The Blood

The implanting of the Brain

"With special FX you can do it, too!"

Since the movies that we watched was quite gruesome, i.e. blood splattering as a body was thrown from a high rise building.  We started a discussion of the special effects used in movies.  

It was quite a revelation for her to find out that nobody actually dies in the Tommy Cavendish scene in Cloud Atlas.  Although, she wanted to experiment on her own. I only just managed to halt a pre-planned prank she was about to pull on her grandparents.

Fancy some blood recipes?
These are what you need:
- a pinch of Carboxy methyl cellulose (a gelling agent)
- a pinch of red food colouring
- a pinch of black food colouring
- a pinch of pink food colouring
- water to get the desired effect

You should end up with something like this:

 To pull a prank like this:

"AAAAHHH, pooped my gut out!!!"

The Babies and a Recipe

This morning, we went on a hunt in our garden.  The hunt is called: spot the babies.
Some are hiding under the soil, some are standing tall trying to hide under the flower.
Can you spot them?

 The lettuces are still thriving even after many many salad dinners that we had.

Salad recipe:

A bunch of lettuce leaves, cut or leave as is

2 eggs, cut into quarters

1/4 red capsicum, cut into cubes 

1/4 yellow capsicum, ditto

2 slices of home made bread, splash olive/grape seed oil, sprinkle salt, cut into cubes, put into oven for 5 minutes high

2 potatoes, cut into cubes

1 tomato, cut into quarters

Dressing recipe:

1/2 lemon, extract its juices

2 tbsp grape seed oil / olive oil

salt

pepper

honey, to offset the acidic taste

Stir all, sprinkle over salad, toss

YUMMMO

Wish we took a picture before devouring everything, all the time!

Channeling Erik

Things do not happen coincidentally in life.

Everybody, whether they acknowledge it or not, are connected with everybody else, regardless of their geographical location, age, race, religion, etc.
It is the sense of this separation from everyone else that makes one feels the emptiness in their life.

Others who are connected, realise that this separation, is something unique to us as human.  To have amnesia of where we came from, of what our missions are, and of what we're actually made of, it is truly a challenging place to be in, this earth.

As generations pass, the lessons get harder to learn for the next generation.
In the older, we see them struggle with jealousy, anger, grief, physical pain.
In the middle, we see self realisation making them lonely, ego making them ruthless leaders, greed making them unavailable emotionally.
In the younger, we see them struggle to adjust to this physical body, some are too disconnected from their physicality, labels being put on them.  Autism, down syndrome, bipolar, Schizophrenics, etc.  Everyday is already a struggle to control this body of theirs.

What have we learnt from these younger generations that are our future?  Do we still hold the belief system that "Momma knows best?"

Erik can tell you all about this.
So many others across the world have crossed path with him in one way or another.  This weekend, I dedicated it to Erik Rune Medhus and Dr. Elisa Medhus.
Thank you for everything you have done.
Click for it here : Channeling Erik

How to Answer the Questions on the "Things You Should Never Ask A Single Mom"

Last night, I was pondering about an article I read on how to answer those rude questions people ask single moms.  You can read the article: here.

This "being single" state is the one questionable by the person questioning.  When to the doer, the one in that "being single" state does not question anything about their state.

I know a single dad with 3 kids who got divorced earlier than I am and was in a quest of finding a new mom for his kids.  Today, he's still in a state of limbo, with marred name everywhere and wish he has the courage to even end his own sorry life.  He did find a partner, with her own 3 kids, and life has never improved since.

The question becomes then, what does one do whilst being in that "being single" state?  Is it enough to do what the article above says?

Well, I tell you what, the only relationship that is necessary to have, is the relationship between you and YOUR self.
When you know yourself and YOUR self, YOU will then guide you into another life where these people who poses annoying questions, don't even exists!

I am not bothered by these silly questions/statements such as:
- "Why don't you re-marry, my friend who got divorce same time as you did already re-marry and they're happy, you know?"
- "Pity your child, she needs a father figure!"
- "Don't you feel lonely?"
- "Join my religious community, you'll be taken care of."

Come backs to those are really enough with a smile (not a smirk) and sincere love, because their attempt to meddle into my life are actually the only way they know how to express their care.

There's no need to justify my state of being single.  This is what I signed up for, to experience in this time period.
There's no need to judge them who asks, because to them, my circumstances matter, but to me, circumstances don't matter, only my state of being matters.

