To Tango With Al Pacino

Scent Of A Woman had the best monologue and dialogue scenes. It made Al Pacino my hero of all time. But the best scene ever doesn't even need any words. It  is this one  To Tango with Al Pacino

I would love to Tango with Al Pacino but this is just a wishful dream. Nevertheless it is a beautiful dream, don't you think? 

Reunions Week

I read somewhere that true friends are the kind that remained close to you despite long absence... when you finally meet up, you pick up where you left of, never questioning why you never kept in touch in the first place.

I am so blessed this week that I had not just 1 reunion with some old friends but 3 reunions. Each one was special in its own way, filled with old stories and some new ones.

Last Sunday 27th March, I had brunch with the girls from my time in Seremban. Even though there were 2 missing girls, we had a ball of laughter. Old gossips intermingled with new ones. Airena picked a great place where we can enjoy good food and company. Cindy and Kerith took time away from their families to spend with us and it was a long overdue get together. None of us had changed much, still close knit and chatter box as always. It was great to see that all of us are in good places.

Then last Tuesday 29th March, we gals went to watch Lat Kampung Boy The Musical. Though it is not really a reunion of sort, but I caught up with Zila, Airena, Ai Leen and Sheela. I laughed so hard, my head hurts. Harith did an awesome job. He is a great entertainer for sure but with Lat he proved that he is also a great writer and director.

And tonight I caught up with a long lost friend Raoul. He disappeared a year ago. I heard rumours about him and tried to contact him but somehow he never returned my calls nor answer my messages. 2 days ago, I suddenly got an sms from him, wanting to meet up. When we finally did tonight, it was great. we talked and laughed.... he is still the old reliable Raoul that I know.

Friends are hard to find, even harder to maintained when you moved apart.... but you know you have a true friend when despite the distance, the love and the care never dwindled.

Glee

Once in a while, TV come out with an amazing show that not just entertain but brought out serious subject with subtlety that only entertainers could. Glee is one such show.

When it first come out, I thought it was quite refreshing to have a sort of a musical on TV. I always love broadways because singing and dancing are the truest forms of entertainment. But then TV sort of stray from such show and seemed to focus more on drama and reality show. Audiences are more drawn to drama then anything else. When I first heard about it... I thought oh well, another teenage-bopper series about high schools students just like Beverly Hills 90210, The Hills, Melrose Place....or shows of such subjects.

But Glee turned out to be more then story about teenager's angst. It deals with serious subject matters using musics and songs as the medium to delivers them. Set in an American high school, it focuses on the Glee club of that school. It is sort of like performing art club. They seem to always have the geeks or the looser as members.

Week after week, they came out with the most amazing cover version of famous songs of my time and in between deals with serious matters like acceptance in society, popularity, teen pregnancy, finding love....growing up. Last week they did a take on John Lennon's Imagine that blew me away. They had a group of deaf students singing in a sign language which made me listen to the lyrics intently. It is one of the best song ever written... and Glee did it justice and more.

Today they tackle the subject of deceptions and the prices you have to pay. It is the worst of vices... lying especially to your love ones even with the best reasons are just wrong. Once you are discovered, nothing good will come out from it. You just hurt them more. So thanks to Glee.... I realized lying is not the solution for anything. When the truth comes out, and they inevitably will, you will have to pay the price.

The Patience of Scrapbooking

I discover a new hobby that is engaging, fun, liberating, useful and meaningful....Scrap-booking.
Over the years, ever since Ayah gave me his old camera (not digital), I have a passion for taking candid photos of the people around me. Like most people, I would keep them in albums or in frames. Sometimes I would be a bit creative and put some captions over them.
Last month I came across a book on the art of making a scrap-book. It gave me an idea of what I should do with all those photos. Since Aida's birthday was coming up.... I compiled some of her photos, mostly candid and made it into these beautiful meaningful book.... I even amaze myself with my patience and passion for it. Needless to say she loved it.

Like they always say....when looking for gifts for your love ones, always get them something that you would like yourself. I LOVE SCRAP-BOOKS!!!!

American Idol Season 10 ....so far

I have been following American Idol this season sparingly. It was not as interesting as Season 8 where they have the 2 David's. But Andrew Garcia spark my interest when he sang Paula Abdul's Straight Up. It was refreshing to hear his version. Sadly, his performances in the last few weeks has been disappointing. He is likely to be out this week and won't make it to the top 10.




But my interest took on a new turn when I heard Michael Lynche's performance today. I am not quite sure what song it was but it was so moving and beautiful, it made Kara cried. Made me cry too. Amazing how a big burly guy like him can have such an amazing effect just by singing.


Sadly none of the girls really catch my ears. They got screwed really badly last night... all the performances were forgettable.

LP Movie

Ever since my LP journey started, I haven't had time for my favourite past time - I saw a movie on ASTRO last night, The Freedom Writers. It blew me away. It is definitely an LP movie. It's about enrollment....About reaching for the impossibilities and achieving them despite all odds... It's about making a difference for others and yourself... About making a stand for your life and what you believe in...It's about exploring possibilities when you want to achieve your dreams...About support that are given when you asked...it's about being passionate for life...yours and others....
Just thought of sharing this.

ABBA fanatic

I saw Mama Mia the musical. As expected it was saturated with Abba's song.... and I loved it. I am not a fanatic but the movie made me one. I always thought their songs are a bit too cliche, too 7o's, a time space that was associated with flower people and hippies, but i am slowly and surely changing my mind. I loved those time. Abba's music are so meaningful without over bearing and they are a great fun to listen to. Have to get the CD next time I am in speedy....

The Third Prime Minister

They say that Tun Dr.Ismail was a reluctant politician. I never understood that and I never bother reading about him even though my brother bought a book about him. Politic is a subject that interest me as much as watching a mould grow on a stale bread. But a musical is something else.... it could sweetened up the sourish subject such as politics.
So we went to watch Ismail, The Last Day.... It was an interesting takes on the our second Deputy PM, who actually died as our acting PM. It turned out that Tun Razak was away visiting Canada at the time.
I went there expecting to be bored with political story but I was pleasantly surprised. The musical focus on the emotional states of the late Tun. At the end of the May 13 riot, he was ready to quit the political life but realised that he was still needed to stabilized the country. He sacrifed his family.... his wife.... his unborn child... and himself ..... to ensure that the country united, which was thought to be impossible at the time. It was moving and at the same time enlightening. I had a lump in my throat through out the show.The music were simple and yet beautiful. Johari Salleh proved why he is one of the most talented composer in the country..... he managed to potray the emotional depth of a man gone years ago into the present so that all of us can understand what he went through, the struggle of trying to do the right things when everything is wrong.
I realised a lot were sacrificed by our early politician to ensure that Malaysia becomes what it is right now..... it is sad to see the political scene now. Everything seemed to fall apart and what our Tuns fought for seemed to go to the undeserving fools.... Oh well....