Mood: Sleepy (as per usual)
Currently listening to: One Flight Down - Norah Jones

Lazy day for the most part - for the life of me i just could not get anything done for the greater part of it, so the less said the better. That and there's not much to say really...

Oh, and I’m going to be changing the layout of this blog soon. Its way too bland methinks…

Did manage to install a new CD-ROM (old one got damaged - don't ask) so that i can finally play all those mp3s i had back in Melbourne! :)

Now all i need is an iPod... ;p

Watched A Man For All Seasons at the Actor's Studio with my mother this evening. Also got to meet up with Gaia, who works there, so that was nice. Here's the synopsis for the play for those of you who are curious enough (and who didn't watch the Oscar winning '66 movie):

Based on actual events during one of the most contentious times in British history

The story of A Man For All Seasons takes place during the early reign of King Henry VIII. His first wife, Catherine was unable to bear him a son. His desire to divorce his wife and marry Anne Boleyn created a dangerous quagmire of intrigue and politics, pitting royal loyalty against religious belief.

And in the middle of this murky pool of lies, deceit and manipulation is Sir Thomas More, who chooses quiet conviction at the potential expense of his family … and his life.

Pretty well done with the two lead actors - that of Moore by Ari Ratos and Cromwell by Zahim Albakri – giving quite a thrilling performance while the rest of the cast, while adequate (some more so than others), were a bit of a let down. Aside from that it really was an interesting play that never ceases to rouse my interest in the steadfast morality and dedication to God of Moore in the face of everything from outright character assassination, his career, jail, his own family and even death. Other interesting facets that were explored were the politics and general corruption of people in direct contrast to More as well as the question of man’s laws with their relation to God’s laws which begs an argument on the division of Church and State. Not going to go into any of it, but it is thought provoking to say the least which, I suppose, is the mark of a play done well. Might go into my thoughts on More’s views at a later date though - this site needs more personal thoughts (lies! All lies I tell you!).

Other than that, I managed to meet up with Zamil and his friend for mamak. Had some lively discussion on the show – which then led to a comparison with world issues as well as the mentality today with its parallels to More’s time and which somehow ended up as a discussion on the wonders of eBay and MMORPGs. Hmm… funny how these things happen. ;p

6 Things Today For Conversation's Sake:

Spain's New Government to Legalize Gay Marriage - "Spain will legalize homosexual marriages and grant equal rights to gay couples, incoming Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said Thursday.
The move is likely to stir controversy in one of Europe's most Catholic countries as the Vatican condemns same-sex unions and homosexuality was banned under Spanish dictator Francisco Franco. Spain's Catholic bishops have already spoken out strongly against the adoption of children by homosexual couples."

Apartments Going Up, to an Average of $1 Million - "The average sales price for an apartment in most of Manhattan rose to $998,905 in the first three months of 2004, surpassing the previous record of $919,959, set in the third quarter of last year. At a time when economists and homebuyers have been wondering whether a housing bubble is on the verge of popping, the average sales price climbed to a record high, according to the Douglas Elliman Manhattan Market Overview, one of the most comprehensive surveys of the real estate market below 96th Street on the East Side and below 112th Street on the West Side."

Thomson's smut-filtering DVD player - "REUTERS REPORTS that controversial retail behemoth Wal-Mart is selling "the world's first DVD player" which can filter "potentially offensive movie content". This DVD player, manufactured by Thomson Inc and sold under the RCA brand sells for around $79 dollars and includes "sophisticated" filtering technology by ClearPlay."

Nude Photography: The Final Frontier For William Shatner - "William Shatner is boldly going into a new field -- nude photography. The "Star Trek" star recently went behind the camera to handle a photo shoot for Playboy.com of Deanna Brooks, Miss May 1998 and found the challenge gratifying." Thank God Shatner's not the one going nude... :p

Korean politician in poll fast after insulting elderly - "A South Korean political leader who caused outrage by suggesting that old people should not vote in today's election because they would soon be dead was staging a fast of repentance yesterday. In the worst gaffe of a campaign strewn with blunders, Chung Dong-young, chairman of the pro-government Uri Party, said older voters should "stay at home and rest" on election day. "When we think a step further, they do not need to decide the future, because they will disappear in the future," he told an astonished press conference."

Electroshock Therapy Makes a Comeback - "More patients are turning to electroshock therapy again for the treatment of depression (search) and other mental illnesses when medications and traditional psychotherapy have failed them. With the advent of drugs like Prozac, electroconvulsive therapy (search), or ECT, saw a decline beginning in the 1960s. But thanks to advances that have made it more humane and less risky, the treatment has made a significant comeback in recent years."