The climb is difficult, but when you get to the top, the flight is worth the struggle.

Cloud Atlas Movie vs Novel

The challenge in this, is to read the novel before the movie airs.
That is, a 509 pages thick book, in between being a mom, a driver, a maid and an employee.
Stressful much?  Not at all.  In fact, I enjoy the book more than the movie to be honest.  I came out of the theatre feeling that I've been robbed of experiencing the wholeness of the novel.  Am pretty sure it was because of the saturated censorship here that caused my incomplete experience of the whole movie.  Although there is much enjoyment in watching the main characters came alive and the amazing music that it has, I just felt that I need to see the movie in its complete form without censorship at all to enjoy it fully.
Citing from Wiki: "The movie was released in cinemas in China on January 31, 2013 with 39 minutes of cuts, including removal of nudity, a sexual scene, and numerous conversations.".

My feeling is that Tykwer and Wachowskis, the film maker, would've been able to do a much better rendition in making it as a trilogy, like their (Wachowskis') Matrix Trilogy.  However, the downside of making something as a trilogy is the need of surety that the first one will sell to make people want to see the second, and then it has to sustain its steam to make the public aware of the third and therefore buying the complete trilogy DVDs, etc.
Since many of the ideas in this novel is in itself very novel, i.e. a clone, who has no soul, starting a revolution,- it might flop in the first 20 minutes, let alone getting sequels' fund or interest in merchandise.  Unlike other trilogies, which are purely categorised as science fiction with simple theme of good vs evil, journey to the middle earth, etc.

Honestly, this novel and movie are not for the masses.  It challenges everyone's beliefs and forces you to question whether we really are all connected somehow.
When I went to see the movie, a family actually walked out after the gay kissing scene.  I wonder how that got the tick from the censorship department.  Ha ha.

The novel has 6 different stories, broken into halves except the one in the middle, with the comet birthmark and the mentioning of the other chapters as a binder to make a book as one.

The movie is a story with these characters that have the same comet birthmark on different parts of their body, living in different eras, somehow learning what they need to learn, differently throughout their various times.
The scenes are shot jumping from one era to another.  Seriously, if the directors are trying to convey to the public the idea that time is not linear, then they've succeeded.  I did not feel confined to a specific era at all but actually connecting with the different incarnation of the person with the comet birthmark.

It was quite fun to point out the similarities and differences between the various scenes of the movies and the parts of the book.  The ones that stood out to me were:
- The comet birthmark:
In the book, Robert Frobisher's on shoulder blade, but movie, at his back, shown just before he climbed out Rufus Sixsmith's window.
- Relationships:
Movie does not explore Jocasta's affair with Frobisher.  Or perhaps it was censored?  I don't know.
- Different executions:
Movie does not explore Sonmi's study time at University and many characters were cut out.  Totally left out the scene where a doll is thrown off the bridge.
In the book, Catkin was cured by a pill from Meronym but in the movie, it was a quick jab from Meronym's tool by Zachry.
Cavendish never had a stroke in the movie.
Mr.Meeks was picked up in the movie, but he's already inside the car in the novel.

The movie need a lot of dramatic scenes to capture the audience's attention, graphic portrayal of  Finch being thrown off the balcony, the Kona's brutality, etc.  The book captured my attention by the different ways of how each chapters are written, as soon as I go into another chapter, I felt transported into that era and the style of writing changes to suit.  Ingenious!

In conclusion, I must get the movie's complete version, unabridged and uncensored.  I'm glad I read the book first before seeing the movie, although I felt cheated intelligently, but the soundtrack and the special effects for the make up (how they turn Zhou Xun into Rose, Doona Bae into Tilda, Halle Berry into Jocasta, etc) patched up all the disappointment.

Disclaimer: I don't own the picture of "Cloud Atlas" above.

Organic Gardening

As part of our homeschooling, we decided to put into practice the nutrition points we studied.  

Organic homegrown is what we've decided to experiment with.  Re-purposing anything and everything is our motto.  

So, as soon as the January sun came and the weather became much happier than the usual sombre note, we sang and talked to the seeds to grow and grow for us.

