Random Musings

Thought I'd put a lid on the Bliss theme, at least for the time being. :)

Completed Dexter By Design last week. Started off fabulously, but once Dex's sister Deborah became incapacitated - won't post spoilers here - and was left out of the picture for at least half the novel, it became clear how important a character she is.

Guess a lot of the humour and fun comes from her quick-fire verbal battles with Dexter. Once that disappeared, things started to get really draggy.

I can only hope that Book 5 - which will finally catch up with the TV series where Dexter's biological offspring is concerned ( though I wonder if author Jeff Lindsay will adopt the name the scriptwriters have chosen ) - will be tonnes better.

Something to look forward to - Dexter season 5 has been confirmed. YES!


My current tome: a copy of Shakespeare's The Tempest. It's more like a super-advanced reference text, featuring a lengthy introduction which discusses the characters, historical background, various stage versions, and a number of other topics that I can't digest.

Had to filter out the less useful trivia before starting on the play itself. Appreciate the generous amount of footnotes though - helps me understand all the fancy language which would otherwise induce a migraine.

Can't wait to see The Bridge Project's version in a week's time!


Speaking of The Bridge Project, the Singapore Repertory Theatre - I'm on its mailing list and correspond with its executive director via email - recently sent me an ad featuring a very dapper Kevin Spacey posing with a banner of The Tempest.

You know I'm a huge KS fan, and I've seen A LOT of his photos, but this is one of his best.
Unfortunately, I can't copy and paste the thing here because the software doesn't allow it. But KS looks fantastic! Dressed in a simple yet beautifully tailored black suit, standing casually with left hand in a pocket, beaming from ear to ear. I swear I stopped breathing for a few seconds. :)

Another long 12 months to get through before I'll actually see him on the local stage - and possibly even closer than that if the SRT is able to arrange something - but it's a small price to pay.


Other good stuff worth mentioning: cable screenings of Law & Order season 4 and L&O: Criminal Intent season 1. ( Channel 99 daily, check the schedule. )

The former is especially good because it stars Chris Noth ( Big from Sex And The City ), Jerry Orbach ( best known as the voice of Lumiere from Disney's Beauty & The Beast ), Jill Hennessy ( later the lead in TV's Crossing Jordan ) and Michael Moriarty ( whose work I don't know that well, but whom I really enjoy watching on this particular show ).

I've already seen the latter programme once before - I think it may have been in the U.S. when they had a chunk of L&O marathons - but Vincent D'Onofrio is outstanding as Robert Goren, a detective on the major case squad, investigating crimes that are never what they seem.

He cuts an intimidating figure with his massive frame - 6'4''? 6'5''? - and laser stare. His instincts are razor sharp, and if you try to outsmart him, he'll come down on you like a sledgehammer.
I especially enjoy the chase scenes, which invariably end with Goren effortlessly grabbing a suspect as the latter puts up a pathetic struggle.
And the last 10-15 minutes are always the best. Goren usually sits the suspect down in the interrogation room, engaging him/her in an elaborate mind game before s/he finally confesses or gets caught in an obvious lie. Even senators, celebrities and powerful tycoons squirm in his presence.
How cool is that? :)


More thoughts on American Idol: aside from Alex Lambert, those who've been booted off so far pretty much deserved it.
Andrew Garcia has been disappointing, but I suppose he has a strong Latino fanbase voting for him.
Aaron Kelly greatly impressed with his Aerosmith cover last week, managing to belt out glory notes despite suffering from laryngitis, wow!
Casey James gets mixed reviews from me. He's a good-looking fellow and an excellent blues guitarist, but there's just something off about his stage performance. Stiff? Corny? His voice definitely isn't anything special, and AI markets itself as a singing competition after all. What's going to happen to this guy?

Girls-wise, I'm rooting for Siobhan and Crystal. They're both vocal powerhouses with interesting personalities, though I do wish Siobhan would stop screeching every time she reaches the end of a song. If you can't hit the high note, then opt for a key change.


My next foray into the cineplex - hopefully later this week, to catch the remake of Clash Of The Titans. Could turn out to be really cheesy, but crossing my fingers that I'll enjoy this.


Am also eyeing the complete set of Nip/Tuck DVDs on Amazon. It's probably the only TV series I'd consider purchasing, because it's absolutely sinful yet also supremely intelligent. Plus, I love the 2 leads - Dylan Walsh and Julian McMahon. Have been watching clips on YouTube - delicious!


Almost forgot to mention Jersey Shore, an MTV reality show that's become a huge hit in the U.S.
It now airs on MTV Asia on Friday nights, and I almost missed the pilot episode when I got the date wrong, whew!
I must warn you: this is a super-trashy series. It features 8 Italian-American 20-somethings with fake tans and loose morals, shacking up together in a beach house for the summer.
The men - also known as "guidos" - are fitness freaks with too much gel in their hair, and the women have fake boobs, wear too much makeup, and spew obscenities like pros.
There was a segment that had so many bleeped-out syllables I didn't even know what the heck they were saying.

The first episode alone was scandalous enough - the guys invited complete strangers ( young women, of course ) off the street to lounge in their hot tub. Everybody got drunk, then one of the girls stripped naked, right in front of the camera crew.

I'm watching this because I know about the major hype in America. A later episode will have the JS gals at a nightclub, wearing short dresses and dirty dancing sans underwear.

Call it morbid curiosity. My mom's eyes were glued to the screen, though all she could say for most of the hour was, "Tsk Tsk!" and "What the...?!"

But we were wide awake the whole time, which says something about the entertainment value, heh!

Signing off...