Ah Beng's World

Happy Chinese New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:45:00 +0000

Who would have thought that I'd do a posting out of the blue after such a long disappearing act? I surprise myself too.

Well, this does not mean that I have more time now for more postings. My life is still in a mad chaotic rush as I juggle my baby with my career and my artistic pursuit.

A quick check on my sitemeter tells me that there are still people reading this Godforsaken blog even though my last post was 7 months ago. People, that is very encouraging and I thank you readers with all my heart even though you may be random.

This year's celebration is my first with my 11 month baby girl. After 7 years of ang pow giving, this year it's payback time! Well, it's not payback all of the time, especially when we meet up with people with 3 kids and more - then the output becomes more than what you get back.

But I'd like to believe that things even out in the end. Pardon me, I think you'd only understand what I'm talking about if you're celebrating Chinese New Year and if you're on the giving end of the whole ang pow debacle.

This year I came across a couple of beautiful ang pow packet designs which I kept selfishly all to myself and didn't really give them away (I gave away the ones with bad designs). Pureen had a few interesting ones which I thought was worth keeping.

And surprisingly UNACO, which is probably one of the cheapest cheapo supermarkets with zero customer service, came out with these intricately breathtaking ones this year!

I collected stamps once, when I was a nerdy kid a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away. But don't worry, I won't be going back to that kind of hobby at my age. I've got more important things to worry about at this point in my life, like making money. But all the same, these ang pow packet designs were awesome!

If anyone of you are getting married or having a baby this year, you might be lucky enough to get one from me (just the packet). Happy Chinese New Year!

My Video Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 May 2011 04:26:00 +0000

Or what was left of it...

My apologies to the younger generation born in the era of DVDs; you may not know what I'm talking about here. Before there were DVDs, there was VHS. Movies came in the form of tapes, which needed rewinding & forwarding. And if you keep them too long in a moist environment, they will grow bacteria, microscopic mushrooms & toadstools. If you're lucky enough, they might even flower.

I even bought myself the top of the line video player at that time. It had 6 playheads man!

It even had a jog shuttle which allowed you to forward/rewind right down to the single frame! But this baby really hurt me good. It cost me about RM1,300 at that time. This was pure self-gratification, and I had to go back to my Maggi noodle diet for a while.

Because I studied film in the States, and because I was coming home to teach film, and because you can't find these films at home, I bootlegged around 70 films, and bought the rest in original. I think I lugged back around 100 films in my suitcase in total (It could have been close to 150). The immigration department just let me through cos I looked like what a Malaysian student should look like back then; scrawny student on a Maggi noodle diet, living on my parents hard-earned money (for Chinese students).

Last year, I decided that DVD was here to stay. No, actually the strongest contender was that most of the films that I needed for teaching are now available on YouTube. Yes, you've got that right. Now, I'm not talking about the recent Hollywood blockbuster like Pirates or Avatar. I'm talking about the classics. I'm talking about films which all film students have to watch. All these now were on YouTube. And that made me rethink about my video collection, which was taking up a lot of space.

So eventually last year, with a heavy heart, I decided to clear my inventory. Here's what I threw away (basically everything except my limited anime collection):

The Alfred Hitchcocks

The Hollywood Classics that all film students must know. If you don't, then you'd better start thinking about doing something else, like accounting or engineering or medicine.

Orson Welles & Noir

Uhh... where did Shirley Temple come from? Some people believed that she was really a midget in disguise.

Frenchy Films (Poetic Realism & New Wave)

The Three Colours Trilogy. This was art.

Italian Neorealism

German Expressionism

Japanese classics (Ozu, Mizoguchi, Kurosawa)

Japanese New Wave

Kurosawa

Satyajit Ray

And before YouTube, there was Astro, from which these collection came from:

What kept my VHS going for so long then was a secret weapon that I had. This baby cleaned tapes like a car wash.

VHS came in around the 70s, VCDs in the 90s, and now its been DVDs & BluRays. Next we'd be downloading movies from the internet into our heads. By then, we'd need RAM implants.

