The Hobbit The Desolation of Smaug Review

Do not go comparing or setting your standards for The Hobbit with The Lord of The Rings. Else you will be dissapointed.

The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings are never the same in terms of storyline. One is a journey and adventure. Another one is a quest and a battle against good and evil.

The Lord of The Rings are split so perfectly because from the start the author has canonized the whole story into 3 books. So when it comes to making the movies, I think Peter Jackson had an easier time and clearer picture on when to split the movie into 3 parts with good connectivity.

The Hobbit itself is a book. It was not as concise and thorough compared to The Lord of The Rings. So yes there are difficulties into putting an end to a movie part.

I personally thought An Unexpected Journey started and ended quite well, very very much like how The Fellowship of The Rings performed. 

My thoughts on The Desolation of Smaug is: (MINI SPOILER ALERT!)

1. The starting was okay. We can see the effort of trying to relink the audience to what happened in the first film, where we see some unseen plot that builds up the whole story. But the "12 months later" was quite unacceptable as I expected something better (what happened in The Two Tower was it started off with Gandafl battling the Balrog inside the Mines of Moria, falling down into the dark abyss, just until Frodo woke up from the nightmare he had. Simple and classy).

2. I know there are more to come in the 3rd movie There and Back Again. But the ending for The Desolation of Smaug was too cliffhanging. You see the dragon flying towards Laketown and then, movie ends. Too cliffhanging and its like hitting a low note on the verge of an orgasm (sorry for my choice of words)

3. My favourite scene would be Bilbo Baggins inside Erebor, meeting Smaug. The Desolation of Smaug has its fair share of action and fight scenes, but it is nothing compared to the epic battles that have been waged in The Two Towers.

So yes, I admit that I set the bar too high for The Desolation of Smaug. :/

But overall on its own, the 2nd film is nonetheless a prelude to the epic finale 

My 2 Cents Worth on Moyes

Moyes. Meddling Moyes. My goodness what's wrong Moyes.

Manchester is red. But there are 2 shades of red at the moment. One still holding faith to Moyes. Another half condoning him.

I think most United fans have given up hope for at least this season to defend the Premier League title. Admit it. Moyes is no super coach. He's not Guardiola or Mourinho. He just isn't the kind of manager who performs miracles.

Given his reputation and achievements at Everton, I would say he is an average coach, BUT with the ability to pull out surprises once in a while (like every staggered season?)

He isn't the kind of manager where you would expect greatness and glory. Yes I'm making assumptions. Yes it's even barely one season. But think back: Mourinho came out of nowhere, lead Porto to greatness, then Chelsea too. Guardiola made Barca the best team in the world, now Bayern are somewhat a shadow of the late Barca.

Yes Moyes is given the chance and liability to tinker with the squad and tactics. But it is definitely unacceptable for taking over the team, which has plenty of talent and yet failing to pick up even mundane wins.

I accept that it would be impossible for us to get any silverware at the start of the season. But never would I fathom that we would be languishing outside a Europe competition standings. This is just too much.

I'm not trying to convert every United fan around the world to hate Moyes. I just don't think that he's the right man for the job.

Don't go comparing Sir Alex with Moyes. Sir Alex started building his squad FROM SCRATCH. Moyes took over United like manager mode on FIFA 14.

It is not proven that 100% of trust and time given will pay dividends. I wonder how long will the loyalty towards Moyes last? After ending up relegated? After one season?

The moment United can't even manage top 6, I know this man is very well incompetent of his job.

And don't get me started on his choice of selection. Dammnit!


P.S. Go to google and google Moyes. Look at the top 5 choices. Moyes OUT!

September 1752

Apparently this is real.

On September 1752, our calender lost 11 days.


It is said that on this day, England shifted from the Roman Julian Calender to the Gregory calender (i.e. the calender we are using now).

A Julian year is 11 days longer than a Gregorian year. So the king ordered 11 days to be wiped off.

