Sorry-ology

We are having two gold fish holidaying in our house at the moment during the 10-day absence of their masters. It is the first time for us to keep pets in the house, and it has been unexpectedly entertaining. They are two creatures which have quite a personality. Being voiceless does not mean that they don't show much emotion. Whenever the bottle of fish food is lifted from a nearby table or carelessly passed across in front of them, they would get extraordinarily stirred. They would open wide their mouths as if they are mumbling a silent protest if nothing ends up in the aquarium. They also follow human beings' movement unbelievably well. Whenever somebody is near to the small tank, they would immediately crowd to a certain corner to seek attention. Exactly like pet dogs to a certain degree. Occasionally, they become small audiences to watch me dancing aerobics in the room. Sometimes they would peck at each other, but no serious crime has been committed so far. They al...

This is an overdue entry regarding an exhibition on the art of gardening in Edo-period Tokyo last year (July 2013): Flowers in Bloom: the Culture of Gardening in Edo .  It is not a theme popular among young people in Japan, and the relatively young Edo-Tokyo Museum hasn't claimed its importance on the map of tourism of Tokyo. I was then blessed with a quiet morning in leisure with my Korean friend at the exhibition.  The exhibition showed the ways in which gardening and the passion for plants were a fashion in Tokyo during the Edo period. It was part of the Samurai culture to love and grow plants, and later on the zeal reached out to the general public.  Unfortunately now I cannot recall much about the exhibition in details. Below are some images that I really love.  歌川貞秀 亜墨利加之商人小樹之桜を求めて大に歓喜之図 This is a portrait of an American merchant who is said to be overjoyed with his new acquisition of a cherry tree. The image of the lady on top left was pr...

Having been informed that it would be only a small event for colleagues and friends in relation to the career of the deceased, I gave up the idea of attending the memorial gathering for him. He passed away last October, a distressing loss to people around him. I did not know him well, but he interviewed me for a job, and although we did not see each other often after that, I had always thought that he was a respectable acquaintance. I was upset when being denied my condolence in person, but it does not bother me any more. No matter how much one minds, nothing will change the fact of death. My dismay did not result from the absence of an invitation, perhaps. It was probably a more selfish reason that I felt strongly being prevented from showing my gratitude and sending my heart. So it was perhaps more about the living rather than the dead in this case. A friend of mine believes that invitations to occasions, such as weddings, are a testament to friendship. Is this th...

The other day we watched a BBC costume drama, North and South , a 2004 TV adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel.   I have owned the DVD for a couple of years, which was bought together with another BBC period drama, Cranford . At that time, I was unaware of either Gaskell the author or her work. I still haven’t read the original of North and South but have heard that the TV adaptation is quite faithful to the written story. The drama itself is worth watching for its romance, social concerns, its first-class acting, great chemistry between the main actors and atmosphere-creating cinematography.     The story takes place in England in the nineteenth-century when English society was divided between its industrial north and the middle-class south. A young lady, Margaret Hale, moves to Milton with her middle-class family from a southern town, Helston; she then struggles to overcome her shock at the ruthlessness of the northern culture, learns to ada...

The new Ghibli animation, The Tale of Princess Kaguya: A Princess's Crime and Punishment , tells a story of a girl born inside a bamboo, adopted by a couple in the country, and educated to transform herself from a peasant girl into a lady. In the end, Kaguya is revealed to be a kannon (kuanyin, or bodhisattva) and has to return to her duty. The animated film is an end result of Isao Takahada’s years-long effort. Distinct from Hayao Miyazaki's works, which are known for their full-bodied and bright colors, Princess Kaguya is drawn in water color. The characteristic loose lines, soft-toned shades, and the spaces deliberated left blank contribute to the breezy and fabled atmosphere of the work. It is a simple story, like most folklore much narrated in one’s childhood, and a great watch. The story goes like this: a baby is discovered inside a bamboo by a farmer. The farmer and his wife adopt her and are simply overjoyed with her presence, a hopeful addition to ...