would anyone like to join me on a trip around the UK sometime around the summer?
i'll be travelling around by bus and train (unless I learn to drive or you can drive) around the country visiting historic towns/cities and heritage buildings (mainly the national trust properties)
very rolling hills, countryside happytimes. expect to get hopelessly lost, frustrated, annoyed, angry but inspired.
I'm thinking of a very on-the-move kind of trip: light packing, in one place for one or two days at most (a bucketload of film). In all the trip shouldn't take more than three weeks.
let me know soon.
21.11.09
17.11.09
Uterus Rants
Been thinking about women today and the feminist movement lately, as part of my law and social theory class, as well as recent preoccupations with particular women in the limelight, namely Sarah Palin and Stephanie Meyer, both of whom incidentally appeared on Oprah (yet another woman) not too long ago.
The two women in particular really annoy me for different reasons. Stephanie Meyer is the author of the Twilight Saga. I don't know about you, but the last time I noticed the word Saga being used in pop culture, it was probably in Star Wars when a terribly evil force was threatening the universe. One teenage girl's romantic problems with an immortal vampire does not a saga make. What annoys me the most about the Twilight books is how something so undeserving has gotten so much acclaim, either from the hype, from the lovely book covers, or from the (arguable) hotness of Robert Pattinson. The stories are neither original (forbidden love/ vampire romances have been around for ages) nor well-written (i know this for a fact because I've had the misfortune of reading the first chapter of the fourth book. Very anecdotal I know, but even fans confess it isn't Shakespeare), but she's received so much fame and fortune from it you almost start to think maybe there isn't a god.
Sarah Palin is annoying for other reasons (see link). While she too wrote a book, it probably isn't as banal as the vampire books. (By accounts, she may be loopy, but at least she was somewhat witty.) She is annoying because in the interview with Oprah it was obvious that she was unable to reconcile her inherent inconsistencies, and ended up contradicting herself in many separate occasions. It was clear from the interview that Oprah had a hard time following what she was saying because she kept flip-flopping on her responses, and Oprah couldn't call her on them because her talk show isn't that kind of talk show.
These annoying women make me angry/irritated/annoyed, because the feminist movement associates me, an educated Asian girl/young woman with them. It makes me wonder if years of agitation on the part of the feminists was so that these women could emerge from the private sphere to spread annoyance among general humankind.
We all know what radical feminists think: that women are subjugated because the so-called objective standard used by society with which to measure people is a Male perspective and therefore it is the SYSTEM that is unfair, not those who implement the system. One of the foremost thinkers in this area is Catharine MacKinnon, who wrote in the early-mid 1980s that to be woman is to be "rapable", ie. in the position of subjugation. Radical feminists like to blame Hillary Clinton's pantsuits and a careerwoman's forsaking her family life to this flawed system.
Post-modern feminists on the other hand believe that there is no universal female experience and that what radical feminists are in fact doing is imposing a white, middle class, heterosexual identity of womanhood onto women in general when in fact what it means to be a woman means different things to people of different classes, race, and sexual preference. It's hard to dispute the post-modernists: times have changed so that society is more aware of the differences between social classes, even if the gaps have not in fact been bridged. Following the post-modern feminists it is difficult to see how the feminist agenda can be advanced thus: if women cannot unite under a single gender identity can the movement still have the required critical mass to be influential?
Two solutions come immediately to mind: either the feminists with more specific causes have to break away from the "mainstream" cause and pursue their own agenda or abandon the feminist movement and search for other channels to fight for their rights. Angela Harris gives the example of the Black women in (presumably) American society. They are disenfranchised with the identity put forth by the radical feminists because they do not identify with what they recognise as white-middle-class-womanhood. As a result to advance their aims at equality, they would have to rally with the identity of Black women, who have an experience that is a world of a difference from middle-class white women (who from the radical feminists' point of view constitute the universal experience of women). Separation from the mainstream cause would also allow more specific groups to target their problems more effectively. However this does not solve the problem of the lack of critical mass and by extension, political might and influence.
The second solution is to stop seeing gender as a reason for coming together at all. Abandoning the feminist cause would not only resolve the conflict between the radical feminists and the post-modern feminists, but also realign allies and "enemies", such that the problem of critical mass may be solved, and might even solve the problem of inequality between man and woman (by not pitting man against woman).
