Mid-life Crisis

I am a Leo. I dream of grandeur and luxury. I love wealthy things. I love beauty

...and I am scared of failure. 

When I was a child, I have always thought that I am destined for greatness. I will go places, succeed in life and be one of the richest people on Earth. It's not that I am greedy or what. It's just that I love to think of myself as someone who will leave a mark in this world. I am scared to die with a very few people noticing that I existed. I am scared of just passing and leaving. I still am...and I think I will be, for the rest of my life.

Now, I am at the point where I don't really know where I am going. This period of uncertainty makes me question if I really am going to be noticeable in a world where 7 billion people co-exist. It makes me sad that when I look at some of the people around me, I realize inch by inch how mediocre I am. I start to ask myself if I really have it in me or are all those things I dreamt of once just delusions of grandeur? Will I ever be able to travel the world, let alone go abroad? Will I ever be able to do all the things in my bucket list? Will I ever be able to help people and make a difference? The list goes on and on. 

My student told me that I will never know what I really want to do unless I try. I need to take the plunge to the great unknown and hope to God that I will find that which I am looking for. I guess he is right...but what if, what if I never come to terms with my own destiny? Some people search their entire life and still fail to know what it is they're looking for. What if I am part of them?  After all, I am unlucky.

If I could just know what the future has in store for me then I guess I will be a little bit more comfortable. But then again, that's the beauty/ugliness of life. Everything is uncertain. 

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Harvest Moon

*This is just a part of a story I am trying to write. It's not edited yet. 



The moonlight shone upon the courtyard. Down below, I could hear the sound of laughter and music made by the villagers as they celebrated the harvest moon. I have no idea where Colt and Maia were. Perhaps Colt was among those laughing people, enjoying the festivities with his friends and Maia must be with Merlin, sharing all of our encounters in the Forest of Death. I traipsed silently around the yard, the hem of my dress trailing on the grass. It was so refreshing to be in clean clothes again, fully bathed and fed. It was even more wonderful to be in the Empress's hanging garden. I have always admired this place and I still couldn't quite figure out how the water from the River of Lethe could flow up without the use of magic (at least that's what Merlin told me) The flowers are now in full bloom. The stargazers and the hydrangeas shone in the moonlight and the trees emitted a faint silvery glow, once again confirming my suspicion that moonwisps could be inhabiting in their branches. 


I inhaled deeply, not being able to remember the last time I was in a garden as beautiful as this one.  I could smell the sweet scent of moonlace in the air.  Their aroma gave me some sense of serenity; comfort and relief as if I was at home, reminding me of happy thoughts and childhood memories. 


"You look beautiful, Chloe" a voice from behind me spoke. I tensed. It was a voice I dreaded to hear now that I am at my most vulnerable. My chest tightened as emotions flooded my gut.  I turned around and saw Jake standing under the tree, his face glistening in the moonlight.  He was wearing his usual tunic, a knife hanging on his side. He was smiling and I couldn't help but fall even more in this bottomless pit that I knew was my doom. "White does suit you."


I felt the blood rush to my face as he spoke. It felt so surreal. I never imagined him complimenting my looks. I stared at him, mesmerized at the smile he so rarely wear on his face and I knew that this was the moment I was waiting for. All of the unsaid words I kept bottled up inside me were screaming to get out all at once. I wanted to run and hug him but my foot kept me rooted to the ground where I was standing.



I smiled back at him, trying to find my voice and mustering up the courage to say the words  that I've been meaning to tell him for the past six months...but how could I tell him everything when words would not even suffice to describe how I feel.  I knew that I also had to steel myself; prepare my heart emotionally for the inevitable because for sure that the worst is yet to come. 

I know I should say it now or my chance will be forever lost. 
A tear rolled down my cheeks as I finally took the plunge. "If I am lovely Jake," I began "...then why don't you love me?"


The smile faded on his face as he tensed and avoided my eyes. There was a silence between us, broken only by the soft hooting of an owl perching on top of a distant tree. I did not know what to do and I just stared at him waiting for an answer that I did not really want to hear. 


"Why can't you love me Jake?" I cried in desperation, all dignity forgotten. 


Then he looked back at me again with that pained expression he always wore. His eyes tried to tell me something but I could not figure out whether it was pity, disgust or sadness and then he spoke and I knew his answer even before I heard his voice. I could feel every word shatter my body into a million pieces. 


"Because you are not her." 


I fell to the ground, feeling all of my life energy sucked out of me. I wanted to scream. I wanted to beg. I wanted to just float away and leave this pain that is slowly enveloping me. 
 And then he walked away , leaving me kneeling on the ground crying my heart out. I would have called his name but I knew it was a hopeless case. I knew it right from the start and I just refused to believe it.  Jake made his meaning clear. 


I am not her.


 I am not Kashme Defriss, the only woman he has ever loved...


...and he will never love me. 

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And Because I Love The Great Lourd. :)

Lourd de Veyra:
Words and Phrases a Real Man Must Never Use
By Lourd de Veyra | Published: March 26, 2010

Pls click here for the original entry.









