Small Bytes – The Singapore Shopping Spree :.

So I’m back from the small nation with the big population. It was just a weekender, much needed and well spent. I did the two things that I do oh so well, which is eat and shop. Not necessarily in that order.

It’s no surprise then that I came back with 6 pairs of shoes jostling for space in my suitcase. And now they’re jostling for space in my very, very full shoe cupboard. I know, I know.. I’m not competing with Imelda Marcos or Carrie Bradshaw here, but I have big feet, and when I find shoes that fit, I buy in bulk. And they were on sale too..  I know nothing I say in this paragraph is going to redeem me for the shoe splurge, so I say.. I don’t care, I’m happy.. I have happy hot heels.. And hey, this time last year, I bought ten pairs.. so I definitely cut down on the quantity this time! I will be one well shod senorita come raya.. even if I am gonna be all grinchy.
I did however drop a miniscule fortune in Guess. Very blingy, but worth it.. heh. I was trying on a pair snakeskin gold and silver lamé slingbacks in the Marciano store in Paragon, and I told myself, if they fit, I’m buying the matching handbag. A cinderella moment, chorus of angels and a smoking credit card later, I walked out with shoes and handbag, and a feeling of great satisfaction. I’m a bit surprised at my purchase, because I get creeped out by lizard and snakeskin textures on handbags and shoes, but I suppose since this was FAKE, FAKE, FAKE and there aren’t any super gold and silver snakes around, well, I guess fashion before phobia.

I’m in love with this huge black canvas handbag from prettyFIT. I’ve made the transition from trendy totes to scary shoulder bags! EEEK!  I remember my cousin telling me about the day when I will want a bag so big that I can fit my head in it, plus everything else I usually shoved in my handbag. The day has come! Oh Noes! Oh well.. what can you do.. I need lotsa room to fit in my sunglassescameraorganisercardholderwalletpendrivesnotebookpensmp3playermakeupbag. Yeah-huh. And there’s still some room to pack an extra pair of shoes and my cat.. Not that I would ever shove my cat in my handbag.. but it’s a nice thought that you can do so..

I confess to also dropping a small fortune on make-up.. *sigh* It’s not like I don’t have a large case of it already.. but I couldn’t help myself.. I just wanted to update my look anyway. I know Green is probably shaking her head at me. If I remember correctly, the last time she saw my make-up case, it was medium sized and full. Now it’s super-sized and full. Eep! Note to self : Must clean make-up brushes this week in anticipation of big events to come.

Yeah, like I said.. Singapore was all about shopping.. a few things did happen that I don’t want to go into, I have to think about it first. I did however get a gargantuan bruise on my knee (I am quite famous for these, because I can be Queen of Clumsy), from smashing my knee in front of the entrance of Takashimaya. It hurts like hell, and since it’s on Day 4, it looks very nasty. All purplish and angry. I hope it disappears by tomorrow. In the meantime, I keep forgetting it’s there, so when I kneel, I get jarred with a painful reminder.

I did eat quite a lot of snacks while I was there. I think I lived on either sugary or savory carbs.. which I honestly just enjoyed because there were some treats you just can’t get in Brunei, but I couldn’t help feeling a little self-concious because of the many walking stick figures around me. Not that it ever stopped me from greedily scarfing down pretzels and brownies, but it did make me pause for a second before I washed everything down with Mountain Dew.  I remind myself now, that I wasn’t built like a stick figure. I was built like an amazon warrior. Right now, I’m an amazon warrior on hiatus. When I get back to the gym though, watch out..

I will say this, all those stick figures were looking at me because I got one thing that’s all natural which they would probably cut themselves open for. That’s right, *grabs breasts* THESE BABIES! You know you want it, and I can flaunt it, you haven’t got it, so you just bought it! HAH!

Yes, I am reduced to juvenile taunting.. but hey.. it was a good weekend away. Tomorrow though.. back to the Monday grind. *SIGH!*

The New Frontier :.

Right, I was watching the Superman : Doomsday DVD extras and I am now totally excited about Justice League : The New Frontier, another DC direct to video feature animation, which will be released in early 2008.

