Snow and rainbows

Today showed me how very differently one class could respond to a particular L.O. lesson than another. Where the Gr.X C-class nearly yawned the class into Oz, the A- and E-classes loved every detail! Where the first class was decidedly bored out of their skulls the moment they walked in the door – the other classes snapped out of it the moment I started the lesson. They enjoyed what I had prepared for them, and participated to such an extent that the lesson felt less like a class and more like a lively discussion among friends. It was amazing.

Your preparation as well as the kids make all the difference. The classes who put something of themselves into the lesson, got something more in return. This mix of energy allowed me to pour my whole self into the moment and emerge with my learners, energized and ready to move on at the end of the period (which flew by in no time).

I have yet to figure out why the first class differed so greatly from the other two, and what I could do to bring their spark out in the former group.

...

After school I went to buy my colleague a milkshake for his birthday (which he didn't want celebrated elaborately). Three of us jumped in a car, drove in the icy rain to the mall, and celebrated with sweets while surrounded by snow capped mountains. From the pay-point, I took the following photograph:

All was right with the world.

I also made him this little video as a birthday present :0)

Hmmm...

I feel like having a picnic
in a library filled with
trees
and unknowable
You
- DANABAAI, 11 NOV 2012

Peugeot Touch Car by Enache Florin

Peugeot Touch Car by Enache Florin » Yanko Design


you guessed it - i want one! perfect for driving in Kaohsiung :0)

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So you missed my birthday?

Here's how you can make up for under $80

Lady GaGa Speechless Royal Variety Performance 16/12/09 HQ

is it wrong of me...

... to want her at my wedding?

link-love: Owl City's "fireflies"

this little gem of a song unceremoniously swept me off my feet today and rooted itself firmly at the top of my list of songs to purchase.
(fan-generated video below, as the official version can not be embedded)

A little bit more about this spoonful of magic, from Associated Press:

Owl City music turns online popularity into sales
(AP) – 23 hours ago
MINNEAPOLIS — A young musician who recorded his album on a computer in the basement of his parents' Minnesota home is finding success in the music business.

Adam Young records under the name Owl City. His album "Ocean Eyes" came out at the end of July, and by this month it has sold nearly 100,000 copies. The single "Fireflies" is a top seller on iTunes, and is climbing the Top 40 and alternative music charts.

Young started out by posting some of his songs on his MySpace page. Now he finds himself signed to a record deal with Universal Music, where he joins the likes of Taylor Swift and Kanye West.

do yourselves a favor and check out the awesome Owl City website - and then spend some time on Adam's MySpace blog. i'm intrigued enough to follow him on twitter - for his words - and revisit his MySpace for gifts like this:

go out and get yourself a (legal) copy of "Ocean Eyes" and other cool merchandise.
if "fireflies" is anything to go by - you'll thank yourself forever.

PS. i'm thoroughly enjoying streaming the other tracks from the official site! wondering if the physical CD (case and insert) is also a sublime adventure of discovery?

list: top 10 anime movies

Ben mentioned, not too long ago, that he still wanted to ask me for some recommendations when it came to anime movies. i was flattered, seeing as how Ben is THE movie buff in my books. i was also a little nervous. true, i love anime - but i'm no buff by any stretch of the imagination.

anyway, he got me thinking about it and,after a little research, i can finally present what i believe to be the Top 10 Anime Movies:

10: 5CM Per Second (2007)

the movie is really three stories that deal with love between people separated by distance. kids might not get the subject matter - but Makoto Shinkai's amazing artistry (best.scenes.ever.) makes this one of the best anime films out there.

9: Cowboy Bebop (2001)

based on the hit tv-series Cowboy Bebop (which has had a cult following since the invention of the term),the movie lives up to all expectations and is a great introduction to newbies.

8: Tokyo GodFathers (2003)

Satoshi Kon’s masterpiece is really a social comment on Tokyo's urban minorities. the story follows three homeless friends, who find a baby in a dumpster and try to return it to its parents. did I mention that one of the friends is pre-op M2F?

7: Princess Mononoke (1997)

Princess Mononoke was Hayao Miyazaki's breakthrough movie in the Western world. take whatever you know about the genre, go to your warm and fuzzy place and prepare to be enchanted.

