just watched history boys, and its is *swoons* lovely.
The writing! Is just incredible, and really sharp and witty. There's the screenplay of it somewhere (it exists on amazon) so I'll go look for it.
The big themes are education and coming of age, but what really stood out for me was love. If one really wanted to do this systematically, there's lust between dakins/fiona, yearning in posner/dakins and tension~ in irwin/dakins. See? All the romantic relationships practically revolve around dakins, and rightfully so-- he is smouldering.
Irwin is this temp. teacher, by the way, who comes to tutor the boys on how to write clever essays for the oxbridge admissions exams.
The writing was so amazing that I had to stop and rewind some parts, especially towards the end with irwin/dakins, and irwin is so... shy and blushy and bowled over. (I almost typed "blowed over". Anyway.) And dakins is like: "you know you want me". But I can't believe irwin is such a wuss like that! He's practically melting when dakins promises him a date.
Though. At some points it's hard to see beyond the comedy and into the serious stuff. Or rather at some points these are hard to differentiate. Especially with dakin, you don't really know whether he's taking anything seriously. You don't even know where is alliances lie.
Obviously in these things the characters do not have a definite sense of morality, so I don't know why this new york times review said that
"This is a work in which the most likable and, by the play's standards, most moral figure is an obese English teacher who regularly swats his students in class and fiddles (to use the euphemism of choice) with the more attractive of them after school."
I mean morality in these things is not even a question. The history boys isn't meant to be moralistic; it's meant to show things the way they are/ were and explore the relationship between a teacher and his students. For those who haven't seen it, hector (the "obese English teacher") and his groping isn't taken seriously. There are certain doubts, like "how will I deal with it if he feels me up?" But mostly the boys think it's all a joke, a slight inclination the English Teacher happens to have; they respect him for his opinions and teachings all the same.
Granted, the NYT was reviewing the stage play, and I've only watched the movie.
But the love! (posner has for dakin) Is so endearing and sweet and... *swoons again*.
[SCRIPPS has just seen POSNER swooning over dakin]
SCRIPPS: Love can be very irritating.
POSNER: How do you know?
SCRIPPS: It's what I always think about God; he must get so pissed off, everybody adoring him all the time.
POSNER: Yes. Only you don't catch God poncing about in his underpants.
[Cut to this scene of POSNER singing]
And then there's this scene between posner and hector after that, and they talk about literature:
HECTOR: Lost boy though he is, on the far side of the world, he still has a name.
(On Hardy) A saddish life, though not unappreciated. "Uncoffined" is a typical Hardy usage. It's a compound adjective, formed by putting "un" in front of a noun. Or verb, of course. Unkissed, unrejoicing, unconfessed, unembraced. It's a turn of phrase that brings with it a sense of not sharing. Of being out of it, whether because of diffidence or shyness. But a holding back. Not being in the swim. Can you see that?
POSNER: Yes, sir. I felt that a bit.
HECTOR: The best moments in reading are when you come across something -- a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things-- that you'd thought special, particular to you. And here it is, set down by someone else. A person you've never met, maybe even someone long dead. And... it's as if a hand has come out and taken yours.
The first part, the "un" bit, you can't help but feel sorry for posner and hector alike, who both have something/ someone they really want but who won't reciprocate their affections (in posner's case) or something they can't have. (being openly gay, in hector's case. He is married.)
And I don't have to mention that the reading quote has its own inherent value.
I would love to see the History Boys performed live, only there aren't any tours in my area. Will see. If you want to watch it, I watched it off youku. It's also nc16 for all those legal people who want to buy/ borrow it ^^
EDIT: I want to buy the soundtrack! The 80s songs they use as background are great, as is samuel barnett's Bewitched and Bye Bye Blackbird.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
YAY! the proper layout is back! ^^ hip, hip HOORAY.
This song by pomplamoose is appropriate for the situation.
