Taipei Exchanges

The movie, 第36個故事, is a story about exchange. What is interesting about this movie is the attempt to bring in a sense of realism by making it down-to-earth. The main characters could resemble any one with aspirations in life and there were snippnets of short interviews by random people. This movie stirs up the hidden dreams in everyone's hearts by asking us 'What are we willing to give up for exchange to fulfill your dreams?'
 
Many people fail to realise that fulfilling our dreams isn't about the efforts we are putting in to achieve it, but is about the sacrifices we do and the things we give up in order to get to our dreams. 
 
I am heading to Taiwan tomorrow. It comes as a coincidence that I decide to blog on this film. But it isn't chance that makes me head to Taiwan. Sy and I have planned for it, though we are unlikely to go to '朵兒咖啡館' (台北市富錦街393號). The Taiwan trip is one of our smaller dreams; for me - I have sacrificed a sigificant portion of my leave and my year-end savings and taken out my drive at work in order to begin this new-found journey of happiness as a couple with Sy.

Steve Carell in Date Night

Date Night is a 2010 action comedy film starring Steve Carell and Tina Fey as a married couple from New Jersey who planned to avoid the routine that had become their weekly "date night". Phil Foster (Steve Carell) decides that he will take Claire to a trendy Manhatten restaurant, but they cannot get a table. Phil then takes a reservation from a no-show couple, the Tripplehorns. That was when their unexpected adventure began. I liked to share 2 definite yet random thoughts picked up from this movie.

1. Steve is a flexible actor who can get into different roles easily. I have just watched 'Dinner with Schmucks'. Both movies had him as the lead actor, but the characters in both movies look and behave so differently. I could have thought that they are really different people.

2. Relationships should not be taken for granted. I am glad that 2 years into this relationship with Sy and our sparks are still going strong. It feels as if we are constantly in the honeymoon stage of dating. We went for a romantic and private dinner date at Hogs Breath Cafe after a ROM lunch with everyone in the afternoon. [Incidentally, we were bummed off two restaurants because we cannot get a table.] That's what I called our 'Date Night'.

962: From Bankstown to Miranda

I used to stay over at my aunt's house at Sydney. In fact, it wasn't actually Sydney, but a small estate called Menai that is one of many towns within Sutherland Shire. It's a 30 minutes drive from the city, but if I was to take the public transport, it would have taken me 90 minutes - first a 10 minute walk out to the main road, next a 25 minutes wait for the only bus goes past Menai Marketplace and Bradman Road, followed by another 25 minutes to get me to Padstow train station. Finally, a 30 minute train ride to get me to the heart of Sydney.

Although the breezy nature of New South Wales' weather makes travelling a walk in the park, I still prefer Singapore's efficient public transport system. Travelling to Harbourfront and Chinatown is faster via the train, as compared to via the car. My overseas experience has made me reflect upon the fortunes that I have been blessed with in Singapore.

The journey from Menai to Sydney was long yet nostalgic. How I wished I could experience Bus Service No. 962 once again.

My life and its mess

My life is in a big mess. I feel that there is so much rubbish that I need to clear. I need to:
(i) clear up my room,
(ii) polish and service my car (and the boot),
(iii) tidy up my e-mails,
(iv) clean my workstation,
(v) sort up my finances,
(vi) arrange the files & icons in my hard disk drive, etc.
When there is so much burden that I have to clear, I feel that I am in a complete mess. What can I do? What should I do? How do I go about doing it?

I just read an article in which an American author, Dan Buettner, interviewed Minister Mentor LKY in 2008. Dan's sixth book, Thrive, researches on the world's happiest places which includes a profile of Singapore. His excerpts read, 'By now, we had finished our tea. I looked around at Lee's airy office again and was struck by its complete absence of clutter. How suitably his own approach to work captured the very notion he was describing - living out the values he found important.'. Maybe it's time I get the book written by Dan Buettner to add on to my clutter. What more harm can one book do to the mountain of mess?

It's always brighter than you think

Not every day is Sunday. There are times when you lose focus of the things you have or feel grumpy about the job you possess. Today is one such day. Afterall, this week at work consisted of an performance appraisal session and repeated failures to reach standards of perfectionism.

I looked back at my previous job and saw the negatives - working 12-hour shifts, coming back on weekend, guarding against office backstabbers, listening to uninspiring management, dealing with unrepentant staff, and the list just goes on. Even today when I listened to my ex-colleagues rattle, I realised that the situation hasn't improved.

