we can hardly stand the wait
please Christmas, don't be late!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
nm3222 module critique.
End of sem is approaching and I've promised myself this: a critique on NM3222 Interactive Storytelling. I've never done module critiques before because none of the modules I've done in NUS have been good enough to necessitate this. Since I'm procrastinating as usual, here goes:
THIS IS THE BEST FUCKING MODULE I'VE DONE IN NUS!!!
Ahem, that's not all, obviously…
The module syllabus was comprehensive and very applicable. Alex Mitchell drew very relevant links between theory and practical.
THIS IS THE BEST FUCKING MODULE I'VE DONE IN NUS!!!
Ahem, that's not all, obviously…
The module syllabus was comprehensive and very applicable. Alex Mitchell drew very relevant links between theory and practical.
Breakdown of workload:
1. Weekly reflections usually based on tutorial sessions and how they relate to prescribed readings. Otherwise, we would be told to either base it on prescribed online games (again relate to readings) or the software we used.
2. Three interactive games/stories spread over the course of the semester. Chronologically, they were hypertext fiction, interactive story, story generator.
3. Three proposals for our respective interactive stories.
4. Three critiques based on a classmate's proposal.
Now that I've broken it down, it doesn't seem like much work! But believe me, I died and came back to life. And I'm sure my fellow coursemates will agree. But then, the person who did the most work has got to be Alex because he critiqued each and every weekly reflection, proposal, critique and of the course the games. And he stayed up all night with us on IVLE while we were tearing hair apart and having the hysterics because the software would not comply and the deadline is at 8am. (Well, I knew because I saw the forum after that. 'Cos that's the power of working smart!) And he wrote 30 page long instructions for the softwares. And still found the patience to understandingly explain and re-explain the nitty gritties of the software to each student who sought his help.
Lecturers like him do not exist. They live in HappyLand somewhere, a parallel universe to the crapped up one we have here. He must have taken a SorryJet out to research the meaning of 'pissed off'. Oh and they most certainly do not exist in container beings with dreamy, puppy eyes.
Right I kinda got carried away. Hitchhiker's Guide was on just now and I was thinking of Marvin the Paranoid Android who's one of my best friends.
The core of the module was for us to ponder the true meaning of interactivity. And he did a great job in illustrating the ambiguity that shrouds the term. Course materials were well-chosen to equip us with enough theoretical background to sufficiently contemplate its existence (or non-). Some of the games he recommended even went beyond the scope of this field to dabble in political and moral dilemmas. September 12th (note the date!) is one such 'game'. Basically, through playing it, you should get the sense that killing and bombing isn't going to rid the world of our problems. And I thought that execution was brilliant! There is another one, but I can't seem to find it anywhere. Those games, they simulate real-life emotions that we may not be in a position to really encounter. Like how we had to help this really old lady hobble down the lane in a cemetery where all her loved ones lay dead but we couldn't do it fast enough because she'll start limping and hopping. It gives you a sense of how it feels to be trapped in a deteriorating body, how you can't do anything fast enough, how you scream out to be agile and how every bodily maneuver is a battle against your aging physical capabilities. Another game simulates the anxiety of a mother protecting her crying baby from the approaching soldiers. That is very poignant, it made me cry. I need to find the url.
Along with the interactivity aspect, we had to think about narratives and how the traditional structure of narratives as defined by Aristotle cannot be adapted to postmodern manifestations of it, especially when you bring in 'interactivity'. (And the reason I've put it in quotation is that we haven't yet reached a true definition of interactivity.) And especially if the medium is new media. The best thing about all these attempts at defining business is that he didn't merely tell us so, or force us to see it by reading the boring journals (actually, though, they're among the most interesting readings I've done so far). We actually experience the whole ambiguity and perplexity by going through the process of crafting stories and seeing them being torn to shreds of confusions through the paper shredder of a software. Ariadne, SUDS and WideRuled2.
