Fortune Forecast Lunar 2007

Chinese New Year is less than 3 weeks away and as we await the Year of the Pig, take a look at your fortune for the year ahead. If its good, hope it will turn out well as predicted, if it's not that good, tell yourself your life is in your own destiny so take this forecast as a pinch of salt, ok? :)


Oink Oink, do you know how you fare in my lunar year?

Oscars!

The Oscars nominations were just released yesterday! Here goes:

1. Best Picture:

"Babel," "The Departed," "Letters From Iwo Jima," "Little Miss Sunshine," "The Queen."

2. Actor:

Leonardo DiCaprio, "Blood Diamond"; Ryan Gosling, "Half Nelson"; Peter O'Toole, "Venus"; Will Smith, "The Pursuit of Happyness"; Forest Whitaker, "The Last King of Scotland."

3. Actress:

Penelope Cruz, "Volver"; Judi Dench, "Notes on a Scandal"; Helen Mirren, "The Queen"; Meryl Streep, "The Devil Wears Prada"; Kate Winslet, "Little Children."

4. Supporting Actor:

Alan Arkin, "Little Miss Sunshine"; Jackie Earle Haley, "Little Children"; Djimon Hounsou, "Blood Diamond"; Eddie Murphy, "Dreamgirls"; Mark Wahlberg, "The Departed."

5. Supporting Actress:

Adriana Barraza, "Babel"; Cate Blanchett, "Notes on a Scandal"; Abigail Breslin, "Little Miss Sunshine"; Jennifer Hudson, "Dreamgirls"; Rinko Kikuchi, "Babel."

6. Directing:

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, "Babel"; Martin Scorsese, "The Departed"; Clint Eastwood, "Letters From Iwo Jima"; Stephen Frears, "The Queen"; Paul Greengrass, "United 93."

7. Foreign Language Film:

"After the Wedding," Denmark; "Days of Glory (Indigenes)," Algeria; "The Lives of Others," Germany; Pan's Labyrinth," Mexico; "Water," Canada.

Judging from the list, personally I think some categories like Best Picture, Actor, Director can be quite widely contested. I have not watched all the films but the Academy can be biased towards certain type of movies and may award the winners based on that.

For Best Picture, I think it will be a toss between Babel and Letters From Iwo Jima. The Departed is adapted from Hong Kong Infernal Affairs, so to me, it lacks credibility. Doubt a movie on The Queen will get the votes from the American for Best Picture, was surprised that they select it as one of the nominees, maybe just give face to show they are netural, must surely give The Queen some face :) Little Miss Sunshine is a light hearted indie film, won a number of film festivals awards last year, usually Best Picture they give to some heavy weight films so doubt it will get the nods from the panels of judges.

My take on the Best Actress category: Helen Mirren, without a doubt!

I enjoyed Little Miss Sunshine and if you have watched it, you will agree with me the 10 year old girl gave a jolly good performance! Not surprised to see her in the nomination list cos there isn't many strong contenders. For the Best Supporting Actress category, other than Jennifer Hudson who won the recent Golden Globes, this 10 year old Abigail Breslin may give Hudson a run for the little statue.

As for Best Actor, Forest Whitaker won in the Golden Globes, so he may be the favourite to win again. Not sure if the Academy will give a nod to Peter O'Toole, after all he is quite old and he did not win for Lawerence of Arabia back then.

What a little kid can teach you

"Accept what's broken, fix what you can, and adapt to what you can't, and in doing so, you discover new joys in simpler things".

- From Mr Brown's blog entry

Its true what a little kid can teach you.
We look at ourselves, at the people around us, when did we NOT complain/grumble when things don't work or did not meet our expectations?

Like the little kid, perhaps we should try to be a little patient and try not to complain so much about things cos I believe to every problem, there will always be a solution.

What do people usually complain about ?
These are what I can think of:

We complain about the hot weather, complain about the rainy days, complain about waiting, complain things cannot work etc etc

Why dont we look at the bright side of life?

when it's hot, we can tell ourselves to try to stay indoors
when it's raining, we should be glad that the weather is cooling
when clothes/shoes/household things is torn/stained/spoilt, take it as an excuse to buy new ones lah :)
When you are waiting in a long queue to see a doctor, pay at the cashier, order your food, make use of the time, listen to your music player, play with your phone, call a friend etc and time will pass by easily and you won't feel the pain of waiting

Here's a positive song I would like to share. Enjoy!

