BOOK: City of Thieves by David Benioff

i tried perming my hair once and was chided by my younger brother for looking so 'timorese'. but, i really love curly, fluffy hair. ikal-ikal gitu. however, i stick to my straight hair (after a year of failed permed hair). i dont know how others did it, but, i refuse to spend hours to tidy up my hair. so, i'll just go with my straight, no fuss hair. it's not glamorous, but, its certainly not disastrous either.

NOT Eric Bana. David Benioff

(now, you got what i mean by loving curly locks eh?--- look at his hair! YOU'd die to run your fingers to that lovely head).

synopsis:
two innocent prisoners, Lev and Kolya were thrown together in a mission to find a dozen of eggs. sound easy? this was in 1941, in the coldest winter in history, in a starving city under siege. they were given 6 days to fulfill the mission or they'll die. they scoured St Petersburg for eggs and chicken. after failing to get any (they did get a rooster), they traveled out of Piter. they got involved with the Partisan and held by German soldiers after trying to save some prostitutes. their salvation came when a senior officer agreed to play chess with Lev (he's very good with chess). thrown together in the deal is a dozen of eggs if they win. they killed that senior officer and Lev managed to runaway with the dozen of eggs and sent it to the colonel just in time. Kolya died protecting Lev. the eggs are for the colonel's daughter's wedding.

ugh!

BOOK: For All The Tea in China by Sarah Rose

For All The Tea in China

Earlier this year, i made a list of 'must do' this year. #12. read more of culture and history. this is the first 'history' book i managed to read so far.

the first book from BBW book sale i finished reading. it's a petite volume, so it took just a few hours to get done. Jane took picture of this book with my other treasures from the book sale. click to her blog.

this book caught my eyes not because it's a history book. its the plant's outline that hooked me. (if you ever cross-stitched, you'll know what i mean), and i did amateurish plant sketches when i was younger and eager to study them (theses in environmental science with a chapter of plant taxonomy). and i am a tea drinker. how can i resist a book with acaption on it's cover: how England stole the world's favorite drink and changed history?

synopsis:
England accumulated it's wealth in the East by East India Company's monopoly over opium and tea trade. however, the company had no influence over tea price, as the best tea were produced far inland of China. Chinese are mischievous and intelligent businessmen, and they controlled the price of their produce. thus, began the dream of the Company to produce their own tea. but that require seedlings and technology of making tea, which was known only to the grower in the remote places of China. and the greatest quest of all, they need to do it in big scale with utmost secrecy. came Robert Fortune, a passionate horticulturist, great spy and thief, a brave adventurer. he's the man responsible for stealing seedlings and transporting them safely to Saharanpur, northern India for planting. he also stole the skill of tea-making by transporting experts from China to India.

as always, my synopsis is oversimplified. this is a great read with no footnote of references to distract from straight reading (eventhough, i have to admit, i love footnotes). and the author made this book as simple as possible by giving general basic information before probing deeper into each subjects.

BTW, i drink Lipton. Polos*

*Polos = Just tea. no sugar, cream or lime added. (indo lingo, teh polos)

BIG BAD WOLF BOOK SALE (II)

updates on the killing attempt at BBW.

it was glorious and i'm not exaggerating. the turnout was unbelievable, people actually bought books by boxes, and who says Malaysian doesnt read?. oh.. ok, buying books and actually reading it is entirely different matter. but, still... my point is, if the price is okey, people might consider buying more books and eventually read it.

i almost cried looking at so many youngsters eager faces, considering and reconsidering on which book to haul, and i totally get them (i was them, once, decade ago-sigh!-tight budget) . i even overheard some of them negotiated with each other to assign who bought which books for book swap later on.

i spent a little over RM500. with more than 60 books, half of it hard covers, i'd call that a real bargain. (i usually got 4 paperbacks and maybe a couple of magazines for Rm150-my monthly allocation for books). my only regret is the Nora Roberts' purchase, i was always reluctant to get acquainted with her works. but, for RM8 per book, i thought, i have nothing to lose. after all, i have a sister who read cerita pontianak/ hantu jerangkung, i'll just dump all those books to her. so, congratulation Pong, you have your Christmas present a bit early this year.

thank you: Jen, for the ride and help hauling the books (i'll bring more homemade jeruk to you. muahahaha..). BookXcess, for the sale and BX's helpful staff, thank you guys.

to those who missed the BBW, your loss.

BIG BAD WOLF BOOK SALE

I am heading to that bad wolf galore.. muahahha.. and i feel like a vampire smelling blood. and i hope i can bully somebody to drive me up to do the killing. and to pacify me when the taking get too serious.

For more info and direction to this place, click on this link

the magician. Lev Grossman

I am discovering the magic of Lev Grossman. the handsomest and smartest author i've discovered so far. well, second smartest actually, my genius author is still Stephen Jay Gould. i'll post a review on Lev's book, The Magicians sometime next week.

in no particular order

we managed to handle the mid-term exam okey-ly.
18/46 of my diploma kids failed chemistry. devastating.

Steve Jobs died.

PM abolished ISA and proposed a more humane acts (?)

that loud Chinese guy keep on hitting on Lim Guan Eng (i started to feel really sorry for him-Lim)

i bought 'Ainuddin Pejuang Melayu Degil' and think its a very well written book. thoroughly researched.

Alternately reading Straub's a dark matter and Grossman's The Magicians. not really wise, as i tend to mixed them up. i'm experimenting on how my mind compartmentalizes. Next, George Eliot's Silas and Poe's collection of short stories.

