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Taipei 🇹🇼 | in film

, by Brigid

Fine

I've always been fascinated by words with dual meanings so for my ESL408 definition essay, I chose the word "Fine".

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When you hear the phrase, “Singapore is a Fine city”, your mind automatically jumps to define Singapore as a city that charges you for money over offensive acts and you aren’t wrong to think this way because according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary (2017), the noun, “Fine”, means “a sum of money exacted as a penalty by a court of law or other authority.” Singapore may be a minute nation in comparison to other countries however, we have countless laws set in place to maintain order in our little red dot. Just to name a few, you could get up to a $1000 fine for littering on the streets, $200 fine for parking offences, and fines for spitting in public and for jaywalking. There are also some offences that are seen as trivial or outrageous to foreigners, such that it has resulted in them ridiculing our country. For instance, you could receive a fine or be imprisoned for up to 3 months for singing songs that contain obscenities. You could also be fined up to $150 for leaving a public toilet unflushed after using it. Even in your own home, the place that is supposed to be your personal property, you could be fined $2000 or jailed for up to 3 months for walking around nude without drawing your curtains, as it is deemed to be an act of public nuisance. One of the more incredulous “crimes” involve chewing gum. Chewing gum is a type of sweet that can be bought easily in other countries. However, in Singapore, selling gum can warrant you a fine of up to $100, 000, or imprisonment of up to two years, such that people don’t dare even eat it in public. In secondary school, when people were seen eating chewing gum, their friends would immediately chide them, saying, “Orh hor, you eat chewing gum! Later police catch you!!”

All these laws and fines for the simplest of issues have led us to lead such cautious lives and become law-abiding citizens. This behaviour has been instilled in us for as long as we can remember, such that even though these foreigners laugh at us for having petty laws and constantly ridicule us for “being under the rule of a dictatorship”, they still agree that it is one of the safest countries in the world. However, because of all these laws, our mind does not jump to the adjective meaning of fine, which is, “of very high quality; very good of its kind, worthy of or eliciting admiration.” Despite all these tights rules set in place though, Singapore is a beautiful country. It’s clean, safe, and we have managed to become a first-class nation in a span of less than 50 years. When you stand at the Esplanade Bridge and look around, especially at night, you can’t help but marvel in awe at the grandiose skyscrapers of our city skyline, bathed in the light emitting from the buildings in the central business district and shopping malls, and the stars. We also have so many highly acclaimed tourist attractions such as Gardens by the Bay, Sentosa Island, and Orchard Road. According to the Straits Times, Singapore recorded the highest number of visitors in 2016, at a whopping figure of 16.4 million, despite several economic problems, terrorist threats and the Zika virus outbreak. The fact that numerous tourists choose Singapore as their Number 1 destination makes Singapore a fine city indeed. Singapore is also a land of opportunity and it is seen with the amount of migrant workers who come to Singapore to work and make a living for themselves and their family. Why did they choose to come to Singapore, and not any other countries?

The last definition of Fine, however, does not entirely have to do with Singapore, but we do use it. It is to do with our mental state of wellbeing. The last definition of Fine this essay will touch on is the adjective, meaning, “good, acceptable, or satisfactory, used in an ironic way to refer to things that are not good or acceptable.” Many times too often, when people ask us how we are feeling, or if we’re feeling good, we tend to respond with a simple, “Nah, I’m fine.” It is probably a white lie we tell everyday about the true status of our mental state. Even when we aren’t feeling all too well, we still give that response, either because we do not feel we are close friends enough to the asker to self-disclose our true thoughts and feelings that are eating away at us, or we simply just do not want to worry that individual with problems that are really affecting us. Also, sometimes when we’re arguing with somebody and feeling annoyed with them but we don’t feel like continuing with the argument, we reply with an, “Yeah, ok fine.” It can also loosely imply us ironically saying that everything is ok, when in actual fact it is not and that the argument is still not concluded, but we do not want to waste our breath on the other party.

The examples above show how many different meanings there are of Fine and also how some original meanings have changed over a period of time and in different contexts. Who knows? Maybe in a century or so, Fine would have a completely different meaning than what it is currently.

References:

Merriam-webster.com. (2017). Definition of FINE. [online] Available at: https://merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fine [Accessed 31 Jul. 2017].

