inner self is not convinced to do so.
Be independent without being aloof or "alien".
Learn to communicate, and never be afraid to express yourself.
Be helpful and courteous.
Always check your self-respect in whatever you think, say or do.
Respect others the way you want to be respected.
Take a few minutes off to reflect and ponder the many little things in life often taken for granted like good food, good music, good conversations over a cup of coffee, etc.
Never loose the seeds of hope and faith in your heart.
Smile and laugh, and eat!
Spend time with the persons you love.
Look at the night sky and gather some fresh air, once in a while.
Enjoy and go out to unwind but be responsible to look after yourself, after all you’ll be better off without unnecessary worries. Simply said, have clean fun!
Never harm and deliberately cause pain to others. And just in case, do not allow pride get in the way of repairing damages done.
Never abuse and use people for your own good and interests.
Know and accept who you are and be the best of whatever you can be!
Love and inspire people as much as you can!
Be true and fair in all circumstances.
Remember that real happiness comes with clear conscience and a healthy sense of meaning and fulfillment.
Read good books and learn from experience!
Never be afraid to stand for what you believe is right. Fight for the truth and you gain dignity.
Humility is the key to greatness.
Be a healthy receiver of criticisms for oftentimes we fail to see ourselves objectively.
Remember that the BIG GUY is looking after you. He knows every little fear, hope, pain, and happiness in your heart.
- Whew, I wrote these a few years ago... I cannot really remember when but i sure sound a little more preachy here. I have always been idealistic I think. But now I ask myself, is this still what I feel? I guess, most of it yes. But I myself still find it difficult to survive in this world of complexities even I have these survival thoughts...
And so perhaps now, it will not be as easy for me to recommend these things to people I meet... but ok, this is here... and maybe it can help...
Be your own person. Never let the goings on outside change or influence you, if the inner self is not convinced to do so.
Be independent without being aloof or "alien".
Learn to communicate, and never be afraid to express yourself.
Be helpful and courteous.
Always check your self-respect in whatever you think, say or do.
Respect others the way you want to be respected.
Take a few minutes off to reflect and ponder the many little things in life often taken for granted like good food, good music, good conversations over a cup of coffee, etc.
Never loose the seeds of hope and faith in your heart.
Smile and laugh, and eat!
Spend time with the persons you love.
Look at the night sky and gather some fresh air, once in a while.
Enjoy and go out to unwind but be responsible to look after yourself, after all you’ll be better off without unnecessary worries. Simply said, have clean fun!
Never harm and deliberately cause pain to others. And just in case, do not allow pride get in the way of repairing damages done.
Never abuse and use people for your own good and interests.
Know and accept who you are and be the best of whatever you can be!
Love and inspire people as much as you can!
Be true and fair in all circumstances.
Remember that real happiness comes with clear conscience and a healthy sense of meaning and fulfillment.
Read good books and learn from experience!
Never be afraid to stand for what you believe is right. Fight for the truth and you gain dignity.
Humility is the key to greatness.
Be a healthy receiver of criticisms for oftentimes we fail to see ourselves objectively.
Remember that the BIG GUY is looking after you. He knows every little fear, hope, pain, and happiness in your heart.
- Whew, I wrote these a few years ago... I cannot really remember when but i sure sound a little more preachy here. I have always been idealistic I think. But now I ask myself, is this still what I feel? I guess, most of it yes. But I myself still find it difficult to survive in this world of complexities even I have these survival thoughts...
And so perhaps now, it will not be as easy for me to recommend these things to people I meet... but ok, this is here... and maybe it can help...
Saturday, June 07, 2008
One Fine Day...
Location/Activities: Banyan Condo Lunch, Samba Street Gig at Orchard, Shopping at Bugis, Dinner at BluJaz Cafe, Party at St. James
Characters: Helen
Jowil, BJ, Dedeng
Najwa, Dorien, Malou
Supporting Roles:
Sabrina and Michael
Sunday, June 01, 2008
got the USB stick
Hi Helen!
Thanks so much for the pictures.. and more important, for all the nice memories we shared!Hope this USB stick finds its way back to you again. I've put all my pictures from Desaru, Pulau Ubin and KL on here, as well as everything from Cambodia. Unfortunately I haven't added labels to the Cambodia pictures yet... but ok, at least you have them now. Back home I'll try to add titles and then I can send them to you again if you want. Hopefully I can scan the negatives of my other photos and upload those somewhere later.. there's a couple of pictures I am very happy with so would be nice to share them.
