I love Mr. Knightley!

I feel like an outcast sometimes in the Jane Austen world, for I do NOT swoon over Fitzwilliam Darcy. I have watched the Pride & Prejudice 1995 and 2005 several times, coming out with the conclusion that I love Jennifer Ehle's Lizzy Bennet (THE Lizzy Bennet!) and I am swaying over Matthew Macfayden's Darcy (for he was so sensitive)... instead of Collin Firth's Darcy... but I'm not really into the saga of Lizzy and Darcy.

There, I've said that. Now sue me.


But on the other hand, I just recently realised how I love Mr. Knightley. The Jeremy Northam Knightley... the one in Emma 1996 (with the witty Gwyneth Palthrow). Not the Mark Strong one (many women would love Strong's Knightley... they can have him...). Jeremy's Knightley is such a sensitive person, but funny as well in his own right, and don't give the impression of someone with a toothache when you talk to him.

And here's some of my fave scenes in Emma 1996, involving Knightley:

1. When Knightley and Emma was talking in the Christmas party, and suddenly Mr. Elton just sat down between them... Jeremy's expression was too funny! And he also stifled his laughter when Mr. Elton tried to talk to Emma, though Emma obviously did not want to.

2. When Frank Churchill and Emma sang together... Knightley's jealousy was palpable, though he tried to hide it.

3. When Emma and Knightley was in the green house, and K said that he had news and that 'I know how you love news', and Emma wittily said, 'Oh yes, I always love news!' Their interaction is so cute!

4. Another ball, and that Mrs. Elton was 'taking care' of Jane Fairfax. And then Augusta Elton barked, 'Knightley!' and asked him to tell Jane how silly she was to walk in the rain. Knightley's expressions are sooo cute! I can watch the scene again and again just to see him there!

5. The ball again, where Harriet Smith did not have any partners at all... and Knightley swung over to take her to dance. He was such a genteel person there...

I just came to realise this... but I think I know why I think Knightley better than Darcy. I mean, Darcy helped tracking down Lydia... very honourable of him. But he partly did that for Elizabeth, which is of course understandable. But Knightley stood against Emma for Miss Bates (and for Emma's good as well), and he also helped Harriet without any agenda. Mr. Knightley is more down to earth to me...

Colonel Brandon is my other Austen hero. The Alan Rickman Brandon (Sense & Sensibility 1995). He's this sensitive soul, yet again... (and makes me love Severus Snape as well!).

As for Frank Churchill... let's face it. I love his voice. The Ewan McGregor one, I mean. His duet with Emma (Saw You Not My Lady) was superb!

Pic: Jeremy Northam as Mr. Knightley (Emma, 1996)
Pic 2: Emma (Gwyneth Palthrow) and Mr. Knightley (Jeremy Northam)

Hogwarts won!

As a fellow Hogwartian, I am proud to report to my blog readers of the victory we achieved last night after the gruesome yet valiant Battle of Hogwarts. Of course, with this message I am revealing to my Muggle friends that I am actually a witch! And one of the reasons for my absence from my private blog was that I had been helping Lee Jordan organizing the Potterwatch programme. Managing the underground resistance against You-Know-Who (oh, well, VOLDERMORT!) was proven tricky, but I managed to transport myself to Regency Era to find some useful spells, jinxes and charms around Hampshire and Limerick. In addition, upon examining Jane Austen’s Emma, I found some hidden incantations that were proven useful for my personal safety last night as I fought the hideous Death Eaters.
 

I am so sad to report that Fred Weasley was one of the first battle casualties (though we had lost Hedwig, Mad-Eye and dearest Dobby prior to the battle), followed by Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks and more than fifty other heroes and heroines of Hogwarts. I cried a lot when I learned that Dobby had died, plus when Fred died (though not for long, for several Death Eaters were blocking us – they did not know what they were doing!). But Harry Potter’s ‘camping’ adventure throughout England was apparently effective; Gringgott was breached, Horcruxes were destroyed (including the seventh, hidden one) and I also heard that Harry finally learned the truth behind the questionable acts of Dumbledore during his youth. It did not change the fact that Albus Dumbledore was one of the best Headmasters in Hogwarts. 

Speaking of headmaster, I was very surprised to learn that Professor Snape was actually on our side! I was shocked last year to learn that he had really killed Dumbledore (never believed that he was that evil... must be something behind the murder), but I am glad to find out the real plan behind it. Severus Snape, after all, was a valiant hero; I salute him.

