I went to Mass yesterday due to my rather packed schedule today and the priest's homily really got to me. He was lecturing on the sin of mediocrity, that is, the sin of not striving for the best, and instead, settling for something less than what we can achieve.

Until yesterday, I wasn't even aware that there existed such a sin. And when the priest began his homily, I was a little surprised. After all, I'd been thinking that perhaps, it's not so bad to be less than perfect. That perhaps, by accepting that I can settle for less than perfection, I needn't be so hard on myself and my work, and that whatever I did would still be good enough. Apparently, this isn't so. Or rather, this is so but if and only if I have put in all of my effort into the work that I've done instead of holding back and committing only half the effort I could have done, knowing full well that I'd still be able to do an adequate job with the lessened amount of effort I put in.

I'd also begun to think that maybe I could lower my expectations of people, that I could settle for less than the best in my expectations of my friends and of potential lovers. But now, after the homily and after the "I'm worth a lot" e-mail I received a few weeks ago, I've realised that while sometimes it may be difficult for others to come up to my expectations, nevertheless, if I am putting in all the effort into our relationships, then it's only fair that they do the same. I shouldn't need to lower my standards to accommodate their lack of effort.

At the same time, I shouldn't compromise my own levels of quality when it comes to work and other such endeavours. A couple of years ago, I used to think that it would be good if I could say that I never give less than my best and mean it with all my heart.

I need to get back into the habit of believing that once again.

I went to Asian Aerospace today. Now, I'm not a fan of planes, but I do love watching spectacles of any kind, and that includes flying displays. And while I'm not an expert, today's flying display was definitely a lot of fun to watch.

Among the planes and pilots doing their things were the US and the F-16C Fighting Falcon, India and their Sarang helicopter squad, as well as the Indian Sakarang Aerobatics Team, and my favourite, the Rafaele Dassault Aviation Team. I don't know aviation terms, but managed to catch some of them from the commentary such as the Passole Drive, barrel rolls and all that kind of thing. It's hard to describe the maneouvres that were performed, but one of the most common was definitely the upward climb (to unbelievable heights for some of the planes) and then the heart-stopping downward dive. Another one I enjoyed was by the Sakarang Aerobatics Team, with two planes from the team performing the 'near-miss' maneouvre.

All I can say is - wow. And now, I'm like such a pilot groupie. Like most females, I do have a thing for pilots. I'm not saying that I'm dying to go out with them but just that I'm a little in awe of them and that I do think their jobs are among the coolest in this world.

The musical accompaniment to the flying display was quite good. Among the tracks played were Sasha's Xpander (Yay!! This song was for the F16C Fighting Falcon), Chemical Brothers' Star Guitar and It Began In Afrika and Safri Duo's Bongo Song. It concluded with Beethoven's Ode to Joy so I think everyone enjoyed the music very much. It just seemed to match whoever was flying at the time.

I didn't just go for the flying display though. The static display was pretty good, and my haul included a Post-It pad and a Rafaele cap. I took photos of (mock-ups of) the Joint Strike Fighter and the Eurofighter Typhoon, apparently two of the most advanced aircrafts around. I also saw the Silver Arrow, the unmanned aircraft, and its wingspan is huge.

Oh yes! I got my photo taken with an American pilot! *grins* A pilot by the name of Eric Oster-something. We were queuing up to get a photo with a Marine but then I saw the pilot and decided he was much cooler. Heh.

Additional bonus: While at Tampines, there was a Lord of the Rings promotion going on for the LotR exhibition taking place at the Science Centre in mid-March. I managed to get a photo with a Ringwraith on stilts! Heh.

Yesterday's movie screening went rather well. The cinema halls were pretty full and there weren't any major disputes that I was aware of. The popcorn was unexpectedly of the sweet variety and on the whole, it went pretty well.

