tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78794833552403736112024-03-14T11:02:33.553+08:00KyusiReaderA bibliophile in the crazy corner of the world that is ManilaPeter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.comBlogger738125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-40574114007457019972020-06-24T15:34:00.003+08:002020-06-24T15:34:56.252+08:00It's tough having ovaries<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's sobering every time I think about gender equality. Yes, we've made huge strides in closing the pay gap, in abolishing discrimination in the workplace based on gender, and in creating safe spaces for women and LGBTQIA folk. But let's face it—these steps aren't enough. In some cultures, it's still a grave sin to be born a woman.<br />
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I'm reading this wonderful Korean novel by Cho Nam-yu titled <i>Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982</i>, and it made me realize that the battle for gender equality is far from over. Like our main character, Jiyoung, for example. She's had a tough childhood because she was born a woman in a family that has always wanted a son. Even after graduating from college, she finds it difficult to get a job interview because, yes, she's a woman. Almost everything doesn't work out for her, often making huge compromises just because of her sex. It's quite painful to read at times, especially because every circumstance is still happening in Korea.<br />
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The novel has so many footnotes pertaining to actual statistics and studies on gender equality in Korea. But they don't interfere with the narrative. In fact, they seem to strengthen the novel's main thesis. It's still a society where women need to be dolled up all the time and where men still don't give much value to them. If they feel that they're sexually harassed at the office, Korean women just have to grin and bear it. Why oh why, Korea?<br />
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Speaking of Korea, the bf and I have been thinking of going there. Next year perhaps? When the virus blows over. Besides, I don't think overseas travel is a possibility anytime soon. And lately, we've been watching Korean dramas on Netflix. Them Koreans do know how to spin a yarn. (I highly recommend "Reply 1988"!) Now if only they'd treat their women better.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">We've also been cooking Korean food.<br />This is the bf's kimchi stew. Perfect on a rainy evening.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-djpmiyPIAHk/XvMBBVNefII/AAAAAAAAHnM/dCcenNPze1sLbK8VCDsjgfdqM4_ybN3ywCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-djpmiyPIAHk/XvMBBVNefII/AAAAAAAAHnM/dCcenNPze1sLbK8VCDsjgfdqM4_ybN3ywCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4553.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">I used to hate kimchi.<br />Now, I can eat it by itself, even though it's supposed to<br />be a side dish. I love this aged bokchoy kimchi.</td></tr>
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Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-91683420838746040952020-06-15T13:41:00.003+08:002020-06-15T13:41:44.125+08:00All about those plants<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Let's take a break for a moment from my big Russian project for a moment, shall we? Because I want to talk to you about this book:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">This book has got me hooked.<br />And it was a perfect read on a sunny day.<br />The plant in the background is <i>Oxalis triangularis</i>,<br />which is also known as false shamrock.</td></tr>
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I've always been fascinated by plants, probably just as equally as by animals. I don't understand why many people are more interested with animals, ignoring these photosynthetic organisms and never realizing how important plants are to the ecosystem. That air we breathe? Its oxygen probably came from the Amazon rainforest. That burger patty? They're from cows whose whole life has been spent eating grass.<br />
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I still haven't finished <i>Lab Girl </i>though, but I am really enjoying it. I feel a certain affinity for Hope Jahren, as she's one to promote the importance of science. Scientists don't get much recognition, no? It's only now with this pandemic that we appreciate how invaluable their work is. I love how Jahren talks about how she started her laboratories. I feel her struggle. I know of a few friends who work in a laboratory, and they can attest how thankless their jobs can seem sometimes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ujD6FqApDak/XucCwBQhrsI/AAAAAAAAHmM/rq9n5wamt7AK4KqQ__-YoMvYILyYcGUNwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4782.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ujD6FqApDak/XucCwBQhrsI/AAAAAAAAHmM/rq9n5wamt7AK4KqQ__-YoMvYILyYcGUNwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4782.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">This is a tree from the bf's place.<br />Love how the sun shines through its branches<br />in the morning.</td></tr>
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Jahren's passion for the study of plants really comes through in this book, which is enough to make me ponder about the plants around me. It's also made me think how fortunate that I live where there are plenty of green spaces. People always complain that our mall culture trumps our liking for parks. Unfortunately, yes, I agree. Because one, there aren't that many parks and garden in Metro Manila. It's a concrete jungle through and through. And two, the outside heat can be punishing, and malls do have air-conditioning, which is de rigueur for a tropical country.<br />
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But a well maintained garden is a treasure, and if the weather's just fine, staying in it could be the thing that gives our minds a repose. We should bathe our bodies in more greenery. I know we really need it these days, as our mental health has probably suffered because of lockdowns. To be surrounded by all these organisms—ones who take in sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide and then magically transform them to food—is blissful. To be in the company of a hundred-year-old tree is wonderful. To walk in a field of grass that's actually just one single plant is calming. That's why I love <i>Lab Girl</i>, because it celebrates plants and the people who study them.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">The bf and I have been taking walks along the village lately.<br />I love these walks because trees and plants are plentiful in the<br />village. And it's quiet, although we do bump into a few hikers<br />every now and then.<br />Anyway, every time we pass by this house, I just have to take<br />a pic of this life-size brachiosaurus. So random.</td></tr>
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Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-38038620123405788592020-06-11T07:34:00.003+08:002020-06-11T08:34:23.032+08:00Peter's Big Russian Project #1: Nikolay Gogol's Dead Souls (1)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Let's start with Gogol's novel, shall we? I know zilch about Gogol and his works, so I'm amused by the text at the back of this cover, which says that Dead Souls the greatest comedy in Russian literature. Them big words, no? So does this mean that, if I don't find this book funny at all, then there's no hope for other Russian comedic novels? So, as I'm not a big fan of setting myself up for failure, I'll erase that heavy label attached to this book and have no expectations whatsoever. One thing I'm sure though—there will be snow.<br />
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This Gogol guy, he seems a real character. When he burned the second part of the manuscript of <i>Dead Souls</i>, all he had to say was that it was a practical joke played upon him by the devil. Seriously. Then after that, he just chose to stay in bed and refused all food given to him. He died soon after, and as reports would have it, "in great pain." It's no surprise really, yes?<br />
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Also, remember that main character in the book/movie of <i>The Namesake</i>, the one played by Kal Penn? He was named Gogol because his father survived a very nasty train crash while holding a book by Gogol. This got me thinking about my name, and how I have this absurd concept in my head that my parents were reading <i>Anna Karenina</i> when they were pregnant with me. I would have loved to be a Vronsky or Alexei. Or even Pyotr, which is quite close to my actual name.<br />
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I just started on Dead Souls last night, and I have to say that I'm amused at how Gogol describes his character using negatives:<br />
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Seated in the britska was a gentleman – not good looking, but not uncommonly in appearance either , not overly fat, nor overly thin. You couldn't say that he was old, yet you could not say that he was overly young either. His arrival created no stir whatever in the town, and was not accompanied by anything out of the ordinary. </blockquote>
I counted 10 <i>not</i>s in that text, and I even didn't count the <i>no </i>and the <i>nor</i>. For some reason, this has got me excited.</div>
Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-34617491535559579212020-06-08T13:04:00.003+08:002020-06-08T13:04:54.080+08:00Peter's Big Russian Project: An Intro<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey, hey, hey! How is everyone? I see that it's been way, way too long since I last made a post on this blog. I didn't even make a post last year! But you know what, dear reader? I'm thinking of writing more posts soon, and let me tell you why.<br />
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Since March 15, before the country was placed on lockdown (here, it was officially called "community quarantine"), I've written a daily post on my Facebook on just about everything. While I rambled on and on in many of these posts, I think I wrote a few noteworthy ones. By noteworthy, I mean non-cringe-inducing and just a tad more coherent. I've written 78 posts in total, ending it all on 31 May, exactly two and half months since we were placed on lockdown. During that span of time, I realized how much I enjoyed writing, even though I'm not really writing for anyone else except for myself. It felt liberating.<br />
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Of course, I do would love an audience. And judging from the many comments each post received, I'd like to believe that people read what I've written and somehow picked up something from it, however trivial or inconsequential that may be. But the audience is just a bonus, if I may say so. What I really looked forward to every day was writing that post and exercising the few creative neurons that I have.<br />
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So that's why I'll be writing again, and that's why I'm doing it here on my blog. Because this blog is still mine, and I have a significant control over it. Also, does anyone still read bog blogs these days? Maybe not that many anymore, I figured. Which is perfectly fine. Which is just the way I want it to be. Because there is nothing as free-ing as writing for one's self.<br />
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Oh, and by the way, if somebody's reading this, it's also my way of introducing you to another project that I'd be undertaking—the <b><span style="color: #b45f06;">Big Russian Project</span></b>. Why? Because I love Russian novels. I love the angst, the drama, and, yes, even the snow. I also want to dispel the thinking that everyone's depressed in a Russian novel. Not everyone, mind you! Well, maybe just 75% of them characters are. So if you stick with me, I'll share my thoughts on the current Russian novel that I'm reading.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Unrelated picture of the dog bite from one of our mini pinscher.<br />I'd like to believe that this somehow earns me enough credibility<br />to talk about Russian books. Because, them Russian thugs!</td></tr>
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Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-62401790848276688302018-10-24T13:21:00.000+08:002018-10-24T13:21:10.968+08:00You don't need ovaries to be a feminist<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last weekend, the book club gathered for its monthly discussion on two books, which tackle the very relevant issue of feminism. First, we talked about Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's essay titled "We Should All Be Feminists," and then followed by the Filipino translation of Liv Strömquist's nonfiction <i>Fruit of Knowledge</i>, which was brilliant translated by Beverly Siy and given the Filipino title <i>Puki Usap</i>. I love both books and found them engaging.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deep into the discussion</td></tr>
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I love Chimamanda. Her novel <i>Americanah </i>is one of my favorite novels in recent years. The essay "We Should All Be Feminists" is written in the same accessible style as her novels. You don't need a dictionary to be able to fully appreciate what she's saying. Her writing speaks to you directly, and this essay speaks from the heart. I agree with her 100% that we should ALL be feminists. If you believe in equal rights for all, then you're a feminist. If you acknowledge the history that led us to this unbalanced treatment of the sexes, then you're a feminist. If you respect women and transgendered women, then yes, you're a feminist. Chimamanda makes it clear that anti-feminism is so ingrained in our culture that we most often don't pay attention to these instances. It's about time we shake things up, no?<div>
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I'm not at all familiar with Strömquist's works. So after reading her nonfiction work (which was in comic/graphic format) that tackles the vagina and how it was unfairly treated and represented throughout history. Why should be we feel iffy talking about the vagina? One-half of the world's population have one. And also, what's the deal with not discussing the clitoris and the female orgasm? Goodness, how prudish some people could be! I say let's all bring these issues on the table! Let's throw away our shame and guilt when we talk about those parts of the female anatomy.</div>
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I fell for Strömquist's voice on her subject matter. It's both angry and snarky at the same time. And Beverly Siy's style in the translation complements the tone of the book. I imagine that translating this controversial work is challenging, but Siy made it look effortless. I laughed at the use of everyday Filipino phrases and words injected into the work. I think I just found the perfect Christmas gift for many of my friends. They will be shocked, for sure, but they will be smarter for it.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The two books we talked about during the discussion</td></tr>
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I mentioned during the discussion that the reason I fell hard for these two books is that they start conversations on feminism and other issues such as gender vs. sexuality and diversity. People need to raise questions about things that confuse them. And if we don't talk about these things, then how else can we acknowledge our differences and have respect for the people around us. How can we even begin to agree with one another if we don't even understand what the other party is going through? How can we effect change to make sure that everyone is treated fairly? What can we do to ensure that future generations wouldn't live with fear, discrimination, and shame, like so many do now?<br />
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As usual, I don't have answers. But I have loads of questions. #StoryOfMyLife<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Requisite group shot</td></tr>