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (from Monty Python)
- words and music by Eric Idle

Some things in life are bad
They can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you're chewing on life's gristle
Don't grumble, give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best...

And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life...

If life seems jolly rotten
There's something you've forgotten
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing.
When you're feeling in the dumps
Don't be silly chumps
Just purse your lips and whistle - that's the thing.

And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life...

For life is quite absurd
And death's the final word
You must always face the curtain with a bow.
Forget about your sin - give the audience a grin
Enjoy it - it's your last chance anyhow.

So always look on the bright side of death
Just before you draw your terminal breath

Life's a piece of shit
When you look at it
Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true.
You'll see it's all a show
Keep 'em laughing as you go
Just remember that the last laugh is on you.

And always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the right side of life...
(Come on guys, cheer up!)
Always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the bright side of life...
(Worse things happen at sea, you know.)
Always look on the bright side of life...
(I mean - what have you got to lose?)
(You know, you come from nothing - you're going back to nothing.
What have you lost? Nothing!)
Always look on the right side of life...

宁静而致远, 淡泊以明志

我在 三国演义读到诸葛孔明的这幅字, 感觉廷有意思的:

宁静而致远, 淡泊以明志

这应该是现代人忙碌生活的左右铭, ,面对喧嚣、残酷且无奈的现实生活, 平平淡淡才是最重要的.

Chinese

Lately I have been trying to do some catching up on my Chinese history knowledge. . Perhaps it was the awakening that China is opening up and I feel compelled to improve myself. As a start, I'm slowly taking steps to practise blogging in Chinese, start with a few sentences first then hopefully can write more next time. I have a Shanghainese colleague who joined my department last year and I make it an effort to speak to him in mandarin to brush up my language skills. Almost all of my other colleagues spoke to him in English cos he studied in the States and have no problem to converse in English. In my last trip to Beijing, I also conversed with my chinese colleagues there in mandarin, learnt how certain terms is said or used, cos you realise in Singapore, most of the time, our chinese is "rojaked" with our local dialect, making it neither here nor there, or half-past six :)

I am starting to read up on Romance of the Three Kingdoms 三国演义, not the original version but the comic strip :) I have the Chinese and the English abridged versions, shameful ah, but cannot 一步登天, to me, it's more important to grasp the knowledge first.

My Tarot card

You are The Hierophant

Divine Wisdom. Manifestation. Explanation. Teaching.

All things relating to education, patience, help from superiors.The Hierophant is often considered to be a Guardian Angel.

The Hierophant's purpose is to bring the spiritual down to Earth. Where the High Priestess between her two pillars deals with realms beyond this Earth, the Hierophant (or High Priest) deals with worldly problems. He is well suited to do this because he strives to create harmony and peace in the midst of a crisis. The Hierophant's only problem is that he can be stubborn and hidebound. At his best, he is wise and soothing, at his worst, he is an unbending traditionalist.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Got this from my friend's blog. Do the test and see what you are :)

Hanoi 河内似曾相识

昨天早报副刊的周游世界介绍了河内的名胜地.我和老婆在2005五月曾到哪儿度假. 河内风景迷人,若有机会,你应该去一趟.

河内似曾相识

文／摄影 巴特尔(2007-01-07)

踏上越南这神秘的土地，内心受到极大的震撼，不因为她的美丽，也不是因为她的文化历史；让我震撼的是，她总在不经意间透露出与许多中国城市的惊人相似。

1　陌生城市的熟悉感

　　对越南的最初印象来自清末的黑旗军领袖刘永福，当时他在越南名声很大，同时他也联合清军一同取得清末极其罕见的“镇南关大捷”，大败法国军队。

　　之后，看过很多美国兵在越南的“糗像”，这些武器先进的西方列强，被手持镰刀斧头的矮小越南人打得狼狈不堪，最后退回美国。那时候，越南在我心中留下很深的记忆。

这一次，亲自踏上越南这块神秘的土地，内心却受到极大的震撼，不是因为她的美丽，也不是因为她的文化历史，让我震撼的是，她总在不经意间透露出与许多中国城市的惊人相似。

　　在河内的几天，是名副其实地休闲度假，吃饱就出去玩，玩累了就吃。整个人闲闲散散地在河内大街小巷，那么漫无目标地游荡，却觉得特别满足，似乎内心的堕落和惰性本质，在河内逐渐蒸发出来，一发不可收拾。