6: Paprika (2006)

you've heard of vivid imaginations, right? prepare to experience a visual orgasm. the plot is centered around a “dream machine” — which allows doctors to see a patient’s dreams — that is stolen by a thief who uses it to enter people’s dreams. Paprika and her team set out to recapture the device. shifting between reality and dreamworld continuously, you'll definitely want to watch it again to get all the details.

5: Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

Miyazaki's second film on the list was developed from the book by Diana Wynne Jones. a girl is cursed with a spell that makes her look old. her only hope of becoming young again lies with a wizard and his giant, walking castle.

4: Ghost in The Shell (1995)

the Watchowski brothers reportedly showed Ghost in The Shell to producer Joel Silver and told him, “We wanna do that live action”. then they made the Matrix. enough said.

3: Grave of The Fireflies (1988)

the film that made everyone realize that anime can be used to tell serious, heart felt stories. It centers on a boy and his young sister who struggle to survive in WW2 Japan after their mother dies during a US bombing. Roger Ebert called it “the most powerful anti-war movie of all time”. newly remade as a live feature film, it's a gift that keeps on giving.

2: Akira (1988)

the movie that pretty much defined the whole genre: from its art style, to its realistic portrayal of violence, to its ability to tell several stories at once. Akira is the hallmark of anime for the past 20 years.

1. Spirited Away (2001)

in all probability Miyazaki’s masterpiece. this is the story of a girl who stumbles into a land where witches, gods and spirits rule. she struggles to keep her own spirit, while fighting to release the spirits of her parents. the film won dozens of awards, including an Oscar for best animated feature. it even surpassed Titanic to become the highest grossing move of all time in Japan. that in itself is enough to make me grin like an idiot ;0)

so... the next time movie night comes around, why not grab a few of these? it's guaranteed to delight, inspire and educate.

spring at the start of fall

it is september now and back home people are celebrating the return of spring. days are getting longer, nights are getting warmer and all around nature is getting ready to burst with joy. it is a time of renewal, hope and celebration. it is a time to celebrate life - and to fall in love.

i am lucky. for although i'm oceans away from home - i am with the one i love.

in Taiwan it is ghost month: a time when the gates of the underworld are believed to open and the dead are allowed to roam the land of the living. spirits without descendants to care for them are prayed to during this time, so that they may also enjoy the warmth of life among the living. those lucky enough to have descendants get to feast on tables laden with food and drink that are offered to them. for others, this is a month of remembering the departed and cherishing those who are still around.

again, i am lucky. for in remembering my departed friends and family - i am reminded to love fully without restraint. i am reminded that life is unpredictable and short - and that love should be cherished and enjoyed openly and fearlessly.

fearlessly... that is my achilles' heel. my terrible burden. for you see - i am still plagued by fear... the fear of my inadequacy.

this might be a revelation to some, for many believe me to be fearless. in fact, i often make a point of facing my fears head on, to overcome them and to help others do the same. i have often said that this does not make me immune to fear - but that i'm fighting a winning battle. and for the most of it - i am.

for the most of part.

tonight, while standing in the rain waiting for the garbage truck, i felt very much like a spirit with no descendants. the switch from the fullness of SA life (with my friends and family) to the total isolation of city life in Taiwan (Peter works - i'm still looking for a job), was suddenly too much for me.

i'm not going to go into the negative flip-flops my mind was doing - suffice to say i was feeling pretty forlorn...

then the garbage truck arrived - and a complete stranger huddled me under his umbrella. he walked with me from the garbage truck to the recycling truck and back to our building - even though he only had a small bag to deposit at the first truck. i thanked him profusely as he smiled and disappeared into the crowd.

the rain eased up and i decided to go for my walk around the museum's park again. a cool breeze was blowing and i was beginning to feel a lot better. before long, i realized that i was praying as i walked - and for about half in hour i had an intimate discussion with my Lord, who was walking right next to me! i was in Jesus's company and it felt completely natural, safe and friendly. it was a miracle, just like the stranger with his umbrella. i've often felt close to Christ - but tonight was the first time i literally felt him walking right next to me! walking next to me, telling me not to be afraid. telling me that, even though i might not believe it, i truly am a perfect creation and more than adequate for the journey i'm taking. telling me to believe in Love and reminding me that i am never alone.

