Movie: Invictus 2009

"His People Needed A Leader, He Gives Them A Champion"

I thought this is a sport movie, those typical losing team climbing to the top charts, with the help of a great coach. Similar, but far from it! This movie is about Nelson Mandela, obsessed about rugby (so am I, go Wallabies!!!) and took the sport to be a political event. Why does he thinks that it is so blardee important for the Springboks to be in the 1995 Rugby World Cup Championship match? Because there will be 1 million viewers..

Of course, that is not just the only reason. The Honorable Mr Mandela is a great man. He was imprison for 27 years, and still come out as a great man. Under that kind of duress, any man would have wither and die. Mandela became the President of South Africa at the age of 76! Oh Em Gee. Not sure if that beats a world record for oldest President/Prime Minister. He has lost so much during his imprisonment, his family, his friends, his country. And yet, he forgives..

"Forgiveness is very powerful.."

When Mandela became the President, black South Africans wanted to remove the national rugby team, which represents apartheid (racial discrimination). But Mandela had a far sighted foresight on what will become of South Africa if that happens. He convinced his black people to support Springboks (it's more of the white Afrikaners people sport at that time). Anyhoo, story short, guess who wins the 1995 Rugby World Cup Championship? :)

I picked up the book last week at MPH, and there were so many tiny details in it, that was left out in the movie. The author seems to be the only one who saw through Mandela's ideals. What I felt after watching this movie:

• Sports can unite and divide people
• Courage comes from Encouragement
• Not all problems can be solve by money alone

Thanks, Mr Mandela for teaching us to be more humane.

I hope I am not ignorant

Ignorance: Someone who is unaware or uninformed, but should not be confuse with being unintelligent.

I used to think that, when someone do not know much, they are forgivable. But then again, it should not be an excuse not to have the initiative to find out about the matter. I find that ignorance relates to laziness. If I am ignorant to the laws, that's because I am lazy to check it out, and that can lead me to being arrested for breaking a law. So is ignorance punishable? Apparently, it does. It's a sin to be ignorant.

A: Hey psst, do you know C is gay? Now, don't say I told you!

B: Really? That's surprising, because he is married, isn't he?

A: Yes, but that's only a cover-up act. I saw C kissing a man in the cinema last night. I was there with my girlfriend and they were sitting in front of me. And of course they did not see me!

B: Wow. Hey, gays teaches their children to be gays as well. 

A: Huh? Where did you hear that from?

B: Well, it's true, because what else will they be teaching their kids, since they are gay.

Well, B is the case of being ignorance. They come out with their own information and lazy enough not to check it out, and start telling the world what they assumed to be the truth. This can be harmful to listeners who are really listening to someone like B.

Have I met many ignorant people? Who hasn't? Should I ignore them?

Movie: Backup Plan

Engage, Wedding, Honeymoon..then Children..or reverse?

Zoe wants to have a family, but she is without a man. So she decided to go for a sperm donor insemination. Then she met this wonderful guy and falls in love with him, and think to herself, "this is the one.." But of course she is pregnant, not one but twins! 

So, she knows she got to come clean, and told him. He went bonkers (and his name is Stan). But Stan really likes Zoe, and decided to stay. Then he got really freaked out, about all the money is involved in raising not one, but two kids! Although Zoe constantly assured Stan she will take care of it, but Stan, being the man, feels really troubled. The story went on to show how during the pregnancies effects them, all the learning new things about the each other and the baby, the commitment that is involve, and the occasional doubts and running away thoughts.

But like all movies, all ends well, Zoe delivered healthy twin girls, Stan open his own restaurant business, then they get married, and have another kid of their own.

Although the whole traditional process is reverse, it is a great story to tell. Unique, rare, special, but that's because it ends well. It would be a totally different descriptions, if Stan could not stand the commitment (he may felt rush, moreover it ain't his babies), or if Zoe did not meet Stan at all.

I think giving birth is a big thing, although centuries of women have done it. I think with support, then it will be a wonderful experience. A lot of women may have the thought that single-mom is no biggie, but in truth, the experience of going through the pregnancies till the labour hours, and onwards nurturing the child to adulthood, is a huge task! Ever stop to think of that? The whole journey is much easier with support, especially with the right man, or at least a support group. It's unwise to give a child a breathe of life, but not a  'life' later on. Think about it, because I am thinking deeply and seriously about this.