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Oh, I don't think I've told you yet that I've started doing yoga. Today marks the 3rd week I've been attending yoga classes in the morning every day at 6.45 am. I still have a long way to go to get to the stability and strength that I want. I know because I'm quite shaky in some of the poses that are held for a long time, and I sometimes fall during one-leg poses. My yoga teachers are my inspiration. They look so fit (even though they aren't muscular) with bright faces that don't seem to need any product.<br />
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I'm not doing this for weight loss or to become toned. Well, losing a few more pounds of fat wouldn't hurt. But my main motivation for doing yoga is that I don't want to turn into those people who can't seem to do a lot of things because of their age. I want to climb stairs without being breathless. I wanna reach my toes comfortably while I keep my knees straight. I want to be able to hold my head down without getting dizzy. I wish to remain flexible when I reach my 50s. And I think yoga can help me with these.<br />
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I love the feeling every time a yoga class ends. It's as if all my joints are loosened and I feel a certain lightness in my step. Also, I get that pinkish glow after a good workout. "Workout? But aren't you doing yoga?" you might ask. Yes, I never thought that yoga can give someone a good sweat (I sweat buckets in the hot core class), a satisfying cardio session, and loads of exercises that build endurance.<br /><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VrJW-gvUeGQ/W8_fSUQTFwI/AAAAAAAAHec/4wPI8SYsru83PqGGFusOsEYkDUOyxQv4wCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VrJW-gvUeGQ/W8_fSUQTFwI/AAAAAAAAHec/4wPI8SYsru83PqGGFusOsEYkDUOyxQv4wCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4681.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bf and I I attended a yoga session just before the discussion.<br />We were actually invited by Anne to join her class as part of her practicum,<br />as she's been training really hard to become a certified yoga teacher.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Anne, after her kick-ass beginner yoga class</td></tr>
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Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-38097184260849152762018-10-09T13:10:00.000+08:002018-10-09T13:10:02.706+08:00From books to movies <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me: By any chance, are you my father?</td></tr>
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I love Stephen King's <i>The Shining</i>. It was equal parts creepy, in-your-face, gory, and claustrophobic. I was scared out of my wits when I read the part with the naked bloodied woman in the bathtub. I'd like to believe that that scene turned me gay, or at least made me flee from naked female bodies forever. But when I saw the Stanley Kubric movie adaptation, I kept thinking that the novel wasn't that batshit crazy. I did enjoy Kubric's movie though, especially the scenes with those creepy ass twins. Now that's something I can't say for a few movies based on King's books. I heard <i>The Gunslinger </i>sucked vacuum cleaners. And The <i>Lawnmover Man</i> was so hysterical I was farty for a few days.<br />
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Nevertheless, when I think about all the King-based movies I do like (<i>Misery</i>, <i>Salem's Lot</i>, <i>Cujo</i>, the latest <i>It</i>, <i>Stand by Me</i>, <i>Carrie</i>), I ask myself, "Would I still enjoy these movies if I didn't like the books they're based on?" And, "Would I still be able to love the adaptation even though it didn't stay true to the book?" Why, yes and yes! I love <i>Twilight</i>, both the book and the movie. I hated <i>The Golden Compass</i> movie, not because its source book is one of my all-time faves, but because the movie was so confusing and all over the place that it was painful to watch. I'd much rather have a root canal. <i>The Bridges of Madison County</i>, the novel, was so sappy that I developed ovaries after a few pages. But the movie had the perfect balance of gravitas and melodrama. Also, Meryl Streep.<br />
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I stopped comparing movies with the books they're based on. I even made a lengthy-ish post about it on Facebook (screenshot below),<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, I'm using big fonts on my phone.<br />And I couldn't care less if the person sitting next to me can read my texts.<br />It's been years since I was last sexting.<br />But, pardon the grammatical lapses though. I spot 4.</td></tr>
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Anyway, the book club discussed our love/hate thing for screen adaptations of our favorite books this month. As usual, it was an afternoon of interesting and enlightening conversations. (Kokay, the discussion moderator, was awesome!) I brought copies of two novels that have wonderfully entertaining big screen adaptations—Elizabeth von Armin's <i>Enchanted April</i> and E. M. Forster's <i>A Room with a View</i>. There, I admit, I'm a huge anglophile. My anglophilia is very much through the roof that I have watched each episode of <i>Downton Abbey</i> at least three times. And those British actors! Ack! How can I not fall in love with Henry Cavill, Jim Sturgess, Aidan Turner, and Richard Madden. When Madden's character in <i>Game of Thrones</i> died, I was this close to storming the HBO offices and asking for heads to roll.<div>
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As for the worst adaptation (we were asked to identify what we think are the best and our worst adaptations), I didn't mention a bad adaptation of a book, in the spirit of my Facebook post above. A bad movie is a bad movie is a bad movie, and it doesn't matter whether it's an adaptation or not. <i>Battlefield Earth</i> will always be a bad movie. And <i>Eragon</i>. And <i>The Cat in the Hat</i>. It's just even more unfortunate that these movies are based on books that are beloved by many, so there will be the inevitable comparisons. Again, people, make your life easier—stop the comparisons and be content enjoying apples and oranges separately.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Additional recommendations regarding screen adaptations<br />Again, all heavy on the anglo</td></tr>
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Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-9821767133743065762018-10-03T12:03:00.000+08:002018-10-03T12:03:39.654+08:00Peter's Pretentiously Pedantic and Prodigious Proust Project<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Every year, I make it a point to read Marcel Proust's <i>In Search of Lost Time</i>, or at least the first volume, <i>Swann's Way</i>. And every year, I fail, big time. I can't recall a time when I made it past page 50. My editor self always feels attacked by Proust's looping sentences. And what the eff is the deal with describing one's going to bed in no less than 10 pages. Go to bed, get a kiss from mama. That's it. But not with Proust. Every act, however mundane, gets the royal treatment. Fortunately, there aren't any scenes set in the bathroom. Otherwise, we'll get long, winding sentences about a character's efforts and musings in doing the number 2.<br />
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But the hell with it—I am going in. I will read not just the first volume, but all effing seven. I will be so deep in <i>In Search of Lost Time</i> (or <i>Remembrance of Things Past</i>, if you go by C. K. Scott Moncrieff's translation) that I'll be sick of madeleines and long pages of French prose wherein nothing seems to be happening. I will laugh in the face of boredom. I will wallow in the fields of ennui. I will fight the urge to throw the books at walls or at annoying people. I will fart run-on sentences and elliptical clauses.<br />
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And why am I doing this? Because I have masochistic tendencies, and Proust's books will be my outlet. Because every time I see a picture of Proust, he seems to be mocking me. "Weakling!" "You're like the lowest form of reader? Merde!" "Tu pues du cul!" (I have my French teacher to thank for this wonderful bit of profanity. I think it means something like smelling like you came out of an ass.) Because I feel a special affinity for Proust. I mean, this was a guy who spent most of the daylight hours in bed and only left it just to go to dinner invites. The life! Also, he was gay. So we're like sisters.<br />
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But, but, but. This doesn't mean that I'll read all seven volumes in one go. There will still be the occasional suspense novel or the sappy gay romance or the latest hyped bestseller. If anything, I'll probably read a volume between one or two other books that I finish. Right now, I've rediscovered how enjoyable it is to read the Agent Pendergast novels by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. (I stopped reading the series a few years ago.) So <i>Swann's Way</i> after a couple of these thrillers. Because nothing makes a better palate cleanser than a French novel about French people doing French things (except for French kissing and the blowjob, which I heard the French apparently invented).<br />
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So I figure it'll take me at least 3 years for this project, no? But I'll be blogging about my progress every now and then. And probably, just to annoy some people, I'll follow Proust's writing style in my posts. It's like my "eff you" to Twitter shoutouts. Because why would you use just 140 characters to say something when you can go with 10,000? </div>
Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-43874489230209169232018-09-26T07:26:00.000+08:002018-09-26T07:26:00.686+08:00The stories behind my favorite pics from our Taiwan trip this year<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The bf and I have a serious case of wanderlust. So we found ourselves traveling again this month. Now, it's Taiwan, the land of xiao long bao (which we didn't have) and beef noodles (which we also didn't have). I just went to Taiwan last year actually, but it was a guided tour. This time though, I'm with the bf, and he and I would be winging it. So here are my favorite pics from our Taiwan trip, dear reader, with an interesting story that goes with each one.<br />
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Our flight to Taiwan was delayed for 2 hours. Lots of groaning from fellow passengers every time the voice over said that our flight will be further delayed. As if their groans could translate to the flight being less delayed, no? Futile effort. Anyway, when we arrived in Taiwan, the weather was beautiful, and their airport's gorgeous. Took this pic just before the point where you can't take pictures anymore.<br />
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Love how the bf is framed in this shot. Taken at the Bopiliao Historical Block. Unfortunately, some of the establishments are closed, as they're preparing a block-wide exhibition on people with special needs. But we were still lucky to catch a few exhibitions on the history of 18th century Taiwan and Taiwanese cinema. Now if only the captions had English translations, it would've been perfect.<br />
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The first night market that we went to was the Raohe Night Market. And we hoped to sample all those iconic Taiwanese street food thingies that we would see. Here's the bf getting his dose of cranberry juice. Quite refreshing actually. Cranberry juice is so expensive here in Manila. So pricey that you finish it expecting to see gold flecks at the bottom of the cup.<br />
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I love Taiwanese food, although the flavors in one dish aren't as broad as those in Thailand, where you have spicy, sweet, sour, salty, and savory in every dish. The bf and I notice a slight herby aftertaste to many Taiwanese dishes. I don't find it unpleasant though, but it does provide a slight difference to all the Chinese dishes we're used to here in Manila, where the flavor is sometimes just salty and saltier.<br />
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We sampled the roasted wagyu cubes (fabulous!), the candied tomatoes on a stick (weird! but good!), grilled octopus tentacle (bit tough, and grotesquely big, very Chthulu-ish), the grass jelly drink (no strong feelings on this one), the Taiwanese sausage with raw garlic (love this!), the peanut ice cream with crushed peanut brittle and chopped cilantro leaves all wrapped in a spring roll wrapper (so goooood!), the pork paper, and the dozens of milk teas on every corner.<br />
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The sun was really shining so bright on our second day that it was hard for me to not be squinting the whole time. I have squinty eyes when the sun's up, and I can't even keep them open sometimes. Interestingly, I'm not a big fan of tinted sunglasses. Anyway, this was taken at the Presidential Office Building, well, technically at the parking lot near the Presidential Office Building.<br />
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Saw this old man buying something from a vending machine at the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall. I think I love this picture the most.<br />
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The requisite jump shot. The person taking this picture kept saying, "So good! So great!" And she had us make several jumps. One thing about the bf and I is that we don't do things half-assedly. So when somebody says we need to do a jump shot, then we'll make it something extra, complete with fugly facial expressions and awkward body poses. Also, hitting the ground is another story. I thank my omega-3 supplements for giving me flexible joints (and icky fish breath).<br />
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The view at the top floor of Taipei 101. You have to pay NTD 600 (USD 20) to see it. I think it's worth it though, as you'll get a full 360-degree view of Taipei. Also, the elevator ride from the ground to the top is an experience in itself. It lasts for only a couple of minutes, and there's a cool animation that charts the progress of the elevator in real time as it ascends. And the elevator goes dark during those few minutes.<br />
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Once you get to the top floor, be prepared by a deluge of tourists taking selfies as if the building were to collapse tomorrow. Still, you can always find a spot where you can be undisturbed. I think they have a limit as to how many people can go up at any given time. It could also be interesting to go to the top floor at night and see all those city lights.<br />
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Should you decide to go down Taipei 101, you'll get to see its tuned mass damper on your way to the elevator. Quite a feat of engineering, if you ask me. I've always wondered how they managed to get this at this height. I know the answer's just a Google away, but I want to never stop wondering. Or maybe I'm just too lazy or forgetful.<br />
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Calves for days. This one was shot by the bf, at the Martyrs' Shrine. We witnessed the changing of the guards here, which was quite different from the one at Chiang Kai Shek Memorial. For one, you can literally march with the guards as they go to their posts. I wonder what all these guards feel, being surrounded by tourists and all.<br />
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That day was hot, dear readers. I had flop sweat, which was also probably running down my butt. And we were there in the middle of the afternoon. I just knew I'd be getting sunburned around the back of my neck in a couple of days, which always happens. The bf had to constantly stop me from scratching and scratching and scratching.<br />
