"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
- Hebrews 11:13
27 February 2009
Slumdog Millionaire
The story of the two childhood sweethearts, their separation and their getting together again, is hopeful and endearing. As the film follows Jamal's life and the difficulties that he has to go through, our hearts wrench with him when Latika is left behind, and rejoice with him when he finds Latika again, wrench again when the are separated again, and so on. The casting choice is wonderful. According to an interview, the producer decided to cast the child, middle and grown actors with the same spirit instead of the same looks. This connects all the three different stages' actors into one united character of the innocent Jamal, lovely Latika, and streetsmart/punkish Salim. The kids are all very cute, to top it off. Towards the end, in true-blue Bollywood style, a crowd of people from the trains gather and dances. The only reason that makes this sequence non-cheesy and even beautiful is shots of Jamal and Latika as children dancing spiritedly in the same location - a reminder of this childhood sweetheart love story.
Overall, I think it deserved the 8 awards it won at the Oscar. Even Jai-Ho is an impressionable and lively soundtrack. Hollywood is not often graced by pure and innocent love stories.
Edit: I forgot to add that, the bond between the two brothers is touching, especially the elder to the younger, despite his betrayal in the middle.
Once in a while I will get this urge to travel. I love to travel, just never had much opportunity. And while I plough through everyday life, wanderlust hits me ever so suddenly.
Just a list of places I want to go (so far).
1) Ottawa (I hope my SEP gets through!) 2) New York, and especially to visit The Daily Show! 3) Eastern Europe (Afiah and Gwen!!!) 4) Tour the rest of America 5) Tour Canada 6) Western Europe
Definitely not a heavenly choir, not really beautiful song birds either, But with a heart to sing the beautiful lyrics of O Holy Night for the unbelievers and believers in our Christmas Gospel Service 2007.
Pictures are from somewhere within our memories. We have since changed a lot - for better and worse.
"Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also." - Matthew 5:38-40
I didn't expect that the lesson of meekness is so hard to learn. That, when one misunderstands you, you just have to bear it.
I've tried many times to explain to him why we broke up, yet till now he still blames me. What more can I do? He doesn't see the hand of God in this matter, perhaps only thinking about how hurt he feels. He didn't see that this relationship dishonours God and hence separation is necessary. He still dwells on how hurt he feels, how "shortchanged" he is...
I've tried explaining. I've tried swallowing my pride and accept whatever he said to me 2 thursdays ago, because I don't want to argue anymore and make it any more worse. Though we went home "in peace" and not in a huff, the next time I see him he's back to his bitter mode. I wish he hadn't said that he has "forgiven" or had that conversation 2 thursdays ago. At least I would not bear the false hope that we've taken a step towards civility.
It's hard to bear when he blames me for his condition now. Though I know that I did nothing wrong in choosing to break up, and though everyone will tell both him and me that it's no longer my fault, he still continues to imply/directly point his finger at me. His bitterness spills over to other areas of his/my life and I don't know how much more of his accusations can I take.
It feels terrible being misunderstood. He still cannot see my decision to break up as one that is made with much pain. Perhaps he thinks I'm dumping him out of my whims and fancies, and he hasn't heard a word of what I explained. And now I am made to feel as though I am to blame for his backsliding and reclusiveness.
I've come to a point where I've done all I could. Swallow my pride, put on a smile, whatever. I've come to a point any more explanations is futile and repetitive. I've come to a point I can only cry to God to vindicate me. And I know it may not be any time soon, or perhaps only in eternity, when he sees God in the judgement throne then God will let him understand. I just know I'm suppose to be meek now. And I pray that God will carry me through. Every trial is an opportunity to conform to the image of Christ. That's a well-spoken encouragement by one sister-in-Christ. For Christ Himself has suffered more dire accusations before. It's not impossible to do, being meek. I just need plenty of graces from God to carry me through.
When I said that 01.08.08 is the day I start to grow up, I didn't know - and still don't know - what sort of lessons comes with this growing-up.
This is perhaps my most meaningful V-day. Though I ain't really excited with v-days for 18 years before, had been slightly excited for 2 years before, now I'm back to being ambivalent, merely rolling eye balls at couples who wear identical shirts without thinking if they look dumb. Haha. Colour-coordinate, yes, but identical tees really look...erm...un-nice.
