monoceros blogsLast Friday, I went to a bar at The Fullerton Hotel. Now, I can't recall the last time I was at a bar so this was quite the unusual night out for me. I didn't go for the old faithful drink - a Bloody Mary - but went for a cocktail called Strawberry something something (my lack of familiarity with the latest hip drinks is evident here); maybe Steph, my old roomie from Ann Arbor who recommended it, can enlighten me on this. I must say it was pretty good though, despite the forgettable name.
I happened to be wearing my hair in a ponytail and had donned my Audrey Hepburn stlyed ballet flats that day (the bar trip was unplanned), so thank goodness I had a corporate-looking shirt on. Everyone who thinks of me thinks "small-sized girl", so I was lucky I managed to pass as a working woman, and more importantly, an at-least-21-years-old person, and not get asked for my identification card. I sat at the bar, lit my friend's cigarette with the hotel's chic-looking black matches (with silver heads), sipped my drink and watched the too-good-looking crowd move and mingle about the dark room.
Going to the bar again after a long time, I felt like a kid who'd entered a grown-up world, experiencing the unfamiliar and doing a dance with steps that were previously imaginary and were now delirious and daringly real.
My sentiments that evening were probably not too far off from those of Renato Amoroso, the young boy in the Italian film, Malena. How funny and timely that I watched the movie last evening and, with my Friday outing still fresh in the memory, was able to understand how Renato yearned to wear long pants and be led to the adult seat at the barber's instead of the little stool in the dark corner. He didn't want to be seen as a young boy, just as I have envied other girls who look their age and command some respect, that is, they aren't called "cute" and don't have their heads patted as if they were dolls.
I didn't quite share Renato's amorous intentions though, or his deep emotions that well up (in more places than one) when he first sets eyes on Malena walking by the coast. Yet, I'd be the first to concur that Monica Bellucci, who plays Malena, is a certifiable beauty, and I don't blame Lin Kiat for having a photograph of her perfect face in his My Pictures folder. (I've got one too.) Anyway, Malena doesn't say more than a handful of sentences in the film, but her character is built up and through Renato's eyes. He trails her around the town and the viewer knows his is a youth's fantasy. His hormones are raging and he's on the brink of manhood. What sets Renato apart from his other lusty schoolmates is the concurrent development of his courage and independence.
Renato asks a saint to protect Malena from the vicious and hypocritical town whose people shun and speak ill of her when her husband is away at war. She stands apart from the others - out of reach of Renato (and all other men), alone and silent in a place where she struggles to live with dignity. Renato's single act at the end of the movie displays his final and most important crossover from youth to young man. Yes, he did get his trousers and he did get invited to a proper seat in front of the mirror at the barber's. But these transitions pale in comparison to his most courageous act and secret gift to Malena.
The movie was released in 2000 and it took me three years to finally watch it (thank goodness for uncensored DVDs from the US - I'm tired of all the censorship of films that don't deserve to be mauled and mangled by a committee in Singapore that decides what we can or can't watch). For everyone who hasn't seen this, I heartily recommend viewing this powerful and moving film from Giuseppe Tornatore, the acclaimed director who also gave us Cinema Paradiso, which incidentally, is out in a new version on DVD. See more.
I'd like to add that the music score is composed by Ennio Morricone, a composer I've admired since I was ten. He was responsible for the score in Cinema Paradiso as well, and countless other film music - some 400 or so, according to the Malena DVD feature on him. I heard the music before I watched the film, and though I enjoyed its melodic arcs and variations, I didn't grasp its full emotion until I watched the film last night.
More on Morricone tomorrow when I've regained some energy after a manic Monday. In the mean time, go here to the official site of Malena, and enjoy some of the music that still haunts me 24 hours after I've watched Malena move along the Sicilian coast and across the TV screen.
I didn't know how to categorize this post - it seemed too solemn for the Lord of the Rings Fanfare category so I decided to place it in the Everyday Sayings section, although I pray the events that our world is facing now do not become everyday occurences.
The following link leads to a letter written by a staff member, the Armoury Editor, of popular Tolkien site Warofthering.net. One of their own has been activated and called to serve his country. He wrote a 'farewell for now' letter for all who are regulars of the site. It begins with the poem that King Theoden recited as he was being armed for the battle at Helm's Deep - "Where now the horse and rider? Where is the horn that was blowing?"
Go here to read the rest of his letter.
At university, I had a wonderful opportunity to study History of Art, concentrating in areas of Early Renaissance, Egyptian and Gothic cathedrals. It's all very well to be able to tell Filippo Lippi from Filippino Lippi and a corbel arch from a corbel vault, yet I'm happy that my exposure to the great treasures of the art world hasn't affected my ability to enjoy the often-discounted marvels of fantasy art.
