Wednesday, December 08, 2004

I'm done! No more oral exam! The harrowing moments faced with a microphone standing in a yellow jug between the teacher and I are past, an element of bygone history that should not and will not be repeated. Isnt't history like a tape that can't be rewound and played back? It's like as if when we go foward in time, we notice that a tape recorder is beside us noting everything down, and we take the tape and try to replay it we find that it's been shredded to a million tiny bits and scattered all over the floor. A historian's job is to collect as much as he/she can and piece the puzzle back into a coherent photo; our job is to take the good pieces and glue them together...

Following Rebecca's mention of the 'filter style of weblogging' that was what weblogs were (logging the web with cool and interesting links), I've decided to add a few interesting links I find each day. Certainly Cereality cannot escape my thoughts, for I love cereals, and this cafe offers exactly this banale junk food I love to devour. One reassuring thing is that while I might not be able to visit one of the Cereality cafe's in the states, at least Bush can't run in 2008. Oh, and talking about anti-Bush, view some 150 grea 30 second TV ads that were nominated and voted for by the public here. Oh, and did I mention Bush's administration led to the loss of some 3.3 million jobs?

posted by Kines at 8:03 PM |

Thursday, December 02, 2004

It's not surprising that 'blog' was found by Merriam Webster to be the most looked up word of 2004 on its site. There are more people than ever blogging, Technorati estimating just about over 4.8 million people blogging. I guess International Weblogger's Day contributed to that too in a sense. I'm hoping next year we're gonna get more widespread coverage, but until then we all will continue chronicling the little abstract thoughts and details of our lives.. I love reading my archives, because I see myself as I saw myself then, and see how my writing has changed, how I've matured a bit (even though it might not be evident), how my lifestyle has changed. And I'm positive that this growing trend in blogging will not cease for quite a while (although I admit it's sad that more bloggers also means more reckless and unimportant bloggers, but then again, they're bloggers all the same.) I guess we veterans get a bit of the good light. We've known what its like to be told "A blog? What? A journal anyone can read? Preposterous!". Or maybe not.

posted by Kines at 8:34 PM |

Tuesday, November 30, 2004

It's sad to know that when I ask some of my friends what event united the likes of David Bowie, Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Sting, U2 in 1984, they don't know (most reply they weren't alive then, so they would have no way of knowing). Band Aid was an event that showed to the world the power of music in raising money for the poor, and in particular for those in Ethiopia. This year marks the 20th anniversary, and yesterday saw the release of Band Aid 20, a single that is apparently flying off the shelves, this time featuring the likes of Keane, Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams, Dido, Skye, Bono, Chris Martin from Coldplay and Fran Healy from Travis, whose photograph at the London recording studio can be found here. I'm gonna get myself one too... perhaps.

It's Christmas time
There's no need to be afraid
At Christmas time
We let in light and we banish shade
And in our world of plenty
We can spread a smile of joy
Throw your arms around the world
At Christmas time

But say a prayer
Pray for the other ones
At Christmas time it's hard
But when you're having fun
There's a world outside your window
And it's a world of dread and fear
Where the only water flowing
Is the bitter sting of tears
And the Christmas bells that ring
There are the clanging chimes of doom
Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you

And there won't be snow in Africa
This Christmas time
The greatest gift they'll get this year is life
Where nothing ever grows
No rain nor rivers flow
Do they know it's Christmas time at all?

Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmas time
Feed the world
Let them know it's Christmas time again

(Here's to you) raise a glass for everyone
(Here's to them) underneath that burning sun
Do they know it's Christmas time at all?

posted by Kines at 11:04 PM |

Friday, November 26, 2004

I hate people who make false assumptions from the bottom of my guts.

I hope you can realise the frustration I am feeling right now, a feeling that I have been able to largely avoid since I began feeling it this morning. Apparently my physics teacher has been telling my IB Coordinator that I am copying material from the internet and pasting it, and that he should be aware of that. (She had already hinted such a thing when I was writing my Extended Essay, and I had told her time and again I would not and do not copy material from the internet without citing). I cannot fathom what kind of person would begin to assume such a thing without first knowing my style of writing, especially since her level of English is clearly inferior (and I am writing here in a somewhat angered tone). Moreover she is prone to false assumptions and wrong interpretations: when I had said a certain Mr.S was 'preoccupied' so he could not get photocopies for her class, she interpreted that as 'Mr. S was not willing' to get photocopies, and she promptly went ahead and told Mr. S what she heard. I get blamed for saying that he was unwilling. As if! This teacher truly and fully exasperates me. Truly. You'll probably understand why I will never ever consider and take her opinions seriously. I'm beginning to think some teachers feel that too.

