LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA
i'm in the midst of this one and i'm not sure how i feel about it yet. it's goo-ood, but, eh.... so i guess that's how i feel about it. i think i'm just not used to the writing style of latin/spanish flavor. this book has the air of this other book i started to read a couple of years back - noli me tangere by jose rizal, who of course is the filipino national hero and who had written the original work in latin, i believe.
the style is slow and descriptive which i liken to the thick, humid, sticky heat of summer of certain lands (like the philippines). it's like a three hour siesta on a moist, molasses mid-afternoon. like a dusty old ceiling fan sputtering like someone suffering from consumption... languid mosquito nets and yellowed newspaper piles...
a bit about the plot is in order, i suppose...well, it's love in the time of cholera. but the cholera just happened to be the disease of the era and it's the nom de plume for the real disease, this hallucinatory, brain-liquefied concept of love. i think. but i've yet to sort out this not-quite-allegory.
update: 1/23/06
finally finished love in the time of cholera, oh, let's say a couple of weekends ago, cuz i can't really remember.
i just don't know... i can't seem to find the idea of 50+ years of unrequited love being fulfilled after having been marred by the taking on of hundreds of lovers in effort to temper the hunger. and i don't buy 'he loved her, or her too, in a different way.' no wonder it's choler-ic.
Sunday, September 25, 2005
IF ONLY IT WERE TRUE
last sunday i decided to start the last newly purchased book i had in my room. i began reading as i awaited the afternoon train. i got to pretend i was back living the city life as i sat with feet propped up on a starbucks coffee table, back & tush comfortably supported by a velvety chair, and best of all, a window seat. bay windows are magical, didn't you know.
anyway, upon page 63, i decide i'm going to watch a $2 movie matinee next door. literally three frames in, i realize i'm watching the movie version of the book i'd just begun. i half got up to leave, not wanting to ruin the experience of savoring the trek through a new story (and at my own pace), but decided what the heck, how often does the movie live up to the book, nevermind how often does the movie stay true to the book? plus, i like reese witherspoon. she is terrifically funny.
so i was right. the book was better than the movie, plotwise. reese didn't disappoint. she made the most of that role. and i almost forgot! both the book and the movie were set in guess where of all places? san francisco!!! the city that almost became my home. i'd just turned down a promotion that would've taken me there. how i pine for the lost opportunity. i hope the future weaves me a beautiful tapestry, of silk and satin and all.
so the book is named if only it were true. cute read. the artist-slash-sadist in me would've preferred a more somber ending. is it a french thing to scowl like a grumpy old man waving a cigarette believing he can, at his whim, turn it into a wand wafting le sênt des roses, simplement parce qu'il se plaît? however, the denouement was salvaged by the philosophical pain evoked by the last paragraph. memory's faltering is one of life's greatest tragedies.
last sunday i decided to start the last newly purchased book i had in my room. i began reading as i awaited the afternoon train. i got to pretend i was back living the city life as i sat with feet propped up on a starbucks coffee table, back & tush comfortably supported by a velvety chair, and best of all, a window seat. bay windows are magical, didn't you know.
anyway, upon page 63, i decide i'm going to watch a $2 movie matinee next door. literally three frames in, i realize i'm watching the movie version of the book i'd just begun. i half got up to leave, not wanting to ruin the experience of savoring the trek through a new story (and at my own pace), but decided what the heck, how often does the movie live up to the book, nevermind how often does the movie stay true to the book? plus, i like reese witherspoon. she is terrifically funny.
so i was right. the book was better than the movie, plotwise. reese didn't disappoint. she made the most of that role. and i almost forgot! both the book and the movie were set in guess where of all places? san francisco!!! the city that almost became my home. i'd just turned down a promotion that would've taken me there. how i pine for the lost opportunity. i hope the future weaves me a beautiful tapestry, of silk and satin and all.
so the book is named if only it were true. cute read. the artist-slash-sadist in me would've preferred a more somber ending. is it a french thing to scowl like a grumpy old man waving a cigarette believing he can, at his whim, turn it into a wand wafting le sênt des roses, simplement parce qu'il se plaît? however, the denouement was salvaged by the philosophical pain evoked by the last paragraph. memory's faltering is one of life's greatest tragedies.