Then there's the album by dEUS. You've heard a few songs already but here's the rest. It's not their best album though (in my opinion), so if you enjoy this you should certainly look into their debut for example. I've also added the latest album by Tindersticks, one of my favourite bands. It's called The Hungry Saw. They just released this new album while I was in Singapore (I missed the tour back home, unfortunately) so I've been listening to it a lot here. I think it's great. Maybe you like it too :)
Hope to see you again one day.. and let's stay in touch.
:)
Thanks so much for the pictures.. and more important, for all the nice memories we shared!Hope this USB stick finds its way back to you again. I've put all my pictures from Desaru, Pulau Ubin and KL on here, as well as everything from Cambodia. Unfortunately I haven't added labels to the Cambodia pictures yet... but ok, at least you have them now. Back home I'll try to add titles and then I can send them to you again if you want. Hopefully I can scan the negatives of my other photos and upload those somewhere later.. there's a couple of pictures I am very happy with so would be nice to share them.
Then there's the album by dEUS. You've heard a few songs already but here's the rest. It's not their best album though (in my opinion), so if you enjoy this you should certainly look into their debut for example. I've also added the latest album by Tindersticks, one of my favourite bands. It's called The Hungry Saw. They just released this new album while I was in Singapore (I missed the tour back home, unfortunately) so I've been listening to it a lot here. I think it's great. Maybe you like it too :)
Hope to see you again one day.. and let's stay in touch.
:)
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
The Legend that is Angkor...
The Legend that is Angkor (Siam Reap) ... and yes also Phnom Penh
(1) Cambodia countryside with that particular Khmer roof style.
(2) Tuol Sleng... thousand faces of suffering – no exceptions, men, women, children and even new-born babies. Quoting a British friend, “if everybody was made to go to a place like that to see what happened (during wars and genocides) at least once in their life the world would be a better place.”
(3)Feeling royal... in Phnom Penh
(4) Throne Hall on the grounds of The Royal Palace.
(5) Motos and beautiful Khmer girls...
(6) Angkor Wat without the sunrise.
Then our group moved to Siam Reap by bus lulled by some Cambodian music videos (for 6 hours!). We stayed in a Western run inn called Rosy’s Guesthouse. It was nice for 10USD a night (highly recommended).
We spent one a half day at the temples. Short by most standards, but we did a good job generally. We were able to see most of the well-known temples such as of course the Angkor Wat, Phnom Bakheng, Angkor Thom (where you find the Leper King and the Elephant Terraces, Prasats, the Baphuon and the Bayon). We also went to Neak Pean, Preah Khan, Pre Rup, Bantay Srei and the Ta Prohm temples. Whew! So many temples and the names can be really confusing. It was good that I brought my flatmate’s Ancient Angkor Guidebook. One would be amazed at the details of the reliefs and the number of temples that the Khmer civilization was able to build – hundreds of them!
Our trip was made special by our encounters with the beautiful children of Cambodia, the tasteful Khmer food, the Tuk-Tuk rides, the stairs and slopes we had to climb to be on top of the temples and see the universe of jungle and temples all over Siam Reap. As I said on my album description of the Siam Reap trip, when you are there in front of the Angkor Gates with the Buddha faces, you can’t help but feel surreal. Like you are overwhelmed to be there, but you can’t believe you are there at the same time!
(7) Bantay Srei
(8) Gate to Angkor Thom
(9) Ta Prohm
(10) Preah Khan
http://www.spp.nus.edu.sg/newsletter/2008/august/student2.html
(1) Cambodia countryside with that particular Khmer roof style.
(2) Tuol Sleng... thousand faces of suffering – no exceptions, men, women, children and even new-born babies. Quoting a British friend, “if everybody was made to go to a place like that to see what happened (during wars and genocides) at least once in their life the world would be a better place.”
(3)Feeling royal... in Phnom Penh
(4) Throne Hall on the grounds of The Royal Palace.
(5) Motos and beautiful Khmer girls...
(6) Angkor Wat without the sunrise.
Then our group moved to Siam Reap by bus lulled by some Cambodian music videos (for 6 hours!). We stayed in a Western run inn called Rosy’s Guesthouse. It was nice for 10USD a night (highly recommended).
We spent one a half day at the temples. Short by most standards, but we did a good job generally. We were able to see most of the well-known temples such as of course the Angkor Wat, Phnom Bakheng, Angkor Thom (where you find the Leper King and the Elephant Terraces, Prasats, the Baphuon and the Bayon). We also went to Neak Pean, Preah Khan, Pre Rup, Bantay Srei and the Ta Prohm temples. Whew! So many temples and the names can be really confusing. It was good that I brought my flatmate’s Ancient Angkor Guidebook. One would be amazed at the details of the reliefs and the number of temples that the Khmer civilization was able to build – hundreds of them!