There are definitely more ways to solve the problem, and perhaps eventually (one could argue) nothing really matters. Besides, considering how one could see that feminists were the ones who empowered the likes of Sarah Palin and Stephanie Meyer, it's demise perhaps isn't the best cause to worry my head about. Times like these make me wish I could grow a penis and put the blame on other people's Pre-menstrual Tension.
The two women in particular really annoy me for different reasons. Stephanie Meyer is the author of the Twilight Saga. I don't know about you, but the last time I noticed the word Saga being used in pop culture, it was probably in Star Wars when a terribly evil force was threatening the universe. One teenage girl's romantic problems with an immortal vampire does not a saga make. What annoys me the most about the Twilight books is how something so undeserving has gotten so much acclaim, either from the hype, from the lovely book covers, or from the (arguable) hotness of Robert Pattinson. The stories are neither original (forbidden love/ vampire romances have been around for ages) nor well-written (i know this for a fact because I've had the misfortune of reading the first chapter of the fourth book. Very anecdotal I know, but even fans confess it isn't Shakespeare), but she's received so much fame and fortune from it you almost start to think maybe there isn't a god.
Sarah Palin is annoying for other reasons (see link). While she too wrote a book, it probably isn't as banal as the vampire books. (By accounts, she may be loopy, but at least she was somewhat witty.) She is annoying because in the interview with Oprah it was obvious that she was unable to reconcile her inherent inconsistencies, and ended up contradicting herself in many separate occasions. It was clear from the interview that Oprah had a hard time following what she was saying because she kept flip-flopping on her responses, and Oprah couldn't call her on them because her talk show isn't that kind of talk show.
These annoying women make me angry/irritated/annoyed, because the feminist movement associates me, an educated Asian girl/young woman with them. It makes me wonder if years of agitation on the part of the feminists was so that these women could emerge from the private sphere to spread annoyance among general humankind.
We all know what radical feminists think: that women are subjugated because the so-called objective standard used by society with which to measure people is a Male perspective and therefore it is the SYSTEM that is unfair, not those who implement the system. One of the foremost thinkers in this area is Catharine MacKinnon, who wrote in the early-mid 1980s that to be woman is to be "rapable", ie. in the position of subjugation. Radical feminists like to blame Hillary Clinton's pantsuits and a careerwoman's forsaking her family life to this flawed system.
Post-modern feminists on the other hand believe that there is no universal female experience and that what radical feminists are in fact doing is imposing a white, middle class, heterosexual identity of womanhood onto women in general when in fact what it means to be a woman means different things to people of different classes, race, and sexual preference. It's hard to dispute the post-modernists: times have changed so that society is more aware of the differences between social classes, even if the gaps have not in fact been bridged. Following the post-modern feminists it is difficult to see how the feminist agenda can be advanced thus: if women cannot unite under a single gender identity can the movement still have the required critical mass to be influential?
Two solutions come immediately to mind: either the feminists with more specific causes have to break away from the "mainstream" cause and pursue their own agenda or abandon the feminist movement and search for other channels to fight for their rights. Angela Harris gives the example of the Black women in (presumably) American society. They are disenfranchised with the identity put forth by the radical feminists because they do not identify with what they recognise as white-middle-class-womanhood. As a result to advance their aims at equality, they would have to rally with the identity of Black women, who have an experience that is a world of a difference from middle-class white women (who from the radical feminists' point of view constitute the universal experience of women). Separation from the mainstream cause would also allow more specific groups to target their problems more effectively. However this does not solve the problem of the lack of critical mass and by extension, political might and influence.
The second solution is to stop seeing gender as a reason for coming together at all. Abandoning the feminist cause would not only resolve the conflict between the radical feminists and the post-modern feminists, but also realign allies and "enemies", such that the problem of critical mass may be solved, and might even solve the problem of inequality between man and woman (by not pitting man against woman).
There are definitely more ways to solve the problem, and perhaps eventually (one could argue) nothing really matters. Besides, considering how one could see that feminists were the ones who empowered the likes of Sarah Palin and Stephanie Meyer, it's demise perhaps isn't the best cause to worry my head about. Times like these make me wish I could grow a penis and put the blame on other people's Pre-menstrual Tension.
15.11.09
Where The Wild Things Are
It's been a while since I talked about the Lomography store. Still getting to know my colleagues, I've been listening to their music, checking out the trainers they've bought online, hearing about the gigs they've been to, and mentally charting their childrens' developmental progress (she's got teeth, can stand. young son devastated over sale of family car).
