2007's acts of kindness and courage

From One Laptop Per Child project which was featured in TED to a would-be mom who trained up until her 9th month of pregnancy, these stories are inspiring and heartwarming. They tell us that with determination, we can achieve anything we set our mind to; with courage, we can overcome everything that comes in our path. From education, child soldier, global warming, to the decrease of infant death rate; they show us the world is still capable of doing a lot of good. The message is clear: the world always needs saving, as long as we're alive. My only wish is, if only this wasn't too Western-centric...It would be great to show stories from heroes around the world as well.

Check out the stories here.

Service that blows your mind

I once stayed in a hotel / resort in Ubud region of Bali. It was by far the most amazing service I've ever had in a long time. I'm waxing lyrical of this resort for a real good reason, I'll tell you why:

- The moment you arrived, the staff came out and greeted you with the trademark Balinese smile and the hands in front of chest gesture (namaste). First impression does count.
- It helped that the reception area is open-air. The lobby is adorned with nice soft sofa coach and a simple wooden desk for the receptionist. No grand entrance or impressive chandelier (nothing against these - it's just different)
- The staff sat you down, served you a nice cool glass of juice and walked you through every single thing you should know about your stay. Probably it's their protocol to tell the guests about their facilities and all. They're ready to answer every single question that you may have or address whatever needs that may arise.
The manager himself came out and talked to you.
- If you asked for it, they will give you the villa with the best view (it's really amazing) overlooking the Oos River. Directly across the river from the villa you can see the beautiful paddy fields which images you often find in guide books.
- Staff that is available any time of the day to cater to your needs. They're just a simple phone call away. Actually I found a roach in the bathroom but I guess with a place built among trees and plants, it's inevitable these smart creatures will find their way in sometimes. The service attendant came immediately armed with broom and dustpan and smiled apologetically as he left.

This is more on the resort facilities itself:
- Serene and tranquil villa - with CD player, magazines, private veranda, private pool, open concept bathroom the size of two bedrooms in my house, with huge stone marble bathtub. Magnificent.
- Wonderful selection of Indonesian and Balinese cakes for tea time. Aaah~ The manager and the owner came by to ask us how we're enjoying the stay so far. Quite attentive.
- A library of books and CDs that you can borrow during the course of your stay.

I suppose their planning is meticulous down to details of room arrangement, selection of breakfast and cakes, and most importantly, great staff training. Suppose all the hotels in the world can match this, it would be ideal.

I highly recommend staying in Komaneka Tanggayuda in Ubud the next time you go on vacation to Bali.

Eternal Summer 盛夏光年

This is a story of eternal love, youthful turmoil, friendship, and a process of growth. It transports you back to your high school days, brings back all those sweet memories of youthful exuberance (okay, I'm speaking like a 80-year-old granny), when you can throw every caution to the wind and get away with anything. Did I mention, it was a story of gay love?

Jonathan (Bryant Chang) was a class monitor; circumstances led him to be beckoned by the teacher to be friends with troublemaker Shane (Joseph Chang) . Ten years later, Shane grew up to be a handsome young basketball player, and Jonathan into the best friend who watch his plays quietly from the side of the court but unbeknownst to Shane, who is secretly in love with him too.

Everything changed with the arrival of Carrie (Kate Yeung), the Taiwan-born Hong Kong transfer student. What follows is a tangled web of events that built up to the climatic mid point, and ended with a "???". I'm giving too much away.

The actors gave a solid performance as an ensemble, but retained an individuality on each of their character that you can't help but care. Kate Yeung possesses such an unconventional beauty that gets you noticed the moment she walked into a scene. Bryant Chang was fragile and torn at the same time, conveying such emotional aggravation of one-sided love that the audience can feel in the pit of their stomach. He won the Best New Performer title at the Golden Horse Award last year for this role, and deservedly so. Joseph Chang is shaky at best in the beginning. He made it up to the audience into the second part of the movie with his performance as a torn young college undergraduate who has to choose between the affections of his girlfriend or his best friend.

This movie is so much better compared to another movie, Formula 17, of the same genre that came out around the same time. The end leaves a lot to be desired. Yet it was still well worth the ticket price to see the performances of these young stars. I can imagine myself seeing more of their future movies in the cinema. Taiwanese films are making waves yet again.