Fishes Dancing with Lotus

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:24:00 +0000

Umm, it may sound like one but this is not a food blog.

I had the privilege to witness this awesome woodcarving exhibition when I was in Taipei back in February this year. It was done by someone called Huang Ma Ching. Didn't know much about him until I did a bit of research just before posting this.

I took TONS of pictures of his collection, which the gallery strangely allowed, but had no time to blog about this until now. Here are just a few samples of his work to experience the awesomeness.

You can close your mouth now.

An Encounter with Taipei Girls Down in the MRT

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 15:45:00 +0000

I knew with a title like that, you'd pop by really quick.

I haven't been posting for quite some time now but on the contrary I have a lot of things to write about. Quite a lot of things have been happening lately which has been taking up most of my time. Don't worry, they're all good things, exciting things which I hope to share with you in due time.

I managed a trip to Taipei, my first ever trip to Taiwan, during the Chinese New Year in February. I know that was about 4 months ago, which means the more reason for me to put this post up as quick as I can, before it starts to grow fungus & giant mushrooms.

Taiwanese girls have always been well known for their porcelain beauty. They have a fragile quality about them which makes you want to handle them with extreme care otherwise they'd break down into millions of pieces right in front of you.

And so the trend, once upon a time, was that Malaysian guys would bring back Taiwanese wives upon returning from their studies there. That happened back in the 70s, when the playing field was still leveled. Malaysia was as good as any Singaporean, Taiwanese or South Korean country back then. But I think a lot has changed since then. Although increasingly more beautiful, Taiwanese women have long elevated into the culture of materialism.

I came across this exhibition in the most unexpected place. It wasn't in a posh gallery or musem but it was in the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall MRT station.

Now I don't read mandarin so I can't tell you who the artist is but if you can read it, please share with us.

I think this artist has been around since the 80s. His rendering of beautiful women often appeared as bookmarks which were sold in the mom & pop bookstores.

But I never knew who he or she was, or what became of him or her. So it was quite a nice surprise to rediscover this artist again.

This series of paintings portray the legendary female figures from the different dynasties in Chinese history.

Each one of these women were influential in their own era, some were powerful like tyrants, others had more tragic endings.

Some were representations of pure wisdom, love & support. Others were destructive forces like tornadoes.

These were probably women which you couldn't live with & some without. Hmm, this is beginning to sound strangely familiar.

I wonder if this collection was meant to be a profiling of Chinese women in general.

In more practical terms, this looks like a wives catalogue for the single guys out there. Just point & choose - I like, I want.

Cat Nap

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:46:00 +0000

With the level of activity that is close to zero on this blog, you'd probably think that I've been pretty much like the cat below - doing nothing.

On the contrary, I've been extremely busy with work. I've been so busy that I don't even have time to wipe my butt. I miss blogging extremely & I hope to be able to do it consistently over a longer stretch of time.

A cat came to stay with her kittens over the Chinese New Year. The kittens died, each in their own freakish way, & now it's just the mother cat alone. When I put a collar on her & started feeding her, that's pretty much saying that I'm keeping her. At least for the time being, until she starts popping out new kittens. Curious? Read the story of the cat here.

My apologies if this photo may seem inappropriate.

It is also not an ad for Petronas. Even though Yasmin Ahmad is not with us anymore, I think Petronas will not stoop so low.

But it does remind me of the Chinese saying, Ka kooi kooi, Tan tua looi.

Literal Translation: Legs open wide wide, Earn big money.

Masahiro Motoki Once Upon a Time

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:25:00 +0000

This is not a gay post. It is a perfectly straight one. But gays may enjoy it more than non-gays.

When I first saw Masahiro Motoki in Departures, I knew I had seen him from somewhere before, a long long time ago, a forgotten face. I am more of a visual person in that sense. I usually forget names but I remember faces. And so I remembered seeing this face like I remember the few faces from my kindy years.

If you are of the fairer gender, you will probably agree with me that this guy is hunky bunky.

But unbeknownst to his more recent fans, he had a dark past. Or maybe I should say a bright pastel-coloured past.

Once upon a time, in the era of 80s bubblegum pop, he was a victim of mismanaged fashion.

