Thursday, March 24, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
9.0 earthquake
While I'm typing this post now, people are waiting desperately for aid, for food, for their loved ones... It feels so weird that these are our fellow people in suffering, but yet they are so far that we cannot empathize with them fully. Through the screens, we watch the devastated scene replay again and again. I admire the Japanese for their calmness, yes I have to agree with the news, it really puts Japan in a different light and casts loads of thoughts on the cultures of different societies.
Magnitude 9.0.. it took this to shake my mind. With the previous Indonesia and Sichuan earthquake, I felt pretty..I guess you can call it nonchalant. But seeing this earthquake, it suddenly struck me how unpredictable life can be, what a good life I have been leading and makes me feel thankful. At the same time, I learnt to feel more for life, to empathize with those who lost loved ones, with those who are now fighting for their lives.
I also pray for the best for Japan. Gambette!
Magnitude 9.0.. it took this to shake my mind. With the previous Indonesia and Sichuan earthquake, I felt pretty..I guess you can call it nonchalant. But seeing this earthquake, it suddenly struck me how unpredictable life can be, what a good life I have been leading and makes me feel thankful. At the same time, I learnt to feel more for life, to empathize with those who lost loved ones, with those who are now fighting for their lives.
I also pray for the best for Japan. Gambette!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Cruising couple @ HFC
Met this really sweet British couple at Harbourfront Starbucks today. They were on this short stopover in Singapore, part of their cruise itinerary which they have embarked since January and is due to only finish end of March. Traveling at leisure around the world, seeing a little of everything hand in hand, I guess they are living life. Having worked for so long, raised children and then grandchildren, "this is what you need at retirement" as the lady told us.
How will my life be in future? Well, should I head into the "family" life (as opposite from what I had expected of my life previously), then I hope when we are grey-haired (hopefully still have hair by then), we can also take time off to ourselves and just experience life hand in hand all over again. :)
How will my life be in future? Well, should I head into the "family" life (as opposite from what I had expected of my life previously), then I hope when we are grey-haired (hopefully still have hair by then), we can also take time off to ourselves and just experience life hand in hand all over again. :)
Remembering Edward Yang
You can be today's present, and tomorrow's history. It's that fast, the way society is evolving. While the society moves ahead fast, history is now being documented in films, with many "art" films reflecting and depicting lives in the 80s/90s/00s. An artist (re)creates what he/she sees and is exposed to in society, adding in values of their own to engage audience to think and reflect as well.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Day 1
Today marks day 1 of my new contract. Yes, time flies and I’ve completed the previous one. Learnt a lot, about the industry, about the job, about people, about myself.
In society, there are people who just head into a company, perhaps for a high-paying job, and slog their lives off without finding meaning in their jobs. At the same time, there are also people who find so much meaning in what they do, that they just live on their passion. Striking a balance is never easy. Being in my twenties and still new to the job market, I have been advised to try several jobs before settling down, instead of jumping straight into one company and proclaiming my life-long loyalty to that company. My neighbour and I have agreed several times that yes, we should explore while we are young and probably by around the age of 30, start thinking of what we really want as a career and stop hopping around already. But somehow, both of us decided to stay on.
Signing on another year, I have seen so many raised eyebrows from my friends.
“Why? It doesn’t pay you well.”
“Go for a government job instead, don’t be stupid.”
Of course, there were some encouraging ones who told me to go for what I like, but few.
So what do I like? Just barely less than one year ago, I stood empty and blank-headed after graduation, not knowing where to head to. I’m lucky, I found this job online, sent in my application and woo-hoo, I got it. Bringing worries of not being able to tahan a 9-6 office job, I stepped into office last July and told myself I have to endure this contract no matter what. It's only 8 months anyway, not short but not long either. I met nice people, had some really unique experiences, and wow, I realized I like this job. So, while people try out jobs to find that they do not like the job, I have to say I tried out this job and found how much I liked it, inspiring me to stay on here. Perhaps working in this field, you can never get rich. But the intangibles I get from this job cannot be compensated by money as well.
And so, moving on, I’ve decided to leave my part-time job. Similarly, that was a job which met with raised eyebrows from friends and family, but you can never deny the amount of experience I’ve gained, the life lessons learnt during the 3 ½ years here. No regrets about any time wasted, nor the relatively not so high pay I receive there in exchange.
When it’s time to move, get going! Now, I get to spend more time with my loved ones and to protect myself against dark eye rings!! Still finding my balance in life, I have to admit I pretty much love my life as it is now. Of course, this is not a time to get complacent about my life and stop moving forth. Coming year, I’ll see if I’m really up to my job as well, or whether it’s time to move on next year. At the same time, I better stop being lazy and open my eyes to see even more of this world!
In society, there are people who just head into a company, perhaps for a high-paying job, and slog their lives off without finding meaning in their jobs. At the same time, there are also people who find so much meaning in what they do, that they just live on their passion. Striking a balance is never easy. Being in my twenties and still new to the job market, I have been advised to try several jobs before settling down, instead of jumping straight into one company and proclaiming my life-long loyalty to that company. My neighbour and I have agreed several times that yes, we should explore while we are young and probably by around the age of 30, start thinking of what we really want as a career and stop hopping around already. But somehow, both of us decided to stay on.
