Went to watch March of the Penguins yesterday. When I saw the trailer, I actually wasn't interested in it. Then I happened to stumble on the web and it just captured me The story or the facts about these Emperor Penguins are amazing. There they are in Antartica, it's like a whole different world out there. So far from our reality, of our problems that we often hear in the news. Quite surreal seeing them, seeing Antartica. I believe in God and it's just amazing in this same planet, there's a totally different lives going on and how God is still watching them as He watches us. Surreal.

So, this documentary is about the lives of these Emperor Penguins. How, as winter approaches, they will start to make their walk across the white dessert, to a place called Oamock in the story. Apparently, this Oamock is enclosed by granite walls, which according to them (the penguins), it is quite a nice and safe place to mate. So they left their ocean, walk all the way there. Imagine Penguins, with their small feet, imagine how big a step they can make. Sometime they do slide on their tummy. So they walk day and night, without food, because there's no more ocean in their journey. It takes them around 20 days to reach this Oamock. After that, they will mate, 1 female and 1 male. There are more males than females, so the females will have to fight for the males, they will start slapping each other. Kinda funny. I wonder if being slapped by a penguin hurts For the females that don't get a male, it's a wasted trip for them. For the ones with mate, the female will then lay just 1 egg. As soon as they do that, they must transfer the egg to the fathers. The egg will be kept somewhat inside their pouch, just on top of their small feet. It's a very delicate and difficult process. I mean seeing their bodies, I can see that it's difficult. So they must do it delicately and carefully. If there's a slightest crack in the egg then the whole process is wasted because the cold weather will just freeze the egg. Imagine that. So as soon as the eggs are safe with the fathers, the mothers will start to make their way back to the ocean to eat and replenish themselves and have enough reserves food for the babies when the eggs hatch. So it will be 40 days before the fathers see the mothers again. 40 days, where the father have to stand there, without food, and keep the eggs safe and warm.

The mothers return to the ocean and eat. Actually as they do so, they are also becoming targets of predators in the ocean (I think it was seal). If they don't make it, then the whole process they have gone through are a waste. Their babies will die if the mothers don't return. Meanwhile, as I said before, the fathers will stand there waiting for their wives to come back. When a storm or blizzard come, this whole tribe of penguin fathers will huddle together and stand together against the nasty weather. It's pretty amazing. What a sacrifice. The babies hatch and they will get hungry. Sometime, so hungry that the fathers will have to let them eat on the food reserves that they have inside their beaks. This storage was actually meant for them to ensure that they have enough energy to go back to the ocean. As soon as the mothers return, the fathers will give the babies to the mothers, so that the mothers could keep the babies warm and give them food. It's now time for the fathers to go back to the ocean and eat. Amazing, right? How they device this system. The babies will then learn about the environment, make their first steps and get to know their world. As they learn how to walk, their predators will start picking on them (literally). Their predators are birds, I don't know what birds. These birds really only attack the babies. Some babies didn't make it. When their fathers return again, it's already around summer time and these baby penguins will start to get to know their ocean, and maybe around winter time, as usual with the rest of the penguins, they will make their way and start the whole journey their ancestors have walked before. The journey of life, of making life.

Pretty amazing. The documentary is so amazing for me. I can not stop saying amazing When I saw the penguins walk, I suddenly thought that maybe this was what it looked like when Moses lead his people out of Egypt. Me being too imaginative, I thought maybe if reincarnation exists, those people who didn't really trust Moses back then, were reborn as these penguins where they have to make that journey and sacrifice over and over again for the sake of life. The penguins are amazing, amazingly cute How these penguins know where to go, when to go and how to do it all is amazing. God is amazing

:) eKa @ 9:37:00 PM • 0 comments

Dramamine

Yesterday, I finally succumbed to the disease that seems to have been lingering inside of me. The funny thing was, the diagnosis that the doctor gave me wasn't really what I was expected, but I do have to admit that it wasn't really the stupid virus that forced me to lie down. Anyway, what the doctor said might be too bloody to be mentioned here. It's quite private and personal anyway, so I will not give any detail. The doctor gave me a medicine and a vitamin. The medicine's name is Dramamine. I couldn't help smiling reading the name, because it was somewhat a drama what I had to face yesterday morning. Thank God, all is well.