Galungan: the real meaning of Victory

So, today is the Galungan Day in Bali, where the Hindu believers on the Island of Paradise celebrate the victory of good over evil. I am, of course, not in Bali, hence I could not absorb the enjoyment of Galungan typically experienced by Balinese and other inhabitants of the island.

I don't regret it, though. I mean, I have to be here, in the sunny day of Townsville (an atypical day, considering the pouring down rainfall for the last two weeks), trying to write my thesis (oops!). But I actually miss the fragrance of incense mixed with frangipani and other offerings... the sound of the gamelan... and the crowds. Yes, the godawful crowds that sometimes think more of the suckling pigs than the meaning of victory. Yes... that's the truth. Sometimes, like many people might forget what Christmas really means beyond the glittering trees and presents... the Balinese sometimes forget the real meaning of victory.

Okay, for a student like me, victory might mean achieving scholarship and research funding (!), submitting my review in-time and with considerable quality... not procrastinating with blogs and fanfictions when you're supposed to write a chapter (oops! - seems I am still defeated here...)... conducting your research in timely manner, etc.

But the true meaning of victory for me is the victory over oneself. Over one's greediness, laziness (ahem!), anger, jealousy, prejudice... those negative things that makes you unhappy. That makes the world unhappy. For, as Buddha, Krishna, Dalai Lama, Anand Krishna, Mother Theresa, etc say (yes, 'say', present tense), peace and happiness is found within. And it can only be found by overcoming those negative feelings and walking the journey within.

That is the true personal victory for me.

Well, if I can submit my translation this afternoon to my friend, that is yet another victory to be celebrated!

Pic: Galungan Penjor in Bali. I miss that sight...

STOP PRESS! John Howard finally met Dalai Lama!

It seemed that John Howard (and opposition leader Kevin Rudd) listened to all the rants and complaints of the Australians and non-Australians (like myself) who love Dalai Lama upon the leaders' indecisiveness of meeting His Holiness.

Thus, after Rudd finally met Dalai Lama on June 12, John Howard followed the very wise step to meet His Holiness on June 15. No news was out on the result of the meeting, but both leaders did a cute doorway dance together. The meetings were of course applauded by Dalai Lama fans in Australia, for His Holiness is an important figure for the Australians.

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark also 'had the opportunity' to talk with Dalai Lama in the lounge of Brisbane airport on June 14. Miss Clark was on her way to Sydney, and the officials said that the meeting was unplanned. However, to me it was delicately arranged to avoid China's anger but also to pay tribute to one of the greatest spiritual leaders of the 21st century. Works for me!

A blessed afternoon with Dalai Lama

I still could not believe my luck today as I saw His Holiness Dalai Lama crossing the stage to the microphone and greeting the audience. I mean, last January I was watching a video about Tibet and Dalai Lama and was thinking of how lucky I would be if I could meet him.
 

And this afternoon in the chilly Melbourne afternoon I saw him. A beautiful soul who becomes the very symbol of peace and hope for this planet. A great leader of a great nation that is not officially recognized by the United Nations (heh…) but continues to strive for a better fate and life of Tibet and the Tibetans. Not only that; he also relentlessly works for a better world by spreading messages of love and peace. A beacon of hope and love that always reminds us that peace and happiness is found within, and you cannot make a peaceful world unless you are in peace with yourself.

Topic of the day in the MC Labour Park, Princess Park Stadium was ‘Universal Responsibility’. Now, as my blog space is limited, I can only spoil myself with a summary of His Holiness’ point of thoughts in this very blessed public speech attended by at least 10,000 people, which I believe were not only local Melbournians. I should first say that Dalai Lama asked us to see him as a human being, not as Dalai Lama. For him, we are also fellow human beings, not people from different cultural, religious, or geographical backgrounds. Then, and only then we can begin our dialogs and understanding.

  

I think it’s rather impossible for me to see him ‘just’ as a human being; but I understand what he meant. And that only made me love him more.

My icon

I think I will use this picture as my icon now. It's the picture of Goddess Gangga, the caretaker of the Great Gangga River in India. I love her so much, as well as many other goddesses. But because I could not find the picture of Parvati, Tara, Durga, Diana, Gaea or other goddesses that suits the purpose, I will 'use' this one.

