Star Trek - A MUST SEE!

I think I might need to seek counselling.

The new Star Trek movie has only been released for 6 days and I have already watched it three times.  Yep... THREE.  

Yes, it's that good. 

JJ Abrams has done an extremely commendable job in rebooting the Star Trek franchise for a new generation.  The movie is accessible to both fans and non-fans and there's plenty of action, humour and drama for everyone.  I'm impressed with how he had handled each character, giving them plenty of personality and presence. 

At the same time, despite the character-building, the action almost never stops.  Within the first 10minutes of the film, I could already feel my eyes tearing up and the sacrifice.  Even at the third viewing, it was still a touching moment, handled with much class.  My favourite dramatic scene has got to be the one where Captain Pike challenged the young and rash Kirk to join Starfleet.

The special effects for this movie are also pretty impressive.  From the massive battles to the remodelled USS Enterprise, almost every scene filled me with a sense of wonder and awe.  My favourite effects scene is probably that of the Enterprise rising up from the rings of Saturn.  

Of course, to the true trekkie, there are plenty of plot holes to pick on.  But I think the beauty of this movie is that when you are watching it, you get so caught up with the story and people that you don't really think or care too much about the few inconsistencies.  Yep, it's that good.

So if you haven't caught this movie, please do yourself a favour and go watch it.  I strongly recommend Grand Cathay cinema for this coz of the THX sound system and Digital projection.  I've caught it at three different cinemas (Grand Cathay, GV Max and Iluma Bugis) and trust me when I say Grand Cathay offers the best experience for this movie.  :)

Now... when will be going for my FOURTH screening.... 

  

The original USS Enterprise... over 40 year old!

The new USS Enterprise... all iMac-fied!

It's been three weeks since I started doing part-time teaching again.  I have to admit that I am enjoying this simple pleasure of just teaching and not being bothered by other duties which normal teachers have to do.  Everyday, I just go to school to teach, spend my free periods marking and preparing worksheets, thinking how best to revise topics or get the students to understand something and then go home and do my personal stuff.  It really brings me back to the days when I first started teaching many many many moons ago.  The students aren't angels but since when are students angels in any school?  I admit I do get frustrated at times, especially when I find that I'm not able to get them to understand what I am trying to explain.  But the challenge for me right now is to push beyond that frustration and try to find some way or better method to get the message through.  I think in some way, that's what teaching is all about. 

Of course, I know I am working in an unreal situation right now.  The moment I decide to take on teaching full-time, I will be swamped by admin work, cca work, department duties, school duties, meetings and who can forget... reports, reports, reports.  Isn't that quite an irony?  I enjoy teaching enough to want to teach full-time, but if I teach full-time, I end up getting my joy in teaching drowned in a sea of non-teaching duties?  

Anyhow, that's what I'm contemplating right now.  I'm currently on MOE's flexi-adjunct scheme, which basically means I get paid for every hour I work.  No work, no money.  It's as simple as that.  If I convert to other schemes, the pay is probably a little better but I wonder at what expense?  That's something I have to grapple with as I decide what I intend to do for the next few years.

Two other things have caught my attention in the past two weeks.  First is the whole AWARE saga.  Simply put, politics in Singapore is quite boring.  Nothing like politics in US and UK.  So this little political drama being played out in AWARE is quite exciting.  I'm not going to bother talking about what my stand is.  I just think the whole saga is kinda fun.   The other is of course the threat of a Swine Flu outbreak.  Talk about a double whammy.   We had the economic crisis... and now, we have a health crisis.  Wonder what could be next.  On a larger scale, it's scary to think what an full blown outbreak could result in.  On a personal... more selfish scale... an outbreak would probably mean the schools which I am supposed to bring to Japan in June will probably cancel their trips. :(  

One bright spark though... next week, the new Star Trek movie opens!  I am quite a fan... I've already bought a new Star Trek T-shirt to wear to the movie... :P