My Lucky Star - 放羊的星星 - Slideshow

All images downloaded from http://www.ttv.com.tw/drama/2007/Liar/photo.asp

用我的 iPod touch 寫中文

這偏文是用手寫板打出來。並不容易。我很高興可以發現這個功能。我今天看完
「放羊的星星」。我覺得這一出電視劇很感動很浪慢。我給他 4.1／5。

Sent from my iPod

My Lucky Star - 放羊的星星 - Favourite Scenes

Episode 3 - Tian Qi playing the Guitar singing - 對面的女孩看過來 - "Girl over there, look over here"

Episode 4 - On The Gondola


Episode 5 - At the Pool when Tian Qi carries Ah Xing to hospital after she grabs the earring for him and during the Tian Qi's performance in the Durian Prince contest.
Can be found on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VBr3Rqdh_Y&feature=related

Episode 6 - After Tian Qi falls asleep at the beach and Ah Xing brings him home and later in the restaurant, when Tian Qi played Twinkle Twinkle Star on the piano and Ah Xing designed the "Midsummer Night's Star" Bracelet
Can be found on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw31tAKAF_w&feature=related

Episode 8 - "Midsummer Night's Star" Bracelet Scene and the significance of the earring


Episode 8 - Dinner with Tian Qi's father - "I know that you want to see me run away, but I promised Tian Qi to be by his side whenever he needs me" (Ah Xing)
Can be found around the middle of this YouTube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV-8sMUjvNg&feature=related

Episode 18 - The ENTIRE Episode but the climax was of course the Fire Scene and on the Gondola

The entire episode can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=392bVYT-pmQ

My Lucky Star - 放羊的星星

I began this series on Friday May 22, 2009 and finished it today...6 days. Though this series was only 20 episodes long, each episode was about 75 minutes (compared to 45 minute TVB series). Therefore it its the equivalent of a 30 episode series and given there were a few interruptions (Brother's B-day party on Saturday, Doors Open Winnipeg all day Sunday, and X-Men Wolverine) there was some late night viewing :) I really picked up on this series on Monday after the busy weekend. Now to rate it...

***WARNING SPOILERS***

The Story - 4.25/5

There is something different between Hong Kong TVB series and Taiwanese Series. This is my fifth Taiwanese Series and all have been romantic while 3 seem to be more on the goofy romantic side. I don't think there is anything wrong with such dramas and they nicely contrast the TVB series. I have got to hand it to Taiwanese series scriptwriters, they write some touching stories. Anyways, the storyline of My Lucky Star was very good. I think it strongly resembles Love of the Aegean Sea and somewhat When A Prince Turns into Frog.

The Similarities

• There is a really rich powerful family that despises the poorer, but a rich son and a poor girl fall in love. The family has a better 'choice' for the son.
• Obviously the two fall deeply in love but halfway though something happens and they split but in the end he manages to convince others that she is the one.
• After they split, he becomes a heartless soul and some other man steps in to pull the girl through.
  

The Differences

• Ah Xing (夏之星) is an ex-convict who teaches Tian Qi (仲天騏) the true meaning behind jewelery with her $10 plastic stars. I really liked the way they changed for each other. Tian Qi grants Ah Xing's every wish while Ah Xing promised never to lie again and always stand beside Tian Qi whenever he needs her. It was touching when Ah Xing stood up for Tian Qi in front of his father at the dinner table.
  
• There is true love between Ah Xing and Tian Qi from the start. Tian Qi is willing to give up everything to stay by Ah Xing. Tian Qi's father does not use suicidal threats or his health as a lame excuse, instead he allows Tian Qi to leave but makes him experience hardships so that he will grow up. Ah Xing only leaves Tian Qi when she has absolutely no choice, she sacrificed her feelings for the health of Ni Ni and to save Tian Qi who was injured because of her. Ammesia (unlikely) and suicidal threats (cheap) were used in the other break them up in the other two series.
• Despite breaking up with Ah Xing and mistakingly hating her, Tian Qi never dates another woman Ya Ruo and Ah Xing does not date Zhi Yin either. They remain loyal to each other.
  
• The main objecter, Tian Qi's father passes away and never formally admits his mistake. I thought perhaps this was a weaker point in the story. I think he should like to admit Ah Xing as his step-daughter and Zhi Yin as his son. This drawback will count towards the ending but is fitting for a comparison.
  