　　这其实不是因为度假的休闲心态所引发的，而是因为在河内这样一个陌生语言，陌生文化的环境里，居然有种似曾相识的感觉。这里有许多的地方，许多的生活细节，像足中国的某些城市，某些时代，某些故事。

　　在河内的街道上闲逛，不用担心后面的人会用各种动作或声音，向你的慢吞吞步伐表示不满，也不需要担心会迷路，更不用担心治安。

　　河内居民悠闲，和中国的许多中小城市类似，无论是挑着担子做买卖的，或者是三五成群散步的，你走在他们的前面，都不觉得有压力，而且即使他们超过你的时候，也会对你很友好地笑笑。

　　河内的街道也很整齐，市中心方方正正的，一点也不难走，尤其是走在热闹的地区，想迷路都难。整个河内的街道简单平直，偶尔还会看到古城门，有点像中国的城市格局。

　　而且像很多中国的城市一样，在街道上奔驰着各种各样的交通工具，一路走一路大声鸣笛。走在街道两旁的榕树林中，一点都不觉得浪漫。

2　西湖的惊喜

西湖上停满了天鹅踏船。

　　来到河内才发现，这里居然也有个西湖。怀着猎奇的心情去，一看，简直和杭州的西湖是孪生姐妹。湖边种满柳树，湖中间停着供游客租用的天鹅脚踏船，只是没机会上船看看，是不是同一工厂生产。

　　西湖，史称金牛湖，素有“河内第一风景区”之称，是河内的著名胜景，也是河内第一大湖。

　　历史上，早在李朝定都河内时，西湖就已成为河内最著名的游览胜地，从那时候开始，历代封建帝王陆续在西湖周围建起许多寺庙、宫殿。湖畔的古迹至今仍有镇武观、镇国寺、金莲寺等。

　　如今，湖面荡漾的游艇，湖边飘拂的丝丝绿柳，沿湖路上盛开的鲜花，熙熙攘攘的游客和来往行人，都为城市增添了绚丽的色彩与活泼的生气。

　　走在西湖的岸边，聚集着许多下棋的人群，很多盘棋一起展开，围观的人也相当多，走近一看，原来是在下中国象棋！

3　胡志明陵的长龙

街边可见当地人蹲坐尝小吃。

　　胡志明陵位于河内的巴亭广场，巴亭广场是越南举行重大政治集会与大型活动的场所，熟悉的感觉令人联想到北京的天安门广场。

　　广场两侧是以陵墓为中心向两边展开的巨大观礼台，胡志明当年就是在这里宣读《独立宣言》，建立了越南民主共和国。

　　胡志明陵附近已于1991年建成胡志明博物馆，里面气势恢宏，图片、实物极其丰富，装饰也颇具现代化，这里展示胡志明自出国寻求报国之路，到他给越南人民写下具有历史意义的遗嘱的各个时期的活动。

　　胡志明的遗体同中国的开国领袖毛泽东一样，安放在水晶棺中，保存完好。去的时候刚好赶上越南的国庆节，在主席陵墓外排队的人群多得骇人，于是只能放弃这次机会，满怀遗憾地拍了广场和陵墓外观的图片。

　　在广场漫步，红旗飘飘，行人三五成群聚坐在广场上闲聊，几乎就是天安门广场的翻版故事。

4　文庙与镇武观

巴亭广场的胡志明陵。

　　在进入文庙之前，绝对没有想到在河内居然有一座纪录中国科举制度，在越南风行一时的盛况。

　　位于河内文庙街的文庙古建筑群是河内最重要的古迹。文庙坐北朝南，占地2万6000多平方米，气势恢宏。文庙的大拜堂正中高悬着一块写有“万世师表”四个大字的汉字匾额，匾上注明是“康熙御书”。正殿内设有孔子供桌，两侧奉祀中越两国先儒。

　　目前文庙的建筑大部分是17世纪黎朝的建筑。尽管经过多次重修，但文庙仍然保留着其古老的特色，保存着许多古老的文物。每年春节，文庙总是要举行几天十分隆重的祭祀活动，还要举行书法、下棋、吟诗、斗鸡、斗鸟等文化娱乐活动。

　　文庙以保存的“进士碑”而闻名，一只只活灵活现的石龟昂着头，驮着这一块块雕工精细的进士碑。

　　第一块进士碑已经被驮了500多年，这以后，每一次进士考试，便竖起一块石碑。在越南的历史上总共进行了110多次进士考试，由于战 乱，现在河内文庙只存有这82块进士碑。每块碑上部标有科举考试的时间、碑文的撰者、书者、雕刻者以及考取的进士名单。每一块碑不仅有重要的历史价值，而 且集书法艺术、雕刻艺术于一体，让人叹为观止。

