Random ramblings

1609

A lover’s complaint

From off a hill whose concave womb reworded
A plaintful story from a sist’ring vale,
My spirits t’attend this double voice accorded,
And down I laid to list the sad-tuned tale,
Ere long espied a fickle maid full pale,
Tearing of papers, breaking rings atwain,
Storming her world with sorrow’s wind and rain.

‘Thus merely with the garment of a Grace
The naked and concealed fiend he covered,
That th’ unexperient gave the tempter place,
Which, like a cherubin, above them hovered.
Who, young and simple, would not be so lovered?
Ay me, I fell, and yet do question make
What I should do again for such a sake.

‘O, that infected moisture of his eye,
O, that false fire which in his cheek so glowed,
O, that forced thunder from his heart did fly,
O, that sad breath his spongy lungs bestowed,
O, all that borrowed motion, seeming owed,
Would yet again betray the fore-betrayed,
And new pervert a reconciled maid.’

- William Shakespeare

With the Film Festival coming to a close yesterday, I managed to squeeze in just one film amidst my pathetic-lack-of-a-life. It’s a Japanese film about a family who came together in an annual affair to mourn the death of the eldest son who died saving a drowning boy some fifteen years back. I felt that it was a matter-of-fact kind of film where it depicts the general family unity as well as division. Lots of family secrets and gossips were cleverly weaved into the dialogues in a light tone.

This film reminds me of my own family – where gossips behind others’ backs can be likened to breathing, and of course the need to credit the speedy diffusion of gossips and secrets. I would like to think that none of the gossips are malicious in nature because at the heart of it all, I guess my family is still a very united one.

The irony is apparent, isn’t it? Perhaps like a mirror reflection of the film – gossips keep us tight as a family. I don’t know really. Such is the paradox of family.

I think teaching has created a Jekyll and Hyde persona in me.

Twice in a month I couldn’t suppress my boiling rage and I lashed out at kids who really deserved more empathy from me (FYI, I have three special needs kids in my class). I do regret my actions and feel disappointed with myself for my uncontrollable, ugly anger. At times, I feel that I can’t even recognise this horrible and mean person in mysef. These past weeks  have certainly been extremely stressful and tiring.

Even though my main class DOES drive me up the wall each day, I’ve to admit that there were more good times than bad. This whole bunch of 40 kids I have are honestly good-natured ones who say and do funny things that make me laugh.

Here are a few of the more endearing ones.

The very well-mannered boy whom I thank God for.

The other two nice boys who help to make lessons a tinge better.

Just got back from watching Cats the musical at Esplanade. Truth be told, I’d no idea what the whole musical was about until I bought the programme and started reading the sypnosis. The first half of the show (before the interval) was kind of mundane. Lots of dancing and singing, of which most of the lyrics, I can’t make out. I wonder if it’s me or the chorusing which were kind of muffled or simply the acoustics in the theatre (but I had no auditory problems with other shows like the Phantom).

To look on the bright side, the musical kinds of grows on you. The second half was much better – lyrics I could catch with a slightly apparent plot. The song ‘Memory’ was really catchy too; it’s on rewind mode in my head now. But what’s really impressive about the show were the very realistic and ’spare-no-expense’ props. Of course, nothing could ever replace the dropping of the chandelier in the Phantom of the Opera (to me at the least).

I guess I will be able to appreciate the musical much better if I were to catch it again. Yes… Let the memory live again!