Just when things look gloomy, all I need to do is to look back at my past and the present became brighter once again.

A battle to keep fit

I signed up for Standard Chartered half-marathon 6 months ago. Standard Chartered half-marathon is now 6 days away. When I completed my 3rd full marathon, I told myself never to do such torturous events onto myself. (At that point in time, I was beginning to lose my exercise regime that I have consistently maintained over the years.) I wondered what came into my mind when I decided to sign up for it again. Maybe a half-marathon isn't as torturous as a full one. Now that I have not even jogged 3km for at least 3 months, I figured that it will be not just a physical race, but a mental one too.

Here are 6 reasons why I think I can do it:

1. I want to complete my 1st half marathon.

2. I want to lose 1 inch off my ever-increasing waist.

3. I want to lose 1 pound from my ever-increasing weight.

4. I want to look 1 year younger than before - with this big dose of exercise.

5. I want to look fit and slim at the start of my 30s.

6. I want to kickstart my exercise regime with my wife-to-be. 

Dinner for Schmucks - Is it just dinner?

'Dinner for Schmucks' is a 2010 screwball comedy film that manages to lighten my mood with its hilarious actions. When Tim Conrad was invited by his work superiors to a dinner they host to celebrate the idiocy of their guests, he questioned if he should attend - 'Should he attend such a nonsensical function? Does it affect his promotion? What do the bosses think of him? Can he find an idiot to attend as his friend?' Just as he was stuck in the dilemma, he coincidentally befriended a man (Barry Speck) who would be that perfect guest.

I asked - how far would one go to achieve his promotion & climb up the corporate ladder? Yes, I figured one would have to work hard. Taking the question further, (i) would one go beyond the scope of work to attend/host personal events? (ii) would one sacrifice his friend in order to impress his boss? (iii) would one make a fool out of himself in order to make his superiors laugh?

I question my commitment at work. I feel that my level of motivation at work has grown because I have grown to love this job. But I know that this is still this invisible line separating work from my personal life. I don't mix these 2 matters together. Maybe it is an Asian culture, maybe my colleagues are also practising it, or maybe I am just not ready to go beyond sharing too much details with them.

I shouldn't question myself too much. Let me just focus on my job.

'Robin Hood' in those days

In this fictitious yet seemingly true movie, John was coronated as the King, after his brother, King Richard, died in the war. King John was an arrogant and selfish leader who showed no remorse to his poor Kingdom and demanded harsh taxes to be collected. He sent Sir Godfrey off to the North with the task of 'raising revenue'. As Sir Godfrey uses this Royal Decree to stir up enough unrest, he shouts loudly to the villagers - 'In the name of King John, PAY or BURN'.

Life must have been harsh those days. Their grains were being taxed and survival became a daily battle. The poor got poorer whilst the royal kingdom continued to bask in the takings from the poor. Life must have been bitterly unfair too.

I am just thankful that we live in fair society led by upright officials. The poor do not have to pay taxes whilst the rest of the society pay their fair share of taxes according to their financial status. The poor are on financial assistance schemes whilst the rich are encouraged to donate their earnings. There is no need for a 'Robin' in today's society. The problem though is - I am neither rich nor poor - so what can I do?

Romance in Letters to Juliet

I watched 'Letters to Juliet' on board the Emirates flight back home. I figured I wouldn't mind watching it again. Afterall, I had earlier bought the VCD with plans to watch it together with my fiancee. Indeed, I would love to watch it again, as tears rolled down my eyes during the course of the movie.

Sophie believed in true love and has volunteered to assist Claire to find her long-lost love. A scene from the movie involved Charlie questioning her, as Claire had discovered that her long-lost love could possibly be dead. The dispute led to the battle of REALISM vs ROMANTICISM, as Sophie wasn't able to find true love in her personal love life.

We believe in finding true love. Some believe it more than others. For some, their belief ends in story books; for others, they applied it into reality. When romantism gets mixed up in the mortal world, how much efforts are we willing to put in to find true love? How far would we go to get that perfect love?

      Whilst I have found my true love, I wonder how far people will go in search for their true love. Indeed, when your letters to Juliet have been answered, you will ensure that you have your own fairy tale ending.

The Deathly Hallows

I watched 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1'. In fact, I think I could have watched almost, if not all, of the Harry Potter movies, without reading a single Harry Potter book. I'm definitely not a Daniel Radcliffe fan. I watched those movies, because those are blockbusters that people watched and talked about. Thus, to be frank, now that the movie series is coming to an end, I'm still not sure why tens of millions of people are crazy over Harry Potter.

