Shanghai Tango

Shanghai Tango - A Memoir

This book is by, and about Jin Xing, a former prima ballerina, one of the brightest stars of the Shanghai Ballet. But her journey to international fame has been fraught with difficulty because Jin Xing was in fact born a man. From an early age she was intensely uncomfortable with her gender. Unable to understand or put words to her feelings, she immersed herself in ballet dancing, her first love. Aged 9, she joined the People's Liberation Army, where she received both dance and military training and attained the rank of colonel. The curtains opened on a new act in her life when, at the age of 19, she received a scholarship to study dance in New York. It was there that she discovered for the first time that it was possible to change sex. In an instant, what had been the province of dreams became a real opportunity. She took the courageous decision to return to China to face the authorities, quit the army, and confront the world with her decision to become a woman.


Interesting? What do YOU think about Jin Xing? That just because she used to be a guy, she is not as "womanly" as most women? That she is neither woman, nor man?
Sterotyping is such a strong influence in the society nowadays. Just because one guy dresses up slightly more than most guys do, just because the guy walks in a way that most guys don't, people automatically link the image to the guy being - Gay. Just because a girl doesn't wear skirts, just because a girl doesn't behave as most girls do, (i.e. scream at everything) just because a girl walks in a less-than-feminine way, people link the image to - Lesbian, or Butch.

A common sterotype in the little circle that I am in, would be - IJ girl, or St. Pat's boy. You may ask, why not St. Marg's girl or RI boy, or any other school. I suppose this is due to the fact that I have many IJ girls and St. Pat's boys around me, which is why steorotypes would automatically lead to them. Other than that, it would be either Straight, or Gay.
Appearance, would be the main factor which people use to sterotype another. If you see a guy dressed in a skin tight tank top, jeans, and shoes, what would you think? Most of us would probably be alright with it. But think again. If this same guy were to dress in a PINK skin tight tank top, shorts, and platforms. What would you think? .... GAY. Isn't it?
Appearance aside, the 2nd most important factor would probably be Actions. People sterotype others by looking at them. The way they walk, they way they talk, the way they carry themselves. A guy just needs to walk with a slight skip in his step, sashay just a little bit, to lead people into thinking --- HE IS GAY. Well, STEROTYPING.

I guess to some extent, EVERYONE is guilty of sterotyping another. Dare you say you haven't ever looked at someone and linked him/her to some image that you have in your mind? Be it the school that they were from, what they are like, how their actions remind you of someone else.
Don't deny. I'm sure you've ever done something like that. :P


To end it off, do take a look at this. Sterotypical! :P














(Click to enlarge)


Jane.

THE INTERNET.

YAY. 6th post.

I'm sure many of you would have heard the song "Without You" by Mariah Carey. But just in case anyone hasn't, here it is.


Mariah Carey - Without You

Listed as one of the classic heart-break songs, many people would have heard of it before, and thus on programs/competitions such as American Idol, Singapore Idol, or other singing competitions, there would be contestants using this song.

I'm sure many people would know what song they are singing, however, on Bulgarian Idol, there is this contestant who went for the audition, and insisted that the song that she was singing was known as : "Ken Lee"

Enjoy.

Valentina Hasan - Ken Lee

Without You lyrics

No I can't forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that's just the way
The story goes

You always smile but in your eyes
Your sorrow shows
Yes it shows

No I can't forget tomorrow
When I think of all my sorrow
When I had you there
But then I let you go
And now it's only fair
That I should let you know
What you should know

I can't live
If living is without you
I can't live
I can't give anymore
I can't live
If living is without you

This is part of the lyrics. Hopefully you could actually understand what she was singing. haha.

I think she is rather famous now, at least half the people in Singapore would know her, I guess. But of course, not by her name, but rather, by "Ken Lee". This is because that was what made her famous. Also, she got famous via 2 ways. 1, was on television, but probably only in Bulgaria. 2, was on the internet. I don't think she intended for it to be so, but due to the mass media nowadays, she is famous, mostly due to the internet.

Nowadays, there are many ways to become famous. In the past, the only way of becoming famous, was if you were a celebrity that many people knew about. But nowadays, mostly due to the internet, you could be famous doing anything. Be it blogging, singing, acting, or even just for getting into a scandal, you would be famous. Take blogging for instance, in the past, who knew about the blogs? Who actually bothered? Now, locally, we have xiaxue, Mr. Brown, Dawn Yang, and many others.
Other than that, for singing, there have been stars like Colbie Caillat, who got famous through the internet, and finally got to launch an album of her own as well.

