1) Sometimes, you will feel that life sucks.
2) During these moments, remember that regardless as to how badly life sucks; Ninja Assassin sucks even more.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Movie Review of Ninja Assassin - The Exotification of "The Orient"
1) Sometimes, you will feel that life sucks.
2) During these moments, remember that regardless as to how badly life sucks; Ninja Assassin sucks even more.
The Sadness of Mr. Kim, Mr. Park, and Miss Lee
If you are a fan of Korean pop culture, you know what I mean when I say that K-dramas, music and music videos are ridden with a sadness that goes beyond the average tear jerker material we see in North America. Admittedly, on occasion, I enjoy melancholy slice-of-life dramas, ballads and music videos that use subtle storytelling to impart an important moral or lesson. However, Korean popular culture is different in its execution of these entertainment products. The decision making minds behind the production tend to take things to unnecessary extremes to guarantee the audience's tears.
Without giving away the plot, a perfect case in point is the 2002 music video for Kiss' hit song: Because I am a Girl. When I saw this video, I was in shambles. Hey, I admit it. It touched me. To see if others would be affected, I did a little screening of my own. First, I showed it to an Egyptian immigrant only 5 years new to this country. His teary eyed response to me was, "My friend, why the hell do you show me this? It's so sad". I was not expecting a teary-eyed Egyptian. No, especially not this particular Egyptian, anyway. I had seen this man laugh out loud at the most bizarre situations where shock and awe would have been more appropriate.
For my second trial, I showed my coworkers - this time, females who were all non-Asian. They cried. They ran back to their desks and tissues were blown and sniffles discretely carried out. One women came back to me shortly after in a half-mock angry manner, asking: "You ass! How could you show me something so sad!?"
Let's not forget the Korean movies and dramas where viewers are introduced to characters who not only deal with external and inner conflicts, but also death and grieving; a lost love; tragic mishaps; unparalleled disappointments; painful missed opportunities; and unfair, cruel karma. In the world of the typical K-drama, anything that can go wrong for one person throughout five lifetimes is condensed, concentrated, and concatenated into the segment of one character's tortured life.
The plots are often silly and mostly ridiculous, and yet, for some reason, Asia seems to welcome all this Korean angst and melodrama with open arms. The Korean entertainment export is big business in Vietnam, Philippines, China and Japan. Someone told me that Mexico has now caught on to the "Korean Wave" and the whole country was quite mad over one of the many depressing K-dramas out there. Hollywood is buying rights for reproduction to unbelievably exaggerated K-movies, like My Sassy Girl.
Often, I am asked, why are Korean dramas and music videos so sad? Why is it that every drama has a scene where one of the characters is drinking alone while in the background, the musical score is some heart-wrenching ballad where the artist is on the verge of an emotional breakdown? Initially, I had no definitive answer. I never really thought about it, actually. Since this time, however, I have given it some thought and believe anyone can understand where Korea's sadness stems from if they review its short 53 year past.
Consider Korea's sad and tragic history
Throughout Korea's history it was constantly invaded by foreign powers. The need to defend its waters from unwanted visitors saw the rise of a 16th century Korean military hero named Yi Soon Shin who quickly became the talk of legend. However, in 1910 the Japanese finally managed to successfully invade and conquer Korea. At this time, the peninsula of Korea was intact (there was no North or South Korea). For 35 years, Koreans were forced to speak, read, and write only Japanese. Korean was strictly forbidden and had to be spoken in secret. The Korean people were all given Japanese names. They were to be assimilated into the Japanese empire, effectively becoming a colony/expansion of Japan.
When the Japanese got ahead of themselves and bombed Pearl Harbor, the Americans dropped the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki which led to the immediate surrender of Japan. With this surrender, Korea was free from Japanese rule.
With Japan's defeat, the Koreans who suffered near assimilation thought themselves free and held public victory celebrations. Many proudly paraded the Korean flag they had to respect and honour in secret for so many years. The celebrations would not last.
In that same year, Korea was divided into two parts: North Korea and South Korea. For the entire history of Korea (we're talking thousands and thousands of years), it was always one country - different kingdoms existed, but they all existed as Korean kingdoms. Now, without consulting the people of Korea, the United Nations, the United States of America, China and the Soviet Union decided to separate the country into two. This resulted in the separation of families. Brothers and sisters, parents and children, husbands and wives...all separated from one another.
Five years after this divide, backed by the Soviet Union, the Chinese and North Korean forces launched a surprise invasion of South Korea. Just when the Korean people thought things couldn't get any worse, it did. Does this not sound like a sappy K-drama plot?
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After the Korean War, in 1950, South Korea had a lower per capita GDP than Sri Lanka. To say Korea, at that time, was impoverished is a severe understatement. It was without a doubt one of the poorest countries in the world. This was 1957. Think about it. It's now 2010. Do the math, that's only 53 years ago. Those born and raised during that time would now be 53+ years old and hopefully, still living a wonderful life.
The Japanese occupation of Korea left a scar on the hearts of many Koreans. For such a proud race to admit defeat is not easy. This part of Korea's history is one that is very difficult for many to swallow. During this time, many atrocities were committed by the Japanese military. Furthermore, the division of its country by outside powers was just as hard to swallow. The painful separation of Korea affected families and caused a lasting grief on the psyche of the Korean nation as a whole.