Dinner for two lost its taste
When I embraced
All of your leftover bait
And I wish we had never gone stale
But who could tell
Your expiration date
Oh Id like to get over
Id like to get over you
School is helping. Loads. Massively.
Chemistry practical tomorrow, which is 7.5% of our ALevel grade, and I am nervous. I always get the titration wrong and forget the concentration calculations and the questions kind of build up on each other, so if you get the first one wrong, you'll get the rest wrong. They've given us lots of practice, so I've been going over them and redoing them. Hopefully I don't mess up tomorrow.
And then EOM and lit homework which I never do and chem tutorials and my stupid philo essay, which class I can't go to anymore. *grumble* I mean for the past 5 years I've been giving things up for the sake of school and I hate not being able to do the things I like. And once I give up something, I'm not allowed to take it back, in case my grades drop again. Mostly the school makes me give things up. And mostly it is my fault.
Ok it is entirely my fault that I've had to give things up. Admittedly I used to not mind giving up violin and my time, because I didn't want to be bogged down by things, but now I would really like not to have remedial and have my time back. And now I've given almost everything up and what's left is the minimum to get my butt through school, but it's still not working.
Although. The upside is that the emphasis on schoolwork and busybusy days make you think about your priorities, so you keep what is important to you and let go of what is not. Everything superfluous is abandoned, and your time and energy is concentrated on activities that matter, so that's a good thing.
This song by pomplamoose is appropriate for the situation.
Dinner for two lost its taste
When I embraced
All of your leftover bait
And I wish we had never gone stale
But who could tell
Your expiration date
Oh Id like to get over
Id like to get over you
School is helping. Loads. Massively.
Chemistry practical tomorrow, which is 7.5% of our ALevel grade, and I am nervous. I always get the titration wrong and forget the concentration calculations and the questions kind of build up on each other, so if you get the first one wrong, you'll get the rest wrong. They've given us lots of practice, so I've been going over them and redoing them. Hopefully I don't mess up tomorrow.
And then EOM and lit homework which I never do and chem tutorials and my stupid philo essay, which class I can't go to anymore. *grumble* I mean for the past 5 years I've been giving things up for the sake of school and I hate not being able to do the things I like. And once I give up something, I'm not allowed to take it back, in case my grades drop again. Mostly the school makes me give things up. And mostly it is my fault.
Ok it is entirely my fault that I've had to give things up. Admittedly I used to not mind giving up violin and my time, because I didn't want to be bogged down by things, but now I would really like not to have remedial and have my time back. And now I've given almost everything up and what's left is the minimum to get my butt through school, but it's still not working.
Although. The upside is that the emphasis on schoolwork and busybusy days make you think about your priorities, so you keep what is important to you and let go of what is not. Everything superfluous is abandoned, and your time and energy is concentrated on activities that matter, so that's a good thing.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
I'm hungry.
and off-kilter.
When have I not been off-kilter?
Arghh I don't want to have to worry about.
I don't know what to say, except that everything that has been going on lately has been rather personal.
Hmm. Since amanda palmer (http://twitter.com/amandapalmer) is talking about hitting the rag, I'll talk about that too! I don't have bad cramps ^^ And I'm not on the rag at the moment. Some people chart their cycles on a calendar, but I don't, partly because mine tends to be really irregular. I am fascinated by people who can go: "okay, Aunt Flo is going to visit this week; I'd better stock up on aspirin." The crimon wave shouldn't be something to complain about, especially when you eat less!
On a more (or less?) serious note, I notice that in a coed school, people don't complain about their cramps as much. In my old school, we used to use it as an excuse for anything! Especially PE. I hate the pads they sell in the school shop for people who aren't expecting it. They're the cheapest kind, which means they're lumpy and rough. I like tampons!Have you noticed the ones they sell in condom-like packaging? That's funny.
The euphemisms are so cute:
My cup of joy is overflowing
Nosebleed in Australia
Playing banjo in Sgt. Zygote's Ragtime Band (beatles reference!)
