Me: Mum I’m going to run 21km this Sunday.

Mum: Whoa.. Don’t push yourself too hard! If you feel any pain, stop immediately!

Me: Relax.. I’ve had progressive trainings for the past few weeks already. It’s not like I’m running 21km all of a sudden.

Mum: Yea yea.. But look at how many people died taking part all these marathons nowadays. Don’t run if you can’t take it, okay?

Me: Okay I will listen to my body.

Mum: If you feel giddy.. don’t force yourself okay?

Me: Okay.

Mum: If you.. .. . .

(It’s funny how the first responses I got from her were not something like “Do your best! Gambatte!”)

(Well imagine how happy some students would be if the same mindset was applied to studies..

Mum: Son, you don’t have to do too well for exams okay? If you feel too stressed, stop studying and play some games.

Son: But!

Mum: No ‘buts’. Can’t you see how many students committed suicide or ended up with depression when they got too stressed for trying to be perfect? )

***

Recently I visited a Topman store in town to look for a free copy of Catalog magazine.

After searching everywhere (behind the counters, the floor, etc), I couldn’t find it.

Just as I was about to leave and try somewhere else, someone approached me.

Topman Salesgirl: May I help you?

(I didn’t want to show that I was a cheapskate who entered the shop just to grab a freebie)

Me: Oh I’m fine, just looking for stuff.

Topman Salesgirl: I’m the staff.

***

Movie Reviews!

District 9

This movie is super SICK. But at the same time, it oozes lots of human emotions, originality and science fiction goodness.

Shot in documentary style, this social commentary is a wildly entertaining. What sets this movie apart from many other alien movies is that they don’t portray aliens as one-dimensional ugly creatures who only know how to kill and conquer planets. Instead, what we have here are peace loving beings who are unfortunately captured as refugees by the fearful but selfish humans.

It sets you thinking about love, morals and life. And if you can’t be bothered to think, just sit back and soak your eyes with the mind-blasting visuals and action. If you are only going to watch two movies this month, this is one of it.

9 /10

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Up

Already watched this movie twice (in both 3D and non-3D formats), I totally love this movie! To call it ‘amazing’ is an understatement.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and then you’ll laugh and cry at the same time. Up is an emotional simple story that is all about adventure, love and passion in life. Must watch!

9.5 / 10

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G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

This is standard Hollywood action flick. Slow-motion, check. Hot chicks, check. Explosions, check. Out-of-this-world gadgets, check. Throw in some humour, military extras, and a bit of a story, what is served on the big screen is another summer blockbuster that reminds you of Transformers, only slightly better.

6.5 / 10

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Overheard

Information is king. This movie shows how the possession of it can potentially turn into a matter of life and death, friendship and hatred, rich and poor.

A well-crafted story unfolds quickly, keeps you highly engaged and guessing  the outcome, this is one movie that you never expect the ending to be predictable. Highly recommended.

9 / 10

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Each movie just gets darker and darker. The latest instalment currently deals with more teenage romance and life-threatening events.

Despite the unimpressive climax, I would say I enjoyed the movie thanks to the humour and decent plot.

However, the magical feeling (which I had when I watched the first 3 movies) is no longer present, now it just looks like another teenage fantasy movie.

Oh by the way, Dumbledore’s look just kept reminding me of Gandulf. Haha.

7 / 10

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Public Enemies

If you are looking for a super action-packed experience, this gangster flick is not it. Even with charismatic performances by Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, one can’t help but feel that this movie seems to be lacking something after the credits roll up.

Contains some realistic high definition gun fighting, bank robberies, fleeing and prison escapes, it’s a pretty enjoyable ride.

7 / 10