So I guess for those of you out there who want to get famous, there is an alternative now, instead of having to join Singapore Idol 3! :D

Just in case you're interested to know, Valentina Hasan obviously didn't get in, but they did invite her back during the season. Her english improved quite a bit! :D

Back on Bulgarian Idol. her singing is actually not too bad! ;D

Jane.

HAIYA!

I wish I could feel like this cat now. :(

Point aside. Today I'll be talking on, a new movie.

.....






















KUNG FU PANDA! (haiya!) haha.

I'm sure many of you out there would already have caught this movie.
Here are some clips for those who haven't anyway. :)



Clip 1


Clip 2

The synopsis for this movie:

A clumsy panda bear becomes an unlikely kung fu hero when a treacherous enemy spreads chaos throughout the countryside in this animated martial arts adventure featuring the voices of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, and Jackie Chan. On the surface, Po (voice of Black) may look like just another portly panda bear, but beneath his fur he bears the mark of the chosen one. By day, Po works faithfully in his family's noodle shop, but by night he dreams of becoming a true master of the martial arts. Now an ancient prophecy has come to pass, and Po realizes that he is the only one who can save his people from certain destruction. With time running short and malevolent snow leopard Tai Lung (Ian McShane ) closing in, Furious Five legends Tigress (Jolie), Crane (David Cross ), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu), Monkey (Chan), and their wise sensei, Master Shifu (Hoffman), all draw on their vast knowledge of fighting skills in order to transform a lumbering panda bear into a lethal fighting machine. Now, if the noble Po can master the martial arts and somehow transform his greatest weaknesses into his greatest strengths, he will fulfill his destiny as the hero who saved his people during their darkest hour.

Personally, after watching this movie, the first word that pops up in my mind - CUTE! haha. Don't you think so too?
The movie, as you may already have read from the above synopsis, is about this Panda, named Po, becoming the "Dragon Warrior" by accident, and thus having to train under the Master Shifu. However, Po is not very successful. But becoming trained and turning into the true "Dragon Warrior" becomes an urgent task when Tai Lung, the bad guy in this show escapes from the prison that he was previously kept in.

In the first clip, we can see how Po felt when he was first appointed the Dragon Warrior. He was determined, hopeful and full of zest. But because the Master Shifu did not believe in him, he delayed his training on purpose and did not put his heart into training Po into the Dragon Warrior. But when Tai Lung escapes and is on his way back into the city where they are at, the Master Shifu has no choice but to trust Master Wu Gui, who appointed Po the Dragon Warrior, and try to train Po in the shortest time possible, to fight against Tai Lung.

In the 2nd clip, Master Shifu finally found a way to train Po - by luring him with food. This is as food, is Po's greatest desire and thus he will do anything to get it. The Master Shifu first found out of this when he saw Po getting food from all the cabinets, and decides to test him by telling him that Monkey hides his cookies in one of the top shelves. Po gets to the top shelf, and even manages a perfect split, all in an attempt to get Monkey's cookies. In the end, Po manages to learn master the art of Kung Fu, though very unknowingly.

The message that this film brings about are determination. Determination when Po stayed on no matter how much Master Shifu seemed to deny him his position of the Dragon Warrior. Team Spirit and Group Work, when the 5 gathered together to fight against Tai Lung, in hopes of defeating him. Trust, when Po trusted that Master Shifu would be able to turn him from a regular, noodle-selling panda to the true "Dragon Warrior", and when everyone trusted in the Dragon Warrior to defeat Tai Lung. Hard work, because it would not be possible that Po could defeat Tai Lung if he had not trained hard for it. And last but not least, the idea of having dreams. Po had often dreamt of becoming part of the famous 5, and being a good warrior, and in the end, he managed to achieve his dream.

My verdict? 4 stars out of 5. ;D
Those who haven't watched it, quick go catch it NOW! :D

Jane.

GREY'S ANATOMY!

GREY'S ANATOMY! I'm a greatttt fan of the TV series.
Anyway, point aside. The 2 videos that I'm about to show you, actually show scenes from the serial itself.


