East Timor finally attains independence at midnight tonight!

Things I should get down to doing
- Throwing out old magazines. (If someone wants old copies of The New Yorker/Harpers, let me know)
- Closing down my OCBC and Bank of America account (both which I hardly use anymore)
- Get the stuff I wrote during the trip out.
- Do my resume
- Tidy up the bookshelves and sell off some of the old books.

Remaking Singapore: Any ideas?

Vidocq
A not so good film. Shot on digital video, it piles on style over substance. The story revolves around a legendary figure that wears a mirror-like mask stalking the streets of Paris. Vidocq is the investigator who is trying to track this virgin-sacrificing (is there any other sort?) killer down. The shots are beautifully done but there's an empty feel about it. Jarring camera effects just don't make a film; a good story does. Equally bad were the subtitles. When they hit something that could not be translated, all you saw was the error #NAME. Definitely affected the flow of the movie.

The Son's Room

An amazing film. An affluent Italian family loses a son in a diving accident and tries to come to terms with it. The first third of the film is slow and ordinary, but when tragedy strikes, it's a startling jolt. The family tries to cope with the weight of their loss but find themselves stranded. Eventually a letter from a girl whom the son met during summer camp paves the way for healing, though the journey is still arduous.

Never falling into easy melodrama, The Son's Room is humane and controlled study of grief and loss. In an age of ever-stupefying special effects and brain-dead plots, it's good to see a film that's touching and moving without slipping into bathos. *****

This is ridiculous. The CPF should know what's the right thing to do. Can't those guys in their plush buildings get it right? Hopefully there's enough public pressure for them to do the right thing.

Got through yesterday; too bad have to work today. A pretty packed weekend. Hopefully will get some time to do some writing done. I know what I'm targeting, and not sure whether I can get it, but it's worth a shot no? Someone did approach me to do a script but finding it hard to find time to do it, though her concept is quite interesting. Just not enough time. I'm too darn squeezed as it is and next week is yet another killer week. Thoughts of quitting resurface. What Singapore really needs is a writing fellowship program. Have been exploring some of those in the US. Too bad many of them require US citizenship or work eligibility.

Borrowed from Vaya:
Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. And hate leads to suffering.
- Yoda

Ok I think I've broken enough pencils.

There'd be smoke billowing out of my ears if this were a cartoon. People at work SUCK. Especially when you've run around doing them a favour.

Waking Life
It seems like everyone is sleep-walking through their waking state or wake-walking through their dreams.

Just got home
First time I've worked so late in a while. My colleague who stays in the same area has really been piling up the hours. It's his project, and there's too many things not in our control. Uncomfortably so. Hope all goes smoothly when the time comes. June is going to be a killer month that's for sure.

Listening to: Josie - Blink 182

Whoa. This article should certainly draw some flak.
Now, a new and enthusiastic entrant into the debate takes the argument to a different, altogether more controversial level. James Tooley, professor of education policy at the University of Newcastle, has written a book entitled The Mis-Education of Women, in which he posits a simple central thesis - that modern life is making women increasingly unhappy; diagnoses the reasons - their careers - and suggests a solution: they should all stay in the kitchen. He calls female unhappiness The Bridget Jones Syndrome.

In their prehistoric hearts, argues Professor Tooley, what women really want are babies and husbands, the Aga and the nursery - yet "equality feminism" disregards all that and encourages them into high-powered careers instead.

Now you can relieve all the fun games of your childhood! All the classics like Fling the Cow, Rock Paper Scissors Roulette and Spank the Monkey! Those three and 97 others, all part of FHM's 100 Greatest Online Games!

Inhuman Condition

Borrowed this book. It's been a while since I read Clive Barker. His stories of lurid, unapologetic horror really are good. The first story in The Inhuman Condition revolves around demons bound by knots. The next story, The Body Politic, is a what-if story about hands taking over the world, literally chopping themselves off the hands of owners. Bizarre and disturbing.

Weird search item of the week, part 2: iranian forgive me cards

Is Saddam looking for ways to apologise?

Weird search term of the week: Get rid of men boobies exercise.

Really.

Listening to: Summer Overture (from Requiem For A Dream) - Kronos Quartet & Clint Mansell

It was a strange experience to hold my nephew. Frail and small. So I'm an uncle now. I guess it still feels far away. Will I ever hold my own kid? Would I worry about every gesture? Every rash?

Anyway, sweet kid. Big nose. Some things do run in the family.

So much stinking red tape.
Sheesh.

Sis in law gave birth to a baby boy in the evening today. But she has an infection. Well hoping all goes well. Will go to the hospital tomorrow.

Tried to watch The 400 Blows but too tired. Going to sleep early. Been a day.

Coming home... not
What sickens me about this article is that it likens the desire NOT to come back to Singapore as a disease. It even includes a how-to-cope-list from a psychiatrist; like the desire to return home is a mental illness. Doesn't the ERC get it by now? Singapore needs fundamental changes. Jobs as unsatisfactory. They should push for Singaporeans to be true global citizens; those who can contend with working overseas while being here at the same time.

Secret Invaders
Downloaded Ad Aware from download.com and found a BUNCH of spyware and adware on my computer at work. Cleaning out my system at home now. That's the web for you. All this sneakware trying to gain access to your system. Wouldn't some of it be construed as invasion of privacy?

Gym remix
Been using the company gym. They have a stereo in there but some lame CDs. Thinking of burning a CD. Any suggestions for GOOD music to work out to?

Sea change
I actually don't dread the thought of going to work. Hmm.. maybe the break was good after all. Ask me in two weeks time.

My sister-in-law is about two weeks away from giving birth. Problem is, she also wants to see Star Wars. She's at the 'swallowed-a-basketball' stage right now and think it's not going to be easy for her to watch in theaters. (Maybe at the disabled seat?) She jokingly suggested to my brother to induce the baby so she could still catch the movie in time.