Departures leaves a good aftertaste

I totally had no idea what Departures was about until I watched the show. I only knew

.. that it was a Japanese movie
.. that it was the movie which I promised to watch with my bookaholic mei mei but accidentally FFK-ed her due to misunderstanding. You have no idea how guilty I felt that day.
.. that it was the winner of Best Foreign Film at the Oscars this year.

What I didn't know was this movie revolved around the dead as well. And I usually don't like to watch movies involving ghosts or dead people because I get creeped out and nightmares. Horror movies are my least favourite movie genre.

BUT, this movie is an exception. Really. Dead bodies from the beginning until the end but still no creepy crawlies. Haha.


Basically, this movie is about a cellist who lost his job when his orchestra band got disbanded albeit suddenly. Out of job and financially tight, he proposes to his wife to go back to the countryside where his mother has left him a house. To his surprise, his wife agrees. Later he answers a job advertisement, not knowing what the company was doing. Later he found out that the company was in the encoffineering industry.

You must be thinking "Encoffineering? What the hell is that?". Ditto here ^_^

It's the art of prepping the body of the deceased before placing them into their coffins. Part of the job description include cleaning the body, dressing them and changing their clothes, putting on makeup (shave if it's a guy)... something like what the mortician does. Only thing is that they do the entire ritual with the deceased's family members and close friends in front of them watching each and every single step all the way to the end.

When you're at the beginning of the movie, you'll feel what most others and the character itself felt - "The whole idea is just weird".

As the story progresses on though, you find the ceremony itself is beautiful, loving and dignified. You know, the idea of being associated with the dead or death itself is considered such a taboo in the very traditional Asian society. It's a wonder (and really awesome) how the scriptwriter and the director managed to touch on this subject so strongly yet portray it so delicately and artistically and refined.

By just watching a 10-15 minute scene where the main character performing the entire encoffineering ritual from the beginning to the end, with no lines and no music playing in the background, my entire focus was drawn into it and I was moved to tears. Not because someone's dead or died oh so tragically or sadly. The entire thing was just amazingly beautiful. The way he dealt and treated the deceased was with so much love, honour and respect. At the end, it got me thinking that I'd love to have this ceremony or ritual or whatever they call it when my time comes.

I much prefer this movie over Slumdog Millionaire. Unlike Slumdog, Departures left a very long lasting effect on my mind. I watched it several days back but I keep thinking about it on and off even days after. I keep thinking what other movies has left this kind of good aftertaste in me before. And I can't think of much... the only movie that comes to mind is Infernal Affairs. LOL.


P.S. To those of you who asked me about Harry Potter & the Half-blood Prince, if you like the book, you'll like the movie. I think this movie resembled the book so much closer than the previous 2 movies did. I personally liked it. If you don't read the book, there's a 50-50 chance you might not like it because there's not much magic and duel in here. BUT you need to watch this movie in order to understand the final two movies. So to watch it or not, your call.

Unbelievable

Someone shockingly dies in custody. And we, the rakyat, are screaming for answers and crying for justice. And you have the bloody nerve to say that we are turning this into a racial issue? Ha ha. No one even brought up the "race" issue until you decided to open your mouth. So I wonder, with your "bright" education and "exceptional" wisdom, did you overwork yourself and not get enough sleep until you started hallucinate hearing voices that were not spoken and imagining issues that were not issues in the first place? LOL. Sometimes I wonder whether the general elections were really for us to vote for the better politicians to run our country, or for us to vote for comedians to entertain us with their unbelievable stupidity. Yeah, we taxpayers pay them for this kind of entertainment.

Someone died when they shouldn't have and we want answers. That's not wrong. Everyone seeks truth, it's human nature. This was and is and never will be a racial issue. A human life - a priceless life - was lost. Doesn't matter whether he's a Chinese or Malay or Indian or Punjabi or Angmoh or Iban or whatever... A human life was lost in the cause of investigation where it shouldn't happen. Do you get it? Someone lost his life when he shouldn't have. Someone lost her fiancee when she shouldn't have. Someone lost their son and brother when they shouldn't have... Do you really get it? Or is this really all too complicated for you to understand? Do you understand the value of life? Or is it all just a game for you?

Or are you just hoping that all these will go away and we will soon forget about it? Like that smart alec #1 MACC officer who quickly dismissed it as a suicide. Sigh. You never did your homework, did you? You probably didn't know that that guy was supposed to get married on the very next day (after he died), and that guy was an expectant father. Now you can't expect us to believe that he was committed suicide when he had all these going on for him, can you? Any ten-year-old would know that you have to copy smartly or life convincingly in order not to get caught. A convenient excuse.

We know when we're being lied to and we hate being lied to. We are not stupid and we know you're hoping we are so that we'd swallow all the crap you're feeding us. So do us a favour, save the energy used for thinking and creating all kinds of lies and stories, and use it to do something useful for once. Like finding out the truth. And be honest. For once. Seriously, we've read too much bullshit in your newspapers and I really pity the trees for dying for such an unworthy cause like yours. Please start being honest and truthful now. Otherwise we would never ever believe another word you say even if you decide to be truthful in the future.