So, when a writer, producer or director - who was born and raised in this difficult, Japanese occupied and war-torn era - creates a narrative for a movie, drama or even a music video, perhaps you can now understand why there is so much unending sorrow and sadness laced within.
Whether you can relate or not, if you enjoy the touching, exaggerated, highly-unrealistic story lines, more power to you! What matters, in the end, is that you are entertained. And if your boyfriend, husband or girl friend is confused as to why you're crying so much, let them have a taste and start them off with that music video I showed my acquaintances! That one tends to do the trick!
For my second trial, I showed my coworkers - this time, females who were all non-Asian. They cried. They ran back to their desks and tissues were blown and sniffles discretely carried out. One women came back to me shortly after in a half-mock angry manner, asking: "You ass! How could you show me something so sad!?"
Let's not forget the Korean movies and dramas where viewers are introduced to characters who not only deal with external and inner conflicts, but also death and grieving; a lost love; tragic mishaps; unparalleled disappointments; painful missed opportunities; and unfair, cruel karma. In the world of the typical K-drama, anything that can go wrong for one person throughout five lifetimes is condensed, concentrated, and concatenated into the segment of one character's tortured life.
The plots are often silly and mostly ridiculous, and yet, for some reason, Asia seems to welcome all this Korean angst and melodrama with open arms. The Korean entertainment export is big business in Vietnam, Philippines, China and Japan. Someone told me that Mexico has now caught on to the "Korean Wave" and the whole country was quite mad over one of the many depressing K-dramas out there. Hollywood is buying rights for reproduction to unbelievably exaggerated K-movies, like My Sassy Girl.Often, I am asked, why are Korean dramas and music videos so sad? Why is it that every drama has a scene where one of the characters is drinking alone while in the background, the musical score is some heart-wrenching ballad where the artist is on the verge of an emotional breakdown? Initially, I had no definitive answer. I never really thought about it, actually. Since this time, however, I have given it some thought and believe anyone can understand where Korea's sadness stems from if they review its short 53 year past.
Consider Korea's sad and tragic history
Throughout Korea's history it was constantly invaded by foreign powers. The need to defend its waters from unwanted visitors saw the rise of a 16th century Korean military hero named Yi Soon Shin who quickly became the talk of legend. However, in 1910 the Japanese finally managed to successfully invade and conquer Korea. At this time, the peninsula of Korea was intact (there was no North or South Korea). For 35 years, Koreans were forced to speak, read, and write only Japanese. Korean was strictly forbidden and had to be spoken in secret. The Korean people were all given Japanese names. They were to be assimilated into the Japanese empire, effectively becoming a colony/expansion of Japan.
With Japan's defeat, the Koreans who suffered near assimilation thought themselves free and held public victory celebrations. Many proudly paraded the Korean flag they had to respect and honour in secret for so many years. The celebrations would not last.
.png)
The Japanese occupation of Korea left a scar on the hearts of many Koreans. For such a proud race to admit defeat is not easy. This part of Korea's history is one that is very difficult for many to swallow. During this time, many atrocities were committed by the Japanese military. Furthermore, the division of its country by outside powers was just as hard to swallow. The painful separation of Korea affected families and caused a lasting grief on the psyche of the Korean nation as a whole.
So, when a writer, producer or director - who was born and raised in this difficult, Japanese occupied and war-torn era - creates a narrative for a movie, drama or even a music video, perhaps you can now understand why there is so much unending sorrow and sadness laced within.
Whether you can relate or not, if you enjoy the touching, exaggerated, highly-unrealistic story lines, more power to you! What matters, in the end, is that you are entertained. And if your boyfriend, husband or girl friend is confused as to why you're crying so much, let them have a taste and start them off with that music video I showed my acquaintances! That one tends to do the trick!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Slice of Life - Moments that Make You Think Twice
Here's what happened...
Me: "Okay, everyone, please point and click on these various tabs and just notice that every time you point and click to a new tab, you get a new set of options." The class is following along. No issues.
Me: "Now, here's what I want you to do. I don't care which tab, pick any one. Point to any tab." I demonstrate on my own computer. I then scan the class to make sure we're all on the same page and what do I see?
There is a woman sitting in front of her computer monitor, literally pointing (with her finger) at a tab on her monitor screen.
Me (inner monologue): *...??????* *Is she mocking me?* *I don't believe it...Is she for real?*
Upon realizing she is not trying to be funny, I feel sorry for this person.
Me (whispering to her ear): "I'm sorry, I should have been more clear. Take your mouse and use that to point to your tab." After this exercise, I let the class go for lunch.
I've done silly, and sometimes, very very stupid things in my life...but this person just made me realize there are others out there who blow my antics out of the water. I just had to share this slice of life moment.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Don't you people have any work to do?
Article copied from: https://secure.globeadvisor.com/servlet/ArticleNews/story/gam/20100206/RWORKOUT06ART1823
The guy in the next work space just loves to whistle while he works. The one on the other side has a ring tone on his cellphone that would wake the dead. Then there's the gabby group of women who lean over your desk chattering endlessly about their kids - when one of them isn't dashing off with your stapler or leaving stained coffee cups in the communal kitchen sink. And from across the aisle, there's a lingering pungent aroma of ripe gym bag.