Something's Gotta Give was a not too bad movie. The first half was full of laughs, and Diane Keaton was great as a strong, independent, kooky playwright (Erica Barry) who thought love was long-gone from her life. She has great facial expressions, able to deliver the perfect smile for whatever her character's feeling. There's the slightly perplexed "are you mocking me?" smile (as I like to call it) and the shy smile that comes after having been unexpectedly complimented. Her delivery of her lines is spot-on too, and she's able to make people laugh harder than they would have ordinarily. Take, for instance, the scene where she's speaking with Julian Mercer (Keanu Reeves). "You really are a very sexy woman," he says to her in a romantic restaurant. "No, swear to God, I'm not," she replies in a terribly endearing manner. It's hard not to like her.

Jack Nicholson as Harry Sanborn essentially plays himself. Harry Sanborn is a 63-year-old who only dates women under the age of 30 because they "never get [his] number] and [he] gets to call the shots." While there's no denying that he looks dreadfully old - to me - there's no denying that he does possess a certain rakish charm.

There is fantastic chemistry between the two leads, and watching the two together makes for great comedy. They connect in a rather convincingly manner and although we know that the two will end up falling for each other, it's such a surprise when during the pancake scene, Marin (Erica's daughter) returns home and interrupts Harry and Erica's tete-a-tete, and Erica retreats from the intimacy of their conversation, telling them that she has to work. Harry asks with an almost forlorn look on his face, "so you don't want pancakes?" "No... I really don't." She replies with a slight tinge of sadness. We don't expect such openness so soon, and it's a sweet, tender surprise for us, them and Marin.

One major complaint. Frances McDormand, as Zoe, Erica's sister, is dreadfully underused. She was absolutely hilarious. When Erica and Zoey first discover Harry in Erica's beach home, Zoey grabs a knife and tells Harry not to move because she "can break [him] in two!" Then, of course, there's the great dinner scene when, going into her women's studies professor mode, she delivers a diatribe as to why women of Erica's age are unable to find men, with the additional bonus of the after-dinner scene in which she does teases Erica delightfully evilly by imitating (of sorts) Marin and Harry having sex.

The biggest surprise of the movie - for me - was Keanu Reeves. While his performance wasn't as stellar as his co-stars, he actually seems credible in the film. He's almost believable as the suitor who's too good to be true - who's sweet, understanding, intelligent, caring and charming. And most surprisingly of all - he is majorly hot. Now, there was a time in my life when I declared that I would never be able to understand what legions of female fans saw in him. In this show, I - and many others in my position - saw why. He is smokin' in the show, and every single time I saw him onscreen, my stomach did flips and I had difficulty catching my breath.

Aside: One of the most hilarious scenes in the show is watching the three females - Marin, Zoe and Erica (in that order) - react to Julian's hotness (if there's such a word). You have to see the scene as words cannot describe it. It's good and spot on. That's basically how I would have reacted to him. Heh.

Of course, with all romantic comedies, this ends happily. Erica and Harry do end up getting back together. Personally, I would have stuck with Julian, but hey, as my friend commented thoughtfully, people can't help how they feel. But... if I were Julian - a man who's flown all the way to Paris to propose to my girlfriend - why the heck would I give her up without so much as a fight?

For this edition of quotable quotes, I'd like to reference... myself.

This was all after a particularly hectic week which resulted in my not being exceedingly sharp.

(After my colleague was confused by my other colleague and myself about dinner plans)
Me: If you need more illogic in your life, feel free to call us. I'm dispensing it freely today.

Colleague: So we need to look at the key SUCK-cess factors... emphasis on the SUCK.
Me: Did you just say key sucks-ass factors?
Colleague: No, but that's a good one.

Colleague: I'll speak to you later.
Me: Pardon?!
Colleague: I'll speak to you later.
Me: Oh. I thought you said you were going to speak to St. Peter.

(After a meeting which my CEO attended and had answered a question which the guy next to me had asked)
Me: I think I made a mistake sitting next to [guy]. When he asked the question, I felt [CEO's] gaze right on our area. Wham. Just like the eye of Sauron.