New Year was in April according to Julian date. Many people were not happy or contented to give up the old customs to celebrate New Year on April. To counter measure that, the King finally issued a royal dictum; which stated that those who celebrated 1st April as the new year's day would be labelled as fools. From then on, 1st April became April Fool's Day. 

How true is that? I don't know. 

But the part where September 1752 had 11 days wiped off is definitely real.

Believe it or google it :P

Source: Wierd World

Begin With The End In "Mind"

The second principle of Stephen R. Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People".

Begin with the end in mind. Foresee what you would like to achieve at the end of a chapter or mission. Visualize.

And I have a direction. Of where to step next. On where to go next.

Just need some time before taking action.

Time to buck up and prepare.

Interests

Recently I found myself losing that passion for one of my interests - music.

Gone were the days when a good song hit me hard, so hard that I visualize it in piano arrangements, and I would try playing it out on the piano.

Not that I'm some music prodigy or what so ever. It's just that it used to feel so so soooo good when you're able to figure out the chords, then the rhythms, then voila, a basic rendition by yourself, which is certainly very very rewarding, if you're passionate about music.

Now ever since I start working, my life starts taking it's toll. I only exercise during the weekends. And apart from reading my ever growing reading lists, playing some games here and there and catching good dramas and movies, I realized that the urge to play a song on the piano doesn't crops up as it used to.

Nowadays I last barely 5 minutes on the piano. Gone were the perseverance where I would sit down for half an hour or an hour, playing the songs that I used to know or practiced learning those that I tried so hard.

Yes this is the real life. Working takes up a whole big chunk of your life. All in the name of money. Because without money, you can't live. You'll have nothing to eat. You'll have nowhere to stay. You'll be.. hopeless.

But deep down inside me, I yearn to roll back the days that I once had. Playing the piano because I have the luxury to do so. Spend the whole afternoon reading the books that takes me to another place. Have that 1 hour gaming, and that hourly dose of daily exercise.

Ahhh... I must be dreaming too much...

Musical binge, please come back. Cause without you, I am not Ong Joo Parn...

Shingeki No Kyojin

The fandom and the reviews spread. From Japan. To around the world. To my peers and relatives. To me.

I heard recommendations and reviews to try this anime out. They say it was awesome. Much much more awesome then SAO.

I've already watched SAO and I know how awesome it is. I needed no more persuasion than to start.

But the thing being "much much more awesome then SAO" really set my standards high.

Nevertheless, if someone asked me now, I would gladly justify that it is indeed better than SAO a little (don't get me wrong. I like both.)

I think one of the main reasons that made me love SnK (Shingeki no Kyojin aka Attack on Titan) is, how I see things through Eren's eyes - how I am able to take something fictional and see that it applies to the reality.

In case that you guys don't know about the story (please watch the anime or read the manga.), its about how a young boy living in a world terrorized by Titans (or giants if you may please.). Good thing for the humans in the story, they're living in cities protected by high rising walls, protecting them from the Titans.

What would you do if you were one of the humans in the story? Stay inside the city, live happily without even bothering what is outside? Stay as normal as possible?

Not for Eren. To see what the world is outside, he has to purge the Titans of their existence. He needs to avenge the death of his mother by the Titans. Even if it means his own death.

Coming back to the reality, most of us are complacent of having a normal life, spend their whole life trying to climb up the corporate ladder, spending their life trying to clear debts...

But not me. Just not me.

I yearn to be different. I want to be different.

I will be different. 

Grandpa

Sometimes you wished you have done something abit earlier...
When he was troubling you, when he asked for companionship in the middle of the night...
At least at that time, he can still talk...

 Now...
He isn't talking,
Nor eating.
You see him growing thinner and thinner day by day...
Weaker and weaker day by day...

Come this Friday,
Might be the last day I might see grandpa for the last day he's alive...
His days are numbered...