The name itself sounds rather frivolous: fantasy art. Many write off fantasy - be it paintings or books - as flighty, exaggerated, boring, repetitive, and imbued with little meaning. Indeed, fantastic art has been devalued by the commercialisation of fantasy, a somewhat limp pseudopod of the monstrous pink and glossy gifts of industry. Unicorns and dragons were once sacred, but now they are commonplace. The unicorns look too much like ponies (although I confess My Little Pony was one of my cherished toys when I was a child), and dragons now exist in the form of plastic containers for bath soap.
Kitsch is comfortable, but true fantastic art is not. The latter is often bizarre and may border on disturbing, leaning far from pretty, pastoral landscapes and ubiquitous symbols of fantasy. A good example is Patrick Woodroffe, who also writes very poetic books to accompany his detailed surrealistic art. He's got the pastoral landscapes, but also some very unusual motifs and symbols that include giant fish-like vessels in the sky, a yellow girl, frog spawn and a snake tree. His numerous exhibitions and publications of children's storybooks led to his being commissioned for character design in the film The Never-Ending Story. Some of his work may be viewed here.
Isabelle Plante's works were exhibited at the Opera Gallery, Singapore in 2000, and I was fortunate enough to view them at the time. The French artist states that the imaginary is very important in her paintings. There are plenty of symbols within the frame and each character is a psychological portrait of someone she'd chanced upon in life. She always depicts a perspective extending towards infinity, refusing to shut things in because of the permanent swing between two worlds, shadow and light, and the desire to always penetrate the impenetrable. See her works here.
If the strange and incomprehensible is too much to handle, I'd suggest Kinuko Y Craft's work, not that her style is any less because of the lack of the bizarre. Her paintings have adorned book jackets of both contemporary fiction and fantasy writers. A graduate of The Kanazawa Municipal College of Fine and Industrial Art in Japan, also known as the "Kanazawa Bidai," Kinuko Craft has contributed paintings to the permanent collection of the National Geographic Society, Time, Incorporated, and The Museum of American Illustration in New York City. I collect the children's storybooks that she illustrates (a few are written by her daughter) because the books are goldmines: every page contains her exquisite renderings of color, detail and light. My favorite pieces are her four pictures made into posters for The Dallas Opera's performance of Wagner's Ring of the Niebelung. You can view these and more of her work at her site here.
It's hard to pin fantasy art down with a simple definition. The breadth of work created by various artists is not too far short of astounding. More evidence of the appreciation of such imaginative creations can be seen in the websites of famed Tolkien artists:
Tad Nasmith - known for great landscapes and evocative images that bring to mind key scenes in Tolkien's works.
John Howe - together with Alan Lee, he worked on the set design for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.
Alan Lee - he was invited by Peter Jackson to act as conceptual designer for the movie production. Peter Jackson couldn't have done better than selecting Alan Lee and John Howe to work on the trilogy. Another good site for Mr Lee's work can be found here.
I've never walked past a fantasy image without thinking "AH! What are they doing?" or "That's fantastic! Where do I pay? How much is it again?" It's hard to say if fantasy art will ever make it to higher levels of esteemed art, but it is, nevertheless, the production of imaginative and creative minds, and the act of creating something will always remain Art. With that debatable capital 'A'.
I'm pleased to report that the first award given out on Sunday evening was the Best Animated Film to Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away. One of my favorite films and more than deserving of the award.
There were some excellent acceptance speeches - one notably by Peter O'Toole when he received his honorary Oscar. He'd been nominated seven times for Best Actor but never won, so I suppose the Academy decided to hand him an honorary one to make up for his being passed over seven times. Peter O'Toole - well known for his leading role in Lawrence of Arabia - was eloquent, sincere and gracious. "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride, my foot!" quipped O'Toole.
Interestingly enough, one of the roles he was being honored for tonight is Lawrence of Arabia, based on the story of T.E. Lawrence, who aided the Arab rebellion against the Turks during World War I, a movement that led to the creation of the independent Arab state of Iraq.
Adrien Brody, who won the Best Actor award for The Pianist, drew much applause and the audience to its feet with his moving words on the effects and sadness that come about from war. He began his time on stage with a deep, dramatic kiss that he bestowed on a bewildered Halle Berry and ended with tears and a shaking voice, encouraging the audience to pray for peace and a swift resolution.
The Oscars were interrupted twice to provide updates on the Gulf War, although audiences at home were not privy to these.
Michael Moore, who won for Best Documentary Feature, fired up the night with his harsh words for President Bush. Read more.
This post should have been written a week ago when Lin Kiat and I returned last Sunday evening from our Engaged Encounter weekend organized by the Catholic Church. There were many things about the weekend that moved me, and I wanted to wait till I had some spare time and a list-free mind (ie. not stressing about other things like work or wedding preparations) to put them all in writing.