One of the bands that are really growing on me is Wild Beasts, based in Leeds. Local music is really a big scene here, which I daresay is the complete opposite from back home, where badwill alone from people who purport to know about music will probably enough to kill you. And if that doesn't pure inertia from the generous population will ensure that. Unless you get a gig on some venue like Timbre.
Anyway, the Wild Beasts! They've got a really distinctive sound, and can sometimes be a bit theatrical, which makes it a great band to play in the store because everyone knows that when no one is in the store, shopkeepers around the world just blast music and DANCE. No, scratch that. we dance even when there are people in the store. I might have become somewhat exhibitionist, come to think of it.
This is the song that's been stuck in my head all week:
Lucy, whose company I really enjoy in the shop, has shot them a few times I think. I have an affection for Lucy because the work that she does is really awesome beans but she's still very down-to-earth. I like to watch how people who are really cocky about doing music photography rile her up.
It's interesting to observe how people who come to the shop tend to think they know a thing or two about cameras. I know a thing or two about cameras, but that's because it's my job. And the people that work with me are quite territorial about the photography they do. Lucy is big on music photography, having been shooting bands for a good while now. Mark is territorial about film SLRs. and manicly so, having worked in a lab for a while, and sold a few hundred grand worth of equipment that can only be described by me as either penis-envy or overcompensation.
What's most fascinating to me is that the band, even though they sound like a fairly vintage-leather-bag-skinny-jeans kind of act, the blokes still look kind of normal. Bit like Kate Bush. Who'd ever thought she warbled? Although now that "vintage uniqueness" have taken over the world I might be tempted to say by wearing "ordinary clothes" they're actually kind of special.
And I'm really not good at the whole band-labelling thing. They are somewhat indie, I suppose, but indie is more like a description of the production process than the sound they make, isn't it? I mean at some point, all bands were indie (yes, probably even the Beatles). Besides, knowing musicians these days, they'd probably not want to be cast into any sort of genre. But if I had to make a decision I would go with "London Sound". Except they're not based in London.
Identity crisis much? But I suppose in a good way.
One of the bands that are really growing on me is Wild Beasts, based in Leeds. Local music is really a big scene here, which I daresay is the complete opposite from back home, where badwill alone from people who purport to know about music will probably enough to kill you. And if that doesn't pure inertia from the generous population will ensure that. Unless you get a gig on some venue like Timbre.
Anyway, the Wild Beasts! They've got a really distinctive sound, and can sometimes be a bit theatrical, which makes it a great band to play in the store because everyone knows that when no one is in the store, shopkeepers around the world just blast music and DANCE. No, scratch that. we dance even when there are people in the store. I might have become somewhat exhibitionist, come to think of it.
This is the song that's been stuck in my head all week:
Lucy, whose company I really enjoy in the shop, has shot them a few times I think. I have an affection for Lucy because the work that she does is really awesome beans but she's still very down-to-earth. I like to watch how people who are really cocky about doing music photography rile her up.
It's interesting to observe how people who come to the shop tend to think they know a thing or two about cameras. I know a thing or two about cameras, but that's because it's my job. And the people that work with me are quite territorial about the photography they do. Lucy is big on music photography, having been shooting bands for a good while now. Mark is territorial about film SLRs. and manicly so, having worked in a lab for a while, and sold a few hundred grand worth of equipment that can only be described by me as either penis-envy or overcompensation.
What's most fascinating to me is that the band, even though they sound like a fairly vintage-leather-bag-skinny-jeans kind of act, the blokes still look kind of normal. Bit like Kate Bush. Who'd ever thought she warbled? Although now that "vintage uniqueness" have taken over the world I might be tempted to say by wearing "ordinary clothes" they're actually kind of special.
And I'm really not good at the whole band-labelling thing. They are somewhat indie, I suppose, but indie is more like a description of the production process than the sound they make, isn't it? I mean at some point, all bands were indie (yes, probably even the Beatles). Besides, knowing musicians these days, they'd probably not want to be cast into any sort of genre. But if I had to make a decision I would go with "London Sound". Except they're not based in London.
Identity crisis much? But I suppose in a good way.