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A pagoda, also at Martyrs' Shrine. I love pagodas. They don't seem to perform any function other than make the place beautiful. Much like a gazebo. Now I wonder—if there's going to be an Asian version of <i>The Sound of Music</i>, will they do that "I Am Sixteen" number in a pagoda? Stuff of wet dreams, I tell you.<br />
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On the train, on our way to Pingxi. The last time I was here, I went on a boring tourist bus, with a very friendly tour guide whose English was so difficult to comprehend that I just tuned out. It was quite an experience taking the train. We took 2 trains actually—one to get us out of Taipei, which took around an hour, and another one to get us to Pingxi, where we planned to do more touristy stuff.<br />
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I envy Taiwan's train systems. They're so efficient. In Manila, arrghh, I just can't. I don't even take the trains here because they're like hell on Earth during rush hour. But in Taiwan, you can even get tickets without speaking to an actual human.<br />
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So the bf and I were seated on the train when someone boarded and told us that we were in his seat Confused, we showed him our ticket and tried to ask him if he can point us to our correct seats. He just looked at our tickets, and said, "No seat number." Whut? Turns out that if you get your tickets using a machine, you're not assigned any seat numbers. But when you buy your tickets from the counter, the person gives you a ticket with a seat number.<br />
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The last stop of the Pingxi Old Rail is the town of Jingtong, which is so quaint and quiet that I want to live there. There's nothing much to do here, so you have an hour to kill before the next train arrives. The bf and I ended up having coffee at this really charming cafe where we were the only customers. Good coffee, but very, very expensive. My latte cost NTD 250 (USD 8).<br />
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The waterfalls at Shifen, which is a good 20- to 30-minute walk from the place where they release sky lanterns. Not shown in pictures are the hundreds of tourists taking selfies with the waterfalls in the background.<br />
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Another thing about Taiwan is that they love their milk tea. There's like 3 different milk tea stalls in every corner. I love milk tea, but I can't really tell why one milk tea stall is better than another. In Taiwan, it's probably easier getting milk tea in a food court than water, which we experienced unfortunately. We were in a food court at a mall and I couldn't find a stall that sells bottled water. I'm guessing that if we stayed a few more days in Taiwan that if you cut me, I'd bleed milk tea.<br />
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I like my milk tea straight up, with none of those pudding or pearls or jelly or fruit bits. Those pearls are weird. They're black, gooey, stick to your teeth, and don't even taste anything. They take way too much space in the cup. Anyway, don't you love these Hello Kitty cups? Perfect for gay guys, no?<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qfw0PpPHN7o/W6m2D6rs17I/AAAAAAAAHbw/j3DqAbfeMM0gHYYZM4e1RkP4rebHEMj2QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4420.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qfw0PpPHN7o/W6m2D6rs17I/AAAAAAAAHbw/j3DqAbfeMM0gHYYZM4e1RkP4rebHEMj2QCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4420.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
At Jiufen, where we again overwhelmed by the number of tourists. I can't even recall if there were this many the last time I was here. My advice to anyone going to Jiufen: just skip it.</div>
Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-82548618641697200152018-09-19T06:58:00.000+08:002018-09-19T06:58:17.630+08:00Bookstore run in Taiwan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello, dear readers! Just came back from our 4-day Taiwan trip, and tired as hell. It was an adventure though, as unlike last year when I went there on a guided tour group, I had the bf with me and we just planned to wing it. And wing it we did—from shuttling between trains, taking confusing buses, being told that we're taking up somebody else's seat on the train, getting lost, and being misunderstood most of the time. I tell you, there's no other way to travel. Guided tours are all convenient and everything, but I don't think they'll give the full experience. Also, going DIY in your travels is hardcore, no? (Also, cheap, which is the best reason.)<br />
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Anyway, like in all of our travels, we've decided beforehand to visit at least a couple of bookstores in Taipei. So that's why we usually ended up going back to our hotel room around 9 or 10 pm already, as the bookstore run was usually the last thing in our itinerary. We actually visited 2 bookstores—Eslite Bookstore Dunnan in Da'an and Kinokuniya Books inside the Breeze Center in Songshan. Both proved to be pretty interesting and worth visiting. But when you think about it, bookstores are always worth a visit, no? No matter how many times you tell yourself that you're not getting anything, you do end up with a couple of things, whether books or stationery stuff, to take home with you.<br />
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On our second night in Taipei, we went to Eslite Dunnan branch, which is a 24-hour bookstore. We just came from a city day tour and we figured we might as well visit it as it's just a couple of train stops away. I wasn't really expecting many titles in English, as not many Taiwanese speak the language and there aren't as many English-speaking expats and tourists in Taiwan, as compared to, say, Singapore and Bangkok. Still, there were a couple of shelves that had English titles. And when I checked out the American and British literature selection, there were a few English editions located together with their Chinese editions.<br />
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I also wasn't expecting that many people to still be in the bookstore at that time of the night, but there was still a significant number of customers So I'm assuming that business is doing good. And I noticed that there are so many titles that had Chinese editions, so I'm thinking that the locals love to read. (I love Taiwan already)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RX_M6v0r7XY/W6A2kPA7zNI/AAAAAAAAHY4/WC8ANo0SpmgWgMDsiRxeQIiBkR-0iXoqwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RX_M6v0r7XY/W6A2kPA7zNI/AAAAAAAAHY4/WC8ANo0SpmgWgMDsiRxeQIiBkR-0iXoqwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4356.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I gasped when I entered Eslite. So beautiful.<br />
And the books in stock are so diverse.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x1HZmSZf8Hs/W6A2r8Wno0I/AAAAAAAAHZA/9mWNwvv6rk09_Pc3LL-tYufK9UhLsXwIwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x1HZmSZf8Hs/W6A2r8Wno0I/AAAAAAAAHZA/9mWNwvv6rk09_Pc3LL-tYufK9UhLsXwIwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4342.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the ground floor of Eslite is their stationery section.<br />
Had to stop myself from buying those Moleskine notebooks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yZJty2GPbXY/W6A2ump7WdI/AAAAAAAAHZI/30jXlLoQ3Gkq_NgjYp_ErKPTpVIBfoQPgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yZJty2GPbXY/W6A2ump7WdI/AAAAAAAAHZI/30jXlLoQ3Gkq_NgjYp_ErKPTpVIBfoQPgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4343.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bf couldn't resist making a quick doodle on the sample pages.<br />
Of course, he had to draw a chihuahua.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vms6toDNB34/W6A2zANXcFI/AAAAAAAAHZQ/0ka8etC7Ct8pbpOcN7tl66qqbY9yvLnNwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vms6toDNB34/W6A2zANXcFI/AAAAAAAAHZQ/0ka8etC7Ct8pbpOcN7tl66qqbY9yvLnNwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4344.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another floor in the Eslite building houses their music stuff.<br />
And there was a live performance of a local group when we got there. </td></tr>
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On our final night, we troop to Kinokuniya Books in Songshan. We always make it a point to visit a Kinokuniya branch in the countries that we go to. So far, we've been to Kinokuniya in Singapore, Bangkok, and now Taipei. Hopefully, we'll get to visit the ones in Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur next year. I can't seem to describe it, but every time we find ourselves in Kinokuniya, it feels like coming home. It's like ordering your favorite dish at a restaurant. You're just comforted by its familiarity.<br />
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Like Eslite, the Kinokuniya in Taiwan didn't have that many English titles. Actually, I didn't see any book in English except in the long shelf that housed their graphic novels. I was eyeing a manga that has a gay BDSM storyline, but ended up not buying it because, one, I wouldn't be able to appreciate it fully and, two, I can always just check out porn in the internet for free. The bf was interested in a couple of figurines (which I call "dust gatherers) but unfortunately they were out of stock.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We're actually quite wet in this pic.<br />
From sweat because we walked a few blocks, and there was a light drizzle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rows and rows of books I can't read.<br />
It's still a heady feeling being around books though.</td></tr>
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Also, a couple of other bookish things last week. On our way back from Jiufen and Shifen, we chanced upon a book vending machine at the train station! I (figuratively) climaxed; I would've literally if there were books in English. Still, books are books are books, no matter what language. Also, I don't think book vending machines are for me, as I usually have at least 2 books in my bag. I've been known to lug a hardcover of <i>Infinite Jest </i>in my backpack, born out of the fear of having nothing to read while stuck in traffic, in a boring meeting, in a restaurant that's taking it's time to fulfill my order, or in less-than-pleasant company.</div>
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The Manila International Book Fair happened last week as well. We visited on the day it opened, which was a Wednesday, which was also the day before our Taiwan trip. So it's either we visit on that day or end up missing the book fair entirely. The latter is out of the question, as I've been going to the book fair for 31 consecutive years. I still remember the time when exhibitors simply had tables to showcase their titles and everything was still low key. Now, it's become so hectic and stressful to go there especially during the weekends. And what bugs me even more is that there are quite a few stores selling non-bookish items like stationery and toys. Nevertheless, going to the book fair will always be something in my calendar.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ljBAeV9om2w/W6A3BNj3uNI/AAAAAAAAHZw/jN4F3_WVJKg1oR40pTQxn2tkydYl3Pb-wCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ljBAeV9om2w/W6A3BNj3uNI/AAAAAAAAHZw/jN4F3_WVJKg1oR40pTQxn2tkydYl3Pb-wCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4424.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The book vending machine at the Songshan Station in Taipei<br />
An initiative of the Taipei Public Library</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BC9ibO2_6xg/W6A3IdVO5QI/AAAAAAAAHZ8/ZWMtwbnx4z4AW4A2I5uzIXEFYL2O5GN-ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BC9ibO2_6xg/W6A3IdVO5QI/AAAAAAAAHZ8/ZWMtwbnx4z4AW4A2I5uzIXEFYL2O5GN-ACK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4451.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book loot!<br />
The 3 books in the top row were from the book fair. The other 2 were from Eslite. </td></tr>
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Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-58925311227148398662018-09-11T07:01:00.001+08:002018-09-11T07:01:09.317+08:00Dark reads (also being artsy fartsy)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Sometimes, all I wanna do is curl up in bed with a novel that has a very dark plot. So dark that it feels like every time you open it, you're dipping your fingers in blood. I guess that's one reason why I'll never have a liking to Austen. But give me a novel where the women kill, where the world has gone into anarchic chaos, and a speculative world where the society is deeply matriarchal and religion is controlled by sorceresses. For some reason, the novels I chose for this post all feature women as major characters. Woot!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4xU_-Arw_-8/W5Wt6UXOWdI/AAAAAAAAHYQ/B8kRxuW6vdkcPw-1gtopTPVWeD_SZeb2gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3071.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4xU_-Arw_-8/W5Wt6UXOWdI/AAAAAAAAHYQ/B8kRxuW6vdkcPw-1gtopTPVWeD_SZeb2gCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3071.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Yes, this novel is one of those that seems to ride on the popularity of <i>Gone Girl</i> and <i>The Girl on the Train</i>. It's not as suspenseful as those two novel though,but still entertaining. I guess I will never get tired of unreliable narrators.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FoLjc4w8vkw/W5Wt_iUVmyI/AAAAAAAAHYY/jBrKuwun7l8XUL1zK7iP471qPH3mPZMAACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4060.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FoLjc4w8vkw/W5Wt_iUVmyI/AAAAAAAAHYY/jBrKuwun7l8XUL1zK7iP471qPH3mPZMAACK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4060.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This one I was 10% behind. It's some sort of a post-apocalyptic novel set in a world where people lose their shadows, and along with this loss goes their memories as well. It's a bit of a downer actually, especially when the protagonist couple get separated because the woman, after losing her shadow, decides to flee so that her husband is spared from all the tragedy that's bound to happen to her.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xKqbiuHP4X4/W5WuFxCCsHI/AAAAAAAAHYg/mwbYoT8LKTw8AvEzsKYKtfu939NI8sOqQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2499.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xKqbiuHP4X4/W5WuFxCCsHI/AAAAAAAAHYg/mwbYoT8LKTw8AvEzsKYKtfu939NI8sOqQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_2499.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I've a thing for beautifully illustrated graphic novels, much more if the story is so rich that every pagea is a delight This one is that rare comic. I love the world building and the religion-inspired imagery that the story conjures. Also, plus points for having relevant themes on feminism and race.<br />
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There's another thing that's happening this week, and that's our trip to Taiwan. Packing for trips gives me great anxiety. Do I pack an extra pair of shorts? How about underwear? Do I really need all these toiletries? Also, more importantly, should I bring two or three or four books? Or five?</div>
Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-23722904697208969952018-09-05T07:40:00.003+08:002018-09-05T07:40:55.528+08:00Crazy rich gaysians<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I found my calling in three words—to be a crazy rich gaysian. And that's primarily because I saw the movie <i>Crazy Rich Asians</i> last week, and I loved every part of it. I guess you'd say that I was predisposed to liking it, being a crazy Asian myself, but frankly, I wasn't expecting anything much except to watch how two things this movie has in buckets, which are diversity and inclusion, would be translated to the big screen.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qgRPicL1KRE/W48ODgpSGQI/AAAAAAAAHX4/LcwUDVE0TFI_ozMX0stl5WMHdodz33oRgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/40684213_10217817104044794_7933534581238530048_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qgRPicL1KRE/W48ODgpSGQI/AAAAAAAAHX4/LcwUDVE0TFI_ozMX0stl5WMHdodz33oRgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/40684213_10217817104044794_7933534581238530048_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Singlish is love.<br />And I miss hearing the expression, "Can?"<br />Like, "You free for dinner tonight, yah? Can?"</td></tr>