Yesterday wasn't really that bad. I did get to relax and be idle. Watched the IBF World Championship. Watched half of the match for Mixed Double where Indonesian Widianto / Natsir came out as the winner Also saw Taufik Hidayat won against Lin Dan Well, Lin Dan was a bit bad, especially in the first set. Taufik actually managed to lead 13-0 in the first set! Watched half of the men double too, didn't watch the rubber set that caused Budiarto / Wijaya to lose That was so sad. But, the half of the team that won was Indonesian (was, I think). His name is Tony Gunawan. He was playing for USA. The crowd was really cheering for them, playing in the so-called home soil. The men double was kinda a let down for me *sigH*

What else is a let down? Arsenal lost!!! To Chelsea!!! Hiks

:) eKa @ 5:25:00 PM • 0 comments

Indonesia Raya

Happy Independence Day 60 . We are old Better not go on ranting about how even though my country is quite old, it hasn't achieved as much as the young Singapore has. But, I suppose we have so much other things that we can be proud of. I'm still so happy being an Indonesian. Today, I'm actually quite in a nationalist spirit. I was wearing red Unfortunately, today didn't go as well as I planned it to be. Maybe I should really not make plan. It's just crumbled right before you *sigH* Mom is giving herself a holiday today. Miss her, miss watching that flag raising ceremony in TV. Indonesia doesn't have that grand National Day Parade like Singapore. We have the normal flag raising ceremony. The one being held in the Presidential Palace (Istana Presiden) is being broadcasted live on TV. If you've been staying in Indonesia for a long time, you will most probably get bored with it, but I kinda really miss it now. I really miss seeing Indonesian flags. I miss seeing all those flags in houses. I miss putting the flag in the pole in our house. I'm just homesick, I suppose.

60 years, imagine that. Soon we really don't have people from that time to really tell the story of what had happened on August 17, 1945. Imagine when our country turn 100. I may actually live that long to see that. Look at that, me being optimistic, thinking that I will still be alive at that time, thinking that Indonesia will still stay together and not disintegrate, thinking that Armageddon will not happen by that time We'll see, we'll see.

Anywho, today has been quite a test of patience, in which I think I kinda failed. I'm a bitch, I am. On other news, or maybe not really a news at all, is about how Singapore's President is still the president because there was not other candidate approved to challenge his position. Well, some of the Singaporeans out there who care enough to voice their opinion was saying how sad it is that as usual they don't get to vote. Hmm...How about this, how about actually having a voting to determine whether Singaporeans still really do want their president to serve for the 2nd term. It may not change anything, but in a way the people do have a feeling that they actually have a say in something. I suppose not much Singaporeans out there care though, they most probably think it's just such a hassle Okay, don't mind me. I may not know what I'm talking about. This is not my country anyway. I really do wonder how the Singapore Government really can go away with lotsa things, how their people never really question the Government that much. I suppose having that safe and secure country and economy really can make your people shut up. That also happened in Indonesia before. For my country, Merdeka!

:) eKa @ 8:29:00 PM • 0 comments

Au Revoir Mademoiselle

Chloe left today. I'm kinda sad about it. I'm gonna miss her. Such an interesting and funny girl. I think she's kinda sad about leaving Singapore too. She's actually a bit more tame today. She didn't give me her big and loud "Hello" today. She also didn't try to annoy me as much as she would normally do. We talked quite a bit during my lunch. Ah...Really going to miss her and her antics. I gave her The Alchemist which makes her the 4th person whom I gave the book to. By the way, she is quite pretty, she really can be a model. Anyway, kinda funny seeing her all packed and all. Remind me of me. I'm thinking if I also look like that everytime I leave home. Au Revoir Mademoiselle

:) eKa @ 7:59:00 PM • 0 comments

NUS Centennial Rag 2005

Today, I went to watch Rag in NUS. Was really excited about it because I missed Rag last year. I actually really got a thing for Rag. I was so impressed with it when I was a freshman and being a ragger kinda forged a stronger bond with it though I must say I don't really contribute to the raggers after my year Anyway, met Vivy and then we had our walk through, as in we walk through the floats one by one as they were being queued in the track field. One of the first float that I saw was from SoC and my goodness, I actually felt impressed and happy that there was a float. I still remembered the time when the float was something like a box or maybe it was actually just a banner, I don't know, anyway it was very pathetic. So seeing that they actually had a float which looked quite impressive, it was just pretty cool. Then we walked all through the rest of the floats. Saw and said "Hi" to Jessie, as she was taking pictures in her hall's area (Sheares Hall). Then moved on to my own hall, dear Kent Rigde Hall. I got there, couldn't really figure out what the float is all about. The raggers were still touching the float in a manner that kinda made me puzzled and worry, just seemed like they still had so many things to fixed. Anyways, wasn't really impressed with it. Didn't really see the static display, I initially didn't realize which one was the static display. Anyways, after that, me and Vivy decided to just go to the seating places, as it was quite hot back then. Vivy got a call from LiHua, so we went to meet her. I think we were quite lucky to be able to watch Rag with her, because her straightforwardness quickly brought us to the seats. We wanted to sit and the seats were marked alumni but I guess we're just feeling humble that we asked first if we could actually sit there In the end, our seats were quite good.