If annoying habits of your workmates are getting on your nerves and making it impossible for you to concentrate, you're not alone. Even minor irritants from office mates seem to be magnified these days as a stressful workload keeps employees chained to their desks, the experts say.
IT'S GETTING WORSE
Canadian workplaces are plagued by workers with annoying habits, and the problem has been getting worse in the past year, says Linda Allan, president of management consultancy Linda Allan Inc. in Toronto.
"In the downturn, workloads went up and everyone is under more pressure. The result is there's less attention paid to how people behave, and a lot of cubicle conduct has really slipped," she says.
Visiting clients in their offices, Ms. Allan has witnessed people talking loudly on phones or watching video clips on their computer, with the sound blasting loudly, even though there were others around them.
"I'm seeing more cubicles with leftover food that's been sitting for days than I ever did before," she says. "And I've even seen stinky hockey bags under desks."
******
HOW ANNOYING ARE CO-WORKERS?
One in five U.S. employees say that co-workers have at least one habit that drives them crazy, according to an MSN Zogby poll.
In another study, a whopping 96 per cent of 900 U.S. and Canadian workers said that they regularly get annoyed with a co-worker's rude or obnoxious behaviour, with 48 per cent saying the annoyances were a drag on their productivity. Because of this, 12 per cent said that at some point in their career the offensive behaviour of co-workers was a factor in their decision to quit a job, according to the study's author, Christine Pearson, professor of management at the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Ariz., and co-author of The Cost of Bad Behavior.
So annoying are some of the habits of colleagues that nearly two in five of workers - 39 per cent - feel like they don't fit in where they work, according to a new survey of 5,231 U.S. workers by job site CareerBuilder.com.
What kind of behaviour bugs them? Seventeen per cent said they are irked by "know-it-alls;" 15 per cent by people who "kiss up" to managers; 12 per cent by co-workers who are always late or who leave early; 10 per cent by chatterboxes who share every detail of their lives; and 7 per cent by office gossips.
*****
ARE YOU THE ANNOYANCE?
While you're busy complaining about the people around you, have you ever thought you might be the problem?
The irritant:
Your sounds and smells.
Why it's annoying:
You may think your whistling is musical or your sweat smells natural, but both may be overpowering to others.
Advice:
Do a reality check with trusted colleagues about your talking, whistling and aromas.
The irritant:
Constantly offering unsolicited advice.
Why it's annoying:
Others will perceive that they're not living up to your expectations.
Advice:
Opine only if asked.
The irritant:
You're X-rated.
Why it's annoying:
Controversial topics and suggestive language aren't appropriate in any office.
Advice:
Tone it down or save it for happy hour with friends.
The irritant:
You play the "top this" game.
Why it's annoying:
People feel demeaned when you one-up every story.
Advice:
Listen to others.
The irritant:
You can't wait until the day's over. Every day.
Why it's annoying:
Clock-watching is panic-making for those on a deadline and contagious for those who aren't.
Advice:
Button it up or the boss will question your work ethic.
Source: Careerbuilder.ca .
*******
TWO TAKES ON ANNOYING OFFICE HABITS
PET PEEVES
60% Gossip
54% Others' poor time-management skills (personal phone calls, surfing the Internet)
45% Messiness in communal spaces
42% Potent scents (perfume, food)
41% Loud noises (speaker phones, loud voices)
28% Overuse of personal electronic devices in meetings
22% Misuse of e-mail
Source: Randstad USA, 2,429 U.S. workers, 2007
ANNOYING HABITS
27% Loud conversations
11% Loud/annoying cellphone ring tone
6.9% Leaving the kitchen a mess
6.4% Eating smelly food
5.9% Shouting across the room
4% Taking my supplies without asking
Source: MSNBC live online poll, 6,857 responses
*****
END THE SUFFERING
Show patience:
Everyone is under pressure, so a one-time offence may just be an oversight. Raise it as an issue only if a problem persists.
Keep it private:
Discuss your concern in person, out of earshot of others.
Show respect:
Raise the issue with the words "you may not be aware of this but... .
Ask for input:
Your prescription may just increase the conflict rather than coming up with a remedy.
Ask for a move:
Consider seeking a desk relocation.
Take it upstairs:
It should only be a final measure, but if the problem persists, ask if the boss or HR department to act as mediator.
******
WHAT NOT TO DO
Hold grudges:
Seeking revenge or playing a prank on the person who stole your lunch will invite retaliation and the annoyance of others.
Pick a bad time:
When you're angry or facing a crunch, a confrontation can escalate. People tend to be most receptive at the end of the day or workweek.
Make it a debate:
If tempers flare, walk away and suggest later that you get mediation from a co-worker, or supervisor.
Assume it was deliberate:
Often the offender hasn't realized there was a problem.
Put up with it:
If the behaviour is persistent, you have to deal with it.
Sources: Linda Allan and Jacqueline Whitmore, president of The Etiquette Expert Inc. in Palm Beach Florida
****
If annoying habits of your workmates are getting on your nerves and making it impossible for you to concentrate, you're not alone. Even minor irritants from office mates seem to be magnified these days as a stressful workload keeps employees chained to their desks, the experts say.
