Blow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFWX0hWCbng&feature=related

A typhoon is on her way to Tokyo. This morning many schools announced a day off for the kids. And most companies are letting people leave early today.

So now everyone I know is trying to get back home before the typhoon arrives. But then surprise surprise,all the trains have stopped! You know how cautious Japanese are. As a result, everyone is now trapped either in the train or in the office.

Real typhoons seldom come to Tokyo, so many westerners here think it's just a piece of a cake to have another typhoon visiting. But that's only because they don't know about the real typhoons, which bring the wind strong enough to uproot big trees and so much rain to cause land-slide and flood.

But I have fond memories of typhoons from my childhood. Every kid loves typhoon holidays. You get to skip school without having to invent any excuses!

Once though, I was only 6 when we were suddenly released from school because of a super typhoon. But as I was making my way home, I fell into the flooded sewage because there was water everywhere on the street and nobody could see anything in the rain and wind.

I couldn't swim, and still can't. I was almost drowned then, but luckily a man saw me and pulled me out quickly. I was so shocked that I just started walking home again without saying a word.

Till this day I wonder if I would ever have the chance to tell this man what I forgot to say so many years ago, thank you!

Squeeze Me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e8ta-y_i9g

Before I moved to Tokyo, I used to laugh incredibly at the scene on TV of people being pushed into the commuter train. But now it's not funny anymore when I am one of them.

Of course there are alternatives, for instance, you can drive. But even if you can afford everyday parking here, which costs about half of your rent, it's just impractical to drive sometimes. Struggling through traffic jam to find somewhere to park is definitely not my idea of fun.

So unfortunately most of us are stuck with trains. I don't really mind as long as I can avoid the rush hours. People-watching is one of my favorite sports anyway.

But I was horrified when I first saw girls here doing their make-up on the train. But now, well I have long given up my principle and joined them, although I still insist on lipstick and powder only. No eyelash curler or mascara on the train!

Once a middle-aged man sitting next to me suddenly asked me to give my seat to an old lady who I hadn't noticed. She just got on the train when I was busy observing someone else. So I immediately stood up in shame and gave my seat to her. But till this day I still wonder what had prevented him from giving his own precious seat away, his age, his gender, or both??

Most Japanese are engrossed in their own world when they are on the train, from iPod, Nintendo, mobiles, to magazines with pics of naked girls, here being Toyo, the electronic Mecca and sex Disneyland.

But some people simply sleep on the train. You can’t imagine how exhausted and dead they look. Sometimes I even wonder if I should call an ambulance.

And me, hmmm, I am usually the only one on the train doing nothing else but watching the others, which suits me just fine!

Paparazzi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2smz_1L2_0&ob=av2n

I happen to know quite a few professional photographers, and yes, like their reputation which precedes them, most of them are not exactly the type any parents want their daughter to be near within a 100 mile radiance.

But without doubt, all the photographers I know have one thing in common, they have a sharp eye for beauty, although mostly commercialized beauty. They know what kind of photos people want to see and they produce them accordingly.

But beauty should be 100% subjective. The only professional photographer I know who seems to have a unique angle of his own is an acquaintance of mine on Facebook, not really my friend. But his pics are somehow different and actually reveal a lot about him.

That's another thing many photographers have in common. They mistakenly believe they can safely hide behind their lenses. But in fact their pics give away much more than they realize or would like to admit.

So if they are unfortunately empty-headed, well sorry their pics are also as generic and boring as chewing gum. But if they really have got something interesting to say, then you can always find the message in the pics. In other words, their photos reflect their inner selves, without them even knowing it.

Although many of them are geniuses technically and equipped with the latest and largest cameras, I believe a good photographer should be able to use any camera to tell the story, to describe the view in his mind, to present the world as the way he sees it, and to make people feel what he thinks.

It's true a pic is worth a thousand words, but only if it's a good one!

Travelling Mood

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR9DaRgpy6Y

What do people take on the trip?

Once I landed in a city with a small handbag and a missing suitcase. 3 days later, I came to the conclusion that I had always over packed before.

It was such a liberating discovery, knowing a passport and a credit card are all I need. Since then, I've done quite a bit of solo backpacking.

Although now just in case, I also pack some extra contact lenses, earplugs, aspirins, and some clothes. Everything is in one small bag.