Singapore, 1. (2017). 16 odd things that are illegal in Singapore. [online] Business Insider. Available at: http://www.businessinsider.com/things-that-are-illegal-in-singapore-2015-7/?IR=T&r=SG [Accessed 31 Jul. 2017].

Channel NewsAsia. (2017). Singapore’s tourism numbers hit historic high in 2016. [online] Available at: http://www. Channelnewsasia.com/news/Singapore/Singapore-s-tourism-numbers-hit-historic-high-in-2016-7590730 [Accessed 31 Jul. 2017].

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, by Brigid

In school work, writing

The Passion Of Joan of Arc

Little piece I did for my COM 438 Nonverbal Communication Assignment #1. We were made to watch the Passion of Joan of Arc (in all its b&w glory), identify several nonverbal cues, and discuss if the director was successful in conveying his intended message.

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Overview

The Passion of Joan of Arc was filmed in 1928 and at that time, technology wasn’t as advanced as it is now, in the 21st century. However, the director, Carl Theodor Dreyer, managed to create a masterpiece with what little resources he had, as well as with his immense creativity. He created a black and white silent film (without any audible dialogue or musical score), but the audience are still able to follow the story easily. He made use of environment, namely shadows, light, and setting to create the mood, as well as the use of different camera angles to show us who the dominant character is, as well as vignette, so as to give the audience the illusion that they’re really there at the scene, watching the trial through a peephole. Even though there’s no audible dialogue, the audience are still able to roughly gauge what the actors are saying and feeling, through their facial expressions, oculesics, and body language. We are able to feel the pain of Joan of Arc and emphasize with her in her last few agonizing days on Earth. The use of non-verbal expressions and behaviour works in his favour as expressions that depict emotions are easily understood across all cultures, for example, when we see tears roll out of Joan’s eyes and her mouth drooping slightly, we know that she is filled with pain and sadness. When we see her eyes widen, we know she’s either filled with horror or shock.

Technique #1

At 19:21 of the video, the scene depicts Joan having a mental breakdown in her holding cell. There is a quick onset of her sadness when she first sinks into the bed. Tears roll down her eyes, her whole body shivers and mouth quivers, while the inner corners of her eyebrows are raised. We’re also aware of the psychological changes going on in her mind as she’s trying to pull herself together when she shuts her eyes, probably trying to control her tears, and her hand on her mouth looks like she’s trying to control her involuntary quivers. However, it does not really work well for her because her tears escalate and her nose is runny. She’s seen trying to recollect herself over and over but her anguish controls her. We are able to understand how she feels, and what she’s thinking, because the stages of grief and sadness is universal. It’s almost as if she’s resigned to her fate until she sees a shadow of the cross on the floor, probably created by the window of the cell. It’s likened to a symbol of hope for her and she manages to pull herself together and her tears manage to stop, and her mouth curls upwards into a smile.

There’s also the use of the Kuleshov Effect during this scene, when the scene changes from the cross, to her facial expression, to the cross, and back to her facial expression again. With the director using this method, we are able to better deduce her change in emotions, also because we have an in-built, biological understanding of how emotions work within a series of events, that Joan does not need to blatantly say she is happy and has found solace in seeing the cross on the floor. We are able to feel her peace. There’s also a 2 factor theory displayed here, whereby the stimulus is the shadow of the window (the cross), her bodily arousal is showed by her peaceful expression and smile, her cognitive interpretation is that there still is hope, and lastly, the emotion she feels is peace.

Technique #2

At 35:13, the director makes use of the environment and camera angles to create the mood in the torture chamber scene. Throughout majority of the scenes in the movie, thus far, and even after this seen, when Joan appears on screen, it’s always from a high camera angle, where we’re looking down on her. In a way, it’s to signify that everyone is talking down to her as she’s seen as a convict and liar in their eyes. However, in this particular scene, it starts off with him doing a full shot of the room, which looks rather large, cold, and bare (with the exception of the judges, spectators, and torture instruments), with a small door in the corner for entry and exit. The coldness, which is depicted by the plain coloured walls and bareness of the room, somehow instils in us a sense of foreboding that something bad is about to happen to Joan. Despite the room not being cluttered, there is still a sense of constrain, probably due to the fact that there is a degree of formality in the situation. When she first enters the doorway, she looks extremely small in comparison with the size of the room. She also almost looks out of place. It’s a rare shot where we see a full body shot of Joan, and it makes her look more vulnerable and alone than usual. She is also made to sit on a stool, which puts her on a lower pedestal compared to the other characters. This really almost shows that she’s likened to vermin, because of the fact that they want her lower to the ground. There’s also an aspect of dominance being displayed, whereby Joan has the lack thereof, due to her position, hence, this also makes it easier for the judges to torment and bully her with quick-fire questions and they almost succeed in making her sign the contract in the process.

