i have been working on my jclub presentation the last two days, so even though i finished sweet relationship this weekend, i haven't found a new drama to watch yet. finally i finished the ppt tonight, and now i have also decided on my new project: bump off lover. actually i have been meaning to watch this for quite some time. but when i first wanted to, i couldn't find the episodes. tonight i realized that trusty mysoju.com has just finished posting all the episodes!
i know there are horror dramas, which i can't imagine being scared for like 14 episodes on end...would i just live in fear for 2 weeks? anyway, i'm not sure if this drama is actually supposed to be scary, but it'll definitely be a change from the normal romantic comedy idol dramas i like so much. i'll probably start watching tomorrow night.
tonight i was browsing dramawiki. they have a page for listing tw 2006 dramas, a page for 2007 dramas, and a page for 2008 dramas. so i was looking to see what dramas i haven't seen that are worth watching. this is how i decided to watch bump off lover. there is also a page for upcoming tw dramas. turns out, there is an upcoming drama called 劍道．愛("jian dao. ai" or "kendo. love"). there isn't a synopsis page yet, but all i can say is...THEY TOTALLY COPIED ME! i wrote a drama called 跆拳道﹐ 愛到 ("tai quan dao, ai dao" or "taekwondo, love came"). check out my drama!
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
tasty snacks
when my mom came back from a vacation to taiwan recently, she brought my brother and i each a tiny pack of japanese snacks. she said they were from our cousin. all she knew was that they were really expensive, but didn't know exactly how much they cost. at the time i scoffed. what's the point of such expensive snacks? last night i was hungry so i ate mine.
THEY WERE REALLY GOOD! here i have scanned in the front and back of the package so you can see what i ate (and how big the package was; that's a 6" ruler). click on the image so you can see it bigger and the crackers better! on the back is a little picture of each kind of cracker you can find in the mix. there were a few of each of the smaller ones and only 1 or 2 of each of the larger ones. each cracker was as delicate, as tasty, and as carefully made as the pictures suggest. each type of cracker had its own, unique, and tasty flavor. i only wish i could read the little descriptions on the back.
on the packaging i found a website, but i couldn't find this specific snack pack in its list of products. on top it says "welcome to *something something something something* kingdom". one of the houses on the right is a link to is history. bottom center is a link to it's "store". at the castle's door is like a "quote of the day" or something. top right is some old guy's house or something. anyway, that's all i can make out from the chinese characters they use without having to pull out a dictionary. it's a pretty cute site though. makes the snacks even tastier!
THEY WERE REALLY GOOD! here i have scanned in the front and back of the package so you can see what i ate (and how big the package was; that's a 6" ruler). click on the image so you can see it bigger and the crackers better! on the back is a little picture of each kind of cracker you can find in the mix. there were a few of each of the smaller ones and only 1 or 2 of each of the larger ones. each cracker was as delicate, as tasty, and as carefully made as the pictures suggest. each type of cracker had its own, unique, and tasty flavor. i only wish i could read the little descriptions on the back.
on the packaging i found a website, but i couldn't find this specific snack pack in its list of products. on top it says "welcome to *something something something something* kingdom". one of the houses on the right is a link to is history. bottom center is a link to it's "store". at the castle's door is like a "quote of the day" or something. top right is some old guy's house or something. anyway, that's all i can make out from the chinese characters they use without having to pull out a dictionary. it's a pretty cute site though. makes the snacks even tastier!
spending money
i'm going to taiwan!
i've seriously spent like no money since starting my job one and a half years ago. now, i'm finally planning a vacation! here's what i spent in the last week:
00847.76 plane ticket to taipei (mar27-apr17)
00249.99 sony cybershot dsc-h3 (black)
00039.99 sony np-bg1 lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack
00014.99 lowepro rezo 50 camera pouch
-0025.00 best buy gift card from coupon for buying camera!
---------
$1127.73
i've seriously spent like no money since starting my job one and a half years ago. now, i'm finally planning a vacation! here's what i spent in the last week:
00847.76 plane ticket to taipei (mar27-apr17)
00249.99 sony cybershot dsc-h3 (black)
00039.99 sony np-bg1 lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack
00014.99 lowepro rezo 50 camera pouch
-0025.00 best buy gift card from coupon for buying camera!
