If I Had A Superpower

If I had a superpower, I won't want to leap buildings in a single bound, or stop bullets with my eye. I'd like to possess the power of perpective and empathy.

Do you know why when you listen to the problems of others, you usually would feel down too, or suddenly at a lost? Because you're feeling the weight of the burden - you've managed to help carry a little of the load off your friend.

Anyway, Happy New Year everyone. Cheers.
Cheers, but don't get too drunk.

The Post Christmas/Pre New Year Post

Post Christmas

Christmas has come and gone again. I love Christmas, for those that didn't know...

Anyway, had been quite busy the last 3 days. Went to Zhangkai's house for steamboat on the 22nd. There really wasn't any special occassion, more like an ordinary dinner and to have some discussion on our upcoming "reunion dinner". But I simply love the soup base for the steamboat that night. Very delicious. After dinner, we pop in a DVD of a super duper old show and started to watch it. Tao Tai Lang was what it was called I think. For those who don't know, its about the Peach boy from Japanese folklore. And because its such an old show, it had some really cheesy graphics and scenes. How much the movies have changed over the years.

On the 23rd, I went over to Felix's house for a Christmas party with my Material Science friends. Had turky, log cake, strudle, sausages and all that. Dinner was not bad, at least it is more fitting for the christmas occassion. And the turkey was simply fabulous. I have said I disliked turkey before, because it was so dry and hard. But the turkey we had was on an entirely different level. It tasted even better than chicken.

And we did some gift exchange after dinner. I recieved a towel.

Finally, on the 24th, I went over to Chris' house for a gathering with my closest friends. Reached at around 2.30pm and started to help prepare the food. Skewer the chicken and mushrooms, dice the garlic, shell the prawns, etc. Here I have to say that I don't like leeks and bell peppers. Anyway, there was only me and Kok Leng helping Chris out, and actually, I think too many people in the kitchen actually slows things down. Especially if the kitchen is small, it becomes very messy when too many people are involved with the preparation.

Anyway, I love Chris' dogs - Chino (sp?) and Dexter.

A picture of Chino as he tried to climb onto me. Unfortunately he is camera shy, and doesn't want to look into my camera. Haha. I kinda like Chino. For while Dexter is full of energy and always playing, Chino is more the calm and obedient one. Kinda like me? Wahaha!


There, the food for our BBQ.

The view from Chris' "roof top garden" was beautiful as well

After the sun set, the moon that came up was really big and round. Too bad my camera didn't really capture the beauty of it.

All in all, it was a fun BBQ. We chatted after eating, had a little countdown celeberation. Then we chatted somemore, and played abit of mahjong. Reached home at 6 in the morning.


Some of us that night. Not all. No group photo again. Haha. Its not our habit of doing that.

Pre New Year

The new year will be here in a couple of days. Hmm. How should I summarise this whole year?

Firstly, it has gone by very quickly. They say as you grow older, time will seem to fly by faster. There is some truth in that...
The year started out quite well, and it has been relatively kind towards me for the most part of it. But it would seem that the year is actually ending on a rather down side for me. There is just this certain thing I can't come to terms with. And exam results are coming out tomorrow. I won't do well. But strangely, I don't find myself caring? Heck, I don't even know what time it is coming out yet...

Okay, shall not turn this post too angsty.

My resolution for this year was not to procrastinate and to put on more weight. I'd say I have been on the ball for the most part. And have tried to procrastinate lesser, so in a way, well....I think I achieved that first resolution. About putting on weight...Hmmm....I think I need some help here. I wonder if there is reverse-liposuction? Haha.

As for my resolution this year, well. It's a secret.

Anyway, let's hope things are good for this new year.

To all that know me, and especially to my close friends,
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Let it be a very happy year for all of you (I really mean it).
And thanks for having me as a friend.

His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass

Before I talk about the movie, I want to say that exams are finally over!
GOOD RIDDANCE.

No rest for the weary though, FYP begins on Monday.

My 6th post on this blog back in the May of 2006 was titled His Dark Materials. I have waited for almost a year and a half, and I finally managed to catch the first part of the trilogy, The Golden Compass today.

There will be spoilers in here, for those who have not seen the movie, as well as spoilers for those who have not read the book.

