6 stories across 6 different times

Every so rarely are we struck by a film that haunts and enchants, begging to be revisited if only to increase the viewer's understanding of the story.

I had the chance to see Cloud Atlas yesterday and it blew me away completely. It is intricately woven together by stories that are vastly different but connected, at the same time. The idea of soul mates almost caused my eyes to betray my emotions (especially since it is a sore spot for me at this point in life) but filled me with hope.  

 

I loved the idea of the music of the Cloud Atlas sextet binding the stories together. The ebbs and flows of the piece corresponded to the highs and lows, and the moments of suspense and peace in each of the character's lives.

This is a story that I need to revisit. Now to grab a copy of the book!

"Our lives are not our own.We are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future." - David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas

I Like Me Some Wide Open Spaces

Ever since the government released a white paper on growing the population on our tiny little island-country to 6.9 million, I've been savoring every uncrowded moment. It feels a little ridiculous to import the numbers that the powers-that-be desire, and to try to accommodate everyone by importing sand to reclaim land. This baffles me and my inner-wild-child-who-longs-for-wide-open-spaces can no longer keep mum about this issue. Le sigh.

Because of that, I greatly appreciated my quiet little moment this morning, cradling a Starbucks mug while working in a uncrowded corner in town. The pleasures of telecommuting. No crowds! No jostling for space to stand! Alas, it was not to last, and people started streaming in as the clock continued to move towards noontime.

Less than two weeks to 2013!

The world reels in the wake of the Newtown tragedy. My heart continues to ache whenever I read news coverage about the incident and I find myself holding back tears. It is hard to believe in a benign creator of the universe when there is so much violence in the world.

I have been reading a lot these days now that I am left with a empty vacuum of time. It is amazing how much time lovers spend together; it is amazing how much of a presence my ex-other-half had in my life. And now, I am slowing rebuilding my life and learning to be happy and comfortable on my own.

Anyway, here are a few links to the articles that I have enjoyed reading lately (courtesy of Longform):

Why Go Out :A brilliant article on loneliness, being alone, and needing people.

Remains of the Day: Not quite "Happily Ever After". The nosy person in me had always wondered about couple life after the marriage vows.

"I am Adam Lanza's Mother": A Mom's Perspective on the Mental Illness Conversation in America: This reminds me of the harrowing read, "We Need to Talk About Kevin".

And we have less than two weeks left to the end of 2012! Time seemed to have zoomed by. Not that I am complaining. I have great plans for the new year and can hardly wait for all that is in store for me!

Two young lovers, in their kingdom by the sea

Finally managed to catch the much touted and the latest Wes Anderson film, Moonrise Kingdom. And I must say, it is such a refreshing change from the standard Hollywood fare that has been flooding the cinemas lately.

Moonrise Kingdom is a charming tale of a blossoming romance between two young outcasts, who were lucky enough to find each other. The film follows them as they run away from the adult world and into their temporal kingdom by the sea (somehow the scenes of them in Moonrise Kingdom reminded me of Edgar Allen Poe's poem, Annabel Lee). I cheered silently as the two young lovers emerged triumphant and managed to retain their autonomy despite pressure from society.

Wes Anderson managed to weave in the nostalgic charm of an older period, untouched by modern technology. I really enjoyed the film.

To love thyself

I have not been here much lately because I was dealing with disbelief and a broken heart.

How does one recover from a shattered dream? These days, I am amazed at my own ability to mask the inner turmoil and go on with life. I am amazed at the inner strength that pushed me to make a decision to leave.

But I know that one day, I will look upon this episode and smile because it was the right thing to do.

Three lines

They sit in quiet companionship,
each lost in their chosen book.
Yet their hearts beat as one.

Dim sum and a piece of sad news

As I was drafting another entry about my weekend in Hong Kong, I received a piece of sad news that a friend and her husband passed away in the recent Hong Kong Ferry accident.

I knew Mani from my exchange days in the University of Leeds. She was on exchange at Leeds Metropolitan University and we got to know each other from the pub opposite the university. Leeds is a university town so the more famous pubs and clubs (with the cheapest booze) were a common place for legions of students from different schools to gather.

I met up with the bunch from Leeds when I was in Hong Kong but Mani was not there because she was busy with her wedding preparations. During lunch, we pulled out our phones and checked her FaceBook page to look for her wedding pictures and chatted fondly of our time in Leeds.

Shortly after returning to Singapore, the girls told me about her demise. I am still in shock and my heart goes out to her family and friends. Rest in peace my dear Mani, you will always be in our hearts and minds.

You know how some people have their favourite places in the world, other than the place they call home? Well (quite obviously), Hong Kong is one of mine. The food is good, shopping is cheaper than back in Singapore, the shops open till late, and some of my friends are there.

Before my trip, I made plans to meet up with the girls from Leeds for dim sum at Tsim Sha Tsui (for the uninitiated, dim sum originated from the Cantonese and refers to Chinese food served in bite-sized portions). I was pleasantly surprised to see Dima there as well and learned that he just started working in Hong Kong and will be there for the next four years. Hong Kong seems to be the meeting place for my group from Leeds.

With the bunch from Leeds

On the topic of dim sum, I can never find a good place for that in Singapore that is comparable to any restaurant in Hong Kong! The prawns used are always large, bursty and fresh. So my travel companion and I had another round of dim sum at the Michelin star restaurant, Tim Ho Wan, just before boarding the Airport Express for our flight home. The cha siew bao (barbeque pork bun) was the best dish in my opinion, and this is saying a great deal because 1. I do not like pork and 2. I never eat cha siew baos back home. I was really glad that Tim Ho Wan opened at the Airport Express station! Two years ago, when I was in Hong Kong, the restaurant had only one outlet in Mong Kok and the queue was insane!

My travel companion and I at Tim Ho Wan