Signing on another year, I have seen so many raised eyebrows from my friends.
“Why? It doesn’t pay you well.”
“Go for a government job instead, don’t be stupid.”
Of course, there were some encouraging ones who told me to go for what I like, but few.
So what do I like? Just barely less than one year ago, I stood empty and blank-headed after graduation, not knowing where to head to. I’m lucky, I found this job online, sent in my application and woo-hoo, I got it. Bringing worries of not being able to tahan a 9-6 office job, I stepped into office last July and told myself I have to endure this contract no matter what. It's only 8 months anyway, not short but not long either. I met nice people, had some really unique experiences, and wow, I realized I like this job. So, while people try out jobs to find that they do not like the job, I have to say I tried out this job and found how much I liked it, inspiring me to stay on here. Perhaps working in this field, you can never get rich. But the intangibles I get from this job cannot be compensated by money as well.
And so, moving on, I’ve decided to leave my part-time job. Similarly, that was a job which met with raised eyebrows from friends and family, but you can never deny the amount of experience I’ve gained, the life lessons learnt during the 3 ½ years here. No regrets about any time wasted, nor the relatively not so high pay I receive there in exchange.
When it’s time to move, get going! Now, I get to spend more time with my loved ones and to protect myself against dark eye rings!! Still finding my balance in life, I have to admit I pretty much love my life as it is now. Of course, this is not a time to get complacent about my life and stop moving forth. Coming year, I’ll see if I’m really up to my job as well, or whether it’s time to move on next year. At the same time, I better stop being lazy and open my eyes to see even more of this world!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
JB!
心血来潮，两人决定”出国“到JB了！搭乘SBS巴士出国,一路在一直再次重复说出国竟然比去乌节路还快。走走，看到ibun的朋友，也唱了超爽的ktv (cheap n good, 两人只需37RM包括四杯水和一盘食物！)
偶尔放个假，跟你出远门走走真好！
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Forum theatre
Let’s wiki on: Forum theatre
Augusto Boal developed and practised an orthodox methodology for forum theatre based on the interaction between his actors and his so-called "spect-actors". The spect-actor attempts to overturn the oppression using some method unused by the actors, whilst the actors portraying the oppressors improvise to attempt to bring the production to its original, scripted ending. If the audience believes that the spect-actor's actions are too unrealistic to be utilized in reality, they may call out "magic!", and the spect-actor must modify their actions accordingly. If this spect-actor fails in overthrowing the oppression, the actor resumes their character, and continues the production until another spect-actor calls out "stop! or freeze!" and attempts a different method.
If and when the oppression has been overthrown by the spect-actors, the production changes again the spect-actors now have the opportunity to replace the oppressors, and find new ways of challenging the oppressed character. In this way a more realistic depiction of the oppression can be made by the audience, who are often victims of the oppression. The whole process is designed to come to a conclusion through the consideration of opposing arguments, rather than where an argument is one-sided and pushed from the actors with no chance of reply or counter-argument.
So yes, I’ve just caught a forum theatre meant for secondary schools. Similar to my recent discovery that people actually dare to sing in front of a huge audience (during the singalong), students now have no qualms about voicing out their opinions and standing in front of the audience on the stage to act. Gone are the days when learning was one way (that was what it seemed to me in my whole education life till university where there were slightly more attempts to make you speak up). Of course, the forum theatre was a subtle way to make them think about societal issues and they might not even realise that this was meant for learning and evoking thoughts? Not boring readings compiled by English teachers now… they watch forum theatre to learn. Learning through the arts… I can only say kids now are so much luckier because I don’t remember having such a luxury.
Augusto Boal developed and practised an orthodox methodology for forum theatre based on the interaction between his actors and his so-called "spect-actors". The spect-actor attempts to overturn the oppression using some method unused by the actors, whilst the actors portraying the oppressors improvise to attempt to bring the production to its original, scripted ending. If the audience believes that the spect-actor's actions are too unrealistic to be utilized in reality, they may call out "magic!", and the spect-actor must modify their actions accordingly. If this spect-actor fails in overthrowing the oppression, the actor resumes their character, and continues the production until another spect-actor calls out "stop! or freeze!" and attempts a different method.
If and when the oppression has been overthrown by the spect-actors, the production changes again the spect-actors now have the opportunity to replace the oppressors, and find new ways of challenging the oppressed character. In this way a more realistic depiction of the oppression can be made by the audience, who are often victims of the oppression. The whole process is designed to come to a conclusion through the consideration of opposing arguments, rather than where an argument is one-sided and pushed from the actors with no chance of reply or counter-argument.
So yes, I’ve just caught a forum theatre meant for secondary schools. Similar to my recent discovery that people actually dare to sing in front of a huge audience (during the singalong), students now have no qualms about voicing out their opinions and standing in front of the audience on the stage to act. Gone are the days when learning was one way (that was what it seemed to me in my whole education life till university where there were slightly more attempts to make you speak up). Of course, the forum theatre was a subtle way to make them think about societal issues and they might not even realise that this was meant for learning and evoking thoughts? Not boring readings compiled by English teachers now… they watch forum theatre to learn. Learning through the arts… I can only say kids now are so much luckier because I don’t remember having such a luxury.
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