I'm not a romantic at heart. Or rather, I am, but when it comes to taking action and dispensing advice, I tend to be very rational and for lack of a better word, sensible, in that I give practical advice rather than the typical flowery words of wisdom people might expect to hear from me. Nevertheless, I'm well aware that when I'm involved in the situation, I'm not able to follow my own advice. Rather, I do all the stupid and silly things that I tell others to do their best not to do.

Given this, when I'm trying my best to help a friend out, I'm never quite sure what to tell them. Should I give them rational advice or should I tell them what I myself would do in that situation? Am I being a good friend in believing that I shouldn't tell them what they want to hear and not the logical conclusion? Or should I also tell them stuff like, "I think all it takes is time. Sooner or later, you two will be together" when I don't know whether that's the truth?

I do want to help my friends out. At the same time, I don't want to be considered as being cold and unfeeling, or "the practical one."

My friend told me the sweetest, saddest story today. It seems like this is the first time that she's been in love - and it sucks because she's in a situation which you think only ever happens in soap operas.

I hate when this happens to my friends. I always feel bad for them and wish there were something I could say, some pearls of wisdom that would somehow make them feel better. But of course, that's impossible. And that makes me feel worse.

In a brief conversation, a man asked a woman he was pursuing the question, "What kind of man are you looking for?" She sat quietly for a moment before looking him in the eye and asking "Do you really want to know?"

Reluctantly, he said "Yes."

She began to expound, "As a woman in this day and age, I am in a position to ask a man what he can do for me that I can't do for myself. I pay my own bills. I take care of my household without the help of any man...or woman for that matter.

"I am in the position to ask, 'What can you bring to the table?'" The man looked at her. Clearly he thought that she was referring to money. She quickly corrected his thought and stated, "I am not referring to money. I need something more. I need a man who is striving for perfection in every aspect of life. "

He sat back in his chair, folded his arms, and asked her to explain. She said "I am looking for someone who is striving for perfection mentally because I need conversation and mental stimulation. I don't need a simple-minded man. I am looking for someone who is striving for perfection spiritually because I don't need to be unequally yoked... believers mixed with unbelievers is a recipe for disaster. I need a man who is striving for perfection financially because I don't need a financial burden.

"I am looking for someone who is sensitive enough to understand what I go through as a woman, but strong enough to keep me grounded. I am looking for someone who I can respect. In order to be submissive, I must respect him. I cannot be submissive to a man who isn't taking care of his business. I have no problem being submissive...he just has to be worthy.

"God made woman to be a help mate for man. I can't help a man if he can't help himself." When she finished her spiel, she looked at him. He sat there with a puzzled look on his face. He said, "You are asking a lot."

She replied, "I'm worth a lot."

Today has been the most frustrating day that I've had this year by far.

I'm completely fed up by the tons of 'extracurricular activities' that I've got to do on top of my job, and that other people similar to myself don't have to do that, and they're similarly compensated. I'm sick of watching other people leave my company and wondering that if it's so great, what am I still doing there? Am I being an idiot staying there while other, more experienced people leave?

I'm tired of feeling as though I don't have any control over my own life, over work, my social life, my (lack of) love life.

So what did I do? I did the only thing possible in my situation. I left the office at 7.45 pm and went home. To work.

I've been crying so much today. But not in a bad way. It was just 'cos of the two movies I watched. Or more accurately, one and a half movies, both of which I've seen before and both of which I've enjoyed immensely.

