LIVEALITTLE

I removed a blog posting for the first time just now. I had originally vowed not to remove nor modify blog postings when I started this because it truly represented my state of being at the time. Apparently it has caused me to have enemies. It bothered me a bit then Ed told me about a Winston Churchill quote:
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life."
I'm glad to have passion.

This is from our Tropfest short film shoot. For more about Tropfest, check out: www.tropfest.com.au. Keep your fingers crossed for us. Regardless if we get short-listed or not, I had tons of fun and I hope to have future opportunities in film. If you are in and around the Sydney area on February 18 (also Chinese New Year), let me know. I will be camped out at the Domain starting at noon!
Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/livealittle/sets/72157594478553378/

Robin turned 50 on Dec 6th, but we celebrated on Friday Dec 8th. It's amazing how many friends he has who are still very close. I wonder if he has always been an even-tempered and patient man. Apparently the trials and tribulations of life have not turned him bitter. Thank goodness! Bob and I had gone through Robin's many shoe boxes of pictures and scanned in the select elite to present as a slideshow during the birthday party. Robin has surprised me with a number of wacky moments! Well, I had a great time and I hope this special day was a blast for you too, Robin. 22 is a massive age! Start acting your age!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/livealittle/sets/72157594412565931/

A week has come and gone already. Days seem to morph into nights and then back to day as I strive to wake up early to take advantage of the daylight and stay up late to online chat with Ed to settle our New Zealand south island jaunt. I can't even recall what occupies my time during the day except the 15 minute harmonica lesson (that's the longest I can last before I get dizzy beyond belief) and the 30 minute Chinese lesson (watch out mom, I can talk to you about animals after today's lesson!).
Today was my most fruitful day so far. With three film students in the house, it was obvious we should submit a film short for the prestigious Tropfest short film festival (www.tropfest.com). The theme for Feb 18, 2007 is "sneeze". A couple of weeks ago, we volleyed with a number ideas and settled on one that critiqued the restaurant business. The exciting thing is that Marko, Masoud, Andy and I did a 2 hour pre-shoot today at a nearby restaurant. I felt so productive and activated -- maybe I want to do film when I grow up! It is a mighty task though and I would definitely need another motivated person to propel me consistently. Currently things are on schedule with all the shooting completing before I leave for New Zealand. It would be great if I could squeeze Ed in as well!

Andy's our newest flatmate. He's shy so I'll call him A instead. :)
He's from the UK and has been on a quest to discover himself. His tactic is to deprive himself of things with the hope that it would expose whatever it is that should be important to him. What has he done? He's a vegan, a recently declared non-alcoholic drinker, and for today --- a mute. He decided not to say a word at all. So it was quite difficult for me to extract suggestions from him of his 3 month New Zealand trip!
Believe it or not, he sat at V's computer across from me and typed away on gmail talk while I verbally asked him questions. We conversed in this manner for about 2 hours. The conversation deviated at times and I must say was my most indepth conversation with Andy thus far. It made me realize that I don't spend much time thinking before I speak and -- as Andy has pointed out - have many an unnecessary conversation. Mind you, I still value all the conversations and interactions I have, but the ones where I get to stop and not think impulsively (like the one way conversations I have on my blog) just seems to churn my deteriorating brain a bit more.
Inspired by A, as I left the house to go pick up the day's paper at uni, I closed my eyes and walked for a block. As there was a busy road next to me, my hearing instantaneously heightened and all my body muscles tightened in anticipation of either walking into traffic, falling off the curb, slipping on a banana peel (nah, that wouldn't happen. Bananas are still $10+/kg!) or slamming into a street lamp. None of them happened and I opened by eyes one cement street square away from the curb (yeah, I chickened out). Although I felt vulnerable, I actually also felt superhuman (from the heightened senses). Amazing!