Saturday, August 20, 2005
THE KITE RUNNER
started: 7/26/05
recommended by a friend. it was superb, as hinted by the fact i read it in a day tho it was longer than the girl detective story. i was bawling. p. 67 and p. 88 were excruciatingly touching. what a somber but handsome novel. this is a must-read.
update: 8/20/05
i must confess i doubt i'll get motivated enough to recount the funny moments in the life of pi as promised in a previous post.
however, i've been intending to attempt to do justice to the kite runner. this book is truly a great work. i'm partial to stories that delve into the human psyche, that tell a tale which exposes the essence of the 'human condition' in original but credulous ways.
powerful indeed are stories that contain strong, developed characters, with whom the reader can connect and journey. stronger yet are the characters with whom the reader subconsciously and inevitably connects and journeys. this book had such characters. and the context, the circumstances, the events manifested by the author are so unique and painfully gripping. one example - i'm not unfamiliar with shame and regret. so i can relate to the protagonist (who doesn't act much like one at all throughout most of the book).
a few lasting impressions:
-i am fascinated by the power of fear and cowardice.
-i am grateful for the small but impressively significant moments that mark life's critical crossroads.
-i am in awe of the bittersweet irony of life.
-i am profoundly moved by the fact that grace, honor, loyalty, and love recognize not the boundaries of class, wealth or religion.
update: 2/7/07
i am rereading the kite runner and it is still a tear-jerker. it is so TOUCHING. hassan !!! =(
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN
forgot to mention i'd read this one while passing time as sickly slept. it was good, i guess. interesting. i'd seen bits of the movie on tv and never actually got around to sitting down to watch the whole thing. um, yeah, the plot was realistic, which made it interesting, pre-cursor to the x-files craze. cool to read about biology jargon. i did minor in bio and all. ok, nuff said. it's not available on paperback for nothing. good plane reading.
forgot to mention i'd read this one while passing time as sickly slept. it was good, i guess. interesting. i'd seen bits of the movie on tv and never actually got around to sitting down to watch the whole thing. um, yeah, the plot was realistic, which made it interesting, pre-cursor to the x-files craze. cool to read about biology jargon. i did minor in bio and all. ok, nuff said. it's not available on paperback for nothing. good plane reading.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
LIFE OF PI
it's a bit irritating so far. haven't picked it up since hawaii. not a good sign, but perhaps it'll pick up (once i get around to picking it back up).
update: 8/16/05
an update on my current read - life of pi - as a friend indicated, the book definitely picked up after a while. i was told this would happen about the time of the shipwreck, but i found that it was actually much earlier. perhaps after the first 10 chapters? anyway, there really are funny parts. the silly things that one thinks, feels, and does when alone are fascinating indeed. and to be alone not by choice, surrounded by endless sea, well, that does make for an interesting story, doesn't it?
there was a review on the cover likening it to some classic works - old man & the sea (w/c i haven't read), etc. and perhaps due to this comment i'm biased when i'm reminded of books i read junior year in h.s. - american lit or something. mr. whatshisface. softspoken and had greasy hair. anyway, back to the book - i would say some of the similarities include: the slow-paced unfolding of events mirroring the delicate unfurling of a cocoon - to depict the notion of a 'coming of age', the anthropomorphism, extended metaphors. i prefer this book over some of those old novels though, primarily because of its humor. the humor definitely adds spice to the story. i'll come back and give some examples later. i should've earmarked them for you. i found myself snickering out loud on the plane, quite cozy in my middle E seat.
anyway, throw me out a window if i ever have to read the grapes of wrath or billy budd or the great gatsby again, or if i'm ever coerced into re-dissecting the infamous scarlet "A" and the lives it stained. boy, my teacher was WAY into that stuff. oh the laboriousness with which we 'discussed' those books. i wouldn't wish anywhere near a similar fate on anyone.
update: 8/20/05
"and so it is with God." if you've read the book you're not surprised i quote this particular line. it took me a full three seconds to realize what it meant, after which i promptly burst into tears. SO TRUE. though i wish the message of christianity had been stronger, i can't complain that the hope and life that is God is a tremendous truth to have been communicated. yay for yann. finishing this book over leftover greasy takeout was thoroughly disappointing. over a piping hot samosa and creamy chicken biryani, fragrant with flavor, would've been Pi more satisfying.