Anyway, what really killed people in the module was the programming part. Otherwise, I love love love this module. It is new media, literature, philosophy, computing with a dash of socio-political trimmings all rolled into one.
darling joyce.
JOYCE, YOU ARE SUCH A DARLING!
I've never seen snow before. But now officially, I've had my name written in snow without ever touching it. For that, you deserve a huge *muack* Joyce!
tralala! have a safe trip home; i hope you meet the sweetest, most adorable and interesting guy on your flight back! hahaha
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
absolutely no poverty in singapore.
Revision time!
Or rather time to start studying and stop pretending exams are not gonna happen for me. ):
And every time I start studying for SC2214, I find something that I really should be reading instead of streaming gossip girl.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
cavewomen rarr!
Found these.
Oh my god, we look so young and cute! Hahaha.
Youth.
Sigh. I'm going to be an adult soon.
Don't wanna grow up. What's the way to never-never-land again?
Happy 21st, o-neh. Because there won't be another shot at childhood. (even though you'll always look 6. HAHAHA.)
Monday, November 3, 2008
one year.
I think it's been exactly 1 year since I've had this blog and Guy Fawkes Day is around the corner (:
One year ago, I was frantically rushing an NM2101 project on source credibility of political blogs with 3 dead members. Alone, I prevailed. B+, I think.
One year ago, I developed a fleeting interest in Singapore politics and started this blog as an outlet for my views. It became a personal blog, an outlet for my thoughts and not-so-secret secrets. A memoir of my randomness and fickle ideas for future references.
One year ago, I couldn't summon enough courage to free myself from a miserable relationship. I was to stay another 5 (6?) months before taking that leap. I like to think I've emerged stronger and more self-possessed, albeit after an emotionally unsettling few months. I've learnt a lot. Like how people can read me like an open book. Not a poker player, obviously. And bless me, I'm proud I didn't self-destruct in the process of finding peace. No rebounds. Binge-drinkings were few and far between. Some silliness without any fatal or lasting damages. And the best part? I don't even need to prove anything now. No spite, no jealousy, no contempt. (Okay maybe a little. Contempt, that is. And occasional disappointment in my bad judgment.) I am not blissfully ignorant of your antics, honey. (Only because there are people who like to watch my reaction.) I'm blissfully apathetic.
One year ago, I was lazy and wasting my life. Today, I am trying to salvage it. Still lazy. But at least I'm misguided no more. Phew!
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Singapore Biennale: A Reflection
Wonder, instructs the theme of this year's Singapore Biennale.
With that humble word, we are presented with a profound challenge. And that is indeed the intention of the organizers, calling upon us to explore and question beyond the obvious and the perceived. To embark on an inquest into the arcane topics of existence, beauty and origins, using the art as a starting point.
Unlike other biennales, it is clear that our curators have strived to make this accessible to everyone. But the exhibits are no less deep. With full commitment to the nature of the challenge, outwardly unpretentious exhibits are juxtaposed with their possibilities for deeper interpretations and complex discourses.
Some pieces are strikingly apt, like Terrible Landscapes by Lena Cobangbang. She presents a series of photographs depicting disaster scenes we see in the news on a regular basis. What is refreshing is that all the materials employed in the recreation of the scenes were solely from her refrigerator. In doing so, she has offered two points for us to ponder over. First, the fact that real art is never snooty and exclusive. It neither necessitates fancy materials in its creation, nor bears down on its appreciators with self-absorbed concepts. Second, the approach she has taken in the recreation of disaster scenes facilitates the reopening of such issues in our deliberations. With a different presentation, she has caught us at a weak spot where apathy and desensitization let their guards down.