none of us are ever alone.

what started as a dark night of the soul - turned into the promise of a new dawn.

spring is coming - even here, on the brink of fall.

wherever you are tonight, and whatever you are going through - may you also experience the promise of a new dawn.

wether you believe as i do or not - this spring is eternal (and Love believes in you).

now go hug someone.

were the world mine

one thing i absolutely adore about the Sundance Film Festival, is how it surprises you every time! i happened upon one of the 2008 features to shine at Sundance, quite by accident. to tell the truth, i'm not exactly sure how it came about... maybe the faeries had a hand in it ;0)

the film that has me glowing from within, today, is called: "were the world mine" and is directed by Tom Gustafson. i got a copy, thinking it was a basic retelling of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream - albeit with a queer twist. we watch a lot of movies at home these days, and i was looking forward to watching something a little less shock-shock-horror-horror or skop-skiet & donder* for a change.

Literally "kick, shoot and thunder" in Afrikaans, this phrase is used by
many English speakers to describe action movies or any activity which is
lively and somewhat primitive. Clint Eastwood is always good for a skop,
skiet en donder flick.

Peter, however, wasn't interested in watching it at all. maybe he has opinions about Sundance that i don't know about... anyhoo - that's another post entirely.

suffice to say that i watched it by myself, this morning, while he was still sleeping off his late night session of Taiwanese talk-shows. (which, by the way, look like bucket-loads of fun - if you understand the language.)

but back to the film: it was awesome! i laughed, i cried, i held a pillow for comfort and i felt all sorts of warm and fuzzy. it might not be the best produced musical in the world - but it's way up there in my books!

in short, it tells the story of an openly gay teenager in an all-boys school, in a conservative town - who gets cast as Puck in the school's rendition of A Midsummer Night's Dream. add a touch of magic and mischief - and voila! you've got one heck of a premise.

oh, and let me not forget the singing! the singing and the dancing... *sigh* i think it's officially taken the place of Priscilla in my heart. sorry girls, but this time i identify. and i'm gettng the soundtrack!

*sings: o timothy... timothyyyyyyyy*

my next holiday destination should be

...gamirasu cave hotel



luxury caves in Turkey - now there's an idea!

i love banksy

IMG_0455.JPG on Flickr - Photo Sharing!


Big love to Jockohomo for posting the link to photos of the opening of Banksy's Cans Festival in London.

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Clockwise or Anti-clockwise?

If the lady isn't spinning, click on her and try again.
(And no, I don't mean anything else by it. Naughty!)

You can actually see her spinning in either direction. Something to do with shifting dominance of brain hemispheres.


If initially she spins clockwise, you're a left-brainer.
Anti-clockwise makes you a right-brainer.
Shifting between the two hemispheres makes her do a "matrix"-like glitch/switch.

I tried it with Nakkie and me watching at the same time - it's not the gif that changes. We saw her spinning in different directions - and switching at different times.

very cool.

Mommy I want one!!

Now this is a concept car I'd gladly give my front teeth for!

Mazda Taiki reflects one possible direction for a future generation of Mazda sports cars aimed at helping create a sustainable society. The fourth concept car in the Nagare design series, Mazda Taiki further evolves the "flow" theme to establish a breathtaking presence that clearly distinguishes it as the culmination of the series, and to visually express the atmosphere - called taiki in Japanese - that wraps the Earth in its protective belt. The next-generation RENESIS ("16X" rotary engine) sets new standards for environmental and driving performance and serves as the base for pursuing the sports packaging that is synonymous with the Mazda name and unbeatable aerodynamic performance. From stem to stern the Mazda Taiki concept represents the culmination of the Nagare design series, while standing as a life-size icon indicating the road to the Mazda sports cars of the future.(Designed by Mazda Yokohama Design Studio)To give form to the concept of a next-generation Mazda sports icon that operates in harmony with our planet’s environment, the challenge became to create "a design that visually expresses the flow of air". This inspired the image of a pair of Hagoromo - the flowing robes in Japanese legend that enable a celestial maiden to fly - floating down from the sky.. The lower of the layered hagoromo flows from the front fenders to the sides, where it wraps under the body and gracefully curves up at the rear. The other hagoromo flows from the hood through the shoulder lines it etches, past the unique independent rear fender design, and lends a seductive curve to the rear deck. The fusion of these flowing upper and lower surfaces not only creates a visual depiction of flowing air, well-toned appearance, as well as creating a sense of floating lightly on air. The design also achieves an excellent drag coefficient of 0.25 and zero lift.

