HSBC Tree Top Walk

Finally I have something to write about my adventure in Singapore after staying here for two months. This is the first time I've done something totally new in my life – jungle trekking with new friends that I've never met with before, and there were ten of them. Today, I went jungle trekking with ten new friends who I've not met with before. Last week, my Chinese colleagues invited me to go jungle trekking with them. At first, I thought they will bring some of their friends together. Eventually, some of them have not met with each other at all, and most of them know each other through online forums and traveling trips. Never in my life I get to know so many new friends at a time. It's a totally new experience for me. I've never imagine myself jungle trekking with so many first-met friends. I start to enjoy the life of being home and away. I wish I have joined my colleagues for weekends activities long before. It's so comfy staying home with family members, but I shall never have this experience if I have not come here alone. The trekking path was not as challenge as the easiest one in Penang, but it's a precious one as I get to know ten new friends at a time, and most of them are from China, one from Hong Kong and another from Taiwan. This gives me an opportunity to learn what globalization is. Most of them have been to so many places and they are adventurous. The guy from Hong Kong is an adventurous one, he has experienced diving, skiing, mountain climbing, etc. and is planning to hike Kilimanjaro in Africa. This is the most enjoyable Saturday I have since I stepped into Singapore. I'm looking forward to more adventurous weekends with these new friends of mine. ;)

04/10/08, Saturday

My Bata Slipper...

This will be my all-time best friend in my adventures in Singapore. :P

The Internet Connection

At last, I've finally got my Internet connection at home. After waiting for 3 weeks for the USB modem, I decided to ask around at other stores in the neighbourhood today.
Surprisingly the shop assistant of the first store I stepped into to make some queries on the mobile broadband package told me the modem has never been running out of stocks. He said the modems are always ready for customers who sign up on the spot. I felt like a dumb for that moment as I've been carrying my 15.4 inches-screen laptop walking 10 minutes to the library for 3 weeks. Damn it! What kind of service is that?! The store that actually told me to wait for the modem is the biggest Singtel "exclusive" retailer in the neighbourhood.
Now I've got my own Internet access at home, I shall start telling my adventures or lonely life in Singapore on my blog. So, what I've been doing for the past 72 days in Singapore?
Shopping. That's all I've been doing for the first month besides working! I spent all my weekends walking in shopping malls, NTUC and Shop n Save. Of course, most of the time I was window shopping. Things I've bought are toiletries and food. The only weekend that I actually bought something during my shopping was the one that I went alone. I bought 2 pair of cargo-material pants and a pair of jeans. These are the most expensive items I've ever bought for myself. The cargo-material pants each costs me S$25 and the jeans cost me S$39.50. All 3 items are at 70% discount. But what to do?! It was raining almost every day, the 2 pair of jeans I brought with me started to stink.
Johor Bahru trips. I've been to Johor Bahru for 3 times up until today. For the first trip, I went with a friend who went JB for banking matters. I just followed her so that I'll know how to go JB myself in future. Two weeks later, I went again to check out the cash deposit machine at Maybank branch. It does sound a bit weird, but I'm the one who always opt for the safe way. So, I deposited all the Malaysian currencies that was left. Oh, and I went for a movie at the cinema in City Square. I watched Money No Enough alone and cried over the scenes where the old grandma who has alzheimer looking for her Mickey Mouse bra at midnight. It's as if I'm seeing my own grandma. Eventually, I missed my family so much for that weekend and cried.
Adventure. The only adventure I've had so far is the HSBC Tree Top Walk trip with my colleagues and their friends. I got to know 10 new friends during the trip. They all love adventures and hiking. Though the tree top walk was not as challenging as I hoped it would be, I had fun knowing new friends.
Since I got my laptop and copied a few TVB drama series in it, I've been spending my after-work hours watching dramas. :P It feels like I'm in Toowoomba again - my university life.
Now I'm looking forward to the Pulau Ubin bicycle ride next week with my new friends. :D

What a discovery!

My boss who is leaving soon was called into a discussion with the deputy general manager. He spent around an hour talking with the DGM. To be particular, he was pouring out all his dissatisfactions since…

He came out from the DGM’s room and I skyped him. He told me I might be called in to talk with the DGM too, since I’m leaving soon. So, I started to draft my ‘essay’. As I’m lazy to write all of them in proper sentences, I mindmapped all that I have in mind.