For original article, click here. By Lourd de Veyra | Published: March 26, 2010







Because, in the end, words are all we have, said one very, very dead poet. Last year, the editors of the online incarnation of the world’s most subliminally gay magazine, FHM, asked me to list down words and phrases that a real man must avoid. Here is an expanded version of that.










“BONGGA”—Increasingly becoming the most evil phrase invented in recent linguistic memory. Two syllables with the greatest damage to masculinity.








“ONE MARGARITA, PLEASE”—Nothing corrodes at the heart of manliness than a silly cocktail glass with salt around the rim and a sickeningly bright liquid that resembles diluted urine and bearing almost zero traces of alcohol.






“CUTE NG BAG MO”—Or just about anything that involves the word cute together with any piece of fashion-related accessory. Shameful minus points for familiarity with French and Italian labels and the words “fake eyelashes.”






I’M ON A DIET—This, along with “no rice,” “diet Coke,” “brown rice,” and that crime against all logic and decency, “vegetarian chicharon.”






CARBS—What, afraid you won’t get your own giant Bench underwear billboard on Edsa?






WORKOUT TAYO, DUDE—If brotherhood is truly global, then we must have the decency to avoid inflicting on fellow members of the species such frightening words.






“ROBERT PATTINSON”—Interchangeable with “Edward Cullen.” The fact that we are even familiar with him is indicative of the cracks in our fortress of manhood. Minus 50 macho points for any man who can provide spirited discourse on the Twilight series.






SPA—When the correct term should be “massage parlor.”






SALON—There was a time when the world turned on its tranquil axis and men got haircuts from barbers—in barbershops. It was a time of harmony and peace: rusty scissors and murderously sharp straight razors were used, and talcum powder, rubbing alcohol, warm towels, and an assortment of mysterious burning liniments were slapped on napes, necks, and faces. There were no such things as “creative directors,” “senior stylists,” “shampoo and blowdry,” and other silliness.






“BORA”—Ugly, lazy contraction of that noisy, overcrowded island with uglier reggae music and Starbucks. Takes on more emasculating levels when the “R” is not rolled.






“HINDI KAYA NG POWERS KO”—Nothings screams “Darna!” with more passion and silver glitters.






“GREEN TEA MOCHA FRAP WITH EXTRA CINAMMON”—God designed the male species specifically to avoid the consumption of overpriced drinks with pointlessly intricate ziggurats of whipped cream and chocolate.






“THINGIE”—Is it the insufferably cute sound? Or do you say to yourself, “There goes a sensible human being?”





“FAVE”—Sometimes, attempts at terseness tend to misfire.






“INTERIOR DESIGN”—Le Corbusier chairs? Mediterranean walls? Minimalism? Vintage decoupage screens? Mark Hampton? Muji storage shelves? Why, the cave is our natural habitat–and Orocan its only sensible furniture.






“TOTE”—Used in a sentence: “I tote I saw a pussy–not pussy cat. Just pussy.”






“LET’S PARTY!”—Manly men will get drunk, stoned, laid, beat the crap out of each other, swim in vomit, tossed unconscious into a cab, and wake up in a strange sidewalk somewhere in Montalban. But they will never, ever fucking party.






GOSSIP GIRL—Self-explanatory.

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Immortality Discovered?

So I was backreading in my tumblr account and came  across this post about scientists finally discovering the first (and perhaps the only) animal that can outdo death. Say hello to the turritopsis nutricula,  a specie of jellyfish native to the Carribean Waters. 

It is the only animal that is said to have discovered "the fountain of youth". It can turn back the hands of time and undergo the same life cycle over and over again. Below is an illustration of its life cycle. 

Isn't it great? To read the full article, click here

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Dumaguete is ♥: The Trip from Manila to Dumaguete

Last April, after five long years worth of struggling, sleepless nights, stress, confusion and procrastination, I was finally able to get a bachelor's degree from the premier university of the Philippines, University of the Philippines-Diliman. Climbing the stage with my father and hearing Professor Naval calling out my name and the honors I received (I'm Cum Laude, baby!),I was really in cloud nine...but that is for another entry so I'll leave it at that. :)

I was planning my long-awaited vacation back to my hometown since the last quarter of 2010. It is like a reward for me for finishing the degree and proving to my dad that I can hand him my diploma as I promised. That is why, I booked a round trip ticket for two as early as February of this year in order to avail the cheapest price offered by a domestic airline in the Philippines (which name I would not post because they are not paying me for an advertisement) 

I would have gone back to my hometown earlier but unfortunately, the Philippine Elections was scheduled on the 10th of May so I had to stay here in Manila coz I am a registered voter here. (This also includes a LOOOOONG story so I will not mention it here, I'll just make another article for it)

Come May 12, I woke up very early (I actually was not able to sleep the night before because of pure excitement) and prepared for our departure. We left our house at around 4:45am because our flight was scheduled at 6:50am. I was quite surprised because it was my first time to go to the NAIA Terminal 3 and can I just say that the facility was really impressive, except perhaps for the efficiency of the staff in the airline's check-in  counter there who, not once but twice, allowed people behind me to get in front of the line. It actually pissed me off because I had to stand in line for almost an hour before finally being able to check in.