If you thought that was bad, believe me, it gets worst.

Captains of the Macross ship.

I cannot even comprehend what this concept was about.

Form 5 boys hanging out in the neighbourhood

after school instead of doing homework,

with hands playing marbles in their pockets .

Very fortunately, against all odds above, Masahiro went on to build a successful career as an actor after he left the group. I can understand why he left. I would do the same too if the recording company keeps dressing me up funny.

At his age now of 45, he has definitely achieved a level of maturity in his acting. And he rightly deserves the Best Performance title at the 2009 Asia Pacific Screen Awards. I have to say it, I am now a fan. Of his acting.

KPOP: 2NE1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:36:00 +0000

I don't care ay-ay-ay-ay-ay if you hate them. They're just so addictive. It's like an uncontrollable overdose of sugar intake.

I Don't Care MV

Excellent excellent Reggae Remix version

Clouds Over Kuching

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:54:00 +0000

For some unexplainable reasons, I love clouds & sky watching. Up to the point of starting a new blog about it. Come drop by if you have the same fetish. http://cloudsoverkuching.blogspot.com

Departures

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 19:25:00 +0000

One of my all-time favourite classical Japanese film director would have to be Ozu. I am truly amazed at the hard-headed way that he was able to maintain a sense of consistency & calm throughout all his movies, throughout every single scene, every action & every movement of his actors, no matter how dire the story situation was. No matter what, he would not budge.

His films felt like watching the breeze rustling the leaves on still branches, & yet they never fail to move our emotions, & make tough hairy truck drivers cry like girly boys & consider putting up their momma' pictures secretly in their glove compartments.

However, this post is not about Ozu. I will reserve that for another time. This is about a film much more contemporary that reminds me of Ozu. I picked up this DVD after a friend of mine watched it & thought it may be worth checking it out.

Well, it turned out that this small film was a giant in its own unassuming & quiet way. For your information, it won a gallon of awards & was also one of the nominee's for The Academy's Best Foreign Film, & rightly so. I felt stooopid for not knowing that.

Hmm. How do I tell you what this film is about in a few words?

The Living Years. Mike & the Mechanics.

Please do not let this photo discourage you.

Departures is about life & the preparation for death. It's about reconciliation with loved ones before it's too late. I think this film is so simple but so well executed that it would mean a lot of different things to different people. For me, it gave me a new perspective in life & that is to live & experience it with full passion.

The story is about a cellist who loses his job when his orchestra is disbanded in Tokyo. He moves back to his little hometown with his wife. Unable to find a job, he settles as an apprentice to a funeral professional.

Ok. If mushy-ness is not your cup of tea, then these should be 2 good reasons to engage in this film:

Masahiro Motoki & Ryoko Hirosue

I you have a chance, please consider watching it. Ladies, make sure you have a box of tissues next to you. Men, you might want to look for your teddy bear stashed away in the store room.

The Living Years (by Mike & the Mechanics)

Every generation
Blames the one before
And all of their frustrations
Come beating on your door

I know that I'm a prisoner
To all my Father held so dear
I know that I'm a hostage
To all his hopes and fears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Crumpled bits of paper
Filled with imperfect thought
Stilted conversations
I'm afraid that's all we've got

You say you just don't see it
He says it's perfect sense
You just can't get agreement
In this present tense
We all talk a different language
Talking in defence

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye

So we open up a quarrel
Between the present and the past
We only sacrifice the future
It's the bitterness that lasts

So Don't yield to the fortunes
You sometimes see as fate
It may have a new perspective
On a different day
And if you don't give up, and don't give in
You may just be O.K.

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye

I wasn't there that morning
When my Father passed away
I didn't get to tell him
All the things I had to say

I think I caught his spirit
Later that same year
I'm sure I heard his echo
In my baby's new born tears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye

I know it's strange to think that a bunch of mechanics can write such beautiful poetry. Maybe it's time I paid my mechanic a visit.

For your information, the ENTIRE movie is available on YouTube.