Today is meaningful because I challenged myself to show concern for someone, and not just in my heart. With much prayer for courage, I visited Mrs. Gan alone. I fear(ed?) because I was afraid of the language barrier, not knowing Hokkien and all, and I was afraid that it would end up with me trying my hardest to understand her and pretend to and end with awkward silence when she asked me a question that I didn't know I need to answer because I didn't understand what she said. I was also afraid of what I should say to her when I see her. But it's necessary to try to encourage an old lady like her, recently losed her husband, and now confined to a recuperating home. Pastor was saying that she might be struggling within her to go back to her old ways, so I just want to go see her, pray for her, and read some verses to her.
Thank the Lord that she looks better now, her colour is back. Thank the Lord for breaking tha language barrier, for she spoke clearly, and in mandarin too! I thank God for giving me the verses to read, and the words to pray.
So all in all, I think this must be the most meaningful v-day I've had so far.
Serving the Lord on v-day by leading teens in singing is meaningful too. =) I don't think you would be doing that if we are still in a relationship. That's why I believe it's best to be single so that time can be better spent. Hope you've had a blessed time.
Oh the saga of MP Seng Han Tong who got attacked by ex-cabby driver and got set on fire. I'm appalled of course, because to set someone on fire is a hideos act. And the poor duno-which organisation's chairman who tried to put out the fire but ended up getting the fire on himself.
It is tragic to be so insecure in Singapore. No matter who, minister of parliament or not. Even if it had been some heavily-in-debt ah pek who got arson-ed, it's tragic.
But this is not what I want to talk about. Seriously, the government really has double standards for them and peasants like us. Senior Minister of State (Information, Communications and the Arts) Lui Tuck Yew scolded the whole online spheres for their their lack of self-regulation, hence allowing unkind and even evil remarks to be made by bloggers/commenters/anyone at all against Seng Han Tong. “[T]he vast majority were unhelpful, a significant number were unkind, a small number were downright outrageous" said he, and "It is a squandered opportunity for a higher degree of self-regulation. It would have been an example of the genesis, of the first steps, towards a more responsible, greater, self-regulatory regime.”
I definitely find people who touted MP Seng's tragedy as "deserving" absolutely revolting. But is it not hilarious that Lui Tuck Yew only came out to admonish the netsphere when an MP is the target of unkind comments?
I knew the unkindess of the internet long ago, right about when I boycotted Stomp for being downright stupid and childish, and - I won't be surprise - perhaps ruining other people's lives by posting untrue or exaggerated photographs and commentaries in Singapore Seen. Not to mention their encouragement of cowardice by allow people to snap passengers who don't give up seats, or put legs on seats, or whatever other stupid-as-poop things, hence relieving them the responsibilities of actually going up and telling people themselves. Seriously, sometimes the "culprit" in questions are old ladies or uncles, whom, for goodness sake, came from a culture vastly different than ours, and how intolerant are the young generations nowadays that they have to embarrass old folks for their "unmannered" behaviour? Mind you, if not for their hard work building Singapore up, you wouldn't have had the education you had and been so much more "cultured" than they are.
Phew! I digressed. Tons of steam accumulated for months.
As I was saying, internet is as internet is. Unkind remarks, or even downright childish and an embarrassment to nature have been floating around since the internet boom. But I guess R-Ad Lui couldn't be bothered since peasants can be picked on, humiliated online, and still go on with their pathetic little peasantry, but kings and princes must never be touched, or a rebellion would be triggered, a racial riot will ensue, and terrorists will bomb us, and whatever apocolyptic scenario he (and they) can pull out of their backside.
I don't condone the netizen's inflamatory remarks. My heart goes out to the burnt MP and Chairman for what has been done to them. But please, show that we are democratic and Singaporeans are at least equally human by scolding the net for reasons more than that which concerns your fellow princes.
Previously I blogged about the Quest of the Aucas. And I tried to remember what Steve (not Stephen) Saint said regarding his pain of losing his father, his aunt, and his daughter. I just reviewed the DVD and finally typed out the whole quote. Here is it.
I can tell you, for me, these are times, when as a little boy you were told that your daddy was never coming home. When as [an] approaching middle age man your aunt Rachel who so dear to you, and such a time when so many things that you hold dear, is gone. And...and you have to participate in putting the shell into a hole in the ground. And then even more so when …when my only daughter is suddenly, beyond my control, taken out of my protective custody. Those are times when you don’t posture, and I can tell you honestly that this hope that is within me is not something that I aspire to it; something that is very, very, real. It doesn’t take the pain and anguish away, but it smoothes this… this comforting balm over, that I know will make it heal. The hole will never fill in as long as I live here – these precious ones that we’ve lost – but there aren’t jagged and raw edges either. There’s this…there’s this emptiness, that I have a hope inside me that knows that it would be filled again.