10.11.09
Salivation Army
At some point in the night, my brain gets saturated with all the homework I can do for the evening and my eyes, previously fixed upon my (lovely) textbooks and notes, move on to more exciting things while my mind wanders. There's only one place my mind wanders to at this time of night, between 2 to 3 am: The Singapura Daily Makan Photo food blog. This is when the best of Singapore's obsession of food and powerful digital SLRs come together to make magic.But I almost always regret clicking the link to the blog because it always fills me (momentarily) with a deep despair at anything I had for dinner, lunch and breakfast that very day, and for a second I despise everything I am about to cook myself for two following weeks. But then the self-pity doesn't last very long because I become to distracted by all the lovely pictures on the blog. :D
When I go back I'm going to shamelessly keep a food diary just so when I get back to London I can prove to myself that good food is not an illusion.
33 days more to go.
9.11.09
Will Stop Whingeing For Five Minutes
A comment Mark, my colleague at the shop made me think about the things I tell people and the things I choose not to share lately. More specifically, he thinks I complain a lot, and upon reflection, I'm afraid I have to agree with him. It's largely been a mechanism for mutual identification, and quite a useful one at that, but it will have to stop now. I mean, it's easy to see what's wrong with something, but so much harder to actually fix it. So I'm going to start making an effort to say positive things from now on. And only complain if I can do it in a remotely entertaining way.
This has nothing to do with me being vegetarian this month (I know, vegetarians sometimes annoy me too--the preachy bastards). It's a bet that Charmaine and I have between ourselves, and basically the goal is to see if vegetarianism is actually viable. I know what people think: of course it's viable--plenty of people are vegetarian. I realise that, but what I didn't realise was how many people can live comfortably with terrible tasting food. Bad food makes me (and charm) depressed. Utterly defeated and down in the dumps. And so we're going to try and make everything as wonderful as possible. Without meat, without fish.
We've survived a little over a week now, and quite successfully. The rules are that we will not buy any meat groceries and in the event that we do go out to eat we must always consider the vegetarian option. For the sake of not being total pains in the ass however, we have decided that if it's just not viable not to eat meat, a concession may be made, provided that the meal is made up in December. It's easier when it's almost like a game, although some days (like today for lunch, when I had a great urge to have butter chicken--i resisted) it feels like I am fooling myself. Which I kind of am, if you think about it.
I have little else to say if I leave out all the whingeing that i've been wanting to do, about the funny (weird) new colleague that refuses to clean the place, about annoying people in school (where do I start), etc etc. But in the grand scheme of things, it's probably best to let go of all this negativity. After all the new (vegetarian) me might fall to pieces from bad karma.
This has nothing to do with me being vegetarian this month (I know, vegetarians sometimes annoy me too--the preachy bastards). It's a bet that Charmaine and I have between ourselves, and basically the goal is to see if vegetarianism is actually viable. I know what people think: of course it's viable--plenty of people are vegetarian. I realise that, but what I didn't realise was how many people can live comfortably with terrible tasting food. Bad food makes me (and charm) depressed. Utterly defeated and down in the dumps. And so we're going to try and make everything as wonderful as possible. Without meat, without fish.
We've survived a little over a week now, and quite successfully. The rules are that we will not buy any meat groceries and in the event that we do go out to eat we must always consider the vegetarian option. For the sake of not being total pains in the ass however, we have decided that if it's just not viable not to eat meat, a concession may be made, provided that the meal is made up in December. It's easier when it's almost like a game, although some days (like today for lunch, when I had a great urge to have butter chicken--i resisted) it feels like I am fooling myself. Which I kind of am, if you think about it.
I have little else to say if I leave out all the whingeing that i've been wanting to do, about the funny (weird) new colleague that refuses to clean the place, about annoying people in school (where do I start), etc etc. But in the grand scheme of things, it's probably best to let go of all this negativity. After all the new (vegetarian) me might fall to pieces from bad karma.
3.11.09
Pretty Pair Maryjanes Please
Reading week finally, and I feel like I can breathe again. Although I know this is but an illusion because it's not called reading week for no reason. Day 1: figuring out Hegel and his obscure meanings. Not too bad a start, actually, just need to sit down and concentrate. There are just so much readings on this nebulous thinker. And the course structure is such that it probably wouldn't hurt to just give him a miss. But what I've read so far (very little) does intrigue me and so I will keep on keeping on.