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The mostly Asian cast did it for me. Ah, Henry Golding . . . Just be the next James Bond already. I swear, every time he's on screen, you're struck by how shiny he is. And that voice, so sexy it can make polar ice caps melt. Good fashion sense too, on and <a href="https://tomandlorenzo.com/tag/henry-golding/">off screen</a>. There was this issue about him not being too Asian enough, as his father's British. But let me tell you, dear reader, when I look at him, I see only an Asian face. Constance Wu is so precious that you wanna put her inside your man-purse (murse?) and just take her out to show her to your other gay friends and fag hags. Can't believe she's 36, a few years older than HG, who is 31. Asian age can be deceiving, yes? And when I grow older, all I want is to be Michelle Yeoh. If HG is hot, MY is so icy that the temperature drops whenever she enters a room. And don't we all wish that we can have a bff like Awkwafina?<br />
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The book club discussed <i>Crazy Rich Asians</i> in 2015. I remember liking it and defending it when a few people commented that there's an inherent shallowness in its story, that it's all fluff and too materialistic. Well, isn't that the whole point of the novel? I think I mentioned that we shouldn't really think too much about it. And that it doesn't ask you to read it in another profound, deeper level. It's all about Asians who are filthy rich, some of whom are so full of themselves that they're blind to all of their shortcomings. The novel's storyline is classic telenovela fodder: outsider girl marries into an old rich family. It's something we've all read and seen in varying permutations, even when we were young when we listened to fairy tales. But Kevin Kwan't novel is distinctly Asian. For that alone, reading it is an experience.<br />
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Anyway, let's get back to the movie, yes? It's just so fabulous. I suddenly miss Singapore, with its shopping malls with their airconditioning on at full. I swear, every time I enter a mall in Singapore, my balls shrink a few centimeters. What is going with the AC? It's like people there want to escape that tropical humidity as much as they can. Also, one is amazed at the genius of the costumes in the movie. Constance Wu's character isn't rich, but she ends up not wearing the same thing twice because of crazy rich Awkwafina, who plays her close friend. Yes, some of the things she wore might appear frumpy and too fussy, but they suit her. Henry Golding looks like a god with or without clothes. Michelle Yeoh's clothes are all clean lines and sharp silhouettes, which fit her stiff character. And Awkwafina is one of the few people on this planet who can rock a pajama-type ensemble. Did I mention that seeing shirtless HG is life changing?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4BgajyVzsgE/W48OEUu6KcI/AAAAAAAAHYA/K3D-dmLlerwYqZJEVqQdhiIlXANAmit9QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_1111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4BgajyVzsgE/W48OEUu6KcI/AAAAAAAAHYA/K3D-dmLlerwYqZJEVqQdhiIlXANAmit9QCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_1111.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken right before the book club's discussion<br />Gaysians know that one should hold wine glasses only at their stems.</td></tr>
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Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-4174657515510395722018-08-30T08:30:00.001+08:002018-08-30T11:33:56.458+08:00King of convenience<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A couple of days ago, the books I ordered from <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/">Book Depository</a> finally arrived. I lurrrrrrve that online bookshop. Two words—free delivery. The timings of order fulfillment could be better though, as my orders usually arrive in 6 weeks at the earliest. Fortunately, that really isn't a big issue for me. I'm in no hurry to read particular books. My TBR is limitless, and literally half of my bed is covered in books, which can be a pain when I make it every morning. Come to think of it, I'm probably just using a third of it as sleeping space; the rest is books and pillows. I need at least 4 large pillows at least to get a good night's sleep. When I'm at the bf's, I have two, which isn't a problem as I have the bf's sexy body and a dog (usually Coco the poodle or, rarely, Boolet the chihuahua) to compensate for the missing pillows.<br />
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Anyway, what I love about Book Depository and other online stores is the wide selection of titles. Here, I feel that local bookstores focus more on young adult and bestsellers (thrillers and romance), which is understandable as these are the ones that really sell. And I feel that customer service isn't as efficient as before. It's tedious to call repeatedly or make more follow-ups, no? One time, I reserved a book and never even received a text or email that the book's available. I only knew that they had it in stock when I saw the book in their shelves. So frustrating. So online I go, and online is where I've been getting my book fix. It's kinda weird that I still haven't corresponded directly with an actual human in any of my transactions, but hey, no complaints so far. I'm easy to please, I think. Put a cupcake on my desk and we're, like, bffs already. Give me a teeny tiny bar of chocolate and I'll be your bitch.<br />
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And don't get me started on LGBT titles in our local bookstores. They're practically nonexistent. Do people have the notion that gays don't read? Or that we just spend all our money on clothes and killer shoes? Well, okay, maybe 50% true, and probably like 75% for a few of us. Still, why the dearth of gay titles, huh? I guess it has something to do with us not being vocal that bookstores should have a few LGBT fiction in their shelves. With these online bookstores, this has become a non-issue. So, yay. Now the only thing that's holding me back is disposable income, and that mountain of a TBR that will kill me should it topple down.<br />
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So do I still check out the bookstores in the metro? Of course. But there's another thing that ruined the buying experience for me, and that has something to do with price. Why the sudden jump in price? Sometimes, a trade paperback almost costs as much as a hardback. Is it the recently enacted TRAIN law, which resulted in inflation? Hmmmm... Unfortunately, I can't find the answers to these from the books I ordered.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YlB0PPAaQ2Q/W4ckMPlvErI/AAAAAAAAHXo/6PL515XMPTQD11azB0fQLwonnfn1EhygQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YlB0PPAaQ2Q/W4ckMPlvErI/AAAAAAAAHXo/6PL515XMPTQD11azB0fQLwonnfn1EhygQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4097.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Books from the "mail," all gay titles<br />
Although, full disclosure, these didn't arrive at my doorstop.<br />
I just received a notice from the post office that I have a parcel for pick up.<br />
Which is kinda weird, as there's another person here at the office<br />
whose order arrived directly to the office, <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">which is also my delivery address. </span></td></tr>
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</div>
Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-73989846086243972492018-08-28T08:32:00.002+08:002018-08-28T08:32:24.982+08:00J-horror, it's a thing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My love for Japanese horror, or J-horror, knows no boundaries. We've always known that the Japanese can come up with weird shiz, but the horror stories they're able to conjure is simply inexplicable. But in a good way. In a horrific kind of good way. It's not for everyone though, especially if you're turned off by body horror or perverse sexual elements. But hey, if you're reading horror, then shouldn't you be expecting to be disturbed and made uncomfortable with the story?<br />
<br />
I'm not really big on manga, the comics made by Japanese writers and artists, but I will make an exception to Junji Ito, who is now one of my favorite writers and storytellers. I just discovered him this year, when I randomly pulled <i>Shiver</i>, his 2017 collection, from the shelf of a local bookstore. I say randomly because whenever I'm in a reading slump, I usually turn to the graphic novels section of the bookstore and check out titles without any rhyme or reason. I discovered lots of wonderful graphic novels this way—Mazzucchelli's <i>Asterios Polyp</i>, Beauchard's <i>Epileptic</i>, and Brosgol's <i>Anya's Ghost</i>, to name a few. Interestingly, it was the bf who got me into reading graphic novels. Before the bf (<span style="font-size: x-small;">B.B.F.</span>), my middle class upbringing taught me to look down at these works, which is totally the fault of my parents.<br />
<br />
Perhaps the only reason why I don't have much love for manga is that its stories are terribly slow. I'd probably have more fun watching paint dry or looking for wrinkles slowly develop on my face. But with Junji Ito though, I just never know what to expect. Well, I've read only his short fiction collection so far, but what I've read lets me get my horror fix, which I've been rarely getting from the horror novels I've finished lately. There's just something off right from the first page of the story that you could subtly detect, whether it's the oddly proportioned face of a character, the too-perfect veneer of a house, or the cheery friend who seems to be hiding her broken self. I revel in these stories. It's not at all like "The Twilight Zone," but more like the copulation of Hitchcock (for the suspense), Stirling (for the speculative aspect), King (for the jump scares), and Barker (for the out-of-this-world body horror).<br />
<br />
I can't get enough of the body horror that Ito tells in some of his stories. In one story titled "Glyceride," a man pops his many pimples and lets the oil drip onto his sister. In "Dissection Girl," a girl dreams of being dissected alive and goes through great lengths just to make it happen. And those are just the "tame" ones, dear reader. There are far darker and grosser instances of this kind of terror in Ito's work.<br />
<br />
Another thing I find unsettling in many of Ito's horror stories is his depiction of women. The way he draws his female monsters amd ghosts gives you that slight icky feeling. The blank eyes and facial expressions, the uncomfortably svelte figure, their hair which seems to have a life of their own—stuff of nightmares, I tell you. And it's because of this that I'm really glad that I'm gay. Anyway, check out these "ladies" in the pictures below. Note how the style of the illustrations also give them both a sexual and a predatory feel. But again, these do nothing for me, sexually I mean.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Td3rOgS8d9I/W4SAEbJHC2I/AAAAAAAAHXI/L1wTH1gfMxonx04Xw_VW5YJGROlknsNNwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Td3rOgS8d9I/W4SAEbJHC2I/AAAAAAAAHXI/L1wTH1gfMxonx04Xw_VW5YJGROlknsNNwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4092.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Blackbird" from <i>Fragments of Horror</i> (2013-2014)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-agPcuddZ2IU/W4SAGaf5v0I/AAAAAAAAHXQ/VbdYFeE4nYA5gJTEpwFiF4CTCYZHQwp3gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_4093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-agPcuddZ2IU/W4SAGaf5v0I/AAAAAAAAHXQ/VbdYFeE4nYA5gJTEpwFiF4CTCYZHQwp3gCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_4093.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Whispering Woman," also from <i>Fragments of Horror</i></td></tr>
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I love J-horror in all its forms. <i>Ju-On </i>and <i>Ringu</i> still remain as two of my favorite horror movies. Coincidentally, both also have elements of body horror and female antagonists. One other thing to note about J-horror is that the horror just happens without having the need for an explanation. So there's usually no tedious back story that we all have to painfully go through. It's the same thing with Junji Ito's stories. Weird stuff just happens, like people being chased by floating heads, a woman being turned on by a house and eventually having sex with it, and a man having all the heads of his ancestors living on top of his head. It's just is, man.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p7zGPUGSe5c/W4SAOSNvY-I/AAAAAAAAHXY/sZduCcC9a3w9P-UaoyrNPHlsGHgM8RxWACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/39914735_10217735863333827_2915683916629147648_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p7zGPUGSe5c/W4SAOSNvY-I/AAAAAAAAHXY/sZduCcC9a3w9P-UaoyrNPHlsGHgM8RxWACK4BGAYYCw/s400/39914735_10217735863333827_2915683916629147648_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The books in my bag last weekend</td></tr>
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Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-7624061667995004302018-08-22T11:20:00.002+08:002018-08-22T11:20:27.847+08:00If I turned into a cockroach<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kua5aO_s9Qk/W3yqCh4Oz2I/AAAAAAAAHW4/b4PQSvconNYLAJH1wvFHUKKexSZrXhdFACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3988.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kua5aO_s9Qk/W3yqCh4Oz2I/AAAAAAAAHW4/b4PQSvconNYLAJH1wvFHUKKexSZrXhdFACK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3988.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I finished another story by Kafka recently—the one where the main character wakes up one day transformed as a cockroach, "The Metamorphosis." And can I just say that I loved the absurdity of it all. Like when you read <i>The Idiot</i>, you just swallow your disbelief and just run with it. Of all things that one can turn into, Kafka had to choose a cockroach, that vile insect that everyone seems afraid of. And my goodness let's not talk about the flying variety.<br />
<br />
Now I'm not a person who's uncomfortable around insects. I love them arthropods—beetles, ants, termites, mantises, etc. Yes, some of these are pests, but as a Bio major, I know how important they are to the ecosystem. But cockroaches are another matter. I have always speculated what their roles are. Ah, one of the great mysteries of life. These critters should be annihilated. When we were in line at a temple in Bangkok, we saw a cockroach idly crawling near us. Of course, none of us dared to step on it because, you know, Buddhist respect for all life. I could imagine all the feelings of disgust and desire to scream and flee from the insect that they bottled inside. Of course, the bf and I were just amused. We come from a third world country; we literally sleep with these critters.<br />
<br />
I have a weird affinity for spiders though. I can't bear to hurt these cute animals. When you meet a spider, keep in mind that it's probably more afraid of you than you are of it. And it'll probably sting only when provoked. Interestingly, this morning I saw a huge spider in the shower. Probably with a leg span as long as my hand. (BTW, I have huge hands.) So you can probably understand my dilemma. Should I risk it and take a shower? Or should I just splash water on my face and just put baby powder all over my sexy body? In the end though, I took a very quick shower (i.e., 2 minutes) at the farthest corner of the bathroom.<br />
<br />
