conjunctivitis and loneliness

I should have posted this blog like a month ago. So 3 weeks ago, I was suffering from conjunctivitis. Not a bit deal, I just took 3 days off from work and since I was all alone at home, it felt a bit lonely. Actually it's not really a big deal. I just feel that at the end of 2012, at least I could say that I was suffering from something memorable other than some cold. So there you go, I had conjunctivitis.

In case you're wondering what conjunctivitis is. It's an eye infection. Mostly caused by virus, but in some cases, it could be bacterial. It wasn't really anything that one should worry, too much anyway. The symptoms of the disease are usually: 

1. Your eyes are red, it could be one eye or just both
2. There will be extremely dark circles around your eyes. It probably looks like the after-effect of one-week crying. Not that I had the experience, but I assume.
3. Sometimes itchy.
4. There will be excessive amount of eye crust, especially in the morning. Not pretty.

Anyway, usually it took 4 to 5 days for the disease to be completely gone. But unfortunately in my case, it stayed a bit too long due to my lack of knowledge of the disease. Here are a few tips from one survivor, me!

1. Don't panic! I know it sounds like a stupid suggestion, but really, don't panic. There are doctors, eye-specialist doctors that you can go to. I've waited for 4 days before visiting one. I'm a dumb-dumb.
2. Never put a wet warm cloth on your eyes although it might feel like you're getting better, but actually you're not. The wet cloth actually is actually like a bar for germs. So just don't.
3. Wash your hands every time you apply your medicine to your eyes or for no reason touching your eyes. This is what I call compassion, so other won't be infected. Be responsible.
4. Avoid sharing anything. Even if you're not sick, unless it's some B-movies DVDs, you shouldn't share anything with anyone .. Just saying.

they found love in a hopeless place

DE ROUILLE ET D'OS (RUST AND BONE)

Director: Jacques Audiard

Stars: Matthias Schoenaerts, Marion Cotillard

Year released: 2012

Rust and Bone tells a tale of a struggling single father who somehow involves with an killer-whale trainer who lost her both legs. Ali left Belgium with his son, Sam. Being broke, Ali had to collect leftovers for their supper. Arrived in France, they stayed with Ali's sister as he started his job as a bouncer in a club where he met Stéphanie, a killer-whale trainer, who seemed to be unhappy with her life. I might be a bit subjective, but in case you didn't know what a good actress Cotillard is. She could make her character look depressed without even trying too hard.

Somehow, they found comfort in each other. Unlike many love stories, this one squeeze out the romantic aspect and left it completely raw and bare. The relationship between Ali and Stéphanie grew after she had an accident that caused her both legs amputated. From a club bouncer, a mall security to boxing, Ali tried to make living. To all his illegal boxing matches, Stéphanie was never absent. Until she finally became his manager with all her disability.

Their relationship was going on a very rocky road as she dealt with her disability and he dealt with his own issues. After an accident that almost killed his son, Sam, everything started to fall into places. We all know it's love when Ali whispered through his phone to Stéphanie, "Je t'aime". I guess at that time I was jumping up and down and happy that they finally made it.

First time, I watched the trailer, I thought the movie will mostly talk about Cotillard's character, Stéphanie and how she dealt with her difficulties, but it was a love story between two people, whose world were falling apart and about finding that someone who you can be comfortable with.

Although I might not be the expert when it comes to films, I confidently say that this might be Cotillard's best performance since La vie en rose, which she won an Oscar for the best actress. As someone who struggles to go on living after a life-altered tragedy, Cotillard didn't have to go over the top, at times, simply one look can make you feel her pain. Do you know that Cotillard is so good at her craft, that Christopher Nolan agreed to postpone filming The Dark Knight Rises so the actress could actually join the cast?

With Cotillard as his co-star, Matthias Schoenaerts was not out-shined. Schoenaerts' performance is raw and very convincing. I believe they have successfully created a new kind of love story, the kind that was vulnerable, real and yet most-easy to believe.

De rouille et d'os has been released as DVD in Europe since last month and that's how I got so lucky to actually watch the movie. However, if you're really into this kind of movie, wait for the Europe on Screen Film Festival, this movie will be one of the selections.

what's the x that made the x factor uk awesome?

I have a confession to make: I found a new guilty pleasure in the ninth season of The X Factor UK. There have been so many TV Talent Show, that at some point, we (read: me) got really sick of it. I cannot even name American Idol winners after Kris Allen. Wait, Kris Allen did win, didn't he? HAHA.

The video I shared above is about one of the contestants, Ella Henderson. She's only 16 and it's the later stage of the competition. She performs Cher's club anthem, Believe completely in a different way. I love how everyone changed their mind from implicitly disbelief of her song choice to be in awe of her performance.

I agree with Gary Barlow that all this time, we never really take this song seriously, until now. I believe Gary Barlow's comment how all the sudden the lyrics meant something is kind of true and it's really nice to see Nicole Scherzinger breaks down in tears.

Also in my wildest imagination, I picture Cher bitch-slaps Gary Barlow for calling her song annoying. 

Here are the x factors why I like the X Factor UK, well, at least for now:

1. Like many talent shows on TV, The X Factor UK has given a starter point for many of today's well-known artists. Leona Lewis was the winner in the third season, One Direction was one of the finalists in 2012 (Oh, I bet you're humming What Makes You Beautiful right now)
2. I am always questioning how real a reality show is. The X Factor US, for me is obviously staged. Yes, there are moments that I enjoyed, but The X Factor UK is definitely more raw. Ella Henderson's performance is just one of the memorable performances.
3. The contestants, especially for this year. In my opinion, Ella Henderson is just one of this year's best contestants. I love Kye Sones - whom sang Bonnie Raitt's I Can't Make You Love Me in one of the episodes and my heart was breaking. The other contestant worth mentioned is Lucy Spraggan, who is so amazing that they actually released her original song before the contest ends

Also very unfortunate that we still cannot watch The X Factor UK on TV, but the good thing is we always have youtube.

love is short, forgetting is so long

So I watched this terrible movie about a man who was caught between past memories of his first love and his current life. The movie was not worth mention, however I was intrigued that in the opening credit of the movie, there was a quote from one of my favorite poets, Pablo Neruda.

So this is his poem. I tried to upload a video, but it doesn't seem to work. Sorry about that.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

Write for example, 'The night is shattered

and the blue stars shiver in the distance.'

The night wind revolves in the sky and sings.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.

Through nights like this one I held her in my arms.

I kissed her again and again under the endless sky.

She loved me, sometimes I loved her too.

How could one not have loved her great still eyes.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.

To think that I do not have her. To feel that I have lost her.

To hear immense night, still more immense without her.

And the verse falls to the soul like dew to a pasture.

What does it matter that my love could not keep her.

The night is shattered and she is not with me.

This is all. In the distance someone is singing. 
In the distance.

My soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.

My sight searches for her as though to go to her.

My heart looks for her, and she is not with me.

The same night whitening the same trees.

We, of that time, are no longer the same.

I no longer love her, that's certain, but how I loved her.

My voice tried to find the wind to touch her hearing.

Another's. She will be another's. Like my kisses before.

Her voice. Her bright body. Her infinite eyes.

I no longer love her, that's certain, but maybe I love her.

Love is short, forgetting is so long.

Because through nights like this one I held her in my arms

my soul is not satisfied that it has lost her.

Though this be the last pain that she makes me suffer

and these the last verses that I write for her.