The security was thorough and although it was really much of a hassle, it was quite commendable because the personnel are trying to do their best to stop threats to security in the airport. We arrived at the gate just in time for boarding. The plane left as soon as everybody were seated. It was, I think, the fastest boarding I have ever experienced in my entire life and that is something I am quite happy about the new airport. The flight took  one hour and twenty minutes at most. (It actually arrived ahead of schedule.)

While the aircraft was flying, I was able to take pictures of the islands below, thanks to the awesome lens of my newly bought Nokia5630 :).


 Here are some of the pictures I took while we were on the plane. 

This was taken twenty minutes after we took off so I assume it is somewhere in Mindoro or Panay or something like that, I am really bad at geography. 

I took this picture after the captain announced that we are approaching the Sibulan Airport. Probably this is somewhere in Occidental Negros or Cebu. Can I just say that that river or lake is quite beautiful? :))

Somewhere in Cebu. 

Flying over the beautiful island of Negros.

I have no idea where this is but it sure is beautiful. 

Ten minutes before touch down. The clouds look like cotton candies (di ba?)

When the captain announced that we are arriving ahead of schedule, my heart was jumping up and down. I was so excited because I wanted to go to Negros so badly for the past couple of years. I have not seen my brother for two years and I was wondering how he looked like already, now that he's grown up and all. That is not all. I have a lot of reasons why I love going back to Dumaguete. The so-called City of the Gentle People is the only place I feel like home. Dumaguetenos exude the warmth that no one else in the Philippines can give off, well at least, in my opinion. Problems fade when I am in Negros. I only get to spend my time laughing with the people I love the most, sharing adventures with them as well as interesting stories about simple living, love and friendship. 

When the plane touched down at the Sibulan Airport, it took all the strength in me to restrain myself from jumping out of the airplane because the excitement in my heart was really overflowing. The moment that I finally breathe the fresh Negrense air, my heart gave me a tiny jolt and right there and then, I felt that I was finally home.

*****************************************************

I will post a series of my adventures in Oriental Negros for the next couple of days. I am not really good in writing so forgive my blog. T_T

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50 Ways to Annoy Your Teacher

Okay, So I found this one on my Facebook page and was really really entertained. Give it a try. I wish I could. LOL.







THE FOLLOWING MAY RESULT IN SUSPENSION,DETENTION AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT ENDS WITH -ION-

1. Walk into the classroom like a super spy. (keep your back on the walls as you walk, point your finger up like a gun, look around with shifty eyes, hum the mission impossible theme, etc.)

2.After everything your teacher says, ask why continuously.

3.If your teacher is yelling at a classmate, wait for them to finish their tantrum then ask DOES SOMEBODY NEED A HUG very loudly.

4. If your teacher starts blowing up at you for saying that, simply reply, wow I can tell you're a blast at parties?

5. Sit in a corner and wait for everyone to stare at you. When they do, grab your head and scream THE LIGHT! MAKE IT STOP! ARGH IT BURNS!!!!

6. Flick pieces of paper around the class.

7. When your teacher tells you to stop, cross your arms and say, Your racist against paper aren't you.

8. Don't do your Homework.

9. When your teacher asks you why you didn?t do your homework say I dropped it while beating up this guy for saying you're the worst teacher ever. then sit there and smile sweetly.

10. When you have a supply teacher, wait for them to write their name on the board. Then when they say hello my name it Mr./Mrs (insert name here), you stand up and say PROVE IT!

11. When your teacher asks why you were late say, My goldfish died. Then burst into tears.

12.When handing in your homework, write this paper will self-destruct in 5 seconds at the bottom.

13.When you leave the class bow and say, May the force be with you, young one.

14. When the teacher turns the light off, start singing opera as loud as you can. When they turn the light back on, look around pretending to be confused.

15. Whisper to the person next to you. When the teacher comes up behind you, scream OMG GET AWAY! RAPE! RAPE! RAPE!!!!!!!!!!!!

16. Walk into class dancing the Macarena.

17. Tell your teacher you heard the other teachers talking about him/her in the staff room

18. Raise your hand and say I totally agree after everything your teacher says

19. Spend the whole lesson trying to lick your elbow

20. Speak in French.

21. Come late to class in a Spider-Man costume; say there was a disturbance

22. When they tell someone to turn around have everyone in class do it as well

23. The homework's due now Oh, give me a minute then.

24. Hand in an essay where every word is mispelled.

25. Run in the room screaming, THE WORLD IS GOING TO END!

26. When the teacher asks you why you are late, say, the queen is never late, everyone else is simply early.

27. When a teacher asks you a question, say, I'm sorry, the brain you tried to reach has been disconnected, please leave me alone or try again later, thank you.

28. When the teacher turns on the overhead projector, scream AAH MY EYES!!

29. Tell yourself knock knock jokes, then laugh loads.

30. Hide under your desk and yell THE SKY IS FALLING!

31. When someone knocks on the door, shout OH NO, THEY?RE COMING FOR ME!

32. Bring in a year 7 and says he's your new pet.

33. In your technology lesson, when the teacher asks you what you are making, say a nuclear bomb.





34, when your teacher asks you a question just stare at them.