I still remember him drafting out Math questions after dinner everyday...
From summations, subtractions to multiplications and division,
Or playing badminton with him every afternoon,

Yes I have been cold towards him,
And I think most of us were cold too,
Just perhaps not as cold as me I think,
Then he stopped asking for companionship,
Stopped asking for someone to talk to...

Now when all hope is lost,
I seek my best to earn back the time that I have so easily forsook,
So eager to turn back the clock,
To the days I visited his shop excitedly,
Asking him for a bottle of F&N beverage

Ahh... Nostalgia...
Even though I may have more than what I had in the past,
I would still turn back the clock
Go through all the pain that I have went through,
To give Grandpa more love,
The love that he had showered me while he could,
And to repay for the love that I am desperate to return...

Come this Friday,
I hope to let my love flow through my tears,
As this is the only way I could repay the love,
Grandpa gave to me since I was born till now...

Lingering

I can choose not to think. But still I cannot entirely forget...

그녀가 전전히 잊어버리고...
왜?
그게 누가 봐도 멋진 남자니까

I will slowly forget about you
Why?
Because anyone who sees what I'm doing, will know that I'm doing the right thing...

最

最长的距离，不是你我之间的距离； 而是你在我心，但不在我身边。

最冤枉的， 不是有女生要我电话； 而是我没有任何理由地喜欢上你。

最痛的感觉，不是你打碎了我的心； 而是我心甘情愿，让它不攻自破。

最惊叹的事，不是我挑女友的条件高又多； 而是喜欢上你后，我把每个条件都给废除了。

最可笑的是，不是我不喜欢一位年纪小过我的女生；而是喜欢上一位年纪比我大几岁的你。

最悲哀的是，不是我不给其他人机会， 而是我还在等待着奇迹的出现。


Scumbug heart... Y U make me like the wrong person again? 

Effort

Since the days where people started working, defined as getting paid by someone who hired you, work output has always been measured by the hours spent on doing it.

You work, you get paid. You work more, you get paid more (in some circumstances). It is nature. It is how things were. And it is also how things are currently.

Then Key Performance Index (KPI) came. It was the start of something new. That work will not only be measured by the hours put in. But also the EFFORT.

At a specific time length given, a KPI can access whether an individual outperforms or under performs based on his or her historical records.

Example, if a carpenter is required to make 10 chairs in 10 hours, but manages to finish all 10 in 7 hours, he has certainly outperforms his KPI. He gets paid for his EFFORT, and not for the sake of working 10 hours.

Hence, these days you have people working flexibly, regardless of the time they must be present at their work station. People get to work from home, more freedom and pleasure I would say.

But still, work is still measured by the time and duration sacrificed these days. In some cases it is still inevitable. I don't blame the system.

I can just hope that one day I can escape such a system. Escape the rat race that I fear I may be running until 60 years old, should I am afraid of taking a leap when the time comes.

I have only one life. A life is a life ONLY when you live it to the fullest. Running a rat race for the rest of my life is not intriguing to me at all. How can a life be a life when you're not gonna spend the most of it doing something you love? 

p.s. Sometimes, when I see people out there, who are different from the rest, not needing to slog for a living, earning money in such a way where they needn't sacrifice a big chunk of their time, the enviousness keeps haunting me. Yes I would love to be rich to a certain extent. Not because I love a lavish life. But more because that I would love to have the time of my life to do what I want.

Because I want to live my life my way :)

Black

Black is the color of my country

A protest against an election deemed not free. 

From Kelana Jaya to Batu Kawan

The battle's on, not an outing for fun.

I am a person of perspectives. It is my strength and also my weakness. A person of perspectives can see from a lot of angles. He or she benefits by not overlooking things that may be blind to those who are too strong with their views.

But he or she may also hesitate and postpone an action that ought to be taken, for taking too much into consideration. Fear for being on the losing end. Fear for making a wrong decision. Always in a dilemma, unsure of taking the right or left road.

