Well, I'm back.
Doesn't that line remind you of an ending involving a certain short and paunchy hobbit from a certain Middle Earth movie slash book trilogy? Too cryptic? If you're still in the dark, go figure because it's not really that important actually.
Anyway, the second semester started on Wednesday and I'm taking four subjects this sem too. Accounting 2, Macroeconomics, Introduction to Law, and Business Statistics. Hope I don't screw up QBM, which is Business Statistics in code, as the results from last semester didn't look too good. Oh, I found out I got a Distinction for Microeconomics from my first sem so hopefully it's the beginning for good and better future results to come. Really hoping to get a HD (High Distinction) for Accounting 1 but it'd be a miracle if I can obtain even a Credit for MKT, which is Marketing Principles in code, so I'd be really happy with a D. I have the least confidence in getting a good grade for MKT because past semesters' results did not foresee good things for me. Sigh.
Accounting 2 lecturer is quite funny and interesting so I hope I don't fall asleep too many times in his lectures in the mornings. FLAW, which is Intro to Law in code, looks promisingly interesting but difficult at the same time. Hope I don't bomb that one too. Four subjects this semester is going to be pretty hectic for me I feel. Even with Fridays off it's still going to be four long days to endure every week for the next three months. This paragraph sounds so tedious and dreary.
The thrill of going to college died long ago and I'm itching to get out of the country as soon as possible. Not that I totally regretted not going to Aus this year because I'd feel homesick but just that this whole business of studying and going for lectures and tutorials and more studying is really getting me annoyed and frustrated. There's nothing new anymore. The process is a bloody vicious cycle. I need to do something out of the ordinary. Like go for a two months back packing retreat in Japan. (if I were able to afford it) Just me and the natives and nature and the sheer thrill of enjoying Japan in its wholesome rawness. Sigh. It's a dream, I know, but that's the only thing keeping me sane right now. Aside from getting that Bentley too.
Eesh, I'm getting melodramatic and too narcisstic for my own sake. Well, I'm allowed some complaining-about-life-time for myself once in a while. Everyone's doing it.
On more real news, Carrie won as I always knew from day 1 actually, believe me if you will. Though I really wanted Bo to win but we know who America really falls for. I still haven't watched Episode 3. Heckle me all you want for being sucked into the whole SW hype because I feel ashamed enough for wanting to watch it because of a certain main villain. I finished reading Cummingham's 'Flesh and Blood' yesterday, which was a good read. Am moving on to classics, namely 'Robin Hood'. Yes, I decided to rekindle that flame for really old classics after a long stint in indulging in lesser known novels. My hair is growing out of that short bob I had a few months ago but I like it this length now. It's like my hair is neither here nor there meaning I can pull it back into a stubby ponytail but it'd look funny so I can't. If only I could keep my hair at this length forever.
Didn't post my review of the movie I watched yesterday because I was too lazy to update. The laziness in me just crept out thus rendering me powerless to do pretty much anything. But I'm back today to tell about my reviews of three Studio Ghibli movies of which I watched two of them today.
"Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" / "Kaze no Tani no Naushika"
Hmm, yes, if you liked "Mononoke Hime" then you'll probably like this one too as the story and characters are very similar to each other. Since this movie was actually made first before Mononoke I suppose the producers basically just changed the template of this movie slightly and then Mononoke was created. It seems like a ripoff but I actually like Mononoke more because Ashitaka is just so much better than Nausicaa. Except this one had giant insects instead of animals and there're more machinery stuff and action too, I think. Not the best Ghibli production but good nonetheless. Despite it being a really old anime movie the animation was surprisingly good. A 7 out of 10.
"Only Yesterday" / "Omohide Poro Poro"
This was just okay for me. I didn't like the ending suffice to say because it reminded me too much of 'Garden State' ending too. Which both sucked. However, the story was only just fairly interesting as it involved something like crushes when you were ten and going through puberty and things like that. The movie reminded me of 'Boys Be' too much though. Quite slow paced but I liked it that way. A 6.5 out of 10.
