bid farewell to 2003
Pop legend Leslie Cheng, one of my favorite columnist Lam Chen Kuen, pop diva Anita Mui have passed away this year. Not to mention 299 people have died from SARS. The protest against a controversial proposed national security law on a sweltering afternoon of 1st July.
The new year starts in a day later so I'm gonna take a deep breath, cross my fingers and wish every one of you a Happy New Year!
As for the new year party, the Chans will host a barbeque at their cozy home in Yue Long, I'll be listening to some great musics, eat a lot of great barbeque and hang out with great people.
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post holiday mood
Our holidays were good, got Derek a big box of re-issue Shiryu.
I have nothing more to say. Work started today and it was okay, everyone is still on holiday, all except me.
I do look forward to the Chinese New Year holiday, which will be two weeks later, I want to visit my grandma in China, so maybe we'll go back there for a few days, as I realized that my last visit was two years ago and I won't have much chances to see my living grandparent.
Chinese New Year, it's all about food, food and food. On Chinese New Year's eve, after "spring clean" the house, the main event of the night is the "reunion" dinner, this is when the whole family gets back together for a sumptuous dinner, have more food than usual.
On the 1st day of the Chinese New Year, red packets containing money are given to unmarried children by parents or elders, everyone wears their best or new clothes as this is an auspicious day, no swearing or anything that might damage the prospect of an eventful or prosperous year ahead. The 1st day is reserved for visiting close family relations, the dinner for the 1st day usually will have some leftovers, as it represents abundance, a good sign for the New Year. The 2nd day is for extended family, and it goes on for the duration of the festive period which lasts 15 days. The 15th day, also known as the Chinese Valentine's day, lovers eat sweet dumpling made of glutinous rice flour to pray for their relationships.
Food always has it's symbolic meaning, the name of the Mandarin orange sounds similar to gold, a new year cake which is round and made of lotus seed paste. Sweets and candy are also popular as it represents a sweet year ahead. Lotus seeds represents fertility, melon seeds represents laughter and happiness. Mushroom represents success.
After the Chinese New Year, there will be my Hokkaido Tour!
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Return of the Gollum!
The Return of the King is the most incredible film I've ever seen! Once again the sweeping aerial landscape shots, the battle scenes blown me away. The light signal of Gondor transmitting from peak to peak was cool!
Sam - Sean Astin did a wonderful job to play Samwise Gamgee, I wept for him when Frodo ask me to go home. He is definitely Samwise the Brave!
Eowyn - "I am no man!" she's a woman of honor and strength!
Aragorn - he's amazing in LOTR, every scene he's in is full of power and majesty.
Legolas - love him for taking down the oliphant.
It will be worth waiting a year to get the extended version DVD of "The Return of the King". I can already guess several points in the film which will be fleshed out in the extended version. (i.e. Scouring of the Shire)
A little disappointment:
Shelob - not scary enough.
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exam is over
Anyway, I saw LOTR II extended version in theater on Thursday night, it has extra 30 minutes or so, about 3 hours and 2x minutes long. I felt a little dizzy afterward, both of my sister and brother felt that way too. Back to the movie, it's better than the theater release, it includes a few more appreciative laughs, that gives the story more punch.
Two down, one to go, I'll be seeing LOTR III this Sunday at 5:10pm, in my favorite theater - UA Cityplaza.
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