Check out the rest at: http://www.mazda.com/motorshow/main.html?page=5

MadV - inspire

I've missed the Nov 5 deadline for the Remember project . Wasn't all too happy with myself - but then I realized that 5 Nov wasn't a deadline - it was the birth of a project.

After seeing MadV's latest video - I'm amped as ever to get it together!

Woof Wan-Bau's art

"Superflat is a postmodern art movement, founded by the artist Takashi Murakami, which is influenced by manga and anime. In a response to the homogenisation of Japanese media and art, “Superflat” attempts to critique the vacuity of post-war Japanese culture, including criticisms of the otaku lifestyle, consumerism, and related issues." Wikipedia

Up until this morning, I was blissfully unaware of the Superflat art movement. Thanks to Jockohomo's blog - I've been introduced to the work of Woof Wan-Bau. This particular video (for lack of a better term) still has me in its grip.

Right now I'm dying to read "Superflat and Otaku Nationalism", a paper presented at MOCA gallery at the Pacific design Center, West Hollywood, on 5 April 2001. Especially after seeing this:

"An ad campaign for LOUIS VUITTON by Mamoru Hosoda. an updated alice in wonderland, in which a girl, searching for her lost cell phone, floats in a dizzying world of the company's logos. While waiting to meet her friends outside of a Louis Vuitton store, Aya's cell phone is eaten by the LV Panda, who then promptly swallows Aya - but the inside of his stomach is gateway to a psychedelic wonderland. Based on characters created by famed superflat artist Takashi Murakami." YouTube

Correct me if I'm wrong - but isn't the Superflat art movement anti-consumerist in nature? How horribly fascinating it is to see the perversion of another manifesto by (seemingly all powerful) consumerism.

Audio Bullys/Nancy Sinatra -Shot me down(Maximus 3000 vid)

Oh how I've searched for this...

Going the obsessive route

(aside) My addiction to the HBO series "Carnivale" was abruptly transformed into an obsession. I watched the last episode of series two last night... I'm still struggling to deal with the fact that series two is "all she wrote". There's nothing else. All the hanging plot lines are left unresolved.

I couldn't sleep last night. Sophie's transformation bothered me that much! And now that I know there's no 'next episode' - it's driving me crazy!!

Why HBO? WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!????????????

*sob*

Urbex Inspirations

Rejected Memories.com

How beautiful is this? I've decided to braden the scope of my blog to include images, words and experiences that move me. (I could probably go on about the urban vernacular, but will spare you, for now at least.)

Desolate Metropolis.com

Kirkbride Buildings

"Once state-of-the-art mental healthcare facilities, Kirkbride buildings have long been relics of an obsolete therapeutic method known as Moral Treatment. These massive structures were conceived as ideal sanctuaries for the mentally ill in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Careful attention was given to every detail of their design in order to promote a healthy environment and to convey a sense of respectable decorum. Placed in secluded areas within expansive grounds, many seemed almost palace-like from the outside. But growing populations and insufficient funding led to unfortunate conditions that spoiled their idealistic promise.

Within decades of their first conception, new treatment methods and hospital design concepts emerged and the Kirkbride design was eventually discarded. Many existing Kirkbride buildings maintained a central place in the institutions which began within their walls, but by the end of the twentieth century many had been abandoned; several had been destroyed. Although a few have managed to survive into the twenty-first century intact and still in use, many that survive sit abandoned and decaying—their mysterious grandeur intensified by their derelict condition."

Yellowcard: "How I Go"

YouTube

If you still haven't seen Big Fish - now would be a good time to do it. Even if you're not particularly interested in the intricacies and science of knowledge transferrance through the application of magical realism to narratives - you'll be enriched by the experience.

(It is a bloody good movie.)

technorati tags:magical

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