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The Insomniac doesn’t have much to blog about lately so maybe I’d just expand on the previous topic and the question posted: “Is true love good for everybody?”

There are two parts to that question I guess. Since the Insomniac is an artist by heart who thrives in romance, irony, passion and such extremes, I will say I believe that true love is good for everybody. Well, except the clergy who by choice commits to celibacy.

While true love is for everybody, I’d also say there is no one true love for a single person. Meaning there might be several possible “perfect mate” for one mortal being. Love is mostly a choice. Although we couldn’t exactly say it, our unconscious mind chose who we love or fall in love with. The problem with choices is that people tend to choose the wrong people for them.

Let me illustrate: if A, B, C, D and E are perfect matches for person Z, chances are, Z will choose M or Q or K or S or V and stick with them till eternity. That’s where the problem comes – choosing to stick with the wrong person. On my previous post, the girl (my friend) is obviously sticking with the wrong person given that she knows she’s able to feel much more with someone else. She probably just doesn’t want to risk it.

Risk what? Being hurt? Maybe it’s just me but having a mediocre relationship with someone for ten to twenty-five years hurts a lot more compared to a one-time bad break-up.

Here’s an interesting question - Why doesn’t it occur to people that by sticking with a mediocre relationship, they keep missing their chances of meeting their possible perfect matches?

Now if true love is good for everybody except the frigid, then what if love happens at the wrong place and time? Is this how mistresses (and loverboys) are born?

Yes! This happens when a person isn’t patient enough to wait for Mr. or Ms. Right. Very much like the movie Bridges of Madison County. In that movie, middle-aged housewife Francesca (Steep) meets documentarist Robert (Eastwood) and both are swept off into a whirlwind romance they’ve never experienced with anyone else before. Sometimes, that’s how it is in real life when people don’t know what they want and how to get it and even if they do, they don’t have the patience to wait for it to happen.

Or maybe some people are forever meant to be doomed.

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Girl: “… why did you come here all of a sudden in the first place?”
Guy: “Because I missed you and I couldn’t stand thinking of you with someone else.”

Girl: “I am ok now, you see - Now that I’m with him.”

Guy: “Do you love him?”

Girl: “Yes.”

Guy: “I know you… even though I know I’ve hurt you; it’s not him you love. Why are you even with him to begin with?”

Girl: “Because he loves me. And I don’t want to hurt him again by leaving him for you. Ok, let’s say I feel different when I’m with you but you hurt me and I can’t let you fool me again.”

Guy: “That’s exactly my point! I know that you know that you feel more for me than him so why are you with him?”

Girl: “I told you, he loves me and no one has given me so much than him and I just want a quiet life now. I don’t want to hurt him anymore.”

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Sounds like lines taken from our daily primetime soap, huh? Actually, it’s an actual conversation by one of my friends here. The girl is my friend who’s already taken and the guy above is an ex.

This all reminds me of the 1996 movie Dream for an Insomniac (Ione Skye, Jennifer Aniston and Mackenzie Astin) which brought about my definition (or quasi-definition) of love. The movie is filled with probably 90% quotable scripts on love and any fan of the movie will never forget the line:

“Anything other than mad, passionate love is just a waste of time.”

Has my friend given up on the pursuit of love? That she now accepts her doomed fate to never experience passion between two people that can ignite a room? Or has she got a different definition of love now?

In many ways, my friend handled the Guy in the conversation right but in many ways, I just find something missing between the lines. Will you really give up a chance for “that” feeling for something like security (let’s not equate this to financial security, ok?) or someone who loves you so much? Again, we beg the question “Who will you go with – someone who loves you or someone you love?” Are you not going to risk your heart again (which is already badly bruised up anyway) for that 50-50% chance of finding true love?

Love, for me is the whole package – passionate, caring, wild, sincere and most of the times mad. Anything less than that then you just got a fling, a sex-buddy or a love-doll.


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“There are too many mediocre things in this world to deal with; love shouldn't have to be one of them.” – Frankie, Dream for an Insomniac

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I always thought that when you watch a movie adaptation of a literary work you’ll find some parts missing in the film that was written in the original novel. In this case, I found out more about the story with the movie. That was probably because when I read Pride & Prejudice, I was bored and although I didn’t fancy classic lit, I had nothing to read. That was the time I also read A Tale of Two Cities and another Dickens book.

The movie wasn’t spectacular. Just like the book - just an easy read and something to tinker with your imagination. I had to imagine then the British colonial and period-style architecture as well as their gowns.

When we first saw Keira Knightley in the Disney-produced TV-movie Princess of Thieves (where she played daughter of the hero Robin Hood), we were bewitched. She was 17 then and now at 22, she’s already an Oscar nominee. The Academy probably found that too young for an Oscar and gave the award to Reese Witherspoon for Walk the Line.

It’s funny that how the characters looked was how I exactly imagined them. Particularly that Mr. Darsey (or how it was really spelled). I was amazed because that’s how I really pictured him – even the color of his dress! Anyway, I couldn’t help staring at Keira’s teeth. She somehow makes it certain that when she smiled onscreen, the viewers could count every single pearly-white tooth.

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If Syriana is an excuse so that males who are able to appreciate it could call themselves übersexual (it's something similar to being metrosexual, only, the übersexual male is interested in politics, economy and social crisis stuff), Memoirs of a Geisha is the movie to appeal to the artsy, epic-drama junkies. I'm not saying it was bad; on the contrary, it was a good watch. It was refreshing to see shots of early 20th century Japan. The cinematography is perfect and the backing music were soothing.

However, I read a review weeks ago from CTC about not being able to relate that deeply with the characters. I find that a bit true. We must remember that major characters here including Xang Ziyi (or however she spells her name now) have gone through rushed English lessons to play their parts. The result, it is sometimes obvious that the characters were concentrating too much on speaking with proper English diction rather than focusing on their acting.

The CTC reviewer wasn't surprised that Memoirs didn't make the cut in the Oscars (or did it?) and said it could have done better on the Best Foreign Language Film category if the movie was instead subtitled. I personally don't think that would work either since I doubt if Xang Ziyi or other actors and actresses are pure Japanese. I am certain that Michelle Yeoh is Malaysian for one.

It would have been great if I had read or at least skimmed the book before seeing the movie. Now, I am reading the e-book and am hoping to read more details that the movie prolly chucked out. Anyway, I think everyone should get a chance to watch Memoirs on the big screen. It just won't be that beautiful even on a plasma TV. As if I had one.

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