THE LAST SAMURAI

Tonight, I watched THE LAST SAMURAI with my friends. It is really a nice movie. Watching the movie, you will find out so many beautiful sceneries that reflect Japanese culture at that time and give pleasure to the senses.
I can not describe well the movie in english, but there are a few words about it being kept in my mind.
Honor
perfection
High-spiritual
strong-willed
courteous
noble
Besides, there are a few impressive parts in the movie. Such as, there is the special form of "conversation" between Captain Algren and Katsumoto which is very attractive. And, at the end (it is a very touching part of the movie), Captain Algren took the samurai sword (katana) of Katsumoto to the King of Japan. Too much..... but i can't type more details here due to my english level. If you are interested to know some of thie movie, please surf http://lastsamurai.warnerbros.com/html_index.php



Anywhere, the extremism of arrogance during World War II has overshadowed the traditional culture of Japanese which is so "beautiful". The negative image of Japanese has been rooted in many peoples' mind, especially those who used to suffer the colonization of Japanese. Yet, some of the Japanese nowadays are still arrogant. But, I think bad thing is harder to be erased from mind, so there are very little people who still remember the "beauty" of Japanese culture and spirit. Anywhere, I think it will be more pleasure if we look more on the positive side of it. Don't you think so? Sometimes, we should look for the positive parts of someone or something rather than criticize and keep on criticize and "remember" those negative parts. I, myself, always do the "criticizing part". It seems to be i am also the one who should improve more. ^_^

Samurai

Captain Algren : I am suprise to learn that the word , Samurai , mean "to serve". And that Bushido, The way of the warrior, is much more than the study of war.

Back to origin for a moment

What is CNY? Is it Chinese New Year? Then what is it? I read an article on Sin Chew Daily today and i think it is nice to share with my friends. I made a summary of it, i have tried to translate it as well as edit it. Hopefully, words beyond do mean the correct things and able to bring some convenienve to people.

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Nowadays, people are getting to forget and abandon the meaning of Chinese New Year. For many teenagers and citizens, enjoying CNY does not run away from watching tv programs, resting in house as if CNY is an extra holiday, traveling to foreign countries as if CNY is another travel season, etc. Thus, CNY is becoming lack in context and meanings, like it is just a form of materialism. For an instance, addicted to watch tv programs during CNY, thus TV3 (or NTV7 or whatever) becomes the lord of this special occasion, artists from entertainment field control the emotion of Chinese people. The question is, is it (watching tv, etc) the best way to look for joys of CNY? It may be economical and easy to fit your "need" without wasting much human source, but why don't you try to "work" out the atmosphere and the event to reveal the meaning of CNY for your family or younger generations? Materialism sometimes brings laziness.

CNY in tradition does mean a lot to Chinese people in the aspects as the reminder of culture, belief, love, spirit and other humanism values. But, it is being surfaced beyond context to be more popularized and more acceptable to everyone, the same happening on other festivals. Nowadays, regards from all can be easily sent to each other by email, SMS, phone call, etc. Technology brings convenience to contact people. World is being developed, value is being decayed. Faith and sincere is lack to be perceived in this kind of sending regard methods. Did you notice it? Or you did not, because you are also lost without noticing any changes around you.

Qing Ming; there is silence and contemplation. Zhong Qiu; there is old belief of myth and legends. Duan Wu; there is the reminiscence of history. Yuan Xiao, there is the pleasure of gathering together. CNY; is the sign of new coming, the mark of spring representing something new and good is coming to replace those which are old and bad, the resurrection of traditions. For this CNY, why don't we set apart modern world, and let us find out identity, as well as spending our time to get back to the origin (tradition) for a moment. Conservation doesn’t mean too bad.
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Bless to all. Wish to all. ^_^

Satisfied with what i have

(Written on 16th January 2004)

Yesterday, we (architecture students) submitted our first design studio assignment—an egg protector. We need to make a protective device for an egg, so that it can be dropped from at least 2-floor height and without being broken. I failed. But the “show” (by all of us) was really funny. Some protectors are too weak and not practicable due to the acceleration of the eggs and the gravity. And I have underestimated the dropping impulse caused by the gravity. Wasai, as a result, there is quite a lot of sticky, disgusting, liquid state yolk and egg white on the floor of the court yard. It left some cleaning work for the workers. A few of my friends, like Wen Liang, Joyce, etc, have done their good works with their creativity and intelligence. So nice.

My stupid work.

Tonight, I met the girl I love. I went to secondary school to meet her by taxi. Many taxi drivers nowadaays cheat, i have spent about RM30 for taking taxi go and back. Anywhere, today is a nice day.

Both of us actually did not chat very much, and we did not have some certain topics. So, we were actually just simply chatting (cincai chat), chatting about those which are not very important. Anywhere, for me, chatting is like that, chat anything without restriction. I felt quite happy ( kind of simple happy) and comfortable. That is, I feel comfortable and happiness while she is beside me. Feel like… no need too much “decoration”… ^_^ . She does not love me. But, I do not mind. Just being natural… let it be… what it wants to be… I can think of such positive way, because I have learnt from a sentence:

Do satisfied with what I have, do not blame what I do not have. (learn how to satisfied, you will be happier)

Oh ya! Happy Chinese New Year! And i won't online for more than one week, because i will be staying in hometown.