I always like global roaming. Even if it’s a shopping holiday, I just leave with an almost empty suitcase and come back with a full one. It’s funny how little I need when I am traveling and how much I want when I am not.

But business travel is a completely different story. I have no choice but to take a computer and its 20 or so arccosines, necessary and unnecessary documents, and all the other crap my boss asks me to. That’s the only time I can’t travel light.

So I really don’t understand how some of my friends can stuff their suitcases with emergency food on their trip. They take microwavable rice, cup noodles, canned fish, bottled water, etc. Seriously!

And they would consume everything by the end of their travel. It's probably one of the sweetest memories from their trip. 

Well I suppose we are all different!

Feeling Alright

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiTcmahEjiY

Most of people catch a cold once or twice a year. Some people are always catching a cold. Only few lucky ones are constantly on the verge of it but almost never actually do catch it, and I am one of them.

The secret is to have a very unfit health condition while working very hard and playing even harder, but always remembering to take your vitamins and run to your doctor at the first sign of a sore throat.

I collect vitamins and medicine. Looking at all those colorful pills, capsules, and tablets makes me feel stronger, or even invincible sometimes!

I take vitamins religiously everyday, most of them are sent by my mum regularly and every time we skype, she asks if I need some more.

But I don't enjoy taking real medicine, because I hate their side effects. Most stuff makes my skin bumpy and red. So I only take them when desperate.

My mum has her social circle in the hospitals she frequents. She often goes and hangs out with her mates there when she feels chatty, which is always. But for me, I only need my meds, not sick buddies.

This morning I got up feeling a bit under the weather, probably from too much sunshine and sea breeze over the weekend. I guess it's time to pay my doctor a visit. Got to go now!

S&M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdS6HFQ_LUc

I didn't pay special attention to nails before, either mine or others'. But after I got divorced, the second time, I mean, I finally started painting my nails,  around the same time I had my ears pierced.

And of course I never wore high heels and mini skirts before, well OK that's a lie. Of course I was wild before too, but now my heels just get higher and my skirts shorter!

Now nails, oh I simply adore all those shiny, vivacious colors! Since it’s the school holiday now, I can look as slutty as I like! Bright red and glittering silver are my favs, although this metallic aqua blue I just discovered yesterday is going to look fantastic at the beach too!

But there is a huge price to pay if you want to keep the beautiful nails every girl envies and every guy admires. First, no housework! No, you need a maid or a very understanding man, preferably both. Second, no panty hoses or stockings, unless you have enough savings in the bank to have a brand new pair every single time.  And finally, no piano/cello/flute, etc. Forget them, you can’t play anymore, just enjoy listening now and be content,

Apart from nails, heels are also essential. We all know it’s impossible to find shoes that are both sexy and comfortable at the same time. Look, if any woman tells you otherwise, SHE IS LYING!

Men have no idea how much women sacrifice in order to look like a sex kitten for them. But how far will a girl go to please her man (without being paid)? Tell me, what have men ever done to look pretty for women?

Really, sometimes I feel all women are masochists and all men are sadists!

Sweet Blockbuster

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgrYf7VWASE

Many people are movie fans. But I bet you can't find two people with the identical taste in movies!

Some people can watch movies in marathon, 6, 7 hours nonstop. I guess it's just a form of brainless entertainment to them. But I can't.

I watch one movie at a time, and preferably in one go, not in installment. And if I am not watching alone, I need my company to keep quiet, because I like to watch in total silence.

No questions like 'What did he just say?' No smart-ass guessing like 'I think he is the next one to be killed!' No comments like 'Hey, she is not wearing a bra!' And definitely no discussion during the movie, like 'Where would you like to go later?'

But of course the most important is the movie itself. To me, there are 3 categories of movies, intolerable trash, tolerable trash and must-watch-agains.

Horrors, war movies with lots of blood, and dumb comedies all belong to the first category. I particularly hate the movies that insult my intelligence.

Tolerable movies include legal thrillers (somebody suing), clever chic flicks (somebody loving) and human dramas (somebody dying.)

The last category is reserved for some heavyweight, thought-provoking movies like "Green Miles" or "Shawshank Redemption", and some featherweight, well-written comedy classics like "A Fish Called Wanda" or "When Harry Met Sally".

A good movie, in my definition, is one you can watch over and over again and get something new and different out of it every time. Hey, maybe I should make a movie someday!