And crap, I have digressed in the two previous paragraphs. So let's go back to "Metamorphosis" and how I reveled in Gregor Samsa's transformation. Imagine waking up one morning being unable to immediately get out of bed because you've discovered that your body is now flat and you find it difficult to move your legs, all 6 of them. Then your family's, like, no biggie, we'll just lock you in your room and feed you every day. I find it ironic that Gregor would turn into a cockroach, that creature which seem to serve no purpose at all (except to make white people squirm). Prior to this metamorphosis, Gregor was the breadwinner in his family, earning enough not just for his family's day-to-day but also to pay his parents' debts. But you couldn't do that anymore if you're a cockroach, no?<br />
<br />
Eventually, his family's tolerance to his new form reaches a tipping point—they can no longer stand having him in their house. At one point, in a hysterical set piece, his father was trying to step on him while Gregor was scurrying around the walls and the floor of the room. "Metamorphosis" is a sad story of a man caught in a surreal circumstance. Kafka doesn't even bother to explain this transformation. And why would he? It's the utter in-your-face absurdity that makes the story. </div>
Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-680116208210815552018-08-17T10:00:00.000+08:002018-08-17T10:00:12.744+08:00Dear Diary, #1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey, D.! This is P.<br />
<br />
So the bf's been seriously bitten by the travel bug. Now he has itchy feet. I've a few realizations regarding traveling, now that we're planning to go to a few countries in the near future. One, of course it's going to be costly. I'm now down to two meals a day just to save up. Hopefully, not just more money but more prominent cheekbones and jawline in the coming weeks. Remind me to take a before and after pic, D.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XrwVxWZES1k/W3I3xyJEUdI/AAAAAAAAHV4/bT3M8e4Uom8Fh_kK4_MLhTos_fZKFKqjgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XrwVxWZES1k/W3I3xyJEUdI/AAAAAAAAHV4/bT3M8e4Uom8Fh_kK4_MLhTos_fZKFKqjgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3705.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The donut socks are mine.<br />
We took this picture right before entering the temple, as cameras weren't allowed inside.<br />
D., I just realized that I no longer have plain white or black socks.</td></tr>
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We're going to Taiwan next month, which, if I weren't going with the bf, would be unfortuitous for two reasons. One, I've been to Taiwan just last year, albeit for only 3 days. Two, we just traveled last month, and my fat ass needs some bit of a recuperating time. But who am I kidding, D.! It's only my slim wallet that needs time to fatten up. Seriously, you think that you're getting a good deal with a travel promo, and then you realize you need a pocket wifi, museum tickets, a tour guide for a place you're really hoping is worth it, etc. It's a good thing that the spa and massage aren't my thing. I feel iffy when strangers touch me. What's wrong with me, D.?<br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
I love Taiwan. Clean, friendly people, delicious food. I can't recall a bad experience during the 3 days I was there last year. Well, except for one night when I got lost and ended up walking for almost 3 hours because I was too stubborn to ask for directions. Woe is me when I took a bite of that humble pie and hopped into a taxi just to get to my hotel. Can I permanently live in hotels, D.? I kinda feel that it's my natural habitat. Three words: crisp white sheets. I know that there's this awful urban legend on how hotels don't really change their sheets as often as they should. But as long as I don't see those buggers, then they're 100% antiseptic bed covers for me. Also, there's a reason that our senses have a limited range, yes? Also, I think of it as exposing myself to those germs and beefing up my immunity in the process. So, win-win.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nXCeAQHcVE4/W3KU2GhBHvI/AAAAAAAAHWE/fA3J291eUwI9Woa8t8YRs3vex5r4b_iNwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nXCeAQHcVE4/W3KU2GhBHvI/AAAAAAAAHWE/fA3J291eUwI9Woa8t8YRs3vex5r4b_iNwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3652.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm molting.<br />
Or, simply gross pic is gross.</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div>
And speaking of immunity, dear D., I have a strange case of skin shedding on my hands. I doubt if it's caused by soap, as I've been using the same brand of unscented soap for a few years now. I have a weird dislike for scents, haven't you noticed, D.? I believe that we should only be smelling one's scent if and only if we're hugging him or her. Otherwise, ummmm, I wouldn't be able to have an intelligent conversation with you. My brain can only process so much stimuli. It's either your voice or your scent.<br />
<br />
Anyway, don't ever think that this gross skin condition is a result of friction brought about by skin rubbing against skin and aggravated by repetitive hand movements. If that were the case, D., I would've had this since I was 13. I can't even shake other people's hands, as they'll be grossed out by that rough feeling. Or they'll think I'm spreading some sort of skin virus. Whatever.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5e4n5GGuDxk/W3YHURggRvI/AAAAAAAAHWY/2lkdsgsGf-gGGqmOrWbEVdtYCsRxI-pagCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3746%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5e4n5GGuDxk/W3YHURggRvI/AAAAAAAAHWY/2lkdsgsGf-gGGqmOrWbEVdtYCsRxI-pagCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3746%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking the commuter boat in Bangkok, with Wat Arun behind us<br />We weren't really planning to visit this temple, as it's across the river.<br />But we were told that to get to the boat that will take us back to downtown Bangkok,<br />we had to cross the river and take the boat from that side. So, "blessing in the sky."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So I'm really excited for next month's trip, D. I've been checking my itinerary for the last time I was there and crossing out sites that were just meh. If it were totally up to me, I'd skip Yehliu Geopark, because they're just rocks in weird shapes, and there's plenty of rocks with weird shapes where I come from. But the bf wants to visit it, so I'll play the role of dutiful husband and just go with it. Maybe, just maybe, the configurations of those rocks just changed a bit. I'd gladly skip that paper balloon flying at Shifen as well. I don't think it's environmentally sound, and such a waste of money. It's literally seeing your money go up in the sky and then exploding in flames. Just think of all the dimsum that you could've bought with that money. Mmmm.... dimsum—the best reason to go back to Taiwan.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9GxdcucMQRo/W3YHPQVbl2I/AAAAAAAAHWQ/bdo2_Jwy4msE-oUsdgyS9ImidzsV09pDQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9GxdcucMQRo/W3YHPQVbl2I/AAAAAAAAHWQ/bdo2_Jwy4msE-oUsdgyS9ImidzsV09pDQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3975.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boolet the chihuahua does not approve of our frequent trips.<br />Just look at that smug face.</td></tr>
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Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-14437462316215018122018-08-13T12:33:00.002+08:002018-08-13T12:33:23.690+08:00Kafka virgin<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My two favorite quotes from Kafka's <i>The Trial</i></td></tr>
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Our book club's selection for this month is Kafka's works, beginning with the novel <i>The Trial</i>. I've never read Kafka, and I have this notion that his works will read like those of Russian novelists such as Tolstoy and Dostoevsky. I have a special affinity for Tolstoy's and Dostoevsky's novels. I don't mind that their main characters are drunkards (or throw themselves in front of a moving train), they live in squalor, and the weather is always freezing. Somehow, pondering about life's biggest questions seems easier if you have these unfortunate conditions. Maybe I'm just a closet romantic, no? But Kafka's <i>The Trial</i> is completely different in tone and subject matter. And I am jarred. Well, at least for a few minutes.<br />
<br />
The first thing that struck me about <i>The Trial</i> is its pace. The writing is so frenetic that it leaves you catching your breath—long paragraphs with hardly any punctuation, dialogue that you have to decipher as to who exactly is the one speaking the lines, and events happening one after another in a span of a few sentences. I love it. The pace is perfect in evoking an atmosphere of claustrophobia and unpredictability, as these characterize the situation tha Joseph K., the main character, is going through. What exactly can K. do when he wakes up one morning to find people in his apartment who are there to arrest him for a crime unspecified throughout the story?<br />
<br />
But pacing aside, the novel's story is told straight through. But the range of situations that K. finds himself is so vast that it forces you to question the genre of the novel. Is it absurdist? Is it metafiction? Is it a satire? But cares about genre these days anyway? I don't. I just want a good story. So, these situations—they can go from being absurd one moment to sensual the next. And it is this absurdity that makes me forgive K.'s wrongful actions or, more often, inaction to be able to get himself out of that ridiculously surreal situation. How can one act rationally if the circumstances that go your way are irrational?<br />
<br />
Bureaucracy is one of the prevailing themes of <i>The Trial</i>. No matter how many people that K. meets who can help him with his coming trial, no one seems to have a clear idea on how to help. K. is forced to consult a lawyer, listen to a preacher, and talk to a painter and court reporter. They all present a grim outlook for the trial. It's a bleak picture that Kafka paints in this story. It's not exactly entertaining, but it certainly makes you pause and think. I have so many questions after finishing the novel. Thank goodness for Google.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FQYJWka5Wa8/W3DDpYL7MSI/AAAAAAAAHVM/nxlCp6VPtK4nkM9Y6OyjKnW-eoamJCS7wCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/38207521_10217562806487514_3369076985270632448_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FQYJWka5Wa8/W3DDpYL7MSI/AAAAAAAAHVM/nxlCp6VPtK4nkM9Y6OyjKnW-eoamJCS7wCK4BGAYYCw/s400/38207521_10217562806487514_3369076985270632448_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cover of my copy of <i>The Trial</i> kicks ass.</td></tr>
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Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-86442455350702883892018-08-09T10:39:00.000+08:002018-08-09T10:39:20.023+08:00Artsy fartsy AF (part 2)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A continuing series. If you give an eff, you can check out part 1 <a href="http://kyusireader.blogspot.com/2018/07/artsy-fartsy-af.html">here</a>. Also, my Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/peter_sandico/">here</a>. A warning though, my IG is a bit all over the place—food the bf and I cooked (a good number are pics of frittatas), travel, chihuahuas, and the occasional random shot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ij6XB9fxETI/W2uhm1osjqI/AAAAAAAAHUA/T5EadnJ8UqcHiwUqkdwuXrUYdyN5m5VSACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ij6XB9fxETI/W2uhm1osjqI/AAAAAAAAHUA/T5EadnJ8UqcHiwUqkdwuXrUYdyN5m5VSACK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3104.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Probably my favorite book of 2018 (so far)<br />Couldn't recommend this enough</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DTd-u8OTp_U/W2uhujKP0tI/AAAAAAAAHUI/Z1vxajwIqNQMckupcfz3IywnLzuzWWC3gCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DTd-u8OTp_U/W2uhujKP0tI/AAAAAAAAHUI/Z1vxajwIqNQMckupcfz3IywnLzuzWWC3gCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3133.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woot, woot! An LGBTQ young adult novel!<br />Such a profound question this novel poses—Is humanity worth saving?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yz26DmhTNUM/W2uh20Ao7qI/AAAAAAAAHUU/hRUE3TMLa5wQDwKcFWGRweSTLXEbvRkFgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Yz26DmhTNUM/W2uh20Ao7qI/AAAAAAAAHUU/hRUE3TMLa5wQDwKcFWGRweSTLXEbvRkFgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3158.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another wonderful read, with fully realized characters. Worth the hype.<br />Loved all the characters' voices that each take you to a different time</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UVuy0S6si3c/W2uh_L75X8I/AAAAAAAAHUg/N3G_h1rclb4Tl44XYB9ytiOvF4gmKAMHwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UVuy0S6si3c/W2uh_L75X8I/AAAAAAAAHUg/N3G_h1rclb4Tl44XYB9ytiOvF4gmKAMHwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3205.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've been waiting for so many years for Miller's next novel<br />This one feels different though, but still has lots of drama</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AmzlAhUfaLI/W2uiHWHwYRI/AAAAAAAAHUs/qI_CNnG5OfAZWRJJiZUzXVPevbTzZpdVQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AmzlAhUfaLI/W2uiHWHwYRI/AAAAAAAAHUs/qI_CNnG5OfAZWRJJiZUzXVPevbTzZpdVQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3208.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Had no expectations for this one, so was surprised that I really liked it<br />Shoved this book into the faces of a few peeps at the office</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wK9RFbR4mRc/W2uiTglEeYI/AAAAAAAAHU4/a55YUrpv0I4KZPBGiEEQzBGvn6t7r4LtgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wK9RFbR4mRc/W2uiTglEeYI/AAAAAAAAHU4/a55YUrpv0I4KZPBGiEEQzBGvn6t7r4LtgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3230.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And of course there will be horror, and one that uses the story of the Donner party as context<br />Second half wasn't as good as the first, but still satisfying overall</td></tr>
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</div>
Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-74650982665191380982018-08-06T08:52:00.000+08:002018-08-06T08:52:03.269+08:00Hey, bae, Timothée!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today, my mind, for some inexplicable reason, is centering on the actor Timothée Chalamet. I guess it probably has been triggered after reading that he's going to play Paul Atreides in another <i>Dune </i><a href="https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2018/05/denis-villeneuves-dune-adaptation-will-officially.html">big screen adaptation</a>. Now I've yet to make a <i>Dune </i>movie that I like, maybe because I have high expectations of it every time. When your favorite science fiction read is translated to another format, you just brace yourself that they don't eff it up. I'm pretty much sure the 1984 David Lynch film effed it up, big time. With the one being made by Denis Villeneuve though, I am so in. Like I'll pay all the seats in one screening just to have the theater to myself. And it all has to do with Timothée Chalamet, who I think is perfect for the role.<br />
<br />
TC slayed it in <i>Call Me by Your Name</i>. I've never seen an actor play a role both with vulnerability and intensity at the same time. And that dreamboat Armie Hammer? Just wrap him up in a brown paper package and send him to me please. I've been practicing speaking in that deeply seductive AH voice, but all it gives me is a lot of wheezing and more asthma attacks. The same with imitating TC's stare-that-says-more-than-a-thousand-words in front of a mirror. I just scare myself. Aieeee, those two, they'll be the death of me.<br />
<br />