35. Constantly talk to yourself in a low voice.

36. Purposely fall off your chair and make a big scene about it.

37. If you're playing a really boring game, make a big deal if you win.

38. Glue all their scissors together.

39. Make paperclip jewelery. E.g. necklaces, earrings etc

40. Pull out one strand of someone's hair and yell DNA!

41. Wear a sticker or a badge that says I am retarded(some people may be affended by this, if you are sorry)

42. Talk to a pen.

43. Put your hand up in a test and wait for your teacher to come over. When they whisper what?s wrong, yell NO I WON?T SNOG YOU!

44. Yell LIAR! to everything they say.

45. Smile. All the time.

46. Draw a tiny black spot on your arm. Make it bigger everyday. Look at it and say, It's spreading, IT'S SPREADING!

47. When a supply teacher is taking the register, say everyone is missing. Then, if they ask who you are, say Your worst Nightmare

48. When you know the answer, bounce up and down a go OOOHH I KNOW THIS

49. When a teacher calls on you say, I forgot

50. If you have to blow your nose in class, blow your nose to the tune of your favourite song.

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BEYOND ORIENTAL LIMITS: Characterizing Gender Roles in Contemporary Asian Melodramas

%3Cdiv+dir%3D%22ltr%22+style%3D%22text-align%3A+left%3B%22+trbidi%3D%22on%22%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+class%3D%22MsoNormal%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+200%25%3B+text-align%3A+center%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+style%3D%22text-align%3A+auto%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%3Cspan+class%3D%22Apple-style-span%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+normal%3B%22%3E%3Cspan+class%3D%22Apple-style-span%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+32px%3B%22%3E%3Cspan+class%3D%22Apple-style-span%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+normal%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+class%3D%22MsoNormal%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+200%25%3B+text-align%3A+left%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%3Cspan+class%3D%22Apple-style-span%22+style%3D%22font-family%3A+%27Times+New+Roman%27%2C+serif%3B%22%3E%3Cb%3E%3Cspan+class%3D%22Apple-style-span%22+style%3D%22font-family%3A+Arial%3B+font-size%3A+small%3B%22%3E%3Cspan+class%3D%22Apple-style-span%22+style%3D%22font-size%3A+13px%3B+font-weight%3A+normal%3B+line-height%3A+normal%3B%22%3E*I+was+browsing+through+my+files+and+saw+the+term+paper+I+wrote+for+my+film+class.+%3A%29+It%27s+15+pages+long.+I+am+going+to+delete+the+file+already+so+I%27ll+save+a+copy+of+it+here+in+my+blog.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fb%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Cdiv+class%3D%22MsoNormal%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+200%25%3B+text-align%3A+justify%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-family%3A+%27Times+New+Roman%27%2C+serif%3B+font-size%3A+11.5pt%3B+line-height%3A+200%25%3B%22%3E%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B+The+Asian+region+is+probably+one+of+the+most+influential+regions+in+the+world%2C+not+only+because+of+the+economic+relevance+of+the+country+that+it+consists+but+also+because+of+the+wide+array+of+cultures+that+are+distinct+from+one+another+which+can+aptly+represent+both+ends+of+the+spectrum.+Asian+culture+is+commonly+represented+in+mainstream+media+especially+in+films+and+news.+Various+products+and+masterpieces+have+been+released%2C+focusing+on+Asian+tradition+and+values+and+some+of+these+portray+%26nbsp%3Bthe+sexual+inequality+among+men+and+women+in+Asia.%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+class%3D%22MsoNormal%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+200%25%3B+text-align%3A+justify%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-family%3A+%27Times+New+Roman%27%2C+serif%3B+font-size%3A+11.5pt%3B+line-height%3A+200%25%3B%22%3E%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B+The+purpose+of+this+paper+is+to+examine+the+stereotyping+of+gender+roles+in+contemporary+films+about+the+East+Asian+culture.+Two+movies+will+be+discussed+side+by+side+to+show+the+similarities+and+differences+of+East+Asian+gender+roles+in+the+perspective+of+Asian+filmmakers+and+their+Western+counterparts.+This+paper+tries+to+argue+that+certain+films+lose+the+value+of+the+messages+it+tries+to+convey+by+simply+adjusting+the+aspects+for+marketability+and+popularity+in+the+box+office.+Moreover%2C+most+films+contain+stereotypes+of+the+male+and+female+images+perpetuated+by+the+existing+social+norms.