IT'S GETTING WORSE
Canadian workplaces are plagued by workers with annoying habits, and the problem has been getting worse in the past year, says Linda Allan, president of management consultancy Linda Allan Inc. in Toronto.
"In the downturn, workloads went up and everyone is under more pressure. The result is there's less attention paid to how people behave, and a lot of cubicle conduct has really slipped," she says.
Visiting clients in their offices, Ms. Allan has witnessed people talking loudly on phones or watching video clips on their computer, with the sound blasting loudly, even though there were others around them.
"I'm seeing more cubicles with leftover food that's been sitting for days than I ever did before," she says. "And I've even seen stinky hockey bags under desks."
******
HOW ANNOYING ARE CO-WORKERS?
One in five U.S. employees say that co-workers have at least one habit that drives them crazy, according to an MSN Zogby poll.
In another study, a whopping 96 per cent of 900 U.S. and Canadian workers said that they regularly get annoyed with a co-worker's rude or obnoxious behaviour, with 48 per cent saying the annoyances were a drag on their productivity. Because of this, 12 per cent said that at some point in their career the offensive behaviour of co-workers was a factor in their decision to quit a job, according to the study's author, Christine Pearson, professor of management at the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Ariz., and co-author of The Cost of Bad Behavior.
So annoying are some of the habits of colleagues that nearly two in five of workers - 39 per cent - feel like they don't fit in where they work, according to a new survey of 5,231 U.S. workers by job site CareerBuilder.com.
What kind of behaviour bugs them? Seventeen per cent said they are irked by "know-it-alls;" 15 per cent by people who "kiss up" to managers; 12 per cent by co-workers who are always late or who leave early; 10 per cent by chatterboxes who share every detail of their lives; and 7 per cent by office gossips.
*****
ARE YOU THE ANNOYANCE?
While you're busy complaining about the people around you, have you ever thought you might be the problem?
The irritant:
Your sounds and smells.
Why it's annoying:
You may think your whistling is musical or your sweat smells natural, but both may be overpowering to others.
Advice:
Do a reality check with trusted colleagues about your talking, whistling and aromas.
The irritant:
Constantly offering unsolicited advice.
Why it's annoying:
Others will perceive that they're not living up to your expectations.
Advice:
Opine only if asked.
The irritant:
You're X-rated.
Why it's annoying:
Controversial topics and suggestive language aren't appropriate in any office.
Advice:
Tone it down or save it for happy hour with friends.
The irritant:
You play the "top this" game.
Why it's annoying:
People feel demeaned when you one-up every story.
Advice:
Listen to others.
The irritant:
You can't wait until the day's over. Every day.
Why it's annoying:
Clock-watching is panic-making for those on a deadline and contagious for those who aren't.
Advice:
Button it up or the boss will question your work ethic.
Source: Careerbuilder.ca .
*******
TWO TAKES ON ANNOYING OFFICE HABITS
PET PEEVES
60% Gossip
54% Others' poor time-management skills (personal phone calls, surfing the Internet)
45% Messiness in communal spaces
42% Potent scents (perfume, food)
41% Loud noises (speaker phones, loud voices)
28% Overuse of personal electronic devices in meetings
22% Misuse of e-mail
Source: Randstad USA, 2,429 U.S. workers, 2007
ANNOYING HABITS
27% Loud conversations
11% Loud/annoying cellphone ring tone
6.9% Leaving the kitchen a mess
6.4% Eating smelly food
5.9% Shouting across the room
4% Taking my supplies without asking
Source: MSNBC live online poll, 6,857 responses
*****
END THE SUFFERING
Show patience:
Everyone is under pressure, so a one-time offence may just be an oversight. Raise it as an issue only if a problem persists.
Keep it private:
Discuss your concern in person, out of earshot of others.
Show respect:
Raise the issue with the words "you may not be aware of this but... .
Ask for input:
Your prescription may just increase the conflict rather than coming up with a remedy.
Ask for a move:
Consider seeking a desk relocation.
Take it upstairs:
It should only be a final measure, but if the problem persists, ask if the boss or HR department to act as mediator.
******
WHAT NOT TO DO
Hold grudges:
Seeking revenge or playing a prank on the person who stole your lunch will invite retaliation and the annoyance of others.
Pick a bad time:
When you're angry or facing a crunch, a confrontation can escalate. People tend to be most receptive at the end of the day or workweek.
Make it a debate:
If tempers flare, walk away and suggest later that you get mediation from a co-worker, or supervisor.
Assume it was deliberate:
Often the offender hasn't realized there was a problem.
Put up with it:
If the behaviour is persistent, you have to deal with it.
Sources: Linda Allan and Jacqueline Whitmore, president of The Etiquette Expert Inc. in Palm Beach Florida
****
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
I Can Take the Hits, Insults & Condescension; Just Don't be Nice to Me
Prologue
Growing up is tough. So much uncertainty is involved as you struggle to gain self-awareness, self-esteem and direction. This is especially true if you lose your Father at an age when having a strong male figure is comforting to children entering manhood. Friedrich Nietzsche once said: That which does not kill you makes you stronger. In my case, it can be argued this adage proves true. Life became more of a challenge, and to deal with it, I had to take the hits and roll with the punches - figuratively speaking, of course. How does a young teenager handle such a load? He doesn't. He picks himself up and continues - all the while thinking the pain he feels is just life and something to be endured. The result of this Orwellian "I will work harder" attitude is a mindset that is too busy to see clearly because it is constantly on "survival mode" and a heart pretending to be encased in granite. In short, you expect life to hit you hard so you're always braced for that sudden blow; ever ready to absorb the punishment - not quite understanding why others don't seem to fall prey to the same difficulties as hard, or as often, if at all.
