Saturday, June 30, 2007
New Romantics Ballet
Except he wasn't bloody performing the night we had tickets! Arrrrgh! My reaction was just like the one I had for Pirates. No matter *sigh*.
The New Romantics is promoted as a showcase of neoclassical ballet, but I thought it more like making nice shapes out of human bodies. It had all the trappings of modern ballet - something usually akin to modern art in my mind - unflattering flesh coloured leotards (above), flexed hands and feet ruining the lines, simulated birth....but despite all that, I really enjoyed it!
The first was Balanchine's Apollo which had perhaps the nicest shapes (e.g. left) that showed to the best advantage from our seats in the heavens. Then was Stanton Welch's Constant Variants which I found the most entertaining - it was full of action and had nice maroon/blue leotards. The final piece was After the Rain (featuring the flesh leotard) which was supposed to feature Heathcote. Instead we got Matthew Lawrence (right). Male ballet dancers have such nice musculature, and Rain really needed them cos there was a lot of lifting the ballerina around and balancing her on various limbs!
Actually, I think that's what I liked best about Romantics, there was an excess of acrobatics compared to other modern ballets which made it fun.
(Photos from Australian Ballet website)
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Some things change, others remain the same
and Spuey also managed to get the EXACT SAME Yeoman that I had my photo taken with!
These then teaches me two things:
- Summer light sure makes a difference in photography!
- Some things just run in the family.
- I need to get to Europe asap.
Monday, June 25, 2007
What I love about Winter...
Off the top of my head, my favourite soups (discounting the usual soup noodles) are:
University Cafe - Tortellini and baby spinach in chicken broth
Chicken with angel hair spaghetti and dumplings
Ti Amo2 - Prawn and lobster (crab?) soup
Duck and tortellini with vegetables
Some cafe in the city - Cream of Mushroom
That soup place in CentreWay/Degraves - pretty much everything they have.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Madame La Presidente Rides Again!
*cough*
And seeing as I was actually voted in this time, and that I have declared that this presidency will only go for six months, LET MY REIGN OF TERROR BEGIN!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Indecision
I am not Maria Von Trapp. It is difficult to write out a list of things that one can call the absolute bestbestbest in one's mind! How do you decide? I mean, the criteria to decide these things are so vague! I love opera but I can't tell you if I like it better than RnB! And then how do I choose between individual operas and arias and whatnot?
The same goes for books. I've read a lot of books, many of which remain with me years after reading. But would you define best as something you'd read over and over again? I loved War and Peace but I'm not going to read it every year - to do so would be sheer folly! Likewise L'Assommoir by Emile Zola which I've read in English and French. It's a brilliant book that's absolutely devastating not something I'd tackle again in either languages. And then you have those romances that I do read over again if I'm feeling like something light. I wouldn't be calling them the 'best' though. I will however say is that The Da Vinci Code is a load of crap.
Movies? TV shows? I watch so many of them, often repeatedly, that that I can't decide. And don't get me started on artists and their paintings. Hell, I can't even decide if I prefer Melbourne over London over Paris over Venice over Rome. English breakfast, chai, Earl Grey, or jasmine? Life is just too short to decide what you like best!
Saturday, June 23, 2007
New Link
Her blog has been added to the *links* list as, guess what? Dancing Hula.
Enjoy!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
First he took my heart and then he ran...
The thumping beat, the cute lyrics, Sam Obernik's distinct voice, and of course the corny 80s throwback video where the geek reveals himself as a true superstar.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
The Miss Hong Kong Pageant 2007
The Asian Ideal of beauty is not particularly different from other races (i.e. taller, slim etc) but there are a few aspects that set it apart. There is a big emphasis on being pale. The MHK pageant often has a token tanned girl within the competition but is almost never guaranteed to win a big prize. When Shermon Tang (left) won Miss Photogenic in 2005, she was widely derided as being an ugly *ban-ban* (filipino maid) who got the award due to her connections. While I find her neither particularly attractive or ugly, her photos since then have shown her skin to have undergone extensive whitening. (Image from www.misshongkongpageant.com/
And then there is the emphasis on being thin. While I'm aware being slim is a pre-req in these kinds of things, I think the Asian ideal of *thin* is something a little extreme. Take for example the 2001 winner Shirley Yeung who at 43kg, had a BMI of 16.17 (height 5'4). I do believe a BMI of less than 17.5 is a feature of anorexia nervosa. I'm not that I'm saying she was anorexic, I'm saying the definitions in the pageant/society are a somewhat extreme.