+Most+of+these+stereotypes+revolve+around+male+supremacy+and+reduction+of+women+as+an+object+of+sexuality+and+fetish+to+satisfy+men.+It+is%2C+however%2C+understood+that+this+paper+cannot+be+generalized+because+it+only+uses+two+films+for+comparison+namely+Raise+the+Red+Lantern+%281991%29+and+Memoirs+of+a+Geisha+%282005%29%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+class%3D%22MsoNormal%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+200%25%3B+text-align%3A+justify%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%3Cb+style%3D%22mso-bidi-font-weight%3A+normal%3B%22%3E%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-family%3A+%27Times+New+Roman%27%2C+serif%3B+font-size%3A+12pt%3B+line-height%3A+200%25%3B%22%3ERaise+the+Red+Lantern%3A+Sexuality+and+the+Locus+of+Power%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fb%3E%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%3Cspan+class%3D%22Apple-style-span%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+32px%3B%22%3E%3Cspan+class%3D%22Apple-style-span%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+normal%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+class%3D%22MsoNormal%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+200%25%3B+text-align%3A+justify%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sunacho.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F01%2F51WI%2BLTj5PL._SS500_.jpg%22+imageanchor%3D%221%22+style%3D%22clear%3A+left%3B+float%3A+left%3B+margin-bottom%3A+1em%3B+margin-right%3A+1em%3B%22%3E%3Cimg+border%3D%220%22+height%3D%22320%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sunacho.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F01%2F51WI%2BLTj5PL._SS500_.jpg%22+width%3D%22320%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3E%3Cb+style%3D%22mso-bidi-font-weight%3A+normal%3B%22%3E%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-family%3A+%27Times+New+Roman%27%2C+serif%3B+font-size%3A+12pt%3B+line-height%3A+200%25%3B%22%3E%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B+%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fb%3E%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-family%3A+%27Times+New+Roman%27%2C+serif%3B+font-size%3A+12pt%3B+line-height%3A+200%25%3B%22%3E%3Cb%3ERaise+the+Red+Lantern%3C%2Fb%3E+is+a+brilliant+masterpiece+of+the+internationally-acclaimed+Chinese+director+Zhang+Yimou.+This+1991+film%2C+starring+Gong+Li+as+the+young+and+determined+Song+Lian%2C+was+based+on+a+novel+written+by+Su+Tong+entitled+%3Ci+style%3D%22mso-bidi-font-style%3A+normal%3B%22%3EWives+and+Concubines%3C%2Fi%3E.+Set+in+1920%E2%80%99s+Northern+China%2C+Raise+the+Red+Lantern+was+about+the+life+of+Song+Lian%2C+a+college+student+who+was+married+off+to+a+rich+man+who+belonged+to+the+Chen+family+after+her+father+died+and+left+them+in+debt.+With+hopes+before+of+making+a+better+future+for+herself+with+the+use+of+education%2C+Song+Lian+finds+herself+trapped+in+the+confines%26nbsp%3B+of+the+house%2C+where+tradition+and+familial+rules+reigned+and+where+her+education+was+definitely+out+of+place%26nbsp%3B+because+all+the+things+happening+around+her+contradicted+everything+that+she+acquired+from+school.+%3Cb+style%3D%22mso-bidi-font-weight%3A+normal%3B%22%3E%3Co%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fo%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fb%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Cdiv+class%3D%22MsoNormal%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+200%25%3B+text-align%3A+justify%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fcinematorium.files.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F01%2Fraise-the-red-lantern.jpg%22+imageanchor%3D%221%22+style%3D%22clear%3A+right%3B+float%3A+right%3B+margin-bottom%3A+1em%3B+margin-left%3A+1em%3B%22%3E%3Cimg+border%3D%220%22+height%3D%22221%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fcinematorium.files.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F01%2Fraise-the-red-lantern.jpg%22+width%3D%22400%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3E%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-family%3A+%27Times+New+Roman%27%2C+serif%3B+font-size%3A+12pt%3B+line-height%3A+200%25%3B%22%3E%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B+The+plot+thickens+as+Song+Lian+discovers+how+putrid+the+existing+system+in+the+house+is+and+realizes+the+complicated+web+of+suspicions+and+deceit+this+system+creates+among+the+four+wives%2C+who+are+each+competing+for%26nbsp%3B+the+%E2%80%9Cmaster%E2%80%99s+%E2%80%9D+attention+and+favour.