You learn to enjoy the little things in life and try to revel in any small victory that might fall your way because such rare rewards don't last. You learn to trust only yourself. You learn to navigate, steer and maintain the ship on your own. Family and blood ties are no guarantees for support...because, sometimes, those who are closest to you are the ones who can potentially hurt you the most. Everyone is an enemy unless proven as a friend...but even then, human nature being what it is, keeps you alert for that potential future betrayal and treachery. Kindness and gentleness are gifts that are given to others but never received. These are luxuries - no - dreams that have no basis in reality.
This is how a fourteen year old handles his unwanted lot in life. He follows Darwin's road map for survival any which way he can; all the while deluding himself that he is tougher than any of the ordeals he has faced and must eventually face... alone.
Summer, 2003 (The First Time: A Forceful, Overwhelming Hit that Touched)
Me: Are you hungry? You want to eat something yummy? I'll treat you to whatever you want - just make sure it's under $5! ;-)
Sun: *smile* (shakes head)
Me: Did you want to go somewhere fun? Any place in mind?
Sun: *giggles* - You're always asking me if I want to eat something yummy, or if I want to go somewhere special...it doesn't matter what I eat, or what I do, when I'm with you, I'm happy. ;-)
Me: -------- [unexpected devastation, chaos, confusion] --------- [lightness, feeling overwhelmed, unwanted and sudden tears] ---------
Nothing I faced - no adversity, no conflict, no ridicule, no condescension - was able to affect me up til this moment. All my hardened defenses made tough by years of trials and tribulations, were all destroyed in moments by the sincere, honest and kind words of a petite, tiny girl.
Winter 2009 - 2010 (Christmas, Birthday and Chinese New Year Celebrations: The 1-2-3 Knock Out)
1 - The Jab - Christmas: My friends were so very considerate to me this Christmas. The invitations I received to attend and join their family celebrations; the gifts; the sharing of their dinner tables, the smiles and the laughter. They have me against the ropes!
2 - The Cross - My Birthday: This year was somewhat special to me. In all honesty, I don't know why...perhaps as I get older I am more appreciative of my friends and value them even more than ever...this birthday, they gave me even more love than I thought I could ever receive from people who were not related to me. The gifts, although appreciated, weren't important when compared to the thought that they made time for me and went through the trouble of planning dinners, wrapping gifts...oh boy, now my knees are shaking and I'm ready to go down for the count!
3 - The Hook - Chinese New Year: My good friends invited me to celebrate with their family for Chinese New Year. First, the invite alone had me staggering looking for the ropes. Then the genuine acceptance and kindness of every one of their family members to someone who is an outsider like me...well, that just did it. I went home overwhelmed with an inability to deal with so much acceptance, kindness and gentleness that I had to shut down and sleep for 4 hours.
These events, one after another in such a short period pretty much made me a mess. It's so strange how I can deal with an extreme amount of negativity and hostility - not so much anymore, but still, I can quickly toughen up mentally and do what must be done to survive...but this type of unexpected, genuine warmth and sincere kindness...it just kills me and I don't know how to deal with it.
If I was a robot, I'd blow up screaming "Does not compute! Does not compute!".
It makes me laugh when I think about how they might react if they only knew how deeply their random acts of unassuming kindness affects me.
I am so touched that it hurts. This is not a bad thing. I have a renewed sense of sincere appreciation for my friends. If the quality and quantity of ones friends could be a reflection of financial wealth, I am certain I would be one of the richest people in the world.
You learn to enjoy the little things in life and try to revel in any small victory that might fall your way because such rare rewards don't last. You learn to trust only yourself. You learn to navigate, steer and maintain the ship on your own. Family and blood ties are no guarantees for support...because, sometimes, those who are closest to you are the ones who can potentially hurt you the most. Everyone is an enemy unless proven as a friend...but even then, human nature being what it is, keeps you alert for that potential future betrayal and treachery. Kindness and gentleness are gifts that are given to others but never received. These are luxuries - no - dreams that have no basis in reality.
This is how a fourteen year old handles his unwanted lot in life. He follows Darwin's road map for survival any which way he can; all the while deluding himself that he is tougher than any of the ordeals he has faced and must eventually face... alone. Summer, 2003 (The First Time: A Forceful, Overwhelming Hit that Touched)
Me: Are you hungry? You want to eat something yummy? I'll treat you to whatever you want - just make sure it's under $5! ;-)
Sun: *smile* (shakes head)
Me: Did you want to go somewhere fun? Any place in mind?