JL : TNF  is set in the 1950’s and bridges the gap between the Golden and Silver Ages of comics in the DC universe. There will be a variety of characters in the feature, most notably: Superman, Wonder Woman (WOOO!), Green Lantern, Batman, The Flash and Martian Manhunter. Kyle McLachlan, Lucy Lawless and David Boreanaz will be playing Superman, Wonder Woman and Hal Jordan as the Green Lantern respectively.

So far, I think the actors chosen suit the characters. I know I had a lot to say about Anne Heche as Lois Lane, my complaints were justified when I watched the DVD extras. Heche put on a layer that was absolutely not needed in the voice acting. She overthunk it. And she blew it, as far as I’m concerned. But in that short feature, I felt that McLachlan really  was suited to be the voice of 50’s Superman. Considering that era, you need a completely different, performance, and I do believe McLachlan will live up to it.

I’m not quite sure about David Boreanaz as Hal Jordan. Besides Buffy and Angel, I haven’t seen much of his work. He’s hot and he does brooding well, but we’re talking Hal Jordan here. He’s a character of so many levels. I cried when he became Parallax and I wept some more when he sacrificed himself in Final Night. I know we won’t be seeing all of this in the film, but I will be expecting a lot from Boreanaz if he’s going to do Jordan right. Yeah, especially since we’re not going to see ANY of those brooding good looks.

I saved the best for last. Lucy Lawless as Wonder Woman. Lucy effing Lawless. THANK YOU! If I had to pick anyone to voice WW, besides myself, it would be here. Lawless has proven herself as a strong warrior woman character in ‘Xena’ and I have no doubt she will ‘bring it’ for Diana. Following the disappointing news that Jessica Biel might be cast as WW in the live action film, Lawless is WW’s saving grace. I would love to see her take the mantle of WW once, in real life, but the role  in the live action film needs to go to an unknown (like me for example!). Come on Routh did it for Superman Returns, I’m sure there’s plenty of unknowns (like me), who would give the character the layers needed (like me).

Right, fanboys and fangirls, mark your calendars for January 28th, because that’s when TNF hits the stores.. I so cannot wait already..

Doomsday is here (SPOILER ALERT) :.

After searching high and low, and scouring every reputable DVD shop in Singapore, I managed to get my hands on this movie.

Let me say, the packaging is fantastic. The one that I got has this holographic Superman bursting out of his chest shield. I had this movie less than 6 hours, and I couldn’t wait anymore.. I had to watch it.

At first wash, I was disappointed with it. Maybe it’s due to the fact that I have very high expectations for this, after all, it is one of the storylines that I treasure, and have pored over a thousand times. It is one of the most beloved storylines in all Superman history.

But after putting aside my initial reaction, and looking it objectively, it holds up as a pretty solid story. It is a partial re-imagining and a film adaptation of ‘The Death of Superman’ storyline. The DC Comics version was very detailed and had a rich tapestry, with a lot of sub-plots that had to do with 4 Supermen, a red haired Lex Luthor II, Supergirl, and Jonathan Kent, the Justice League but these were all trimmed out, to get to the essence of the story itself, which is the death of our hero, and how he prevails.

I liked the fact that the animation style they used in most of the DC cartoons these days, and the animation itself was amazing. The switching camera angles, and the use of CGI simply enhanced it, instead of being the focal point, which is all too often the case these days, unfortunately. I actually wonder how much of it was hand animated, because it was just so wonderfully done. The tone of the movie is definitely dark, and a lot of animated characters met their end in carnage, this is one cartoon you shouldn’t let the kiddies watch just yet.

Adam Baldwin and James Marsters were definitely brilliant casting choices for Superman and Lex Luther respectively. Baldwin, almost has three characters to play, and switches between them with slight nuances but makes each portrayal of the character individual. In one scene, where he is doing the voices for both Superman and his clone or, Dark Superman, the careful delivery did make it seem like it was two people talking. So kudos to Baldwin.