Panty shields up, Captain! (port or starboard?)
Scarlet letter, The (literary reference!)
Vampire's bag lunch (Though hopefully not edward's. Has anyone thought of what Edward does when Bella is on the rag?)
and off-kilter.
When have I not been off-kilter?
Arghh I don't want to have to worry about.
I don't know what to say, except that everything that has been going on lately has been rather personal.
Hmm. Since amanda palmer (http://twitter.com/amandapalmer) is talking about hitting the rag, I'll talk about that too! I don't have bad cramps ^^ And I'm not on the rag at the moment. Some people chart their cycles on a calendar, but I don't, partly because mine tends to be really irregular. I am fascinated by people who can go: "okay, Aunt Flo is going to visit this week; I'd better stock up on aspirin." The crimon wave shouldn't be something to complain about, especially when you eat less!
On a more (or less?) serious note, I notice that in a coed school, people don't complain about their cramps as much. In my old school, we used to use it as an excuse for anything! Especially PE. I hate the pads they sell in the school shop for people who aren't expecting it. They're the cheapest kind, which means they're lumpy and rough. I like tampons!Have you noticed the ones they sell in condom-like packaging? That's funny.
The euphemisms are so cute:
My cup of joy is overflowing
Nosebleed in Australia
Playing banjo in Sgt. Zygote's Ragtime Band (beatles reference!)
Panty shields up, Captain! (port or starboard?)
Scarlet letter, The (literary reference!)
Vampire's bag lunch (Though hopefully not edward's. Has anyone thought of what Edward does when Bella is on the rag?)
Monday, August 10, 2009
fug it why is blogger falling to pieces? yesterday I couldn't link, and today I can't see the layout properly. 2.30am.
sorry. This whole time I've been thinking about going away but the thing is. If university/ what comes next doesn't turn out to be what I've hoped it would be, what would I do? Because sometimes I kind of think that university would be the be all and end all, the solution to all the problems, the end to this blinking hell hole, but what if it isn't really all these things?
What if my teachers/ lecturers end up being people who can't teach? What if I won't get to learn all the things I want to? What if secretly university and the classes and the syllabus are just like A levels, only worse? fugfugfug I mean I never thought these things could happen until I went to the school I'm going to now.
Though honestly it is not wise to put university on a pedestal and say that it is made up of good glorious things, when actually it might, in equal parts, might
sorry. This whole time I've been thinking about going away but the thing is. If university/ what comes next doesn't turn out to be what I've hoped it would be, what would I do? Because sometimes I kind of think that university would be the be all and end all, the solution to all the problems, the end to this blinking hell hole, but what if it isn't really all these things?
What if my teachers/ lecturers end up being people who can't teach? What if I won't get to learn all the things I want to? What if secretly university and the classes and the syllabus are just like A levels, only worse? fugfugfug I mean I never thought these things could happen until I went to the school I'm going to now.
Though honestly it is not wise to put university on a pedestal and say that it is made up of good glorious things, when actually it might, in equal parts, might
Saturday, August 08, 2009
ok this will be a quick one:
from amanda palmer: "i’m also trying to book a singapore gig (i’ll be there with neil) in october."
ARE YOU SERIOUS and
from neil gaiman: "World Fantasy Con is Hallowe'en Weekend (in San Jose website is http://www.worldfantasy2009.org/). I won't be there as I'm going to be in Singapore for the literary festival. But I will miss it."
oh my goodness they never come to this part of the world...
And even if amanda palmer can't book a show, she can still do a ninja twitter thing and I will pay!
I double-checked and the literary festival in question is the Singapore Writer's Festival. OMG I can volunteer and things they have openings-- but it's for schools only/ organisations. If only I can find a group of people... WG? Anyone from WG covering this? Can I have in on this??