Lin Kiat and I signed up for Engaged Encounter (ours was the 300th weekend, 14/03/03-16/03/03) because we intended to marry in church and because I'm Catholic. Of the seven sacrements that Catholics believe are ways of directly encountering Jesus, only two are sacrements of service, directed towards the salvation of others: Matrimony and Holy Orders. Everyone can imagine how much preparation is needed for a man to become a priest, but few believe it takes a lot to ready oneself - or rather two people - to be married.
We prepared for this weekend without knowing what we were getting ourselves into. Honestly, we just wanted it to be over swiftly. We needed the certificate and we wanted it fast. On Thursday, the day before EE was to begin, we packed our bags and moaned quite a bit. Bug repellant, check. Sweater, check. Shampoo, toothbrush. Check, check. Excitement? Er, hmm. What we felt was fear of the unknown. I was steeling myself for cold showers in Punggol and early breakfasts with strange couples equally anxious and unwitting about the weekend.
The reason why we approached the weekend totally ignorant was because couples who've previously gone for this course have been requested not to reveal too much about Engaged Encounter. My god-sister only mentioned bugs, cold nights and fun. In actuality, not knowing heightens the experience and gives the weekend a unique and never-a-dull-moment quality. It also perpetuates the element of fear so that everyone who's done the weekend gets to enjoy watching the faces of the next round of newbies.
Engaged Encounter is a course run internationally by the Catholic Church. It began in 1968 in Detriot - Michigan! Yeah! Go Blue! Sorry, couldn't resist that - and came to Singapore in the 1980s. Today, you can attend the EE course anywhere in the world and know that every course is based on the same formula, which I believe was derived by psychologists, counselors, spritual advisors et al.
From here, there are a few options. Choose which suits you better:
1) I'm Catholic and will probably go for EE eventually with my fiance/fiancee, so I can't read further, but would like to know more about EE. I'll choose to read more here and not read the rest of this post.
2) I'm not Catholic, I'm Vanessa's friend and want to read all or as much as she can tell me about hers and Lin Kiat's experience at the weekend encounter. I've been waiting a long time for her to write about this weekend she keeps waxing lyrical about. Scroll down.
3) I'm Catholic. I don't mind reading about EE before I actually go for it one day, even though I really shouldn't. Scroll down at own risk.
4) I'm Lin Kiat and I want to make sure Vanessa isn't writing funny things about me. Well, the weekend is my story too, and I want to read and remember the good things that happened during the three days. Definitely read on!
We found the location in Punggol without any problems. In fact, we got there early and drove past Punggol 17th Avenue (deliberately?), heading instead for the jetty at Punggol Beach. We spent some fifteen minutes there, admiring the sea, the fading sunlight and cooking up excuses not to go for the course. Lin Kiat was more vocal and I kept playing the strong one - "No, we're going to do this" - although inside, I was just as apprehensive as he.
Eventually, we left the pretty sunset and mild breezes behind and drove back to the darkening Punggol 17th Avenue. There was St. Francis Xavier Major Seminary, though that wasn't our destination (as mentioned earlier, there are only two sacrements of service, and one chooses either matrimony or holy orders - can't do both, for obvious reasons). Past that was the Marriage Encounter House (Marriage Encounter is another course, one that couples attend some years into their marriage. Lin Kiat and I will let you know more on that one in the future), where Engaged Encounter is held.
There were a few other couples there - some were about our age, others were older, but all were wearing the same look of dread and fear that I imagine we had on our faces. Lin Kiat and I sat down with our bags and a couple talked a little with us - Ivan and Natalie from Malaysia.
Within the next half hour, all 32 couples were registered and the weekend officially began. The presenting couples were Lewis and Connie (Connie's the boss in that marriage) and Melville and Susana (Melville has a bad sense of direction when driving). The priest for this weekend was Father Ambrose Vaz. How lucky Lin Kiat and I were to be there on the weekend with Father Ambrose. Father Ambrose's mother was my father's English teacher in secondary school. When I was small, our family, with the families of three other old students (the old faithfuls, my mom calls them), would spend Christmas and birthdays with Auntie Vaz, Mr Vaz, Ambrose and Eugene. Ambrose and Eugene later became ordained as priests, and my parents attended their ceremony and dinner. After Aunty Vaz passed away, the gatherings ceased and I didn't see the other Vaz family members for many years.
Anyway, Father Ambrose was the key to the terrific weekend. His humor, wit, inspiring anecdotes and sensitivity to non-Catholics made everyone comfortable and actually happy to be there that weekend. One of the first things he said was, "Are you afraid of being bored? Well, you'll be spending the next 46 hours with the person who's supposed to be the most interesting person to you. If, at the end of the weekend, you say you were bored, remember that this is the person you've chosen to spend the rest of your life with. If you're bored, something's not right yet, yeah?" Other aspects of the weekend course that Father Ambrose brought to our attention included not socializing with other people - no parties, no large gatherings - because we ought to be focusing our attention on our partners. These were 46 precious hours to close ourselves away from the world and its burdens, and think only of the person beside us and of the life we were preparing to spend together.