Chasing Cars (Grey's Anatomy Version)

The first is actually a video of the song Chasing Cars, by Snow Patrol. It shows many different scenes from the show and is actually, kind of a summary of the whole show. In the different scenes, there are actually many instances where non-verbal communication comes into place. 2 particularly prominent ones would be Eye Contact (Oculesics) and Touch (Haptics). 0:41 of the video shows Dr. Preston Burke (Black Guy) hugging Christina Yang (Asian Girl) when she looked really frightened, to comfort her, and show his support, indirectly telling her, through non-verbal communication that he is there for her. Another small part in the video which shows support would be 1:12, where Meredith Grey (Caucasian Girl) leans on Christina's shoulder and gives her a hug. 1:02 also shows 2 people hugging each other, but from their expressions, one can tell that they are actually feeling quite happy, and hugging each other would be just giving company and showing the each other that they love the other.
However, not all form of support is shown through only hugging another party. 2:00 of the video shows Meredith lying in the arms of her 2 friends, while they seem to be cleaning her up and washing away the dirt off her. This comes right after the scene of a person exploding in front of her. Her friends are showing her support by doing the things that she would probably be doing (i.e. washing up) if she were in the right frame of mind. The reason she is not doing it herself would probably be because Meredith was too traumatised by the scene.
1:26 of the video shows Izzie Stevens (Caucasian Girl) having eye contact with her patient / fiancee, Danny. In that scene, the eye contact between the both of them, them holding hands and kissing, all show that they are in love with each other. This is an instance of non-verbal communication.
The eye contact between Meredith and Derek Shepherd (Caucasian Guy) show this mutual understanding between the both of them. The fact that they are both dancing with their own partners, but still looking at each other shows that they probably are thinking of each other, and more interested in talking to each other, rather than their own dance partners.
Eye contact at 3:10 between Christina and the other surgeon showed disappointment. And was furthur enforced with the tear coming out of her eye, and the expressions on both their faces.
The ending part of the video is better explained and clearer in the 2nd video.


Grey's Anatomy Signature Scene

The 2nd video is actually the finale episode of the season. Izzie's voice was started breaking at 0:50 when she started talking about how Danny was still talking to her an hour before. It initiated the start of her losing control, and starting to cry. Alex Karev (Guy in Suit) carrying Izzie away at 1:14 showed him giving her support by bringing her away from the corpse of Danny, which was causing Izzie's devastation, and hugging her. 1:40 showed Preston Burke trying to regain control of his fingers, (Previously in the season, he was injured and being a surgeon, it was important for him to be able to have 100% use of his fingers.) but failing to do so. Christina comes in to help him at 2:01, not talking, simply holding his hand and helping him achieve what he was trying to do. (i.e. bend his fingers) This is also an instance where Haptics comes into place.
2:55 showed some eye contact between Izzie and the Chief Surgeon, but most focus is on Izzie's expressions where she attempts to put on a brave front while confessing to the Chief what she had done. She shows sadness in both her expression and her voice when she tells the Chief that she quits being a surgeon. In that scene, the 2 guys behind her show her support by walking away with her, as well as company. At the concluding scene where Dr. Mark Sloan (Guy with Bow tie) is expecting Meredith to walk away with him, she is looking at Derek. Both of them call out to her, and she looks at both of them in the eye, showing that she seems to be thinking, and is still undecisive as to who she should go with. The 2 guys' eyes meet and look back at Meredith, showing her that they are waiting for her to make a decision.

I didn't manage to watch the next few seasons, but I think Meredith ended up with Derek in the end. ;D
Hope my post helped in your understanding of these 2 videos! :)

Jane.

OBAMA!

Yes We Can Obama Song by will.i.am


We Are The Ones Song by will.i.am

These 2 videos are songs by the artiste/producer, will.i.am . These 2 songs' main motive is in supporting Barack Obama, during the election period in the United States. It was down to George W. Bush, John Mc Cain or Barack Obama. For war, or Against war. Some basic background knowledge is that George W. Bush, John Mc Cain and Barack Obama are the candidates in the election for president in the United States. George Bush and John Mc Cain are FOR war, and Barack Obama is AGAINST war, and more active in the nation's internal interest.

From these 2 videos, we can see that many artistes, celebrities have been roped in for the 2 songs. Celebrities, no matter singers, or actors have appeared in this video, all just to show their support for Barack Obama. To name some of the stars, there is Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Alba, Nicole Scherzinger, Kate Walsh, and of course, Will.I.Am himself. The celebrities have gathered to show their support for Barack Obama. This support, shows not only through the songs, but also through the celebrities' willingness to step up and appear on the videos. Being public figures, some may be concerned as to, whether appearing on such a video and openly showing their support for Obama may turn some of their fans off, or cause their fans to stop supporting them just because they support Obama. But showing their faces in the videos show their support towards Barack Obama. This sort of support shows non-verbal communication. The celebrities don't have to spell out that they ARE supporting Obama, but seeing them in the video, showing their faces and singing, this is already showing their support for him.

Team spirit, group synergy, moral support, all these are showing in the videos.