it's a bit irritating so far. haven't picked it up since hawaii. not a good sign, but perhaps it'll pick up (once i get around to picking it back up).
update: 8/16/05
an update on my current read - life of pi - as a friend indicated, the book definitely picked up after a while. i was told this would happen about the time of the shipwreck, but i found that it was actually much earlier. perhaps after the first 10 chapters? anyway, there really are funny parts. the silly things that one thinks, feels, and does when alone are fascinating indeed. and to be alone not by choice, surrounded by endless sea, well, that does make for an interesting story, doesn't it?
there was a review on the cover likening it to some classic works - old man & the sea (w/c i haven't read), etc. and perhaps due to this comment i'm biased when i'm reminded of books i read junior year in h.s. - american lit or something. mr. whatshisface. softspoken and had greasy hair. anyway, back to the book - i would say some of the similarities include: the slow-paced unfolding of events mirroring the delicate unfurling of a cocoon - to depict the notion of a 'coming of age', the anthropomorphism, extended metaphors. i prefer this book over some of those old novels though, primarily because of its humor. the humor definitely adds spice to the story. i'll come back and give some examples later. i should've earmarked them for you. i found myself snickering out loud on the plane, quite cozy in my middle E seat.
anyway, throw me out a window if i ever have to read the grapes of wrath or billy budd or the great gatsby again, or if i'm ever coerced into re-dissecting the infamous scarlet "A" and the lives it stained. boy, my teacher was WAY into that stuff. oh the laboriousness with which we 'discussed' those books. i wouldn't wish anywhere near a similar fate on anyone.
update: 8/20/05
"and so it is with God." if you've read the book you're not surprised i quote this particular line. it took me a full three seconds to realize what it meant, after which i promptly burst into tears. SO TRUE. though i wish the message of christianity had been stronger, i can't complain that the hope and life that is God is a tremendous truth to have been communicated. yay for yann. finishing this book over leftover greasy takeout was thoroughly disappointing. over a piping hot samosa and creamy chicken biryani, fragrant with flavor, would've been Pi more satisfying.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Thursday, July 14, 2005
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
my friend asked if i'd read all the books i'd bought recently. i answered, no. she presumed 'they must suck b/c can't you like, read a book in a day when you like it?'
true. so this one is eh. the beginning is SLOW, and just as it was picking up a tad, my plane landed. so, will let you know once i've crossed the finish line.
i'm looking forward to reading the 3rd of 4, but the 4th i'm not sure. it's supposed to be good, so i hope i like it.
i know, this was an elementary post. blah.
my friend asked if i'd read all the books i'd bought recently. i answered, no. she presumed 'they must suck b/c can't you like, read a book in a day when you like it?'
true. so this one is eh. the beginning is SLOW, and just as it was picking up a tad, my plane landed. so, will let you know once i've crossed the finish line.
i'm looking forward to reading the 3rd of 4, but the 4th i'm not sure. it's supposed to be good, so i hope i like it.
i know, this was an elementary post. blah.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE
it's a good distraction. mixed feelings about the multitude of chicagoland references. i think my sis would enjoy this one.
update: 6/24/05
maybe it's because i'm going through some emotional stuff and my defenses are up in certain areas, but i couldn't bear the tragedy that was this book (the time traveler's wife). i'm not even going to call it bittersweet because even though i know it's supposed to be, my heart can hardly stand it.
the gripping reality of true love not equating earthly bliss is gutwrenching. i could hear the word 'poignant' being used to describe the story. "profoundly moving" to the point of "pungent" distaste.
you should read this one. you fly through it but its depth is remarkable. tipping the scale on the other side of the banal, it's 546 slightly dizzying pages that leave you wanting. there's a persistent aching, a groan of yearning for more. for more happy times, more memories, more life. for a story woven around a man's almost implausible physical condition, the true-to-life emotions evoked are truly powerful.
close your eyes and imagine being hand-picked to receive what has the potential to be a most magical blessing, a veritable superpower of a gift... then imagine the tumultuous, annihilating moment upon realizing that this indescribable intangible, brings as much pain and restriction as it does ultimate wonder - infinity in an instant.
it's a good distraction. mixed feelings about the multitude of chicagoland references. i think my sis would enjoy this one.