Now about Rag. The faculties seemed to be getting better in making the floats and all. Arts faculty usually came up with interesting stuff, but it wasn't really so this year. Bizad's presentation was quite interesting. I kinda forget how the result for the faculty side, I think the awards mostly went to School of Design and Environment and to the Science Faculty. If I'm not mistaken, I think Science won overall champion. The halls were doing not bad, I think. Really wasn't impressed with KR, but I wasn't expecting much. It just wasn't impressive. I don't know if there were any change in the rules or what, but I just felt that the floats are smaller and shorter compared to my year and the year before me. I think everyone really enjoyed Sheares Hall's presentation because it's fun and cute. The rest of the hall still focused on creatures and good against evil. I guess Sheares was the only one who took a different approach and just be fun. In the end, they went home with quite a number of awards, awards which were given really based on their design and creativity. However, they didn't win overall champion, as I predicted. I predicted Eusoff would take home the overall champion. Why? Because Eusoff won gold for Flag, just like KR. The overall champion award is based on Flag result also, not just rag. I think Flag contribute 50% of the whole thing. KR and Eusoff won gold for Flag, however since KR's float and presentation weren't as awesome as Eusoff (sucks), so it's like pretty obvious that Eusoff would win the title. This situation kinda reminded me of why KR also won overall champion when I was a ragger Too bad for Sheares, they should have tried harder for flag. But I supposed it's all good for them, compared to KE VII, Raffles, and Temasek who went home empty-handed Well, it's all good, baby. I know the work was hard and the sacrifice was huge. I guess there are always other things that matter rather than all the shields.

Alrighty, attached is some pictures from the event. Small, so you might not see anything. The picture from the top left is SOC's float

:) eKa @ 11:02:00 PM • 0 comments

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

I haven't read the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, believe it or not. However, I watched the first movie made based on that book. The movie was called Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. So far, I've been mentioning this and noone raise their hands and say "I have also watched that" Someone, out there, please. Anyways, I think I watched that movie in RCTI. I forget how old I was at that time, maybe 9. I remembered thinking that the movie is so old. Being the fussy me at that time, I really didn't like old movie, but I decided to give it a try and it pretty much left a mark in my life. I could remember the name Willy Wonka, even after all these years, without having read the book, without having watched the movie again. I also suspect my infatuation with chocolate is pretty much influenced by this movie. I guess the chocolate river just had a huge impact to the young me. It was so cool!!! So, I was really looking forward for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I wrote in here that the trailer made me nervous but the movie proved to be an excellent one. If there's re-make of an old movie years after the first one, then certain things like special effect should really show progress and it did. The special effect was pretty cool, it gave this new movie a modern feel. I just want to say that Jhonny Depp is so talented. The way he could make different face expression is amazing. Quite funny that this new movie is called Charlie and the Chocolate Factory because I think Willy Wonka's character was being explored more. It was about him, what happened to him and pretty much how he got to be they way he was. Charlie's character didn't really stand out but still I love Freddie Highmore, such a sweet boy. Some things were different from the first movie, the ending especially. I may remember wrongly but in the old movie, I think they didn't dwell on Willy Wonka's childhood. I think the ending stopped when Willy gave Charlie the factory. Then, I remember one of the children floating, maybe it was Violet and then I think Charlie's grandpa did something wrong, ate something he shouldn't have eaten. I don't know, I may remember wrongly. Anyways, this new movie is cool, so cool. I love it. The songs were quite good. It was actually a good touch that they made the poems to songs. Vivy said that sometime there's a bit of freakiness in the movie but I guess that's just really Tim Burton's style. Now, I kinda really want to watch Big Fish. Anyway, I just hope somewhere out there, there's a little boy or little girl who was so influenced by this movie that they would remember it for a long time, just like me I would really be so happy if I could watch the original movie again.

On other news, I think I'm going to get sick again argh...why?!? Then my bro kinda pissed me off this afternoon, asking me how come mom didn't answer his sms. He didn't know that mom is not at home. I don't think mom would have forgotten to tell him that she's going away. Then the reason why he's looking for mom, is because he's running out of money!!! Imagine that. Stupid jerk.

:) eKa @ 10:53:00 PM • 0 comments

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