Our trip was made special by our encounters with the beautiful children of Cambodia, the tasteful Khmer food, the Tuk-Tuk rides, the stairs and slopes we had to climb to be on top of the temples and see the universe of jungle and temples all over Siam Reap. As I said on my album description of the Siam Reap trip, when you are there in front of the Angkor Gates with the Buddha faces, you can’t help but feel surreal. Like you are overwhelmed to be there, but you can’t believe you are there at the same time!
(7) Bantay Srei
(8) Gate to Angkor Thom
(9) Ta Prohm
(10) Preah Khan
http://www.spp.nus.edu.sg/newsletter/2008/august/student2.html
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
A Declaration of Self-Esteem
In all the world there is no one else exactly like me. Everything that comes out of me is authentically mine.
Because I alone chose it, I own everything about me. My body, my feelings, my mouth, my voice, all my actions, whether they be to others or to myself.
I own my fantasies, my dreams, my hopes, my fears. I own all my triumphs and successes, all my failures and mistakes. Because I own all of me, I can become intimately acquainted with me - by so doing I can love me and be friendly with me in all my parts.
I know there are aspects about myself that puzzle me and other aspects that I do not know, but as long as I am friendly and loving to myself, I can courageously and hopefully look for solutions to the puzzles and for ways to find out more about me.
However I look and sound, whatever I say and do, and whatever I think and feel at a given moment in time is authentically me.
If later some parts of how I looked, sounded, thought and felt turn out to be unfitting, I can discard that which is unfitting and keep the rest, and invent something new for that which I discarded.
I can see, hear, feel, think, say, and do. I have the tools to survive, to be close to others, to be productive, and to make sense and order out of the world of people and things outside of me. I own me, and therefore I can engineer me. I am me and I have choice.
- VIRGINIA SATIR -
Because I alone chose it, I own everything about me. My body, my feelings, my mouth, my voice, all my actions, whether they be to others or to myself.
I own my fantasies, my dreams, my hopes, my fears. I own all my triumphs and successes, all my failures and mistakes. Because I own all of me, I can become intimately acquainted with me - by so doing I can love me and be friendly with me in all my parts.
I know there are aspects about myself that puzzle me and other aspects that I do not know, but as long as I am friendly and loving to myself, I can courageously and hopefully look for solutions to the puzzles and for ways to find out more about me.
However I look and sound, whatever I say and do, and whatever I think and feel at a given moment in time is authentically me.
If later some parts of how I looked, sounded, thought and felt turn out to be unfitting, I can discard that which is unfitting and keep the rest, and invent something new for that which I discarded.
I can see, hear, feel, think, say, and do. I have the tools to survive, to be close to others, to be productive, and to make sense and order out of the world of people and things outside of me. I own me, and therefore I can engineer me. I am me and I have choice.
- VIRGINIA SATIR -
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Jihad vs McWorld
Jihad vs. McWorld is the title of a 1995 book by political scientist Benjamin R. Barber, in which he puts forth a theory that describes the struggle between "McWorld" (globalization and the corporate control of the political process) and "Jihad" (tradition and traditional values, often in the form of extreme nationalism or religious orthodoxy and theocracy).
The book was based on a March 1992 article first published in the Atlantic Monthly.[1] The book employs the basic critique of neoliberalism seen in Barber's earlier, seminal work Strong Democracy. As economic liberalism — not to be confused with political liberalism as it is defined in the United States — is the force behind globalization, this critique is relevant on a much larger scale. Unregulated market forces encounter parochial (tribal) forces. These tribal forces come in many varieties: religious, cultural, ethnic, regional, local, etc. As globalization imposes a culture of its own on a population, the tribal forces feel threatened and react. More than just economic, the crises that arise from these confrontations often take on a sacred quality to the tribal elements; thus Barber's use of the term "Jihad" (although in the 2nd edition, he expresses regret at having used this term).
Barber's prognosis in his 1995 book, Jihad vs McWorld: How Globalism and Tribalism Are Reshaping the World, is generally negative — he concludes that neither global corporations nor traditional cultures are supportive of democracy. He further posits that "McWorld" could ultimately win the "struggle." He also proposes a model for small, local democratic institutions and civic engagement as the hope for an alternative to these two forces.
The term "McWorld" is a neologism related to George Ritzer's analysis of corporate culture in The McDonaldization of Society.