+She+finds+out+that+no+one+can+be+trusted+because+each+and+every+one+of+the+wives+has+no+other+motive+than+to+compete+for+the+%3Ci+style%3D%22mso-bidi-font-style%3A+normal%3B%22%3Ered+lanterns%3C%2Fi%3E+which+symbolized+the+seat+of+power+and+control+in+the+house.+Joining+in+the+competition%2C+Song+Lian+feigns+pregnancy+in+the+hope+of+receiving+the+master%E2%80%99s+full+attention+while+cunningly+plotting+to+make+her+non-existent+pregnancy+come+into+actuality.+This+act+however+was+thwarted+when+her+personal+maid%2C+who+was+secretly+in+love+with+the+Master+Chen+and+was+in+league+with+the+Second+Mistress%2C+finds+her+bloody+clothing+and+tells+on+her.%3C%2Fspan%3E%0D%0A%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-family%3A+%27Times+New+Roman%27%2C+serif%3B+font-size%3A+12pt%3B+line-height%3A+200%25%3B%22%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%0D%0A%3Ca+href%3D%22%22+name%3D%22more%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-family%3A+%27Times+New+Roman%27%2C+serif%3B+font-size%3A+12pt%3B+line-height%3A+200%25%3B%22%3E+%3Co%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fo%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Cdiv+class%3D%22MsoNormal%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+200%25%3B+text-align%3A+justify%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-family%3A+%27Times+New+Roman%27%2C+serif%3B+font-size%3A+12pt%3B+line-height%3A+200%25%3B%22%3E%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B+%26nbsp%3B+%26nbsp%3B+%26nbsp%3B+%26nbsp%3BAs+the+story+progresses%2C+we+see+how+Song+Lian+transformed+from+an+idealistic+and+hopeful+university+student+to+a+woman+suffocating+from+the+rules+she+had+to+follow%2C+seeing+the+competition+between+the+wives+as+a+shallow+endeavour+that+is+really+irrelevant+to+the+essence+of+her+existence.+She+withdraws+herself+from+the+rest+of+the+world%2C+settles+in+solitude+and+refused+to+do+anything+anymore+to+gain+the+master%E2%80%99s+favour.+She+gets+drunk+one+night+and+blurts+out+about+the+illicit+love+affair+between+the+Third+Mistress+and+the+family+doctor.+The+scheming+Second+Mistress+hears+about+this+and+immediately+runs+to+tell+the+Master+Chen.+Based+on+family+tradition%2C+the+Third+Mistress+had+to+be+murdered+in+a+small+room+atop+the+house.+Song+Lian+witnesses+this+and+is+extremely+shaken+and+traumatized+because+of+what+happened.+The+movie+ends+in+a+scene+where+the+newly-arrived+Fifth+Wife+sees+Song+Lian+wearing+her+student+clothes+and+wandering+aimlessly+in+her+quarter%2C+apparently+losing+her+sanity.+%3Co%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fo%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Cdiv+class%3D%22MsoNormal%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+200%25%3B+text-align%3A+justify%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-family%3A+%27Times+New+Roman%27%2C+serif%3B+font-size%3A+12pt%3B+line-height%3A+200%25%3B%22%3E%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%3Ciframe+align%3D%22left%22+frameborder%3D%220%22+marginheight%3D%220%22+marginwidth%3D%220%22+scrolling%3D%22no%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Frcm.amazon.com%2Fe%2Fcm%3Ft%3Drandomen-20%26amp%3Bo%3D1%26amp%3Bp%3D8%26amp%3Bl%3Dbpl%26amp%3Basins%3D0060596333%26amp%3Bfc1%3D000000%26amp%3BI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2Fgroups%2Fn6%2FFBUEI4ZDQR%2F045-capt5.jpg%22+width%3D%22400%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3E%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-family%3A+%27Times+New+Roman%27%2C+serif%3B+font-size%3A+12pt%3B+line-height%3A+200%25%3B%22%3E%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B+The+film+showed+several+critique+of+the+existing+norms+in+the+Chinese+society%2C+more+specifically+the+oppressive+Confucian+tradition.+According+to+Neo+%282004%29%2C+Yimou+brilliantly+uses+the+Confucian%2Ffeminist+matrix+in+the+film+which+%E2%80%9C%3Ci+style%3D%22mso-bidi-font-style%3A+normal%3B%22%3Ehighlights+the+ineffectualness+and+oppressiveness+of+the+Chinese+Confucian+System%3C%2Fi%3E%E2%80%9D.+Confucianism%2C+which+is+a+patriarchal+ideology%2C+emphasizes+on+rigid+class+and+gender+delineation%2C+heavy+priority+on+male+heir+and+importance+of+traditions+and+customs.+In+Confucian+tradition%2C+women+are+treated+as+objects+and+are+not+free+to+make+the+major+choices+in+their+life.+They+are+used+simply+to+satisfy+the+sexual+appetite+of+men+and+provide+a+vessel+for+a+male+heir.