i received this in an email from lil and thought it was worth saving.
the paradox of our time in history is that:
we have taller buildings but shorter tempers,
wider freeways but narrower viewpoints.
we spend more but have less,
we buy more but enjoy less.
we have bigger houses and smaller families,
more conveniences but less time.
we have more degrees but less sense,
more knowledge but less judgment.
more experts, yet more problems,
more medicine but less wellness.
we drink too much, smoke too much,
spend too recklessly, laugh too little,
drive too fast, get too angry,
stay up too late, get up too tired,
read too little, watch TV too much,
and pray too seldom.
we have multiplied our possessions but reduced our values.
we talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
we've learned how to make a living, but not a life.
we've added years to life not life to years.
we've been all the way to the moon and back,
but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.
we've conquered outer space but not inner space.
we've done larger things but not better things.
we've cleaned up the air but polluted the soul.
we've conquered the atom but not our prejudice.
we write more but learn less.
we plan more but accomplish less.
we've learned to rush, but not to wait.
we've built computers to hold more information but we communicate less.
these are the times of fast foods and slow digestion,
big men and small character,
steep profits and shallow relationships.
these are the days of two incomes but more divorce,
fancier houses but broken homes.
these are days of quick trips, disposable diapers,
throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies,
and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.
it is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.
a time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...
remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.
remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.
remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.
remember, to say, 'i love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. a kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.
remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.
give time to love, give time to speak! and give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
and always remember:
life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.
by george carlin, who penned these wise words after the passing of his wife.
spanish director guillermo del toro is fast becoming one of my favorite names in moviedom. his latest masterpiece artfully displays his tremendous ability to mesmerise his audience. every scene is gripping in its presence, its purpose and leaves you breathlessly wanting more. the tale of a mother's love, equal part terrifying and poignant, is elegantly composed into an emotional vice which grips and leads you towards its devastating finale.
the verdict among my friends, after we stopped shaking, was unanimous: el orfanato is a rare class act and i recommend it unreservedly.
by william blake
"Father, father, where are you going?
Oh do not walk so fast!
Speak, father, speak to your little boy,
or else I shall be lost."
the night was dark, no father was there,
the child was wet with dew.
the mire was deep, and the child did weep,
and away the vapour flew.
korean actress jeon do-yeon won the best actress accolade at the 2007 cannes film festival for her portrayal of a woman coping with senseless tragedy and immense loss. the movie employs a very factual style, infusing it with a near-documentaric flair which effortlessly lifts it beyond mere story-telling. filled to the brim with relentless realism in its portraiture of life, this movie will either draw you in, or unapologetically shut you out.
it has been nearly a decade since i last wore a watch. i can't recall exactly why i stopped wearing them either. maybe time wasn't very important then.
but here i am now, needing it, so i bought one.
it's a chunky formal watch from swatch which i believe will come in very handy during my counseling sessions. i could discreetly sneak a peek at it to check on the time instead of staring blatantly at the wall clock. some clients might be sensitive about what that act implies about them.
of course, that could only happen if i actually have clients to work with. so here's hoping my supervisor will miraculously read this.
local director kelvin tong's latest big screen project is a dank and claustrophobic work that genuinely delivers the creeps. armed with a good concept and bolstered by strong performances from his two leads (hong kong actors shawn yue & ekin cheng), tong cranks up the scares and meddles with your mind as he accelerates towards the disturbingly depressing climax.
however, i thought his handling of the story was clumsy at times and the mandarin dubbing felt jarringly tacked on. still, that didn't diminish his eye for style and mood.
so i dragged my feet through my last assignment. again.
only this time it was the worst experience yet because i couldn't get my mind to start building the structure of my paper. without at least a skeletal framework i can only stare at the blinking cursor on the screen at best.
with my notes and research strewn around my work area, all i could see was a thick swirling sludge of letters and concepts like wet grey cement in a noisy mixer.
i wasn't really upset with being late to submit, but more with how tough it was for me to pull everything together this time. am i just rusty with using my mind?
or is it something worse?
it was almost a year ago that i saw nick. this time, enroute to visiting his new relatives in china, he's back for a couple of days as one rotund half of a happy couple.
in many ways, he's still exactly the same person i've known for the last two decades; from his deadpan intonation, self-deprecating humor and left hair parting to his penchant for gadgetry and mysteriously eternal stock of checkered shirts. but there's a subtlety in how he has evolved as well. i caught him and rebecca sharing a private joke over dinner, their eyes and mouths creased into a knowing silent laugh and i felt myself recede in a rush into the anonymity of the restaurant crowd.
it was a fleetingly beautiful moment; and a thought arose from it,
"you're going to be ok, nick."
and i felt glad.