Rinsed used eggs

Fertile soil

Organic seeds

Lettuces

  

Alfalfa seeds planting soil-less

Alfalfa seeds planting with soil

Harvested Alfalfa: soil-less are not so strong, with soil  are tastier

Spinach 

Lettuces in re-purpose jerrycans

 

 

Zucchinis

Carrots

Honestly, we are salivating when we go to our organic garden.  It's been and am sure will be more rewarding as time goes by.  Go organic, plant your own :)

She Paints Horses

Since I was young, I am always fascinated by horses.  It has an enchanting factor that holds power over any other creature.
Interestingly, someone else across the other side of the world, also have the same passion over horses.
While mine can only be expressed through music (think of a Chinese folk song played on the Erhu), Kasia Grajoszek expresses hers over canvas.

I must say, this black stallion against the red background is the one that I love most.
Visit her site by clicking this link: she paints horses

I'm using this image that I took a while back, of a horse and cart which am not so keen about.  I always thought that they should be free.

Unbridled.
This word makes me stop and wonder, what human seldom realise, that if they slow down and value the things they do from the moment they wake up, the ones that worth the most, are actually the ones without a price tag.

The Croods

"The Croods" first caught my attention when my daughter started screaming about it (yes, literally screaming out loud that she wants to watch it).
On how she came about to know the movie was another mystery.
Apparently, she was taken in by the advertisement for it on her Poptropica page that she got hooked on ever since she read "Diary of a Wimpy Kid".  Hence our discussion on the vicious circle of marketing.
When I wiki-ed the movie, it said that it was made in 3D and so I unconsciously murmured my thought out loud, "If it's made in 3D, then we have to see it in 3D...".
Brilliant!  She heard it clear enough and sealed the agreement.
Where did kids nowadays learn how to negotiate?

The Croods are not that crude after all, if you don't count the moment where the story clearly shows the difference between how Guy (the modern-ish man) eats his dinner (as a prisoner) and how the Croods eat theirs.

These Croods are the perfect example of most old fashioned Asian families.  Sticking together, kids will grow up to continue their parent's legacy, work in their family business, marry off to a guy of the father's taste, yada yada yada.
I laughed so hard because of this parallel to most modern Asian families.  That apparently seems so crude, haha.

The funniest lines that really tickled me, came from Grug (Nicholas Cage):
"Fear has kept us alive, so, never not be afraid, be really afraid!".
Then later towards the end of the movie, it was hashed and changed to this:
"Don't be afraid!".

Other lines also came from Grug:
"New is bad!"
"Stick to routine!"
Now, this is funny since my daughter, being in the spectrum, hates exactly what Grug hates.  She even pointed out to Sandy's (the baby Crood) behaviour, "Hey, that's what I do!".  Sandy must be in the spectrum, too!  Ha ha.

The Crood's world came crushing down as the shift of the world's plane was happening to their part of the world.  Striking parallel to the recent end of the world 21.12.12 Mayan prophecy.  That was crude interpretation, people!  LOL.
No, I'm telling you, it was for real, only that 21.12.12 was the beginning of the end and we haven't got to the end of the end.  See the movie, you'll understand.

My take on this movie is that these pre-historic people are the representation of us as sleepers.  We have been forced to always be afraid because of circumstances and had never been allowed outside of our 'designated' territory, without having to bear the consequences of being labelled.  It's as if there's an unseen barrier of tradition, culture, religion etc, that prevents us from feeling 'alive' instead of just living.
Then the modern-ish prehistoric man is the representation of us that wants to be awaken.  The promise of a better tomorrow that keeps us going for uncharted territories.  Gaining survival skills as we learn each day disregarding the unseen barrier mentioned above.  Taking a leap of faith, trusting in our intuition.  Yes, easier written than done.

A cute conversation that speaks more than it really seems:
Guy (Ryan Reynolds):  "Ok, now you can look.  I call them: Shoes."
Eep (Emma Stone):  "AAAAAHHHHHH!!!  I love them.  Where are my feet? (looks around, worried)".

What makes you think that something unseen, makes it non existing?

Disclosure: I don't own the picture of "The Croods" above.

Doodles Now

Now that she's connected online, she always checks whether her doodles are up on the blog.
I'm pretty slow on things and I'm starting to suspect that I'm also with her, right up there in the spectrum.

Not sure what's up with the bunny ears???

Can you see the angel and devil on each shoulder?  Pretty tiny though.

The Art of Cantonese Opera

The thing I like most about travelling is that sometimes you encounter an unexpected exhibition in the places you pass through.

