I suppose the question people have been asking is this: Why in god’s name did Zizou do that?

Granted that he could have been provoked into it by Materazzi – he, after all, never had a very sterling, squeeky clean attitude on the grass. So it would have been hardly surprising if he indeed deserved that very painful headbutt to the chest.

Then again, there is Zizou, a French national hero, about to retire. He should have known better than to end a career in this fashion, we say. Some see him as the one who is rarely given to sudden bursts of violence on the playing field but others would disagree. “Zizou has a history of violent reactions.” “He has a temper.”

People start to find fault without looking at the heart of the matter.

Continue reading →

So here they are again after eight years. In the Finals against the Azzuris – L’Italie – after beating Portugal with a goal.

This should be an exciting game. As usual, I’m not holding my breath; I think it makes the results a little less devastating or sweeter if either were to win.

Hm.

Now the next big question is this: Should I stay up to watch the finals?

OHMIGOD.

I was rooting for the underdogs with the awful thought that they might lose to the Samba kings BUT I was pleasantly surprised this morning.

O_O

Talk about shocking.

(This World Cup has definitely been surprising, to say the least. On one hand, England has been knocked out by the Portugese and Germany has gone on to the semis.)

Lets see how Le Bleus will do – they weren’t really hoping to get this far but if they can make it to the finals, it’ll be 1998 all over again but this time with a different twist to things.

…for once in my life, at least before the show ends or I die (whichever comes first), I would like to witness the magic of…

• The Phantom of the Opera (New York or London)
• Les Miserables (UK tour)
• Miss Saigon (UK tour)

I have always been a fan of musicals and especially these three. In my younger days, I remember lying down on a leather couch just listening to Christine Daaé and Raoul de Chagny singing to each other in All I Ask Of You, Kim’s sweet voice in I’d Give My Life for You and who can forget the revolutionary Do You Hear The People Sing? There is just something about the music and lyrics that draws me.

(Heck, I even cried like a mad cow at the end of Miss Saigon [it's tragic, OH-kay!] – and this is just by listening.)

My brother knows my love for musicals. He, after all, was submitted to endless afternoons and nights of MS, Les Mis and Phantom blaring in the air while I read/write/sleep. He gave me the next best thing – VCDs of special “Royal” performances with songs from these three musicals. I still have them and ocassionally, when I want to relive the magic, I flip them on.

But you know what? Nothing beats the thrill of really being there. Just once, I’d like…really like… to go to where it all begin – in the UK – and see it for myself.

Just once.

Once again, thanks to the Embassade de France en Malaisie, GSC and Alliance Francaise (and of course, the M’sian govy), the French Film Festival is here again!!!

Running from June 1-11 in KL and June 15-21 in Penang, it showcases a myriad of thematic films ranging from drama to documentary. Most of you would have heard of The Emperor’s Journey (La Marche de L’Empereur) – that will be screened at either GSC 1-Utama or Mid-Valley depending on the schedule. Have a gander at GSC’s website for the list of movies and showtimes.

As always, we do a movie marathon during the Film Festival. Last year, five movies were on the list but this time, since I had other domestic obligations, we cut it short to just three – Le Conveyeur, Joyeux Noel and Vipere au Poing. All there were simply amazing; the feel was radically different. I reckoned it was one of the best choices I made in regards to this year’s Film Festival.

Continue reading →

Salut (insert names),
 
Merci pour ton email et desolée for not replying earlier. J’ai eu beacoup de travaille dans deux ou trois semaine dernier après mes vacances. C’est tres fou à mon bureau! (There was restructuring and I changed places – my workstation/table – again – this is the fourth time in eight months!)
 
Samedi dernier, j’ai aidé mon frère à déménager; sa nouvelle maison est plus près chez moi. La maison est grande mais un peu sale parce qué il y avait beaucoup de rénovation. (He installed solar panels for hot water, awnings for a porch and airconditioning – all in one day!) J’étais chez lui toute la journée. Dimanche, je suis restée à la maison et j’ai regardé la télé. Il ne s’est rien pas.
 