Your Cheating Heart

My wedding vows: I wish you will not steal, lie & cheat. If you must steal, steal my heart. If you must lie, lie down with me forever. If you must cheat, cheat death.

Cheating from a man: Why do we do it? That's what every woman ask and wants an answer to it. Hey, an opportunity came up, no strings attached, both consenting adult, why not. OK, morally it is not right, but if no other souls find out, who does it hurt? Usually, a man would have to be a little bit unhappy in his current relationship to seek out comfort and consolation on the arms of another woman. If everything is blissfully happy at home and at work, there is really no reason for any man to be tempted to cheat. Why take the risk of destroying something goof ongoing? So, a woman got to know what to do in a relationship. Keep the man happy, and no man will steal, lie & cheat.

Cheating from a woman: Why do man do it? Alright he kinda answered above. I think a person cheat because there wasn't much love in it anymore. If the loving and caring is still there, before cheating, I would seriously consider the consequences. The hurt and betrayal. Although the general public knowledge is, women don't cheat, but I think this is untrue. Women do cheat, but much more discreet and we just find many reasons (or excuse) to justify our actions (laugh out loud). No way, man can win an argument with us. So when a woman steal, lie or cheat; there is perfectly reason to it (smile).

A married man from New Zealand had slept with prostitutes and contracted AIDS/HIV. He did not inform his wife of his illness, fear of not getting sex from her anymore (well duh). So, at night he would inject some of his blood into his wife's thighs without her knowing. She later found some marks there, decided to do a check up, for fear its some insect bites, and found out she has AIDS/HIV.

His cheating has given his wife a death sentence.

Why cheat, when there's a risk to everything? Financial loss is not really a major thing, money can always come around again. But the emotional and health loss are just terrible.

Movie: Leap Year

Gal: I've been with him for 4 years, when will he propose? I'm 28.

Is it money? Wedding cost alot, you know. But then again, more poorer couple have done it. So what's the hesitation? Honestly, I really don't know, because I don't live your life as you, and I don't know him. So why do women always ask this question out loud to others? Nobody else can answer this for you.

I just saw this movie, where Anna will be going to Dublin to propose to her boyfriend of 4 years. Jeremy is a cardiologist and has a medical conference there. Anna thought that Jeremy will be proposing before his trip departure, as she got a friend who witness him coming out from a jewelery shop. But he didn't! Jeremy bought Anna diamond earrings (grrr). Throughout the 4 years relationship, Jeremy have bought lots of gifts to Anna, eg. Louis Vuitton luggage bag, for a cardiologist he got paid well. And they are going to buy an apartment together in Boston, too.

So after Jeremy left, Anna read from the internet that women can propose to men on 29th February (leap year, hence the movie title). So she decided to fly over the pacific and do just that. Along the way, she met this man Declan, an Irish pub owner, and the movie show how adorable they both are (all the fighting with flirting, and the process of knowing each other more). They kinda fall in love with each other.

So when Anna got to Dublin and meet up with Jeremy, this time Jeremy proposed, down on his knee at the hotel lobby. Declan walked away at that scene, so Anna said yes! Back in Boston, after moving into their new apartment, Jeremy was asked by a medical colleague why did the sudden marriage (idiot, why would it be called sudden when this 2 have been going on as a couple for 4 years???). Jeremy replied, "Well to get this job (probably as a medical director of a hospital? I'm not too sure), the panel prefer a married person. So married I'm in, unmarried I'm out. So why not?" Anna was so disappointed because it seems Jeremy proposal was not sincere.

She left Jeremy, travel back to Dublin and seek out Declan, at the pub where he owns. So Anna asked him if he is interested in her (in front of all the patrons), but Declan walked away without an answer. Anna went to the cliffs to calm herself down, and Declan came up to her and said, "Why the hell did you go (leave the pub)?"

Anna: You said no.

Declan: I didn't say no. I went to the back to get something

A: Did it seems to be the time to go get something?

D: Yes, because it's very important.

Declan took a ring out, went down on his knees and proposed to Anna.

Of course this is just in the movies, and all are written out. Anyway, just a bit of discussion, why didn't Jeremy proposed earlier? Money was not the issue. No in-laws messing around. But he only proposed, when he was kinda push to it. If Anna did not meet up with Declan, and later still got to know the proposal was not that sincere, will she wants to marry Jeremy?

Traditionally, men to the proposing. And when women do it or push it, I feel the magic seems lost. How can it be memorable if my man did not show it to me, that he can't live without me? Maybe men nowadays want to feel that way, too.