The main activity of this weekend was writing and talking. There is a set list of topics the course will introduce, which include how we view ourselves, how we view our partners, communication, financial planning, family planning, the spiritual aspect of marriage, and how to be life-giving and generous to each other. The presenting couples will then relate their experience, choosing events relevant to the topics. Out of respect to the two couples whom Lin Kiat and I have grown fond of, we cannot repeat what they revealed to us over the weekend. It took great courage and generosity to share what they did with us - the high and low points of their marriages, the burdens and unexpected sorrows and joys they encountered over their years together.
Each young couple is then given a list of questions and they sit apart and write their answers in their journals. They then join up and exchange books, words and thoughts. Everyone is encouraged to take the questions and answers seriously. It can be painful and emotionally draining when two people bring up thoughts too deep and vocalize feelings they never dared reveal before. There were couples who looked tense during their sessions - some girls were crying softly - and some who looked calm and happy. It was typical for the girls to write more and the guys to jot their thoughts quickly. Lewis reminded us girls that it wasn't a writing competition and that whatever questions we couldn't cover in time, we should take them up even after the weekend is long over. Lin Kiat and I were often curious about the other couples - some seemed really young and anxious about discussions on marriage, others looked confident and some just looked plain bored. I wonder what others thought about us. Ultimately, it didn't matter what we looked to the rest of the people, what counted was what we shared and said to each other.
Lin Kiat and I were happy to discover how much our thoughts and hopes were in sync. And for the bits which we didn't agree on, we agreed to find a balance between each other. One of the final sessions, which was one of the high points - actually, it was the high point - guided couples to write bethrothal pledges to each other. A promise or promises we agree to keep while we make our journey towards the altar and beyond. Naturally, mine included a vow to stop whining about fiddly wedding preparations and to control my stress levels that rise way out of proportion to the actual situation. There were a few more things I promised Lin Kiat that out of privacy I won't reveal here. Lin Kiat's pledge - I've always prided myself on being the more articulate one when in fact, I'm not (Lin Kiat's the one whose letters get published in The Straits Times Forum) - was better than mine, I'm happy to report. I can't say much more except that it included a sketch of a landscape that is dear to my heart and contains all the things that we care about and often dream of.
There was a prayer session on Saturday night that moved us both. One expects non-Catholics to be averse to such activities, but this one was special and easy for anyone to appreciate because it focused on praying and blessing each couple, that they would share a special and lasting bond. Who wouldn't want that? A good marriage is a photograph of God - His presence and gift of love is there for the couple to embrace. A person can find protection and comfort in that knowledge, in whatever form he sees God. At ten pm, the session began, and Father Ambrose told us that around Singapore there were couples who had been given our names and were praying at that very moment for us. Each couple was given a candle - their EE candle - and it was lit by the presenting couple or Father Ambrose who prayed over them. This candle is meant for the couple to keep and use on their path leading up to the wedding day - for trying days and in difficult times. On the wedding day, they get a larger candle to last them for more than 25 years of difficult moments. Renewable, of course.
I did experience a couple of cold showers and awkward breakfasts during the weekend. People were generally polite but distant. My roommate, Trina, was intriguing and my natural curiousity wanted to know more about her and Lester, her fiance. But restraint held my tongue and I avoided asking too many questions and overdoing the socializing.
Lin Kiat enjoyed the weekend more than I believed he ever would, and we're more than ready to exchange our vows come July 19th. We finally understand the significance of marrying in church before God and how God will always be a part of our marriage union and how He continues to watch over us. For the mass on Sunday evening, Lin Kiat and I were invited to write and read a prayer for all couples in the room and across the world. In an extension of making and sharing that prayer for couples, Lin Kiat and I decided to volunteer for future weekends! A move on Lin Kiat's part really - it was all his idea, and I'm really proud he did so.
The weekend wasn't easy. It was draining because we dug deep into our hearts and unearthed the most difficult and inspiring parts of our relationship. It was exhausting because of the endless sessions that ended late on both nights. I didn't sleep well and missed my own bed. But the discomfort and pain was worth what Lin Kiat and I had gained. What we gained was all intangible. I can't ever bottle it and keep it handy. It's all in the memory and of course, in our books, which we'll never show to anyone but each other.
Earlier this morning the world was waiting for the war to begin in the Middle East. And it did. The first US strike or coalition attack aims to take out artillery targets with precision munitions, with the hope of underminding Saddam Hussein's military capability.