It would be like volunteering at a CON, because they have programming and panels and things... and it is after promos (year end exams) but before PW (this project we have to do)so I will be free for this!! Kind of. But it is a chance not to be missed ahh.
Looked up the guest list but neil gaiman isn't on it. What if he just put it as a typo or a joke or something and he isn't really coming? *dithers* should I email to ask for specifics?
from amanda palmer: "i’m also trying to book a singapore gig (i’ll be there with neil) in october."
ARE YOU SERIOUS and
from neil gaiman: "World Fantasy Con is Hallowe'en Weekend (in San Jose website is http://www.worldfantasy2009.org/). I won't be there as I'm going to be in Singapore for the literary festival. But I will miss it."
oh my goodness they never come to this part of the world...
And even if amanda palmer can't book a show, she can still do a ninja twitter thing and I will pay!
I double-checked and the literary festival in question is the Singapore Writer's Festival. OMG I can volunteer and things they have openings-- but it's for schools only/ organisations. If only I can find a group of people... WG? Anyone from WG covering this? Can I have in on this??
It would be like volunteering at a CON, because they have programming and panels and things... and it is after promos (year end exams) but before PW (this project we have to do)so I will be free for this!! Kind of. But it is a chance not to be missed ahh.
Looked up the guest list but neil gaiman isn't on it. What if he just put it as a typo or a joke or something and he isn't really coming? *dithers* should I email to ask for specifics?
Friday, August 07, 2009
D: twitter was down yesterday and I couldn't check jbdazen's tweets. *sigh*
On the bright side, fiona has found my blog! *waves* after the whole ___room fuss. haha.
Haven't been posting for two weeks or so. What has transpired in my absence? hmm http://redbicycletea.blogspot.com has updated. So has tumbleweedrabbits. We're starting from scratch! It's relieving because all my icky pictures used to be on there and now they are not. phoung-nghi takes better pictures than I do. So does michele.
I keep watching jbdazen's The Geeks Are Out video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ae8mCVje0M) and I keep seeing myself... and the quality of the video pales in comparison to the other participants. I mean it's only a couple seconds (thank god for that) but argh seeing yourself in widescreen amongst other better youtubers is a bit discouraging. It's because I'm thin-skinned. I could have put in more effort, though, because when I filmed the video I was in a rush to go to school because I stupidly slept the night before. darn.
Happy thing! Washed the shoes I got from youswop and they fit like a glove! Because they were a bit big before and they shrank while washing, I guess. Got them for $12 in youswop money, which I swopped 1 sudoku player for. Yay for not spending real money. Though sometimes the youswop thing doesn't work because I really want shoes, but the shoes there are ugly/ don't fit me. And I can't buy any more clothes, because my closet is filled to the brim. I mean really. I can't fit my new clothes in. A wardrobe full of clothes and nothing to wear.
I don't think it's because I'm buying too many clothes, though. The last time I went shopping was two months ago (at the fleaflyflofun thing) and I only got a skirt. It's just that I have things that my parents/ relatives have gotten for me, but I hate them and never wear them. But it's not polite if you throw it away, because then they'll be like: "Where's the shirt I got you? Why aren't you wearing it?" And I still have things that don't fit me, that I used to wear when I was 10/ 11 years old. When you think about it, I'll be turning 17 next wednesday-- that means I've kept the clothes for far too long!
Don't think I should be shopping from now till exams though. I don't know. Sometimes when I haven't been going out, I really really feel that I need to get out of the school-home-tuition loop and do something or my brain will get fried.
Pfft won't get my camera back till tuesday so I can't catch up on video-uploading during the long weekend D: sigh. Yesterday during national day festivities, this ensued:
CHELE: *holding video camera, filming* Could you help me film?
ME: Sure! (jumps and grabs camera from her hands)
CHELE: (goes away)
PA SYSTEM: Could everybody sit down?