update: 6/24/05
maybe it's because i'm going through some emotional stuff and my defenses are up in certain areas, but i couldn't bear the tragedy that was this book (the time traveler's wife). i'm not even going to call it bittersweet because even though i know it's supposed to be, my heart can hardly stand it.
the gripping reality of true love not equating earthly bliss is gutwrenching. i could hear the word 'poignant' being used to describe the story. "profoundly moving" to the point of "pungent" distaste.
you should read this one. you fly through it but its depth is remarkable. tipping the scale on the other side of the banal, it's 546 slightly dizzying pages that leave you wanting. there's a persistent aching, a groan of yearning for more. for more happy times, more memories, more life. for a story woven around a man's almost implausible physical condition, the true-to-life emotions evoked are truly powerful.
close your eyes and imagine being hand-picked to receive what has the potential to be a most magical blessing, a veritable superpower of a gift... then imagine the tumultuous, annihilating moment upon realizing that this indescribable intangible, brings as much pain and restriction as it does ultimate wonder - infinity in an instant.
Monday, May 30, 2005
A NEW KIND OF CHRISTIAN
what does the bible have to say about having sex? stay tuned. in the meantime, i am in a fragile state as i read about postmodernism and christianity. sample it via a new kind of christian, the book i am currently reading.
update: 6/12/05
leaving in 'one spirit' and 'one accord'. soooo cheesy. but amusing.
this book rattles my thinking. paradigm shifts make me quake. realizing that what i'd unconsciously accepted as a comfortably 'open' and 'modern' approach to christianity may be just that - modern.
it's good to be jostled, i suppose. it was a good wake-up call in a sense, to be reminded that humans are fallible beings, though the truth is intransient.
seeking that Truth is of prime importance. ruminate on this, folks.
what does the bible have to say about having sex? stay tuned. in the meantime, i am in a fragile state as i read about postmodernism and christianity. sample it via a new kind of christian, the book i am currently reading.
update: 6/12/05
leaving in 'one spirit' and 'one accord'. soooo cheesy. but amusing.
this book rattles my thinking. paradigm shifts make me quake. realizing that what i'd unconsciously accepted as a comfortably 'open' and 'modern' approach to christianity may be just that - modern.
it's good to be jostled, i suppose. it was a good wake-up call in a sense, to be reminded that humans are fallible beings, though the truth is intransient.
seeking that Truth is of prime importance. ruminate on this, folks.
Monday, April 04, 2005
THE BIBLE (NLT)
whenever it was i said i'd start reading luke, i did. i read chs 1-6 and my brain hurt. a couple of things i'll mention that struck me and i can't really explain why, but the parts where jesus heals during sabbath and what the implications are for rule-breaking and for churches of today, and the famous lesson about the speck in your friend's eye and the log in your own...
so maybe what struck me about jesus's rule-breaking is that i think my perception of jesus has been that he is serious and rigid. i know his love and his forgiveness, but sometimes (esp. having read only john and how very straightforward john's writing is, very prescriptive - maybe that's not the appropriate word - i'll talk about john some other time) it's hard for me to visualize it. i picture him healing, but i picture him so sad and grieving for his people, and i don't think i've ever seen a picture of jesus smiling (i have these catholic images in my head instead) and of course there's so much focus (and rightly so) on his death and resurrection. and of course jesus is very clear with his teachings and his principles... i dunno.
whenever it was i said i'd start reading luke, i did. i read chs 1-6 and my brain hurt. a couple of things i'll mention that struck me and i can't really explain why, but the parts where jesus heals during sabbath and what the implications are for rule-breaking and for churches of today, and the famous lesson about the speck in your friend's eye and the log in your own...
so maybe what struck me about jesus's rule-breaking is that i think my perception of jesus has been that he is serious and rigid. i know his love and his forgiveness, but sometimes (esp. having read only john and how very straightforward john's writing is, very prescriptive - maybe that's not the appropriate word - i'll talk about john some other time) it's hard for me to visualize it. i picture him healing, but i picture him so sad and grieving for his people, and i don't think i've ever seen a picture of jesus smiling (i have these catholic images in my head instead) and of course there's so much focus (and rightly so) on his death and resurrection. and of course jesus is very clear with his teachings and his principles... i dunno.