It's 12.35, and while I wait to meet an artist about my church wedding invitations, I'm beseiged by grim flahses of how swiftly and cruelly the world turns in our present day. My personal happiness during this period is mottled by the continuing fears of war, disease and floundering economies. As I gather my thoughts of wedding and celebration about me, I cannot help but feel a little despondent. I can but pray that by the time July 19 comes round, the world will be a quieter and more settled place.
The motif on the card will be a single mallorn leaf. A green and silver leaf that represents fellowship and a wish for peace in all lands. The one leaf that Pippin Took wore and tossed to the wind as a message to Aragorn. A sign of life, and of hope.
Elizabeth Peters has returned with another adventure of the Peabody-Emersons. My father was the one who introduced me to the writings of Elizabeth Peters, who earned her PhD in Egyptology from the famed Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago. He stopped reading the series a long time ago, but I, a diehard fan of many things, have continued reading and exploring vicariously through these books.
Her novels accurately depict the methods of excavation and nearly everything to do with archaeology and Egyptian myths. Ms Peters also writes cleverly about the late nineteenth to early twentieth century historical and social situation in England and Egypt.
I've long enjoyed the antics and adventures of Amelia Peabody and her husband, affectionately called Emerson (he calls her Peabody). The clan also include their son, Ramses, and his new wife Nefret. Ramses attained his sobriquet after displaying the stern and solemn demeanor that was often attributed to Ramses II. Nefret's name legally belongs to her as she was born in a hidden Egyptian society and spent her youth there before being rescued by Amelia, Emerson and a ten year-old Ramses. Her English parents had perished earlier so she returned to England with Amelia and grew up to be a skilled doctor. Apparantly, her looks weren't too bad either. Strawberry-blonde hair, cornflower blue eyes. Who could argue?
Anyway, Children of the Storm, the fifteenth title in the Amelia Peabody series, sees the Emersons in the period just after World War 1. This is 1919 Egypt, and there is increasing unrest against British rule. Read more.
As for us readers, this is 2003, and a new war may begin tomorrow. We'll have to wait and see how the world turns out. On this night, we are waiting in the eye of the storm.
My dear friend and best namesake around puts up great posts on her weblog. One of these is her popular Talking Fish entry. Read more.
Another post is her mention of journalist Christopher Allbritton who's begun a weblog on the war in iraq. Go here.
The world may be spinning very differently at 2 am tomorrow morning, 18/03/03, Singapore time.
Rumor has it that both versions - theatrical and extended - are complete! *fingers crossed* Unlike last year, the DVDs - if completed by now - have been finished rather quickly. However, I doubt the release dates will vary much from last year's. The theatrical version will be released in August, and the extended edition, November.
But here's the link for those who'd like to read more and grin with anticipation.
The Region 1 DVD of Spirited Away won't be here till April, but here are some screen shots of the menus, which are very attractively done, compared to the simple ones of the Region 2 Japanese version. Go here for a viewing.
More thoughts on Hayao Miyazaki's beautiful animated films soon.
A good friend recently noticed I blog Mondays through Fridays and then rest on weekends. I write at night since I have a normal day job; editor by day and blogger by night. Writing a weblog - it's almost like having a personal column - doesn't provide me with extra pay (so it isn't really moonlighting), there's no guarantee of a market or audience (I bet only Lin Kiat and Vanessa Tan - maybe Barney? - are regular readers *grin*), and yet I get to choose what I write, when I write, how much (or little) I write, and all this makes me happy. I get to put my feet up, snap my toes, surf the net while composing an entry and not worry about any boss breathing down my neck. This is the perfect non-job ever!
There are French singers and then there are French-Canadian singers. I don't mean Celine Dion, but ladies like Lynda Lemay, Isabelle Boulay and Lara Fabian, although Lara is going down Celine's path and crossing over into the mainstream world of English pop. She's known for the vocal songs in the movies Final Fantasy and A.I. and a couple of her songs have made it to the soundtracks of Dawson's Creek 2 and Meteor Garden 2. Her recent French album, Nue, is excellent, and I'm glad she still records in French.
Isabelle Boulay records only in French and isn't widely known outside of the French-speaking world. Her latest release is a live album titled Au Moment D'Etre A Vous. I don't particularly like live albums but this is an exception as it contains previously unreleased songs and these are real gems. Backed by the famous Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the russet-haired singer deftly channels her strong emotions through truly beautiful songs. The lyrics are delicious to the ear (even if you don't know French), and her voice delivers them perfectly to the point.
Her albums are easily found here.
Visit her official site here and have a listen to select songs from her albums - head for the discographie (paroles for lyrics and extrait for the audio). My favorite pick is her album Etats D'Amour.
Toy Biz and Applause won't be the only companies to bring action figures from the Lord of the Ring movies to avid (or rabid) fans now. Newcomer Play Along is coming on to the scene with 3 & 1/2 inch figures, very similar to the Star Wars figures.
