Movies Recently Seen

December 31st, 2006 screen

The second time my work computer showed a blue screen of death, I decided to leave the house for movies.

Borat – Every so often there would be roars of HO-HO-HO in the darkened theatre while I wondered what it was that had been funny. At parts, when I do get the joke, I am embarrassed by my reaction. An uncomfortable show.

Snowcake – Sweetheart of a movie. But Alan Rickman? Alan Rickman has too much on his face. I think the the role of Hughes needs someone with a bland face.

Stranger Than Fiction – Surprisingly dull, in spite of interesting premise.

A Good Dinner

December 25th, 2006 Uncategorized

Dinner menu today:

Roasted lamb – medium, close to well done. Some parts were bloodier and scared everyone. A grave pity because I had to chew through rubber the rib I took. The thyme didn’t come through. The potatoes that came with it were dry and horrible.
Pork knuckles – both aunts think it had too little fat and too much lean meat
Mayonnaise potatoes – the honey in the mayo made it a clear winner
Stewed duck – gained many points with the men in the house
Garden salad – lettuce was a bit limp I thought
Chap Chai (or Dap Tsai) – my aunt did a nice job of it, I thought. Others commented it could be better.
Baked Ham – wasn’t cut because there was too much to eat but everyone admired the fragrance when we divided it up at the end of dinner.

Kids had spaghetti -> mix of tomatoe and pesto sauce.
Rice was available.

Dessert and Drinks:
A Bordeaux that looked thick and bloody in its redness.
Choya Umeshu for the girls, who were very mild and had a glass each.
Eclairs and cream puff

Language barrier at a wedding recently

December 24th, 2006 Uncategorized

I was looking like the good bit of Cinderella. The hairdresser and beautician have exerted themselves. The oysters in the sea birthed shiny baubles for my ears and my neck. The dressmaker produced a dress worth the price it came with. Very comely, I was told.

I have not seen the lot recently. Instead of saying endlessly one after the other, how admirably gorgeous I look, the conversation turned to work. Which organisation do I work for?
For Charity, was my unuttered reply. My uttered reply was polite – I wouldn’t go as far as to say the truth but accurate.
So what do you do there?
To explain what I do at work takes too many words especially to those who are outside the industry.
Everything not customer servicing, I said.
The reaction is typical: what does everything mean?
Well, miscellany, to be more exact.
So what does your duty cover?
In a contact center, there are people who pick up phones, or supervises them, sends letters to customers, I would say.
Yes, yes, go on, the reply would come with impatience.
I do everything else.
Right. (Here the person is ready to put warm hands around my neck to give it a good shaking.) So what is your business title?
Finally, I would give up the multi-syllable punctuated monster with embarrassment.
Oh, BSBH, la.
Er-what?
Bao Sua Bao Hai.
Yes.

PR stunt?

December 24th, 2006 Uncategorized

Ther is a new show by Jack Neo slamming stat boards or civil servants. Having listened and watched the entire season of Absolute Power, I suspect it’s the part one of a wheeze.

DVD/Movies Recently Watched

December 24th, 2006 screen

Turning Pages
Delicious like eating cold sorbert on a rainy day. Not something that strikes the heart, however. There is something that i don’t get: why the delayed violence to the cellist? She needed thinking time? She was waiting for an effect? What?

The Holiday
Jude Law the Beautiful has never convinced me when he is onscreen with a woman. Jack Black looks like he’s dying to rip out of his decent, normal shell and do something crazy.

Night At The Museum
Makes me wish all museums are like that.

Nativity Story
Need a miracle to make an audience stay awake throughout.

Curse of The Golden Flower
Tries to be dramatic, turned out to be an eye sore – too much gold – although men would think eye candy. I found Gong Li brilliant and Chow Yun Fatt pretending to be a despot – he looks as if he is longing to turn on his usual charm.

Jeeves and Wooster (Seasons 1 to 4)
Having enjoyed the 4 omnibus lately released, I found that the pace for the show a bit too fast for me to luxuriate.

Absolute Power (TV Seasons 1 and 2; Radio – all seasons)
I love the radio series – which can be found here for download – by Mark Tavener for its devastating humour and general wickedness about BBC and Tony Blair. The TV series by comparison is as wicked as milk for the lactose tolerant.

House ( Seasons 1 and 2)
The most enjoyable part of this show is Hugh Laurie’s unexpected comedy – I hadn’t known about ABOFL before – and the medical mysterious. The manner of handling work relationships is incredible at times.