But I think it's too late to save your own asses. You know the feeling I get when I think of you? Lost hope.

R.I.P. Teoh Beng Hock


P.S. While you're SOOOOOO busy investigating the RM 2,400 loophole in DAP finances until must work OT (like interrogate people until 4am), please also remember to delegate 10 times more manpower to investigate the RM 25,000,000 "Neverland" house that the monkey built... along with his "official" trips to Disneyland. Twice. Went there to meet who? Mickey mouse?

A Serious Case of Misunderstanding

Surprised by my rare and sudden emotional outburst post leh? Don't worry, even I was surprised myself when the taufan in me died down and I recalled my post. I was tempted to delete the post as I am not comfortable sharing feelings publicly like this, when XiaXue's tweeted something that runs along the line that a blog post once posted can never be taken back even if it's deleted.

And it's true. So I'm not deleting it. It's one part of my life and I'm not taking it back. Simply because.

For a week plus after that particular post, I didn't log into my blog to read the chatbox or do anything for that matter until today. Just felt that I needed my space. Yeah, I baru read all of your posts in the chatbox today. So please accept my apologies for not replying earlier. I was not ignoring you guys. Cross my heart ^_^

OK. Now let's start the story of the misunderstanding.

So that particular weekend I had a movie date with Ying Ling, my bookaholic mei mei, but I ended up FFK-ing her because I woke up with chronically red and puffy eyes which didn't get better until dinner time. Although she was understanding and all, I can't help but feel guilty for disappointing her. Really sorry ya, gal.

Then we postponed the movie date to the next weekend. The LOL part was that we finalised the place and time and everything BUT the day. Mana tau right, she was talking about Saturday while I was thinking Sunday all the time we were exchanging SMSes. Classic man. So on Saturday I suddenly got a call from her at 12pm.

Me: Hello?
Miss Bookaholic: Hello, where are you?
Me: At home... why?
Miss Bookaholic: ...... [confused pause]
Miss Bookaholic: Aren't you gonna come out yet?
Me: Huh? For what?
Miss Bookaholic: Movie lar...
Me: EH, TODAY MEH? Tomorrow lar...
Me & Miss Bookaholic: ............ [even longer confused pause, followed by awkward & confused laughter]

It was so hilarious when we rechecked our SMSes and figured out that we clarified and confirmed everything but the day -_-;

We ended up making it into a lunch date on Sunday at MiuKai restaurant, dragging Suet Wan along. Our lunch date lasted from 1pm to 7pm. My longest lunch ever! LOL.

So this Sunday we're gonna go out again, since I FFK-ed her two weeks ago and last week was such a hilarious mix-up. Hmmm. We better triple confirm the details tonight. But I think it shouldn't be a problem this time around... gua...

Chris Daughtry VS Lady Gaga

If you had been following Chris Daughtry on twitter, you'd know that some weeks back he came up with an acoustic version of Lady Gaga's Poker Face and performed it on a German radio channel.



Then came Lady Gaga with her acoustic version.



If I might say (and I don't know if this is a biased opinion ^_^), I prefer Chris Daughtry's version. Just felt that Lady Gaga was wee bit too forceful and garau in her version. I think acoustic version should be a little laid back and not too overly-done. Going over-the-top is OK when it comes to singing some crazy loud rock song, like how Adam Lambert sings Black or White and Play That Funky Music. But for acoustic, maybe she should have opted to showcase more range and power ups and downs, instead of powering through the entire song. I listened to one minute of her song and I stopped because I just beh tahan liao.

Chris's version is just right. Maybe I just love the sound of the guitar. And his voice. I still can't believe he didn't win American Idol.

Crying in the Shower

I'm pathetic... Aren't I? Crying to nobody but myself in the shower.
One would think that it would feel ALL better after doing that.
But honestly, it doesn't.
It really doesn't.
I used to do crying myself to sleep.
Between the two, none of it really works.
You know, like drinking beer, hoping you'll forget everything.
And it'll all be better the next day.
But you end up feeling worse? Exactly like that.

You don't think I get depressed as weeks go by without replies from companies?
Or when they do email me, only to say that the position has been filled?
I don't need to be a constant reminder of what a burden I am.
For years I have been studying in Monash
I hate it every time someone asks you about how much my semester fee is
Because the answer always have and will be that I'm always a burden.
I am sorry that I am not academically brilliant as the other two.
And I'm not smart enough to win some scholarship.
I just can't take this anymore.

Just hours ago I was laughing away with my friends.
And here I am now alone in my room, crying my eyeballs out.
Despite what people think, I don't share feelings with people comfortably.
When I'm vulnerable, I camouflage real feelings with other feelings.
I laugh at myself. I cry at myself.
I act OK when things are OK.
I act OK when things are not OK.
I am an emotional trainwreck.