- just mentioned by Kenneth in class in relation to Singapore Society in between globalization and traditional heartlanders
The book was based on a March 1992 article first published in the Atlantic Monthly.[1] The book employs the basic critique of neoliberalism seen in Barber's earlier, seminal work Strong Democracy. As economic liberalism — not to be confused with political liberalism as it is defined in the United States — is the force behind globalization, this critique is relevant on a much larger scale. Unregulated market forces encounter parochial (tribal) forces. These tribal forces come in many varieties: religious, cultural, ethnic, regional, local, etc. As globalization imposes a culture of its own on a population, the tribal forces feel threatened and react. More than just economic, the crises that arise from these confrontations often take on a sacred quality to the tribal elements; thus Barber's use of the term "Jihad" (although in the 2nd edition, he expresses regret at having used this term).
Barber's prognosis in his 1995 book, Jihad vs McWorld: How Globalism and Tribalism Are Reshaping the World, is generally negative — he concludes that neither global corporations nor traditional cultures are supportive of democracy. He further posits that "McWorld" could ultimately win the "struggle." He also proposes a model for small, local democratic institutions and civic engagement as the hope for an alternative to these two forces.
The term "McWorld" is a neologism related to George Ritzer's analysis of corporate culture in The McDonaldization of Society.
- just mentioned by Kenneth in class in relation to Singapore Society in between globalization and traditional heartlanders
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
I like your quote and it's very true. Like I believe in many things moments are what make up your life so make the moments as positive as you can. Love yourself and others will as well. Positive attracts the like and so does negative. Like fireflies those that emit light attracts others that do as well.
-from bubbamichael
-from bubbamichael
Sunday, April 06, 2008
feels like sunday lunch home...
a random feast... i must say... started from Filipino national fish called bangus
fried milkfish (daing na bangus), some vegetables (mushroom, laing, etc), green salad with bits of yellow mangoes, chicken adobo, cured pork (tocino), and some vietnamese snacks plus maldivian dessert (much like leche flan).
fried milkfish (daing na bangus), some vegetables (mushroom, laing, etc), green salad with bits of yellow mangoes, chicken adobo, cured pork (tocino), and some vietnamese snacks plus maldivian dessert (much like leche flan).
Sunday, March 09, 2008
the yin and the yang are the basic opposing forces - negative and positive, dark and light, cold and hot, male and female which keep the world and all life spinning. because they are opposites they need each other to make the whole. out of the tension which arises from the attraction of opposites comes the dynamic of life...
- found this at Orangutan House, Jonker Street, Malacca, Malaysia (photo with Charles Cham... www.charlescham.com)
Monday, February 25, 2008
how is langkawi?
everyone asks when we arrived from the chinese new year break and what am i to say? the northern malaysia trip was special not because the beaches of malaysia are good or not...
what made the trip interesting... we went to pulau tuba which is not the langkawi island itself but a smaller island. quite a few boat rides (marble jetty!). not much tourists - off the beaten path. we experienced the rural life in malaysia... with our malay families cooking for us. i remember my childhood days in the farm of my grandfather. food - nasi goreng, nasi lemak, laksa, crabs, the mangoes with chili sauce (not for erika). najwa and i went for an early evening walk, twas relaxing and uncanningly familiar...
what else??? here are some photos...
everyone asks when we arrived from the chinese new year break and what am i to say? the northern malaysia trip was special not because the beaches of malaysia are good or not...
what made the trip interesting... we went to pulau tuba which is not the langkawi island itself but a smaller island. quite a few boat rides (marble jetty!). not much tourists - off the beaten path. we experienced the rural life in malaysia... with our malay families cooking for us. i remember my childhood days in the farm of my grandfather. food - nasi goreng, nasi lemak, laksa, crabs, the mangoes with chili sauce (not for erika). najwa and i went for an early evening walk, twas relaxing and uncanningly familiar...
what else??? here are some photos...
Monday, January 21, 2008
Back to the basics
Gabriel Garcia Marquez, famous writer from Colombia, and Nobel Peace Prize winner for literature, has retired from public life for reasons of health. He has a form of cancer, which is terminal. He has sent a farewell letter to his friends.
A GENIUS SAYS GOODBYE FOR GOOD (It is recommended reading because it is moving to see how one of the best and most brilliant of writers> expresses himself & with sorrow).
He says:
If God, for a second, forgot what I have become and granted me a little bit more of life, I would use it to the best of my ability.
I wouldn't, possibly, say everything that is in my mind, but I would be more thoughtful of all I say. I would give merit to things not for what they are worth, but for what they mean to express. I would sleep little, I would dream more, because I know that for every minute that we close our eyes, we waste 60 seconds of light. I would walk while others stop; I would awake while others sleep.