Oops, I don’t have that much to complain indeed. For the past 15 months, all that I’m so unhappy with can be concluded in 5 paragraphs. That’s weird. How come I’ve been feeling so unhappy?! Probably it’s the snowball effect, my own complaints topped up with other colleagues complaints, making it seems like I have so much to complain about.

What a discovery! Should start to consider writing all that I’m unhappy with in blog, diary or anything just to keep them recorded. Guess it will help me to maintain an objective view in life.

《第三代》(2006)

《第三代》(2006)
导演：何志良
主演：张栋梁、苏慧敏、谢丽萍

夹着首部大马中文电影美名的《第三代》，年前在槟岛拍摄时，就获得本地报章大篇幅报导，今年正式上映时更是在各大媒体大肆宣传，几乎无人不知。

我是满心期待地进入电影院观赏这部电影，没想到却是极其失望地步出电影院。电影开场后的三十分钟，就有接近四分之一的观众离场。我和家人却本着艺术电影的前段通常都是极其沉闷的想法，继续观赏。

当电影结束时，我无法不承认这部标榜纯本地制作的中文电影实在是不堪入目。我甚至形容其为一部未完成的学生实验作品。

整部电影，几乎无一可取之处。沉闷的情节，已经是一大败笔，最甚的是电影无法带出其欲表达的主题，更没有一个故事，简直是不知所云。演员方面，更是差劲。整部电影中，只有饰演陈利父亲的郑锦昌和饰演妹妹的艾芬是懂得演戏的演员。可是，郑锦昌在电影中的表现也出乎意料的差，想必是无可发挥的剧本和导演所造成。

三位主角毫无水准可言的演出，配搭长镜头，简直让观众看得一头雾水。导演无视于演员差劲的演出，坚持使用长宽镜头，弃用商业电影常用的脸部特写，根本无法达到预期的肢体语言渲染效果。希望导演清楚知道，那三位主角并非王家卫大导演的御用班底－－梁朝伟和张曼玉。

在此奉劝《第三代》之制作班底，务必放弃参加康城影展之念头，免得让大马人蒙羞。此作品简直不登大雅之堂！

2006年1月15日 记
http://movieblog83.blogspot.com/

《第三代》(2006)

《第三代》(2006)
导演：何志良
主演：张栋梁、苏慧敏、谢丽萍

夹着首部大马中文电影美名的《第三代》，年前在槟岛拍摄时，就获得本地报章大篇幅报导，今年正式上映时更是在各大媒体大肆宣传，几乎无人不知。

我是满心期待地进入电影院观赏这部电影，没想到却是极其失望地步出电影院。电影开场后的三十分钟，就有接近四分之一的观众离场。我和家人却本着艺术电影的前段通常都是极其沉闷的想法，继续观赏。

当电影结束时，我无法不承认这部标榜纯本地制作的中文电影实在是不堪入目。我甚至形容其为一部未完成的学生实验作品。

整部电影，几乎无一可取之处。沉闷的情节，已经是一大败笔，最甚的是电影无法带出其欲表达的主题，更没有一个故事，简直是不知所云。演员方面，更是差劲。整部电影中，只有饰演陈利父亲的郑锦昌和饰演妹妹的艾芬是懂得演戏的演员。可是，郑锦昌在电影中的表现也出乎意料的差，想必是无可发挥的剧本和导演所造成。

三位主角毫无水准可言的演出，配搭长镜头，简直让观众看得一头雾水。导演无视于演员差劲的演出，坚持使用长宽镜头，弃用商业电影常用的脸部特写，根本无法达到预期的肢体语言渲染效果。希望导演清楚知道，那三位主角并非王家卫大导演的御用班底－－梁朝伟和张曼玉。

在此奉劝《第三代》之制作班底，务必放弃参加康城影展之念头，免得让大马人蒙羞。此作品简直不登大雅之堂！

2006年1月15日 记
http://movieblog83.blogspot.com/

《一一》(2000)