As a second thought, I think I will use this 'eye' instead. Clearer. But really, I love Goddess Gangga, so I will just let her be here. The 'eye' is actually a colour-composite of a nebula called 'Helix Nebula'.

Little Women Sountrack

It finally arrived yesterday: Original Soundtrack of Little Women (1994)! And my oh my... how I love it! I especially love the main theme, of course, with the lovely orchestra. But I also love the Spring/Amy Abroad, Meg's Hair, La Fayette's Welcome (Frank Johnson), Port Royal Gallop (Claudio Grafulla, 1810-1880)... and my favourite: Maria Redowa (Gaetano Donizetti, 1797-1848). The last three tracks are from the 19th century classical scores, by the way, so it added to the beauty.

This post reminds me that I have to add Becoming Jane and Sense & Sensibility OST reviews, all of which I love as well!

Now, where's my Emma and English Country Dance? I hope it arrives before I go to Melbourne next week...

Looking for Your Face

From the beginning of my life
I have been looking for your face
but today I have seen it.

Today I have seen
the charm, the beauty,
the unfathomable grace
of the face
that I was looking for.

Today I have found you
and those that laughed
and scorned me yesterday
are sorry that they were not looking
as I did.

I am bewildered by the magnificence
of your beauty
and wish to see you with a hundred eyes.

My heart has burned with passion
and has searched forever
for this wondrous beauty
that I now behold.

I am ashamed
to call this love human
and afraid of God
to call it divine.

Your fragrant breath
like the morning breeze
has come to the stillness of the garden
You have breathed new life into me
I have become your sunshine
and also your shadow.

My soul is screaming in ecstasy
Every fiber of my being
is in love with you

Your effulgence
has lit a fire in my heart
and you have made radiant
for me
the earth and sky.

My arrow of love
has arrived at the target
I am in the house of mercy
and my heart
is a place of prayer.

Poetry by Jalaluddin Rumi, 13th century

Love's Nationality

Okay, I've just 'met' Rumi on the web, and I was again reminded how great this sage was. This is a poetry from Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi who graced us with his wisdom in the 13th century.

Love's nationality is separate from all other religions
The lover's religion and nationality is the Beloved (God)
The lover's cause is separate from all other causes
Love is the astrolabe of God's mysteries


I have a Sufi painting at home in Bali, by the way. One day, I will post the beautiful painting here. It's one of my precious treasures, and is actually the first painting I've ever bought!

By and by, the year 2007 is the 'International Rumi Year'. Go, Rumi! And this is the text from Wikipedia:

International Rumi Year

Upon a proposal by Culture and Tourism Ministry of Turkey, the year 2007 was declared as the "International Rumi Year" by UNESCO in March 2006. This is intended for the commemoration of Rumi's 800th birthday anniversary and will be celebrated all over the world. On this occasion Iranian musician Shahram Nazeri was awarded Légion d'honneur and Iran's House of Music Award for his renowned works on Rumi masterpieces. 2006 was declared as the "International Mozart Year" by UNESCO.

In honour of Jalal-ud-Din Balkhi-Rumi, one of the great humanists, philosophers and poets who belong to humanity in its entirety, UNESCO issued a UNESCO Medal in his name in association with the 800th anniversary of his birth in 2007 in the hope that this medal will prove an encouragement to those who are engaged in a deep and scholarly dissemination of his ideas and ideals, which in turn would in fact enhance the diffusion of the ideals of UNESCO.

Girl with a pearl earring

I first saw this famous painting of Jan Vermeer van Delft, ironically enough, as a cover of the novel with the same title. Then, yesterday I was intrigued to learn that the book (a 1999 production - I first thought it was a 19th century production or something) had been made into a movie, again with the same title. Ergo, I rented the DVD to see what it was like.

And I love it. I love the colour, the light... the compositions... everything. Colin Firth was amazing there as Vermeer... (Firth is good in playing cool, seemingly heartless, characters), and Scarlett Johanson who played Griet, the fictional model for Girl with a Pearl Earring. Cillian Murphy, who played as the Scarecrow in Batman Begins was also there, as Griet's boyfriend. Poor boy, he did not know that Griet loved master Vermeer more than him... Or did he?

Pic: Girl with a pearl earring, Jan Vermeer van Delft, circa 1665