Sun: *giggles* - You're always asking me if I want to eat something yummy, or if I want to go somewhere special...it doesn't matter what I eat, or what I do, when I'm with you, I'm happy. ;-)
Me: -------- [unexpected devastation, chaos, confusion] --------- [lightness, feeling overwhelmed, unwanted and sudden tears] ---------
Nothing I faced - no adversity, no conflict, no ridicule, no condescension - was able to affect me up til this moment. All my hardened defenses made tough by years of trials and tribulations, were all destroyed in moments by the sincere, honest and kind words of a petite, tiny girl.
Winter 2009 - 2010 (Christmas, Birthday and Chinese New Year Celebrations: The 1-2-3 Knock Out)
1 - The Jab - Christmas: My friends were so very considerate to me this Christmas. The invitations I received to attend and join their family celebrations; the gifts; the sharing of their dinner tables, the smiles and the laughter. They have me against the ropes!
2 - The Cross - My Birthday: This year was somewhat special to me. In all honesty, I don't know why...perhaps as I get older I am more appreciative of my friends and value them even more than ever...this birthday, they gave me even more love than I thought I could ever receive from people who were not related to me. The gifts, although appreciated, weren't important when compared to the thought that they made time for me and went through the trouble of planning dinners, wrapping gifts...oh boy, now my knees are shaking and I'm ready to go down for the count!
3 - The Hook - Chinese New Year: My good friends invited me to celebrate with their family for Chinese New Year. First, the invite alone had me staggering looking for the ropes. Then the genuine acceptance and kindness of every one of their family members to someone who is an outsider like me...well, that just did it. I went home overwhelmed with an inability to deal with so much acceptance, kindness and gentleness that I had to shut down and sleep for 4 hours.
These events, one after another in such a short period pretty much made me a mess. It's so strange how I can deal with an extreme amount of negativity and hostility - not so much anymore, but still, I can quickly toughen up mentally and do what must be done to survive...but this type of unexpected, genuine warmth and sincere kindness...it just kills me and I don't know how to deal with it.
If I was a robot, I'd blow up screaming "Does not compute! Does not compute!".
It makes me laugh when I think about how they might react if they only knew how deeply their random acts of unassuming kindness affects me.
I am so touched that it hurts. This is not a bad thing. I have a renewed sense of sincere appreciation for my friends. If the quality and quantity of ones friends could be a reflection of financial wealth, I am certain I would be one of the richest people in the world.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
A Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
It is rare that one can recommend a book before he has actually finished reading it. But such is the case with A Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. My fascination with Lincoln started with an interest in a few of his quotes. Some of my favourites are listed here:
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
Abraham Lincoln
He can compress the most words into the smallest ideas of any man I ever met.
Abraham Lincoln
If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?
Abraham Lincoln
If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee.
Abraham Lincoln
It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues.
Abraham Lincoln
Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.
Abraham Lincoln
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.
Abraham Lincoln
No man has a good enough memory to make a successful liar.
Abraham Lincoln
You may deceive all the people part of the time, and part of the people all the time, but not all the people all the time.
Abraham Lincoln
When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad, and that is my religion.
Abraham Lincoln
This then led me to research his life and career in depth. The man I discovered fascinated me and soon after, I became hungry to learn more about him. What really drew me in was the fact that certain aspects of his life was very much akin to mine in terms of his personal finances, the death of a parent in youth, and the necessity to depend on no one else but himself. He was a self made man. There were no parents who guided him with connections, wealth or influence. Everything he had was the result of hard work. Nothing was ever given to him.
This book tells the story of Lincoln's rise from the eyes of his competitors, or rivals, as they are referred to in this saga. It is written in a the same story-telling manner as the History Channel documentaries. This increases the reading enjoyment even more. It lacks the boring and stuffy academic tone which, in my opinion, is a good thing.
I'm still not done as it's quite the read - not just in terms of the number of pages, but in the breadth of the content and the web of characters involved in telling their tales. I've started to highlight some parts and this has now become a study of love. If only I could take it with me to the gym and read while riding the bike...but I don't want to sully the book with my sweat.
For those of you who want to read an interesting and perhaps inspiring work of non-fiction, this is an option I'd recommend you consider.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Flattery or Insult? Perhaps a Bit of Both?
Below is an email I sent to my friends about an incident at the gym.
My friends thought it was funny so I am posting it here. It's just a slice of life story - one of many that seem to occur in my life. Enjoy.
********** cut/paste************
date Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 8:25 PM
subject I guess I should be flattered ...but...why do i feel so insulted?
As many of you know, I designed a t-shirt as a tribute to one of my greatest mixed martial arts heroes: Fyodor (Fedor) Emilianenko. The t-shirt design came out of frustration at the ugliness of the Affliction goth style t-shirts that - thank goodness - are now fast losing its popularity...possibly due to the introduction of my design? Ho ho ho.
Anyhoo, so I've been getting seriously flattering reviews and friends have offered to pay for their own custom prints - of course at cost for my friends! But as expected, Russians are taking notice since my tshirt has 'Cyrillic' on both the front and back.
I just got back from the gym after my fitness class.
Here's what happened. As the class ended, I picked up my mat and lethargically moseyed on over to drop off the mat against the pile on the wall. In the background I heard "Excuse, me". There were 30 people in the class so I didn't think I was being addressed. The "Excuse me" became louder and more aggressive as I dragged my tired feet closer to the pile of mats. Finally, an older Russian man in his 50s cut me off and stood in front of me very excited and almost frantic, as if he ran 10 miles to catch up with me.