First off was Almost Famous, which I only managed to catch part of. The movie is set in the 1970s, at the height of rock and roll, and revolves around William Miller (Patrick Fugit, loosely based on director Cameron Crowe), a 15-year-old who gets the opportunity to tour with the band Stillwater in order to cover a story for Rolling Stone magazine. Billy Crudup plays Russell Hammond, the lead singer of t Stillwater, not too badly, and despite sporting that ubiquitous 1970s moustache, still managed to look quite dashing. Kate Hudson was great as Penny Lane, the Band Aide who falls in love with Russell and with whom William falls in love. Frances McDormand, as William's overprotective mother, is great (isn't she always?) and the most hilarious scene has got to be when she cows Russell by telling him that she sees through his decadent rocker ways and that there's still hope for him yet, and to please get her son back home to her safely. Russell tells William later, "Your mother... she really freaked me out." "She means well," William says. Another great scene is when the band's plane runs into an electrical storm, and thinking they're all about to die, all of the band members begin to spill their innermost secrets. "I'm gay!" screams one band member, only for the pilot to fling open the cockpit door and say, "We're going to live! We got through it! Hallelujah!" Disgusted, that same band member slams the door shut.

Anyway, I found myself crying at the scene after Stillwater's poker game with another band in which Russell sells Penny to another band during a hand when William is trying to tell Penny not to go to New York to see Russell. Finally, he yells at her in frustration that Russell doesn't love her, that he just sold her for "50 bucks and a crate of beer" because it's obvious that she's in love with Russell, and that William himself cares a lot for her, and in general, I'm a sucker for love and love's obstacles. Kate Hudson distinguishes herself in this scene, first showing shock, and then sorrow, and then finally looks up at William, smiles and says, "What kind of beer?" even as tears are falling down her face.

The other scene in which I cried was when William's sister, Anita, finds him in the airport where he's sitting exhausted, having just returned to his hometown after meeting up with the Rolling Stone magazine executives. He's written a great piece, he's told, but... the band - or Russell, to be specific - denies the whole story. He's just some 15-year-old fan who's fabricated the whole piece, he's told. William looks so tired and... gone that you can't help but feel for him.

But I do love the happy ending in which Russell calls Penny, intending to meet up with her to make amends, and she sends him to William's address instead. Excited, Russell gets out of the car, rehearsing how he's going to talk to her, only to knock on the door and realise that he's been sent to the wrong house... or the right house as it turns out. He gets the chance to apologise to William, and William gets the chance to do a proper interview with him, which makes the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

It's all so sweet and happy, and of course, the movie's to do with music, which is a subject after my own heart. The song selection is wonderful. I really liked Elton John's Tiny Dancer and this time, my second viewing of the show, Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters just sounded sadder than the other times I've listened to it. That tune really tugged at my heartstrings. Sniff.

Memorable Quotes
William (during the scene where Penny overdoses after being rejected by Russell once again): I love you. And I'm about to boldly go where... many men have gone before. (He kisses her)

Sapphire (another band aide, and expressing something I totally agree with): They don't even know what it is to be a fan. Y'know? To truly love some silly little piece of music, or some band, so much that it hurts.

The other movie I watched was Moulin Rouge. I utterly and completely adore this movie. It's fun, it's massive, it's musical and it's so incredibly original. Despite the fact that it has a sad ending, this doesn't detract from the overall spectacle that is the movie. I love that people just burst out into song when they're having a conversation. Wouldn't it be great if real life could be like that?

Ewan McGregor, as Christian, the penniless writer, and Nicole Kidman, as gorgeous Satine, the diamond of the Moulin Rouge, have great chemistry together. You really believe that these two are madly in love with each other, despite the fact that Satine is a courtesan and is paid to make people believe that she loves them. These two actors do a great job singing as well. Ewan has a decent voice and Nicole has a not-too-bad singing voice, and a damn sexy speaking voice.

The choice of modern songs, as opposed to original composed songs, is quite good as well, managing to bring the movie closer to home for the audience. However, I did enjoy some of the original pieces in the show as well, such as Fatboy Slim's Can Can song and most especially Come What May, the duet between the two leads.

