Huan4 Cheng2
I realise that if I don't write this down then I'll never do that in a week's time.
Huan4 Cheng2 is... alright I guess. At least the first little parts, when the novelty of the names of characters and clarity of the manga-like scenes strike you. Manga-like because of characters with long, flowing hair and robes eternally blowing in the wind, deep sad eyes, emphasis on non-boy/girl love (in this case it's love between 2 very handsome brothers). The names mostly have 2 characters with the 2nd and 4th intonation respectively. I've heard of some kind of rule that character of the 1st/2nd intonation combined with one of 3rd/4th intonations sound nice. Probably that was already a rule in ancient poetry. Try it if you don't believe. And the names are definitely of manga-style, with more Chinese meaning in them. Not really meaning - more like an image and a sentiment. Well actually, the story is better drawn than written (illustrations for the book are amateurish manga characters created by the authors' friends). Apart from manga, there are themes, contents and style borrowed from LOTR and Gu3 Long2's (one author that I'd never like) "detective" martial arts novels.
As I said, the book at first did strike me a little bit. But later on the depression got too draggy. There are way too many phrases such as "standing still... regarding sea/sky... tears flowing over" that convey motionless despair, sadness, or loneliness. Getting sentimental is fine but over-exploitation of emotions is taxing, especially when those descriptions convey no new facts, and are indeed devoid of meaning once the poetry of Werther-like addiction to sadness has been exhausted. Later on I was skipping over all the descriptions to get to the ending, which is supposed to have made many girls cry. And what is the ending? Hmm I can't even remember. Something like everybody died. No wait, the younger brother didn't.
Today:
11:00am - Took company shuttle. Left island for pre-departure meeting.
12:05pm - Was 5 min late for pre-departure meeting.
12.30pm - Was waiting for people who are 30 min late for pre-departure meeting.
12.40pm - Waited for boss to finish another meeting before pre-departure meeting.
1.15pm - Proceeded to pre-departure meeting lunchless.
1.30pm - Had snack bar given by boss.
2.10pm - End of pre-departure meeting. Got a lift to BV MRT.
3.30pm - Took shuttle to go back to island for 1hr.
5.00pm - Left work on shuttle for home.
5.10pm - Realised left itinerary folder from pre-departure meeting in office.
5.50pm - Got home. Had dinner. Packed.
6.30pm - Left home to catch 7.30 shuttle back to office.
6.45pm - Got onto MRT
6.50pm - Realised train was going in the wrong direction. Switched platform at Dover.
6.51pm - Dashed through closing doors. Shoe was trapped but retrieved eventually.
7.00pm - Arrived at JE. Shuttle was not in sight. Panicked.
7.03pm - Shuttle came. Was regarded with surprise by colleagues who got off.
7.30pm - Retrieved folder. Left island.
and 11.30am - Tried to check in online.
12.00am - Still trying.
12.15am - Going to bed without checking in. Will wait to be condemned as low-efficiency person tomorrow morning.
Huan4 Cheng2 is... alright I guess. At least the first little parts, when the novelty of the names of characters and clarity of the manga-like scenes strike you. Manga-like because of characters with long, flowing hair and robes eternally blowing in the wind, deep sad eyes, emphasis on non-boy/girl love (in this case it's love between 2 very handsome brothers). The names mostly have 2 characters with the 2nd and 4th intonation respectively. I've heard of some kind of rule that character of the 1st/2nd intonation combined with one of 3rd/4th intonations sound nice. Probably that was already a rule in ancient poetry. Try it if you don't believe. And the names are definitely of manga-style, with more Chinese meaning in them. Not really meaning - more like an image and a sentiment. Well actually, the story is better drawn than written (illustrations for the book are amateurish manga characters created by the authors' friends). Apart from manga, there are themes, contents and style borrowed from LOTR and Gu3 Long2's (one author that I'd never like) "detective" martial arts novels.
As I said, the book at first did strike me a little bit. But later on the depression got too draggy. There are way too many phrases such as "standing still... regarding sea/sky... tears flowing over" that convey motionless despair, sadness, or loneliness. Getting sentimental is fine but over-exploitation of emotions is taxing, especially when those descriptions convey no new facts, and are indeed devoid of meaning once the poetry of Werther-like addiction to sadness has been exhausted. Later on I was skipping over all the descriptions to get to the ending, which is supposed to have made many girls cry. And what is the ending? Hmm I can't even remember. Something like everybody died. No wait, the younger brother didn't.
Today:
11:00am - Took company shuttle. Left island for pre-departure meeting.
12:05pm - Was 5 min late for pre-departure meeting.
12.30pm - Was waiting for people who are 30 min late for pre-departure meeting.
12.40pm - Waited for boss to finish another meeting before pre-departure meeting.
1.15pm - Proceeded to pre-departure meeting lunchless.
1.30pm - Had snack bar given by boss.
2.10pm - End of pre-departure meeting. Got a lift to BV MRT.
3.30pm - Took shuttle to go back to island for 1hr.
5.00pm - Left work on shuttle for home.
5.10pm - Realised left itinerary folder from pre-departure meeting in office.
5.50pm - Got home. Had dinner. Packed.
6.30pm - Left home to catch 7.30 shuttle back to office.
6.45pm - Got onto MRT
6.50pm - Realised train was going in the wrong direction. Switched platform at Dover.
6.51pm - Dashed through closing doors. Shoe was trapped but retrieved eventually.
7.00pm - Arrived at JE. Shuttle was not in sight. Panicked.
7.03pm - Shuttle came. Was regarded with surprise by colleagues who got off.
7.30pm - Retrieved folder. Left island.
and 11.30am - Tried to check in online.
12.00am - Still trying.
12.15am - Going to bed without checking in. Will wait to be condemned as low-efficiency person tomorrow morning.
posted by Azzurra | 12:15 AM
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