A Decade After: 9/11 A Celebration of Life

I am currently watching the reading of names of the 9/11 victims in New York city as I am writing this blog, I cannot help but be sad and shed genuine tears for the loss of innocent lives. I am reflecting a little bit as each of their surviving family members and friends were reading their names and saying short remarks about how they were missed, and some are even asking them for guidance from heaven. It tears my heart especially when the kids were reading the names of their moms, dads, aunts and uncles who were killed on that tragic day ten years ago. I could just imagine that they were still young kids at that time and some were still in their mom's womb. Yesterday I watched the solemn ceremony from Shanksville, PA where the brave American passengers stopped the terrorists from attacking the White House in DC.

I know that this infamous event changed us, it changed America and the whole world but for what it's worth I believe that it made America a much more stronger nation. This event brought the best in Americans particularly New Yorkers. It also made us aware that heroes and genuine friends live among us. They were the ones who gave up their lives so we may live and they are those that sacrificed their lives on the Shanksville plane crash. Bravo to the first responders of the FDNY, NYPD, religious clergy, EMS and ordinary people who acted with strong zeal and courage to help save lives that day!!! You will never be forgotten.

My blog today would like to condole with the loss of these innocent and good lives and yet I would also like on a much bigger scale to CELEBRATE THE LIFE of these victims (World Trade Center, Shanksville crash and the Pentagon). Life because I believe that each of the victims inspired us to be brave and to be always mindful how precious life is and that ordinary people can be heroes. I know that they are in a good place and I know that they will be with us forever. Let us respectfully mourn their loss, let us say a prayer and celebrate their life through their memories. God bless all of us!!!

PICTURE: For this article I used a photo of white flowers. I like the immaculate white flowers to symbolize purity and peace, life and hope and inspiration from the the victims of 9/11.

Photo: White Flowers of 9/11
Photographer: Alvin de la Pena

Where Were You on Sept. 11th, 2001?

Where were you on Sept. 11th, 2001? Needless to say most of you know what happened on this very sad day in the history of the US. Allow me to share what my day was on 9/11/01.

It was a beautiful sunny Tuesday morning and just like any ordinary working day, I woke up about 7AM and as usual got ready with my boring morning rituals, went out my apartment on my way to work. I am coming from Queens, NY on my way to Manhattan. I took the R subway train and got off at 23rd St. station at 5th Ave. On my way up from the subway I see the public standing and their gaze nailed at the two burning towers in front of them. The World Trade Center aka the Twin Towers were burning in front of me. I was shocked and couldn't believe how come the two buildings were burning at the same time, must be electrical or human accident that caused it, but deep in my gut I knew that something was wrong...very wrong.

I still went on walking four more blocks to work, as soon as I got to the office I asked my co-workers what really happened with the Twin Towers, and they told me that it was a terrorist attack by which the terrorists used two planes to attack each of the two buildings. I felt sadness and anger and of being helpless. The collapse of the two towers really was the darkest, when you know that no one can be saved in the buildings and that you instantly know that the first responders were killed.

I ended up staying in the office until 6PM when the local news announced that all tunnels and subways were opened again after being shut for hours. With a heavy and sad heart I went home reflecting and visualizing how the people inside the burning towers were feeling at the height of this crazy man-made disaster. And as the day ended and in the weeks and even months to come I always say a prayer for those who perished and for their families.

Where were you on Sept. 11th, 2001?

21st Century China: Cinema

I would say that I am an "on and off" Chinese movie afficionado. For the most part I particulary do not watch Chinese movies unless they are advertised and marketed smartly convincing me that they are worth watching.  A few I have seen are of course are the vintage Jackie Chan movies and a few more Chinese martial arts movie when I was still living in the Philippines as a teen into my 20's. I also watched one Chinese American produced movie and of course an American movie produced and directed by Sir Run Run Shaw, the famous Shanghai born internationally reknowned filmmaker.

But since the early 90's Chinese cinema has been showing better quality movies which is not about martial arts at all, although I should say that their martial arts movies that are fictionally or sometimes historically based on old China are in my opinion, are the best ones...especially if the main actors are China's big stars. In general I like Chinese action movies.