The first song, Yes We Can, used some parts of Barack Obama's speech, and I thought that was a really wonderful idea. By using his words, it also brings people to take note of what he had been saying. How many of you get turned off once you hear someone giving a speech? I, for one, switch off after listening to the speaker for about 2 minutes or so. Especially if the speaker is a boring one. By incorporating his words into the song, will.i.am also managed to get people to LISTEN to what Barack Obama had been saying.

The second song, We Are The Ones have the celebrities/people in the video sharing what they would like to see change, what they would like to have in America. Quoting will.i.am, "people say Obama's words are just words... but... when was the last time "words" weren't important...???... when was the last time a great leader didn't use words to lead...??... when was the last time a person didn't use words to describe how they felt...?... when was the last time "words" weren't empowering...?... and we can all recall the last time "words" were used to divide us and install fear..." Words, are indeed, seemingly one of the most important things in our lives. Words are in our everyday communication with each other, be it verbal, or non-verbal. We use words in prints, in writing, even what you are reading now, are words. That is also probably why will.i.am decided to have people saying out what they want, instead of just simply singing some lyrics out. In We Are The Ones, if the word "The" were to be taken away, it would say "We Are One", which also implies how will.i.am wants America to be one. Being a country as a whole, differences aside, skin colour aside, and as ONE. Quoting will.i.am, "and now "United and "Standing"...for something... we know the power of "US"... and we have a person who represents the "U.S."... "US"... "we are the ones we've been waiting for"..." US, stands for United States, as well as US, all of us as a whole. We are the ones we've been waiting for, he probably means that the US citizens, are the ones who would make the difference, and for all of them to unite, was what everyone has been waiting for.

Team work, team spirit, group synergy.
The elections end only in August 2008. I am not an American citizen, nor am I someone who is interested in politics. But after watching this 2 videos, and sensing the call for the end of war, for a better environment, I sure hope Barack Obama wins the election. ;)

Jane.

Call Me When You're Sober - Evanescence

Call Me When You're Sober - Evanescence

Seems familiar to anyone? I've been doing some work on this song, so its not unfamiliar to me. While I was looking for some performances of this song on Youtube, I found this, the song's official music video. What intrigued me was the use of the interesting settings and storyline used in this video.

Don't cry to me.
If you loved me,
You would be here with me.
You want me,
Come find me.
Make up your mind.

Should I let you fall?
Lose it all?
So maybe you can remember yourself.
Can't keep believing,
We're only deceiving ourselves .
And I'm sick of the lie,
And you're too late.

Don't cry to me.
If you loved me,
You would be here with me.
You want me,
Come find me.
Make up your mind.

Couldn't take the blame.
Sick with shame.
Must be exhausting to lose your own game.
Selfishly hated,
No wonder you're jaded.
You can't play the victim this time,
And you're too late.

Don't cry to me.
If you loved me,
You would be here with me.
You want me,
Come find me.
Make up your mind.

You never call me when you're sober.
You only want it cause it's over,
It's over.

How could I have burned paradise?
How could I - you were never mine.

So don't cry to me.
If you loved me,
You would be here with me.
Don't lie to me,
Just get your things.
I've made up your mind


Those are the lyrics to the song. From the lyrics, one would probably be able to guess that the storyline to this song is of this girl who is neglected by her other half, who only goes back to her when his affairs outside have ended, or when the girl threatens to end the relationship. ( You only want it cause it's over,) (We're only deceiving ourselves. And I'm sick of the lie, And you're too late.) shows that the girl knew of the guy's infidelity, yet refused to face it.

The music video seems to be set in the medieval period, with the majestic castle-like background as its set, the use of the long dining table, and the male lead's dressing. The start of the video was the female lead/ vocalist (Amy Lee) stroking the wolves during this part of the song at 0:36 of the video. ( Should I let you fall? Lose it all? So maybe you can remember yourself. Can't keep believing, We're only deceiving ourselves. And I'm sick of the lie, And you're too late.) It seems to hint that she's plotting something against the guy. I suppose this is probably due to the fact that wolves have always been seen as fierce animals, that attack and kill. Doesn't help that the wolves looked kind of hungry.

Part 1:30 in the video (Couldn't take the blame. Sick with shame. Must be exhausting to lose your own game. Selfishly hated, No wonder you're jaded. You can't play the victim this time, And you're too late.) shows the male lead trying to get intimate with her, while she simply doesn't seem very interested in responding. This part seemed to imply that she was mocking him for letting her find out that he was having an affair of sorts. This is furthur enforced with the lyrics - Sick with shame. Must be exhausting to lose your own game. She moves away from him in the part where she sings - And you're too late. Which also implies that she is giving up on him.

