Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola does Prada - "Candy"

I love Wes Anderson's films - esp. Royal Tenenbaums. Quirky, Whimsically Curiously Funny - humor often in a dead-pan humor style, - Yeah style. Anderson has style. Anderson's stuff has got a lot of great theatrical style.

He's done an ad for Prada - called "Candy". I love it.

Movie Review: The Best Offer - Giuseppe Tornatore - Geoffrey Rush.

I Just watched "The Best Offer" a film by Giuseppe Tornatore at the Palace Balwyn cinema, an old art deco movie theatre.  I go there every now and then to eat popcorn, watch an art film, walk along those streets lined with elegant Art Deco, California houses - filled with teak furniture, and stained glass windows - and just chill out and pretend that I'm living a different life. Its a different crowd and different scene from the usual ones I go to.

Anyway, back to the film. I loved it. I give it 8/10. The plot, the set decoration, ... wow, it was really good. I'm a big fan of great decor in films. This one had it in spades. The locations chosen were perfect. And the entry into the rooms - esp. Virgil Oldman (Geoffrey Rush's private room) and the Claire's estate was breathtaking - gorgeous eye candy.

But... I didn't really like Geoffrey Rush's acting. It felt contrived - it felt like poor acting esp in the confrontational scenes. I think Gary Oldman (Tinker, Tailor) would have rendered a superior performance.

Rush's acting just felt unbelievable - like he was just reading through the lines- especially in the 1st half of the film. There lacked a certain compelling reason why this prudish snobbish proud vain intellectual man was going to become obsessed with this fickle mysterious heiress who claimed to have a bunch of old stuff- right from the start. The things which eventually drew him to her seemed so randomly placed that it defied belief.

Gary Oldman has the delicate skill to be able to pull such a feat off. He has that right amount of adroit, urbane coolness that would have fit this role like the key to a lock.

Rush however seems like such a ruffian.  

  Having said that - I liked the end. It was fitting.

Chiam See Tong and 300 Spartans: Some thoughts about the Singapore General Election 2011

Any error found in this essay is unintended and not malicious. Sources have been gleaned from Wikipedia and personal notes.

Chiam See Tong and 300 Spartans: Some thoughts on the SG Election 2011

I wrote this about 2 years ago - I'm reposting it here again.

The Singapore 2011 General election brings into memory the Opposition's historic win back in 1991 when 4 Opposition MPs were elected to Parliament. Three of them were from the SDP which was led by Chiam See Tong which enabled CST to form a small working Parliamentary Opposition.

It was a big deal. Not since the Barisan Socialis days in the 1960s has the Opposition gained that many seats. It seemed to auger a new age for the Opposition Party.

Chiam had proposed a non-confrontational style to the Opposition movement. Unlike JB Jeyaretnam, he believed in a thoughtful considerate (gentlemanly) approach to taking on the Ruling Party. It made common sense, most Singaporeans acknowledged the good that the PAP had achieved - public housing/transportation, and social + economic stability. To aggressively hammer and criticize the government at every point and turn would reduce the effectiveness of the tiny minority voice of the Opposition. Eventually, Jeyaretnam paid the price and was ejected from Parliament.

Chiam on the other hand stayed the course and even won the respect of the Old Man himself who on occasion would seek his opinion on policy. LKY was assured that he would receive an independent rational response. PAP Ministers and MPs were bemused to see LKY summoning CST - only to receive the laconic response that he'll talk to the Founder of Modern Singapore after he got his coffee!!! Chiam's straight talk, coupled with his lack of fear, un-cowed nor overawed by the most august leader - gained CST a level of influence not realized by other Opposition voices or even some PAP MPs.

As it is, Chiam See Tong has lost his place in Parliament, neither was his wife able to retain the Potong Pasir seat. A lot of Singaporeans are upset but I don't see it as a zero-sum game, ie. "PAP won, Chiam See Tong/Lina/ Potong Pasir residents/democracy :) lose".