The report coming from CRIenglish.com on January 2011says:
"The year 2010 saw China's filmmaking industry continue to flourish. The country made about 500 films in 2010, ranking only after Bollywood and Hollywood in terms of annual film output. China's 2010 box office revenue reached a historical high at 10 billion yuan (about US$1.5 billion), rising 61 percent from the year before. That has prompted media prediction that China would overtake Japan, the current second largest film market, by 2015."

Well that says it all, maybe in the near future we will be able to use the word Chinawood or Chiwood?

Photo Credit: Poster of Wong Kar Wai's film "The Grandmasters"

21st Century China: Contemporary Art

I like the way how Chinese modern or contemporary art is evolving and how China's new generation of artists are experimenting and trying to move away from traditional Chinese art. There is nothing wrong with traditional art, but I believe local artists should think more outside the box.

I did check some photos of Chinese art of the 21st century and I find some of them amusing, colorful, simplistic and others boring. Some are so stylized, others realistic, some are almost bordering between graffiti and a rough black and white sketch on paper and some are so animated like a Japanese anime' in technicolor. Far different from traditional Chinese art where one can feel the serenity and grace of the illustration of a Chinese maiden, a breed of horses running wildly, peaks of hills and mountains or a goldfish in a still pond and far from the sculpture of a Buddha, a tree made of jade, a serene goddess with flowing mantle, etc., etc.


Modern Chinese art is catching very quick with Western style and gaining much attention in the international art scene. I just hope that the Chinese governmant will not censor their artists too much to the point of detaining them. Long live the Chinese artists, long live China!


Photo Credit: Giant Ants. Accelerate: Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition
Photographer: Singartsam
Photo Link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30754835@N02/

Photo Credit: Ling Jian 12
Photographer: Nikolaus Ellrodt
Photo Link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/56518650@N06/with/5848586989/

21st Century China: Architecture

China's architecture in its key cities like Beijing and Shanghai is continuing to change the infrastructure's landcape. The start of the 21st century saw the rising and contruction of modern architecture in the old cities of this country. Trying to be one with the changes in the modern world the country opened its doors to work with building designers, architectural firms and engineers from Europe and the US.

I personally think that this decision is good for China and I like the design of the modern architecture, though sometimes it is too modern that the imprint of Chinese culture cannot be seen or be felt in the physical appearance of the infrastucture. Perhaps that is the same sentiment that some of China's younger generation are lamenting that the architectural design is too modern and too Western that it did not even reflect the blueprint of Chinese culture and architecture.

The following ten projects that pushed the boundaries of China's architectural status quo since 2002 are The Commune in Beijing, Beijing International Airport, Shanghai Worl Financial Center, National Aquatics Centre in Beijing, CCTV in Beijing, Linked Hybrid Housing in Beijing, Dongatan Eco City in Dongtan, Beijing National Stadium, Donghai Bridge and the National Grand Theater in Beijing to name a few.

Photo Credit: CCTV Building, Beijing
Photographer: Nathaniel McMahon
Photo Link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nathaniel-mcmahon/

Photo Credit: Bird's Nest, Bejing
Photographer: FatBoyRoy
Photo Link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fatboyroy/

21st Century China: Fashion

With everything going global and China being exposed to a lot more influences from the West...one thing is for sure, that the young generation of Chinese will be more open to the trends of Europe and the US. One area of global influence will be in fashion. New Chinese fashion designers (surprisingly most of them are educated in Western countries) are presenting their style which are heavily inspired by European fashion.

I personally think that if China's fashion industry will be steered in the right direction the country will be one of the major fashion capitals in Asia next to Japan and it also has a strong potential to be one of the world's fashion trendsetters making Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai its local fashion hubs.

Below are some pictures from Beijing Fashion Week held in 2010. Judge for yourselves how fast China's 21st century high fashion is taking shape.

Photo Credit to Photographer: Feng Li for Getty Images/AsiaPac