If God would give me a little bit more of life, I would dress in a simple manner, I would place myself in front of the sun, leaving not only my body, but my soul naked at its mercy. To all men, I would say how mistaken they are when they think that they stop falling in love when they grow old, without knowing that they grow old when they stop falling in love.
I would give wings to children, but I would leave it to them to learn how to fly by themselves. To old people I would say that death doesn't arrive when they grow old, but with forgetfulness. I have learned so much with you all, I have learned that everybody wants to live on top of the mountain, without knowing that true happiness is obtained in the journey taken & the form used to reach the top of the hill. I have learned that when a newborn baby holds, with its little hand, his father's finger, it has trapped him for the rest of his life. I have learned that a man has the right and obligation to look down at another man, only when that man needs help to get up from the ground.
Say always what you feel, not what you think. If I knew that today is the last time that that I am going to see you asleep, I would hug you with all my strength and I would pray to the Lord to let me be the guardian angel of your soul. If I knew that these are the last moments to see you, I would say 'I love you'.
There is always tomorrow, and life gives us another opportunity to do things right, but in case I am wrong, and today is all that is left to me, I would love to tell you how much I love you & that I will never forget you. Tomorrow is never guaranteed to anyone, young or old. Today could be the last time to see your loved ones, which is why you mustn't wait; do it today, in case tomorrow never arrives. I am sure you will be sorry you wasted the opportunity today to give a smile, a hug, a kiss, and that you were too busy to grant them their last wish.
Keep your loved ones near you; tell them in their ears and to their faces how much you need them and love them. Love them and treat them well; take your time to tell them 'I am sorry';' forgive me',' please' 'thank you', and all those loving words you know. Nobody will know you for your secret thought. Ask the Lord for wisdom and strength to express them. Show your friends and loved ones how important they are to you... (some words deleted)
For you, With much love, Your Friend, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Reminds me so much of "All I really need to know I learned from Kindergarten". Its amazin how an acclaimed writer must admit that the monotony of everyday living can blind us (even for a little moment) of the most important things.
A GENIUS SAYS GOODBYE FOR GOOD (It is recommended reading because it is moving to see how one of the best and most brilliant of writers> expresses himself & with sorrow).
He says:
If God, for a second, forgot what I have become and granted me a little bit more of life, I would use it to the best of my ability.
I wouldn't, possibly, say everything that is in my mind, but I would be more thoughtful of all I say. I would give merit to things not for what they are worth, but for what they mean to express. I would sleep little, I would dream more, because I know that for every minute that we close our eyes, we waste 60 seconds of light. I would walk while others stop; I would awake while others sleep.
If God would give me a little bit more of life, I would dress in a simple manner, I would place myself in front of the sun, leaving not only my body, but my soul naked at its mercy. To all men, I would say how mistaken they are when they think that they stop falling in love when they grow old, without knowing that they grow old when they stop falling in love.
I would give wings to children, but I would leave it to them to learn how to fly by themselves. To old people I would say that death doesn't arrive when they grow old, but with forgetfulness. I have learned so much with you all, I have learned that everybody wants to live on top of the mountain, without knowing that true happiness is obtained in the journey taken & the form used to reach the top of the hill. I have learned that when a newborn baby holds, with its little hand, his father's finger, it has trapped him for the rest of his life. I have learned that a man has the right and obligation to look down at another man, only when that man needs help to get up from the ground.
Say always what you feel, not what you think. If I knew that today is the last time that that I am going to see you asleep, I would hug you with all my strength and I would pray to the Lord to let me be the guardian angel of your soul. If I knew that these are the last moments to see you, I would say 'I love you'.
There is always tomorrow, and life gives us another opportunity to do things right, but in case I am wrong, and today is all that is left to me, I would love to tell you how much I love you & that I will never forget you. Tomorrow is never guaranteed to anyone, young or old. Today could be the last time to see your loved ones, which is why you mustn't wait; do it today, in case tomorrow never arrives. I am sure you will be sorry you wasted the opportunity today to give a smile, a hug, a kiss, and that you were too busy to grant them their last wish.
Keep your loved ones near you; tell them in their ears and to their faces how much you need them and love them. Love them and treat them well; take your time to tell them 'I am sorry';' forgive me',' please' 'thank you', and all those loving words you know. Nobody will know you for your secret thought. Ask the Lord for wisdom and strength to express them. Show your friends and loved ones how important they are to you... (some words deleted)
For you, With much love, Your Friend, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Reminds me so much of "All I really need to know I learned from Kindergarten". Its amazin how an acclaimed writer must admit that the monotony of everyday living can blind us (even for a little moment) of the most important things.
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