He looked at my shirt and asked: "Where can I buy this shirt?" [heavy Russian accent]
Me: "I'm sorry. You can't. I designed this so there no where you can actually buy it."
To my reply he looked somewhat disappointed then asked me: "You watch his fights?"
Me: "Of course! I'm a huge fan. I didn't like any of his t-shirt designs so I made this one as a tribute. I've been watching him right from his days in Japan!"
The cold blue Russian eyes did a quick survey of my physique and I was expecting a compliment - something along the lines of, "I can tell you also train in marital arts, you have a good build"...or perhaps I was expecting "You look like you train in something too."
Instead, you know what I got?
"I can tell you train like him [Fyodor], look at your ears. You have the ears."
WTF!? For those of you who are ignorant about MMA, the catch/insult here is that training in jujitsu and/or wrestling messes up your ears. Some of you may have heard the term "cauliflower ears" (do a google image search under this term for pics). Quite literally, people with ears like this look like they suffered years of "ear" torture at the hands of pissed off North Koreans.
My inner monologue screamed: "I was born like this, you ass! Sheesh!"
I was tired and hungry...I managed a smile and walked away feeling both complimented/flattered (about the recognition my t-shirt received), but insulted about his comment on my ears.
Just thought I'd share this slice out of my life with you guys. Nothing to do but smile about it, right?
My friends thought it was funny so I am posting it here. It's just a slice of life story - one of many that seem to occur in my life. Enjoy.
********** cut/paste************
date Thu, Jan 21, 2010 at 8:25 PM
subject I guess I should be flattered ...but...why do i feel so insulted?
Anyhoo, so I've been getting seriously flattering reviews and friends have offered to pay for their own custom prints - of course at cost for my friends! But as expected, Russians are taking notice since my tshirt has 'Cyrillic' on both the front and back.
I just got back from the gym after my fitness class.
Here's what happened. As the class ended, I picked up my mat and lethargically moseyed on over to drop off the mat against the pile on the wall. In the background I heard "Excuse, me". There were 30 people in the class so I didn't think I was being addressed. The "Excuse me" became louder and more aggressive as I dragged my tired feet closer to the pile of mats. Finally, an older Russian man in his 50s cut me off and stood in front of me very excited and almost frantic, as if he ran 10 miles to catch up with me.
He looked at my shirt and asked: "Where can I buy this shirt?" [heavy Russian accent]
Me: "I'm sorry. You can't. I designed this so there no where you can actually buy it."
To my reply he looked somewhat disappointed then asked me: "You watch his fights?"
Me: "Of course! I'm a huge fan. I didn't like any of his t-shirt designs so I made this one as a tribute. I've been watching him right from his days in Japan!"
The cold blue Russian eyes did a quick survey of my physique and I was expecting a compliment - something along the lines of, "I can tell you also train in marital arts, you have a good build"...or perhaps I was expecting "You look like you train in something too."
Instead, you know what I got?
"I can tell you train like him [Fyodor], look at your ears. You have the ears."
WTF!? For those of you who are ignorant about MMA, the catch/insult here is that training in jujitsu and/or wrestling messes up your ears. Some of you may have heard the term "cauliflower ears" (do a google image search under this term for pics). Quite literally, people with ears like this look like they suffered years of "ear" torture at the hands of pissed off North Koreans.
My inner monologue screamed: "I was born like this, you ass! Sheesh!"
I was tired and hungry...I managed a smile and walked away feeling both complimented/flattered (about the recognition my t-shirt received), but insulted about his comment on my ears.
Just thought I'd share this slice out of my life with you guys. Nothing to do but smile about it, right?
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The Matching Belt & Shoes, and the Approval of the Curious Stranger at Tim Horton's
So, I'm standing in line at the Tim Horton's downstairs from my office when my eyes meet the gaze of an older woman - Caucasian, approximately in her 50s, dressed in conservative business attire. Without looking away, and with no abashment, she gives me the up and down assessment. Noticing that the colour of my ecco shoes were matching the colour of my belt, she met my stare again and gave me a little smile. She didn't say that she noticed it, but she didn't have to; her smile was enough.
I felt embarrassed, yet flattered that she noticed and acknowledged my pathetic proletariat attempt at fashion.
Hope you smiled at this like I did. Typing while fighting fatigue from hell.
A Night Out @ Guu Izakaya
So this is the restaurant that's making waves with the Japanese food lovers in Toronto. I had the good fortune of eating here on my bday celebration and thought I'd share the evening review with everyone.
The Menu
So here it is, the menu.
At first glance it's overwhelming and looks like there's no organization...but as my friend cleverly figured out, there are headings for everything along the edge of the pages - ex. Appetizers, Salads, etc...
I didn't like this as it took away from the authenticity but I guess they have to cater to the needs of the Canadian market. Izakaya has no specific sequence of courses you should abide by...it's order what you want, when you want. Adding the western style categorization, however, is a necessary evil.
As you can see the menu looks like little coupons that have been pasted together with the perforated/dotted lines that border each dish description. Some descriptions are very slim and not easy to picture (no visuals unless you look around the room to see if anyone is actually eating what you are considering). I hope these pictures, courtesy of my friend, helps everyone get a sense of the colours and detectability of each dish.