Just because I happen to be Japanese and I happen to like the Internet does not mean I have to write in a primitive and grammatically incorrect English form, nor does it mean that a good command of the language automatically implies copy and pasting...

posted by Kines at 9:40 PM |

Thursday, November 25, 2004

I guess after so many days of not updating I guess I owe something to this ragged diary of mine, and while my moments of inspiration are few, at least I can be sure that my boring moments in class can be used for something better... (Here's one of the few poems that I worked around the title. Usually I create the title around the poem.)

Caught in Winter's Breath

Twas a day of the yesteryear
That I was caught in its jaws
In the breath of winter clear
Ensnared 'til the cold frost thaws

I stood there under the trees
Laid naked and threadbare
Like fingers reaching; no one sees
The jewel of heaven so rare

The wind swept in a hurry past
A veil that rustle the leaves below
As the hours fade so quick and fast
The darkness achingly slow...


posted by Kines at 8:36 PM |

Saturday, November 20, 2004

I'm beginning to think that for all intents and purposes there is something of utmost peculiarity when it comes to my being 18 and all. I mean, seeing this and the birthday party that is more like a drinkfest is something I will never get used to. Call me naive, if you will. But much as I know how much 'fun' it would be to hang out with friends at such parties, I know that I really doubt I would have much fun, precisely because it's so difficult for me to act 'teenager-ly'. I'm not a loner nor a asocial being with no life. It's just that my interests lie elsewhere.

posted by Kines at 5:45 PM |

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

At Concorde station, on my way back from having bought my power supply line for my aged computer, I came across a sound (or rather music) that I could hardly fathom: a full fledged concerto, with a complete orchestra, right within the tiny alleyways that led from one train line to another. Although ultimately I was (sadly) mistaken, I could not help but mouth an awe of amazement at the accordionist, whose vivid expressions matched the very music he was conjuring. At times, he stroked the strings of several violins, at others he swept the floor with an armada of cellos. While to my embarrasement I could not place the title of the concerto nor its composer, simply imagine several violin bows moving rapidly back and forth over strings and you'll know what I mean. In any case it certainly did not sound like an accordion, and for a brief crazed moment I thought to myself that if I were the owner of some fancy club or even a hotel I would've gladly set a contract then and there.

Mused at Concorde station, 14:24 on my way to the 1 line.


posted by Kines at 8:13 PM |

Saturday, November 13, 2004

One month. And boy that swept by fast. One month with the girl I love, one month with the girl I could spend silent ages together, one incredible month. And I really have no one to thank but Yuki.. you might say these are fancy words, but I'd respond that they might be fancy words, but they come from deep within. If only the words I had inside could be better expressed by the actions I take.

posted by Kines at 9:26 PM |

Tuesday, November 09, 2004

Movie Review for The Anchorman (2004)

Directed by: Adam McKay
Starring: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate
Rated: PG-13
Runs: 104 min

To be frank, The Anchorman was a movie that I was not too keen to watch, because I hadn't heard of it, and it seemed more like a documentary about a certain anchorman rather than some exciting movie. The ratings at imdb.com sorta changed that thought, so I decided to go ahead and watch it. I wasn't dissapointed. Although the 70's USA style takes some getting used to (back when long hair was something you did not insult), the plot is interesting and hilarious at times. It follows a certain Ron Burgudy, a lead anchor who wants to become a network anchor, whose plans are radically diverted the moment Veronica Corningstone becomes a co-anchor. In the male-dominated society that prevailed back then, it was literally unacceptable for the men of the network to accept that she could do such a task, but she recieves the job and Ron proceeds to do everything he can to take her off the position. Finally, in her fit of anger, Veronica, knowing that Ron reads everything on the teleprompter (the thing the newscaster reads), makes him read off some rather derogatory and offending terms (kinda reminds you of Bruce Almighty, eh?). Ron is kicked out until certain circumstances helps Ron put himself back into the spotlight, with a bit different perspective.The acting was good, the scene realistic, and I'd give it a hearty 7 out of 10 for a movie that's a bit slow to begin with but gets better as it goes on.

posted by Kines at 10:22 PM |