Marsters, and I do have a soft spot for him, does justice to Luthor, and portrays him, as I always imagined his voice to be, down to the exacting smugness. He is deliciously evil. The film almost takes Luthor to a new level, one of that he exacts personal physical revenge on Superman, and had it been a lesser or a weaker portrayal, would have been disappointing, but Marsters delivered well, and perhaps should be a defining point for all prospective players of Luthor. (Okay.. maybe that sounds too biased!)

I am disturbed by Heche as Lois Lane. Was it the fact that her voice was annoyingly grating or nasal.. or is it just that Heche’s performance felt like one emotion, almost bratty. A lot could have been done with the character of Lois Lane, especially with the romantic ties she has with Superman, but it was one dimensional at best. It didn’t help that her part of the storyline was the weakest and very misguided. The way the relationship between Lois and Superman felt artificial as the writers chose to play that Lois and Superman were seeing each other romantically, but Superman had not told her about his alternate identity, until the end.

Another casting choice I was disappointed in was Swoosie Kurtz as Martha Kent. Kurtz did give some emotional element to this, but again, I felt it was downplayed. The directors should have chosen a more mature voice for her. Another point that I’m sore with is that Jonathan Kent was cut out completely from this re-imagining, when he did play a pivotal part in the entire comic storyline. I honestly would have liked to see that in there, and it would have made a good hour and a half into an excellent 2 hour movie. I have one question, What happened to Doomsday after he died? It was almost like he was forgotten altogether even though he was the other main power player in the film. It was almost that after he served his purpose, he had melted away, giving him no more purpose than Deus Ex Machina. The writers should have given him some screen time after, or have his body disposed of. Superman had his funeral, Doomsday didn’t even get reburied? Unreal. Oh yeah, and the disturbing scene in a hairdressing salon, was a little shot, a good homage to the mechanical Superman would have been if he had ripped out the damned lead thing through his eye.

Despite that. Superman : Doomsday did satisfy my inner fangirl, with a creative and well told rewrite. It did serve the purpose of a stand-alone movie in all of the Superman franchise. I am looking forward to watching all of the DVD extras when I get back, to get a glimpse of what the producers were thinking when they decided to take on this distinct storyline.

Final Judgement: This gets a four out of 6 claws, a nice storytelling that should have been longer and more thought out, but done well, that Superman fans will be happy to have in their collection.

Eric Hutchinson – Rock & Roll :.

I just love this song.. I can’t get enough of it.. so much so.. I had to cross post this here.. hehehe.. Enjoy, my fair peeps.

Podcast casting :.

I spend wayy to much time on teh interwebs. For sure. Yeah, after the fasting month, I’ll go and start living proper and working out again. Meanwhile, it’s just the internet and DVDs.

Last night I was up ’til late with the aural society, as we were deciding on the cast for this soap opera podcast that we’re putting together. I was hoping to get one of the major parts, but I got a minor one instead, as the French maid. Well, apparently I put on a really good French accent, so good enough.

I just got into Podcasts over the last year, since I learned how to use the Podcast thingy in iTunes.. I mostly use it to download the Podrunner mixes (which are so fanatastically awesome, that you HAVE TO donate to DJ SteveBoy to keep his site running, and his mixes coming) but I got more involved when I started listening to fan made episodes of ‘Firefly.’ Listening to the podcast was like watching the show, that’s how well made it was, and it got me hooked. I wanted to know how to make them.. so I joined the society.

The aural society are a bunch of people who write and produce different kinds of podcasts, ranging from music related to loose continuations of your favourite cancelled TV shows. I have yet to convince them to do Stargate SG-1 though… and if they ever decide to do a ’still-live show’, I’ve got my heart set on being the voice of Teyla.

Now I have to find a quiet moment of the day which I can record my small, but significant part. The writers just sent me my script bits, and I have to figure out my delivery, and make sure that the ambient noise level is kept at a minimum so when they put the podcast bits together, it sounds all magical and radio-ish like we’re in the same room.

The one thing that is amusing me most about this is that I’m involved in a soap. I kind of hate soap operas.. they’re just so OTT, so my involvement in one is just… hilarious. Well, it gives me a better learning curve because you can overact just a little bit, it’s not a strict down and serious thing. I need to practice my french giggle. Apparently I’m having an affair with my boss and her husband.. and trying to keep the affairs from both of them…

This is going to be fun, if not just mighty interesting…

Cross Posting & a confession :.

