how much longer?

I wake up in the middle of the night to discover the power is out. I feel warm yet anxious. "I wonder what's happened?" I get out of my bed to reach for the door. You would think one sleeps in the same room for many years should know her room very well. But no! no! As I try to reach for the door, I feel a pulling in my legs, I can't go anywhere!!........after some struggling, I give up. somehow I don't mind this suffocating force. stressful yet enjoyable....

"Hello? Is anyone out here?"
Where is everybody?
" I am here, can you hear me?" I faint voice comes from the room beside mine.
"yes I can here you."
"hello, I heard some noise, anyone there?" another voice, this one more hopeful.
"let's try to get out of our rooms." we all say.
"NO, NONE OF YOU CAN LEAVE!" the pulling starts to talk, hovering our rooms.
"uh? why?"
"Because I am in misery, you all have to feel my pain."

Winding down

tick tick tick tick........AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

"so, just a reminder, your test will be next Monday"
"What? we have a test? what's it on?"
"it's on everything we have done about this chapter"
"so, after this test, are we done?"
" unfortunately, we are"

tick tick tick tick...........AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

"are you invigilating today?"
"uh? oh, yes, I think so."
"and the ceremony is tonight?"
"yeah it is, are you going?"
"I don't know... I mean... I don't know if I am in the position to go...."
"Why not?"

tick tick tick tick..........AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

"hey, have you checked it yet? the deadline is today"
"oh no!!"

tick tick tick tick...........AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

"I would like to thank you for giving me a great time during my stay, I am truly grateful, and I will sure miss you."

tick tick tick tick tick tick tick...................

sweet vicious cycle

"SHIT! stupid bus, I am going to have to line up for the photocopier again!"
"GOOD! guess the connection today is alright, and nobody is using the photocopier. Hmm..... let's see, block X, I need 20 copies, I am sure they will like this project"
"FINALLY, I am here, ok, one thing at a time, the schedule for today is ................ ok, so I need this, this and that!"
"STILL 5 more minutes before warning bell goes, ok, I have time to get a quick bite"
'knock knock!'
"MORNING! how are you today? so, first thing first, could I have homework from last class handed in to the front please?"
"BUT... BUT... uh... I had a basketball practice last night until 9, and have a huge test in math today, so... I kind of forgot..."
"SIGH.... well, you know the rule, 25% off unless you can hand it in by end of today"
"HOW about me? I was sick last class, I wasn't even here, so, I didn't know about the homework!"
"WELL, isn't it YOUR responsiblity to make up what your missed on your own? you could have asked your friends, or even me."
"GEE.....fine fine....."
"SIGH, give it to me next class then"

--------------->------------------->---------------->-------------------->------------------->

"SHIT! don't tell me the bus is late AGAIN!!"........................................

Her love for him

I have many friends, some are very dear to me.

She is my best friend, we have known each other since college years. We have been through laughters, tears, and made up crazy promises and broken them. She was always the one I dialed on the phone to share stupid and pointless comments I had about everyday life. I was always the one that she talked to about romantic dreams and silly ideas. Among all the conversations we have had, there was one topic that never bored us- BOYS.

He is a complete stranger to me, all I have memory of him is that he is her boyfriend. He stumbled into her life one day when I least expected it. Soon, he became a major part of her life, and mine too, through her. He is now her best friend. All she and I talk about now is his laughter, tears, crazy promises that he broke. He is now another person to know my stupid and pointless comments about everyday life; he is now the one she shares romantic dreams and silly ideas with. Funny I never minded his existance.

Then came the wedding day, standing beside her with tears, I wished her and him the best with all my heart. Even to this day, he is still a stranger to me; I may never get to know this very dear man in her life. Nevertheless, he is now her closest family, but my love for her will always be the same and I know hers for me will too, so will her love for him.

New Year?

I can't even remember when was the last time I remembered New Year on my own. Funny how the older generation and people around me always know when to start phoning people to greet them a happy New Year. I often wonder is it because I am too comfortable with my life? or am I too indifferent about traditions and celebrations? Since when has calling people up become a routine and not an excitment? Do I really care?

As a matter of fact I do, I care very much. Every year around this time, though I am not the first to remember it, I am the first to anticipate a long overdue hello from a friend. But every year, I realize I become less involved in people's lives, as they have become in mine. Laziness has overpowered my will to tell you all that I miss you, I miss you very very much. So, know that I really do, and know that I will eventually get to the phone, or even the keyboard....

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL, I LOVE YOU

response to Walter Benjamin's "The Work of Art in the Age of Reproduction"

before reading my response, if you are crazy, try to read Walter Benjamin's writing first:: marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/ge/benjamin.htm

I wrote this response about 3 years ago during my first art theory class. I still can't believe how I ever finished reading his long paper....and my prof did ask me to re-read because it was evident that I didn't quite understand his theory... well, what do you think?

Journal Entry #4- The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction
Every time a new form of art, like a new style or a new medium, is introduced to the masses, there is always a period of debate and conflick before it is accepted by the society. Photography and film were thought to be a form of scientifc invention when they were first introduced. It was not until the public became more and more interested in them did the critiques become aware of their existence.

In this week's reading, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," film is the target being debated as to whether is should be considered as a form of art. There are several points in tis article that must be considered. Benjamin, the author, references the whole article to Marxism because photography and film can be easily mass produced. therefore they possess the potential to become commodity. if a work of art becomes a commodity, or is controlled by the economy, it loses its value in the aesthetics, and then is must not be classified as art.

On the other hand, I do not agree with Benjamin's opinion on that camera has the control of actors, and anyone could be an artist through film. With painting, people can only become experts when they know the property of the medium very well. Equally important, I believe that it is also not easy to operate a camera because it is a mechanical device. One can only be good at it when he or she has familiarized him/herself with the device. In addition, film can be propagandistic, hypnotic, but it can also touch our hearts. It all depends on the hands of the camera man. as a result, the aura of the character depicted in the film could not possibly be lost. The mass reproduction to me seems to be a way, which allows more people to enjoy art works created in films and photography. Hence, as long as film industry does not involve economy or politics, it is a medium for art creation.

As for the analysis on slow motion, I feel that the movement of the slow motion may seem fragmented like the author said, but this particular effect could have the audience realize that film also, like painting, take much effort and many steps to complete. I think that slow motion also analyzes the importance of the most ordinary movement that everyone is often unconsciously careless about. It gives the viewers a different feeling on the most common everday motions, and emphasizes the beauty of motion.

In conclusion, I found it a bit difficult imagine myself in the 30's as I was reading this article. Thus it is definitely hard for me not to reject some of the analysis in this week's reading. I think the statement about the quantity of audience sacrifices quality of experience is only true if film were turned into commodity. I believe that there are films, which represents pure visual pleasure still existing today.

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The reason I thought to post this response was because our leader bun has recently been reading Benjamin's work. I have been trying to re-read this writing again.. but it is really HARD... I will come up with another response when I finish.