Overall, I found the length of this story fairly appropriate but quite cliche as this is the third series with a rich/poor love story in just my five Taiwanese series. Though it lacks a bit of originality, there was a climax in every episode. Because it was more realistic than the other two series, I think I would give the story a 4.25/5. If I haven't seen the other two similar dramas I think I would have given it 4.5/5.

The Cast and Relationships - 4.25/5

• Jimmy Lin as Zhong Tian Qi 仲天騏
• Yoo Ha Na as Xia Zhi Xing 夏之星
• Hong Xiao Ling as Ou Ya Ruo 歐雅若
• Leon Jay Williams as Zhong Tian Jun 仲天駿
• Lee Wei as Han Zhi Yin 韓志胤

Not only was Jimmy Lin new to me, but the entire cast was new to me. Yoo Ha Na is a Korean actress that can speak Mandarin. In interviews, such as the behind the scene clips, she spoke Mandarin in front of the camera. However, I think her voice was dubbed in the series. The vocals didn't always match her mouth and her voice in the interviews was deeper than in the series. Though this was Yoo Ha Na's first drama, she played the main character, however, she was amazing! Her eyes can speak her heart so well, incredible performance. At first I kind of only found her average looking but because her eyes are so full of life, I like her :) Jimmy Lin can not only sing (I like the subtheme) and race, he can act too, a very cool guy. At first I saw almost no special chemistry between Jimmy and Yoo but after the first episode, the chemistry between him and Yoo Ha Na built very quickly and I'm very fond of them :) Like Pages of Treasure, I really liked the brother relationship between Jimmy and Leon. The older brother stood up for his younger and allowed him to do as he pleased. The fight scenes were another high area. I'm glad they didn't hate each other or quarrel over Ya Ruo. Ya Ruo played the role as a villain but I did feel sorry for her when she indirectly killed her loved one. I just wished that she would come to her senses earlier, perhaps after the death of Tian Jun and stop pestering with Tian Qi and perhaps encourage him to forgive Ah Xing rather than putting the blame on her. I can't say I admire Lee Wei or his character as Han Zhi Yin because he kept on butting into Ah Xing and Tian Qi. I pity his past, but from a viewer's point of view, anyone who tries to break the lovers apart would not be liked. Thank goodness he realized that he did not love Ah Xing but just wanted revenge on Tian Qi and in the end they became good brothers. Acting wise, they were all pretty good but I like Yoo Ha Na and Jimmy Lin's the best. Overall, I'll give casting...4.25/5

The Ending - 3.75/5

Though it was a very happy ending, unfortunately, I cannot give the ending a perfect 5/5 because of two major flaws! One was already mentioned with Tian Qi's father not living to accept Ah Xing as his daughter-in-law and Zhi Yin as his son as well as acknowledging the earlier doings of Tian Qi. I think it is important to see this moment of realization to happen. The second flaw is a very minor but has a lot of significance......the EARRING given to Tian Qi by his mother was never seen again after they split. Ni Ni found the earring that Ah Xing threw away so I don't think it was lost. I was really hoping that at the final scene when Tian Qi returned the Midsummer Night's Bracelet to Ah Xing, the earring would reappear. The meaning of that earring was just as important as Ah Xing's plastic stars. The scene when Tian Qi put the earring on Ah Xing was one of my favourites. The other favourite scene was the fire scene, the way she came back was so meaningful in standing up for what she vowed to do for him in front of his dad. "As long as Tian Qi needs me, I'll be there for him!" With two flaws, I would only give this happy ending a 3.75/5.

The Filming - visual and acoustical +0.1

The finishing of the series is worth mentioning. There was a climax in every episode and there were very memorable scenes with some skilled shooting especially during the racing scenes. The background music was perfect and added to the atmosphere.

Overall - 4.2/5

Doors Open Winnipeg 2009

Some images from Doors Open Winnipeg on Sunday May 24, 2009



Winnipeg City Hall
Red River College Princess Street Campus
Red River College Princess Street Campus
Red River College Princess Street Campus
Red River College Princess Street Campus
Red River College Princess Street Campus
Red River College Princess Street Campus
View of downtown Winnipeg from inside the Red River College Princess Street Campus
Red River College Princess Street Campus Entrance Ceiling
Red River College Princess Street Campus Entrance Floor
Red River College Princess Street Campus
Red River College Princess Street Campus
Red River College Princess Street Campus
Red River College Princess Street Campus
Red River College Princess Street Campus Exterior
Old CPR Train Station - Now Aboriginal Cultural Centre
Corner detailing
Platform where people used to wait for trains
Costume Museum of Canada - I didn't know we had one
Ladies Fashion
Hats!
Millennium Building? Ceiling
Millennium Building? Wall
Millennium Building? Wall
Millennium Building? Lounge