It was a protest against dirty elections. It was a unanimous cry against the lies that the people have endured. It was something democracy would have allowed, and not branded as illegal.

I was one of them who gathered at the Kelana Jaya stadium. I was one of them who wore black (black shirt, black shorts, black cap). I had the right to believe what I believe, the belief I believe is shared by almost half the voting nation of Malaysia.

The crowd was unbelievable - the stadium packed to the brim. It was an occasion which outmatched and outstripped every football match that had been held in that very stadium. Rain or wind, deemed legal or not, it did not deter the people from gathering and creating a night to remember.

As soon as the climax was about to end, by who else other than Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, me and my relatives knew it was going to be crowded when everyone starts to leave after Anwar's speech. We quickly made our way to the exit, through the wet and muddy field patronized and accommodated by the crowds, slowly, without stepping on them.

Too late.

The field became chaotic. Everyone wanted to leave. Some people are even trying to come down to the field, for their specific reasons. There was a terrible bottleneck, where there was only one available exit and entrance to the field.

I was pushed, shoved, squeezed by the impatient crowd. I was impatient, not at the speed we were going, but at the impatient and terrible crowd activity going around. However, surprisingly, I did not lose my temper. Nor did I ask them to stop pushing. Probably I was too tired. Too longing to go back to my bed.

Then I got lost from my relatives. I could not even control where I was moving. I ended up at LDP, which was the wrong side. My relatives have to walk back to their car, brave through the traffic congestion caused by the crowd to fetch me at the other side from where we originally parked.

There I was, alone, walking down the pavements beside LDP, pondering and thinking about the gathering. That was when my perspective intuition kicked in.

Is it right to hold such an occasion?

Prior to attending, I would have gave a firm yes. Up till this very movement, I would still say yes, but I have seen the ugly or unwanted side of an event this magnitude.

An occasion like this was to let our voices be heard. That we aren't happy with the current situation. That we have the rights to express them in an outspoken but not crossing a boundary which may disrupt peace.

Let's admit. The din and chaotic aftermath was a disturbance to the night. An occasion of voicing out our discontent against unfair election is not recognized by the current ruling party. For them, they view it as an excuse for not accepting defeat, or in other words, going against the current government, posing a high threat against the peace and stability of the country. They are correct, and I agree to a certain extent.

It was supposed to be an event, led by Ambiga herself, and not Anwar Ibrahim. To some extent, it was an event fueled by an opposition movement.

This is what I have realized. The current opposition movement is campaigning against dirty politics. But by doing so, the effective way they seem to be using is by fanning hatred to the current ruling government, which I considered somewhat unhealthy.

Then again, this is the only way Pakatan Rakyat can fight this war. It is not the right way to win the people's heart, but then again, it is the only solution.

I support what Pakatan are trying to do. But that doesn't mean I am all in for their methods. How they plan to counter this issue in the coming 21 days is an issue. Even if a miracle happens, they face a huge task ahead too - winning back my vote after 5 years, and not expecting me to go till the end with them.

Rise

Time to rise from the ashes. Time to lead a life that is beneficial not only to me, but also to others. Time to use time to learn, rather than to relax.

Since my 2 best pals are already on the road towards a fruitful 2013, setting schedules and goals for themselves, here I am posting mine.

1. Picking back my Korean (self learning at the moment)
2. Continue practicing my piano.
3. Learn guitar.
4. Run daily, increasing my running distance time to time.
5. Finish a full marathon on time.
6. Listen to more variety of songs, regardless of the language.
7. Read up on investing
8. Read 60 books by the end of the year (just finished 11 at the moment)
9. Achieve a body weight less than 75kg (ultimate would be 72kg)
10. Build up abs and packs. Hopefully when I get my full marathon's medal, I will bare my top and take a picture! HAHAHA

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!