And of course, this being a typical romantic musical drama, there will be scenes that make you cry buckets, such as when Satine, in order to save his life, tells Christian that she doesn't love him, and when Christian, having been driven mad by jealousy, runs to the Moulin Rouge, interrupts the show, throws money at Satine to settle his bill with her since she made him believe she loved him. My heart ached to see the hurt in both their eyes. But I cheered when begins to sing their secret song, Come What May and convinces Christian, once and for all, that she did indeed truly love him.

But man, did I cry like hell when she died, finally succumbing to the tubercolosis that's been plaguing her throughout the show.

It's a great show. I strongly encourage everyone to watch it, even if they're the hardest, coldest of all cynics.

Valentine's Day was unexpectedly fun.

Although I'm very very single at the moment, it seemed to be a day of catching up with friends. My day started out with my getting a facial. The beautifician was telling me that the guy who marries me will be very lucky because I'm "very pretty and also very good and gentle."

Erm. Right. But her heart's in the right place, so I didn't take offence.

Anyway, after that, it was decided that I would go to meet my friend who I hadn't seen in over one-and-a-half years at 3.45 pm and go bag shopping with her, followed by a movie with her and my cousin and then, a singles' party. Hey, don't knock it. It sounded interesting - Brazilian drums, caricaturist... like, why not?

At least that's how it was meant to go.

But then, a certain someone called at 3 pm. We talked until 3.30 pm, thereby ensuring that I would be late since I still had to shower. Not that I minded. I was really happy to hear from him after all. But still, signals remain decidedly mixed. I mean, while he did call me on Valentine's Day, I did also learn that he had bought for me a poster of Aragorn from RotK, which is nice - but not the kind of gift you get for someone you're interested in, you know? And also, telling me that he had to go talk to this girl from another country (i.e. another overseas call) after he finished talking to me? I swear, for every twenty signs I get that I think could mean that he likes me, I get one strong one that could be interpreted to mean that he doesn't.

Maybe it really is just a game to him. And there's a part of me that says that I sure as hell am not going to let him win this game, but another part of me thinks I should just give up and move on. There's nothing further to be done. After all, he's not coming back until what - July or December at the earliest?

So. Anyway. Moving on. I eventually met up with my friend at 6 pm, due to her also being held up by a phone call, and because the train broke down, stranding her just two stations away from where she was supposed to meet me. Once that was revealed, I promptly walked all the way down in my kick-ass Camper brown suede high heel boots (so not made for walking) and got there 30 minutes later.

It seemed like everyone had the same plan to watch a movie though. Every movie was selling fast and the only seats available were those two rows from the front. Tried that a couple of times - not good. Trust me.

So, we decided to shop instead - and boy, was that killer on my waller. Ended up buying a Hollister shirt and an Ann Taylor skirt from one of my favourite factory outlet shops, a blue lacy clubbing top from Future State (the definitive place for clubbing/night-time tops for me) and lusting after a gorgeous black evening dress from Miss Sixty (that requires at least another person's assistance in getting it on) at 50% off. If only I had an unlimited supply of money... but the sale goes on for another week, so I'll give it to Wednesday before I make up my mind! Heh.

After that, we met up with my cousin and had a quick dinner at nine, before heading over to the singles' party. Turned out to be a nice place, but not much going on, so we went off to Boat Quay where we got ourselves some hip hop action at Chocolate Bar. Spent an enjoyable hour surrounded by not-too-good-looking people but pretty decent music, and my friend and I even ended up pole dancing! I was so mortified but hey, I did it anyway. I warned my cousin not to tell his or my parents about this, so heh.

And after that, we adjourned to the nearest Coffee Bean to get some coffee before going off to Hideout for the tail-end of their Traffic Light party, where they were playing trance! I got all of my music fixes in one night, and it was brilliant.

I had an incredible time last night. Who would have thought?

The only regret I have is... that I missed my friends' gig over at Zouk. I did say I'd go, and I'm sorry that I missed it, but my friend didn't like trance, and by the time we finished our coffee, there was only one hour of their set to go, and I wasn't willing to go all the way down and pay S$25 to listen to that remaining hour. I'm sorry, guys!