"Whisper of the Heart or If You Listen Closely" / "Mimi wo Sumaseba"
I really enjoyed this one for some reason. It was something akin to the movie stated above but more attuned to that whole 'finding your true self' vibe. Also very much reminiscent of 'Boys Be' because there was a mini love triangle thing going on in the movie. But I just love the little details in the story that really made the movie become something special instead of being just another love story cum destiny thing movie. If the same story was made by Hollywood, it'll probably turn out into another crappy teen movie love story which would truly be horrible and sick to the stomach. Only Miyazaki and the Ghibli team could turn it into something different and unique. The character developments are one of the best I've witnessed in any movie for a long time. The ending had me slightly surprised but a satisfying watch throughout the sitting. The song 'Take me Home, Country Roads' is now stuck in replay mode my head because it was played almost non-stop throughout the movie except that it was in Japanese excluding the beginning of the movie which was the original English one. I just have this to say; I love the fat lazy tabby cat! I want one now too. A 8.5 out of 10.
Not much information about the movie is revealed because I can't stand to spoil the story too much for people who might be interested in watching it. I want to discuss the movies! I've come to mid-conclusions about Ghibli/Miyazaki directed and produced movies.- They all have a protagonist short haired girl who is between the ages of 10 to 16, sometimes with elder sisters and always with a stoic father but caring mother or is a warrior princess whom everyone looks up to and doesn't want to cause some sort of trouble if possible.
- The Ghibli movies can basically be split up into two worldly different genres; one being an extremely fantasy like setting and the other being very grounded and down-to-earth which everyone can relate to easily.
- The protagonist girls all look the same in every movie.
- There's always an old lady or grandmother figure in every movie.
- Animals play an important role in all the movies.
I think that's about it for now but I could probably come up with more conclusions after watching the rest of the movies. My second semester will commence next week. It seemed like the break just wizzed by in a flash. It's ending already. Sigh. Anyone knows anyone who would want to buy second hand text books from a HELP Business student? I need to get rid of them now since I don't need them anymore. Well, maybe only the Marketing text that I have no use for anymore since I don't plan on majoring in it.
My legs are tired. But it's just my legs or rather my feet.
Nevertheless, it was a good day out today at three and a half different shopping malls in KL. The first being Mid Valley where I got a skirt from Comma which was really an impulse buy since I liked it a lot even though it wasn't the exact type of skirt I was scouting around for. The second mall we stopped at was Times Square to visit Borders. I have to say that Borders book store does not look like a regular book store from the outside. I almost missed it if no one had pointed it out to me. But I liked it. I want to go visit it again actually. They have so much stuff, almost as much as Kino or maybe even better. Their movie and music collection are not the best but still good. We didn't exactly shop at the other two being Lot 10 and Sungei Wang since we just passed through them to get to other destinations. Oh well, but at least we sort of stepped inside them. In the end, after almost four hours of walking in the sun, snapping random shots with the purple lomocam, and eating in between, we only got three things in total actually. The cousin getting a Michael Buble CD and me with my Douglas Adams's 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and skirt mentioned earlier. And the cover is pretty cool too. I love the hardcover.
Anyway, for once I don't have anything planned out to do tomorrow. I always have something planned out like a movie or shopping odyssey. But I'm actually pretty free tomorrow. Strange. I want to do something. Anything. I actually want to go rock-climbing or scale a mountain or something wild and crazy. I wonder if the rock-climbing thing at 1U is open yet. Anyone interested in climbing rocks?
Again, this post has no specific reason to be posted except to tell of my shopping exploit of the day.
Another day, another movie filled musical extravaganza. Heh, well I'm feeling musically inclined today after watching two movie musicals.
'De-Lovely' was nice. Really. That's basically how I would sum up the movie if you asked me how it was. This time I watched it without much expectations so I wouldn't be disappointed in case it didn't turn out as well as I expected it to. The music by Cole Porter is actually really nice and has a old-time feel to it. The story was actually a little boring for me considering it's sort of a biographical movie cum musical on the guy. Add to the fact that I'm not a Kevin Kline fan doesn't make it any better. The only thing I was looking forward to was Robbie William's singing cameo role in it. And that was quite short too. Sigh. Anyways, I just really enjoyed the music overall which is actually the movie's main saving grace. I'm torn between saying it's a bad movie and not a bad movie so this movie is a 5 out of 10 for me.