ME: oh crap oh crap (messes up footage)
CHELE: (returns) I'll take it from here
~another group comes on~
ME: Can I film this? I'm really good at keeping the camera still, I'm really good with video cameras... (really, I have only used video cameras twice in my life)
CHELE: But it's not mine-- I don't think you should be playing with it. If we can delete the footage it'll be ok.
ME: Okay, hand it over. I'll figure it out. (presses too many buttons and has no idea how to do this)
CHELE: It's not yours, woman, don't spoil it.
ME: But it's so shiny! Don't you realise how much memory this has? The quality of video? The battery life? (rambles and still can't figure it out)
OWNER OF CAMERA: (I do not know this person at all) Could I have my camera back?
ME: (Grudgingly returns camera with a sad look)
CHELE: (kicks me)
I deserved to be kicked. But! video cameras are so shiny...
On the bright side, fiona has found my blog! *waves* after the whole ___room fuss. haha.
Haven't been posting for two weeks or so. What has transpired in my absence? hmm http://redbicycletea.blogspot.com has updated. So has tumbleweedrabbits. We're starting from scratch! It's relieving because all my icky pictures used to be on there and now they are not. phoung-nghi takes better pictures than I do. So does michele.
I keep watching jbdazen's The Geeks Are Out video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ae8mCVje0M) and I keep seeing myself... and the quality of the video pales in comparison to the other participants. I mean it's only a couple seconds (thank god for that) but argh seeing yourself in widescreen amongst other better youtubers is a bit discouraging. It's because I'm thin-skinned. I could have put in more effort, though, because when I filmed the video I was in a rush to go to school because I stupidly slept the night before. darn.
Happy thing! Washed the shoes I got from youswop and they fit like a glove! Because they were a bit big before and they shrank while washing, I guess. Got them for $12 in youswop money, which I swopped 1 sudoku player for. Yay for not spending real money. Though sometimes the youswop thing doesn't work because I really want shoes, but the shoes there are ugly/ don't fit me. And I can't buy any more clothes, because my closet is filled to the brim. I mean really. I can't fit my new clothes in. A wardrobe full of clothes and nothing to wear.
I don't think it's because I'm buying too many clothes, though. The last time I went shopping was two months ago (at the fleaflyflofun thing) and I only got a skirt. It's just that I have things that my parents/ relatives have gotten for me, but I hate them and never wear them. But it's not polite if you throw it away, because then they'll be like: "Where's the shirt I got you? Why aren't you wearing it?" And I still have things that don't fit me, that I used to wear when I was 10/ 11 years old. When you think about it, I'll be turning 17 next wednesday-- that means I've kept the clothes for far too long!
Don't think I should be shopping from now till exams though. I don't know. Sometimes when I haven't been going out, I really really feel that I need to get out of the school-home-tuition loop and do something or my brain will get fried.
Pfft won't get my camera back till tuesday so I can't catch up on video-uploading during the long weekend D: sigh. Yesterday during national day festivities, this ensued:
CHELE: *holding video camera, filming* Could you help me film?
ME: Sure! (jumps and grabs camera from her hands)
CHELE: (goes away)
PA SYSTEM: Could everybody sit down?
ME: oh crap oh crap (messes up footage)
CHELE: (returns) I'll take it from here
~another group comes on~
ME: Can I film this? I'm really good at keeping the camera still, I'm really good with video cameras... (really, I have only used video cameras twice in my life)
CHELE: But it's not mine-- I don't think you should be playing with it. If we can delete the footage it'll be ok.
ME: Okay, hand it over. I'll figure it out. (presses too many buttons and has no idea how to do this)
CHELE: It's not yours, woman, don't spoil it.
ME: But it's so shiny! Don't you realise how much memory this has? The quality of video? The battery life? (rambles and still can't figure it out)
OWNER OF CAMERA: (I do not know this person at all) Could I have my camera back?
ME: (Grudgingly returns camera with a sad look)
CHELE: (kicks me)
I deserved to be kicked. But! video cameras are so shiny...
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