Ah Beng's Blog of the Day No.3

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 23:30:00 +0000

"For centuries mankind has excelled in science & has gone far & beyond. We have broken the genetic code & we have nanotechnology. But this morning, when I opened my umbrella, it broke again. Man has gone so far ahead in many things, but still way behind in certain ones. Somebody out there, please make a decent umbrella that lasts!" (Ah Beng 2010)

Ah Beng Blog of the Day No. 2

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:42:00 +0000

"Life is a bit like them Superheroes. Sometimes, you feel like that Superman guy & you can take on anything that comes your way. Other times, you're like Wolverine, healing from the wounds, somewhere in a dark corner. And then there are times when you have to stay awake & work all night like Batman."
(Ah Beng 2010)

Ah Beng's Blog of the Day No.1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:36:00 +0000

"Life is like a box of Chocklits. Y'll know exactly what ya gonna git if ya read them labels. Forrest's ma was illiterate."
(Ah Beng 2010)

Ah Beng Shows Off Talents: Part 5

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:00:00 +0000

This is my latest baby. It was finished back in November.

I call it Infinity.
Dimensions: 4' 8" X 3' 4"

But you can call it anything else that you like.

The Ultimatum of Hip Hop: Prepix Style

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 23:36:00 +0000

I'm not much of a dancer. I've had my share of embarrassing attempts before. But I do have lots of students who are so into it that they dance until they drop ... drop in their grades that is.

Dance to me is an art form. And to me, anything that is remotely related to art, I LIKE. However, there are certain limitations. Ballet is one of them. The images of men prancing around in tights with their bulging packages is too much for me to bear.

I've always told myself that if I had that one opportunity to learn music, it'd have to be the piano cos it allows a great deal of expression. And if there's one dance that I can learn, it'd have to be tap & jazz combined.

But now, when I saw this, I changed my mind. I wanted to learn some serious hip hop too!

I was never that much fascinated with hip hop (cos they're mostly just booty-shaking nowadays) until I saw these guys doing it. They're based in Korea & have somehow cemented this particular style which they call the Prepix Style.

For lack of a better description, I'd say that their moves remind me of a broken record, or digital video being fast forward. Either that or it evokes the experience of watching a bad copy of a pirated DVD movie.

Sometimes, you'd see some serious slo-mo bullet-time movements like in Matrix. In general, their style seems to be a reflection of the influence of techno-culture that is very much prevalent in the generation of today.

The whole thing is amazing to watch & it can be quite fixating. Now I understand why my students could dance until they fail their exams, and I hope they don't see these videos, otherwise they will never graduate.

KPOP: 8eight

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:17:00 +0000

I think some of you would just cringe at the mention of the word pop music. You know, I really can't blame you & I'm sometimes guilty as well for indulging shamelessly in bubble gum pop (like Shohjo-Tai I hope you didn't see this)

In the music industry of today, we've been fed with so much manufactured pop, sweetened sounds, electronic filters & effects, the glitz & glamour, the dance, the fashion & the coolness that comes with it, that we forget what music is really about. Remember this?

Milli Vanilli doing their thang in tight tights.
(Why in the world did this group have to exist?)

What we sometimes forget is that at the heart of it all, what really matters is the power of the human voice that stirs & uplifts us. This is about singing like Alicia Keys or Beyonce or Fergie from Black Eyed Peas.

(Quick off-tangent: I've always wondered what the heck black eyed peas are. Now I know.)
But fear not dear readers, for there is hope! In 2007, the world suddenly got better by one notch when an unknown trio who calls themselves 8eight (for unknown reasons) won a survivor-like singing competition on Korean TV. Observe, their prowess on stage.

Now when you have someone singing in front of you like that, without dressing up, without the lights, without the mike, it really makes a lot of difference.

This is what real singing is about. It is singing in its most natural form, the human voice stripped bare, unplugged. This is why talents like 8eight rocks.

If you put me in front of them, I will melt like ~~Milli Vanilla~~ ice-cream.

It's true talents like this that makes us think twice before picking up the karaoke mike. But then again, some people have skin as thick as the Great Wall of China on their faces. Have you seen American Idol? I rest my case.