Nevertheless, the story was 'brave' enough to poach death as part of its plot. It's a creepy subject to talk about, thus it was left to Xenophilius Lovegood, a new character in the story, to talk about it. A story within a story, Mr. Lovegood teaches Harry, Hermione and Ron about the Deathly Hallows at the Lovegood house. The three Peverell Brothers had escaped death and were each granted an item - an invincible Elder Wand, a Resurrecting Stone, and an Invisibility Cloak. They possessed these items, which eventually led to their death.

If death was to knock at my door, I am not sure what wish I would like to have (or what item I like to possess). In fact, I would not want anything. For if it comes, I must go. But what if I am not ready for it? Well, the truth is I guess I will never be ready for it. Maybe that is why I live life with a mantra - 'Seize the day as if it's your last.'

Back-dating my posts - Australia

How far can people backdate their posts? 1 week? 1 month? I can do it all the way back to 2 years ago. I refer to my post on 02 Sep 2008 where I mentioned I would share all travel experience on my blog. But I failed. Either my memory failed me or procastination had the better of me. Thankfully, I was packing my room. Lying there were some filenotes and research that accompanied me for my 15-day Australian trip.

It was a free-and-easy trip that was filled with personal accomplishment for many reasons. One of which was the spontaneity of my decisions. The only planned itinerary was that I would fly into Sydney and depart back to Singapore from Adelaide. So sudden it was that I bought my Virgin Blue air ticket in an Internet cafe in Sydney and departed for Tasmania the next day.

Below is my short note written in 22-08-2008: "The time is now 2.40pm. I am waiting for the coach to leave Hobart to Devonport via Launceston. The distance is about 300km and that would require 3 hr 50 mins. It was definitely further than what I thought. Afterall, I expected only a short bus ride from Hobart to catch the ferry. But the island of Tasmania is definitely big. I have underestimated it, planning only a 3-nights stay on this mysterious island. Now that I know this island a little better, it makes me excited to come here once again to explore what I have yet to see. Maybe I can consider driving round the island, exploring the mystic charms of Launceston, Bruny Island, Port Arthur and Peppermint Bay."

Captivate my audience

There is an unlimited amount of information in the world. Whenever I come across useful information, I asked if I can convert them to knowledge. If I can, how do I go about doing it? One proven way is by reciting it and reapplying it. Today, I saw an article on how I can captivate my audience. Here are 3 points on how I can keep you engaged as I speak:

1. Craft a take-away line

When someone can't make it to a speaker's session, he will ask others who were there this question: "What did the speaker talk about?" What they say you said is your take-away line. You would like people to walk out with that nugget.

What I have learnt: People might have a different take-away from what I've intended. But I have deliberately inserted 3 morals from my toastmasters' journey and a summary at the end of my speech. But take-away lines are important as they add value to the audience.

2. Write for the ear, not the eye

Experienced writers know that every medium and project has its own language, cadence, style and structure. Don't write the speech to be read. You need to write your speech so that when people hear it, they get the message.

What I have learnt: I am a dynamic speaker who adds a flavouring of vocal variety into my speech. As such, I always re-read my script thrice so that it sounds nice, with a tinge of spice.

3. Make rough drafts first and polish later

Don't needlessly pressure yourself by trying to write the perfect speech at the outset. The best speeches come only after many many re-writes.

What I have learnt: This is an Achilles' heel I need to work on. I have the material in my mind, but writing it down is something I never liked. Procrastination and perfectionism took the better of my life. I need the spark to get myself alive and to learn that writing it down is akin to having the fuel that lights up the fire.

WIN, WIN, WIN

A triple win. Many thoughts are running through my mind as I tried to calm myself down after an overdose of adrenaline injection into my body.

Winning the Humorous Speech Contest
I was crowned the humorous speech champion yesterday. Before winning the contest, I was so afraid that I would not be able to do well. Three phases of thought went through my mind: (i) I feel like quitting because I was so not prepared for this contest, (ii) I have to give it my best shot, because I have given a promise, and (iii) I have to remind myself that it doesn't have to be perfect, because this is my story that I want to share.

Winning the Evaluation Contest
This win came as a pleasant surprise. Afterall, I was competing against 6 other competent speakers and this was my maiden attempt. But I know that behind every success lies the countless number of failures. I reviewed the work I have done - trying my hands at evaluating advanced speeches, doing 5 club visits, video-taping my evaluation and working on my flaws one at a time. It was the perspiration behind my aspiration that did it.

