Selasa, Mei 29, 2007

basah

Tamu kuyup semalam
yang datang di lebat hujan
kuberi makan,persalinan
dan tilam untuk bermalam.

Bila reda hujan
dia menghilang.
Ditinggalkannya padaku
sebilah belati
tercacak pada hati

-Hashim Yaacob-

Khamis, Mei 24, 2007

blue & fresh

I am sitting in my room and looking outside through the window. What do I see? and what can I see? hmmm..yes, two municipal workers fix the street. I saw a white car parked exactly right in front of the restaurant (well, I do live in the restaurant). and the blue sky. green trees. with fresh air blows straight away to my face. yup, and that songs. the songs that I will never forget.

Selasa, Mei 22, 2007

thanks chrsitine

Dear Shah,

Don't go crazy. Relax and enjoy. After all, film is such a fascinating medium and there are reels to explore. I hope you have friends in Melbourne, to share all the wonderful things. Making friends is so important. I'm scared too. Writing a novel seems such a mammoth task, especially when theories must be explored. Sometimes I'm paralysed, then the only thing is to begin somewhere, and from small beginnings bigger things grow, and step by step the project takes shape. Molly is great. We had a super walk today. I studied the clouds, billowing anvils of surly cumuli nimbus against patches of blue; each mass was outlined from behind with brilliant silver -- anime sky. Molly was so happy to run and swim in the creek. The air was fresh but not cold.

Take care, Christine

Isnin, Mei 14, 2007

from christine

Dear Shah,

Thank you so much for the card. The picture is appropriate and represents the fear and thrill of jumping into the water (feminine) at the start of creative exploration.

Here is the title of a super book on your topic. I read it at the start of the year: "Melodrama and Meaning: history, culture, and the films of Douglas Sirk" by Barbara Klinger (1994). John McConchie showed us one of his melodramas in CINEMA AND FANTASY and we analysed his appeal. Sirk is kinda the father of Hollywood melodrama, but if you want another take on the subject, I adore the work of the Spanish director Pedro Almodovar. His films are very risky, but if you do not understand metaphor and representation as argument, you may be shocked. But some are beautiful compositions. My favourites are "Talk to Her" and his most recent "Volver" with Penelope Cruz. "All About My Mother" is wonderful and moving. In fact one of his films is on this Wednesday night on SBS. I think it is "Bad Education."

I must go and get some work done. It has been a full day. I saw Nick this morning about my proposal and range of reading. Then this afternoon I went to a professional development class on the Literary Review. However, English Thesis do not place such an emphasis on the literary review -- more on the exegesis to the creative product. Sorry the magpies do not sing for you. Molly had fun chasing the galahs today, even 'though it was raining. Yoyo tried to get into the bed last night. He must have been cold. Merry is well. The hair has grown back on his ears. They were patchy because of an allergy to summer grasses. In fact everyone is fine. I have a new computer with a large flat monitor, so I can see better. Sam has taken my old one. I expect we will not see as much of him now he can play his favourite game (Sim City) at home. (His laptop was not powerful enough or compatible or something).

Anyway, keep in touch.
Cheers,Christine

The word I hate most..

I think it has been a while for me not to update anything in my blogs due to my 'heavy duty' task at the moment. This task is certainly driving me mad sometimes. Perhaps, I shall stop to do my routine job next time and focus to something else which is more fun and probably reduce my stress. I talked to my mentor yesterday about what I have been doing in my research and suprisingly she even suggested many new ideas for me to think about. However, those suggestions will need me to refashioning my topics and again I have to read, read and read..argghh....this is the most thing I hate in this world but I do not have any much choices. So, I have to take this as part of my habits. Okay, stop talking this issues and lets start with another stories.

I watched Les Choristes (2004) a few weeks ago. It is a story about two middle-aged men, the renowned French conductor Pierre Morhange and an old friend, Pépinot, reminisce about their days at a boarding school for boys. For me this is a very good movie to watch. It shall make you smile in the beginning and cry at the end of the story. The main character, a music teacher Clément Mathieu really enlightened my soul about the sacrifiying of being the sincere educator. Meanwhile, in the next two days, all schools in Malaysia will celebrate Teachers Day. I still remember my previous school life in Kota Tinggi Johor. The most day which I shall not forget. Everyday I have to wake up about 6 am early in the morning to get prepared for school and everything. By 6:30, I have to walk about 2km before I reach the school with 30 cent (you know, duit belanja) for food during recess.

The class and the teacher, well..more affective rather than what our school kids have nowadays. Being a country school kids, as I was, I would never ever believe that myself shall be admitted to the prestige local university one day. I did not study very hard in the primary school and as a result my major exam was not tremendously went very well. For me, life is simple and we do not have to attempt for everything. When I was in secondary school, a few teachers of mine encouraged me and other students in my class to change our life as poor, hopeless country kids and become more passionate about knowledge and being useful humankind in the future. One of them whispered to me and said "life is a challenge and it is depend on you to make them good or bad".

I would like to thanks all the teachers who had responsibled to show me the right path and changed my life. I knew life is not easy as we might think but challenge is fun, really...for all my teachers out there..there is no much words to say here..thank you..so very much.