2480 years ago, when King Leonides and 300 Spartans (+Thespians allies  etc) dared to hold the Thermopylae pass against a million strong Persian Army - it wasn't to "win" per se - i.e., to defeat the entire Persian Army. The point was to hold off the enemy to buy time for the Greeks - Athenians, Spartans etc.. to mobilize and combine their military units. That Leonides' small band of troops could stave off an enemy army vastly stronger in numbers - for even a day, eventually three full days (before being overwhelmed), was a god-like miracle. The delay was a strategic disaster for the Persians, a shameful humiliation. It put an awful dread into the Persian heart for if a handful of Spartan soldiers could hold them off for 3 days what more the entire Greek Army?

Today Leonides' and his 300 Spartans are remembered not for being annihilated but for their bravery and for their honorable, incredible fight against overwhelmingly odds. That in itself was the ultimate victory, celebrated to this day, for which they have gained eternal fame and glory.

So what if "Aunty Lina" lost Potong Pasir? That a relatively unknown housewife (an "aunty") could audaciously fight a three time PAP contender- who was promising millions of dollars in incentives - and lose by a mere 114 votes (0.72%) - is victory enough. 

We also have to bear in mind the herculean fact that Chiam See Tong held the seat for 27 years against a supremely stronger opponent!!! Despite the PAP threats, cajoling, and recriminations, the people of Potong Pasir kept on voting for their "Mr Chiam". Who would have thought that Singaporeans who are said to be materialistic, self-centered etc.. would reject  the promises for HDB property up-grading, better amenities, and other public services?

Chiam even fought off Mah Bow Tan's electoral bid which perhaps caused the PAP not a small amount of consternation as they did not field another high flyer candidate in that seat ever again. 

When he as the head of the SDP won 3 seats in the 1991 GE. Chiam See Tong was riding high. For the first time since the 1960s, there could, be a working Parliamentary Opposition - 3 SDP, 1 WP. It all looked very promising.

Then came an Ephialtes moment, in 1993 Chiam faced a revolt against his own leadership in the SDP - apparently led by his own protégé - Chee Soon Juan. There was even a serious attempt to expel Chiam from the SDP which was confounded due to a legal technicality. If it had succeeded, he would have had to stand down from his seat in Potong Pasir. Since the next election was sometime away (1997) perhaps someone from the SDP hoped to take over Chiam's Parliamentary seat? A terrible thought indeed.

The SDP did indeed try and campaign in Potong Pasir in the subsequent election. This move not only split the Opposition vote but it confused many voters who assumed that Chiam See Tong and the SDP were one and the same. Chiam won anyway but by a small margin.

Its one thing to be thrown out of your seat by the PAP, its quite another to be thrown out by members of your own political party. Imagine the horror if the PAP expelled Lee Kuan Yew from the PAP (and Parliament) because of remarks he had made. !!! This bitter infighting certainly did not reflect well on the Opposition movement; its no wonder the PAP has dominated Singapore's political battleground for 50 years.

Eventually in the next election, Chiam had to join another party, the SPP, and fight the very party he founded (as well as the PAP). Amazingly, he still managed to win. Not many Singaporeans remember this or perhaps they do since the SDP has not won a single seat ever since that incident. 

In this General Election, its noteworthy to remember that Chiam in the Bishan GRC managed to score a decent innings against the PAP. A spectacular result considering the odds. Who would have thought that a 74 year old opposition politician stricken with stroke together with a couple of unknowns could achieve a 43% result against the PAP team led by a Deputy Prime Minister in the Heartland?

Its highly admirable that Chiam chose to step outside his comfort zone, despite his immense frailties, and take on this almost impossible challenge. Would you? A lesser man would have given up ages ago. But like King Leonidas, Chiam See Tong has remained steadfast despite the odds. 

The Ruling Party, like the Persian Military Behemoth, won in the end but certainly not convincingly. Like the 300 Spartans, the people of Potong Pasir defied the odds. For 27 years, the people of Potong Pasir made its point: "Don't tread on us." You can expect that the PAP will be making good on its promises on the upgrading. You can also expect Potong Pasir to be merged with another constituency before the next election. But if promises are reneged - Potong Pasir will be like a porcupine fish swallowed by the shark. 