Friday, March 25, 2005
THE RELIGION WAR
began reading a new one. (no, it's not a scary spiritual/Christian book. it's by scott adams, author of the Dilbert cartoons. so it's a gas!) it's a relatively short read but i was exhausted, so i didn't finish it last night. i think this caused some dreams that i now can't remember. as part of the prologue, the author briefly comments on the first book, god's debris, and that some people get amnesia just after reading the book, 'aggressively arguing' that there were no new ideas in the book. actually, i got amnesia not b/c i didn't think there were new ideas, but b/c it was written in the manner of the socratic method, so i tried to keep up and focus so hard i kept losing it. i can't handle very many scenarios in my head at one time. i'd have to write all my arguments down, w/c i didn't do while reading.
anyway, this sequel has a plot and the idea-laden sentences are more spaced out, so more easily digestible. i'm enjoying it. there's this really funny line about a frenchman on a plane. and so much more. i laughed out loud a few times. the author masterfully weaves together psychology (including organizational! the bit about self-managed groups!!!! whoopee! that was SO cool and funny!), physics, religion, sociology, mathematics, etc, etc. so much for such a little book.
ps
the chapter on MENSA was priceless!
pps
i know just to whom i'll give this book as a gift. hope they haven't already read it, the dilbert fan.
update: 3/29/05
that book gave me dreams. i remember i also dreamt i fell victim to credit card/identity theft.
it seems i live in my dreams these days. walking a straight line by day and drawing squigglies in the dark.
i'm not quite sure how i feel about how the story ended. i don't know about the pantheistic slant, and that's giving it more definition that it's claiming, even. there's something so sanitized and inadequate about the theory. sad to think it, but the 'moral' of the story is like a bejeweled finger eagerly pointing at a sewer. this battle between the good speck and the bad speck that causes chaos...eh. i disagree that the bad speck is exactly the same as the good speck but just fighting for space. people value originality, right? that would make the bad speck a poor imitator, at best, and a fraud for sure, wouldn't it?
ah well, to cheer myself up, i think i'll read mark or luke or matthew. still haven't read those guys. i have to say, i was surprised to realize that john was the most loved, and he seemed so harsh and almost intolerant. perhaps it is his passion misunderstood. dunno.
began reading a new one. (no, it's not a scary spiritual/Christian book. it's by scott adams, author of the Dilbert cartoons. so it's a gas!) it's a relatively short read but i was exhausted, so i didn't finish it last night. i think this caused some dreams that i now can't remember. as part of the prologue, the author briefly comments on the first book, god's debris, and that some people get amnesia just after reading the book, 'aggressively arguing' that there were no new ideas in the book. actually, i got amnesia not b/c i didn't think there were new ideas, but b/c it was written in the manner of the socratic method, so i tried to keep up and focus so hard i kept losing it. i can't handle very many scenarios in my head at one time. i'd have to write all my arguments down, w/c i didn't do while reading.
anyway, this sequel has a plot and the idea-laden sentences are more spaced out, so more easily digestible. i'm enjoying it. there's this really funny line about a frenchman on a plane. and so much more. i laughed out loud a few times. the author masterfully weaves together psychology (including organizational! the bit about self-managed groups!!!! whoopee! that was SO cool and funny!), physics, religion, sociology, mathematics, etc, etc. so much for such a little book.
ps
the chapter on MENSA was priceless!
pps
i know just to whom i'll give this book as a gift. hope they haven't already read it, the dilbert fan.
update: 3/29/05
that book gave me dreams. i remember i also dreamt i fell victim to credit card/identity theft.
it seems i live in my dreams these days. walking a straight line by day and drawing squigglies in the dark.
i'm not quite sure how i feel about how the story ended. i don't know about the pantheistic slant, and that's giving it more definition that it's claiming, even. there's something so sanitized and inadequate about the theory. sad to think it, but the 'moral' of the story is like a bejeweled finger eagerly pointing at a sewer. this battle between the good speck and the bad speck that causes chaos...eh. i disagree that the bad speck is exactly the same as the good speck but just fighting for space. people value originality, right? that would make the bad speck a poor imitator, at best, and a fraud for sure, wouldn't it?