I got fairly drunk for the second night in a row yesterday.

And when I mean drunk, I mean feeling extremely nauseous kind of drunk. Yesterday night was worse than Thursday night for sure, because I had to spend an hour sitting in bed, clenching my jaw shut in order not to throw up. Ugh.

Friday the 13th turned out to be a rather frustrating kind of day for me. I looked kick-ass sexy but didn't have any plans for last night, though I went out with a guy friend later on in the night. I didn't feel like working much - and didn't end up doing much work. And the thing that got me the most - I was just so p***ed off with all the evasive answers I've been getting from you-know-who!

It's as if all the frustration I've been feeling with regards to this stupid issue just all accumulated and whacked me straight in the head. I mean it. I'm in such a foul mood over it that I'm barely managing to be civil to him. Grrrrr-argh!!! It's been the usual things... like why the heck am I getting so worked up over some guy who I spent only two weeks with, what do I think is going to happen even if I manage to establish whether he reciprocates, blah blah BLAH.

At this point, I'm just so... irritated that I've tried every conceivable way of finding out where I stand - and STILL haven't succeeded. Freakin' hell. I don't care. I GIVE UP.

Hmm. Apparently, according to eCrush, I'm:
5% Lover
76% Loner
19% Neither

Ouchies. I know I'm an introvert, but I didn't realise I was that much of a loner.

Sigh.

A month on, and I'm still not over my crush.

And I'm 75% certain that he likes me back.

And that brings me to a very daunting question: Even if he likes me, what the F*** can I do? I can't say that I'll wait for him to return. That's just plain stupid. And I certainly don't want to hook up online and have a long-distance relationship. I mean, even though I've been flirting with him ever since he left, and he probably does have an inkling that I like him, so BL***Y what?

And YES, maybe it's just stupid flirting and it's just something he does, in which case he may not actually like me, so what in HELL do I do?

Valentine's Day is coming up. Do I act... or should I not?

This is just plain driving me MAD! MAD, I tell you!

I saw Lost in Translation over the weekend. It's a really nice show, set in Tokyo of all places, although it's rather slow. Sophia Coppola does a good job in directing as well as writing the screenplay, and Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson put in solid performances as Bob Harris, the washed-up movie star, and Charlotte, the Philosophy graduate from Yale who finds has it tough, being in a country where she doesn't understand the language, accompanying a husband who has already begun to ignore her.

Essentially, the movie revolves around Bob and Charlotte. Two lost souls in a strange city somehow manage to find a kindred spirit in each other, brought together by their visits to the hotel bar during their frequent bouts of insomnia. Bob, shunned by his wife because of his frequent absences from home, and Charlotte, deprived of her husband's presence by his work, find in each other someone who miraculously seems to understand the other, who somehow manages to fill the void in the other's meaningless existence. Together, they explore the - incredibly strange - Tokyo nightlife, going to restaurants, nightclubs and karaoke clubs, where their shared experiences draw them closer.

While the stage seems set for some sort of romantic interlude that in modern-day movies invariably seems to include sexual trysts, Lost in Translation detracts from that cliched path by having the two have their most intimate moments when they are alone, speaking honestly from the heart. For instance, one of the most effective scenes in the film is when the two are lying apart in bed, talking to each other about marriage. "Does it ever get any easier?" Charlotte wonders. "No," Bob says, before remembering who he's talking to, and changes his answer to "Yes." In this scene, Bob also muses about children - the wonder of children and how beautiful they are simply because they're children. From this scene, we can see that Bob genuinely cares about his family, and that he loves his kids immensely, but all the years of miscommunication and absences from home have caused his wife to think otherwise, thereby causing a rift between the two that cannot be so easily bridged after 25 years of marriage.