Technique #3

At 41:26, we see an example dominance being displayed by one of the priests. Here, the director makes use of a low camera angle, so he’s seen as larger than usual. The fact that he’s standing on a higher step while the guard is standing on a lower step also attributes to this and tells us that he is of a higher authoritative status as compared to the guard. In other scenes, the same camera technique has been seen on him, and the way he portrays himself (with his chest puffed out and chin high) and speaks (quick and stern, with the intention of getting what he wants, as well as how he talks down to Joan) also further displays his dominance. There are also scenes whereby he sits on a high platform, and this somehow creates a distance between himself, the other spectators, and Joan, to show that his authority and that it is his territory, and has no intention whatsoever of getting close to her, or even a slight bit of compassion. He exudes mainly over-dominance and coldness, and the director has been successful in depicting this.

Also, the fact that he’s wearing the white vestment of a priest disproves the theory that “bad guys wear black”. He’s not even wearing black, hence, the hypothesis that he’s perceived as malevolent, or that he acts the way he does is because of the colour he wears is false. Also, Sheldon (1940’s) theory on body types where he states that endomorphs are perceived as heavier, slower, and calmer is false, as in previous scenes, he’s been seen as displaying hot-temperedness and anger. This proves that every theory is definitely falsifiable.

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, by Brigid

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, by Brigid

The Freedom To Love '17 🏳‍🌈🏳‍🌈🏳‍🌈

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, by Brigid

In school work, writing

Dinda

Here's a profiling essay I did for my ESL 408 module. I lowkey did it in a rush, so I apologise in advance!

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Amidst a row of old, weathering but identical shophouses along Jalan Jaksa in Central Jakarta, one shop stands out the most with its jarring bright neon red sign with Mandarin characters that loosely translate to “Aunty Wang’s Restaurant and Takeout”. In contrast with this loud restaurant that does not quite seem to fit in with the surroundings, is the owner Dinda, who simply does not stand out with her 5 feet tall stature. When you first lay your eyes on her, you would assume she is one of the staff as she is dressed identically to them. She is dressed in a black pantsuit with her hair neatly tied into a long sleek ponytail and she greets every customer with a bright smile and cheery “Ni hao” when they walk through the doors. She even helps her wait staff with the serving of food during the lunchtime rush hour and cooks in the kitchen with her chefs on occasion. Rain or shine, even through natural disasters, Dinda always keeps her restaurant open for business. She is always the first to arrive, and the last to leave. She’s never taken a sick day throughout the 5 years of restaurant operations and only takes leave when absolutely necessary. The last time she took emergency leave was because she had to bring her youngest daughter to the doctor when she caught the chicken pox. The reason why Dinda manages to work everyday without neglecting her 2 children and husband is because they stay at the 2nd storey of the shophouse, which makes it easier for her to pop in and out to see them or have a meal with them. “Aunty Wang’s is one of my children too. I can’t bear to be apart from it for too long,” she laughs.

It is lunchtime and the restaurant is packed. Aunty Wang’s Restaurant and Takeout is a result of three shophouse units that have been combined into one restaurant. Seven massive red chinese lanterns adorn the length of the shop. Upon entering the restaurant, two shoulder-height Chinese lions greet you at either side. The entire 1st storey of the shophouse is filled with dine-in customers, and there is a line of waiting customers snaking outside at the five-foot way. Aunty Wang’s, as it’s known to everyone, is rated as one of the top 5 restaurants to visit in Jakarta on TripAdvisor and it is highly recommended that you book a reservation to ensure yourself of seats.