---------
$1127.73
another sweet relationship update
i just finished sweet relationship.
here are some final thoughts:
first, i take what i said about megan lai back. her character becomes progressively annoying. i still like her as an auxiliary actress though.
second, it seems like every drama always likes to throw in a new character during the last quarter of the show. the character is not really a main character because he/she is not in most of the drama, but he/she has a lot of air time during at least a few episodes. many dramas follow this general storyline: first quarter only the audience knows the two lead characters are meant to be, in the second quarter one lead falls for the other, at the end of the third quarter the other lead finally starts to show hints of reciprocating, at which point this random last quarter character comes in to drag the drama through the last quarter and into the last episode. sweet relationship is no exception. the last quarter character is played by gu xuan chun, a japanese guy whose chinese is really hard to understand and who is really gross and who eats especially gross. i think his character is actually supposed to be attractive, i just find him incredibly gross, especially in this drama. he was in both the rose and they kiss again, so i guess qu you ning really likes him.
third, qu you ning really likes to have cute chubby little boys in this dramas!
fourth, still not a huge patty hou fan, but again, i loved vic's acting in this.
fifth, the storyline wasn't that exciting, but the drama was very well made. many really good and/or really cute scenes.
finally, the dramas always have previews for the next episode at the end of each episode. i always hate watching the previews because they give entirely too much away. yet, i still watch them because i can't stand not watching every second of the videos; it would feel incomplete; what if i missed something? however, even with the extensive previewing, the ending (of the last episode) was sufficiently surprising (well not surprising, but not in the preview) and cute/not a complete let down.
here are some final thoughts:
first, i take what i said about megan lai back. her character becomes progressively annoying. i still like her as an auxiliary actress though.
second, it seems like every drama always likes to throw in a new character during the last quarter of the show. the character is not really a main character because he/she is not in most of the drama, but he/she has a lot of air time during at least a few episodes. many dramas follow this general storyline: first quarter only the audience knows the two lead characters are meant to be, in the second quarter one lead falls for the other, at the end of the third quarter the other lead finally starts to show hints of reciprocating, at which point this random last quarter character comes in to drag the drama through the last quarter and into the last episode. sweet relationship is no exception. the last quarter character is played by gu xuan chun, a japanese guy whose chinese is really hard to understand and who is really gross and who eats especially gross. i think his character is actually supposed to be attractive, i just find him incredibly gross, especially in this drama. he was in both the rose and they kiss again, so i guess qu you ning really likes him.
third, qu you ning really likes to have cute chubby little boys in this dramas!
fourth, still not a huge patty hou fan, but again, i loved vic's acting in this.
fifth, the storyline wasn't that exciting, but the drama was very well made. many really good and/or really cute scenes.
finally, the dramas always have previews for the next episode at the end of each episode. i always hate watching the previews because they give entirely too much away. yet, i still watch them because i can't stand not watching every second of the videos; it would feel incomplete; what if i missed something? however, even with the extensive previewing, the ending (of the last episode) was sufficiently surprising (well not surprising, but not in the preview) and cute/not a complete let down.
Monday, February 11, 2008
difficult decisions
life is full of difficult decisions.
this weekend, my brother wanted me to take him to the library, so while there, i decided that i should start reading (for pleasure) again. i think since high school, i have read maybe 1 or 2 books not for a class. i will admit it, but yes, i am ashamed. every week, newsweek interviews a writer and makes a list of his/her top 5 favorite books. a few weeks ago, they interviewed ha jin. he sounded like a modern day amy tan. and i like newsweek, and i liked amy tan when i was young, so i figured i would like ha jin. i checked out two of his books: waiting and war trash. i started reading waiting first (probably because it was shorter). it is set in cultural revolution china and is about a doctor who is trying to get out of a loveless marriage (to a woman his parents picked and she has bound feet) so he can marry is nurse girlfriend. anyway, it was totally boring. why do people write with so many dumb descriptions in such a generic way? like, who cares if a bird flies off in the distance as the protagonist walks along in the countryside? so then i became worried that all this asian drama watching had numbed my senses and made me too impatient to read. maybe i forgot that cultural revolution stories are always so cliche. [actually, i did immensely enjoy the cultural revolution novel gang of one by (a family friend!) fan shen, one of the maybe 1 or 2 books i have read since high school. seriously, i would recommend it. a fast and enjoyable read!]
so then, i decided to read something else. i had bought a copy of we the living (by ayn rand) many, many years ago, and now i finally decided to read it. by contrast, rand's descriptions are tight and fitting: "They put their bundles on the floors, and their bodies on the bundles, and slept...When at last, snorting and groaning, the train rumbled in, men besieged it with fists and feet and ferocious despair." the first chapter ends like this:
the only problem is, i really want to know what happens next in we the living and i really want to know what happens next in sweet relationship. so what am i going to read/watch tonight?! life is full of difficult decisions.
this weekend, my brother wanted me to take him to the library, so while there, i decided that i should start reading (for pleasure) again. i think since high school, i have read maybe 1 or 2 books not for a class. i will admit it, but yes, i am ashamed. every week, newsweek interviews a writer and makes a list of his/her top 5 favorite books. a few weeks ago, they interviewed ha jin. he sounded like a modern day amy tan. and i like newsweek, and i liked amy tan when i was young, so i figured i would like ha jin. i checked out two of his books: waiting and war trash. i started reading waiting first (probably because it was shorter). it is set in cultural revolution china and is about a doctor who is trying to get out of a loveless marriage (to a woman his parents picked and she has bound feet) so he can marry is nurse girlfriend. anyway, it was totally boring. why do people write with so many dumb descriptions in such a generic way? like, who cares if a bird flies off in the distance as the protagonist walks along in the countryside? so then i became worried that all this asian drama watching had numbed my senses and made me too impatient to read. maybe i forgot that cultural revolution stories are always so cliche. [actually, i did immensely enjoy the cultural revolution novel gang of one by (a family friend!) fan shen, one of the maybe 1 or 2 books i have read since high school. seriously, i would recommend it. a fast and enjoyable read!]