I’m developing another site, atm.. What! you say, Another one!

Yup, another one. The great thing about this site is the sort of anonymity that it affords me. I am almost free to write what and how I want because unless you know who’s behind all this madness and ramblings, you’re really not sure. And you only know who I am, if you know who I am.. if you get what I mean. So I can write (whine) on and on about everything and anything.. and unless you’re really curious about who I am or I happen to be talking about you.. no one cares. My opinions go out into the black without so much as a whimper. People who think is worth reading will come back, others will just have wasted mere minutes of their lives. And for those who do come back, I am grateful.

My other site, (of which I will not post the address here, but you are welcome to ask me for it) came about because I realised earlier this month that I had a piece of gifted internet real estate which I had not done anything with for almost a year. So out of guilt, I installed wordpress and a photo gallery, and my plans are to keep a minimally functioning blog there, and photo albums full of pictures I have taken over the years, especially the ones during Hari Raya. So I’ll be giving out the address on little business cards so people can grab their pictures later on. The only thing that sux0rZ is that I’m not in very many of those pictures.. Well, good photographers (and bad ones like me) are rarely ever in their work..

So I’ve been taking posts from here and posting them over there, the not so opinionated ones of course. Because I need to put something there. That site is going to be very public, so I’d rather keep my more personal thoughts and opinions here. I am going to bore everyone with review and summary of every Stargate SG-1 episode.. hahaha.. Seriously.. I am. I’m just going to review all my favourite shows and movies there, and here maybe, if it’s cross-post-worthy.

Right I have a confession to make.. Yesterday, some asshat was parking in my space. I was tired, bad-tempered and freaking pissed, because I had a lot of stuff to carry, and I wasn’t in the mood for some ‘If the space is empty, just park in it’ shit.

So I may have ‘accidentally’ scratched his car…

It was a happy accident, my handbag has a couple of metal buckles on the front pockets, so as I was walking by the car, the buckle caught and made a little scratch in the paintwork.

Not my fault, but he was an asshat in the first place.

I wish it had been a bigger scratch though.

Special to me :.

Happy Teacher’s Day to all the teachers out there.. especially to the ones who have bent my brain and moulded it in directions I never conceived of when I was a student under their tutelage.

The rest of this post is irrelevant to teachers, it’s about a person who happens to be a teacher, who holds a damn special place in my heart because of our friendship, as weird as it is.

He doesn’t know how damn special he is.. and maybe it should stay that way. But he knows how much he means to me, I told him so.. many years ago, at Coffee Bean, when I told him I had a crush on him.

He knew all along of course, and he told me honestly, he just didn’t feel the same, but he told me that it was the bravest thing to do to tell him.. Of course I cried my eyes out in the car on the way home.. But, you know.. looking back, I appreciate that he was honest, and that he let me know that it was a  brave thing to do.

Our friendship has sort of cooled over the years, especially since that day.. but we remember each other on important days, like today, and on our birthdays, that are so close that it’s almost like we celebrate it together.

He is still very dear to me and though the feelings are not the same.. The love for him is still there, and now I only want him to find happiness.

For you, my friend.. though you will never know.. Happy Teacher’s Day. I love you. Take care.

Johnny Got His Gun :.

Here’s one f-ed up movie I would like to watch in 2008, ‘Johnny Got His Gun.’ It’s about a young soldier who got hit by an artillery shell on the last day of the First World War. A quadruple amputee who’s lost most of his face, his eyes, ears, nose and mouth, lies in a hospital bed, remains concious and able to reason. He struggles to find a way to communicate his wish to either die, or become a living display on the horrors of war.

Ben McKenzie, of O.C fame, bitch!, plays Joe Bonham, in this film adaptation of the stage production of the same name. I think it will be really interesting to watch, as this film has so many levels to it. It’s an anti-war, pro-euthanasia, pro-soldier film… and also takes on a stance of the individual moralities between science, religion, politics and medicine.

