Yes thanks to Raymond, we’d got to attend the gala premiere of the highly anticipated ‘The Hunger Games’.

Opening on March 22, 2012 in Singapore, this novel based film has been widely promoted ever since end of last year due to the success of the novel. As this film has yet to be shown in other countries, security was high when we attended the premiere and we were requested to deposit our mobiles and mp3s to the security counters.

Apparently, all the halls in The Cathay were for the screening and this time we got to watch in a hall that we have yet to watch in…

Starting off with the introductory explanation of the story involving the betrayal of the 12 districts, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) bravely replaced her 12 year old sister, Prim, and joined fellow District 12 mate, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) in the Battle Royale type of tournament.

The duo was to equip themselves with essential skills under the mentor-ship of former District 12’s winner Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson) in the Capitol, while obtaining ‘sponsors’ for life-saving materials that were used in the Game. After a series of combat practices, media and sponsorship campaigns, the 24 youths set off for battle in a technologically manipulated arena, where Everdeen experienced danger, fear, betrayal and helplessness.

An unexpected twist in the game had given hope but that was quickly taken away when it boiled down to Everdeen and Mellark. However, the quick thinking of Everdeen had changed things, resulted in the implied death of game master and eventually brought them home…

My few cents on this movie was a combination of ideas from Japanese manga, Kaiji and novel, The Incite Mill.

The auditorium of people attracted to the display of gladiatorial killings is akin to those rich and influential willing their time away by watching others fighting for survival in Kaiji and The Incite Mill. Dressed in flamboyant costumes, loud makeups and hairdos, the citizens in the Capitol do give me the idea of restlessness and that pleasure can only be obtained from the annual battle.

Despite the similarity in some of the ideas, the story is nevertheless an interesting and thoughtful one as it explores on various issues dealing on imperialism, brutal violence in a highly competitive society and the inequality in treatment of the different social classes.

I guess I will be seeing myself picking up the novel perhaps after the end of my examinations…

Hello
ayaka
Lyrics: ayaka
Composition: ayaka, Matsuura Akihisa

Yume ni mita keshiki ga
Nichijou ni natte

Kizukanai aida ni
Yume wo miushinatte

Natsukashii nioi ni yobisamasare
Sono shunkan namida ga afuredashita
“Mata arukitai”

Hello Hello
Kono koe ga
Anata ni todoki sekai ni hibiku
Atarashii monogari no hajimari
Hello Hello
Nando demo
Donna toki mo kanjite itai kara
Mou nido to miushinawanai you ni
Itsudemo koe ni shite Hello

Kyou ga itsu na no kamo
Wakaranai mainichi de

Ichiban taisetsu na mono
Iroasete shimatta

Kokoro kara “suki” to ieru jibun de
Mou ichido ai ni yuku
Ooki na yume mune ni kizande

Hello Hello
Kono uta ga
Sora made todoku you ni to negau
Soshite mata
Atarashii oto ga umareru
Hello Hello
Kokoro kara
Deaeta kyou ni kansha no i wo
Yorokobi no namida wa tsuyoku nareru mahou
Tobikiri no Hello

Hello Hello
Kono koe ga
Anata ni todoki sekai ni hibiku
Atarashii monogari no hajimari
Hello Hello
Nando demo
Donna toki mo kanjite itai kara
Mou nido to miushinawanai you ni
Itsudemo koe ni shite Hello

——————

梦に见た景色が
日常になって
気づかない间に
梦を见失って
懐かしい匂いに呼び覚まされ
その瞬间 涙が溢れだした
「また歩きたい」
Hello Hello
この声が
あなたに届き世界に响く
新しい物语のはじまり
Hello Hello
何度でも
どんな时も感じていたいから
もう二度と见失わないように
いつでも 声にして Hello
今日がいつなのかも
わからない毎日で
一番大切なもの
色褪せてしまった
心から「好き」と言える自分で
もう一度会いに行く
大きな梦 胸に刻んで
Hello Hello
この歌が
空まで届くようにと愿う
そしてまた
新しい音が生まれる
Hello Hello
心から
出会えた今日に感谢の意を
喜びの涙は 强くなれる魔法
とびきりの Hello
Hello Hello
この声が
あなたに届き世界に响く
新しい物语のはじまり
Hello Hello
何度でも
どんな时も感じていたいから
もう二度と见失わないように
いつでも 声にして Hello

——————

The scenery I saw in my dreams
Became an everyday scenery

And before I knew it
I lost sight of my dream

But a nostalgic scent rekindled my memory
And tears suddenly began to fall from my eyes
“I want to walk again”

Hello. Hello
My voice reaches you
For the entire world to hear
And a new story begins
Hello. Hello
I want to feel it at all times
I’m forever singing hello
So I will never lose sight of my dream again

During those days
When I didn’t even know what day of the week it was

The most important things
Lost their shine

I can say “I love you” from the heart now
I go to see you again
My big dream is engraved in my heart