View from the back bar
My friend and I drank it at room temp. It was delicious!
1st Item: Beef Carpacio (Off Special Menu)
Both my friend and I liked this dish! Two thumbs up!
Make sure you guys get this one.
*One minor critique: The beef carpacio was kinda cold in the middle. Almost to the point of tasting like it was just barely, slightly, frozen. Yes, I know, there is a technique that requires you to actually refrigerate the beef carpacio BEFORE cutting the individual pieces, but ours wasn't just cold. There was definitely a slight, slight bit of freeze that needed to be thawed a little more at room temperature. Regardless, I still enjoyed it!!!
2nd Item: Vancouver Shrimp Sashimi (Special Menu)
I don't even like seafood but I really enjoyed this one.
The shrimp was raw, but it had no smell and tasted creamy, sweet and rich. I sucked the hell out of the head b/c that's where all the flavour is!
3rd Item: Miso Soup
I liked it and so did my friend. It had a nice 'earthy' flavour that had depth. Sip and know this is not the powdered mix that Jtown uses when you order the Father's meal with chicken.
Ok, I'm making it up...I don't know what they used to make this, but this is a higher standard in miso soup cookery, I say! ;-) I recommend it.
Sake!
We ordered the largest Japanese decanter of the bottle standing to the left. It was nice. Really sweet without being overwhelming; nice delicate balance.
4th Item: Takoyaki! Mon Favorie!
I was not disappointed. They were good. I think my partner in crime that night REALLY liked these.
These were comparable with the Takoyaki at Kenzo Ramen up by my place (before the original owners sold the place).
5th Item: Mackerel on hot plate
A Korean anju joint does this better.
There are OTHER mackerel dishes off the Guu menu that probably will taste better than this.
It was not bad, just nothing special. And certainly not worth spending the money since you could get this anywhere.
6th Item: Okonomiyaki
I had to try it. I loved it in Japan so i had to try it.
It was better in Japan. Maybe because we got to cook it ourselves and the place I went to specialized in okonomiyaki...but considering this is NOT Japan, we still enjoyed this one.
If you are an okonomiyaki fan, consider it. If not, skip it - it's no loss on your part.
If you had to choose btwn the takoyaki vs. okonomiyaki, go with the takoyaki - it's better than this.
7th Item: Baked Oysters in a Garlic Wasabi Butter Sauce
I am not an oyster fan but I liked them b/c they didn't smell or taste like oyster. It was very 'meaty', rich and heavy.
For those of you who have gone to higher level Vietnamese restaurants (eg. Saigon Star), and tried the baked garlic Oysters there, it's the same concept and very very similar flavour.
8th Item: Tuna slightly pan seared (Special Menu) 
I tried this and thought: I can't decide if I like this or dislike it. This went on for 5 minutes or so...finally, I decided it was a bad order. It wasn't sashimi and it wasn't sushi...the fish was cut too chuncky and something about the sauce wasn't very refined...it was missing something.
I do not recommend this.
9th Item: Chicken Karage
It was nothing exceptional. Basically, fried chicken. But unimpressive fried chicken.
The Korean "yang yum" chicken I had in Seoul murdered this thing to pieces. If Guu Izakaya's karage is BJ Penn, then the yang yum chicken is Fedor Emilianenko. Bigger, bolder and better all around.
Not bad, but not good. I'll leave it up to you to decide if you want to try this or not. I just think the money can be better spent on something else.
9th Item: Another view
I liked the dishes they used...ultra modern, sleek, simple and very clean. Leave it to the Japanese to take presentation seriously.
10th Item: Grilled Squid!
11th Item: Cow Tongue
It was fatty without being sickening. The flavour was nice: meaty, lightly fatty, charcoal smoke. Eaten with the sliced scallions it was really nice. I wish I had this one earlier.
I know most people are grossed out by the thought of eating cow tongue but man, was this good. My friend thought it'd be gross but I saw her eat more than just one!
12th Item: Dessert
Very small.
Very good at the moment; but easily forgotten.
Bamboo - Guu Izakaya Cocktail
The presentation of this drink impressed me. I first saw it on a review site and wanted to try it out for myself. We liked it. You can hardly taste the alcohol. Mostly lychee juice really.
I'd order this one again.
Review Summary
If you adore authenticity and enjoy trying new things, this is the restaurant for you. A Toronto Izakaya has never been executed with this level of authenticity before. My trip to Japan was a very special time in my life and this place brought back some great memories. An inside source has confirmed that the staff are almost all Japanese (English is their 2nd language), the decor mixes modern and traditional to create an ambiance that is very "Tokyo", and the food is pretty close to what I ate in Japan - with the exception of a few dishes.
Considering it is located in Toronto, I will be bold and state that, at the moment, this is the best rendition of Japanese Izakaya there. Yea, I said it. It had to be said and you heard it here.
However, and there is always a "however", you must ask yourself: Is this experience really worth waiting in line for 2+ hours? My answer is: no restaurant is worth waiting two hours to get in. If you and I think alike, do what I did and get there at 4:30pm and wait in line for 30-45 minutes vs. 2 hours.
Good luck.
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