Here is the updated list from lordoftheringsguide.com.
It's one of my favorite sites for LOTR action figure news and discussion. Yup, I was that mysterious "Monoceros" (and the mistaken "he") from Singapore that provided the first pictures of Series 3 from Toy Biz - a rare moment of Internet fame. See more.
Here's a nice picture of the Balrog from Play Along. The Balrog has long been an issue of frustration - it's a figure that fans petitioned for and that Toy Biz foolishly decided to cancel. At least, we now know that someone has been listening to what the fans want. Folks from Play Along have even guested on the forums at lordoftheringsguide.com to answer questions. They certainly get points for reaching out to the consumers.
Many LOTR fans are well aware that a four minute preview of The Return of the King will not be attached to the end of a Two Towers re-release in March or April. In fact, I doubt that The Two Towers will be screened in cinemas again.
Last year, Peter Jackson treated fans to a four minute preview of The Two Towers, which he placed at the end of the re-released Fellowship of the Ring in March 2002.
Citing reasons such as The Two Towers extended edition DVD and ROTK (of course!) taking up much of his time, Mr Jackson declared that there will be no preview. But fans can look forward to a teaser trailer or trailer of ROTK this summer when the big films like Matrix Reloaded and X-Men 2 hit the screens.
For the impatient ones, here is an article by a man who allegedly came across a booth at a Chicago convention that was showing what looked like an ROTK trailer. It sounds very, very exciting. Just two minutes, he claims, but it showed plenty of scenes we all know and love. Read more.
My father, the person who introduced me to an old wizard called Gandalf and a feisty explorer called Lara Croft (Tomb Raider isn't a book, but if it were, I'd have read the whole series, just as I've played all the games), just lent me a book by Spanish author, Arturo Perez-Reverte. Arturo is also a television journalist; he holds two jobs that I really admire.
I've already read two of his excellent novels "The Flanders Panel" and "The Seville Communion". The former engages one's knowledge of chess and Renaissance art, and the latter takes the reader on a trip to Seville, where a priest from the Vatican seeks answers to murder, the identity of a hacker, and his own conflicts. This one, "The Club Dumas", follows the pursuits of Lucas Corso, a book detective hired to locate rare editions for wealthy clients. Now, there's another job I don't mind having.
The sequel to Final Fantasy X is nearly here, or nearly in Japan. It will be released on March 13 there and probably have a fall release this year in North America.
This is really Yuna's story, and takes place two years after the end of FFX. She'll be replacing her staff, which she used for summoning in the previous game, for a gun that shifts her appearance closer to that of Lara Croft's. Yuna appears to have strayed on to the wild side.
Fans will notice that Square has gone experimental in terms of gameplay. The three main characters are female, and most notably, battles will now be ATB (Active Time Battle), that is, much quicker. However, screenshots suggest graphic quality will be as good as, perhaps marginally better, than FFX's.
Another significant change will be the music production - resident Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu takes a break and lets Noriko Matsueda and Takahito Eguchi take over. From what I've heard, the style of FF tunes has now morphed into the likes of J-pop music for this game.
I think I'll wait to hear fans' reviews about this one before picking the game up.
For more info, go here.
Gamespot.com has a good preview.
Many of my friends are aware that my favorite drinks are bloody marys, milk and orange juice (well, not all three at the same time). Although I don't get bloody marys very often, orange juice is easily attainable, and so is milk, but not steamed milk (aka steamers). When I was a student in Ann Arbor, I drank hazelnut steamers every other day. Every cafe around the block offered steamers with any flavored syrup that the customer desired. I could pick from three sizes and make special requests from the person behind the counter - more froth, please, could you make that an inch thick? Ann Arbor was steamed milk heaven. Singapore is the what's-a-steamer sort of place. So far, I've found two restaurants that serve steamers.
When my father announced he'd just purchased a cappuccino maker with the points he'd accumulated from his Citi dollars, I was ecstatic. Never mind the espressos or cappuccinos, let me at the steamer function! Oh, the joy of having my own home-made steamer - hot milk with an inch of froth, two spoonfuls of hazelnut syrup (purchased by the bottle from Starbucks at the Marine Parade library), and a sprinkling of chocolate powder.
I suppose my next goal is to get that lovely mixture of Campari and orange juice, a drink I came to love while living in Florence. I'd befriended the owner of a pensione at Via Tornabuoni, a lovely old lady who made me visit her often so that I could tell her what I'd studied at school that week as I gratefully downed the offered glasses of orange juice and Campari. (Signora Gianna was a generous soul. I miss her dearly.)
