In Devil Beside You, Qi Yue almost became the basketball team's biggest Christmas joke when she knitted red mittens for Ahmong. According to Ahmong's friends, the top three worst Christmas gifts are:
1. soap
2. (boring) lamp stands
3. knitted scarves or gloves
As one of Ahmong's friends said, it even happened in Harry Potter when Ron's mother would knit sweatshirts for Christmas. "Even Ron could not stand it," he said and I almost fell off my chair laughing.
As for me, my top three worst Christmas gifts would be:
1. candles
2. mug
3. picture frame
But well, it's always the thought that counts.
(PS: The best Christmas fan gift would be if something happens to the real Qi Yue and Ahmong in Malaysia when they go and promote as Jia Di and Hou Da.)
I did some last-minute shopping today and I'm all set! I was passing
this shop called CC-00 (CC Double 0, which turned out to be part of the Jaspal group, a known Thai fashion brand) and the graphic shirt on the
display window attracted my attention:
"Reuse The News: recycling paper
may be the oldest technology in the world."
I'm seriously considering recycling some of our old magazine issues that are gathering dust in the stockroom and turn them into Christmas wrapper (of course I'd choose the festive ones; imagine a friend receiving a gift with the face of Kim Jong-il there for instance, might think that Santa Claus has changed face and costume). This is my little contribution to a green Christmas though that won't cancel out the carbon footprint I'd be making flying to Manila.
Are you making your contribution to a green world?
I finally got to watch Ang Lee's Lust, Caution, the edited version (this is Thailand). There were only four of us at the theatre (the first screening at 9:20am; getting up early on a weekend all for the love of Tony Leung and I didn't even get to see his body) so it felt like a private screening except that Lido is not really the nicest, most comfortable theatre in town but it's the only one that plays art and Asian movies with English subtitles.
Watching it was anti-climatic because I've read too many reviews as well as the short story where it was based on. I liked how Eileen Chang wrote it; there's no sex scenes in the story actually but the film did well with it because it showed the progression of the relationship between Mr Yee and Wong Chia Chi. So the story and the film complement each other although I like the story's ending better; I felt it was just more poetic but then, that's written word.
Tony Leung, can I say he's really a great actor? I didn't feel any sympathy for him except in the end and that's how it was meant to be. That crying scene was like wow. So subtle yet so powerful. Joan Chen must also be commended although the media thunder has always been taken by Tony and Tang Wei. But she played Mrs Yee elegantly. Then there's Tang Wei. Our China member has sent in her name for our annual yearender issue as the biggest name to emerge from that country this year. They are gushing about her and rightly so. First-time actress and an international buzz, nevermind if the film was scrapped from the Oscars, no wonder Zhang Ziyi is insecure.
I purposely reserved the last mention for Wang Lee Hom. Despite initial news coming from the movie set that Ang Lee was having a hard time with him because he did not know how to act, I was like -- what the hell are you talking about? His role as Kuang made the most impression with me. I vaguely remember how his character was treated in the story but that affection he had for Wong Chia Chi was all written on his face even without him saying it. The pain, the helplessness was just raw. So if he doesn't really know how to act, then Ang Lee is certainly a good director for taking that out of him. And Wong Chia Chi's line: "You should have done that three years ago. Why?" By then, I was thinking this story is about a ruthless collaborator and how he fell in love, but it is also about two young, idealistic students caught in the war and wanting to do something for their country and loved each other secretly, but that love was preceded and overpowered by all else. Tragic. I left the theatre thinking that and also wondering, would I have been scarred for life had I seen the unedited version?
Among other things, that is.
Blame it on KC Concepcion. Looking at Bayo's website makes me think their style have gone through a total makeover and somehow reminds me of Uniqlo. Here are some stuff that I hope would still be available by the time I arrive in Manila. FOUR DAYS TO GO!
Singapore, here we come!!! I can already see myself next year, barely able to breathe from the holidays (and the work that usually greets you in a heap after a vacation) and then it's off for Jay's concert. After things have been fixed (concert ticket mix-up, dates mix-up, flight nightmares etc etc), things are set.
Jay Chou, you watch out because your 29th birthday will be awesome and something you won't forget because you will be meeting us! I know I'm talking like a crazed fan
Now, it's time to study those tongue-twister songs. I wanna sing along to Sunny Otaku, Sweetly and Nocturne. And I still hope he gets to sing Jian Dan Ai and Orange Jasmine! I mean Jie Lun, it won't be complete without them so please, qing nin hao ma?
Countdown to homecoming: SIX DAYS TO GO!
Closing three issues of the magazine is no joke. So to relieve the stress, here's Aiba once more, brought to us by yunyunsnow. This is Volume 2 of the Engrish lessons with Aiba-sensei. Douzo.
"You don't take back what you have already delivered." -- Leaving Me, Loving You
(Trivia: I don't know how many times I have watched this movie but it was only last night I realised that Korean actress Lee Na-young plays a cameo in the movie as the lover of the tycoon.)
I was about to sleep when I saw this posted by yunyunsnow. I must say, hard work and good work on the video. It makes English fun. Ahh, now I can't sleep. Very danger! Aiba is just so cuticle. Oh and there's a part 2 but I'm reserving that for really bad days though I hope that won't have to come. But Aiba any day relieves stress.
I adopted this tradition from my first boss -- sending Unicef cards for Christmas every year. The choices here in Thailand, however, are quite limited and I don't want to be sending Thai-styled Unicef cards because well, they don't celebrate Christmas. Or I should say, they do litter the malls with spiritless Christmas trees, mainly to cater to the Western expats. I can't really blame them, after all, they don't understand what Christmas is all about. So back to the cards. I like the Philippine-themed Christmas cards because they show local culture and it would be interesting to send them to non-Filipino friends. But they are not available here so I have to make do with what I can get. I can be very ceremonial when I write my cards. I make a fuss about the pen I use in writing (even if it doesn't matter because my handwriting has gone from worse to worst every year, blame using the computer all the time for it). When Dec 1 rolled in, I set off to do some errands and ended up in a cafe in the middle of the city (I found The Patio at Isetan a nice place to do this) writing cards over lunch armed with my little red book where I
Oh, and sappy little Christmas song but it made me smile just thinking of this post's title.
Greeting cards have all been sent
the Christmas rush is through
but I still have one wish to make
a special one for you
Merry Christmas darling
we're apart that's true
but I can dream and in my dreams
I'm Christmas-ing with you
-- Merry Christmas Darling