OMG Milli Vanilli is stuck in my head. I regret putting up that picture of the two of them in the super tights. I shall have nightmares tonight.

The Art of Popping: U-Min

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:31:00 +0000

A long time ago, when I was a teen with raging hormones & volcanic acne on my face & nobody understood me, one movie came out that changed my life forever.

Yes, I know. They had funny clothes & one of them actually had leotards on. But you see, that was the 80s & they were supposed to be cool at that time.

But what was even cooler was the way they danced.

And it was a new revolutionary dance at that time that came from the streets. It was called THE BREAKDANCE (in deep Darth Vader-like booming voice with echo effect).

There was of course the moonwalk which got stuck with Michael Jackson till the day of his death.

And the turtle.

And the worm.

And the windmill.

And the head spin.

And the wave.

And it was the coolest thing ever, and everyone was doing it, and I was on. I had my 80s baggy pants on, rented the poorly recorded VHS tapes of breakdancing competitions in the US & I breaked the dance.

Now looking back, I think I must have looked pretty stupid attempting it. I thank God every night before I go to bed that I do not have pictures of those moments.

There's this really cool group in Japan called U-Min & they do popping. They've been able to bring the art of the dance to the ultimate level. Enjoy.

And I'm just glad I didn't go for the leotards.

Ah Beng Do the Ultimate Man Thing

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:46:00 +0000

I went for a fire safety training sometime back in October. Now it wasn't because I was inspired by the great controversial 9th Mile Kuching fire which happened around that time, but it was more like I had no choice.

But my initial folded-arm reservations were eventually transformed into the anticipation of a 6-year old with twinkling eyes when told that we'd be doing the whole gamut of firemen activities including hosing, pole sliding & fire engine rides.

I don't know about you, but I was sold. I mean who doesn't want to hose a fire, slide down the pole & ride on the red truck with the sirens on? I was on.

Every single little boy wanted to be a fireman at least once in their childhood ... or an arsonist.
Every single grown man harbours a dark secret to be a sexy fireman. Well, there are a few who wants to be Barbie but that's another subject matter.

The whole training was designed to slowly get us warmed up into the game. We had to do the usual warming up exercises which included running around the grounds.

And also the compulsory basking under the hot sun.

But every torture has its rewards. You'd just have to earn it.

That was me sliding down the pole with full speed line effects.

And we got to sit in the real cockpit of action.

And we also got to put on the full firemen suit & helmet. But not everyone was rushing in for this deal cos you might want to think about who was in it before. These things were not exactly required to be sent to the laundry. In fact, you could still smell the last fire on it.

This was a colleague of ours. Look at him. He's probably reliving his childhood dream of becoming Ultraman.

And then the real training began.

We were taught how to roll out the hoses.

And how to work as a team to connect the hoses to the fire truck, and to other hoses.

Look at that, the guy on the right runs like a girl. Maybe he didn't want to become a fireman. Maybe he wanted to be Barbie.

And then finally the ultimate rush.

Looking back, something transformed within us that day. We all became real men, including that little lady on the left.

But for those of us who were already real men, like me, we became the ultra men of manliness who knew how to handle their hoses & their poles.

I believe after this incredible experience of transformation, some of us would even go home to our store rooms and start throwing away our Barbie collection.

Ah Beng Shows Off Talents: PART 4

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:02:00 +0000

By now, you would have guessed why I haven't been posting regularly. I guess it's excusable cos I have not been exactly doing nothing. Fear not, I have not given up blogging. In fact, I do have quite a few things lined up. The only problem is that the queue is not moving.

Show Off No. 4:
Title: Iris
Dimensions: 4' 8" X 3' 4"

As with most of my paintings, I usually start off not knowing what the heck I was doing. I only knew that I wanted something circular, cos I wasn't done with that concept yet.

I decided to use only Blue & White to give a monochromatic feel, something that might emit that kind of underwater deep ocean feel.

But in the end, I thought it looked more like a flower rather than a micro-organism.

But a photographer friend thought that it looked like an eye & that I should call it The Iris, and I did.