ah well, to cheer myself up, i think i'll read mark or luke or matthew. still haven't read those guys. i have to say, i was surprised to realize that john was the most loved, and he seemed so harsh and almost intolerant. perhaps it is his passion misunderstood. dunno.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
ROSIE DUNNE
some girls retain their girl-next-door aura years later. even if they've become successful, professional-whatevers. and if they haven't achieved fortune & fame, they're still cool b/c they'll always have the title. and i suppose there's something alluring about that. some girls even spend whoknowshowmany hours tyring to look like the girl next door. sadly, some of us can never be jello.
how come i picture the girls as pretty enough, but i have this innate anxiety around the boys being dorky and scraggly? i guess it's those years of watching family ties. oh, skippy. dork or no dork though, so many of them end up together anyway. the beauty of close quarters in the formative years. ha. sounds like a TLC or discovery special.
i guess i can relate to rosie, more b/c of the attitude, less b/c i'd have caused more irreparable damage, and i don't have a childhood boy-friend.
C fits ruby. a true pal. smart enough to tell you what you want to hear, but friend enough to warn you (though not-so-aggressively) when your heart needs protection. and of course there's no pity for the fool. a lot of pointing and laughing, but no pity.
i wonder if the story would have worked if divorce didn't exist? WHAT IF divorce wasn't an option. would all those years have gone by wasted?
some girls retain their girl-next-door aura years later. even if they've become successful, professional-whatevers. and if they haven't achieved fortune & fame, they're still cool b/c they'll always have the title. and i suppose there's something alluring about that. some girls even spend whoknowshowmany hours tyring to look like the girl next door. sadly, some of us can never be jello.
how come i picture the girls as pretty enough, but i have this innate anxiety around the boys being dorky and scraggly? i guess it's those years of watching family ties. oh, skippy. dork or no dork though, so many of them end up together anyway. the beauty of close quarters in the formative years. ha. sounds like a TLC or discovery special.
i guess i can relate to rosie, more b/c of the attitude, less b/c i'd have caused more irreparable damage, and i don't have a childhood boy-friend.
C fits ruby. a true pal. smart enough to tell you what you want to hear, but friend enough to warn you (though not-so-aggressively) when your heart needs protection. and of course there's no pity for the fool. a lot of pointing and laughing, but no pity.
i wonder if the story would have worked if divorce didn't exist? WHAT IF divorce wasn't an option. would all those years have gone by wasted?
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
PURPLE HIBISCUS
almost done with purple hibiscus. what a great title. this nigerian author utilizes many similes. many are unique and quite creative. lots on food and ordinary, everyday things used to liken/describe certain things, engendering staggering visual images. you'll get what i mean when you read it.
did make headway on the self-help book while on the ride to (friday eve).
on the ride fro, i'd picked up the novel at left bank books and it was a much shorter trip back. i'll be done with this one tonight.
update: 3/29/05
a bit about purple hibiscus...
it's so frightening how people can get it so wrong. it's so dangerous to be so misguided. the father character is deplorable, but there are many such fathers. there are many such people with unbelievably warped ways. can't even call them hypocrites because the horror of it is they just don't get it. i was having a conversation w/my boss today about something kind of related- about how some things happen in homes you wouldn't think they'd happen in, but when you find out about them, you're not all that surprised. unfortunately classic psychological phenomenon to rebel when coerced. to lash out when suppressed. sometimes i think i'm more scared for people who've always had everything go right in their lives (or think they have). it's like middle-aged men and the chicken pox.
almost done with purple hibiscus. what a great title. this nigerian author utilizes many similes. many are unique and quite creative. lots on food and ordinary, everyday things used to liken/describe certain things, engendering staggering visual images. you'll get what i mean when you read it.
did make headway on the self-help book while on the ride to (friday eve).
on the ride fro, i'd picked up the novel at left bank books and it was a much shorter trip back. i'll be done with this one tonight.
update: 3/29/05
a bit about purple hibiscus...
it's so frightening how people can get it so wrong. it's so dangerous to be so misguided. the father character is deplorable, but there are many such fathers. there are many such people with unbelievably warped ways. can't even call them hypocrites because the horror of it is they just don't get it. i was having a conversation w/my boss today about something kind of related- about how some things happen in homes you wouldn't think they'd happen in, but when you find out about them, you're not all that surprised. unfortunately classic psychological phenomenon to rebel when coerced. to lash out when suppressed. sometimes i think i'm more scared for people who've always had everything go right in their lives (or think they have). it's like middle-aged men and the chicken pox.