Malaysian

On Friday 9th of January, 2004, our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi reminded Malaysian to raise the level of understanding of our responsibilities and functions. He added, as long as we appreciate our roles, we will be on the right track.

Yesterday, I took Metrobus back to Subang. It was really a bad experience along the road. The bad attitude of the bus driver made me feel very unsatisfied and angry. There are too many people inside the bus, still the driver allowed more and more people to get in until the whole bus became like a tin of sardine. Ignoring the safety of passengers and his role to provide comfortable atmosphere, his bad attitude caused many of us kept blaming.

Today morning, Andy and I went to Leisure Commerce Square to get time table and have a rough understanding of the "geographic" environment. But our mission failed and purpose ended with disappointment and dissatisfaction. For those who thought Leisure has good facilities, the truth will tell you that there are neither good facilities (2 of 4 lifts were out of usage, no good discharge of water on floor, etc), nor indications of going which block. The most important thing to both of us was the door of the office of Taylor's College- School of Built Environment was locked! No officers inside! Today is Saturday, should have half day work, right? Maybe I am offending the school authority, but the truth must be voiced out.

This is fourth paragraph, the 3 paragraph above seems like irrelevant to each other. What I want to tell with those paragraphs is that a lot of Malaysians do not abide by the principle to appreciate their roles and take their responsibilities until consumers (we are students, but also consumers) lost their trust. As we are developing our country, social, races within the mainstream of globalization, at the same pace, we should not forget our identity or root and our attitude.

On the way back from Leisure Commerce Square, Andy and I have a conversation about the weakness of Malaysians. For examples,
i) Only half of the counters (or less) in fast food restaurants are available though consumers are lining up until the gate.
ii) Bus driver always wait more people to get in the bus though some of the passengers are already running out of time.
iii) Taxi drivers change the running rate of the meter to cheat passengers.
iv) Etc.
…
That is why I suddenly think of Guilin. What a big contrast between the people in Guilin and Malaysians.

Worry of the beginning

There is still one more week to go on for holiday before school open day. I wonder why Taylor's College authority made the choice to let us study one week and then go back to enjoy Chinese New Year.

Recently, i feel quite worry and anxious for my "coming study future" because i have done nothing relevant for my study field, like reading some architecture books, sketching, practising autocad, etc. Ohhh......... can i follow on the course when school open? Still, i am doing nothing about architecture field, unlike my friend dave, although i am quite free recently. The only best way to console me myself is that i don't need to wory so much because i am now "living" my life; for me, architecture exist because of "living", it is manipulated by human to suit life. So, i am touching architecture as i am living!?? This is the only "alasan" to "protect" myself ^_^. Or, i am trying to cheat myself. Honestly, i am quite lazy lar... -_-''' Compared to Dave, he uses his time so meaningful and effective to achieve his goal, seems like he is manipulating time to reach waste-zero. He becomes my "study model". ^_^

I am also quite "rubbish" for not doing something beneficial or meaningful. The best memory during my long vacation is the trip to China. Arghh... sometimes i blame myself why i have wasted so much time.

Now, i am waiting for something, something which is not so important, but something which i care so much. Can't imagine? Love, for instance, is like that something. Sigh... Besides, i have totally lost contact with the new friend i met in China.

2003 to 2004

2004-01-01
(yyyy-mm-dd)

Happy new year everyone. I have to announce something here that almost all of the photos in this blog can not be seen because i accidentally deleted my resource photo album online. A bit bad luck.

Yesterday, the last day of 2003, was quite a bad luck day. Early in the morning, i brought my younger sister to KL to have tooth check by specialist near Pudu Raya. Before that, we made a phone call as appoinment. But, after we reached there, the doctor was having holiday!!! Sigh... wake up so early to catch bus for what... Then, i brought my sister to KLCC as what she was arguing that no point if she go back to hometown without doing something meaningful. In KLCC, i could not buy movie tickets because there were so crowded in front of the cinema gate. Is this "new year effect"? After "lepaK" around for a while, we went to Pudu Raya and i let my sister take bus to go back to Tanjong Malim.

At afternoon, i went to Subang Jaya to keep my things in "new room" as fast as possible because i want to meet my friends later in KL. I made a few phone call to the girl i met in Guilin, China. She works part time as waitress in the restaurent. I was rejected by the receptionist to have a talk with her. Shit. Sigh...forget it. On the way to Subang Jaya and to KL, traffic jams were "everywhere". Again, is this "new year effect"? Sigh... i also couldn't go to find Dave because running out of time. The bad luck of the day ended after i joined with secondary school friends later, we went to celebrate coming new year in my friend's house where party was organised. Visky, steambot, rock music, watch fire works, ...etc. After that, we went to cyber cafe JS in Subang... play game until morning, until a new year morning. So tired the whole day... I have slept for few hours and have to wake up to develope those photos taken in China. The first day of 2004 is like this.