Winning our Future together
One do not really 'win' a future. When I said that this is a 'win', I refer to the success we have at the Built-To-Order (BTO) flat selection exercise. Such an exercise is never easy. Plunging ourselves into the property market and yet being priced out of the resale market means that we left our fate in the hands of the Government's BTO scheme. With some luck and much recce, reading and research, we finally managed to lay our hands onto our dream flat.

Fried Rice is a Paradise

I watched Fried Rice Paradise on 20th Aug at the Esplanade. It was the inaugural performance and I am glad that I enjoyed the musical very much.

This Singaporean musical was set in vibrant Jalan Calamansi in the 1970s, inhabited by colourful characters. There is Bee Lian whose father owns a coffeeshop selling fishball noodles. Together with her friends Girly Danker and Johan, she has great plans to transform her shop and attract more customers with her mother's famous fried rice recipe. Unfortunately, their plans are foiled by an evil father and son tag-team that have even greater plans to transform Jalan Calamansi into a thriving entertainment hub.

I like this muscial because:

1. It was free. My fiancee received a pair of tickets from her friend. A check with the website shows that it would have costed a PAssion /OCBC Card holder $54 per ticket. [$51 for a discounted CAT 5 ticket + $3 SISTIC fee]

2. It brought back elements of early Singapore nostalgia, as the stage equipment includes shophouses, brightly-coloured discothèque and an old Community Centre.

3. It was my first time entering the Esplanade. The exterior facade of the Esplanade has always impressed me. That evening, I was further impressed with the interior architecture of the musical hall.

4. The musical is easy to understand, as it has been 'cooked' with a tinge of Singaporean spice.

5. The transition between each stage setting is smoothly executed, leaving no time for the audience to sit and ponder into the empty spaces.

6. The door gift came as surprise. It was a free Fried Rice gravy packet with instructions on how to make the best fried rice.

'Fried Rice Paradise, Nasi Goreng Very Nice'

SALT - Exposed

Salt is a 2010 American action-thriller film starring Angelina Jolie as the lead actress - Evelyn Salt. Evelyn works as a CIA agent. However, she is a KGB sleeper agent. When her cover is exposed, she goeson the run to try to clear her name. Her CIA superior is also an agent, though his cover was not exposed. He even implicated Salt so that he can be the 'hero' as these KGB agents tried to infiltrate into the United States administration and start a nuclear war by launching nuclear missiles at Mecca and Tehran.

People go to all extents to prevent their cover from being exposed. Their actions range from sabotaging their close friends to killing innocent lives. Are there such vicious people in reality? Or are people actually born good-natured, only to walk down the wrong path filled with sins? How important is it to protect your identity?

Is your Jar Full?

A Professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the Professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The Professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "Yes."

The Professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the Professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things - your family, your children, your health, your friends, your favorite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff.

If you put the sand into the jar first", he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

 Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter.

Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

When he had finished, there was a profound silence. Then one of the students raised her hand and with a puzzled expression, inquired what the beer represented. The Professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."

When things in your life seem almost to much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar... and the beer.

I have a disorder

I am still in daze. Afterall, I have just discovered that I have a sleeping disorder - nocturnal bruxism.

Most bruxers are not aware of their bruxism. In many cases, a sleeping partner or parent will notice the bruxism before the person experiencing the problem becomes aware of it. In fact, I was never aware of my problem. For I have never woke up abruptly to find myself grinding my teeth away. One possible theory is that I grind my teeth only when I am deep into my sleep.

Bruxism can result in abnormal wear patterns of the occlusal surface, abfractions and fractures in the teeth. Over time, dental damage will usually occur. It is no wonder that many dentists have told me that I have some form of dental damage due to the grinding of my teeth. I thought the straightening of my teeth with the assistance of orthodontics will cure the problem, but the truth is that it might only ease the problem by aligning all the surfaces in a straight line.

Conflicting articles have cited bruxism either as a reflex chewing activity or a habit. Wikipedia argues that it is the latter. Reflex activities happen reliably in response to a stimulus, without involvement of subconscious brain activity, and bruxism does not. All habitual activities are triggered by one kind of stimulus or another, and that does not make the habit a reflex. During sleep, the subconscious processes become active, while the higher control is inactive, resulting in bruxism. Therefore, researchers classify bruxism as "a habitual behavior, and a sleep disorder."