Friday, February 25, 2005
THE DANCE OF INTIMACY
perhaps posting now is premature for my brain feels overloaded with the overwhelming pertinence of this book. wow. it is SO on point, so revealing, so convicting, so challenging, so validating - and that's putting it mildly.
where do i begin? ch. 3 entitled, selfhood: at what cost -
well, let me backtrack and mention a meaningful take-away from ch.2 - something intuitive, something i'd recognized but didn't apply effectively - "...appreciation for the inseparable nature of our strengths & weaknesses, they are woven from the same strands..." i'll try to avoid quoting b/c that's boring and lazy, but this is important for me b/c i've decided it's a truth that's worth remembering.
so, ch. 3 contains some points echoed by BM as it relates to my, shall i call it, self-discovery.
perhaps posting now is premature for my brain feels overloaded with the overwhelming pertinence of this book. wow. it is SO on point, so revealing, so convicting, so challenging, so validating - and that's putting it mildly.
where do i begin? ch. 3 entitled, selfhood: at what cost -
well, let me backtrack and mention a meaningful take-away from ch.2 - something intuitive, something i'd recognized but didn't apply effectively - "...appreciation for the inseparable nature of our strengths & weaknesses, they are woven from the same strands..." i'll try to avoid quoting b/c that's boring and lazy, but this is important for me b/c i've decided it's a truth that's worth remembering.
so, ch. 3 contains some points echoed by BM as it relates to my, shall i call it, self-discovery.
- give your unconscious some credit
- respect yourself and your evolution; you are your own best expert
- the introduction of my stress management technique of choice - the pages just scream it! if you know me at all, the pages'll scream at you, too.
- the relationship b/w selfhood & intimacy - see, my gut told me so, and it was validated by whats-her-face and of course, by BM; p. 35 offers a fantastic checklist - its simplicity sharply contrasting the difficulty of accomplishing a mere one of the goals
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
THE EFFECTS OF LIGHT
so i finished the effects of light. it did pick up halfway through. i began to appreciate the alternating narratives, and it was interesting how the author changed her writing style to represent the beyond-her-years wisdom of the little sister, as she got older. that was a nice device.
what began as a promising premise on the bookflap developed into a substantial plot with thought-provoking ideas. this author, only 1 year my senior, proved a thorough researcher with an insightful mind. i liked that she showcased art using science and philosophy (a personal bias, i admit). no surprise to find she's borne out of two academics.
i'm on this 'accountability' kick, so with this in mind, i aim to further ponder the controversy presented in this book - pitting christian teaching against (for lack of a better word) moral relativism. and it wouldn't be worth the exercise if i didn't end up with a stance, so i'll try to eke one out. art or pornography? more importantly, who's accountable? i was going to post a link to a site about the author being interviewed about her book and as i skimmed through it, began to glean more her background and her perspective re: this controversy. based upon this recent finding, i think her book is even more laudable because obviously, i wasn't aware after finishing it that she appears to have a stronger opinion than the book leads you to believe. i like her objectivity in this sense and in the same manner that her title change secured her more readers, i think this objective presentation of a delicate topic of debate could very well turn her readers into loyal fans. i am more motivated to revisit the work and proceed with the personal moral discourse artfully sparked by this story. i feel like giggling. i'm such a dork.
and btw, i decided not to post that link, hoping you'll read the book yourself first. how's that for idealism? ha.
i've begun the dance of intimacy and yes, it's a self-help book. a few key perspectives i recognize, made by the one who recommended the book to me. i'm highlighting this one, and it's okay so far. hopefully the highlighting will prod me onward.
i admitted to my small group last night that i realize i've been neglecting my personal bible study. i opened my bible last night before our meeting, in college-cram fashion, after quite a while of not having consulted the text, so that was an accomplishment. i realized as i was sharing that if i am to hone the talent which is slowly being revealed to me, a most crucial part of this growth entails focused and intense study of the bible (not to imply that's my sole reason, much less the most important reason for reading it!) i get a word of the day, so now i've signed up for daily devotional emails. i had a couple of sites bookmarked, but of course they were deleted when i switched jobs last may.
