Sunday, 1 November 2015

Tragic Talents

It's been one of those weeks where I had to take a flight every day, sometimes two! This week I started in Jakarta, then KL, then Hanoi, then KL again before returning to Singapore. Once a month I have to travel like this. Thankfully most weeks, I will start in KL, head to one other ASEAN city then back to Singapore. Is there any upside to this? 

Well, I get lots of thinking time to myself. That's helpful as I have been strategizing the next strategic act for the business. More meaningfully, a friendly priest told me it's a good time to pray. He's absolutely right of course and I occasionally do say the rosary as I settle on board. All this flying takes a toll, especially when some are at odd hours but I do get a chance to catch 40 winks (typically right upon boarding) and then I'd wake up mid way through the flight. Then I'd while the time away watching whatever is showing on board.

This week I caught an Amy Winehouse documentary. What a talent, and what a wasted life. She had this strange affection, even addiction to men who treated her badly. Her dad, who abandoned her at nine which started her spiral downwards. Her boyfriend Blake who was not only living off her, but also multi-timing her not to mention being her drug fiend.

Photo credit: dailymail.co.uk

She died expectedly at the mysterious age of 27 (as did Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain) from an overdose.

I found it very hard watching the film but yet was totally gripped by her music and lyrics that I couldn't tear away. So much so, it kept playing in my mind that I couldn't fall asleep as I landed in KL. So, I pulled out the laptop and watched a movie, this one starring one of my favourite actor, Al Pacino. He produced, directed and acted in a documentary about a play, written by that wonderful wit Oscar Wilde about the biblical character Salome.

Oscar Wilde remains one of the best playwright/novelist the world has produced. This Irishman was also incredibly clever esp. when commenting (sarcastically) about the human condition. The play Salome combines all of these talents of his and brought well to life by Pacino as Wilde/Herod and Jessica Chastain as Salome. Prophetically, this play preceded his own doomed relationship, having fallen in love with another man, and was incarcerated for this crime against nature. He died shortly after being released from jail, never recovering from the fact that his children were taken away from him and that his Bosie had fallen out of love with him.

Photocredit: Elysium.com

Still in their brief lives, they have illuminated the arts and left behind moments for us to continue to enjoy today. What they could have produced had they lived longer, we'll never know. 

Just last night, the family (minus J who was mugging for his A's) (re)watched Dead Poets Society starring that incomparable Robin Williams. There are just so many lines there that inspire one to greatness, to make one's life extraordinary. I picked this one because many of us are at the point where we are in a position or about to get into a position to write our story.

Photo credit: all-the-news.com

There he was, standing at a different spot so as to see the world a little differently, urging his boys on, as I urge my own brood on: carpe diem. Seize the day!

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