Have you ever watched a Cantonese Opera?  Yes, one of those nasal high pitched singing that's been around for centuries in China?
Did  you know that if one of the character started spinning his/her head round and round (like headbanging in a heavy metal concert, but 360 degrees spin), it means that he/she has gone mad.
There are many other specific gestures in a classic Chinese opera that signifies a certain mood or status.  Very interesting topic which happened to intrigue my little daughter.
So while she was enjoying the interactive video show of these different gestures, I took a few snapshots.

Haiku

As my third grader is learning about Haiku (poem made out ouf 5 - 7 - 5 syllables format), I attempted one myself:

"The innate knowing.

Connecting with higher self.

Awakened body."

Here's her take on Haiku:

"I smell a rodent.
Stink and hiding in my cup.
Scream, shout, out the door."

Mr. Stupid

Mr.Stupid drives a European car, Audi, BMW and the likes.

Mr.Stupid thinks when he succeeds in this project, he'll reward himself with an upgrade of the car, the watch, the house, the wife (?).

Mr.Stupid knows he cannot upgrade the wife, but perhaps instead of flowers, next time is a bank account to let her do botox, vitamin C injection, and the likes.

Mr.Stupid gets upset when his ego is bruised by some old friend that identifies his fears and insecurities.

Mr.Stupid calls everyone friends because he might need them later on down the rosy lane of his prestigious life.  Plus it shows his flexibility to be able to be "friends" without prejudice, so he thought.

Mr.Stupid worries when someone remarked his shiny new watch, "Oh, it's just a Rolex.".  He thought to himself, "Didn't she knows how hard I had to work for this Rolex?".

Mr.Stupid is frustrated when work is not working out right while his relationship is non existence at all, that's OK for him, because what matters is MONEY, right?

Mr.Stupid is so proud of himself that he talks endlessly about his achievements, goals and what's more to come out of him in the future, because what matters is his own FAME, right?

Mr.Stupid disregard those who talks to him about reflecting upon himself and his actions.  Instead, he replies, "What do you really want from me?"

Mr.Stupid is happy to walk around everyday being asleep and is afraid to be awaken.  Because clinging to his Zegna suits, Rolex watch, his model wife, his perfect kids, feels better to him than anything else he can think of.

==========================================
For my male readers, please change Mr.Stupid to Miss.Stupid and change the branded goods names accordingly to your preference.

Disclaimer:
I am not addressing anyone specific and Mr/Miss Stupid is a fictitious character that represent something that's unseen.  Your consciousness.
The branded goods I mentioned above, is randomly picked and has no significant affiliation towards the brand itself and I have no intention to defame or undermine the brand itself.

Global Meditation 20 March 2013

After the amazing experience last year at the Global Meditation 12 December 2012, I invite all the readers here to join many others, everywhere around the world for another mass meditation on 20th March 2013.

Here's the link for the guided meditation from 12.12.12 and the invitation for this year's:

The Master Shift

Meditation is free, it can be done anywhere, in any condition you might be in and it doesn't matter what race/religion/beliefs you hold at all.  

See you all in the soul realm :)

The Man Who Quit Money

Recently, I've been told by people I knew that I've changed completely.
Despite all the unfortunate things that's been happening in my life for the past decade, they said that it's unbelievable how I smile sincerely and even laugh happily, too.
They asked me how in the world I can still do that, when to their eyes, I'm living such a phooey life (dejected, rejected and judged by society).

If you want to know the whole story, commission me to write you a book.  Perhaps sequels?
However, it is really so simple, too.  I can describe it in a sentence.  Where's the sentence you might ask?  Well, ask me :)

One aspect of it, I felt in this article, courtesy of the Daily Mail, UK:
"The Man Who Quit Money"

Although that is not all there is to it but it is certainly part and parcel of the answer to their questions.

Take this simple picture:

For some of you, it will just be a picture of leaves taken by a camera phone and won't even capture your attention when scanning through my blog entries.
But to my daughter, this picture immediately puts a smile on her because she remembers that day when she found this unusual orange black spider that was spinning web on its prey and was probably about to eat it for lunch.

You see, everyone of us view things differently.  Even a mother and her daughter will have different views on the same thing.
When the right to judge is in the hands of the person living the reality, the world will change, surely.

The Caterpillar

Look what we found on our rock last weekend!   

City folks like us finds much excitement in simple things like watching this hairy not so little creature wriggle.