Re-discovering old school friends

Do you still keep in touch with many of your old mates from school? For me, I certainly haven't been doing that - it would have been nice with some people but then it's not easy when everyone in the world becomes so mobile these days. Trying to think backwards and see who I still keep in touch with....

From university days - well, my friend Steve D has just emigrated to New Zealand with his wife and daughter (see what I mean about people being mobile?!). Alice L is still around in the UK and I get to see her and her family once in a blue moon (she lives on the other side of London).

From school in the UK, I am afraid I've lost touch with everyone by now - gradually lost touch with the handful of people because of all the moves we've all been doing over the years.

From the school in Hong Kong, well, I still exchange e-mail with my good mate Ron K in San Diego.... and then the only other person I keep in touch with is Jeremy K (I knew him since kindergarten) - who got married last week and I got to be the best man (see picture). And er, that's about it.

Having said that, this year has been pretty interesting for me in rediscovering what some of my old friends are doing. At Jeremy's wedding, I met up with Ronald M whom I haven't seen for over 20 years! We only managed a brief chat (I was too busy running around like a headless chicken at the wedding) but it's interesting that we found something in common to talk about (OK, it's work-related but still.....)

And thanks to the internet. I stumbled across the names of two good friends from my primary school years by pure accident (lost touch with them since I left Hong Kong, a shame really) - Chris Ko who seems to be working for a Chinese radio station in Canada, and Agnes Man who is a part-time singer/songwriter for Christian contemporary music. Always knew that Agnes was a musical talent even at school, and it's really nice to see that she's already released two albums. OK, I may not be a Christian and so you would probably think that I have a biased view if I say something good about her albums. But from what I've heard from her website so far, the songs she has composed are way better than some of the so-called chart music, and this lady has such an angelic voice that she puts some of the singers to shame.

Now I wonder who I'll rediscover next?

Shaking hand with four-time Oscar winner

The weather in London yesterday was bitter cold and wet, and yet I braved the weather to go into London to meet two of my heroes - Nick Park and Steve Box, the directors for Wallace & Gromit: Curse Of the Were-Rabbits.

It was an event organised by the Animation Art Gallery in London, and there were security guys at the door checking the names of the people on the guestlist. Fortunately I was on the list (well, buying some stuff there helps!). This was the second time I met Nick Park (the last one was back in 2000 I think, when I met him, Peter Sallis, Dave Sproxton and Peter Lord), and as usual he came across as a shy, quiet and modest man, but in my eyes he's pure genius. First time I met Steve Box and he appeared slightly less shy, but just as modest and equally friendly as Nick Park. There was a good turnout of people at the event, and everyone was obviously excited to see them. Even BBC London sent some crews to interview them.

I waited for well over an hour before I got a chance to say a quick hello and congratulate both heroes on their success of their latest masterpiece. Got my pictures signed, and I also got the DVD and my book from the 10th anniversary W&G exhibition in Japan signed too - so I was just totally over the moon. Felt a bit guilty asking Nick to sign these extra things though. I was in a bit of a trance at the time I think - not often I'd get to meet and shake hands with an Oscar winner, let alone a four-time Oscar Winner!!!!! And just think that I've shaken the hand of the creator of Wallace and Gromit, and godfather of stop-frame animation!

My only regret was that I didn't really say anything more to Nick or Steve really - I suppose I was just lost for words when I was standing in front of them. Still, I knew there was still a long queue of people behind me, and it wouldn't be fair to hold up and delay these two great guys leaving the gallery and going home.....

I wonder how long I'll have to wait before the next Wallace and Gromit film comes out, but I am already looking forward to it!

Another chance to bash the Pharma industry

The pharmaceutical industry hasn't had much luck in recent years really. The latest incident of six young healthy volunteers ended up in intensive care unit at Northwick Park Hospital in London (which, incidentally, is my local hospital) after being injected with a single dose of a new experimental drug, just gave some sectors of the public more ammunications against the industry. I've been following the stories and various comments on the net in the last 24 hours, and it's quite interesting to read how some people mix in the argument against animal testing into this unfortunate incident - basically their argument is that there is no relationship between animal studies and human studies, because the species are different. But so far I have not seen any alternative solutions put forward by these people. Do they really think that drug companies enjoy spending money on animal studies if they are unnecessary? Also without animal studies, and the drugs go straight from the lab to human studies, there would be a lot more such incidents.

One of the books that I am reading at the moment is called Big Pharma by Jackie Law. This book is a collection of revelations of how pharmaceutical industry operates. Quite an interesting read and includes in-depth analyses on some of the recent problems the industry has faced such as the Vioxx case and the SSRI anti-depressants. Certainly got me thinking a bit..... In a way, have people in the western world become too reliant on medicines for any of their health issues, without looking into possible lifestyle changes. eg why do some people want a slimming pill to lose some weight when they can't even cut down or change their diets?

I've learnt that recently there's a film called Side Effects released in the States. It's a story about a sales rep working in the pharma industry. I haven't seen the film yet but would love to see it - just to see how much of it is true, and whether I'll cringe (just like how people cringe when they watch The Office - that's what made that comedy so successful).

Finally, just hope that the six men in the intensive care unit in Northwick Park Hospital will pull through and make a full recovery. Miracles do happen sometimes and I certainly hope that they will happen this time.

Wallace and Gromit snubbed by the Brits

Now it's a bit of a shock that Wallace & Gromit didn't win the British Animation Award - how could it have lost to Tim Burton's Corpse Bride?!?! Still, at least Wallace & Gromit got the Oscar again which I think it truly deserves. Well done to Nick Park and Aardman. Personally I can't wait to meet Nick Park and Steve Box next week.

Bought my W&G DVD the other week and have watched it a couple of times already. Absolutely well worth buying it, especially when it's packed with all the goodies on top of the film.

Still think the Dogfight scene really funny - I laugh so much that I end up in tears whenever I watch that part of the film.