Interestingly, unlike <i>Dune</i>, I found <i>Call Me by Your Name</i>, well, one of the most boring things that I've ever read. Oy, the phone book would be a much more engaging read than this novel. Ennui rules its pages, and its ennui the reader gets. The novel does have many quotable lines which fortunately find their way into the brilliant adaptation by Luca Guadagnino. I found the movie charming, heartbreaking, and suspenseful, a combination that is as common as wearing plaid pants with a striped shirt. I felt for Elio, the character played by TC. I felt his doubt in approaching Oliver, AH's character, and telling him his feelings. I felt his euphoria at having the opportunity to indulge his fantasy even for a few days. I felt his spirit trampled on when he heard of Oliver's engagement through a phone call, the most prosaic of all things.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-golZXn1uHtU/W2eIata2R9I/AAAAAAAAHT0/IQWynQ2d4Ps6BEcc5zS8W3Ez0V4Slxo5QCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-golZXn1uHtU/W2eIata2R9I/AAAAAAAAHT0/IQWynQ2d4Ps6BEcc5zS8W3Ez0V4Slxo5QCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_2200.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite quote from <i>Call Me by Your Name</i></td></tr>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“If there is pain, nurse it, and if there is a flame, don't snuff it out, don't be brutal with it. Withdrawal can be a terrible thing when it keeps us awake at night, and watching others forget us sooner than we'd want to be forgotten is no better. We rip out so much of ourselves to be cured of things faster than we should that we go bankrupt by the age of thirty and have less to offer each time we start with someone new. But to feel nothing so as not to feel anything - what a waste!”</i></blockquote>
I guess <i>Call Me by Your Name</i> speaks to the romantic in me. Gone are the days when you can talk to your family members about Conrad's <i>Heart of Darkness</i>. Transcribing music as a pastime has become unheard of. I'd long for a summer where you'll meet a handsome intellectual and just sweep you off your feet, without having to Instagram it.</div>
Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-49540744093073253162018-08-02T09:03:00.004+08:002018-08-02T09:08:16.455+08:00Embrace the DB<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When I saw the newest novel of Dan Brown, I rolled my eyes. I rolled my eyes so hard that I almost got a migraine. Two reasons for this. One is that "here we go again" dilemma. I just knew that I would eventually get a copy and read it. This time though, I held off on getting the hardback. There's no way I'm spending $15 for something that I would eventually hide in my shelves. All my DBs are placed behind my first edition of <i>Infinite Jest</i>. But unlike all the DBs, <i>Infinite Jest</i> remains gloriously unread. (I say "glorious" because just the idea that I own a first edition gives me serious reader cred. #PretentiousBastard) The second reason is the inevitable, "Wait, did I just enjoy that?"<br />
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We can all agree that DB's novels are formula, and it's a formula that works. "Works" in this sense means that readers get suckered into it. And by "suckered" I mean spending a few hours being engrossed in the novel and then immediately forgetting 90% of it just a few minutes after finishing. It's like the <i>Fifty Shades</i> books. You can bash them all you want, but there's no denying the millions of readers that got their rocks off because of them. I read the FS books out of curiosity, because hetero copulation fascinates me, but in a scientific non-climax-inducing way. It's like the Elvis Presley sandwich, the one with the peanut butter, bananas, and bacon. It's probably good, but I won't ever have it. Blecchhh.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BA4GLsRz0Vw/W2I9AR_gDGI/AAAAAAAAHTo/SNQQ5jX7kzc_1gN5Qc4J_34NuN1b0ERzQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BA4GLsRz0Vw/W2I9AR_gDGI/AAAAAAAAHTo/SNQQ5jX7kzc_1gN5Qc4J_34NuN1b0ERzQCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3948.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The books that I've brought to the office<br />
Because one cannot live on Dan Brown alone.<br />
Unless you like your reading testosterone-y, one-dimensional, and pseudo-intellectual.</td></tr>
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So when the paperback recently came out, the bf fortunately gave me a copy. "Give" in this sense means forced to buy a copy. And when I got home, I immediately wrapped the paperback in plastic and started to read in bed. As expected, I read 50 pages of it in one go. Yes, the formula's still there—the religious conspiracy, the art and symbology shiz, the token woman companion who is gorgeous and brainy, and the cliffhangers. I wallowed in these elements. I'm like a happy pig in a mud puddle, soaking in all the wet grime. I'm reminded of an episode in Somebody Feed Phil, where Phil Rosenthal says that the reason places such as the Fountain of Trevi are tourist traps is that these places are beautiful. I guess it's the same thing with DB novels, no? People keep reading them because they are satisfied in one way or another.<br />
<br />
I'm sure that you can think of many authors who are much better thriller writers than DB. And I've heard of Umberto Eco (<i>The Name of the Rose</i>, <i>Foucault's Pendulum</i>) and Katherine Neville (<i>The Eight</i>) being referred to as the "thinking man's Dan Brown." Whut?! Does this mean that DB's readers are people who don't think, or at least those who don't <i>like</i> to think when they're reading? It's a very backhanded thing to say. I say let people enjoy themselves. And let he who sticks to formulas make his millions. </div>
Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-24118019328969051482018-07-30T13:01:00.003+08:002018-07-30T13:02:59.537+08:00Museums and bookstores lovin'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Whenever the bf and I find ourselves traveling overseas, something that should always be in our itinerary is a visit to bookstores and museums. Museums are a given, of course. But what we're really after are those special exhibits that coincide with our visit, like the one I'm going to talk about later when we dropped by Museum Siam in Bangkok. Bookstores are another thing. I get a bit judgy when I check out a country's bookstores. They allow me get a peek of what the locals are reading. And what I find out are oftentimes fascinating, inexplicable, or just weird, but in a good way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aGognwOQ1wY/W15L4WmHjNI/AAAAAAAAHR8/3CVAQiPJRT8ln53EiC1rlpLl9O-jv6umQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aGognwOQ1wY/W15L4WmHjNI/AAAAAAAAHR8/3CVAQiPJRT8ln53EiC1rlpLl9O-jv6umQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3667.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 1: Kinokuniya</td></tr>
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Our most recent trip was my 4th time to be in Bangkok, but it was the bf's first. But even though this trip was my first time going around the city, I've always visited Kinokuniya, which is probably my favorite bookstore. Yes, the books there are pricier than those in Manila, but I always manage to buy a book or two (or more) each visit. I can probably live there. Or even just visit all of Bangkok's Kinokuniya (they have 2, I think) as my sole itinerary and I'd be happy. This time, however, I didn't go on a book splurge because I brought a small luggage, which already weighed almost 10 kilos. (Our check-in allowance was 15.) Bummer, I know. Still managed to buy 2 books though.<br />
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I guess the book-buying experience changed for me when I started getting books online, mostly from <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/">Book Depository</a>. Free shipping is love. Sometimes, I check out Amazon, but only if I'm buying more than 3 titles, as shipping fees are a pain. When we visited Kinokuniya and found titles that I'm interested in, I find myself checking online if I can get them cheaper at Book Depository or Amazon.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xoo_-avYA2g/W15VFMMmNrI/AAAAAAAAHSI/xXSjYk1ZvDIZQCrLaQmd-2fUrvUh8rF2ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3673.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xoo_-avYA2g/W15VFMMmNrI/AAAAAAAAHSI/xXSjYk1ZvDIZQCrLaQmd-2fUrvUh8rF2ACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3673.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 1: Dasa Book Cafe</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Also on our first day was a trip to this charming secondhand bookshop called Dasa Book Cafe. Three whole floors of books, baby! Spent around an hour in this bookshop, and bought just one book. (Again, 15 kilos of check-in allowance sucks vacuum cleaners.) Also, </span><i style="text-align: left;">The Joy of Cooking</i><span style="text-align: left;"> almost fell on the bf's head. He has lightning reflexes, or maybe he's just lucky. If a book did fall on top of my head, the least the bookshop could do was to give that book to me for free. Makes sense, right? What almost kills you should be yours.</span><div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 2: National Museum of Thailand</td></tr>
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On our second day we went to the National Museum of Thailand. It isn't very touristy, as many guidebooks say to skip it entirely because it's poorly maintained. So wasn't really too keen on visiting this one at first, as I read that some of its rooms are dusty. And there's nothing like dust bunnies to make an asthmatic person run away for his life. Fortunately, there have been major conservation efforts to spruce it up. It was a pleasant museum visit, but there were several rooms and halls that were closed because they were being renovated. You can actually spend half a day at the National Museum, as it's a sprawling area. Too bad there weren't any guided tours though.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QrB6FDiqZwE/W16KhdHX1LI/AAAAAAAAHSg/b-Cl9pgPtRwvMwsK-G5Fm0KnG3YviukkQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3695.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QrB6FDiqZwE/W16KhdHX1LI/AAAAAAAAHSg/b-Cl9pgPtRwvMwsK-G5Fm0KnG3YviukkQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3695.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 2: Chulalongkorn Exhibit</td></tr>
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On our way to the Grand Palace, our attention was caught a lady saying, "Go inside! Free! Free!" Now <i>free </i>is one of the most beautiful words ever, IMHO. So we went inside, and if only the words had English translations. All we knew was that the place housed an exhibit on Chulalongkorn (Rama V). The place was gorgeous though, quite spacious with shiny wooden floors. And, more importantly for us non-Thai visitors of the museum, there was air-conditioning.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bKPhAqA3jHc/W16RjdfmWzI/AAAAAAAAHSs/bmQh_oy94CYCihmeLD0SzvLX_LzMTCHIgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bKPhAqA3jHc/W16RjdfmWzI/AAAAAAAAHSs/bmQh_oy94CYCihmeLD0SzvLX_LzMTCHIgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3727.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 2: Museum of Siam<br />
Decoding Thainess Exhibit</td></tr>
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Perhaps the highlight of that same day was our visit to the Museum of Siam, which had an ongoing exhibit titled "Decoding Thainess." Basically, it poses the question: "What is considered Thai in this modern day?"I loved everything about the exhibit, from the interactive light and sound show to the juxtaposition of what Thais want to project to the world and what the world really thinks of the Thai people. It was so fascinating to learn about Thai history, culture, food, clothing, and their three pillars (Nation, Religion, and King).<br />
<br />
We also got in for free at the Museum of Siam. When we came in at 3:50 pm, one of the museum staff told us to wait for 10 more minutes, because at 4:00, entrance is free! Woot! 200 baht is still 200 baht. It's money that could be spent for pad thai, or tom yum, which I had every day the while time we were in Bangkok.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h_412O6CVb0/W16Tnj3NtVI/AAAAAAAAHS4/9RzwvwuWmCkHVIG-ahdiswBNC0vw7WlkwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h_412O6CVb0/W16Tnj3NtVI/AAAAAAAAHS4/9RzwvwuWmCkHVIG-ahdiswBNC0vw7WlkwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3738.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 2: Museum of Siam<br />
Gender Illumination Exhibit</td></tr>
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Another thing that made me fall in love with the Museum of Siam was that they also had an ongoing exhibit on gender illumination. To say that this exhibit shatters stereotypes is an understatement. The Thais are the most accepting, hospitable, and happy people that I've come across with. They promote an atmosphere of tolerance, which includes being open to different genders. I just wish that we had the same spirit of open-mindedness back home, which is still predominantly Catholic.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tlgYMLI4sws/W16T5ObnmZI/AAAAAAAAHTE/FkiV1acZXQkLw4lEqlpQEraCzVgnxGnAACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tlgYMLI4sws/W16T5ObnmZI/AAAAAAAAHTE/FkiV1acZXQkLw4lEqlpQEraCzVgnxGnAACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_5233.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 2: The Open House<br />
Central Embassy</td></tr>
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On the evening of our second day, we decided to check out Open House at a posh mall in Bangkok along Sukhumvit. Goodness, it was huge! Like the bookstore occupied the whole top floor, and it mostly had art and design books, which are terribly expensive. I have mixed feelings about bookstores that have expensive stuff. I think it puts off people from reading. Perhaps I'm not just the right customer for these kinds of shops. So didn't get anything.<br />
<br />
Open House was breathtaking the first time you see it. But it isn't for me. I felt that I had to consume less oxygen while I was there, as someone might come up to me and charge me for breathing their air. Also, there were several eating establishments interspersed with the shelves. Hmmmmm.... Maybe not a good idea. There's a reason why they don't usually allow people to eat at libraries, no? Food shouldn't be allowed near book paper.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-tMaDRMhNI/W16T_3LHCuI/AAAAAAAAHTM/NnPCzeIf4tMc7g1cVa2ohesi3jQCn3XbACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-tMaDRMhNI/W16T_3LHCuI/AAAAAAAAHTM/NnPCzeIf4tMc7g1cVa2ohesi3jQCn3XbACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3791.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Day 3: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre</td></tr>
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Even though we had a packed third day as we had a scheduled tour to Ayutthaya, we still managed to visit one more artsy place, the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. We didn't stay too long though, as the place felt too hipster-ish and avante garde for us. Or maybe we were just tired and had no more energy to explore BACC's vast interiors.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P7_6oWWaVFU/W16UI21CXwI/AAAAAAAAHTY/TaQdpJXX1LEzDrd0HCGOgpD3BgQUYSCKgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P7_6oWWaVFU/W16UI21CXwI/AAAAAAAAHTY/TaQdpJXX1LEzDrd0HCGOgpD3BgQUYSCKgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3805.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 4: Jim Thompson House and Museum</td></tr>
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On our 4th day (the day before our departure actually), we decided to check out the Jim Thompson House and Museum. We joined a small group with an English-speaking guide. That group included "ladies who lunch." I cringed when one of them took a photo of a tree and said, "I'm sooooo into trees right now." Anyway, the house and the tour were a delight, but it did have a sad story though, as the owner, Mr. Jim Thompson, disappeared in the forests of Malaysia and was never found.<br />
