Episode IX

Journal Entry 9
12.7.09

TV shows hasn’t really impress me over the years. In my opinion, what makes a good TV show is the creators’ ability to entertain and enthrall the audience with its storyline and characters, similarly to movies. It’s about giving TV viewers a comfortable viewing pleasure at home where you don’t need over-the-top action or a very intricate storyline to wow them.

And just when I thought Heroes was a different TV show, I was wrong. Season 1 was a blast but it’s a show that you will only savour the taste once. So I stopped watching that show after its second season.

Then came our own Singapore’s productions: Fighting Spiders and Red Thread. They’re competent shows but Fighting Spiders seem to be doing better maybe it struck a chord with me and probably all the other audience.

Somehow, I was left unsatisfied with the direction that the show was going. During the season finale episode, a lot of storylines were not tied up, leaving me fuming mad. How could the show’s two main antagonists not get their desserts? Maybe the producers are leaving some space for Season 2? But even if that’s the case, that’s not the way you end it!

Even with all hope lost for TV shows for quite awhile, I came across an US show where I found delight and pleasure while watching it.

I was ransacking through my elder sister’s DVDs and I found the Season 2 of Chuck. I was reminded of the fun I had when I watching one of the episodes of Season 1 on the plane.

Chuck is your average Joe and he works at a retail shop called Buy More. On his birthday, he accidentally downloaded government secrets into his brain. Because of the secrets in his head, the government sent two of their agents to protect him from falling into the wrong hands.

What really interests me in the first place was the humour it had. At Buy More, Chuck has a very nerdy group of friends and these guys usually get into some hilarious situations. Besides, the missions that Chuck goes on with his CIA handlers usually end up funny as well. It’s like watching your old spy movies but with a twist of hilarity in it.

The more I watch through Chuck Season 2, I realized it wasn’t just your normal action comedy. What really impresses me was the show’s ability to balance the humour, action and drama. And the storylines that intertwine characters’ lives was smoothly done. Even with an uncomplicated plot, the story continues to wow me from episodes to episodes.

Does Chuck put my faith back in TV shows? Not really, but I look forward to watching it now. Bring it on, Chuck!

Yearning for Something Sweet

I was looking thru' some old songs I've downloaded in the computer. I came across a song that was done by a Singapore rock band with a female lead singer.

I have to admit, it was some pretty good music. It was introduced to me by a senior who was studying in LaSalle. But I've no idea if he still does study there.

Anyway, Allura's the name of the band. The lead singer has a such a beautiful voice. Her articulation and pronunciation of the words is so much better than those untalented singers on that local singing talent show(You know what show I'm talking about).

So I looked her up. I found out now that Inch Chua's exhibiting her versatility by doing a solo career, offering free downloads of her songs on her website. The recordings aren't too shabby for an artiste who doesn't really have an official studio label.

I think this is her first single. It's called Devotion in Reality. It's a song about a guy whose devotion to the girl he likes is shaking. As sad as it sounds, it's a really simple, sweet song if you hear the arrangement and her voice. Kinda puts you at ease when you hear it. The music video is well shot using stop-motion technique and there are so many shots in 1 second.

Besides, she's quite a doll to look at. =D

Inch Chua - Devotion in Reality

500 Days of Ecstasy and Misery

Just thought I'd share something with you guys I saw for this week. I don't take credit for the artwork and creativity for this short 5-framed Comic. =D

Enlarge it. It's kind of small...

It's Never Too Late for a New Year Resolution

31st December...

Approximately 11AM...

I am sitting on a wooden-sewn chair in a dusty small, old room. The four walls around me stood like pillars, withstanding the vine-like cracks on the walls. In front of me was a bed and there laid an old lady sleeping peacefully. A yellow silk cloth with strange markings and shapes was covering her body like a blanket.

She wasn't just any old lady. She was my mother's mother and that makes her my Grandma. The Grandma that I didn't see often because she lives in Malaysia and I dislike Malaysia for its uncleanliness and state of order. Or rather, I dislike the town she lives in. But as I sat through the prayers and in my attempt to pray, tears kept on swelling and flowing. My shirt stained from the salty liquid from my eyes.

However, those tears weren't really for her. I never regretted never going back to Malaysia to spend more time with her. It's like I never felt the connection with my Malaysian relatives. Maybe it's because it's been 10 years since I went there and those memories have disintegrated. They were never particularly strong or vivid...

What went on in my mind was: "What a terrible shitty year this has been... It's last day of the year and Trouble and Sadness wouldn't let our family go..."

Some of my close friends may know what happened to me and my family. 2009 is not a great year for us. I don't like it at all. Usually I'm generally all right for the previous years but 2009 really sucked. My Dad, my Elder Sis, my Grandma and my depressive anger... I thought I really lost the meaning of living already.

What my friends have been telling me is right. I have to brace myself and stand up to these troubling times. It's a phase in life where people has to fall the hardest and climb back up on the horse. Of course this will happen again but I have to make sure to climb back up faster and stronger.

Sometimes we find the inspiration and strength in the weirdest places... For me, it's Malaysia. How ironic. The last place I never thought to redeem was the place I initially hated and still hate... Though the hatred has lifted a little.

So... For 2010's Resolution.

I want to keep everything good that I'm doing right now and throw out all the old habits. I got to keep my inner demons away from devouring my awesome personality. I got to love my family more. Keep up the hardworking side of me and deliver results of precision to the best of my capabilities. I need to learn how to shed away the "old" depressive me and allow myself to grow as a happier person.

The pessimistic mind is the limitation to our untapped potential and abilities. We, as beings of the planet Earth, are capable of ANYTHING. From now on, let's see how far we can stretch ourselves to our physical limits, shall we?

So long 2009 and embrace the new age of Growth in the Human Evolution!

Well... See you, Grandma... You'll be dearly missed...