+Therefore%2C+%3Ci+style%3D%22mso-bidi-font-style%3A+normal%3B%22%3E%E2%80%9Cwhen+women+gain+their+identity+and+stations+in+life+from+this+oppressive+structure%2C+they+in+turn%2C+gain+satisfaction+from+enforcing+these+customs+and+rules+on+less+powerful+women%E2%80%9D+%3C%2Fi%3E%28Neo%2C+2004%29%3Co%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fo%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%3Cspan+class%3D%22Apple-style-span%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+32px%3B%22%3E%3Cspan+class%3D%22Apple-style-span%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+normal%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+class%3D%22MsoNormal%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+200%25%3B+text-align%3A+justify%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Farchive.sensesofcinema.com%2Fimages%2F04%2Fcteq%2Fraise_red_lantern.jpg%22+imageanchor%3D%221%22+style%3D%22clear%3A+left%3B+float%3A+left%3B+margin-bottom%3A+1em%3B+margin-right%3A+1em%3B%22%3E%3Cimg+border%3D%220%22+height%3D%22306%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Farchive.sensesofcinema.com%2Fimages%2F04%2Fcteq%2Fraise_red_lantern.jpg%22+width%3D%22400%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3E%3Cspan+style%3D%22font-family%3A+%27Times+New+Roman%27%2C+serif%3B+font-size%3A+12pt%3B+line-height%3A+200%25%3B%22%3E%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B+%26nbsp%3B+%26nbsp%3B+Several+objects+in+the+film+showed+male+supremacy+in+the+Chinese+Culture.+The+foot+massage+was+utilized+as+a+fetish+for+both+the+patriarch+and+the+wives.Thematically%2C+it+was+a+symbol+of+power+and+privileged%2C+given+to+the+woman+because+the+master+chose+to+spend+the+night+with+her.+%26nbsp%3B%3Cspan+class%3D%22apple-style-span%22%3E%3Cspan+style%3D%22color%3A+black%3B%22%3EAs+Neo+%282004%29+points+out%2C+the+woman+is+paradoxically+the+mechanism+by+which+the+man+achieves+phallic+wholeness%2C+from+and+through+which+he+derives+pleasure%3B+yet+at+the+same+time+renouncing+it.+The+number+of+wives+was+also+another+form+of+fetish+for+the+man+as+a+greater+affirmation+of+his+masculinity.+The+affair+of+the+Third+Wife+served+as+a+threat+to+the+existing+patriarchal+system+because+she+%E2%80%9Cassumes+the+%E2%80%98phallic%E2%80%99+power+that+men+enjoyed+and+should+therefore+be+removed+or+executed.+Fetishes+were+rooted+from+a+fear+of+castration+and+the+execution+of+the+%E2%80%9Cthreat%E2%80%9D+represented+the+ultimate+form+of+castration+in+the+society.+The+foot+also+represented+another+aspect+of+male+dominance+because+of+the+undeniable+metonymic+relationship+between+the+foot+and+sexuality+in+Chinese+Culture.+It+has+always+been+believed+that+a+smaller+foot+is+correlated+to+a+smaller+vagina%2C+which+is+in+turn+better+for+men.+Foot-binding+among+rich+women+were+done+to+keep+them+idle+and+controlled+by+men.%26nbsp%3B+The+foot+massage+served+as+a+symbol+for+the+foot-binding+tradition.+It+was+seen+less+as+a+reward+for+women+because+it+greater+serves+the+interest+of+the+Master+Chen+by+being+a+type+of+%E2%80%9Cforeplay%E2%80%9D+for+the+vagina+as+a+%E2%80%9Creceptacle+for+the+penis%E2%80%9D.+%28Fong%2C+1995%3A16%29+%3Co%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fo%3Ap%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%0D%0A%3Cdiv+class%3D%22MsoNormal%22+style%3D%22line-height%3A+200%25%3B+text-align%3A+justify%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%3Cspan+class%3D%22apple-style-span%22%3E%3Cspan+style%3D%22color%3A+black%3B+font-family%3A+%27Times+New+Roman%27%2C+serif%3B+font-size%3A+12pt%3B+line-height%3A+200%25%3B%22%3E%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%3Ciframe+align%3D%22left%22+frameborder%3D%220%22+marginheight%3D%220%22+marginwidth%3D%220%22+scrolling%3D%22no%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Frcm.amazon.com%2Fe%2Fcm%3Ft%3Drandomen-20%26amp%3Bo%3D1%26amp%3Bp%3D8%26amp%3Bl%3Dbpl%26amp%3Basins%3D0060596333%26amp%3Bfc1%3D000000%26amp%3BIS2%3D1%26amp%3Blt1%3D_blank%26amp%3Bm%3Damazon%26amp%3Blc1%3D0000FF%26amp%3Bbc1%3D000000%26amp%3Bbg1%3DFFFFFF%26amp%3Bf%3Difr%22+style%3D%22align%3A+left%3B+height%3A+245px%3B+padding-right%3A+10px%3B+padding-top%3A+5px%3B+width%3A+131px%3B%22%3E%3C%2Fiframe%3E%26nbsp%3B%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out+things+that+should+be+done+to+stop+to+unjust+patriarchal+society+that+is+prevalent+in+Chinese+society.+It+stirs+the+audience%E2%80%99s+emotions+and+was+true+to+Chinese+culture+in+every+aspect%2C+never+going+astray+to+traditional+beliefs+and+practices+while+at+the+same+time+criticizing+the+said+practices+for+socialization+and+political+purposes.+It+had+what+%3Ci+style%3D%22mso-bidi-font-style%3A+normal%3B%22%3EMemoirs+%3C%2Fi%3Elacked%3A+connection+to+the+audience.