in need of a quickie? ;)

pic by ststic.guim.co.uk

i used to despise reading short stories. it felt like cheating. snacking, instead of eating a full course (like, thicker, longer novel~i'm hoping to make that sound sexy, if you dont get that, its your prob). but, i'm changing my mind. i like reading short stories, at least a good one like the ones in this book.

This is the second book in a 4 book series by Oxfam. The main reason why i picked this book last december was because the book's on sale (50% off from normal price RM29.90). i tried to get all 4 books but only managed to get book #1 Earth and #2 Air. so, i'm still hunting for book #3 and #4. these books are worthy to read.

written by contemporary Brits and Irish writers, Ox-Tales undoubtedly are those rare good anthologies.  and i mean, really, really good. if it makes you feel better, knowing all royalties for this books go to Oxfam, ya, you bought the book and you contributed to Oxfam good cause. but, never mind that. get the books, its a good read.

my favourite story in this book#2 would be DBC Pierre's "Suddenly Doctor Cox". because in real life, in my kampung, we have our own Suddenly Doctor Cox. Gumat the undying man. He's our local super con man, once, he faked his own death to collect condolence money from several YBs. his death was even aired on radio, the whole kampung waited for the ambulance carrying his body home for burial. then, he appeared, alive and well, hence Gumat the undying man. 

But, it's Alexander's Still Life that seal the deal of me taking this book. the idea of separation by air, is elegantly, romantic. and i cried reading this, because i knew the feel of wanting so much and yet not having it because of the air aint right.

Ox tales is an awesome quickie. ya, it makes you desperate for more. 

have a good weekend people!

The Jungle Book

Do you know that you can get 2 books at RM8.90?, yes. i got Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book and Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe at RM8.90 (member only at Popular bookstore). bah, you can download it for free from the internet. but, i prefer printed goods, paper always feel more secure, more real to me and it matters when you consider reading as an intimate experience. and the satisfaction of tucking them away in rows of other books, an accomplishment, small victory each time you're done enlarging the circle of worlds you're in.

The Jungle Book (Transatlantic Press, 2012)

yes. i regret not reading this book when i was younger. i thought i knew the story from cartoon and movie. because, basically, most of us know Mowgli. or we thought so.

consider this: then something began to hurt Mowgli inside him, as he had never been hurt in his life before, and he caught his breath and sobbed, and tears ran down his face. 'what is it? what is it?' he said. 'i do not wish to leave the Jungle, and i do not know what this is. am i dying, Bagheera?'. can you feel the heaviness and intensity of his hurts?

i was going through an intense emotional turmoil sometimes ago, a territory unknown to me. like Mowgli, i thought i was dying. because it hurts, and keep on coming back. stabbing, stabbing on the same spot. separation from the people we loved is terrifyingly painful. and i dont know how to survive it. but for now, i'm telling my heart (in the softest Bagheera's voice) 'let them fall, Mowgli. they are only tears' . its just another phase.

so, if you think The Jungle Book is a children book. reconsider. give it a try. 

have a good week people!

Wilderness Tips: Listen, Listen, Listen

The listen, listen, listen fever hits my college. when i entered one of the senior class yesterday, i was greeted by 'listen, listen, listen' followed by the usual greeting. i answered 'animal also have problem you know, not just us'. they laughed. i hope that didn't make me an ass. (to those clueless about this recent outburst of listen, listen, listen-in vain attempt to demand respect, go search in YouTube).

(pic by amazon.com)

No, actually its not a vain attempt at demanding respect. its a major slip of tongue, forgotten if happened among friends, but blown out of proportion when done in public, or in this case in the jungle of smartphones, cameras and technological gadgets. 

Being a teacher, i truly understand the need for respect from students. sometimes, i too, demanded it from the wildlings~(willful, stubborn kids) (you need to be a teacher to understand the desperation).  but we all know, respect should be earned to make it meaningful. It takes effort, a lot of patience, consistency and discipline. All to make a patchy, fragile bridge from one heart to another. and if we're consistent enough, the bridge may toughen over time. yes, respect is a very powerful heart matter. that's why many people get so emotional over the listen, listen, listen fiasco. 

when you demand people to listen to you, your words better have weight.

and i did listen when i read Margaret Atwood's Wilderness Tips, a collection of 10 short stories. all of those stories are richly layered and very disturbing. my favourite pick would be Weight (no, its not about dieting). my mind works overtime over this para: there's something final about saying you were married once. its like saying you were dead once. its shuts them up ~ or in some cases sent them berserk. 

How can i not respect this woman when she put what i have in mind eloquently: i no longer think that anything can happen. i no longer want to think that way. Happen is what you wait for, not what you do; and anything is a large category. i am unlikely to get murdered by this man, for instance; i am unlikely to get married to him either. right now, i don't even know whether I'll go so far as dinner on Wednesday. it occurs to me that i don't really have to, not if i don't want to. some options at least remain open.

if you have not read any of Atwood's yet. maybe, you should start with this 10 short stories. if you'll listen closely, you might find yourself in one of the stories. great tips on facing the wilderness.