The reason why I'm writing this entry is because I've been following the pageant press this year
and I'm becoming increasingly outraged by the publicity around contestant number 2, Lily Ho Ngo Yee (right, image source). At 18 years old, she was considered a favourite to win until the contestants were photographed in bikinis, where she has since been derided for having "wide shoulders, full bottom and thick hands (thick hands?!?source) and since being nicknamed "Miss Hips" (source). People, the girl has a BMI of approx 19, a 24 inch waist and 34 inch hips, neither measurements are as huge as you seem to think. Consider that the slimness of her waist may produce an optical illusion which highlight her hips in comparison? I found it particularly sad to read the translation of this article where after the girls were interviewed and offered beauty and slimming treatments, Lily was questioned about slimming her hips and she indicated her intention to slim herself all over in response to the criticism.
Girl, you are thin enough as it is and considered the best in the competition (until forced to wear a bikini). Being healthy is far more important than squeezing out that one extra inch. Don't do it.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Movie Review - Stranger Than Fiction
It was a bit difficult to figure out what this movie was trying to be. In some parts, it was pretty damn funny, in other aspects, particularly the message, it was quite serious. Everyone plays their roles completely straight - even Will Ferrell, when he does his crazy yelling mode is completely understandable as being representative of Harold's psychological trauma at finding out he's going to die! But by playing it straight, they too seem absolutely hilarious. This doubleplay is seen everywhere as the plot and script waver between complete absurdity and being deeply serious. I suppose the best description would be that this movie is analogous to Adaptation or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but a little less of a mind-$@#% than those movies.
But the wavering that the movie makes means that I'm not sure whether this is a great work of absurdist movie making or a great dissertation on the meaning of life - how an ordinary person in an ordinary life can in oneself be extraordinary. The things I like: As an existentialist reading of life, it's amusing. As a criticism of modern literature (where the protagonist has to die to make a masterpiece) I think it's spot on! The things I didn't like: I didn't think there's much between Maggie Gyllenhaal and Will Ferrell. He's funny and she's the alternative world to him, I guess, but it didn't feel like something natural. Also, the carpe diem message can be a bit heavy at times.
In the end, I think it's a good movie. Not brilliant, not terrible, just good.
6.5-7/10
Friday, June 15, 2007
Geeky quizzes!
Mingle2 - Free Online Dating
I need a gun and learn how to use it properly.
Mingle2 - Free Online Dating
Spelling! Severely underrated in this age.
Got the physics ones wrong :(
Paquita!
While I enjoy ballet and don't dispute the level of technical mastery and artistry involved, I generally don't enjoy ballet as much as opera. This is probably due to the telling the story through dance/pantomime element - I feel less involved in it than I would watching and listening to people singing. The emotional hook is there as much in ballet for me compared to opera. But when ballet rocks, its rocks. I still remember describing Grand Tarantella as completely psycho dancing due to all the crazy leaps and whatnot.
Paquita goes into the rockin' crazy territory. The programme was pretty much a number of celebrated pas de deux and a newly choreographed from from a dancer in the company. My personal favourite was Spring Waters that featured the ballerina doing a horizontal jump into her partner's arms - imagine how horrible wrong it could have gone! But it didn't so it was fine. And there was another point where she was held above his head and spun around, also tricky. But the general favourite went to the aptly named La Favorita (left) which was a few minutes of Spanish inspired crazy. I can't remember who was the male, but the ballerina was Reiko Hombo who despite being only a member of the Corps de Baller, gave a wonderfully tight execution of the dance. Sue declared it the best performance of the night and thinks she'll go far.
As for the main performance of the night...hmmm...when it went well, it was beautiful. When it wasn't it was scary. My high (low?) light was when a bead fell off a soloist's costume - the *ping!* was audible. I was so scared another performer would slip on it during the night!
(Photos from Australian Ballet site.)
Thursday, June 14, 2007
The Stats!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
For those who have been paying attention...
So instead of me putting lines and lines of links in the sidebar, if you want to see all I've written about *food* they are now linked together. i. Likewise if you want to see my pics of Safin, they are all visible if you click on *eye candy*.
Monday, June 11, 2007
I *heart* Supernatural
This isn't the trailer - it was way scarier, but it had the right effect of me and Pooey turning to each other and going *We're gonna watch that!* And Pooey was interstate when it finally aired on tv, but as soon as it was done, we rang and each other to say *We love this show!* and anointed it our new Buffy.
So why do I love it?
I could write a huge analysis about why, but I won't. Basically, it runs down to these points:
- I love being scared. And by scared, I don't mean that bullshit like Hostel. I mean by things that I can't explain or are plain creepy, like when a scarecrow moves of it's own volition. The creepy factor - ooh yeah.
- Humour! Them guys are funny. Those writers are funny. For all the creepiness, the show is just funny, especially with the one-liners
- Pop culture references. If a show combines horror and humour with pop culture, I am usually always happy (Death to CSI!)