Firstly, how can one squeeze so much material into a 2 hours movie? And as mentioned in the post of 29th May 2006, I had expected the movie would not be able to explain and portray well the relationship between a person and his/her daemon. The books went to great lengths to do this, how a human and a daemon can never travel too far apart, how it is a taboo for a human to touch another's daemon, and the companionship, trust and love a human and daemon share. The movie tried, however, but it was lacking. I don't blame the movie though, it is hard to put into picture the subtleties that can be explained by words. Who says a picture paints a thousand words right? And this relationship plays much important roles in the 2nd and 3rd books, like the betrayal of Lyra and the contact of Will and Pantalaimon.

Secondly, alot of material from the book is missing and a good example of this is the discussion of Lyra's betrayal. The book was very dark. But the movie was so family orientated. There was a scene where Mrs Coulter promised a child she would send the letters that he wrote to his parents, and thereafter she got the trust of the boy, she burnt the letters away. Then there was Billy Costa in the hut. He was hugging a dead fish in the book, treating it as his daemon. The book managed to portray the lost of his spirit, the emptiness of his soul after he lost his daemon. In the movie, he just looked like a zombie.

Thirdly, as mentioned, a 2 hours movie was probably too short. Serafina Pekkala and Lee Scoresby were not well characterised. Lyra's discovery of Mrs Coulter's involvement with the "Magisterium" and Gobblers seemed too contrived and too quick. One moment she was enthralled by Coulter, and next she says she hates her. Many things happened too quickly and without much reason. After Lyra deceived (Iofur) Ragnar into fighting Iorek, Lyra suddenly cries and starts to regret her decision. We didn't get to see the bond she had forged with Iorek in the movie. We are just told suddenly of this bond she has with him. Characters will also suddenly seem to know things. Even the "plot twist" they created in the movie seemed so forced and unbelievable. In the book, Lyra actually know about her parents very early on, and was told by the gyptians. The main "plot twist" actually comes at the end of the book.

Which brings me to my fourth point. They removed the last 3 chapters of the book. The movie wasn't dark enough. It was too "kids-friendly". Whatever Lyra did, she succeeded. There were no points of happiness, nor were there any of saddness. Perhaps if the last 3 chapters were thrown in. And Roger would die, and Lord Asriel did not seem that good of a person as he opened the gate to another world, then it might have made the story more "mature". It might give the story a bit more heart. "So Lyra and her daemon turned away from the world they were born in, and looked toward the sun, and walked into the sky." I think this ending would look so much nicer than the generic riding off into the sunset ending in the movie.

I have more to say, but I think I gone on long enough on my opinions of the film. I love the book, and hence, even after all the bad things I had mentioned, I find it hard to say that this movie is bad. I would love to say that it is quite enjoyable, maybe. Just a bit. I guess.

Book 2 is the shortest, so maybe they'll be able to go more into depth with the characters and the world. But then book 3 is the longest, and a thousand and one things are going on altogether at once. So, well, I'll will wait and see. That is, if they are really going to make the rest of the series.

Oh well. Read the books.

Okay. I shall shut up now.

I don't speak Greek.

Today's Theory and Modeling of Materials' Properties exam reminded me of a line I've seen on Angel's pouch.

"I'm dead. I'm like so dead can."

It also justified what I said about studying too much being of no use.

There goes my CAP.

I don't care about my last paper on Thursday anymore.

Hmpfz.

Holy Heart Failure!

Batman and Batman Returns were both good movies. However, they were too dark for my liking.

Than we had Batman Forever and Batman and Robin, the 2 atrocities that should be forgotten.

And we have Batman Begins, and by far, my favourite Batman film yet. Can't wait for its sequel and Batman's showdown with the Joker.

Anyway, did you know Batman can be very corny too?



Used to catch every episode of this TV series when I was young. Whenever Batman or Robin punched someone, they would have the "THWACK!" or "WHACK!" words on, and I think they were the first TV series that did that.

And whenever the show would end on a cliffhanger, it would say something like,

"Stay tune for the next episode, same place, same time, same channel!!!" something like that.
Haha! Very funny.

Anyway, Materials Characterisation exams was very very bad.
"Think easy." he said.
"Don't worry." he said.


"THWACK!"