As for the magnificent win by the Worker's Party in Aljuneid and the overall drop in the popular vote for the Ruling Party I'll talk about that some other time.

In the meanwhile, I'd like to end with a poem by Robert Graves - its a satirical poem awash in irony. Purporting to tell the Persian version of history, the parochial speaker casually and condescendingly dismisses the Greek victory (the earlier one at Marathon) to focus on the "bigger picture", avoiding any serious reflection on their defeat. I certainly hope the sentiments are not shared by the PAP... for Singapore's sake.

Truth-loving Persians do not dwell upon

The trivial skirmish fought near Marathon.

As for the Greek theatrical tradition

Which represents that summer's expedition

Not as a mere reconnaissance in force

By three brigades of foot and one of horse

(Their left flank covered by some obsolete

Light craft detached from the main Persian fleet)

But as a grandiose, ill-starred attempt

To conquer Greece - they treat it with contempt;

And only incidentally refute Major Greek claims, by stressing what repute

The Persian monarch and the Persian nation won by this salutary demonstration:

Despite a strong defence and adverse weather

All arms combined magnificently together. -- Robert Graves

Bibliography, Notes, Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chee_Soon_Juan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiam_See_Tong

http://wonderingminstrels.blogspot.com/2000/08/persian-version-robert-graves.html

Monday morning 9th September 2013

Monday morning. I woke up again at 5am - strongly, energetically :)

I did my usual morning routine but kept on thinking of her. She has been on my mind like an unseen presence, a phantom, a mirage. I don't really feel embarrassed about admitting this truth. Its just something I have, a sorrow that will not fly away. It sits on the balcony of my soul tapping its little beak against the window.

I wish that she would write to me. Talk to me. Ask me how I am. Be my friend again. I miss her and want to be with her. But I think she would most definitely rebuff me if I tried to approach her now; she has stopped corresponding with me ever since she cancelled the Niue trip unexpectedly.

I'm worried that if I do see her my passion will get the better of me and I'd probably say something wrong. How to be cool? :) But part of me doesn't care. I just want to see her again - to face her, even her indifference and to try and reawaken that small voice that said, "I like you and we have a connection".

I spent the weekend going to an open air markets in St Andrew's (pass Panton Hill), visiting a familiar old vintage bookshop in Camberwell, going for my platform diving training.... she would have loved going to that old bookshop. I could imagine her browsing through the bookshelves before eagerly grabbing a book to show me. I miss her gorgeous smile.

I miss her company. I can imagine her feeling mortified that I still think about her so fondly. It would be sweet if she thought my interest in her was endearing.

Go away. Go away. This feeling of lost like a malaise won't go away. But that's just me. I can't help it. I miss that girl and I can't hide it.

On other topics now... I bought several books from that old vintage bookstore in Camberwell. One of them was a 5th edition copy of Frank Athelstane Swettenham's classic - Malaya Sketches - published in 1895, over 100 years ago. Its about Malaya, the character of the Malays and observations about their culture and way of life. Its sensual, well written, and gives a romantic view of the old country.

This book has several well-written annotations in pencil by the original owner, dated 1930. I actually feel honored that I'm holding in my hands an attractive hand bound and cut book that was once loved over 80 years ago.

Reading old books like these is like time travel. It takes you to a bygone era. You hold the old text, you turn the parchment like pages, you really feel it.

Niue South Pacific - the Dolphin and Whale chase

The Dolphin Swim at Niue August 2013 from Yauming Ymc on Vimeo.

Dolphin Swim at Niue closeup from Yauming Ymc on Vimeo.

Two years ago I went to Niue with my scuba diving buddy Spencer. Sometime back I had told him about this small island that sat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just at the start of the International Dateline.

To get there you fly to Auckland NZ then catch the morning flight on Saturday to Niue. But you arrive on Friday morning!!!! How funny is that? He couldn't stop laughing about it for a whole day after I told him about it - and later he found out that its a great diving location (apparently) to swim with whales and dolphins. And we went there in 2011.

We missed the humpback whales so I decided to try again this year 2013.

I asked a number of my scuba diving friends to come along - but I think this trip seemed too weird and too long for them. In the end I went alone.

