Yaoi and Brokeback

My prof said something really interesting today. She said that Brokeback reminded her of the usual plot/storyline that Yaoi manga usually has. I never really thought about it until she mentioned it in class today...and she's quite right. It never really occured to me that yaoi manga is exactly about gay love. However, yaoi is intended for a female audience and Japanese homosexuals don't really like yaoi. So...how would Japanese homosexuals react to "Brokeback Mountain"?? Hmm....

Wee....I surprise myself sometimes

Got a new dress watch today...so happy! Hee.....anyway, I surprised myself NOT because I have a new watch but because I managed to understand 60-70% of a raw episode of "Yaoh". Wee!! This episode also proves that my understanding of Japanese is better when it comes to listening instead of speaking. Hmm...I must go and study somemore and then not ever have to rely on fan-subs!! Hhahaha...but seriously, I now realise what this guy once said about subtitles being wrong 90% of the time. He's quite right. There are a lot of translations that I would've translated differently. However, I do feel that these translators did the best they could and opinions will always differ from person to person. Ah well..*yawn* tired..I'm going to sleep now.

Nohari...Johari...Nohari's window

Hey guys...here's a little quiz like thing to fill in about moi. Do click on the link and fill it up k? Thanks!!

Click here

You are a Great Girlfriend

When it comes to your guy, you're very thoughtful But you also haven't stopped thinking of yourself You're the perfect blend of independent and caring You're a total catch - make sure your guy knows it too!

Are You a Good Girlfriend?

Your Famous Movie Kiss is from The Empire Strikes Back

"Captain, being held by you isn't quite enough to get me excited."

What Famous Movie Kiss Are You?

Mid-sem break

Time flies. It is already the middle of semester. Doesn't feel like it. Just barely a month and a half since school began. Anyway, this break doesn't feel like a break. I've got research to do...time to catch up on my readings as well as start doing all the surveys and interview questions. To add, I'm taking this chance to present in Simon's class next week. I'm also crossing my fingers and hoping that Lee foundation will give all of us INNOVATE delegates grants...I wanna go to Shanghai and Kyoto!!

Anyway, about my ISM. I think I managed to irritate my supervisor and vice versa. I sent her an email saying that the book I need has been loaned out with 2 other people reserving it before me. She then replied telling me that there are 2 copies in the RBR section. HEllo...I don't think I can finish reading that book within 2 hours! I need to borrow her copy in order to photocopy...*Sigh* which part of PHOTOCOPY does she not understand??? Arghs!

Survey time!!!

Hey everyone...especially those who are American/British/Canadian/Australian...here's a survey that needs filling up. It's for my research paper and your help is greatly appreciated!!!
Click here for survey

Jake Gyllenhal

Watched "Brokeback Mountain" and "Jarhead" with my bro on Friday. Yep...we actually watched 2 movies in a day AND it was little Jake Gyllenhal overload. Haha.. :D Anyway, a lot of critics have labelled "Brokeback Mountain" as a movie about 2 gay cowboys but I prefer to think of them as bis cos I think that they did have attraction for their wives. Just that, the attraction for each other is more than what they have with their wives. Anyway, brokeback is a sad love movie that I would recommend to gay-couples as it will definitely make you treasure your partner more. As for the rest of us, watch it for its artistic side as well as to realise how homophobic this society can be. We're all humans and we should not discriminate due to differences.

"Jarhead" is a good movie too. Shows how screwed up the Marines are and that war is senseless. War is always about politics. *sigh* I do have a lot more things to say but I'm too lazy to type. Haha...so here I shall end.

Logic

As many of you would know, I've got a student and I'm teaching him English, Science and Math. He seriously doesn't need tutoring on Math. As for science, he needs to rethink his logic. My gosh...he's not stupid and neither is he super smart. He just doesn't link things properly. I would love to give examples but I don't want to type so much. As for English, his grammar is horrible...but he can get full marks for the MCQ section. Another amazing thing is that he speaks English at home. Well, more like Singlish. But so do my parents!! Why is it that my brother and I do not make grammatical errors like writing past and present tense in the same sentence??!! Hmm...my student needs logic.