From Pages of Treasure to My Lucky Star - 放羊的星星

After finishing Pages of Treasures, I didn't feel like watching The Four yet and no other TVB series currently interests me so I began looking on YouTube. I started to watch some of Eric Suen's MV and KTVs and in one video Eric mentioned how he was dancing like 小志 who turns out to be 林志穎 (Jimmy Lin). Their looks do resemble each other and age wise, they are only one year apart (Eric - '73 and Jimmy - '74). They both were popsingers of the 90s but around the turn of the century, they both disappeared for a few years. Fortunately they have both come back onto the big screen. 放羊的星星 (My Lucky Star) is one of Jimmy's most recent series that was aired in 2007 in Taiwan. After watching the first episode, it seems fairly interesting so LET IT BEGIN!

My Favourite Songs by Eric Suen 孫耀威

***** 愛的故事(上集) Eric Suen 孫耀威
***** 只要和你在一起 Eric Suen 孫耀威
***** 眾傷 Eric Suen 孫耀威
***** 思前戀後 Eric Suen 孫耀威
***** 燭光 Eric Suen 孫耀威
**** 我教你分手 Eric Suen 孫耀威
**** 答謝信 Eric Suen 孫耀威
**** 幸福的再會 Eric Suen 孫耀威
**** 告别散拖 Eric Suen 孫耀威
**** 眼閉 Eric Suen 孫耀威
**** 七百萬人的故事 Eric Suen 孫耀威
**** 四季酒店 Eric Suen 孫耀威
**** 只要和你在一起 (國) Eric Suen 孫耀威
**** 再見亦是戀人 [+車婉婉)] Eric Suen 孫耀威
**** 愛她因為愛你 Eric Suen 孫耀威
**** 愛的故事 . 下集 Eric Suen 孫耀威
**** 永遠保護你 Eric Suen 孫耀威
**** 自愛 Eric Suen 孫耀威
**** 仍然喜歡你 Eric Suen 孫耀威
**** 我知道你在等我 [國] Eric Suen 孫耀威

Pages of Treasures - Click 入黃金屋

Finished this series in just 3 days :D Now it is time to rate it... WARNING SPOILERS

The Story - 4.75/5

It had a very nice educational story behind it and was comical at times. Perhaps I liked it because it was story that I could easily relate to in my family. It talked about the issues between children like me (in their 20s+30s) and their parents. Their version of "Facebook" was "Lookface" or was it "Lookbook" and it was great to see all the Macbooks, Macbook Pros, and Macbook Airs. I was predicting really awkward triangle relationships. Initially, I actually thought that Wayne Lai and Eric Suen would fall for the same girl or have disputes over their love life. Fortunately, nothing like that happened! There were no triangle relationships! That is a first :) and very out of the ordinary! Vivien and Eric started after Eric and Shirley split and then Vivien broke up with Eric once she found out that Eric still had Shirley in his heart. I thought was handled very well. I like the piano/harmonica tune, no wonder people on youtube are requesting it :) I found a version of it, sounds like a TV Rip, but I'll put it on my blog too :) Perhaps the script writers played it too safe and I don't know maybe something unpredictable that is 'unforgettable' and sets it apart. I don't know what I really want but it was none the less VERY good.

The Cast - 4/5
Paul Chun
Wayne Lai
Eric Suen
Sonya Kwok
Shirley Yeung

It was my first Eric Suen series. He has been in a few dramas (ATV's Legend a dream named desire and a few Mainland China series) but this was his first TVB drama. He has left a good impression and played the right role. It was great to see Shirley play a 'nice girl' role. I think the last time I saw her was in Brink of Law or Price of Greed. Wayne has been kept under for many years and this was probably the only series that he has had a leading role. He was comical and played the right "ma lut low" ;) Sonya's acting has improved and I enjoyed her in this series too. I found more chemistry between Eric and Shirley than Wayne and Sonya. This is a very personal comment...I don't mean to offend anyone, there isn't really anything wrong with the cast, but they aren't really on my faves list with the exception of perhaps Shirley.