There are many delightfully original moments in the show, such as when Bob chances upon a giant billboard showing himself endorsing a Japanese whiskey. Also, when the unordered prostitute shows up in Bob's room, demanding that he "lips her stocking." The funniest scenes have got to be when Bob is filming for the whiskey commercial. In one scene, the director rattles off a long string of instructions entirely in Japanese only for the translator to tell Bob, "he wants you to look in camera." "Are you sure that's all he's saying?" demands Bob. There's another scene in which the Japanese photographer is giving instructions to Bob, telling him that he "need[s] mysterious face" and in other scene, to "look into camera like a friend."

Coppola also plays up the foreignness of the city very well. When Bob first arrives in the city, the camera pans across the glaring neon signs that decorate all the buildings - all entirely in Japanese. Charlotte is bewildered by a room of women all arranging flowers, even as she participates in the same ritual. The two have their own adventures of incomprehension in a hospital: Charlotte, when the doctor is explaining something to her regarding her damaged toe, and Bob, when he's waiting for Charlotte engages in conversation - of sorts - with an old lady, much to the amusement of two Japanese women sitting behind them.

Upon reflection, it may seem as though there isn't very much to the script. There certainly isn't that much said in the movie. However, there doesn't need to be. Bill Murray does a terrific job, with the hang-dog look seemingly etched onto his face, and his incredibly expressive ears speaking more than words ever could, such as when he's in the elevator, towering above all the other Japanese. His eyes dart around furtively, giving away his discomfort at being in such a strange city. Even in the scene when he struggles to bend low enough so that he can be under the showerhead doesn't seem at all slapstick when he does it. Scarlett Johansson is great as well, somehow managing to convey volumes with just a look and a tilt of her head. There is great chemistry between the two leads, and the silences between them say more than conversations between people do. There is so much that they do not say, so much that they do not need to say, in fact. The night before Bob is set to leave Tokyo, Charlotte tells him, "I'll miss you." Bob just nods, and yet, in that nod, we see that clearly, he'll miss her too and that he has come to care for her quite a bit.

I found the ending to be one of the sweetest, most tender moments I've seen in a movie lately. Bob chases after Charlotte, and embraces her tenderly, whispering into her ear words that the audience cannot hear. It's all very chaste but so very full of affection that I couldn't help but smile while watching them. It's also a very effective device in that Coppola leaves what Bob tells Charlotte up to the imagination of the audience. It's highly likely that had we been able to hear what he said, it'd have been a letdown, and in this way, it allows us to idealise the perfect ending to the show.

Lost in Translation is an incredibly subtle show, and a refreshing change from the usual romantic films that've been coming out. I'd watch it again if not for the rather slow build-up.

While at the Santa Fe club in Bali whereby I had the distinct pleasure of mesmerising onlookers by dancing like hell in a short sexy Topshop slip dress while wearing a pair of trusty Teva sandals, the DJ played OutKast's Hey Ya from their latest album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, an album I will undoubtedly buy once I find the time and the liquidity.

Check out its review over at PopMatters.

Diversion: You have to check out Charlie Brown & the gang dancing to Hey Ya! over at this site. United Media has been getting sites to take this down so by the time you get to this site, it may have vanished.

Another hip hop album I've fallen in love with is Sean Paul's Dutty Rock with my favourite songs being Get Busy, Like Glue and of course, his duet with Beyonce, Baby Boy. I picked it up while I was in Jakarta, and it's just so infectiously catchy that you've got to get up and shake your booty whenever one of his songs is played in a club.

This week has not been a good one for me. I've been sick with the flu the entire week, and I've also been working late every day with the exception of Friday (when I went for a Charleston workshop - an intense workout that almost did me in!).

And today has been the day in which my spending recommenced, beginning with my maiden journey to Strip whereby I endured a Brazilian wax. All I can say is - painful. The beautician was quite good though. She put me at ease with her easygoing, casual manner and knew just what to say or do in order to help me get past my initial embarrassment.

How do I feel? A little weird, but hey, at least now I can wear bikini bottoms without shame.