I do not know what the next step is for me. But the first step I have taken is to understand and accept that I am SICK - I have a sleeping discorder. The only thing I can take consolence is that bruxism is one of the most common sleep disorders and I am not alone.

Chez Papa French Bistro

Everyone's life is different, because it's filled with personal experiences. My recent personal experience was a 'staycation' in Johore Bahru. During the 'staycation', we decided to reward ourselves with some good food. And so, a simple search lands us in Johore Bahru's most raved-about restaurant - Chez Papa French Bistro. Chez Papa French Bistro is a restaurant located near Plaza Pelangi. Therefore, in terms of its location, it was well-placed to capture the sights of both Malaysians and Singaporeans. Afterall, you can't miss this restaurant along a busy road and within walking distance to a shopping mall.

We ordered a total of 3 items - escargots (half a dozen), cordon bleu, and sirloin steak. Escargots tasted yummy, mainly because of the herbs and oil they used. Cordon bleu was stuffed with chicken, turkey, ham and cheese, and was complemented with pasta as a side-dish. I would rate this as the best dish for the evening, for the fact that it was it wasn't easy to master a delicious dish that will not dis-integrate with so much meat stuffed and well-wrapped. Sirlion steak was just a tat above average. It failed to impress because the steak was medium-rare in the centre and medium-done at the sides.

The total damage was MYR 121 (SGD 52.16). I figured that it wasn't exactly cheap, considering that we are on the cheaper side of the Causeway. But well, I can proudly boast to tell the world that I have tried the #1 restuarant in JB.  I can only figure out 1 reason why this is the #1 restaurant - the rest of the restaurants in JB are simply mediocre, for this restaurant will merge into the crowd if it enters the Singapore market. Although I can't exactly figure out this restaurants comes up tops amongst 37 resturants, it still remains a fans-favourite such that the waiter had to turn down guests who did not make any reservations, for the resturant was full.

Twirling her hair

I liked it that we made observations together. I guess that is what brought us stronger together, for we learnt together as a couple.

Recently, we made an unlikely observation - the lady was twirling her hair as the guy speaks. She went on to nod her hair and smile unknowingly as she listened to him speak. She leaned towards him when they are together. Personal space is encroached when I thought they were only friends.

I went to search the Net. Twirling the hair around her finger could mean that she is interested in the guy. Nodding her hair could mean that she is showing genuine interest in what the guy is talking about.

There are many little unspoken signs in this world. We just have to pay attention to them as they are being 'spoken'.

Reflecting on reflection

I teach physics to my kids. In physics, there is a topic called reflection. And to explain to them what reflection is, I always ask them to describe their image as they face the mirror. Their image would be (i) Upright, (ii) Same size as the object, (iii) Same distance away from the mirror as the object is in front of it.

Reflection reproduces 3 of the above characteristics in the image. And that is why I reflect on reflection. Because by doing so, I get to see the true object, i.e. myself. As I try to grasp the details of my image, I know that the integrity, size and distance of my image will determine the true form of myself. Only then will I know who I am.

Steadily happy

Everything in life has been going on pretty well. It might not be perfect, but I could rate all aspects of my life to be smooth-sailing. And that is why I think I have been happy in a steady-state for the longest period of time. Let me count my blessings:

1. My fiancee and I always enjoy planning and going for our holidays together.

2. My fiancee and I always enjoy dinners and coffees together.

3. My fiancee and I are still in the honeymoon stage of loving each other.

4. My fiancee and I are looking forward to spending our life together as a married couple.

5. I have moved up the corporate ladder, with a better-paying job.
6. My new job allows me more flexibility in planning for my personal appointments.
7. I have led my toastmasters club to the title of a President's Distinguished Club.
8. I have executed a club succession plan that would generate growth for the next year.
9. I have enjoyed the occasional meet-ups with my friends.
It's a 9/10 score. And things couldn't be better..... could they?

It is OK to tell lies

I visited another toastmasters club today for a project evaluation. I was evaluating an advanced project on storytelling, which requires the speaker to share an insightful story with a moral. The plot was delivered with ease. When she came to the moral of the story, she shared that it was fine to tell a lie so that the family can get together again.

How immoral it was - to tell the audience that the moral of the story was to tell a lie. What an oxymoron, isn't it? But I guess that if a lie is required so that we can understand the importance of treasuring and spending time with your loved ones, it was a lie with the purpose for a greater good.

How far would you bend your principles to achieve your ultimate purpose?

Inception

Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible - Inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime.