Heartbroken

Yes. My current job can be demanding. It requires me to travel up and down the PLUS highway. I put in high amount of time (and vigilance) when I'm on the road. My job requires me to go after outstanding invoices, pending goods return notes, all at my manager's order.

Yes. I admit. Life after work is tiring. Some times I just want to do nothing! Just lie down and sleep and recharge. But I still  need to update my manager on what my daily activities, which includes not only my jobs and responsibilities but also my subordinates.

I am a very demanding person in some ways. I always demand myself to be better, no matter what the circumstances are. I'm not that demanding when it comes to other people. I am easy to accept others fault. But not my own. Just like Jose Mourinho. If Real Madrid wins, it's the team that gets the plaudits. If Madrid loses, he blames himself. Salute that guy.

Sometimes I do complain about my work. But that's just it. Complaining for the sake of it. Complain to somehow take off a few notch of the pressure. Voicing out displeasure among colleagues is one of my ways to keep calm and work on.

I live by my motto. 永不言败。Never say die.

Yes my job can be demanding. Yes it saps energy out of me.

But that doesn't mean I am applying non pay leave in conjunction of CNY to ESCAPE from my work!!!

This accusation really does break my heart into two.

And when this accusation comes from your own parents, your heart just breaks into another million pieces.

Fine then. I'll cancel my leave to please them!

But, will they ever know what I like to do in my future? What are my passion? Chances are, they expect me to live a rat race's life, just like them, until I retire...

Take leave pun kena criticize by own parents... I'm a failure...

My "Working" Philosophy

I daresay that if it isn't for money and surviving, most people wouldn't be working.

Being "forced" to work to earn money for survival makes us unhappy. There is proof! With only 19% of employees happy or satisfied with their job routine, most of the people we see out there are mostly just the same as us.

However though, that doesn't mean I am here to to encourage you guys to just lay back and hope for food to drop from the sky. Work for me is a terrible and horrible work. I define the world "work" as: "giving you a job title (for example Doctor, Engineer, Teacher) and running your designated responsibilities over and over again for the sake of earning enough money to feed you and your family."

I prefer using the word learning. Hence I am happy to admit that studying as a student was the best job I had ever got in my life.

 Being happy at work is the most important aspect. I used to be confused about the term "Love what you do" and "Do what you love". Of the two quotes, I see the former one more often, which I firmly disagree. Love is not something you can just wake up and find it there. It needs to be nurtured. Some jobs won't be able to be loved even if an employee spends the rest of their lives with it. "Love what you do" is a misnomer, which I think is poisoned into an employee's mind by the employer.

Doing what you love is a whole lot different! If you love music, then embark on a career that has to do with music! If you like cooking, then be a chef or a pâtisserie . In that case, working's main reason would not be for the money, but the passion and energy you are willing to give in and sacrifice for the love of it.

There are many kinds of work in this world. Most of them requires us to put in physical energy to get a paycheck. A better one would be requiring your intellectual capacity to help solving your employer's problems. The last one, which I think is the most rewarding one, is just supplying resources (for example money) for future dividends or rewards, in other words INVESTING.

Choosing a job where you are passionate about ain't easy. Because it may be "un-main stream". It may not be glamorous. But at the end of the day, it is about doing what you love, get paid for it, and be happy with that stretch of life where you are going to spend 40 years of it of your entire life.

Here are a few jobs which I am definitely passionate about, and won't even have second thoughts should the chance arises:

1. Singer
2. Member of a musical band
3. Tour guide
4. Musical instrument tuner (piano tuner for example)
5. Writer (just mainly a blogger)
6. Publisher
7. Problem solving team
8. Teacher (English or Music)
9. Filming industry (still not well verse and decided on this. But sounds exciting to me)
10. Book/movie critic
11. Food critic
12. Author (book form)

Although I do have plans to be rich one day in the future, but by the age of 30 I sure wish I can finally say that I am in a job where I am not slogging to earn money, but I am doing it for the love I am willing to give.

ZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Back To The Reality...