Another thing about my student is that his apartment is a mini zoo. He has a labrador retriever, 2 cats and 2 fish. His apartment is smaller than mine AND is horribly cluttered. I thought my room was bad...but I've met my match. It's not only his room...it's the WHOLE apartment. I don't understand how anyone is able to study properly when his desk is full of stuff AND he doesn't really study in the dining room. The dining area is extremely warm too...not conducive for studying either. Gosh.

Went to see my supervisor about my ISM. I seriously think that I've chosen the wrong supervisor. She makes me rethink my idea everytime I see her and Letitia and I have come to the conclusion that she likes us to write something that she's familiar with. Not only that, she is very stuck in the training that she received. Sounds like a conclusion that Marianne said about her too. Bah. *groan* now I've got to rethink about my ISM's thesis. Somebody help me!!!

Went for EDB career talk tonight. They actually spent an hour talking about the company structure, what it does and the speaker's academic history PLUS her job scope. We want to know more about the JOBS available. Left at 7. Couldn't take it anymore. 本当につまらなかった。*yawn*

I've got readings to do..shall get to them. 明日、もう一つつまらない授業がある。。。*sigh*
Readings...READ!

Valentines' Day

Happy Valentines' Day to all my darlings and dears!! Well...Valentines' Day has usually been a day of absolute yucks to me with only 1 yr being an exception. HOwever, this year's V'day has flown by without much hassle. Mainly because I stayed home the whole day. Haha...yup...I stayed home the whole day without stepping out for a single minute. Bored? Hell no. I had work to do and I finally had the time to watch 1 episode of NHK's "Yoshitsune". This drama has rekindled my interest in the Taira-Minamoto war as well as the rich history that Kyoto has. Ah...I want to go to Kyoto again!! *Sigh* not in the near future though...I've already withdrawn from the conference and will not be going to Shanghai or Kyoto. There's nothing I can do now except concentrate on getting A's.

To buy or not to buy

The movie "shinobi" will be released in Japan this saturday! Happiness!! I'm so tempted to buy....*wrings fingers* but it'll cost me SGD50 before shipping charges. *sigh*

Host Clubs

I'm doing a project on host clubs in Japan and after viewing all those webpages for the past hour...I'm truly sick of seeing men with these characteristics:
1. Plucked eyebrows
2. Hair that withstands gravity
3. Hair that has been dyed to the shade of HAY
4. Hair that reaches the shoulders
5. "Sultry" and "sexy" looks...there's a reason for the ""
6. Skinny
I'm amazed at how some of these guys can even survive as hosts...they are UGLY. Ok...that was rather mean of me. They're NOT good looking. There. I'm not saying that I'm pretty but I'm not a hostess...haha...anyway, the argument goes that it's not their looks that is important but rather the service that they provide. They must be really smooth talkers. Hmm...Letitia is very tempted to go to a host club. Me? Not really...they give the impression of sleaziness despite that there's NO sex or porno-whatever happening. If you're interested, the first visit is about 5000 yen (SGD 75)on average for 2 hours. Subsequent visits will cost around 10 000 - 15 000 yen (SGD 150-175) for the same amount of time. Please don't forget the cost of drinks. I'm a stinge. I'd rather spend that money on anime/jdrama/manga/magazines/novels/CDs.

Shedding those Monday blues

Things are starting to look up a little. I finally managed to get a tuition student! Yay...income!!! I've also managed to finish my work without feeling stressed out. I still have much researching to do...but at least I'm somewhere. Managed to eat delicious Chanpon ramen that kinda reminded me of Nagasaki as well as the restaurant that my host okaasan brought me and Amos to. Hmm...what else?? I'm still keeping my fingers crossed about INNOVATE. I'll leave it to the hands of God.

Is there a silver lining???