Looking at Dinda’s constant upbeat and chirpy demeanor while chatting with her customers, one might think she has had a smooth sailing and uncomplicated life without any hurdles. However, that was not the case. Her mother had passed away at childbirth, and her father found the thought of being a single dad too daunting that he fell into a state of depression and alcoholism. He lost his job and respect of his family and friends. Reluctantly, his parents took Dinda under their wings. Despite not having any parents around, Dinda had a relatively mediocre childhood. She received a good education, all paid for by her grandparents, clothes to wear, a roof over her head and never went hungry. However, good times don’t last forever. Disaster struck when an earthquake destroyed her grandparent’s house when she was 15 years old. It caused parts of her house to collapse and a massive beam hit her grandfather on his head, knocking him unconscious and eventually, killing him. Even though Dinda and her grandmother escaped unscathed, the death of Dinda’s grandfather took a toll on her grandmother and over the next few months, her health took a turn for the worst, causing her to become bedridden. Despite being only 15 years old, Dinda had to take on the responsibility of an adult and to make ends meet. Her grandfather did not leave much of an inheritance behind and her grandmother’s hospitalisation bills were piling up. With no other family to turn to, her maternal relatives were living miles away on an island north of Indonesia, she set out to find a job. It was difficult finding work as a 15 year old and eventually, she succeeded in getting a job as a factory worker with a miserable pay of 15 cents an hour. Dinda grew increasingly worried as the bills were amounting for everyday her grandmother remained in hospital and her grandfather’s savings were slowly depleting. It was somewhat a bittersweet blessing in disguise when her grandmother finally succumbed to her illness and passed away. Dinda had never felt so lonely before. This were the least of her problems though. Her grandparents failed to leave a will hence the government seized the house, leaving Dinda homeless. She then made a life-changing decision to work as a foreign domestic worker in Singapore. Even after hearing several horror stories about fdws being abused, she still decided to proceed with her plan as the pay sounded promising and she had nothing left for her in Indonesia. The moment she became Aunty Wang’s fdw, was the moment her future changed for the better.

Aunty Wang was a formidable elderly lady in her seventies who had suffered from a stroke, thus affecting her mobility. She had 2 daughters however, they rarely visited her and did not even give her money, even though it is common in the Asian culture to give parents a monthly “allowance”. Dinda was initially extremely scared of Aunty Wang’s overbearing presence however, eventually she grew comfortable with her and Aunty Wang taught her how to cook authentic Hakka food, through which she also learnt that Aunty Wang used to own a popular Hakka cuisine restaurant in Keong Saik Road before she suffered from her stroke. She learnt how to cook so many dishes, such as braised pork with preserved vegetable, drunken chicken in glutinous rice wine, and braised pig trotters, which was her speciality. In no time, Dinda was able to cook several Hakka dishes to perfection and when Aunty Wang’s friends came over for mahjong sessions, Dinda would cook these dishes for them and they would always comment on how succulent the meat was and that the dishes tasted as though they were cooked by someone with Hakka origin. They even joked with Aunty Wang that Dinda’s cooking was better than hers.

Dinda worked for Aunty Wang for 15 years and they developed a very close relationship, almost as if they were granddaughter and grandmother. “I loved Aunty Wang so much and when she passed away after her second stroke, it was as if I had lost a second grandmother,” says Dinda rather tearfully. Aunty Wang left everything in her will to Dinda, so despite feeling devastated at losing another loved one, she was definitely much richer now with her sudden windfall. She returned to Jakarta and thus opened Aunty Wang’s Restaurant. When she first opened the restaurant, it only occupied a single shophouse. She did the cooking herself and hired only two service staff to help her serve the customers and to manage the shop till.

However, news spread of this amazing restaurant serving Hakka cuisine and how it was cooked by an Indonesian lady who used to be a foreign domestic worker. People flocked to the restaurant and she soon realised she needed to expand her team as she could not cope with the cooking alone. She trained all the chefs she hired personally and over a span of 5 years, her team grew to twenty people and a single shophouse became three.

When asked what her future plans for Aunty Wang’s would be, she simply replies coyly with a smile, “We’ll see.”

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, by Brigid

In Brimos,

#BRIMOS Turns 1!

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Taipei 🇹🇼 | in film

Fine

The Passion Of Joan of Arc

The Freedom To Love '17 🏳‍🌈🏳‍🌈🏳‍🌈

Dinda

#BRIMOS Turns 1!

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Taipei 🇹🇼 | in film

Fine

The Passion Of Joan of Arc

The Freedom To Love '17 🏳‍🌈🏳‍🌈🏳‍🌈

Dinda

#BRIMOS Turns 1!

NUFFNANG ADS

PROFILE

About me

FIND ME ON

INSTAGRAM

FEATURED POST

I said "okay" 🤵🏼💍👰🏻

BLOG ARCHIVE

Writing

TOTAL PAGEVIEWS

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