镇武观，典型中国建筑

　　镇武观（Quan Tran Vo）位于巴亭广场以北，靠近西湖和竹帛湖。始建于公元11世纪李朝年间，是升龙三大观之一，也是河内最大的道教宫观。

　　步入观内，仿佛来到武当山的古道观内，熟悉的感觉扑面而来。观内有铸于1681年的“镇武真君”青铜像。像高3.7米，重达4吨。铜像立于一石龟背上，右手执一宝剑。

　　就连道观的传说也和中国的神话故事一般，越南人的传说是，从前有一九尾湖精，为害百姓，玉皇大帝派天神下凡，用神剑和法术镇伏湖精。越南历代君王均到此施法镇妖，这里是属于皇家的道观。观内古色古香，附近大树参天，环境清幽。

　　道观保留了许多连中国都已经开不到找不回来的古代文化遗产，这是我喜欢这座道观的最关键因素。

小小分享：从一罐可乐　看餐馆价位

　　去河内游玩，千万不要以为越南是比较落后的国家就一定“便宜”，如果你稍微大意一点，就可能有面对账单时的“惊讶”。

　　和刚刚开放的中国城市一样，去餐馆点菜要特别小心，因为许多经营餐馆的“个体户”还不知道如何正确面对改革开放，不知道如何留住来河内参观的游客，所以时常会出现猛“宰肥羊”的现象。

　　我在河内的几天找到一个小小的秘诀：去餐馆用餐，看菜单时，注意看我们最熟悉的可乐的价钱，一般上，价格公道的餐馆，可乐的价钱都少于一元美金，如果高于一元美金的菜单，其他菜的价格也同样偏高，有时候一餐的价格甚至贵过新加坡酒店的消费。

　　所以，在点菜前，看到可乐的价钱，就有了一个心理准备，如果你很有钱，当然没有问题了，如果你的旅程是要“斤斤计较”的就要选择那些可乐价钱少过一元美金的，那么一餐下来，新加坡钱20至30元就能吃得很满足了。

　　就以著名的越南咖啡来说，一杯咖啡能有多贵？常常是想也不想就坐下来点一杯，结果一天在一间小小的街边咖啡馆被狠狠地“宰”了一刀。结账的时候，发觉一杯咖啡比平时餐馆的还要贵上3倍左右。

Pass it on

A new year has begun, I have been clearing leaves since 26th Dec and will get back to work coming Friday. During the last few days, I have started to do some spring cleaning. I went through my wardrobe and took out some of the old ones that I have "over-worn" :) During the Xmas and NY period, I managed to grab some good and cheap buys and they come in handy to replace those old ones. Some of these clothes are still very much in wearable condition and I will be passing them to my cousin, see whether he wants any of them or not. Have told my aunt that if there are any that my cousin do not fancy, I will donate them elsewhere.

I remembered when I was young, I will ask my mum to check with my aunts if my elder cousins have any clothes in particular tshirts that they do not want but still in good condition. I will "inherit" them and wear them at home or as casual wear. Also, whenever school term closes, I will also ask my cousins for their used textbooks, assessment books etc. I do not mind them being old at all, in fact I prefer it as my cousins will usually jot or highlight important stuff to take note of.

As I grew up, I somehow "evolve" to have a garung guni nature, haha. I start to collect old stuff, from stamps, first day covers, to CDs, DVDs, postcards, magazines, books ... the list goes on. Sometimes I will trouble my friends to help source for certain old CDs from flea market or ask them to get the Krisflyer magazine when they are flying.

You'll probably think "oh gosh, his house must be filled up with garage!" :) Well, I have mellowed over the years and have since gave away, sold away some of the stuff that have been collecting dust over the years. I find it very wasteful to throw away things like that so when its my turn to give away stuff, I will always choose the "pass it on" way, will try to find who needs what and will donate them. Just last night, I managed to bring out my kitchen wares, lay them out on the kitchen floor and go through with wife see which ones we do not need anymore. Managed to find an inheritor :) and have placed the goods nicely in a box and will pass it to my friend over the weekend.

With CNY just around the corner, and more spring cleaning to come, I hope you will do the same and help donate the unwanted stuff to someone who may need it more :)