- The casting. Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki really act like bickering kids! And it's fun to see guests that have appeared on other much loved shows. I still think it's funny that their Dad is Denny from Grey's Anatomy. And Tina did comment that while the guys are obviously the focus, the producers do make an effort for the male audience by casting hot women in guest roles.
(All pics from tv.yahoo.com)
Happy Long Weekend?
But hold on! Not only was I in today (sectioning), but I was in on Saturday and Sunday prepping for today! I suppose the only good thing was that I managed to section 4 blocks (10 slides at 3 sections/slide) in less than three hours!
In other news:
Happy Birthday to Glendam, and Khoon makes awesome onion, bacon, sausage and bbq sauce....food.
Nance and RachiePoo attempted to buy accessories for Nance's wedding - no joy.
Nice to meet the iggs girls again in boxy (baked chicken and sweet corn rice - num nums!). And funny running into so many ppl there.
Friday, June 08, 2007
It's Official!
For the last few days I’ve been talking as if something crawled into my throat and died, as well as making strange little honking sounds that mutated into little bubbling sounds while I breathed. Despite the sign that ill health was approaching, with the exception of a sore throat I have felt perfectly fine. So fine in fact that it didn’t stop me from going to the gym on both Tuesday and Wednesday (although I largely did just weights on Wednesday), and Pilates with Glen on Thursday.
Well our fears have come true.
My sore throat that I had been trying to stave off with regular lemon and honey drinks has developed into an upper respiratory infection. I woke up today with that vague kind of chest pain and have started to cough up thick coloured sputum. Nice.
Man, I seem to get one of these every year. I’ll give myself a week to get over it. Lucky it’s a long weekend. Unlucky I’m busy all through it.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Bai Spuey!!!
Unlike the girls, he's exploring Eastern Europe.
He has not seen Hostel despite encouragement from various relos.
Good luck!
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Quick shots
1. Spuey going away,
2. Loi going away, and
3. Auntie getting older.
Mumsie made Bún riêu, among other things and I took the opportunity to take a few shots of Ethan and Amelia.
Other than that, we played the wii (bowling, golf), watched a lot of television, and ate a lot of food, like any good family gathering.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Friday night out!
The lane party, meh...the excitement of the location wore off pretty quickly when we saw the massive queue to get into the lane and the excitement of two free glasses of alcohol wore off even quicker when we found the wine to be yerky. But here are some pics.
Some of the entertainers. I found the silver stilt ppl quite creepy.
We three party girls
Our drink cards were cards from the bar secrets pack!
Taking time to enjoy the champagne
Alcohol induced silly posing!
Me, Mike, Kt, Studds, Hula
Marls trying to get a margarita (I find this pic unbelievably amusing)
Bringing out my inner jap posing.
Unforch, pretty much every time I went to go buy Loi a drink, he usually had one in each hand. Eventually we left (quite early) for tea in a warm and quiet-ish place to converse. Despite the silly posing, I only sunk three drinks and was home by midnight! If only all Friday drinks would be so easy and eventful!
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Me and the Internet: A Love/Hate Story
After hearing rumblings of it, I had my first interaction with the internet in 1996 when our IT teacher tried to demonstrate its use and other things. I was largely unimpressed due to the slowness of our school's connection and poor formatting. It was just like reading the MSY site. Things changed in 1998 when the internet was connected to our house via a 32.2k modem. Still slow, but now I could satisfy my desire for knowledge at home! I also discovered email and chat rooms and somehow ended up exchanging correspondence with a US Marine until he got posted to the Gulf (probably not the wisest thing I've ever done).
University brought huge changes in the role of internet in my life but it didn't become that integral as my Faculties continued publishing their own notes and forcing us to purchase them rather than download. Instead the net became the means to explore celebrity gossip and use a variety of instant messaging programmes such as tetranet Big Two and ICQ to communicate with friends. And of course a way to share our favourite music and to waste time while significant others were busy playing LAN games :P.
While I accept its role in my life, I curse my dependence on it for communication (oh god, life stopped when the email server went down) and deadlines are even scarier when you have to submit something online and you know everyone else is jamming it at the same time. Procrastination increasing multi-fold. The downgrading of print media. The constant threat of viruses...*sigh* But I appreciate the ability to see and speak to people on the other side of the world short of flying over there. How much easier it makes my working life and a myriad of other aspects. From my original dismissal to the present dependence, the internet and I have had a difficult relationship. I consider it akin to an abusive lover - capable of doing things to make me sing your praises to all and sundry, but never knowing when you're going to turn against me and make life hell. And yes, I see the irony in me posting this online