The play is essentially a one man show that takes place on an empty stage with only a bench and a wooden chair, and I’m interested to see how it translates on to screen. Even more so, I’d like to see Ben McKenzie pull off a really multi-tiered performance, which gives him a challenge for his acting chops than the O.C ever offered. (What? All he ever did on the O.C was brood, brood, brood, sulk and brood.)

Click on the picture to go to the movie website, and to find out more about the film.

1 of 750 :.

I think y’all know by now, I’m a Browncoat. A very proud one. And I like to collect stuff associated with Firefly/Serenity. A few months ago, I ordered one of the Limited Edition run of Serenity Blueprints, and I had been patiently waiting for the little yellow card that meant that I could go to the post office, and collect my precious. The months came and went, and I was sad.. because I was afraid they had gotten lost in the mail. The Post Office hadn’t let me down yet, and I was hoping they wouldn’t let me down this time either.

And they didn’t.. because I got a pink card in the mail today.. you know the ones that say 2nd Reminder, and I didn’t remember receiving the first card.. But I didn’t dare hope..

But when I saw the long poster tube coming towards me, I just hella excited.. Like little girl in a candy shop excited. I nearly squee-ed in front of the entire post office.

If you’re wondering what the big deal is, it’s this:

(click to embiggen)

It’s detailed blueprints of ‘Serenity’, signed by the creators, Geoffrey Mandel (Serenity graphic designer) and Tim Earls (Serenity set designer). Everything you would ever want to know about the beloved Firefly class ship.. and mighty useful, if you ever wanted to build a ship.. hehe.. Were I a rich girl, I would totally build a full size replica treehouse (or “treeship”) for me.. er, my kids to run around in.. Nah! Who needs kids.. just me, Me, ME!

There were 750 pieces in the limited edition, and I have one of them.. Which is really damn shiny.

My next pet purchase is going to be a set of Ship’s Papers.. you know.. in case I ever build that replica size ship, and some purplebellies from the Alliance decide to give me hassle..  For now I can only drool from afar.. Click here to check out the gallery..

No power in the ‘Verse can stop me!

Fame is such a fickle creature :.

That Chris Crocker video has gone VIRAL! As of now, the video has had over 8 million hits, and spawned a slew of spoofs.. Some notable ones being Perez Hilton, iJustine and my personal favourite, Seth Green, black eyeliner galore!

And to top it all of, the crazed ‘Brit Brit’ fan has scored interviews on American morning talkshows and on Jay Leno. INSANE.

Is this the nature of celebrity now? I mean, seriously, we pop some crazy video on YouTube, and BAM! You’re the next subject to be interviewed?

So bad black eyeliner + scroungy white shirt + beige sheet background + enormous wailing & crying = FAME!

Jeez.. I so need to get some of that..

(Warning: For all these vids.. I really suggest you turn the speakers down.. all these whiny voices could make you pop an eardrum.)

Closer To You :.

Let me state now, I totally hate Sienna Miller. But I love this video because it features two of my favourites, The Wallflowers and Hayden Christensen. I love Hayden.. butI I really want to scratch Miller’s eyes out.

Little Things :.

I like ‘the little things’..  Like:

… my Hello Kitty wallet – it looks like a grown-up wallet at first glance, but it just begs for a closer look

… the ‘Stargate:Atlantis’ decal on my laptop. It looks exactly like the ones on the show.

… my ‘Stargate SG-1′ U.S Air Force t-shirt. EXACTLY like the one O’Neill wore on Episode 3, Season 7 ‘Fragile Balance.’

… the picture of me and the R2D2 mailbox. In a Star Wars t-shirt no less..

… sushi and movies. Because somehow.. they work!

… eclairs. ‘Nuff said.

Then there’s the other little things that are associated with people. Like:

… someone who knows exactly how you feel and wishes for the same thing. And keeps you afloat when you’re down.

… someone who remembers your little quirks, like stress-eating or crazy cravings, or even the weird things you say.

… someone who gives hugs without asking. They just hug you when you’re happy or sad, or even sharing a moment.

… someone who gives you a funny nickname, which you really love because only that person is allowed to call you that in public, no matter how embarrassing it sounds.

