part of a local cartoon dialogue..

A: eh! Snoopy!

B: you know I don't like that name!

(...)

B: my grandmarder likes Charlie Brown okay!

A: my parents like Chuck Norris but they also never call me Delta Force!



I laughed. I actually laughed at this shit. that Delta Force link killed me.

and then I realized that majority of Singaporeans don't even know the connection between Chuck Norris and Delta Force, assuming they even know who Chuck Norris is to begin with. oh goodness.

so that I don't forget it...

58 words to think about!

it's that time of the year again.

Christmas lights. roasted chestnuts and hawkers yelling for you to buy their gao laks. overeating.

another time to think about what you've done for the year.

it does feel fake. to only start thinking of giving back to the community this time. especially since I haven't written to my child in a while. I do owe her an apology note and a nice long letter. maybe a little something even though I have no idea what she needs. I should really ask her about that.

other than the child sponsorship, I take this time to give a little more in return. it's really not hard. not hard at all. for people with starhub accounts, it's almost no effort. you can use your starhub accounts reward points to exchange for a donation. and even enjoy double tax deductions on your donation amount.

then there are plenty of organizations in Singapore who appreciate monetary donations. salvation army and the thrift shop at SCWO take donated items as well. of course, don't use them as your dumping ground. that's just being an asshole. you have a bin for that.

got your eye on the world? there's WWF. UNICEF. World Vision. donations here aren't tax deductible because they are not Singapore IPC registered charities. but really, that shouldn't be stopping you. Unicef and World Vision make it incredibly easy. instead of just giving money, you can buy gifts for specific purposes for specific nations that you are passionate about. UNICEF has the inspired gifts and World Vision has their life changing gifts.

the main point is to start giving if you aren't.. which would you choose? that $5 bill rebate or $5 donation to a charity under the Starhub Rewards?

"in our world of plenty, we can spread a smile of joy"

and if you are already giving, what's stopping you from giving just a little more during this period to remind them that it's Christmas after all.

"but say a prayer pray for the other ones"


there are times i think i'm doing enough to make a difference. sponsor a child. disaster relief. even something as inconsequential to me like giving up a seat, helping someone on the street that needs help. but at Christmas, it hits me hard that I'm not lacking in my needs. it hits me even harder that I can do just that little bit more but yet I'm not doing it.

so this is my plea to whoever is out there reading this. i hope this spurs you to start giving or giving a little more. i'm not perfect and i'm working on it as well. let's do this together. :)

"And I know you love Shrek, 'cause we've watched it twelve times.
But, maybe you're hoping for a fairy-tale too"

in other news, I wish I could flip off the sun. even the wind is hot. URRRRRGH.

"Times have changed and you can no longer afford to put everything on your own shoulders and be the only sacrifice. Even the happiness of one person is complicated these days. If you should fall as a sacrifice, the young lady who came to Kyoto with the one wish of seeing you will, without a doubt, be devastated by that loss. Think about it! No matter how powerful you become, you're still just a human being. Do not ever try to become something more than that." - Hiko Sejiro

In 1996, I learnt from Kenshin that to protect others, I needed to protect myself. Or I would not be able to be there for those I love.

"I see now that the circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant; it is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are." - Mewtwo

In 1998, I learnt from Pokemon that despite my past and how I started out in life, it's the what I do today and tomorrow that really defines me more than anything else.

"The only thing that the people left behind can do is to remember them and not forget them. Bart, you have taken on the flame of her soul. Your life is no longer just yours now. Now lift your head. Embrace the memories and move forward. For her sake as well. There's no need to hold back. Cry as much as you want. Tears you shed for others are not something to be ashamed of." - Captain Magno

In 2000, I learnt from Vandread that all the times I've let myself cry... Is a sign of weakness on my part. It's an emotional engagement that I can't escape, be it to feel the pain on behalf of people or to feel the loss of someone.

In 2004, when I finally read the bible, I learnt how to empathize and accept my tears as a weakness. I learnt how to decide to live my life. I learnt that "protecting myself to protect others" can mean hurting myself mentally and emotionally to protect others, even if they don't think that my actions protect them.. Simply because I believe that they'd be stronger and better with or without me in a few years time.

I also learnt that God supplies me the strength in times of toil, trials, and tears, to be content and cope in times of need and want. I also learnt that God supplies me with the wisdom to make decisions and deals with the repercussions of my decisions. I also learnt to cry for myself, for others, and to commit the tears to God, knowing that there's something incomprehensible in this intelligent design but that I am still learning more each day because He makes me able to.