Well, the steamer is the key beverage for now. For any interested parties, the two places I found in Singapore that serve the drink are Borders Bistro and Flavours at Neil Road (I hope the restaurant is still open!). Catch me in an energetic mood and I'll make you a cup myself!
Last night, despite my bad cold and spinning head, I went to see the dress-maker hired to provide me with an outfit that would make me appear taller, prettier, looking more like a bride than a flower-girl (seeing as how my vertically-challenged body and child-like features leave me perpetually struggling for a more grown-up look befitting of my age).
I was prompt for my appointment, armed with pictures of other vertically-challenged (though still taller than me) women who manage to look stunning in their made-for-the-red-carpet gowns. Yet I still couldn't decide if I wanted a haute couture lookalike dress - read: high glamour factor - or an elegant, understated outfit. I don't usually enjoy being looked at, but as a bride, I'm not allowed to hover in the background. People keep telling me, "It's your day, it's your night! Shine, shine, shine! You will be admired, fawned upon, everyone will want to kiss you!" Er, sure.
One of the magazines I brought with me contained an article on Alberta Ferretti, exquisitely groomed Italian designer, who says, "Clothing shouldn't be a protagonist in [your] life, but it should support your desire to live to the fullest, to be the best you can be." Ms Ferretti is a prime example of attaining one's best. She not only designs beautiful clothes, but also runs Aeffe, the corporate entity that is home to Jean Paul Gaultier, Narcisco Rodriguez and Moschino.
"I wish women would go out and find a new dress that works for them, rather than for the occasion," she said. "Too often women go over the top and buy a dress they think is dramatic because they are unsure of themselves but they want to be noticed. But the dress they choose is obvious and sometimes vulgar because it doesn't really reflect their personality. A dress can't make you shine."
How does a small person shine? Alberta claims such style deficiencies or problems have less to do with one's external proportions than their internal ones. "I am very short. So is Salma [Hayek] and so is Reese [Witherspon]. You adjust. Regardless of their sizes and ages, all women have the potential for beautiful style. A small woman with a healthy sense of self can be very hard not to notice."
After a good hour of sifting through silhouette and pattern possibilities and considering my own sense of self - how healthy or unhealthy it is - I settled for something more elegant than glamorous, but still possessing a small element of drama. Very small.
It appears that the much beloved animated feature film of the 1980s will finally be re-made into a live action feature film. The story will be based on the original book by Peter S. Beagle, not on the animated film whose screenplay, though written by Mr. Beagle himself, was altered slightly.
Fans will be pleased to learn that actors from the original voice cast plan to bring to life their original roles. Christopher Lee, by now the main man to play famous baddies (Count Dooku in Star Wars Episodes 2 and 3, Saruman in the Lord of the Rings trilogy), will reprise his role as King Haggard. Angela Lansbury, nearly as eternal as Mr Lee himself, will play Mommy Fortuna again. Mia Farrow, who lent her voice to the Unicorn and Lady Amalthea, will not play the young girl Amalthea again (for obvious reasons), but will take up the role of Molly Grue, the lady who has lost her youth yet instinctively recognizes a unicorn when she finally sees one.
Jonathan Rhys-Meyers - many will remember him as the Irish coach with piercing blue eyes in Bend It Like Beckham - will play Schmendrick the Magician, although rumors had pegged him for the endearing role of Prince Lir.
The two main roles remain to be filled. Who will play the Lady Amalthea (no doubt the Unicorn will be created by CGI) and Prince Lir?
All will be revealed when the film opens in December, 2004. This is good news for Lord of the Rings fans - originally, many believed they would spend their days contemplating the chasm left after the trilogy wraps up at the end of 2003. Now, for those who have loved these two classic tales, there will be another film to embrace, another soundtrack to be played again and again, more paraphernalia to be whipped up and another year of anxious waiting.
In the mean time, you can read all about the movie from the official site here.
And if you haven't read the book, now's the time to do so.
A day after the wonderful performance of Neri Per Caso, I'm still recalling their vibrant energy on stage, the trilling sounds they created, the clever improvisations they made towards the end of the evening. That kind of joy in being a part of a performance or event comes rarely these days.
I wanted the pleasure of song and meaning to continue today, so I put an NPC cd in my discman and grabbed a book of essays about Italy for my train ride. As I read and remembered my own adventures and small moments in Italy, I felt a growing attachment to these faceless writers, as I too, like them, was once a foreigner in Italy, a traveller seeking beauty and lessons and memories in a land unlike any other in the world.
"Somebody was playing the violin, waking me in the small hours of the morning. I was in the center of Rome listening to "Danny Boy!" Whoever it was put heart and soul into it and it seemed to me that the heart and soul of Ireland was there, too: the longing of those far from home and yet joy also, joy in the risen Christ for it was Easter Sunday morning.