The weather has taken a turn for the worse, as if it knew it was November and suddenly everything is cold. The biting cold makes everything a little more miserable than it really is. (is this grammatical?) but things have been steady, and nothing terrible has happened, but the past few weeks have been completely abject and upsetting, just by the lack of sunlight.
In fact, things have been quite good, because i've been getting brainwaves and sudden bouts of creativity and have started playing with the idea of painting my Diana camera again. And also considering binding my own notebooks... it's actually easier than it seems and can be done with little cost in the long run. Really worth considering there. I've added the link to this awesome handbound journal-making duo five and a half who are based in Brooklyn. I've seen some of their work, and i think the notebooks are quite awesome, just that i'm not too fond of the binding style they've used. in any case, the blog is lovely and exciting too. There's a real sense that something is being built: a cottage industry, or maybe slowly, an empire.
This is something that interests me a lot, the idea of creating something, building it, growing it. Which is why I suspect I wouldn't be able to stay long in the legal profession even though I know I definitely want to be a lawyer after I graduate.
Unfortunately it's only at night that I get these brainwaves and the motivation to create wanes after a good night's sleep. In the day more rational thoughts take over, like a shortening deadline and such and such, and then the day is inundated with mundane things commands like eat! buytoothpaste! toiletpaper! dishes! Ugh. daytime and its unromantic emergencies.
I wish a break like READING WEEK weren't so loaded with meaning and expectation like it is now. I can't think of anything that would make me feel better besides a pair of new shoes and/or a new dress, but that will have to wait until I finish reading the handouts. BAH. I would really like a day out to go shooting as well but this too shall have to wait in the wings while I reassume my role as a proper law student.
After all, we can't all be on holiday.
The weather has taken a turn for the worse, as if it knew it was November and suddenly everything is cold. The biting cold makes everything a little more miserable than it really is. (is this grammatical?) but things have been steady, and nothing terrible has happened, but the past few weeks have been completely abject and upsetting, just by the lack of sunlight.
In fact, things have been quite good, because i've been getting brainwaves and sudden bouts of creativity and have started playing with the idea of painting my Diana camera again. And also considering binding my own notebooks... it's actually easier than it seems and can be done with little cost in the long run. Really worth considering there. I've added the link to this awesome handbound journal-making duo five and a half who are based in Brooklyn. I've seen some of their work, and i think the notebooks are quite awesome, just that i'm not too fond of the binding style they've used. in any case, the blog is lovely and exciting too. There's a real sense that something is being built: a cottage industry, or maybe slowly, an empire.
This is something that interests me a lot, the idea of creating something, building it, growing it. Which is why I suspect I wouldn't be able to stay long in the legal profession even though I know I definitely want to be a lawyer after I graduate.
Unfortunately it's only at night that I get these brainwaves and the motivation to create wanes after a good night's sleep. In the day more rational thoughts take over, like a shortening deadline and such and such, and then the day is inundated with mundane things commands like eat! buytoothpaste! toiletpaper! dishes! Ugh. daytime and its unromantic emergencies.
I wish a break like READING WEEK weren't so loaded with meaning and expectation like it is now. I can't think of anything that would make me feel better besides a pair of new shoes and/or a new dress, but that will have to wait until I finish reading the handouts. BAH. I would really like a day out to go shooting as well but this too shall have to wait in the wings while I reassume my role as a proper law student.
After all, we can't all be on holiday.
31.10.09
An Extraordinary Sight
A late morning on Charing Cross Road, on my way back from the British Museum. I am walking towards the iconic shop selling musical instruments, walking past the iconic not-subtly-named porn shop Lovejoys, walking past in-road to Soho, Old Compton Road. I witness a flock of flying pigeons passing overhead and I stop to watch. The pigeons, after landing on the other side of Charing Cross road, linger for a few seconds on their new roost, then head back in a big loud cloud of fluttering feathers.
The pigeons fly to and fro for no obvious reasons a few more times, until finally after more than ten times of crossing the road by simultaneous and seemingly spontaneous flight they settle down on the roofs of my side of the road, where they first started. I think immediately it must be a sign. But I might be wrong: no one else is stopping.
The pigeons fly to and fro for no obvious reasons a few more times, until finally after more than ten times of crossing the road by simultaneous and seemingly spontaneous flight they settle down on the roofs of my side of the road, where they first started. I think immediately it must be a sign. But I might be wrong: no one else is stopping.
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