I see hope! AT called me last night after PP called him to convince me NOT to go to the conference. PP only said so since PTS told him. I love AT now...AT actually defended my case and told PP that my grades have been steadily increasing since year 1 and so, it shouldn't be a problem that I get straight B+'s this sem (which will result in me getting a 2nd lower hons). I told AT how I felt and that I really need full funding because the cost of the conference is just too high. As such, AT is going to talk to PP to convince PP that I should go..and hopefully, PP will convince PTS that Arts should give me a grant. I know some of you are confused with all the acronymns but I have no choice...if this entry gets found out by the relevant people...there goes my head. Anyway, I shall keep my fingers crossed and hope that everything will be ok.

Mon*shitty*day

How I hate this day, let me count the ways:
1. Was supposed to watch "A Season for Love" today with Mingxian. I got onto the bus and sms-ed him to get on the bus when it reached science fac. I tried calling him on the phone just in case. His phone went dead. So, I didnt' know whether he got the sms or not. Went past sci fac bus stop. I couldn't see whether Ming got onto the bus or not. Can't even call him. So, I got off the next stop and walked all the way back to sci to see whether he was there or not. He wasn't. I couldn't catch a cab. Missed another bus cos it was too full. Managed to catch the next one. When I reached the Buona Vista bus stop, Ming wasn't there either! I couldn't wait for him and took the bus to Orchard. I ended up watching the movie alone. Ming: CHANGE YOUR PHONE AND WAIT AT ONE PLACE!!! P.S. The movie was pretty good. I didn't like the sad endings though, since I'm such a soppy romantic.

2. My Vice-dean replied to my request for a grant with this:
Dear Melissa

I've just reviewed your academic record, and see that you are now at a CAP of 3.44. This means that, in order to achieve the Second Class Lower that is necessary for a USP status, you will have a score a B+ average this semester (for the 6 modules I see you are registered for). Given that so much is at stake, I strongly recommend that you focus on your papers this semester, and strive to do your very best here at NUS. I have spoken to the Director of USP, and Prof Pang is also concerned that you should focus on your academics this semester.

Please see your advisor at USP.

Without that 50% funding, I can't go for the conference anymore. Looks like I've got to send emails to the relevant people to tell them about my withdrawal. Although I still think that I should be allowed to go. My heart shattered when I read that email. I really want to go to Shanghai as well as Kyoto. *sigh*

目が痛い。。。

That was my msn nickname for the past 3 days...what does it mean? It means that my eyes hurt. Why do my eyes hurt? Readings!! I've never read so many readings in my whole entire life. I may develop a word-phobia soon. Haha...just kidding. I've been so swamped with readings. So this is what taking 6 modules is about. I take my hat off to those who take 6 modules every semester in order to graduate earlier. It's tiring man...for an arts student especially. Read read read. *yawn* I've no time to do my research for my ISM and I feel guilty about that. I even asked a friend to help me search for images of advertisements/pop icons that use the image of the geisha to sell themselves/something. I would love to do the searching myself...there are lots of interesting shit to sift through. *wry smile* I'm not being sarcastic...there is seriously a lot of interesting rubbish that I can't use for my paper but is still interesting nonetheless.

Having problems with the conference thingy. My mum refuses to get a bank draft for me. She doesn't want to "pay" for it despite my telling her that I'll return her the money once the grant has been approved and the $ is in my bank. Sheesh. My bro's another one. He refuses to do so either. What's his reason? What's THEIR reason to begin with. None!! GOSH. I think I may need to cancel my plans about going for this conference...and I was looking forward to it so badly. It's my once last chance to mingle with people from overseas. *sigh* NUS should be paying me to go since I'm representing NUS as well as Singapore. SUCKS!

Am watching (during my breaks) an old jdrama starring Odagiri Joe and he's sooo かっこい！So cool...*drool* ODAGIRI JOE!!! Ok...here are some of my fav pics of him...heee...I know most of you have already seen them but heck..it's MY blog! HEE...




Oh...and I must not forget the picture of his latest movie "Shinobi"!! I want to watch this movie and I'm waiting for the DVD to come out.