And I guess it worked well if you see what I mean.

Sorry if I scared the kids like that but I was just trying to prove a point.

Ah Beng Shows Off Talents: PART 3

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:09:00 +0000

Hey people. I know I haven't been posting & I'm guilty a hundred times over. But modesty is not my last name, for the skin on my face is as thick as the Great Wall of China. This Ah Beng knows no shame. I will not apologise, but on the contrary, I am going to show off some more.

I call this Dreaming in Red (Big). It measures about 4' X 5.5' thereabouts. Oops. Sorry. I checked. It's actually 4' 8" X 3'4". (Another gross exaggeration in true Ah Beng style)

Observe the myriad of colours & shades. (Actually there's only two - Red & White)

Let the colours inspire & move you deep down at the very core of your being. Surrender yourself to its random explosions & movements of feelings & emotions.

Come to think of it, it's either you're having a sensual orgasm right now, or a splitting headache.

Ah Beng Shows Off Talents: PART 2

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 06:56:00 +0000

Continuing my uncontrollable urge to show off, or to put it more nicely, to share my work of happiness with you, here are my Dreaming in Blue series:

Dreaming in Blue (small) approx. 18" X 18"

Dreaming in Blue (big) approx 4' 8" X 3'4"

These were all done sometime back in July.

Ah Beng Shows Off Amazing Talents: PART 1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:44:00 +0000

Wow. I'm sitting here with my laptop in front of me, and I'm finding it really difficult to write. It's been a while since my last post, and once the momentum has stopped, it's hard to start the engine again.

I have been busy doing a lot of stuff. Most of it are work related, and some of it have got nothing to do with work. I've been doing a lot of painting and have been squeezing my artistic juices for the last 2-3 months. Fortunately, I've been able to make a bit of headway into this hobby. Otherwise I'd be juiceless-ly dry by now, like a dried prune, or maybe like salted fish, which smells.

And so, right now, right here, I'm going to shamelessly show-off my spectacular talents on this amazing blog of mine. (Why is my blog amazing? Because even when I don't update it for months, people still mysteriously drop by)

Oklah. Maybe my paintings are not so spectacular after all. These were just a few of the earlier ones that I did a while ago.

Ong Bak 2 Late

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:55:00 +0000

Tony Jaa basically leaped out of my TV screen when Ong Bak first came out in 2003.

This guy is not human. He kills people with his knees & elbows.

5 years after his debut, after a string of action films, Ong Bak 2 came out in December 2008. And guess what? Being slow as usual, I just finished watching the movie a couple of days ago. Still fresh from all that action, I still have the tendency to do the signature Tony Jaa quick-elbow-strike-combined-with-front-leg-stomp action when no one's watching.

The production of Ong Bak 2 wasn't without its problems. I think it was Tony Jaa's directorial debut, & production ran way off budget, running for 3 years, & Tony Jaa had to disappear into the jungle to meditate, literally, seriously. That's what I read in the news.

But lucky for us, the jungle boy re-emerged, & we've got a movie to watch.

Ong Bak 2 definitely had more action than its predecessors, partly cos Tony Jaa didn't have to talk. Dialogues were provided by the other actors. The only sound that came out of Tony's mouth was AARRGH & YAAAAAA. With the dialogues out of the way, it left a lot of room for more action.

Now, what I liked about this movie was Tony Jaa's demonstration of his mastery of the other martial arts like:

The Samurai Swordfight.

Strong Wind Down South Below.
No, I don't really know what that was but I think it's something like Iron Fist.

Snake Kungfu.

And I think there was also the eagle claws somewhere in there, which were all the usual traditional Chinese kungfu styles that you'd find in any 70s movie.

But then, out of nowhere came this black dude who proceeded to strip down to his panties in front of Tony Jaa.
And the fight was strange cos they would roll on the ground & the black dude would always attack from behind.

In a very strange way, it reminded me that fighting is actually very physically intimate. And there's a lot of physical contact & rubbing which I find to be worrying if your sparring partner is secretly gay, & he's taking advantage of the situation, like the black dude here.