The Ending - 4.75/5

Hm...the ending...well it was a very happy ending indeed, everyone ended up with someone. Once again, I'm glad that Eric and Vivien's relationship ended when it did because I thought it was the right time. I sound kind of mean but perhaps it was a little too perfect. I really like happy endings, but they had the crazy lady stab Shirley and Shirley in the parking lot was a little to set up. I'm REALLY nit-picking but the series kind of ended halfway through the last episode (what was to follow was really obvious) and the ending seemed to drag on just a little.

OVERALL - 4.5

Penguins in the Arctic?

I'm currently watching episode 18 of Pages of Treasures and there was mention of the 'best place' on Earth and Finland's northern lights and PENGUINS...um penguins are only found in Antarctica and southern Australia, Africa...but I'm pretty sure not in the Northern Hemisphere.

Well, I was right about the penguins...they don't exist in the North. It was used in the questioning of Sonya's little brother.

Pages of Treasures Apples

Ooo...Look at all the Apples :D Eric Suen has the MacBook Air and I think Vivian Yeo has a MacBook Pro with a pink case.

Last One Standing Ending

I finished it...so now it is time to rate it...WARNING SPOILERS

The ENDING - 2/5
Okay...so there was a little 'ATV' twist at the end of this series...the bad guy Roger (Yeen) did not learn his lesson and plans to get Kevin (Hay) again when he is free from jail ending the series on a 'bad' note. Though the supporting cast all have found their other half, Yoyo (Carmen) has still not officially accepted Kevin. Therefore, they have set themselves up for a sequel. With the popularity of sequels they may plan one for 2010 or 2011. Roger would be on a wheel chair though. I'm not a fan of 'evil' endings, I kind of get the feeling that good has not completely won over evil. I would only give this ending a disappointing 2/5 just because I thought Yoyo or Kevin's mom or somebody else would die at the end but they didn't.

The CAST - 4/5
I'm a fan of Kevin and I usually enjoy Roger and Yoyo too. I thought they all did a pretty good job and their acting skills were all really good in particular Roger and Kevin (what I expected). Elaine Yiu has definitely grown on me and I don't dislike her Perhaps the weakest link was Kelly, who's look was more of a "Lam Ah Chun" with the dorky hair and glasses. She was surprisingly cute '3 years later' when she saw Kevin again :) (I think she is in Pages of Treasures too so I'll look out for her) Having said that, the negative nature of their expressions and the evil and violence brought it down a bit.

The STORY - 3/5
Well not all series could be about romance...this one tied in a lot of plotting, action and adventure with a light icing of romance. It was what I expected from a series like this...and it didn't come as a surprise but I guess I'm just not a fan of this type of series. HOWEVER, I must say that everything made logical sense to me and was much better than the Ultimate Crime Fighter!

Overall - 3/5

OMG...I take it back!

KELLY IS NOW EVIL TOO!!!!!!!!She is on Roger's side! I felt sorry for her at the beginning because she was being used by Kevin but at least it was for good...now she is being used by Roger who is using her for evil!!!!!!

Last One Standing

Almost done it...Currently watching episode 20...I'll probably finish it tonight...

Roger is an EVIL LIAR!!! OMG he just dropped his mother!

Kevin's trying to be the hero...

I feel really sorry for the girls...Elaine, Kelly and Yoyo

Kevin's mom is an IDIOT!

2 episode finale special...

Rice Sale at Superstore

credits to accesswinnipeg.com

Can I now post from my iPhone?

I can type in this HTML box but it doesn't allow me to do anything to the font style or size unless I type in the HTML. Many years ago I was quite familiar with HTML when sites like Asian Avenue was a hit. I wonder if my page is still there? I had a layout and marquees everywhere LOL.

May 1, 2009 Playlist

***** 忘記傷害 林峰
***** 如果時間來到 林峰
***** 戀愛令人心痛 韋雄 & 鍾嘉欣
***** 從不喜歡孤單一個 關心妍 & 林峯 (On Jade Solid Gold)
***** 只要和你在一起 孫耀威
**** I Knew I Loved You Savage Garden
**** 值得流泪 林峰
**** 唯獨你是不可取替 林峰 & 胡杏兒 (On Jade Solid Gold)
**** 如果您在這裡 林峰
**** 從不喜歡孤單一個 蘇永康 & 彭家麗
**** 明明白白我的心 陳淑樺 成龍
*** 心動心痛 劉耕宏 & 許慧欣
*** 心仍是冷 楊千嬅 & 林峰
*** 2004 Olympics Song 林峰, 鄭嘉穎, 黃宗澤, 吳卓羲
*** 至少還有你 林憶蓮