I confess that I'm getting tired going on these solo trips - as wonderful as they may be. I've led a very solitary life virtually most of my life. I didn't have any good childhood friends. I was a loner at school - and going to to Boarding School in Australia when I was 14 was not a pleasant experience.

But that was in the past, I love good company and I'm an easy person to get along with. I can be witty and incredibly funny when I'm in the right track. But I can be shy, quiet and reflective too. I don't like to play games with people's minds and maybe that's my fault - that I'm too straight forward and direct.

I must admit I didn't enjoy the trip as much as I would have. A shadow loomed over it that wouldn't leave. A month earlier I had invited a friend along; initially she seemed delighted to go. To say that i was ecstatic was an understatement. But a week before the trip she cancelled without telling me why. And she stopped talking to me. The hurt and feeling of rejection was heart-breaking.

I still went of course. But every single irritation I felt on the trip was magnified.

1. The baggage holdup at the Niue airport
2. The torturous irritation of hearing the wild Rooster's crowing at 3 in the morning.
3. The weak enthusiasm from the other people on the zodiac boats.
4. The lack of actual close encounters with the whales!

But it still went OK. I swam with dolphins up close for one day. I had a few (brief and distant) encounters with the humpback whales. I swam with a mysterious shark. And I heard the whales sing underwater. Briefly I forgot about all my problems and enjoyed the moment. I was the first into the water each time. I always had my fins and mask strapped on ready to go. And I experienced the sheer joy of swimming in that clear blue azure sea - free diving deep into the water and swimming with those gorgeous dolphins.


I also made new friends. And for a change - I got kissed and propositioned to by a random drunk blonde at the Sushi bar (No I didn't. She wasn't my type). She seemed lonely like me. I felt sorry for her but I wasn't attracted to her at all.

Most people would have been overjoyed - I wish I could say the same. I know its a very stupid thing - ungrateful even - I'm experiencing something and living a lifestyle that most people dream about. But all I could feel when I got back to my bungalow at Niue was the word - "Alone". I'm fucking alone. This melancholy is inescapable.

How men and women communicate differently

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/04/01/6-ways-men-and-women-communicate-differently/

Men and women are different in many ways. They see the world through completely different perspectives. The key to understanding their differences is in the way that men and women communicate.
Here are six important communication differences that you should be aware of, to help improve your communications with your partner and make them smoother and more effective.
1. Why Talk?
He believes communication should have a clear purpose. Behind every conversation is a problem that needs solving or a point that needs to be made. Communication is used to get to the root of the dilemma as efficiently as possible.
She uses communication to discover how she is feeling and what it is she wants to say. She sees conversation as an act of sharing and an opportunity to increase intimacy with her partner. Through sharing, she releases negative feelings and solidifies her bond with the man she loves.