so i finished the effects of light. it did pick up halfway through. i began to appreciate the alternating narratives, and it was interesting how the author changed her writing style to represent the beyond-her-years wisdom of the little sister, as she got older. that was a nice device.
what began as a promising premise on the bookflap developed into a substantial plot with thought-provoking ideas. this author, only 1 year my senior, proved a thorough researcher with an insightful mind. i liked that she showcased art using science and philosophy (a personal bias, i admit). no surprise to find she's borne out of two academics.
i'm on this 'accountability' kick, so with this in mind, i aim to further ponder the controversy presented in this book - pitting christian teaching against (for lack of a better word) moral relativism. and it wouldn't be worth the exercise if i didn't end up with a stance, so i'll try to eke one out. art or pornography? more importantly, who's accountable? i was going to post a link to a site about the author being interviewed about her book and as i skimmed through it, began to glean more her background and her perspective re: this controversy. based upon this recent finding, i think her book is even more laudable because obviously, i wasn't aware after finishing it that she appears to have a stronger opinion than the book leads you to believe. i like her objectivity in this sense and in the same manner that her title change secured her more readers, i think this objective presentation of a delicate topic of debate could very well turn her readers into loyal fans. i am more motivated to revisit the work and proceed with the personal moral discourse artfully sparked by this story. i feel like giggling. i'm such a dork.
and btw, i decided not to post that link, hoping you'll read the book yourself first. how's that for idealism? ha.
i've begun the dance of intimacy and yes, it's a self-help book. a few key perspectives i recognize, made by the one who recommended the book to me. i'm highlighting this one, and it's okay so far. hopefully the highlighting will prod me onward.
i admitted to my small group last night that i realize i've been neglecting my personal bible study. i opened my bible last night before our meeting, in college-cram fashion, after quite a while of not having consulted the text, so that was an accomplishment. i realized as i was sharing that if i am to hone the talent which is slowly being revealed to me, a most crucial part of this growth entails focused and intense study of the bible (not to imply that's my sole reason, much less the most important reason for reading it!) i get a word of the day, so now i've signed up for daily devotional emails. i had a couple of sites bookmarked, but of course they were deleted when i switched jobs last may.
Thursday, February 17, 2005
THE ALCHEMIST
no surprise, another self-help-ish book back on the shelf.
in the meantime, a great bday present i received! the alchemist, which i'd heard of, but didn't know what it was about... and was skeptical of the bandwagon phenomenon... BUT, it was simply wonderful! i read it in a day, ear-marked it sparingly, but absolutely will re-read. so much depth and simplicity. not cliched but rich with lessons, wrapped in an engaging plot and encompassed by FAITH. i cried, meaningfully. i'll write in more detail as i reread.
actually paused the other novel i was reading, the effects of light. the frontcover summary was interesting enough to get me to purchase the book, but i'm a bit disappointed so far. the writing style lacks creativity, and though i'm curious enough about the plot to keep turning the pages, i'm not hungry for the words (as i was with the alchemist!)
i love the books that you can't put down. i love the rush and the exhausted sigh of relief as your bloodshot eyes race toward the final phrase. i especially love the ones that whisk you away, literally to far-off lands and times. though the alchemist didn't quite make me fly, it was certainly a page-turner.
no surprise, another self-help-ish book back on the shelf.
in the meantime, a great bday present i received! the alchemist, which i'd heard of, but didn't know what it was about... and was skeptical of the bandwagon phenomenon... BUT, it was simply wonderful! i read it in a day, ear-marked it sparingly, but absolutely will re-read. so much depth and simplicity. not cliched but rich with lessons, wrapped in an engaging plot and encompassed by FAITH. i cried, meaningfully. i'll write in more detail as i reread.
actually paused the other novel i was reading, the effects of light. the frontcover summary was interesting enough to get me to purchase the book, but i'm a bit disappointed so far. the writing style lacks creativity, and though i'm curious enough about the plot to keep turning the pages, i'm not hungry for the words (as i was with the alchemist!)
i love the books that you can't put down. i love the rush and the exhausted sigh of relief as your bloodshot eyes race toward the final phrase. i especially love the ones that whisk you away, literally to far-off lands and times. though the alchemist didn't quite make me fly, it was certainly a page-turner.
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