Next was 'Cabaret', a 1970-something movie musical. The very first type of movie musical created for the big screen if I'm not mistaken. The music wasn't exactly the type of movie I enjoyed very much but the dancing and choreography was really good. There wasn't a lot of singing and dancing going on as like in Chicago and Moulin Rouge where the characters will burst out into song one moment and then back to normal speaking roles the next. It was just different. But good. This one I give a 8 out of 10.
Tomorrow is going to be the last day of my movie marathon. For this week only though. On the movie agenda tomorrow are 'Shaun of the Dead', a zombie flick, and 'Fiddler on the Roof', another musical set in some woe-be-gone era. Then, I'll be taking a few days off to rest a bit before resuming on yet another movie marathon but this time they being anime movies by the acclaimed Studio Ghibli. Yeps. Hayao Miyazaki and all.
Nothing seems to tickle my fancy yet to rant about stuff so this ends the post of the day. The rantiness in me seems to have taken time off a while. Wonder why. I feel strange not having anything to blah about for the moment. Hope it doesn't last.
Okay, fine I know the title is lame but that was all I could come up with. It's a play on the word 'escapade' if you don't get it.
After another long draught of non-shopping, it felt really good to get some new stuff today. I am absolutely loving my white linen/cotton pants and semi-linen black pants from ZARA. I didn't even intend to actually get that particular white linen pants from ZARA because I originaly had my eye on another white linen pants from TopShop but the shops at Mid Valley and KLCC didn't even have my size so I just gave up on looking for it. I'm just too lazy to go hunting for it at 1U okay so don't tell me to do that. And I've officially given up on getting that Levi's black jeans now. I've got a black pants already and I'm going to be happy with it. In your designer face, Levi! The pants cost less than RM 260 in total so it's not the cheapest buy but still less expensive than a costly jeans from Levi's or Guess.
Other half-impulse buys was a tank top from MNG, which was only RM30 after discount so of course I had to get it, and a three quarter sleeve top. I love that the MNG top was the right shade of green which I liked as well. In addition to that, it was sort of love at first sight when I saw the brown top at Soda. It's the kind of top with the collar and looks like it's worn with two layered tops. Except that this one is made out of the softest material and that it looks almost retro because of its flowery detail on the collar and the cuff. I don't care that my mom says it looks old. I like it and that's that. And it was 20% off as well.
Hence, ends my shopping rendevous today. I'm still looking for a flowy knee length skirt but haven't made up my mind whether to get one from TopShop or MNG or ZARA. They're all starting to look pretty much the same to me so I'm getting all razzled now. Maybe I should go look for those skirts from the Mont Kiara flea market instead. The downside of getting the ZARA pants though is that I have to alter the length of the legs since all of ZARA's pants are made for long-legged models and not for short people like me. Ah well, the price of comfort and style never comes cheap.
Tomorrow I'll be starting on my week-long movie watching marathon. Yay! That's all for today. I just felt happy and joyful enough from getting new things that the only reason for this post was to make everyone else jealous that I got new stuff. Hah. Shopping can make you mean and bitchful temporarily. I'll be back to my normal ranty self soon.
I'm getting pretty sick of my own lamentations of being and getting plump again what with me pigging out the whole today and not doing much at all, not even studying in between. I feel bad.
Anyways, the wedding dinner tonight was nice. Seriously. It wasn't over the top nor was it exceptionally boring like other wedding dinners. Of course it was boring at some times, especially the beginning, but what dinners aren't? I'm actually still slightly hungry now because I didn't really eat much due to the diluted array of dishes served. Not that it was bad or anything but I just found it too boring for my liking anymore and refused to eat it at all or not eat much of it in the end. In summary, it was nice and the emcee was funny for once. But not too funny in that cheesy and lame kind of way. Funny enough to keep the patrons entertained throughout the dinner.
Finals officially start on Tuesday but my first paper is actually on Wednesday, so that's kind of good news. It's just that I don't think I've prepared enough for it so I just pray for some miracle that the papers will be easy enough for me to get Distinctions for all three subjects I'm taking this semester. A HD for even one seem so far away now. But I heard that Melbourne Uni only require a minimum average Distinctions for six or seven subjects out of nine subjects. So, that's not too bad right?
Be thankful that I don't have any random thoughts in my mind now to ramble on about it tonight. I feel like having a steaming mug of coffee or hot chocoloate or Milo now. Night all.