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Now we didn't just visit museums and bookstores, dear reader. I dragged the bf to lots of places. At the end of the day, each of us was clocking 20,000+ steps. I lost count at the number of temples we went to. I had a nasty case of sunburn on my neck because of the scorching heat in Ayutthaya. The bf had a scorpion on a stick at Chinatown. We went to so many supermarkets just to check out their produce. We went to malls and their food courts. Such an event-filled vacation, that Bangkok trip was. Surprisingly, the bf fell in love with the city. So yes, we're definitely coming back.</div>
Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-67410505256695005722018-07-26T07:12:00.002+08:002018-07-26T07:12:59.340+08:00Artsy fartsy AF<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hey, dear reader, just sharing with you some of the posts I made on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/peter_sandico/">Instagram</a>. Sometimes, when I find myself with a pocket of time, I take out my pointed pen and inks and do calligraphy shiz. It's quite a relaxing hobby actually. Tests my patience, which I sorely lack. And it grounds me, as I'm forced to accept imperfections, especially when my hand gets all shaky after days of no practice.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Currently reading this, and enjoying it much more than <i>Cloud Atlas</i>.<br />I think I have all of David Mitchell's novels, but I have yet to really enjoy one.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RPQPqITe6Ew/W1firHKyrLI/AAAAAAAAHRA/DOjPiRYsFLk-Po93UVdBN6Z67p5DKJrzQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/36594201_10217308650053762_6312365073322999808_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RPQPqITe6Ew/W1firHKyrLI/AAAAAAAAHRA/DOjPiRYsFLk-Po93UVdBN6Z67p5DKJrzQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/36594201_10217308650053762_6312365073322999808_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slow but very satisfying<br />One of the few novels that I wish more people read.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CeUuaN6uO70/W1fiwQWMVII/AAAAAAAAHRI/mwOFAOD7bCQBjSZlTcponCR3nwT1Tu7qwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/31855773_10216798364296937_5684144373055356928_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CeUuaN6uO70/W1fiwQWMVII/AAAAAAAAHRI/mwOFAOD7bCQBjSZlTcponCR3nwT1Tu7qwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/31855773_10216798364296937_5684144373055356928_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still currently reading this one<br />Somehow, I can't get fully behind on the writing style, but quite intiguing though.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-76xgieQwUgk/W1fi00g-b9I/AAAAAAAAHRQ/PmZIcxvnxdkYI0KWM1ZUcF87jBlS8JwIQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/36281886_10217267520825557_954344460475432960_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-76xgieQwUgk/W1fi00g-b9I/AAAAAAAAHRQ/PmZIcxvnxdkYI0KWM1ZUcF87jBlS8JwIQCK4BGAYYCw/s320/36281886_10217267520825557_954344460475432960_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A short and charming read<br />Can't imagine a booklover not liking this.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3inKM6mm8c/W1fi5lXVkII/AAAAAAAAHRY/lZA1Q8goHGEnPb7aam22RwZXjMe-lN9CACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z3inKM6mm8c/W1fi5lXVkII/AAAAAAAAHRY/lZA1Q8goHGEnPb7aam22RwZXjMe-lN9CACK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2952.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Underwhelming and too drawn out<br />Read for a book club discussion.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uRWX4c88jBs/W1fi9yOTHxI/AAAAAAAAHRk/qEl5mUOIcescYEp35FzS9VmCdyWYpgyMwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/36088306_10217245792082352_2895481494275358720_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uRWX4c88jBs/W1fi9yOTHxI/AAAAAAAAHRk/qEl5mUOIcescYEp35FzS9VmCdyWYpgyMwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/36088306_10217245792082352_2895481494275358720_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My surprise discovery of the year<br />Love this series to bits.</td></tr>
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Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-36665408078737026602018-07-24T07:34:00.004+08:002018-07-24T11:27:46.667+08:00The many stages of eating pad thai<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I went on a trip with the bf recently. We hauled off our fat asses to Bangkok for five days. It was actually my 4th time in the city, but it's my first time visiting solely for vacation. The last three times, it was just meetings and presentations the whole day. So the only places that I went to were hotels, malls, schools, and hospitals. (I previously worked for a publishing company that's focused on medical and scientific books.) I'd wake up, get into business attire, go to the meeting, visit the mall if the meeting ends early, have dinner at the hotel. Soooooo exciting, I know. This time, I intend to get the full Bangkok experience. It's also the bf's first time in this city, so in a way, we're Bangkok "virgins." The only thing that I absolutely decided not to do is go on an elephant ride. Those poor creatures. With my weight, that ride would be torture on the elephant. Seriously though, I don't want to promote any form of animal exploitation. That's why I still have mixed feelings when I visit the zoo.<br />
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Of course, high on our list is Thai food. I love this cuisine. Each bite is salty, sour, sweet, umami, and spicy at the same time. It's like a parteehhh in your mouth. Consider, tom yum. It's my favorite Thai dish ever. I had it every day for the entire time we were in Bangkok. One time, I even had tom yum fried rice. So satisfying. Anyway, tom yum's a soup that's sour, spicy, and savory. Surprisingly, I prefer it to be really spicy. The kind that makes your ass burn when you poop. I discovered a stall that sells my kind of tom yum at a very reasonable price, like dirt cheap, like less than $2. And as a bonus, it comes with a crispy omelette. (You know me and my love affair with all things eggs.) The bf asked if he could get a taste of it, so I willingly obliged. One sip and then he shouted, "Son of a b***h!" So when I ordered it again the other day, we just call it the "son of a b***h" soup. The bf wouldn't have any of it. Oh well, more for me.<br />
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And then there's pad thai. I've never had pad thai prior to this trip. I'm not too big on Asian noodles, especially the local one we call <i>pancit </i>in Filipino. I wouldn't say no to it if it were offered to me, but let's just say that the only time I'd happily consume it is if it were the only food left on the planet. Same goes with spaghetti bolognese, at least the Filipino version. I don't get why it's sweet and has hotdogs. I share the same feelings on this dish with my siblings, which usually was a problem when we were growing up. Many children's parties serve this kind of spaghetti, as children love to eat sweet stuff after all. So when it was served to us, we'd begrudgingly eat that cloyingly sweet pasta. Woe are we. But hotdogs on sticks with marshmallows—love those.<br />
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So after we've had a temple run in Bangkok, the bf and I decided to have lunch at a sidewalk stall run by a lady who makes pad thai. I figured it couldn't be that bad. And it has eggs in it, so that's a plus. But I didn't have high expectations. When the lady served us both our orders of pad thai, here's what happened.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0Aq0yvXUIdk/W1aZjDEyOQI/AAAAAAAAHPw/56Cv0_4cfTUrLQhOOWGRa0IX0bAVj7AxgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5116%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0Aq0yvXUIdk/W1aZjDEyOQI/AAAAAAAAHPw/56Cv0_4cfTUrLQhOOWGRa0IX0bAVj7AxgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_5116%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hmmmm... Noodles seem springy.<br />
And they have that pink-ish color.<br />
#Curious</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fjWFfgYwZww/W1aaMcq4sAI/AAAAAAAAHP8/puBORQpzSkAMDHymNvU6VY2qDSaXz5wVgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fjWFfgYwZww/W1aaMcq4sAI/AAAAAAAAHP8/puBORQpzSkAMDHymNvU6VY2qDSaXz5wVgCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_5117.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's the bf's soda.<br />
I haven't had soda for the past five years.<br />
#SodaBad</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-46I65USqLNw/W1aaotw7PUI/AAAAAAAAHQI/J1NyyXvI7qMkhrr5X4Vhc1tVjwHpgNGZwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-46I65USqLNw/W1aaotw7PUI/AAAAAAAAHQI/J1NyyXvI7qMkhrr5X4Vhc1tVjwHpgNGZwCK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_5118.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Did I say springy? Now I feel that the noodles are actually rubbery.<br />
Takes an effort to get a decent forkful, or spoonful in my case.<br />
#WhatIsthatSpoonForAnyway</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qRnOuOFFel8/W1abCGO_63I/AAAAAAAAHQU/7OlMtougspUuW71WehqO69kUgNhKfwzmACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qRnOuOFFel8/W1abCGO_63I/AAAAAAAAHQU/7OlMtougspUuW71WehqO69kUgNhKfwzmACK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_5119.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot dish is hot. It's just been cooked by the charming lady after all.<br />
And I'm thinking, not a good idea to have something hot on a humid day.<br />
#Blow</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9hPKzeChe8E/W1abaq8n9LI/AAAAAAAAHQg/dn2Na_68kBAfZ6zC3ldfnKZmxETClFf2ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_5120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9hPKzeChe8E/W1abaq8n9LI/AAAAAAAAHQg/dn2Na_68kBAfZ6zC3ldfnKZmxETClFf2ACK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_5120.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we go with my first bite.<br />
If it ain't good, it's just less than $2 anyway.<br />
#TouristProblems</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh my goodness! Here's my plate in less than 5 minutes!<br />
It was sooooo good!<br />
#TakeMyMoney</td></tr>
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Now I have one more reason to love Thailand even more. I found I noodles my taste buds like. I love that it's a complete meal in itself. Carbs, carbs, carbs! And it can have different stuff mixed into it—pork, chicken, shrimp, veggies. I still can't get behind 100% on the texture though as I'm looking for some crunch, but that's a minor quibble compared to its taste. So now, Thailand is the land of tom yum and pad thai, which I learned during a museum tour is Thailand's national dish. It's also one of those things that tells you if a restaurant is any good. Like sweet and sour pork in Chinese. If you want to know if a Chinese restaurant is a good one, order their sweet and sou pork first. If they can't even get that right, then get your ass out of there.<br />
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And, of course, something bookish. A friend from the book club and game night group mentioned a secondhand bookstore named Dasa Book Cafe in Sukhumvit. We visited it during our first day and immediately fell in love with it. It's such a charming bookshop, where you can spend hours browsing their collection. It has three floors too. So try to visit it when you're in Bangkok, dear reader. It'll give you much needed respite from the city's craziness.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a5Pcz64Q9yA/W1ZkToDahfI/AAAAAAAAHPk/SbJSrUyFnewnvmnCkQ4QJr2t2b9ojOCxgCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/37332292_10217438065569069_2637887334594379776_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a5Pcz64Q9yA/W1ZkToDahfI/AAAAAAAAHPk/SbJSrUyFnewnvmnCkQ4QJr2t2b9ojOCxgCK4BGAYYCw/s320/37332292_10217438065569069_2637887334594379776_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He who gave the name "son of a b***h" soup<br />
Amid the stacks in Dasa</td></tr>
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Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-50154915030323424672018-07-11T08:18:00.003+08:002018-07-11T08:18:53.696+08:00Eye candy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I must admit it—I'm a book cover junkie. I mean, there's just no way that I'm gonna spend hard-earned money on a book with that has a bad cover. Books are expensive, no? And here in my corner of the world, I noticed that book prices have become quite steep lately. (It couldn't be because of that stupid effing <a href="https://www.pinoymoneytalk.com/bir-tax-law-philippines/">TRAIN law</a>, could it? But everything's seems pricier lately because of it.) Also, the book cover is like the cherry on a banana split or a sundae. It somehow completes that damn thing, making it prettier. Good ice cream and luscious cherry = one helluva dessert. If that cherry ain't shiny red and didn't have that stalk that people with dextrous tongues can tie into a knot (oooh, the possibilities!), then what's the point. I might as well just eat sugar to end my meal, which I may have done a few times before, in the past, like yesterday.<br />
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If you think you've written a fine novel or the next Harry Potter or some sexy piece of fiction that people would get their rocks off to, then wouldn't you want to have one eye candy of a cover? Yes, I know that beauty is subjective (what isn't?), but there are certain things in life that make you gasp because it's beautiful, yes? I'm not even talking about the principles of design, as I know nothing about them. I guess I'm just talking about a beautiful, well-designed cover in the same way that the US Supreme Court couldn't even give a good definition of what's pornographic. In their words, "I'll know it when I see it."<br />
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I love simple book cover designs. So no screaming typefaces and sloppy Photoshop. And also, no cliches like headless women for romance books. I know that my aesthetic taste differ significantly from many people, but when it comes to book covers, we bibliophiles can spot an ugly cover a mile off, right? It's this difference in our aesthetic tastes that make for interesting scenarios. Like clothes shopping with the bf, for example. I can recall countless times when I particularly liked a shirt or a shoe and then asked him if it looked good, and then felt thrown off when he said, "Eeeehhhh" or "Just choose another one" or my most dreaded "It's just okay." The thing is, I kinda trust him on these things. He's a graphic designer, and a damn good one. Still, farewell cute shirt, bye-bye awesome shoes. You could've been mine.<br />
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Anyway, I've digressed. So let's return to book covers. The photo below is a favorite.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o_5C_03HOFw/W0U1630KLXI/AAAAAAAAHPQ/iNN-TBtB-bsZLAekw5utQfZohplN8SX6ACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o_5C_03HOFw/W0U1630KLXI/AAAAAAAAHPQ/iNN-TBtB-bsZLAekw5utQfZohplN8SX6ACK4BGAYYCw/s400/IMG_3616.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I don't think these Signet Classic editions are in print anymore. Sad. So I get hold of them at secondhand bookshops. I've read a few of these babies when I was a teenager, and I have yet to met a book cover from this line that I didn't like. Let's break it down.<br />