《一一》(2000)
编剧/导演：杨德昌
主演：吴念真、李凯莉、金燕玲、曾心怡、戴立忍、萧淑慎

《一一》是一部剧情非常缓慢的伦理片，但对于我来说剧情虽然很慢，但却带出了现今社会真实的一面。

我们的社会生病了，我们也生病了，就有如《一一》里的人物一样，我们在面对着生活中的一切时，很多时候我们都不知道要怎么去面对，更甚的是我们以为自己已经把问题解决了，但其实不然。

影片里的洋洋虽然只是一个小孩子，但他是影片里把事情看得最透彻的人物。洋洋在婆婆昏迷时不肯跟婆婆说话，导致母亲非常生气。洋洋在婆婆的葬礼中，对婆婆说的那一番话却令观众深思 － 洋洋认为他所能给婆婆说的，婆婆都已经知道了。我想，这是因为我们每天都在重复地做同样的事情，而且每一个人都是几乎一样的，那么婆婆已经活了这么久，她对其他人的一切已经了如指掌，所以没必要再跟她说了。

相机在这部电影里成了洋洋把自己的想法告诉别人的一种管道。在车上的一幕，洋洋问爸爸要怎样才能让别人知道自己看到了什么和怎样知道别人看到了什么，爸爸说相机拍下来的照片就能解决这一个问题。同一件事情，每个人的看法都不同，所看到的事实的那一面也不同。我们没有看到事情的全部，我们只看到了事情的一部分。我们都懂得在下任何定论前应该了解事情的全部，但是我们却经常忘了这个道理。电影里最具代表性的人物就是洋洋的老师，他是一个典型的“只有我讲没你讲”的典型老师。洋洋带气球去学校，却被学长向老师告状，说他带避孕套。老师在没有进行任何调查的情况下，就指定洋洋带避孕套去学校。最后老师发现自己弄错了，却没向洋洋道歉，反说是自己这一次放过洋洋。身为老师的没以身作则，教学生要以谁作榜样呢？在电影中，老师只不过是一个代表，长辈（或所谓的“大人”）的代表。在现实生活中，许多以长辈自称的，很多时候都没以身作则，却要小辈听他的，这不是误人子弟吗？更甚的是长辈教我们要勇于认错，但他们在小辈面前做错了，却不曾认错，这教做小辈的如何做呢？长辈的以权威把小辈压得矮矮、小小的，有理也说不清，久而久之道理就成了名存实亡。只要是长辈，就得听他的，不用讲道理了！

这部电影一再地提醒我们，生活在这个社会里的人，生活贫乏，每天只不过在重复做着同样的事情。阿迪和敏敏跟婆婆说话，才发现原来自己每天都很忙，其实都是在重复做着同样的事情，所以一天24个小时只需几句话就说完了。小时候的我们总觉得每样事物都很新鲜，但长大了，似乎好奇心不见了，对任何事物都不感兴趣。是我们看腻了同样的事物，还是这个世上已经没有任何新奇的事物，还是令有原因呢？我认为应该是这个物质社会令我们失去了生活。我们每天都不停地工作、上课……因为我们要拥有更多的物质。现在的我们认为物质上的享受就是享受生活，我们忘了生活的真正意义。生活中除了物质，还有精神。我们不应该只是做同样的事情，我们应该做更多不同的事情，让自己真正地体验生活。

现在我们都说科技拉近了彼此间的距离，但事实并非如此。影片里NJ在答话机留言，他说幸亏那是答话机，否则他会吞吞吐吐地。很多时候，我们对着机器说话比对着活生生的人说话还要流利，这是为什么呢？是我们习惯了对着冰冷的机器说话吗？不，这都是因为我们害怕面对活生生的人。如果没有了这些帮我们传话的机器，我们就被迫要对着活生生的人说话，这可真正地把我们彼此间的距离拉近了。

观赏过这部电影后，我想大家都应该重新对生活作一番思考，想想我们要怎么过我们的生活。思考虽然会令我们看到许多问题的存在，令我们感到很烦，但却会令我们认真地为自己作出选择。往后的日子里，当我们回头看时，才不会后悔。

2002年10月21日 记
http://movieblog83.blogspot.com/