Even in the end if you win, like Tony Jaa here, it makes you think twice about who's actually the real winner, who actually gets the most out of the fight.

I think in this case, in this particular lockdown position, it looks like the secret gay black dude guy who likes to attack from behind has the upper hand. It looks like Tony Jaa's modesty has been grossly violated & he doesn't even know it.

BeatBoxing: A True Artistic Pursuit - EDITED

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 07:42:00 +0000

It's often difficult to explain to people what I do. Especially when I meet up with the old aunties & grandmas. The conversation usually starts well when I explain to them that I teach at a university. But it gets complicated when they start asking what I teach. The conversation usually goes like this:

Grandmas & Aunties: So what do you do?
Ah Beng: I teach at a university.
Grandmas & Aunties: Wahhh. So clever.
Ah Beng: Nolah. Pien Chiak only. (This is a very modest answer in which you belittle yourself by saying that you are only able to pull a fast one on the innocent students in order for you to make a living to have enough to eat & survive. In Western understanding, this is ghastly.)

And then, even before they do it, you'd already know what they're going to ask next.
Grandmas & Aunties: So what do you teach?
At this point, you know they're expecting to hear something like Engineering or Accountancy or even Electric Brain (computers in Chinese).
Ah Beng: Ummm, it's like Art. It's like using computers to make art.
Grandmas & Aunties: Hah???!!! What it that? Can make money meh?! Got job opportunity meh?!

And at this final point, you realised that the whole inquiry was actually driven by one thing - money.

In the western concept, money is the root of all evil. In my understanding, money is the root of all Chinese.

So I really don't know how these people explain themselves to their aunties and grandmas about what they do.

beatboxer BEEHIVE

beatboxer Sophia

beatboxer Daichi from Japan

beatboxer Heartgrey from Hong Kong

Now I have a confession to make. I used to do a lot of beatboxing myself ... and other strange sound effects & voices. I thought I was making great music but my mom calls them noises. And now when I think back, I finally understood why I didn't have girlfriends until much later in life.

District B13

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 01:08:00 +0000

This is another one of those things that continually remind me of how behind I am of the what's hot & what's not. This is worrying. Everything points to a single dot. I am getting old, and uncool. I am entering the arena of the uncles.

District B13 is one of the coolest physical action movies ever made in the history of filmmaking, parallel only to Ong Bak. It celebrates Parkour & the superhuman feats that mere mortals like us can hope to achieve, by pushing our physical bodies to their limits.

Wait a minute. That sounded like the Olympics.

Anyway, I only came to know about this movie when my aggressive neighbourhood DVD peddler introduced it to my face. A quick check on YouTube confirmed that it'd be an awesome movie.

Watch this chase scene & tell me if Jackie Chan is still your hero or you're changing your fan club.

Wow. Anybody knows anyone teaching this thing? It sure makes Xtreme sports like rock climbing look like sports for sloths.

Ah Beng is Back ... Again!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:55:00 +0000

Hello People!

You guys never give up do you?

I thought that if I stopped writing, you'd slowly go away as the days go by. That was my evil plan. I was half-heartedly contemplating to stop this strenuous blogging activity which has been consistently sucking up my precious time like a bottomless black pit.

I was thinking if I stopped posting then people would stop dropping by, then there would REALLY be no reason for me to continue blogging - something like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

But then as the days became weeks, & the weeks became one whole month, the numbers never really dropped. People like you still came by for reasons which I fail to understand. There has been nothing happening in this blog for a month already. Maybe you guys are the type who like to watch paint dry. Or maybe you guys are really the zen-jedi types, you know, the ones who think that nothing is something & something is nothing.

But guess what? You win. I lose. And I'm back again.

But this is not the first time though that I have abandoned my dear faithful followers. I did it before, and God forbids, I may just do it again. But then again, maybe you guys enjoy it in a sort of fetish way, like SM.

But this time, it may be different. This time I came up with a super-duper monster schedule that will allow me to update consistently.

So yes folks! Ah Beng is Back in the Blogging Business!

p/s I bet people like Abdullah, who has nothing better to do, will be laughing until his teeth drops out.