In reality, the corporate world is full of inceptions - the question is whether we are aware of them. To gain approval for a project, show him how it will benefit him. To win support from your friends, bring them a free lunch. To get promoted on your job, sabotage your colleagues' work.

Little ideas are like seeds, for:

     'Plant them early, plant them right;

      Give them water and sunlight;

      They will grow and rise with might;

      And your dream will soon be within your sight.'

Senile

My grandma went berserk today. Maybe a better word would be 'senile'. For 4 hours, my grandma has been CRAZY. Her actions she does and the words she spoke are incomprehensible. My Mom has lost her patience and has tried shouting at her to wake her up from her senses. I used both the soft and hard approaches. I thought I was a patient man, but I have lost my cool. I can only hope for the best - that she come to her senses.

Discovering more about myself

One of my colleagues asked me yesterday - Why did I leave the engineering field? Afterall, I have an engineering degree and was plying my trade in a niche field of military aviation maintenance. I answered that it wasn't me to face the engineering diagrams for 8 hrs a day for the rest of my life.

As I moved on in life, I am beginning to find out more about myself. A part of me keeps reminding me that I must learn to love my job. I began on that quest years ago when I started on my first job after graduation. Till today, I am still finding the answer on how to love my job more each day. One of the answers I came up with is that I must make the job a part of me, i.e. the job should reflect my character and my character should assimilate into my jobscope.

As I soul-searched, the next question that followed was 'What is my character?' It wasn't easy to see myself. I guess it's always easy for you to see others, than for you to see oneself. But as I attempt to see my own reflection, I saw a sociable me, not a solo me. I want to be with friends. I want to network and know about the world through conversations. I want to be the spark, ready to light up the group whenever needed to. For now, I know I am one step closer to discovering more about myself. What next would I discover?

Despicable Me

No, I wasn' talking about myself. It's about the movie. I watched another animated film. I can't help it, if all the recommended movies are of these nature. Maybe children are the new target audience or the rest of the movies do not excite me anymore.

Despicable Me is 2010 American computer-animated film from Universal Studios. Its main character is GRU. He is a super-villian who is planning the biggest heist in the history of the world - he is going to steal the Moon. Gru delights in all things wicked. Supported by an army of mischievous little minions and armed with his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze rays, and battle-ready vehicles for land and air, he vanquishes all who stand in his way. That is until he met his greatest challenge: Not in the form of Vector, the world's  #1supervillain, but in an ironic way with three little girls named Margo, Edith and Agnes.

In the end, Gru finds out he can transform into a potential father. Thinking aloud, I believe each of us have a soft spot in us. We just have to figure out - where and what that is.

Toy Story 3

Simple stories are the easiest to understand. They are also the best way to deliver meaninful messages to the audience. This time round, the simple story came in the form of the movie, Toy Story 3.

Toy Story 3 is a 2010 computer-animated film and the final installment of the Toy Story series. Andy has long outgrown the toys and is preparing to move out of the house to attend college. With the exception of Woody, the toys believed that Andy had the intent to throw them away. They survived a narrow escape and ended up sneaking into a box of donations to a local daycare named Sunnyside.

Upon their arrival at Sunnyside, the toys receive a warm welcome by Lotso and other Sunnyside residents. Lotso was a friendly host who oriented them to Suunyside's residents and explained to them the perks of staying at their new home. He made them feel comfortable at the Caterpillar room, before returning to the Butterfly room. After he leaves, the remaining toys soon discovered that the Caterpillar room is designated for toddlers, whose rambunctious nature is upsetting to the toys.

As I watched this part of the movie, I thought to myself - (i) how many times are we easily convinced by marketing talks without understanding the product, (ii) why are we easily swayed by the 'promises' these salespeople say? Many people are often enticed by what the job seems to promise, without getting to know nor see the ugly truth of the job itself. My previous job in Company S was one good example. As I moved on to this 'dream' job, the Woody in me felt a sense of pity as my friends struggled to get themselves out of Company S. 'Lotso' must have done a good job, keeping them trapped as crawling caterpillars.

Today's just another day

Today is the 1st of July. It marks the beginning of the 2nd half of 2010. People are encouraging each other to run the next half with renewed enthusiasm. I am not too sure about my thoughts on that.

Today went past so quickly. I checked and replied e-mails. I did some market research. I attended the cocktail reception. There was still more work to be done. But the day came and went. And before I realised it, it was time to go home. Maybe I should have done better by planning my day. I didn't. I plunged straight into it. I wish I had spent it more productively. Today is just another day. Tomorrow will be different.