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Lots of white space on this one. So it doesn't appear to be busy. Notice how the author's name stands out, with the clean serif typeface. Normally I don't like things written in all caps, but I'll take this one. The typeface used is so elegant that it doesn't come across as being loud. And the title! It's done in calligraphy! I'm a bit wary when I see calligraphic typefaces nowadays, as most of them are done by computer, which I think is sort of cheating. Beautiful calligraphy takes time to do. I know that the calligraphy on this cover is done by hand because of the slight letter differences. Look at all three letter <i>E</i>s. They have different lead-in and exit strokes and different eyes (which is the enclosed part in the small letter <i>e</i>). Oy, typography orgasm!<br />
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The most awesome element of the Signet Classic book covers would have to the figures which are all hand painted. The two ladies in this cover have such intricate details in their composition. In a way, it's a painting within a painting, as the ladies' dresses serve as a canvas to smaller painted scenes. They don't make these kind of covers anymore, I think. Such a shame.<br />
<br />
Of course, it wouldn't be the same if I weren't going to nitpick. One thing that I don't like about these editions is that the ink smudges. So after reading more than 10 pages, your fingers have this grayish smudge. This means only one thing though—you can't pick your nose after reading. </div>
Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-26038474279894096262018-07-09T06:46:00.001+08:002018-07-09T06:46:14.822+08:00Putting on snail goo and getting by without a deodorant<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today, let's talk about skincare, more specifically, facial skincare. One thing about me is that I thrive on routine. If something will have me do a series of actions repetitively at a constant time of day, I am in. I get antsy when my everyday normal is broken. Like something bad's going to happen. Like big bad. Like end-of-the-world bad. I wake up every day at 4, but for some strange reason, I wake up just a few minutes before my alarm goes off. On the very few days that I get woken up by that alarm, I feel so stressed already that I can't even do my usual morning toilet thingy. If I'm not at my desk by 6 and not having coffee by 6.30, there'll be lines on my forehead all morning. Like wrinkles.<br />
<br />
And speaking of wrinkles, they're at the top of my concerns lately. More important than world peace and deep sea exploration. (World peace is a nice idea and everything, but honestly, farting rainbows or sweating glitter is far more achievable. We're too emotional as a species, too diverse in our thinking. I guess what we can do is to work <i>toward</i> WP. But let's face it, we'll never get there.) When I hit 40, I've googled "how to avoid getting wrinkles," "how to prevent having that old people smell," "should I sunblock?" and "paul rudd doesnt age, is he even human?"<br />
<br />
Which, of course, leads me to skincare, specifically Asian skincare.<br />
<br />
If you haven't an idea what makes Asian skincare different from, say, Western skincare methods, just google it. You'll be surprised by the number of steps it takes, usually 10 to 12 steps. I know someone who does 15. Of course, the more steps you do, the more people become more judgmental on your physical appearance. They be thinking, "Oy, those 15 steps aren't worth it. Look at her pores." I started with doing around 8. Now, I just stick to 5. And 3 if I'm too lazy, which is like 66.6% of the time.<br />
<br />
I have terribly oily skin. Crack an egg on my face in the summer and I'm sure it'll get fried. My skin's terribly oily it gives Arab countries a run for their money. One thing going for it though, as many people say, is that it'll take some time before I get any wrinkles. But I still don't wanna get there, no? Also, I don't think it's necessarily true, as I noticed a few lines here and there, mostly around the eye area. (That's why when I know a pic is going to be a little bit of a close up, I'd prefer not to fully smile. Better a resting bitch face than one with wrinkles.) Then there's the bf, who has such beautiful skin that I kinda hate him for it. I kid, of course. When we have pics together, I thank the gods for those photo filters. I have thicker hair though. So there's that. Small victories.<br />
<br />
Anyway, I fell for the discipline that this skincare entails. In the evenings, first I wash my face with an oil cleanser. Then I wipe it dry or rinse it with lukewarm water. I usually do this in the shower though. Saves me the effort of cleaning up the sink because I'm, like, splashy all over the place when I do everything at the sink. Second, I use a facial cleanser to cleanse for the second time. Double cleansing, guys. Literally life changing. Then I pat dry, and, third, I apply a toner. This is where my geeky self rejoices, as toning has something to do with bringing your skin's pH to the correct level. The last time I used pH in writing was back in college, during titration lessons, when I pretended that I really was interested. (Back in college, for classes that are really difficult, I always sat in front and put on a very enthusiastic face. Then I stayed a few minutes after class to ask the professor, "Sir, can you recommend other books to read on the topic?" I actually think they creamed their pants answering this. But of course, I was just putting on a show. Was just trying to earn bonus points.)<br />
<br />
So now I'm a third of the way done with the routine. Fourth, I put on exfoliants, which is something I try not to skip because, again, oily skin. It's BHA (for blackheads) first, then a 20-minute wait, then AHA (for whiteheads), then another 20-minute wait before I go on with the fifth step, putting on essence. Ah, essence, a few years ago, if you told me that I'll be putting on snail slime on my face, I'd stab you with a blunt knife. But it's become my go-to ingredient for an essence. That thing actually works. Snail goo does wonders for those fine lines. I'm not too sure what kind of snails they get the slime from, but I think it ain't the garden variety, the ones you pick, lay on the ground, put salt on, and watch in glee while the poor mollusks writhe and bubble. So sorry for this, snails. I know karma's a bitch, so I hope I won't be a snail in my next life.<br />
<br />
So I'm almost all the way through. Sixth, I put on a face mask on most days, or when I've a special event the following day. The face mask thing goes on my face for at least 30 minutes. Most instructions for these would say to put them on for only 15 to 20 minutes. But these things can be costly, so I'll milk the hell out of them. Also, I get a lot of reading while having a face mask on. Although it looks weird to have a lie in bed with a face mask with my reading glasses. So, privacy. Then finally, I take the mask off and put on a moisturizer. (The term moisturizer is so 90s and 00s. I believe it's called hydrating lotion now. I am shookt.) In the morning, I'd repeat the same steps but leave out the exfoliants and masks but put on a sunblock as the last step. The sunblock is supposedly the most important step. Never mind that the sun powers the process of photosynthesis or that it's the ultimate source of energy on our planet. The sun isn't your skin's best friend.<br />
<br />
Have I exhausted you with these steps, dear readers? Just imagine doing them every night for more than a year, then we'll talk. All these usually take about more an hour at least. But I've managed to sneak a few tasks during the wait times. Like check Instagram or read. Or prepare my overnight oats, because I can't get enough of fiber. Funny thing is, there's a ton of product on my face, but I've managed to skip another product altogether, the deodorant. I noticed my father doesn't use one, and his siblings too. So, being the amateur scientist that I am, I experimented. I skipped deodorant for a week, and there hasn't been any effect (i.e., no body odor). Of course, I had to go the restroom every now and then to check, and I carried a deodorant in my bag just in case. But there hasn't been any smell. But I need more robust data. So I didn't use deodorant when I exercised and rode the bike. Happy dance all around, as there still wasn't any smell. I read somewhere that there's a small percentage of people who can get by without using deodorant. Something to do with possessing a gene or something that inhibits bacterial growth.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y89aDg1E44I/WzwHy18C2VI/AAAAAAAAHOw/sAT2cFRnyH8TRgfiZ0PjEQ6tuPZbiDAHwCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_3556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y89aDg1E44I/WzwHy18C2VI/AAAAAAAAHOw/sAT2cFRnyH8TRgfiZ0PjEQ6tuPZbiDAHwCK4BGAYYCw/s320/IMG_3556.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I asked an officemate to buy me chia seeds at an outlet store,<br />
as they're terribly expensive at Healthy Options.<br />
She bought this.<br />
So now I have a year's supply.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm still not sold on eye creams though. I tried using three different brands before and I wasn't able to note any changes. And they're quite costly. When a product costs for a significant fraction of my salary, then it better work. I've no patience anymore to keep on testing, so I decided to make do without. Also, another product that I've been using less is shampoo. I used to shampoo every day. Now I'd jsut go with once every week. Sometimes I'd go for 2 weeks without using it, and it's perfectly fine. (Fine meaning no dandruff, no falling hair, no oiliness, no lice and other creatures making an ecosystem on my scalp.) So all the spare bottles of shampoo that I bought before are for my dad, who uses shampoo a lot. And he doesn't even have long hair.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ISfLgsPeVyI/W0KT-jbrx4I/AAAAAAAAHPE/T9QWXcQ0y6o25A0mh8C9A8SJhT3p5M1ngCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/36725246_10217334391337278_3270326315516952576_o.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ISfLgsPeVyI/W0KT-jbrx4I/AAAAAAAAHPE/T9QWXcQ0y6o25A0mh8C9A8SJhT3p5M1ngCK4BGAYYCw/s320/36725246_10217334391337278_3270326315516952576_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This weekend's books in my bag. Still reading these. <i>The Good Son</i> is proving to be one thrilling read. I love unreliable narrators in novels—Briony Tallis in <i>Atonement</i>, Amy and Nick in <i>Gone Girl</i>, Frank Cauldhame in <i>The Wasp Factory</i>, and Merricat Blackwood in <i>We Have Always Lived in the Castle</i>. I love it when I read something that I don't see coming. And when the reveal is so shocking I'm floored.</div>
Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7879483355240373611.post-12326204342595004062018-07-04T06:49:00.000+08:002018-07-04T06:49:21.994+08:00It started in 1994<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There was a time when I read close to 300 books a year. It's not that I had way too much time on my hands back then. I just graduated from college and immediately applied for a teaching job. So I had my first job and had no financial obligations whatsoever. That only meant one thing—most of my income went to books. So I bought books with abandon. I read all of them. I never had a TBR pile in the 1990s. Then I started this little tradition on the last day of the year: I'd take a look at all the books I read that year and come up with my best reads. And I just realized that I've been doing this thing for 24 years now.<br />
<br />
So I've listed all my best reads since 1995 up to last year, dear readers. Here it is. Too bad that I didn't record the shortlist for all 23 years, as I just started doing that mid 2000s, I think.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2017 - <i>What Belongs to You</i> (Garth Greenwell)<br />2016 - <i>A Little Life</i> (Hanya Yanagihara)<br />2015 - <i>All the Birds, Singing</i> (Evie Wyld)<br />2014 - <i>Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe</i> (Benjamin Alire Sáenz)<br />2013 - <i>HHhH </i>(Laurent Binet)<br />2012 - <i>The Song of Achilles</i> (Madeline Miller)<br />2011 - <i>The Wednesday Wars </i>(Gary D. Schmidt) </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2010 - <i>The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks</i> (Rebecca Skloot)<br />2009 - <i>Memoirs of a Master Forger</i> (William Heaney) and <i>Gomorrah</i> (Roberto Saviano)<br />2008 - <i>The Elegance of the Hedgehog</i> (Muriel Barbery)<br />2007 - <i>The Historian</i> (Elizabeth Kostova)<br />2006 - <i>The Stolen Child</i> (Keith Donohue)<br />2005 - <i>The Schwa Was Here</i> (Neal Shusterman)<br />2004 - <i>The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time</i> (Mark Haddon)<br />2003 - <i>Nobody’s Perfect </i>(Anthony Lane)<br />2002 - <i>The Crimson Petal and the White</i> (Michel Faber)<br />2001 - <i>American Gods</i> (Neil Gaiman) and <i>Hitler’s Pope</i> (John Cornwall) </span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
2000 - <i>The Farewell Symphony</i> (Edmund White)<br />
1999 - <i>We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families</i> (Philip Gourevitch)<br />
1998 - <i>The Professor and the Madman</i> (Simon Winchester)<br />
1997 - <i>A Fine Balance</i> (Rohinton Mistry) and <i>The Innocent</i> (Ian McEwan)<br />
1996 - <i>The History of the Siege of Lisbon</i> (José Saramago)<br />
1995 - <i>The Moral Animal</i> (Robert Wright)<br />
1994 - <i>The Story of Mankind</i> (Hendrik Willem van Loon)</blockquote>
<br />
Just a tiny bit embarrassed that the list leans heavily toward American and European authors, and the gender inequality is very testosterone-y. But hey, 3 women authors in this decade so far, no? So yes, I'm deluding myself that that's a step toward diversity.<br />
<br />
I like that there's a few nonfiction books in this list. Gourevitch's account of the genocide that happened in Rwanda will always be my standard when it comes to reporting significant events. I'll always remember <i>The Moral Animal </i>because it posited a crazy but plausible theory—how monogamy may be disadvantageous to women who wish to move up the social ladder. And how could I not love Winchester's book about the origins of the <i>Oxford English Dictionary</i>? For snark and just plain brilliance, nothing compares to the collected reviews of Lane in <i>Nobody's Perfect</i>. Cornwall's fascination with the Vatican is evident in his account of the less-than-stellar life of Pope Pius XII.<br />
<br />
Of course, there are novels aplenty. A few of them now so obscure that I can feel you itch to Google, dear reader. I've read almost all of Saramago's works, but none has made a greater impact than <i>The History of the Siege of Lisbon</i>. It involves a proofreader who consciously puts an error by inserting "not" into the narrative, and then coming up with a totally different historical account just to justify that word. For sheer storytelling, the speculative and otherwise, nothing beats Gaiman and his doorstop of a novel. Also a doorstop is Faber's <i>The Crimson Petal and the White, </i>an engaging read about a prostitute in Victorian England.<br />
<br />
My weakness for gay novels shows in this list, yes? I count five, with four just in this decade. Point me to someone who hasn't been affected by Yanagihara's <i>A Little Life. </i>And how many of us cried when we finished <i>The Song of Achilles</i>? White's <i>The Farewell Symphony</i> manages to be erotic and touching at the same time.<br />
<br />
If there's one book that I'd like to bring to your attention, dear reader, it's Donohue's <i>The Stolen Child</i>. Probably because I feel that not many people know about it. It's about a boy abducted by goblins and is forced to live with them, and the changeling that takes his place. I was heartbroken when I finished it, and I remember that I kept thinking about this book for weeks. Yes, it's fantasy, but the mythology is very much rooted in our culture, and the emptiness that each character feels gets to you. Look for this, dear reader. You're in for a treat.<br />
<br />
By the way, 2016 was the worst year ever in my reading life. I managed to read just roughly 20 books. I blame Netflix.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#poser<br />
I've never read Sherlock Holmes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Peter S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17363239232633174946noreply@blogger.com1