When you grow up with that stupid label stuck on you
They say that you should always be good
That you should always be happy and smiling
That you should always say yes to everything
That you should always be obedient
That you should never lose temper
That you should never be rude
That you should never refuse anything
That you should never be pessismistic and faithless
Do you know what it's like to be the hot juicy gossip when you let slip any one of these "golden rules"?
Do you know what it's like to be watched by vultures who just can't wait until you screw up so that they can screw your life up even more? The very people who call themselves saint.
Other kids do it, they say "They're just kids growing up. They make mistakes."
If we do it, it's always "Eyer, you know she did this and that.. How can a pastor's kid do/say that har?"
Do you know what it's like to be defenseless from these?
Do you know what it's like even when your own parents don't believe you?
Do you know what it's like to face these even before your age hits double digits?

Just great! I have a movie date with a girlfriend in 8 hours.
And I have eyes as red as vampires.
And headache from blowing my nose every two minutes.
And zits from my chin that are so stubborn and won't freaking go away!
Honestly I am not up for a movie. Or an outing. Or whatever.
Nope, don't feel bad Ling.
Maybe this is exactly what I need.
A break from all these.
I really need to get away from all these.

Doughnuts

Two doughnuts right before you.
Are they both real?
Or are they both fake?
Haha. I can tell you one is real, while the other one is fake.
Once costs RM16, the other one only costs around RM3.
The expensive one can't be eaten.
The cheaper doughnut is from Krispy Kreme, but it isn't all that great.
Too much flour, too filling, too starchy for me.
Even if the whole United States of America think it's the best doughnuts EVER,
Even if Oprah Winfrey says Krispy Kreme doughnuts are deliciously awesome,
I still think J&Co doughnuts from Indonesia are the BEST!
What say you?

Which is your favourite doughnuts?
	J and Co's
	Krispy Kreme
	Big Apple
	Dunkin Donuts
	I don't eat doughnuts
pollcode.com free polls

Loving my new hair!

New hair colour, that is! Hahaha.

And to think that this was so random. I was feeling bored with my hair and it was getting too long. There was no way I was going back to Zola because Ah Gil will never cut my hair shorter even if I complain that the incredible length was making my hair even drier and frizzier. And not to forget, making the top of my head look flat (and ugly). And he will complain that colouring my hair is gonna make my hair frizzier. And he will complain and complain and complain. I beh tahan liao!

So I smsed "I m bored wif my hair... Feel like colouring it" to my sister, Suzan (in Singapore) and Pranati. Honestly speaking, I was expecting my sister not to respond, Suzan to say "Go colour lah" and Pranati to talk me out of colouring my hair. In the end, my sister did not respond (as expected... haha!), Suzan also did not respond (wonder why) and Pranati sent me this...


... which was the COMPLETE OPPOSITE of what I expected to hear from her! Haha. I guess living overseas does change you somehow.

We opted to go for Infinity hair salon in 1Utama. I like the environment there and everything. Not to forget, the guy hairstylists there are pretty good looking. The hair stylists there speak English! And it's not the broken Ah Pek english lor! Not perfect, but proper English. At least they can understand me and I can understand them. And they can explain things to me in English. Previously, I almost always leave hair salons very frustrated because of the language barrier. Somehow none of the hair salons in Sri Petaling has English-speaking stylists.

Ah, I think I've (finally) found the hair salon for me. Hahaha.

I initially wanted to go for cut + colour + hair treatment. But my hair stylist (a woman by the way, I think the guy was the top stylist) recommended that I opt for scalp treatment instead of hair treatment because according to her, I have a very unhealthy scalp with a lot of dead skin cells, residues and clogged pores.

Some people might think that she's just doing hard sales (scalp treatment is RM190, as opposed to hair treatment RM120). But I actually do believe her. Because she managed to explain the mystery of my chronic hair loss. And I have always felt that my scalp was really unhealthy although I can't actually see it because I don't have eyes at the back of my head!

Scalp treatment was awesome! Seriously!! I think it was the 2nd last step when the stylist applied the cool-like-colgate product all over my scalp. You know the spiciness and coolness you feel in your mouth when you pop in the strongest Fisherman's Friend for the very first time? Imagine that exact feeling but ALL OVER YOUR HEAD. It was so so awesome lor! A whole 10 minutes of cheekik-ness!!! It actually felt like it was killing all the stupid problematic cells and refreshing the unhealthy cells. Ya, I know it could be my imagination but it felt like it!

I was told not to wash my hair until 3 days later. At first when she told me, my mind was thinking that I really had to have a lot of self-control because my head normally itches on the second day! Surprisingly, I am pleased to inform you that my scalp did not itch even on the third day. Hair was oily yes. But scalp was itch-free! I'm so happy!!

Did I mention that the hairstylists there thought I was a foreigner? Simply because I spoke English. I'm guessing. They were gossiping about us in Cantonese at the washing hair area there while I was there getting my hair washed. It was so weird. I thought that they were bit daring to talk about us so loudly behind me. Mana tau they thought I wasn't local. No wonder lah.

Ah yes, I am off to Sungai Wang to buy the Nioxin shampoo and conditioner tomorrow. I'm gonna be so so broke. Anyone wants to contribute to my "Prevent Daesi from going botak" fund?