Times ahead look bleak.  Job opportunities may be few.  Fortunately. some things about work  remains …

1. Puntuality

2. Pride in Work

3. Proactive

4. Networking

5. Getting on the right side of management

6. Having colleagues as unconditional friends.

7. A very keen eyed security.

A very heart-warming story about a young girl and her pet dog. 

I caught the trailers while watching The Dark Knight and my children and I promised that we will not watch this movie in the cinemas. Somehow, we know tears will flow. True enough, when we were watching the DVD at home one night, my youngest son was crying away because of one scene.

Many people think keeping pets is a fun thing. Yes. It is! But like all things we grow to love, once an attachment and connection is made, you will find it pretty difficult to let go of it. Is it any surprise why some people choose not to have pets?

10 promises to my dog… if your pet could talk to you…

• Give me time to understand what you want of me.
• Place your trust in me. It’s crucial to my well-being
• Be aware that however you treat me I’ll never forget it.
• Before you scold me for being lazy, ask yourself if something might be bothering me.
• Talk to me sometimes. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand  your voice when it’s speaking to me.
• Remember before you hit me, I have teeth that could hurt you but that I choose not to bite you.
• Take care of me when I get old.
• You have your work, your entertainment and your friends. I have only you.
• My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years. Any separation from you will be painful for me.
• Go with me on difficult journeys. Everything is easier for me if you are there. Remember I love you …

I generally don’t watch locally produced movies. But I promised myself I will catch this one for sure … sooner. One of my students texted me and informed me that Kevin Tan is one of the actors. I tried and tried but I couldn’t place a face to the name until … the website came up. Kevin is in the pictures! Oh, this is the Kevin. The whole of 2007, I had him in my class. And now he is in a movie … that is great.

Kevin as Tauper

Then I recognised another face. Jason! Jason and his motor-mouth and his cheerful demenaour … always dishing out advice on AV expertise.

Jason as Rat

Kevin with a good haircut. It's about time!

Jason looking cool in long hair

And strangely, while I was writing this blog, I noticed another face. Avery’s! Actually, the name caught my eyes first. How many Averys are there in Singapore? This one looks very familiar to me. Yes. I had one hell of a time with Avery. He is a nice boy underneath the ‘tough’ guy.

Avery as Cockroach

All the best, boys!

City of Gods is a violent gangster movie, with drugs and sex and the atrractiveness about it was that is is based on a true story. I took the chance to show it to one of my challenging classes. Yes, they were entertained and they were learnt.

They saw poverty and corruption. They saw that violence does not pay, unless one makes the effort to break the vicious cycle. They saw the value of education. At least Rocket lived.

It is a very violent movie … some boys loved it and some of them were squirmish. Nevertheless, it is a good story.

By the way, here is the link to the list of 50 movies … how many of these recommendations have you watched? 

http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/feature.jsp?id=161521

Step Up 2 was in the cinemas recently and now there is the DVD.

Yes. It is about Street Dancing. And.

It is something young people can relate well to.

It’s all that

Music

Dance

Talent

Education

Responsiblity

Teamwork

Friendship

Creativity

Intergrity 

And maybe a little peek into the life of the Director, John Chu may even inspire some of the young talents (Special Features).

PS: Step up means to take a challenge or confront

You may not like the things that are happening around you.

What can you do?

Learn to Love…

watch

The Way Home …

After their adoptive mother is murdered during a grocery store holdup, the Mercer brothers – hotheaded Bobby (Mark Wahlberg), ladies‘ man Angel (Tyreese Gibson), family man and businessman Jeremiah (Andre Benjamin), and hard rocking Jack (Garrett Hedlund) – reunite to take the matter of her death into their own hands. As they track down her killer, they quickly realize that their old ways of doing business have new consequences.

At the funeral, we meet the four adopted sons, two black, two white. Evelyn Mercer was a foster mother all of her life, and these were the only four she couldn’t find homes for. They all have the name Mercer and they all consider Evelyn their mom, but they grew up on mean streets and have not spent a lot of time getting all sentimental about being “brothers.” That begins to change at the funeral, when they wordlessly agree that their mother’s death requires some kind of action. Jeremiah, observes: “The people who did this are from the same streets we’re from. Mom would have been the first to forgive them”. True of Mom, not true of them.