… someone you share the best holiday memory in the world with. And no matter how many times you talk about it, it feels like it was yesterday.

Where’s the water? :.

Sometimes I feel like a flower without enough water.. I’m wilting..

I know it’s supposed to be the good month, and I’m supposed to behave. But is it wrong to just want someone to cuddle at night? Or rub noses with? Just take the pain of the day away.. Without some love and care, a person can wilt too.. just like a flower. You don’t notice it at first.. The leaves lose their luster, and then some of the petals begin to fall.. and by the time you remember to water it.. The bloom’s gone.. the stem has lost it’s ability to stand.. and it’s too late..

Some plants are hardy.. Like the cactus.. but it doesn’t mean that it still doesn’t need care. Others are delicate, like the orchid.. left in the blazing sun.. the plant will wither and die.. and if the roots aren’t free to sprout.. it doesn’t thrive.

It’s funny, if you water the plants too much, they die.. if you water too little, they die too..

I just feel like a flower thats planter doesn’t have a hole for drainage..  doesn’t get enough sun or water.. It’s a slow and tedious way to go.. Because you’re using up all the food in the leaves and they’re turning yellow and dropping off… You’re struggling to live, but even that is killing you.

Is there anyone kind enough to plant this flower back in the sun?

Small Bytes – Before Puasa Edition :.

I’m so jaded by the world lately. Not enough happy. Too much angry and sadness. Where is the happy, I don’t know. I miss the happy.

It’s Britney, bitch. After her disappointing performance at the VMA, you have to watch the video of her ‘SuperFan’ Chris Crocker defending what little left of Britney’s honour there is. To make fun of someone’s sincere tears is evil. But hella funny. And I need a laugh these days. Click here for video. Word of warning.. He/she/it wails something horrible, so turn down your speakers if you don’t want the dogs in your neighbourhood barking, and the cats wailing. My favourite bits : “two fcuking kids,” “SHE’S A HUMAN!” and “You mess with me..” Like yeah whatever. What are you gonna do, cry us to death? Cry me a river, bitch.

I’m doing a Bridget Jones and cutting down on my fag consumption. It’s not as painful as I thought. But still hard. Part of it is because my damn mouth still hurts so much from the root canal, it actually irritates me to smoke. And I stopped buying menthols.. and I damn do not like Lights.

Call me the ‘Grinch of Raya,’ because I’m not looking forward to it, AT ALL! If I could, I’d rather be elsewhere for Raya, nowhere that’s celebrating. I’m looking forward to Puasa.. but not Raya.. Worrying about bajus and what to serve and open houses and just stuff like that in general.. DO NOT WANT! I might not even have an open house this year. But people are welcome to request my famous ‘recipe so secret I have to kill you if I tell you’ lasagna for their open house. Will be happy to contribute. I’ll put XXXtra cheese even.. on top of the usual Xtra cheese I pack in there. Please form an orderly queue. Lasagna limited to one house per day.. while stocks last.

It’s funny how people can make you feel so small about yourself. Things like ‘you look cheap’ and ‘nobody likes you because you’re so selective about your friends’ and other assorted comments that makes one feel less than one’s worth. Damn. Yeah, I know, I shouldn’t believe everything that is said, but hell, like I said above, there’s not much of the happy in my life right now.

Oh, I should give mention iJustine. I don’t know if it’s for real, but apparently she got an Apple logo tattoo. Which is pretty nuts.. But that girl’s heart belongs to Steve Jobs. So I guess that’s more appropriate than signing his name across her heart. As for me, I’d get a Stargate Tauri Chevron tattoo.. or the Atlantis Patch.. yeah.. that would be like the 100th level of cool for me.

Okay.. well.. That’s it for today.. I dunno.. if my head’s on straight later I’ll give you guys something more to chew on. But for now, I’m just gonna go cry in my shower, alone. That’s nothing you wanna see on youtube.

Somedays, I feel like this :.

You might wanna just let it load first and watch from 00:52… Hehehe

And then there are those other days…

When I mean those other days, I mean when you’ve got a stick in your butt so bad other days that you need to be remotely stoned like Rodney to get through it..

That bad..