"Cherry blossoms in Spring. Stars cover the sky on Summer. Full moon shines on Autumn and in Winter, the snow covers the ground. All these things make sake taste good. If it tastes bad, it's because there is something wrong in you." - Hiko Sejiro

Now if only he could grant me with the tastebuds to appreciate sake better too. Hahahah

so was on an express bus to work after staying over at my sister's place for the night. once you hit the highway, if you don't have a seat, well, good luck trying to sleep standing.

unfortunately, that was the state I found myself in. but it wasn't really an issue. i had my music and what I would consider as sufficient sleep.

and I found myself pleasantly distracted by a father with a sleeping daughter on his lap and a young son listening to him read How to Train Your Dragon 2. the daughter would let out a soft whimper once in a while and the son was just wide-eyed at the book. the boy was older and the interaction between the father and his two kids was simply adorable.

and I could see weariness in the man's eyes. and eye bags. still, he continued reading to the son for 10 mins until the bus took a turn and started to head for the highway. he told his son that he was going to close his eyes for a quick nap and that if the little one wanted to continue reading, he could just flip the pages and look at the pictures. then rearranging the little girl on his lap, he leaned back and closed his eyes.

while the father was reading, they weren't loud. the son would ask questions politely in a controlled tone. the little girl's whines were not often. and the man seemed in absolute control of the entire thing, his tone always gentle and nurturing with his children.

after a few seconds, the little boy looked up to his father, about to ask another question. he saw how his father had closed his eyes and then turned his attention to his little sister. A smile broke on his face and he patted her cheek gently before closing his book. then he nuzzled his face against his father's arm contentedly and stared at the cover of the book while yawning. he looked up and we exchanged glances. I smiled at him and he smiled back shyly before flipping his book open again.


I sincerely wish for all parents to take a leaf out of this man's book. whatever his book is.

so this had to happen.

i finally watched Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno. full of anticipation and partial dread (there is no way they can find someone as good looking as Shinomori Aoshi in real life. really.), I sat in the theatre, not really knowing what to expect.

first impression.. meh. script should be good. the director Keishi Otomo is quite impactful in drawing out characters. so... this has got to be something right? There was only one distinctively familiar face for me: Tatsuya Fujiwara. I watched Kaiji. I watched Death note. Both. So knowing that he was playing Shishio Makoto (Mako-chan!) gave it a little hope. I didn't catch the first movie so I couldn't really say anything about the rest.

but when Yosuke Eguchi raised the katana and struck his stance as Saito, I squealed and died a little.

the fangirl in me was dying because while he wasn't skinny or lean or as doberman-ish like the anime or manga (where was the soba??), there was that air. that coolness. that aloofness that made me adore Saito Hajime.

and the movie continued.

I had to keep reminding myself that there's no way you can find people that close to the anime characters. Not everyone, or rather, no one is a Luhan/Nagisa clone.

like really. no one

in terms of looks, Sanosuke was disappointing. Aoshi was meh. and I knew finding a pretty boy to play my favorite smiling assassin, Seita Sojiro, was pretty much impossible. so how can anyone find a perfect Kenshin? the one who laughs, cooks, washes, cleans, and gets hit in chibi-mode... and suddenly be a cold-blooded yellow-eyed fighter and not killer?

I admit. I was frowning slightly the first time I saw Takeru Sato. but I kept watching. kept telling myself to keep an open mind. because making this character a mortal is not easy. I mean, look at Kenshin. really. look at him.

but as the movie progress, Takeru Sato did make me sit up. there was a certain air about him. he was shy and unassuming.. yet drew attention to himself in a way very few actors do. the wide smiles.. and serious stoic faces.. he was less of an idiot than the anime but I'm not expecting swirly eyes and "oro oro" sprouting around. still.. Takeru Sato.. just.. wow.

by the end of Kyoto Inferno, I was sold on him playing Himura Kenshin. there was just something about that face of innocence when he was doing the laundry. there was something about the way he fought with the broken Sakabatou to protect Arai Seiku's son even though the man refused to give him Shakku's last sword then. there was an earnestness. like I wasn't watching Takeru playing Kenshin. but I was watching Himura Kenshin fight.

so I decided to do a little snooping. this man has an impressive resume. and he was in Trick 3. I'm biased. anyone in any Trick movie deserves a little more attention. so yes. and the snooping continued...

and seriously. what the hell. under the copper hair and grim look of the movie is this man:

HellooOOooOOooOO NURSE~

and he's so young! he's a 89-liner. OH. MY. GOD. HOW.

so right now, I'm left eagerly anticipating the second part of the showdown. it's the Juppon Katana. how can I not. seriously. Kyoto Inferno was awesome so the battles will continue to be mad epic.

but yes, back to the movie, so far only one character looks exactly like what he is in the anime and that I thought was ridiculous. my jaw literally dropped when he showed up on the screen. because look:

perfection found in the rooster. ahhhhh~ Cho. he even had the smirk and closed eye nailed. AHHHHH~ CHO~~~

I can't wait for part 2. I cannot wait.

John Legend is just giving me the feels now. Probably because I'm so damn tired and I just want someone to hold me to sleep at night when i'm tossing around in bed, mind still whirling from work.

if only his concert in Seoul had concert seats instead of standing room only.

still not on the dance floor given the delays in classes and the mad change in my own schedules.

still no new NB to replace my current dying shoes.

still stuffing my face.

i need to eat more healthy salads. if only i didn't love sesame dressing so much.

from http://dramasubtitles.tumblr.com

I find this way funnier than I should. but yes, guy in yellow wind-breaker, you and I have the same dictionary.

I am ashamed of the music that's keeping me sane during this period.



how.. how did I sink so low to be hooked on the heavy bass and auto-tunes and mad-ass beats from this guy?

still, I have to say the song is addictive, though not as earworm-ish as "as long as you love me" by this same guy (no, not BSB).

next Friday. next Friday and I'm back on the dance floor. I can't wait.