Warning:

In Singapore – NC-16 rating for violence, profanity, drugs, alcohol

You can find both the NC-16 as well as G rated versions on DVD.

Discussion Questions:

·        What would you do if someone you love has been hurt, abused and/or killed?

·        How would you justify your actions (be it lawful or unlawful) to yourself?

·        Which character would you most relate with? Why?

·        If someone you know wants revenge, what would you say to them?

·        In some cultures, an eye for an eye is an acceptable social practice. Do you agree with this practice?

·        Taking the law into your own hands is the only way to get justice. Discuss.

·        Do you think the phrase “I would die/kill for you” is overrated? Why?

·        Brotherly love cannot exist if you do not have blood ties. Do you agree?

More questions and comments would be greatly appreciated.

                                                                                                                           Ms Joy, HK

It was in 2006 when the National Library Board introduced this book as a read for the Read! Singapore campaign. About 10 teachers and I read the book and had a reading circle discussion on the book. We shared our many views over coffee at  Campus Haven.

A year later, the book was made into a movie. Maybe it is due to the length of time, the movie give a good overview of the story but reading the book gives me more insight in the lives of the main character, Amir Jan. Well, if you want a glimpse of Afghanistan, the movie gives you some good insight and the way people live then.

Here is something for us to do … an invite to write our feelings, thoughts about the movies that we have watched and been motivated … read on

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

August 2008

San Francisco, California

ELECTRIC MIRROR SHOW

Singaporeans Write About American Movies

Edited and published by Wena Poon

A book of writing by Singaporeans (famous and not-so-famous) about their experience of American cinema.

As our nation grows of age, we look back at how American imported entertainment has shaped our consciousness throughout the years.

There will be at least 20 pieces in the book, each entitled the name of the film it is about, such as “Star Wars”, “Taxi Driver”, “The Dark Knight”, “Casablanca” and so on.

Although the format is fluid, for consistency the theme has to be American films (any era).

Contributors will be asked to write about the film that changed their life, or a film that is of special significance to them, or to remember the first movie they have ever watched as a child. 

The pieces should be personal, fun, casual, sincere, nostalgic, and if possible humorous.  Hardcore film criticism is not what is intended. The pieces can be essays, poems, or fiction, of various lengths: micro-length (just a snapshot, or 50 words, etc.) or traditional length (1000-2000 words). No haikus please (too short). Feel free to experiment with form as long as substance is good and keeps to theme!

No photos or artwork, sorry (too expensive to publish).  However, if someone wants to submit an original cover design and be credited for it, please email me and I will specify the JPEG to submit it in.

Student writing encouraged, as are submissions from seasoned Singapore writers.

I would also like to get some quotes from Singaporean celebrities or politicians as to what is their favorite film, to throw in. If you know them, please say so and please ask them and get this short piece of information (you will be credited accordingly). All they need to tell you is the name of the film. They do not need to elaborate.

HOW TO SUBMIT

Please email your completed piece of writing to:

Wena Poon

wenapoon@yahoo.com

Include your full name. For copyright reasons, all submissions must be never-before-published. You keep the copyright to your own work.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

November 1, 2008.

THE FINER DETAILS

The published book is a high quality trade paperback, printed using BookSurge’s print on demand technology. It will be available on Amazon.com. As I am funding the publication out of my own pocket, contributors will be paid by getting 1 free copy of the book (which I pay for myself as a gift to you); no cash compensation will be provided now or thereafter.

Have fun

We are going to have our own private screening for everyone in the college… MAD about ENGLISH.

And it is FREE ! Of course, the college is paying.

But isn’t it GREAT… MOE students have to be carted to the cinemas for this but we get our own private viewing… of course… no popcorns allowed… but this is just a little sacrifice for a ticket that is going for $6 and more (on weekends)…

And if you REEEAALLY want to watch and are having lessons, tell your lecturer you are giving him a movie treat… here in the college… BRING him along… it is a EARLY Teacher’s Day celebrations!!

See you at the AUDI !!