In the same vein, Address by the Aquilizans challenges us to redefine our understanding of the term 'address' in the context of home and relative permanence. Again constructed of unassuming materials, Address makes use of hand-me-downs donated by the Filipino community as 'bricks' for a 'room' within a room. Dolls, cassettes, clothes, books; everyday items that were rendered invaluable by the infinite memories contained within. Its initially puzzling title pushes viewers to rethink their ideas about home addresses and its permanence. The latter especially in the face of the knowledge that this so-called 'home' has been designed to weather several demolitions and reconstructions biennale after biennale. It pushes us to think about what really is home to us and how temporary it actually is, particularly in an era where expatriatism is a norm.
Xteriors I, II, IV, VIII remains my favourite exhibit in this Biennale. A series of photographic portraits so impressively taken to resemble oil paintings, Xteriors presents a remake of renaissance art with a tinge of rebellious irony. Desiree Dolron's deliberate use of pan-Asian female subjects with androgynous features instills that sense of wonder that comes with ambiguity. The apparent conservativeness that shrouds the theme is palpable at first glance, with overt clues like the high collars, sombre colours and austere style. Linger on, and the subtle piercings and sheer fabric will be brought to attention. Suddenly, in light of the multiple ear, navel and lip piercings, the ethereal and haunting mood takes on a new edge.
To the untrained eye, Singapore Biennale will be a wonder not only because it showcases visually accessible aesthetics, but also because in its strive for frankness rather than the abstract, it leaves room for more unrestrained internalization of the art.
With that humble word, we are presented with a profound challenge. And that is indeed the intention of the organizers, calling upon us to explore and question beyond the obvious and the perceived. To embark on an inquest into the arcane topics of existence, beauty and origins, using the art as a starting point.
Unlike other biennales, it is clear that our curators have strived to make this accessible to everyone. But the exhibits are no less deep. With full commitment to the nature of the challenge, outwardly unpretentious exhibits are juxtaposed with their possibilities for deeper interpretations and complex discourses.
Some pieces are strikingly apt, like Terrible Landscapes by Lena Cobangbang. She presents a series of photographs depicting disaster scenes we see in the news on a regular basis. What is refreshing is that all the materials employed in the recreation of the scenes were solely from her refrigerator. In doing so, she has offered two points for us to ponder over. First, the fact that real art is never snooty and exclusive. It neither necessitates fancy materials in its creation, nor bears down on its appreciators with self-absorbed concepts. Second, the approach she has taken in the recreation of disaster scenes facilitates the reopening of such issues in our deliberations. With a different presentation, she has caught us at a weak spot where apathy and desensitization let their guards down.
In the same vein, Address by the Aquilizans challenges us to redefine our understanding of the term 'address' in the context of home and relative permanence. Again constructed of unassuming materials, Address makes use of hand-me-downs donated by the Filipino community as 'bricks' for a 'room' within a room. Dolls, cassettes, clothes, books; everyday items that were rendered invaluable by the infinite memories contained within. Its initially puzzling title pushes viewers to rethink their ideas about home addresses and its permanence. The latter especially in the face of the knowledge that this so-called 'home' has been designed to weather several demolitions and reconstructions biennale after biennale. It pushes us to think about what really is home to us and how temporary it actually is, particularly in an era where expatriatism is a norm.
Xteriors I, II, IV, VIII remains my favourite exhibit in this Biennale. A series of photographic portraits so impressively taken to resemble oil paintings, Xteriors presents a remake of renaissance art with a tinge of rebellious irony. Desiree Dolron's deliberate use of pan-Asian female subjects with androgynous features instills that sense of wonder that comes with ambiguity. The apparent conservativeness that shrouds the theme is palpable at first glance, with overt clues like the high collars, sombre colours and austere style. Linger on, and the subtle piercings and sheer fabric will be brought to attention. Suddenly, in light of the multiple ear, navel and lip piercings, the ethereal and haunting mood takes on a new edge.
To the untrained eye, Singapore Biennale will be a wonder not only because it showcases visually accessible aesthetics, but also because in its strive for frankness rather than the abstract, it leaves room for more unrestrained internalization of the art.
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