In this moment, I cannot recall when was the last time I could not sleep… went for supper with Bear (careful of where we went) till now.

I am infected. I have the issue in me.

Sigh… I need strength for a meeting later

I did my first run on three evenings back, 15 July after discovering I developed a slipped disc some time late last year. I sorely miss the feeling of running and simply, enjoying it. I sorely miss running and thinking altogether. I sorely miss running to relieve pains of all sorts. So, (yes with ‘complaints’, which really were concerns from my colleagues) I went alone for a good one.. how about taking on the 10km end of the year?

Hmmm… tempting, as always…

Two days after the run. Went for a quick swim this morning. Verdict: The man’s back is still not quite up to the stress of running… sigh. Perhaps I need Tramadol. But it won’t cure all the pains I have.

Enjoy the offerings of little island Ubin with Lamb and Medusa here!

Anyway the trip to the land of the Khmers (my second) was a H-O-L-I-D-A-Y. And while most will be so looking forward to it, I was apprehensive. Can’t be sure why. Is it the company, or the purpose?

Oh well… still no photos of the trip up yet..maybe they’ll never come online (what’s new…). And since this is a test blog (I consider it almost, non-existent), I will take my own sweet time, if I have any.

So besides up to date movies (or near-to-date, as time allows me to think and write), I will share about movies I believe are brilliant foods-for-thought. You might want to consider renting/buying them the next time you step into the video store.

As always, the conscience (however much of it) in me knows I have no writing gene, so I will take reviews already written (why re-invent the wheel?) and other links to aid you in understanding the story.

City of Joy

Hasari Pal is a rural farmer who moves to Calcutta with his wife and three children in search of a better life. The Pal family eventually finds its place in the poverty-stricken city of Culcatta.

On the other end of Calcutta, disillusioned Texas doctor Max Lowe (Patrick Swayze) has arrived in search of some spiritual enlightenment after the loss of a patient. He, too, gets off to a rough start.

Hasari comes to Max’s aid and takes the doctor to the “City of Joy,” a slum area populated with lepers and poor people that becomes the Pals’ new home and the American’s home away from home. Max was gradually coaxed into helping his new-found friends by a strong-willed Irish woman, who runs the local clinic.

Eventually, Max begins to see there are many around him whose lives are much worse, but they look on each day with a hope that gives new strength to the depressed physician.

Condensed from Wiki (some parts I deem as ‘spoilers’ are removed)

This movie found its inspiration from a book of the same title, City of Joy, which was written based on a true character.

Being the usual crazy last-min-catch-a-movie-alone person, I wondered if the movie Departures was still on. Having the intention to catch it a month back, when a family member passed on, but found that timing was tighter than I thought, so I gave it a miss. Then, I didn’t expect it to last long in the theatres. I was totally wrong. It was a sellout. Not every flick (esp Art Hse films) get such a long running, and such a following!

I was 10 min shy of the (only) screening of the day, so when the queue ended for me, only the front row was left. Next to meeting irritating fellow movie goers (this time had no exception), sitting right in front in most theaters comes second place. But instant second thoughts told me I didn’t have another slot to watch it.

Good money spent (though I am sore abt the seats, esp when my back n leg were acting up again!).

I shan’t make summaries since experts have written skilfully about it (IMDb) – Departures heh, I didn’t even know it won an Oscar…

Musing
Most pp might be impressed about how respectful the living are towards the dead. What impresses me is the direction (how the director got his talents to act) between the living ‘relating’ to their deceased loved ones. The small actions, expressions were adequate (not exaggerated) and sensitively portrayed. Kudos to those talents (not the main actor/actress, but heck that don’t mean I save my praises). When the gentleman who executes the cremation described himself as one who mans the ‘gateway’ to the next place after death, I feel that. The destiny of a soul in this life and the next always draws my attention.

Okay so am I going to advocate my belief and shove my beliefs into this movie and perhaps to (you) whoever reads this? Yes and no. Perhaps telling a story will help.

A Jewish Christian was being interviewed on a live radio show in the States. Now Jews believe in Judaism, and Jewish converts (to Christianity) are not very popular amongst their community. In the radio show, the host (in my opinion, extremely insensitive) jested to his Jewish guest about the fate of his fellow people who were not converts.

The Jew neither protested (human rights), nor strangled the host (violence, it sounds like something I’d do). He broke down instead. On national radio. The show went dead silent for a brief moment that seemed like ages. Finally the host composed himself and said,”I’ve never seen a Christian testimony as powerful as that.” Only a man who truly love his people will cry for his people’s unbelief to something important. He knew were they were heading, and it was not funny at all.

Very seldom do I tear in movies, but this one, I lost. I appreciate the relationships between the characters. But all the more, I understood what happen to the dead as a ‘gatekeeper’ myself. The movie-goers were crying, but I wondered who teared with this in perspective.

Where will we be sent off at the end of the day?

You ‘meet’ me on S&L.
You met him or her while she was doing something from a distance, somewhere not too unfamiliar.
You have conversations over electronic fields of signals.
Even data speaks to the unthinking mind of a couch potato while he sponges on the latest offerings of entertainment.

This is where I meet you (with an electronic device that was not present at time of shoot)

In ancient of days, God met His people in a venue.
These days He meet us through His Word, and His servants who bring truth.

Have you found the meeting venue with Him?

It is really a little place where random thoughts and musings of life from my f.64* eyes, perhaps of value to some who might pay a visit here, resides. Of course, it’s here I do my testings and try-outs so I can understand WordPress better too.

I had the privilege to watch not a few films in the past months. I’ll post some thoughts if they come back…

* to understand f.64, you’ll have to have a little bit of knowledge about photography