+It+was+slow-paced+and+yet+captivating.%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+style%3D%22line-height%3A+200%25%3B+margin-bottom%3A+6.0pt%3B+margin-left%3A+0in%3B+margin-right%3A+0in%3B+margin-top%3A+4.8pt%3B+text-align%3A+justify%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%26nbsp%3B%3Ciframe+align%3D%22left%22+frameborder%3D%220%22+marginheight%3D%220%22+marginwidth%3D%220%22+scrolling%3D%22no%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Frcm.amazon.com%2Fe%2Fcm%3Ft%3Drandomen-20%26amp%3Bo%3D1%26amp%3Bp%3D8%26amp%3Bl%3Dbpl%26amp%3Basins%3DB000TGJ808%26amp%3Bfc1%3D000000%26amp%3BIS2%3D1%26amp%3Blt1%3D_blank%26amp%3Bm%3Damazon%26amp%3Blc1%3D0000FF%26amp%3Bbc1%3D000000%26amp%3Bbg1%3DFFFFFF%26amp%3Bf%3Difr%22+style%3D%22align%3A+left%3B+height%3A+245px%3B+padding-right%3A+10px%3B+padding-top%3A+5px%3B+width%3A+131px%3B%22%3E%3C%2Fiframe%3E%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B+On+the+symbolis%3Ciframe+align%3D%22left%22+frameborder%3D%220%22+marginheight%3D%220%22+marginwidth%3D%220%22+scrolling%3D%22no%22+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Frcm.amazon.com%2Fe%2Fcm%3Ft%3Drandomen-20%26amp%3Bo%3D1%26amp%3Bp%3D8%26amp%3Bl%3Dbpl%26amp%3Basins%3DB000PMFS6O%26amp%3Bfc1%3D000000%26amp%3BIS2%3D1%26amp%3Blt1%3D_blank%26amp%3Bm%3Damazon%26amp%3Blc1%3D0000FF%26amp%3Bbc1%3D000000%26amp%3Bbg1%3DFFFFFF%26amp%3Bf%3Difr%22+style%3D%22align%3A+left%3B+height%3A+245px%3B+padding-right%3A+10px%3B+padding-top%3A+5px%3B+width%3A+131px%3B%22%3E%3C%2Fiframe%3Ems+used%2C+both+films+have+similarities+in+portraying+the+gender+stereotypes+in+society.+Both+showed+a+social+hierarchy+where+men+are+at+the+top+and+women+are+subjugated%2C+controlled+and+required+to+wait+on+men.+Similar+to+Memoirs%2C+Raise+the+Red+Lantern+focused+on+the+female+as+a+sexual+object+to+satisfy+men%E2%80%99s+thirst.+Both+characters+were+moved+by+men%3A%26nbsp%3B+Sayuri+inspired+to+get+the+Chairman%E2%80%99s+attention+and+favour+%28as+well+as+every+other+man%29+while+Song+Lian+motivated+to+get+Master+Chen%E2%80%99s+attention+to+gain+the+privileges+that+chosen+wives+are+entitled+to.+Sayuri+and+Song+Lian+represented+the+subdued+female+while+Master+Chen+and+the+Chairman+represented+the+%E2%80%9Calphamale%E2%80%9D%2C+in+control+of+the+situation.%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+style%3D%22line-height%3A+200%25%3B+margin-bottom%3A+6.0pt%3B+margin-left%3A+0in%3B+margin-right%3A+0in%3B+margin-top%3A+4.8pt%3B+text-align%3A+justify%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B+More+similarities+in+this+gender-related+power+struggle+can+be+pointed+out+in+the+movies.+Both+showed+the+battle+of+supremacy+among+and+between+the+sexes.+In+the+case+of+Raise+the+Red+Lantern%2C+the+wives+try+to+win+the+master%E2%80%99s+favour%2C+thereby+acquiring+relative+%E2%80%9Cpower%E2%80%9D+from+him.+The+wives+aim+to+produce+a+male+heir+to+be+in+control+of+the+situation.+This+is+similar+to+the+geisha%E2%80%99s%2C+working+hard+to+earn+the+favour+of+their+customers.+Sayuri+worked+so+hard+to+get+the+attention+of+Nobu%2C+which+was+just+a+means+to+reach+her+end%3A+getting+in+touch+and+spending+the+rest+of+her+life+with+the+Chairman.+Geisha%E2%80%99s+have+to+remain+pure+and+desirable+because+their+value+is+determined+by+the+male+customers+that+book+them.+Similarly%2C+in+Raise+the+Red+Lantern+and+Memoirs%2C+power+struggle+between+the+female+%26nbsp%3Bcharacters+was+present%3B+the+competition+and+games+of+deceit+by+the+four+wives+and+the+competition+between+Sayuri+and+Hatsumomo%2C+respectively.+In+both+cases%2C+each+character+tries+to+rise+above+the+other+in+a+need+to+pronounce+their+position+in+the+hierarchy+of+power+distribution+in+their+environment.+They+were+pitted+against+one+another+but+still+at+the+very+end%2C+the+female+image+submits+to+the+male%2C+showing+how+the+former+is+subsumed+in+a+larger+order+where+the+latter+reigns+and+the+former+resigns.%3C%2Fdiv%3E%0D%0A%3Cdiv+style%3D%22line-height%3A+200%25%3B+margin-bottom%3A+6.0pt%3B+margin-left%3A+0in%3B+margin-right%3A+0in%3B+margin-top%3A+4.8pt%3B+text-align%3A+justify%3B%22%3E%0D%0A%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B%26nbsp%3B+One+issue+needed+to+be+pointed+out+is+the+importance+of+language+in+the+film.+Most+people+argue+that+genuineness+of+a+film+lies+on+the+medium+it+used+to+convey+the+messages.+Others+claim+that+the+fault+of+Memoirs+was+the+use+of+English+instead+of+Japanese.+They+said+that+it+was+detrimental+to+the+effectiveness+of+the+movie+because+it+made+it+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