2. How Much Should You Say?
prioritizes productivity and efficiency in his daily life, and conversation is no exception. When he tells a story he has already sorted through the muck in his own head, and shares only those details that he deems essential to the point of the story. He might wonder, “Why do women need to talk as much as they do?” Often he will interrupt a woman once he has heard enough to offer a solution.
She uses communication to explore and organize her thoughts — to discover the point of the story. She may not know what information is necessary or excessive until the words come spilling out. But a woman isn’t necessarily searching for a solution when she initiates a conversation. She’s looking for someone to listen and understand what she’s feeling.
3. What Does It Mean To Listen?
He is conditioned to listen actively. When a woman initiates conversation he assumes she is seeking his advice or assistance. He engages with the woman, filtering everything she’s saying through the lens of, “What can we actually do about this?” Learning to listen patiently — not just passively — doesn’t come easily to him.
She sees conversation as a productive end in and of itself. If she feels sufficiently heard or understood she may not need to take further action to resolve a problem or “make things better.” The fact that she has been listened to assuages her anxieties and dulls the pangs of negative feelings. Sharing with someone who understands and loves her heals her from the inside and equips her with the emotional tools necessary to handle the trials and tribulations of the outside world.
4. When She Is Feeling Down …
He will want to tackle her problems head on, like a fireman. He feels impatient to put the fire out as quickly as possible. For him, the quickest way to put the fire out is by giving solutions. Because he wants so badly to provide for his spouse, he may take her mood personally and defend himself. He might hear things literally, not realizing that when his spouse is upset she will use words as tools to explore and express difficult emotions.
By using words as tools to explore and express her difficult emotions when she is upset, she is able to process her negative emotions and let them go. She values support and nurture, and is most fulfilled by sharing, cooperation and community. When he shows interest in her by asking caring questions or expressing heartfelt concerns she feels loved and cared for. He is fulfilling her first primary love need.
5. When He Is Feeling Down …
He will often withdraw into his “cave” (becoming quiet and withdrawn) when he’s upset or stressed. A man’s “cave time” is like a short vacation: he reduces stress by forgetting about his problems and focusing on other things like watching television, reading the newspaper, or playing video games.
He might avoid communication with his spouse during times of duress. If she persists with nurturing questions or criticism, he withdraws even further, fearing that his partner doesn’t trust him to take care of business on his own. However, with her support and understanding, a man will return and be more emotionally available, caring, and loving.
She might interpret her spouse’s silence as a sign that she is failing him or that she’s losing him. She instinctively tries to nurture him through his problems by asking an abundance of caring questions. Or she may react defensively out of fear that her own need for healthy open communication is not being respected within the relationship.
Ultimately, she can do more for him by appreciating his space, which shows him that she trusts him to work out the problem on his own. Trusting is one of the greatest gifts she has to offer him. In the meantime she should do something nurturing for herself, so she won’t resent him when he emerges from his “cave time.”
6. Communication Breaks Down When …
He feels like he’s being told what to do. The most important thing to a man is doing a good job. When his competence is questioned he’ll not only feel hurt, but he’ll throw up a wall of resistance, and communication begins to breakdown. He thrives in an environment where he’s the expert. Rather than being told, “You should do X” he is likely to respond better to, “What do you think of X?” The trick to improving him is to resist telling him what to do.
She hears from her spouse that her problems aren’t as real and pressing as they seem in that very moment. Her spouse may mistakenly think he’s being helpful in providing “reality checks” like: “You’re making a mountain out of a mole hill” or “You’re getting overly emotional about it.” To her it feels like he is attempting to minimize her feelings or talk her out of having them.
Men and women desire to satisfy their partners, but they may miss the mark because it is truly difficult to understand and accept our partner’s different ways of communication. Men and women need education on these differences to help their relationships, so they do not end up in a frustrated state of resentment and feel stuck.
If a couple is feeling stuck, I suggest they read or listen to couples self-help books together. If the couple still feels stuck, then they should always seek professional counseling and get back on the road to better understanding and communication.

Poetry Workshop Brunswick

I attended a small poetry/writing workshop in a West Brunswick library last night. It was a small group. Only three people. There were very friendly and welcoming.

I got a chance to read some of my poems which were received favorably. And it was nice to get a chance to talk about my work with other writers. They esp liked my poem, "My Lover sleeps somewhere foreign". I really need to be meeting more like-minded people. Most of my friends in Australia are not interested in poetry, writing, etc.. and forgive me for saying so - but our friendships are getting stale.

One of the interesting things that we did that night was to spend 30 minutes writing a murder story. I found the task daunting. I haven't done this sort of timed disciplined work in years, maybe decades. But I actually completed it and ... well parts of it was actually pretty good. I got a good laugh out of my workshop mates when I reached a conclusion. At least it was entertaining.

Unfortunately, one of the workshop regulars showed up towards the end of the meeting and he stank of urine. Seriously. He smelled like he had just bathed in an open latrine. He was an old man who wore a bad Donald Trump wig. He wore a dirty tweed jacket. His eyes were blood shot. And he claimed to be a playwright or theatre director. He spent a great deal of time complaining that he couldn't get enough (any) actors to join his play. I felt sorry for him. He actually spoke very well for someone who had probably spent the whole day drinking alcohol. 

I wondered what happened to him? How did he end up this way. 

I did feel sorry for him but my sympathy did not extend to participating in his production. At the next opportunity I said it was getting late and said goodbye.