Lundi, parce qué c’est jour férié (il y avais le jour de travaille), je n’ai pas travaillé. YAY! Je suis toujours contente quand je n’ai pas travaillé! ^.^
 
C’était un weekend calme!
 
Apart from that, my French classes have been good. It is getting harder – am now learning imparfait together with passe composé and a few other things. But enjoying it a lot! There is also knitting and watching some French films – Trois Couleurs: Rouge/Bleu/Blanc.
 
Life is good and quiet, and I’m hardly complaining!
 
How are things?
 
Bises,
Mei.

If all goes well, he’ll be leaving in a few months’ time. Had no idea what possessed me to do this: pick up the mic and record this Elvis Presley’s song, Love Me Tender. I thought it was the perfect song. Never mind the echo-ey feel in it…or how the tune repeats itself over and over again. It means SOMETHING.

Warning: I’m an amateur and hence, I sing like one. Don’t expect anything close to what you see in a certain reality TV show.

Seriously.

Whoever said it is easy obviously has no idea what he/she is talking about. Let me show you what I’ve been learning since Day One until today, from Level One to now (Level Five).

Note: If there are mistakes, please don’t mind me. I’ve had a very tiring day. T.T

Level 1 (present tenses, possesive nouns, imperative verbs, indefinite articles)

Lundi, je vais à Paris avec mon ami Frédéric. Nous prenons le train. Mardi, à Paris, nous allons à l’aéroport. Frédéric va à New York et il prend l’avion du matin. Moi, je prends l’avion à midi. Je vais à Londres.

Level 2 (indetermined quantities, pronouns, expressions of quantity, past tense)

Au petit déjeuner, il boit du chocolate, du lait ou du café sucré. Il mange des oeufs, du pain avec du beurre et dela confiture. À midi, il va au restaurant : il prend de la viande avec des frites, du fromage et des fruits, de l’ananas avec de la crème. Il boit du vin.

Le soir, il dîne chez lui : il mange de la charcuterie, du fromage et des gâteaux. Il boit de la bière.

Level 3 (demostrative adjectives, adjectives, past tenses involving movement)

Le jeune femme est arrivée à la gare de Toulouse à 18 h. Elle est descendue du train, elle est allée dans un café et elle a téléphoné. À 18 h 18, un homme est arrivé dans une voiture rouge. L’homme est descendu de la voiture. La femme est sortie du café. Et ils partis.

Level 4 (comparisions, prepositions for countries [yes, they are different], pronouns – Complément Direct (COD) and Complément Indirect (COI), future tenses)

Sample 1 : Madame, vous pouvez regarder. Est-ce que quelque chose vous plaît ? Cette robe ? Vous pouvez l’essayer, les cabines sont derrière vous.

Sample 2 : Rien, n’est facile ! Je suis amoureux de Corinne. Je lui écris tous les jours, je lui téléphone, mas je l’intéresse pas. Qu’est-ce que je dois faire ?

NOW… (so far, simple future tenses, complex negative, and imperfect tenses)

Quand j’etais enfant, je détestais l’école. Je préférais faire du vélo dans la campagne. Je devais avoir 10 ans quand j’ai recontré Jacques. Il etait grand, il avait les yeux bleus et il portait toujours un blouson noir. Jacques aimait l’école. It répétait toujours : « Pour comprendre la vie, il faut étudier.» Un jour, il me a donné un livre : c’etait un roman de Jules Verne.

…

Today’s lesson was mind-boggling: when to use past tense and imperfect tenses. Unlike English where there are a bit of “simple” clues as to the use of imperfect tenses, in French, it involves a bit more thinking. Gah.

I think I need Nil to re-explain a few things about these two tenses before I go crazy.

Wait. I *am* already nuts. Heh.

8-}