At breakfast I inquired of my fellow guests, but no one had heard anything, not even my sister who was in the next room. Mystified, I just caught the faintest smile on the face of an Irish Franciscan priest."
- Anne Hillam, "Far From The Back of the Mill"
This is new from the famous series the Secret Diaries of the Fellowship. We get to read the rather interesting diary entires of each member of the Fellowship. Hilarious, and erm, a bit offensive if you're the sensitive, not-used-to-alternate-lifestyle type.
Go here if you'd like a good laugh.
If you like Legolas just as he is, go here to read an article all about the Prince of Mirkwood.
And here for an in-depth article on how Legolas does in his enemies with bow, knife and bare hands.
Lin Kiat and I once had an agreement that he could run away with Ashley Judd or this very sweet girl we discovered working at the Breadtalk shop in Paragon, and I would settle down with Jim Caviezel (actually, both Ashley and Jim are married to other people, but that doesn't matter as far as our imaginations are concerned. No idea about the Breadtalk girl). I think I'd like to add another to my list - Massimo de Divitiis, the only blond member of Neri Per Caso.
Well, maybe he wouldn't go on the list but he sure is nice to look at and listen to. Then again, so are all his cousins and friends who make up the multi-talented a cappella group, Neri Per Caso, which means "black by chance".
Their first concert in Singapore was a fabulous performance. Marred only by unreliable microphones and awkward volume levels that went too high at times. But these setbacks didn't faze the six-member a cappella group from Salerno, Italy. Their voices blended together with the famous, fine quality that is beyond description. Each man took his turn in holding the melody, percussions and counterparts. Versatile. Mi Mi, the fellow I spoke to on Sunday, sang in various styles - jazz, rap, pop, opera. He did a Sting cover, breezed through two Gershwin pieces and rapped (and jumped) in perfect tempo.
They sang Le Ragazze - the song that made them famous, from the album that went platinum over and over again. They did their own version of An Englishman In New York (or An Italian in New York), and danced and skipped cavalierly about the stage, making that space their own and making us want to keep them there the whole night through.
Among my favorites were But Not For Me - arranged specially for the 100th anniversary of Geroge Gershwin's birth in 1998 - and Michelle. The arrangements were clever and original - well done, Ciro and Diego!
Interestingly enough, they had a local girl translate some Italian for them on-stage. If I may say so, it wasn't the best or thorough translation. I should've been up there! Then again, if meeting Mi Mi - just one member - made me forget half of my Italian, being up on stage with all six guys would have made me forget I even had Italian lessons once upon a time!
Anyway, I would recommend their two a cappella cds - Le Ragazze and Neri Per Caso. The other albums have background instruments, which take away from their awesome voices and harmony. I do like Un Angelo Blu though, if only because it was the album I bought while I was living in Florence, and to which I listened often. The songs from that cd still conjure up the memory of a small music store and everything else I love and remember from Italy.
Unfortunately, the official Neri Per Caso site is down or dead. It was pretty good the last time I visited it in 1999.
It's hard to find good English sites about Neri Per Caso but here's one. You can choose to view in English, Italian or Indonesian Malay (big fan base in our neighboring country). Read more.
If you can read Italian, go here.
I'd like to add that Lin Kiat and I were very pleased to see our emcee - or the fellow who will be the emcee at our wedding - and his group, Akatones open the night for Neri Per caso. Bravo, Mogan!
Sunday at Scotts - With help of friend Mogan, I approach Mi Mi of Neri Per Caso (famous Italian a cappella group) and strike up conversation in Italian! Bravissima!
Well, it started off in English at first, because I was so star-struck I forgot most of my Italian vocabulary! Thank goodness all returned in a while and I managed to have a nice chat with Mi Mi and welcome him to Singapore.
More on Neri Per Caso after I attend their performance tomorrow night.
My buddy, Vanessa, posted an entry on Tintin going to Hollywood. One of my childhood heros...I hope they find an actor who does him justice.
I remember when I used the phrase "Billions of Blistering Barnacles" as an example of alliteration in a poetry class at Michigan, I discovered that my American classmates had no idea who Tintin was! My professor, the poet Richard Tillinghast, did though, because he lived in Switzerland for some time and bought Tintin comics for his children (excellent parenting decision). I was very pleased to find a fellow fan of Tintin, and we introduced the brave, young journalist to our class.
Now, Spielberg will do the same for America.
Read more
I won a bid on Ebay for the Final Fantasy X Piano Collection cd. The buyer is from Singapore so I save big time on shipping. Excellent. Some of the best news I've had all day. Much of the music from the OST is piano-based so the piano collection shouldn't be out of place, although I've heard that the music has been arranged so differently one has to listen hard to locate the original themes.
Well, this is when it all begins - on 03/03/03. Life isn't too terrific today, but my dear friend Vanessa Tan made it significantly better by helping me set up this weblog.