The Bon Odori Festival is an excellent place to eat Japanese (and Malaysian-Japanese) food and snacks, meet new people and watch some interesting performances (and participate too if you like).

We went for the 31st one last year, pics and write-up here. Go early, if you don’t want to park 2 miles away or on the main road.

Unfortunately, after waiting a year for it, we are unable to make it there this time due to a prior engagement on Saturday. Sigh. Maybe next year then… (although my wife says i can still go to Jusco and find the same snacks there).

I used to play a bit when i was small, my brother taught me how to play. Never really had patience for it though, he used to whip my a$$ at it. He always maintained that really good player always looked 10 moves ahead, and a player like him looked about 3-5 moves ahead. Me? I only think of the move i’m making.

In the age of PC and Internet games, chess isn’t winning any new converts. I tried googling ‘play online chess’ and there were quite a few websites, but i don’t think i will be joining anytime soon.

***

Chinese chess is probably fairing a little better. Its basically the same game, except apparently the queens bodyguards can’t leave the castle, and the cannonsbishops can’t cross rivers.

With the deluge of tributes and obituaries to the Gloved One, watching the iconic ‘Beat It’ video reminded me of Weird Al Yankovic’s extremely funny parody song and video ‘Eat It!’. Back in the mid 80’s it was the first time i’ve heard of the curly haired comedian, and as i recalled won a Grammy in 1984 for this song.

Eat It! by Weird Al (sang to the tune of Beat It by Michael Jackson)

How come you’re always such a fussy young man,
Don’t want no Captain Crunch, don’t want no Raisin Bran,
Well don’t you know that other kids are starving in Japan,
So eat it, just eat it.

Just eat it, eat it
Get yourself an egg and beat it.
Have some more chicken, have some more pie
It doesn’t matter if it’s broiled or fried
Just eat it, eat it,
Don’t you make me repeat it.

Good book made into good movies - well, Lord of the Rings, and umm… ah… anyway I can add another one to the list - Atonement. The book was written by Ian McEwan, and the 2007 film stars James McAvoy and Keira Knightley.

I read the book 3 months ago while i was on holiday, and watched the movie soon after returning. Initially I was a little disappointed with the movie, mainly due to three reasons. Firstly i thought that James McAvoy was too clean cut and kiddy to play the part of Robbie Turner. I had envisioned someone like Matt Damon (but British).

(Keira Knightley as Cecilia Tallis, and James McAvoy as Robbie Turner)

Secondly, I felt the movie failed to capture the sexual tension of the fountain scene at the beginning of the movie, which is pivotal to the entire book. And thirdly, i felt that the interview scene at the end of the movie, while necessary to keep the movie from going on too long, was a poor substitute for the party scene in the book.

(the pivotal fountain scene between Cecilia and Robbie)

(the overactive imagination of Briony Tallis ultimately ruins the lives of Cecelia and Robbie)

But now looking back, I’m beginning to see the strengths of the movie on its own, and appreciating the constraints of the screenwriters and directors. For one, casting Keira Knigtley was a masterstroke, even if she appears in less than half of the movie. So too was Saoirse Ronan, as the 11 year old Briony Tallis, the central figure in the story. The Dunkirk scene, a single-shot scene of the wartorn beach is especially breathtaking.

(Wounded and thirsty on the beach of Dunkirk, Robbie desperately waits for the boat)

So for those of you who love reading, pick up McEwan’s book. It was pretty popular back then, you’ll have no problems finding one to borrow, I suppose. Then watch the movie. If you’re not big on reading, get the movie anyway.

Technorati Tags: ian mcewan, atonement, keira knightley

I couldn’t find a pic of the classic Brylcreem online, but the pic of the current packaging is very different. Once in awhile we used the slightly cheaper Code 10, which I think doesn’t have such a strong odour.

When we were older we moved on to Vitalis, which isn’t a styling gel, its a liquid that smell like cologne. The holding strength isn’t as strong, for that you had to use gel. My brother used this colourless brand that came in a blue transparent tub, can’t remember the name.

I think the ones we had came in a darker shade than this pic.

Technorati Tags: brylcreem, code 10, vitalis

When we reached the chorus, i realized what song it was - the hymn To God Be The Glory. The reason why the starting didn’t seem familiar was because when i was small my home church only sang the chours, without the verses.

A few days later i was looking for the video of the song and lyrics, it was tricky coz there is actually another popular hymn with the same title (a more upbeat one). Finally found this one by Andrae Crouch (probably no relation to Peter).

If you can’t wait to hear the chorus, skip ahead to 1:40. This was obviously from some time in the 70’s judging from the fashion and hair. But inspiring song nonetheless. To God Be the Glory.

Men’s world record - Just below 12 mins.

Women’s world record - About 14 mins.

Both held by Ethiopians.

Men’s Asian record - Just below 13 minutes. Held by a Qatari.

Women’s Asian record - 14 and a half mins. A Chinese national.

Malaysian men’s record - Just over 14 mins. Since 1994.

Malaysian women’s record - More than 16 mins. Since 1997.

***

I tried doing it seriously the first time two weeks ago. Clocked 44mins. Geez, at 15 mins i hadn’t even reach 2km yet!

Last week i paced faster and i dipped below 40mins.

Tomorrow will be the third attempt. Targeting 0:36.

The funny incident was one day when he had already left for the holiday, a teacher asked, “where’s that Indian guy?” to which the joker of the class Azmi replied “kena tembak robot Cylon“. The Battlestar Galactica series was pretty popular back then, the original Lorne Greene / Dirk Benedict one not the new sexy one. Azmi got scolded by the teacher for his cheek, of course.

Mention of Ceylon or Sri Lanka always conjure up that memory, plus maybe my Form 5 geography random factoids (”Ratnapura juga digelar ‘Kota Permata’…”)

***

Anyway, few days ago i was reminded of it again as the longest armed conflict in Asia had “reached its bitter end“, with the defeat of the LTTE. But most reports also added that the conflict will still continue guerilla-style.

It’s the same type of shoes we wore to school when we were younger. Well, almost all of us. The richer kids had the Pallas velcro shoes, the ‘mat rock’s wore the high cut variety but this is was the standard.

Saw this vintage series at a shoe store recently, good to know Bata is producing it again.

I remember it was a lot cheaper than RM29.90 though.

Brings back memories of me painting it with Kiwi Blanco shoe whitener in front of my house every week… and using the teacher’s chalk to cover the black scruffs during class.

In the picture below there are 100 famous people through history, done in a beautiful caricature style. How many can you name? I got until about 50 then i gave up. Click on the picture or the link below the full size image (its VERY big)…

Click here to see the full size image.

I don’t know who the talented original artist is (I got this mail from Boone), if anyone knows please let me know so that i can credit him/her for it. I’ll post the answers in a few days if anyone needs it