so then, i decided to read something else. i had bought a copy of we the living (by ayn rand) many, many years ago, and now i finally decided to read it. by contrast, rand's descriptions are tight and fitting: "They put their bundles on the floors, and their bodies on the bundles, and slept...When at last, snorting and groaning, the train rumbled in, men besieged it with fists and feet and ferocious despair." the first chapter ends like this:
"Alighting, she stopped for one short second of hesitation, as if feeling the significance of the step. Her foot was sunburned, and she wore a home-made wooden sandal with leather straps. For one short second the foot was held in the air. Then the wooden sandal touched the wooden boards of the platform: Kira Argounova was in Petrograd."and it was upon reading this that i knew i wanted to finish the book. you can tell already that kira argounova is going to be a hero (the likes of roark and dagny!) and now i realize why i couldn't finish waiting. the protagonist in that novel is anything but a hero. who wants to read about him??
the only problem is, i really want to know what happens next in we the living and i really want to know what happens next in sweet relationship. so what am i going to read/watch tonight?! life is full of difficult decisions.
what are they teaching kids in school these days??
last night my (13 year old) brother asked me if i was going to vote in the US presidential election this year.
i said, "probably not."
"why?"
"too lazy."
"then you should vote for me."
"who would you vote for?"
and without one bit of hesitation, my brother said, "obama."
"why?"
again, immediately, my brother said, "because he is black."
my brother explained to me that, at one time, in the US, black people could not even vote! (*gasp*) seriously, that was his reason.
i then tried to explain to him that voting for someone merely because of the color of his/her skin is discrimination.
he said, "no, it's DE-discrimination."
i said, "probably not."
"why?"
"too lazy."
"then you should vote for me."
"who would you vote for?"
and without one bit of hesitation, my brother said, "obama."
"why?"
again, immediately, my brother said, "because he is black."
my brother explained to me that, at one time, in the US, black people could not even vote! (*gasp*) seriously, that was his reason.
i then tried to explain to him that voting for someone merely because of the color of his/her skin is discrimination.
he said, "no, it's DE-discrimination."
Sunday, February 10, 2008
2 korean movies
in the past week, i watched two korean movies. both were SO korean. SO KOREAN!
lover's concerto this was recommended by shauna, but she has yet to see it. the lead guy is the male lead from my sassy girl, in case anyone cares. i don't want to say too much (i'm not going to link to a synopsis, because the wikipedia gives WAY TOO MUCH information), however: this was one of those movies that is supposed to have twists and surprises, but it is sooooo korean (to the point it's like parodying itself, seriously), so i could usually guess what the twist was before it happened. and then the other thing i have to say is: melodrama melodrama melodrama!
love, so divine this is also sooooo korean! but in a romantic comedy type of way. this movie was purely enjoyable. kwon sang woo (i first saw him in stairway to heaven and immediately took notice of him, but i think many people know him as the male lead from my tutor friend. he's my second favorite korean actor, right behind gong yoo!) plays a priest-to-be that ends up falling in love with a girl (surprise, surprise). anyway, the movie isn't a major work of art, but his character is totally precious. a very well done very normal movie with a totally cute/precious character. o! also, lee sun gyun (the cool/cute cousin who almost stole the show in coffee prince) has a cameo in the movie (it's easy to miss, look out for him eating cotton candy!). definitely worth watching (and rewatching).
lover's concerto this was recommended by shauna, but she has yet to see it. the lead guy is the male lead from my sassy girl, in case anyone cares. i don't want to say too much (i'm not going to link to a synopsis, because the wikipedia gives WAY TOO MUCH information), however: this was one of those movies that is supposed to have twists and surprises, but it is sooooo korean (to the point it's like parodying itself, seriously), so i could usually guess what the twist was before it happened. and then the other thing i have to say is: melodrama melodrama melodrama!
love, so divine this is also sooooo korean! but in a romantic comedy type of way. this movie was purely enjoyable. kwon sang woo (i first saw him in stairway to heaven and immediately took notice of him, but i think many people know him as the male lead from my tutor friend. he's my second favorite korean actor, right behind gong yoo!) plays a priest-to-be that ends up falling in love with a girl (surprise, surprise). anyway, the movie isn't a major work of art, but his character is totally precious. a very well done very normal movie with a totally cute/precious character. o! also, lee sun gyun (the cool/cute cousin who almost stole the show in coffee prince) has a cameo in the movie (it's easy to miss, look out for him eating cotton candy!). definitely worth watching (and rewatching).
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