Hello. Hello
I pray this song
Will reach the sky
And a new sound will be born
Hello. Hello
I feel truly grateful for being alive today
Tears of happiness are magical, making you stronger
The finest hello

Hello. Hello
My voice reaches you
For the entire world to hear
And a new story begins
Hello. Hello
I want to feel it at all times
I’m forever singing hello
So I will never lose sight of my dream again

credits: jpopasia |makikawaii-jklyrics | baidu

Go Round
安室奈美恵

作詞：AILI
作曲：T-SK、TESUNG Kim、Liv NERVO、Mim NERVO

How many times dorehodo say love you
How many days kazoekirenai and..
How many tears tokihanatsu go round
(n round, n round, n round)

How many times
How many days
How many tears
How many times

How many times
How many days
How many tears
How many times
Go round, n round, n round

—————————————-

Stay alive その気はままに My mind when you leave

(My mind when you leave)
Still love 最后のボイスメール I’m answering for you
(I’m answering for you)

ただ胸が notice
寻ねる you see?
数数える focus
何度も next to me
もう一度 help it
だけど you don’t care
あなただけに shake it
そういつも want you there

How many times どれほど Say love you
How many days 数えきれない and…
How many tears 解き放つ Go round
(n round, n round, n round)

Tell me you need me ねえ一つくらい on my own
(Why you saying that? Hey why you saying that?)
Tell me you love me ねえ続きはどこで?
(Common’ take me take me home)

明日からは No tears
Baby don’t you wanna see?
地図の上の コンパス
You just believe in me
もう一度 feel it
Baby worries don’t care
あなただけに shake it
そういつも want you there

How many times どれほど Say love you
How many days 数えきれない and…
How many tears 解き放つ Go round
(n round, n round, n round)

ただ胸が notice
寻ねる you see?
数数える focus
何度も next to me
もう一度 help it
だけど you don’t care
あなただけに shake it
そういつも want you there

How many times どれほど Say love you
How many days 数えきれない and…
How many tears 解き放つ Go round
(n round, n round, n round)

How many times どれほど Say love you
How many days 数えきれない and…
How many tears 解き放つ Go round
(n round, n round, n round)

How many times
How many days
How many tears
How many times

How many times
How many days
How many tears
How many times

Go round, n round, n round

————————————–

Credits: mojim|namie-amuro-lyrics | jpopasia

Finally, after 9 months since my return from Korea, I have finally started using those comestics that I have brought from there.
Because my moisturizer has finished, I have decided not to buy new one. Instead I look through my Korean goodies, and saw it’s Skin’s Prestige Creme Escargot. If I didn’t remember wrongly, it has a mousturing effect in addition to skin repair… Well I hope my first use doesn’t result in reddish irritated face. More reviews will come soon.

Yup so I brought my mum to Watami and stuffed ourselves with the set for 2 meal. The last time we were there, the price was lower, and my dad was with us. However, today he had to work hence, the challenge to finish the supposed-to-be-meant-for-3-set.

Watami has made some changes to their set menu and I couldn’t find the dish that I had eaten with my friends for the very first time…

Anyway we ordered the following from ther Special Set for 2 ($59).

• Half Watami Salad
• Salmon Sashimi
• Ishiyaki  Pork with Rice (Forgot the actual name)
• Kimchi Nabe
• Udon
• Tonpeiyaki
• Chicken Katsu Tamago Toji Teishoku
• Ice lemon tea
• Pepsi

The salad as usual was good. Anti-vege I am, I still managed to eat some with the sauce~

My mum doesnt like raw stuff hence I ate the salmon by myself. Quite ok I guess – not a huge fan of raw too.

Ishiyaki  Pork with Rice was good. I am not sure if it’s due to the rice used or all rice in stone pot are good. In Korea, if I’m not wrong, all the rice that I have eaten there were those pearl rice as some call it. Japanese rice are also of such. They are seriously good.

Kimchi Nabe, a new dish that I have yet to try till now, was good. I should say all the Watami nabe that I have tried so far never disappoint me. Though if this was even spicier, it will be best.

Tonpeiyaki. Well today’s was not good. The part of it near to the sides of the serving plate was burnt and together with the dark ‘teriyaki’ sauce, there was a slight sickening taste after eating half of it. I had to finish it up alone by eating it with the rice as my mum complaint of that.

Chicken Katsu Tamago Toji Teishoku. Though my mum said it was a little saltish on the outer fried coating of the meat, we both enjoy the dish especially cooking the egg with their sauce.

Overall, it was a filling lunch that lasted me throughout the night. So it was actually my lunch and dinner. Now if only there’s the fried skewer as a replacement for the Tonpeiyaki… that will be even better.

I guess I might have to, well, order something besides the set meal. They have a student meal.. so I guess it’s time for me to make use of my last few months as a student…