The next part of the video where the chorus is sang, Amy Lee appears with an entourage of dancers which could also be seen as her supporters. The people who have been there with her when the male lead was not around. ( Don't cry to me. If you loved me, You would be here with me. You want me, Come find me. Make up your mind. ) The lyrics also show that she is ready to give up on the relationship that they have been in. - You never call me when you're sober. You only want it cause it's over, It's over.

How could I have burned paradise? How could I - you were never mine. seems to imply that she has burned her own hope. Similarly at this point at the video (2:57), the wolf that she was stroking at the start of the video walks off, seemingly implying that she has decided to set the wolf on the guy.

The last part of the song shows that she has decided to give up on the relationship with the guy and make it known to him - Don't lie to me, Just get your things. I've made up your mind seems to show that she is chasing the guy away from her castle. The last scene where she walks on the long table towards the guy also seems to imply that she was having a show down with the guy.

Well, lesson learnt, guys? Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. HAHA!
Hopefully that helped in the understanding to the video! :)

Jane.

Changes in one is very common, people are all ever-changing. For myself, I think that the biggest change in me since young would probably be a change in attitude towards talking. From young, I was rather chatty and it seemed that I could chat with almost anyone and everyone. I used to talk to my mother's student's parents as they waited for their kids to finish their lesson. I would take a photo album out and show them the photos, talking to them in the meantime, about anything under the sun. I would start talking about where the photo was taken, to when, to my feelings then, and continue digressing, and somehow, the topics would lead to things like current affairs, politics, gossip, and all sorts of other topics. Young as I was, I knew about the affairs that were happening in the country, not because I read the newspaper, but because I talked so much to others. Other than them, I would talk to my friends, my teachers, a random lady who sells drinks in my school's canteen, even my mother's friends, I could talk to them and rant on endlessly.

I stayed this way throughout my primary school life, all the way till my secondary school life, when people started to seem more complicated and started reading more into things than they used to during primary school. Many a times, even the most superficial comment I make such as, "your previous hairstyle looked better." would offend my classmates, leading them to think that I didn't think what they thought was nice, was as good as it seemed. Or when they asked me on a certain subject that I wasn't too sure about and I told them what I thought was the answer, often I would get the blame when it turned out to be wrong. But to me, I only told them what I thought would be the answer and did not affirm with them that that was the correct answer. In my point of view, I was merely trying to help my classmate, even though I was unsure myself. Because to me, I would like to try and help my friends in any way that I could, but to them, they questioned me as to why I gave them the wrong answer. Other than that, I tend to divulge other people's information. When one of my friends ask for another's email address, or phone number, or any other personal contact, thinking that I'm very helpful, I would give it to them. But unknowingly, I was actually giving away my friend's personal information. Often, when someone asks me why I let someone else know their personal information, my immediate reaction would be "because they asked for it", and it would be because the people asking for it are my friends. But to others, giving away their information without asking for their consent, was actually divulging their personal information to some extent.

Hence from then on, I changed my attitude towards talking. I still was very chatty, but I didn't dare to open up to people who I was not familiar with. I only dared to be myself with my closer friends. From being very chatty and talkative to anyone, I started to withdraw from the crowd. I disliked being in new and unfamiliar places, and I didn't like talking to strangers. I didn't like the idea of talking about myself, or talking about someone else to someone whom I barely knew, for fear of offending them, or of divulging my friends' information accidentally by talking about their experiences, or their lives. To some extent, I would say that some sort of psychological barrier was actually formed, which then stopped me from talking as much as I would have, had I not been so afraid of so many of those negative things that would happen. In my opinion, I felt that talking lesser would then allow me to have less chances to make mistakes, less chance of offending others, of letting slip information, of so many of the negative things that would happen if I talked as much as I used to. To others who did not know me, I appeared to be cold, unfriendly, and even shy or scared.

But things took a change in my year in secondary 4, when I and my good friends almost fell out, once again, because of talking. Till that point, I didn't talk much to anyone else besides my closer friends. But who made me change again, was the fact that my close friend actually misunderstood what I said, and thought that I was mocking her. In my group of close friends, news spread and everyone thought that I was the one bad-mouthing my friend. Eventually, things did clear up between the both of us, but from then, a barrier of some sort was formed and I never did talk as much as I did, even to my closer friends, for fear of straining our relationship, for fear of the unnecessary fights between us which might occur. Thus in conclusion, I would say that changes would affect everyone in some way, or other, its just a matter of whether it’s a change for better, or for worse, whether the change affected the person positively or negtively. I wouldn’t say that my change was for the better, but at least it made me take note of what I say, and thinking twice before saying anything.

I guess now that I'm a communications student, I will learn more about communicating with others, and not be so afraid anymore! :)