The mere mention of Bosou (pekasam) mengecurkan air liur. its foolish to even think of satiation. mana mau cari owh?

Budget announcement is due this afternoon.

i read the ETP's exec summary after watching 'Eat that peanut' video. somehow it shifted my mind to believe, the transformation is actually achievable. realistically. we, shall make this work.

i should be writing a book review/ synopsis. instead this list for a blog post. pathetic. i know.

BOOK: Kafka on The Shore by Haruki Murakami

i was not impressed by my first read of Murakami's (A Wild Sheep Chase). he leaned heavily on the fantasy side, which irritated me. and a sheep is just a lamb chop for me. so, i leave the Chase. maybe someday i'll read it again.

and if you ever heard/read of Haruki Murakami, maybe you'd be telling me. 'why don't you read his Norwegian Wood?'. Because: i dont want his best to be my first. i'll read that too, someday. for the time being, i'll let my mind to be occupied by the charming Alexander Rybak, each time i heard of 'Norwegian wood'. (and not some forlorn Asian lovers).

i read Kafka on The Shore, mainly because of the name "Kafka". i have yet to read any of Kafka's works, but he's a big name and the title made me curious. so, i bought the book and read on. i was blown away! it was absolutely beautiful. multi layers of stories, neatly piled up. did i mentioned crazy too? yeah.. it's crazy.

synopsis:
A 15-years old boy (Kafka) runaway from home, trying to get away from his father. he ended up in a remote town with a lovely private library, where he found sanctuary and friends, the head librarian and her assistant. A simpleton, old man, named Nakata, have the ability to talk to cats, make things fall from the sky and super sixth sense. Nakata's quest of locating one missing cat ended up in him killing Kafka's father (or whatever it was, when he spoke to Nakata). led by his sixth sense, Nakata leave town to find 'the stone'. meanwhile, police tried to locate Kafka. Kafka, by the help of his new friend hid away far in the forest. the stone apparently was the key to open another realm, in where, Kafka was tempted to stay. he chose to stay in our world and face his problem. Nakata died peacefully after fulfilling his last task.

i leave so many delightful details, to avoid confusion in the synopsis. and i'm not a spoiler, so, go on, read this book. i'm still mulling over two very prominent questions in mind after reading the book. #1: if memories and talents were taken away from us, what will left of us? #2: is it possible for a ghost (spirit) of a person to be seen by others, while that person lives and what does it mean?

did i mentioned the book is heavily peppered with notes on music, musician, history, philosophy, great books and magic? yeah.. loaded.


p/s: i am a firm believer in the existence of the spirits. be it evil or holy. and we can sense their presence if we open up our soul.

This post has nothing to do with our football team loss to Japan in Fukuoka last Wednesday. why we watch Malaysian football? yeah, pasal ada si Apek..

Christina Aguilera, You Lost Me

my music pick of last week was Christina Aguilera's You Lost Me. As soulfoul as she's always (and a still a bit trashy in her outfit selection). This is a song that stayed with me throughout the week. Sorry, this is a yesteryear's song, not something new that pop out of Billboard chart. i was just so absorbed in a book i read last week that, i felt, the song appropriated the mood. and it's not about other person betraying me, or leaving me. i'm afraid of me, betraying me, losing me. if you haven't properly listen to this song, go to this link, or as always, the youtube channel.

As you probably already knew, Aguilera is one of the mentors in The Voice. (i still dont have a TV---i have TV, but no antenna, and i vow off ASTRO---so, the TV in my apartment is just a junk, useless). i was a parasite at a friend's house in Kajang for over a week during Raya holidays and she has this obsession for Flat Screen TV and i got hooked to StarWorld (The Voice)(thats what i hate of TV, i can look at the box for hours!). eventhough, i'd say, 2 hours off sunday night to watch The Voice is a good deal.

Anyway, i'm rooting for team Cee Lo! he is uncharacteristically sexy.

(pic from wiki)
NOT STARWORLD. The Voice is on AXN. my bad. (8-10, sunday night)

golombon*

Jen, Dawn, Me, Juvi, Popong, Fread

[i like this picture, because somehow, i got a dimple (and i love dimple, instantly freshen up a look) which is not actually a dimple. it's a laughline (positive) or a deepen premature wrinkle (very..very negative)] on our recent visit Downunder. for more pictures of us, go to her

i tried not to compare the place with ours, because it'd be really unfair. it's an expensive place to live in, eating out everyday is out of question. even at the sloppiest fast food joint. but, how can one not fall in love with a place where even a construction workers spend sometime off their lunch time reading?, and where books are waaaaaay cheaper than a cuppa? their waiting area at airports are almost like a library, people read while waiting for their flights. its a culture, we must aspire to adopt.

Personally, i'm still short of 20 books to read to reach my annual bookreads of 54. reading will not make us any smarter then those who doesnt, or make us any better than the non-reader. but, reading certainly broaden up perspective and with that, better understanding of others and oneself. and i guess, that's how we armed our self to face the world.

my students are still away for their mid-term holiday. the office is quieter than usual, many of my muslim colleagues are still on holidays. truthfully, i miss my kids and colleagues. the holiday was great. Australia is a lovely country. i'll go again next year maybe (Perth). but, right now, nothing will settle me better than normal classes to attend and the mundane tasks of tending to my kids.

advice for Malaysian visiting Australia, please dont bother applying for a room at Malaysian Hall Melbourne (they still exist? they didnt reply to our numerous e-mails and phone calls and faxes). and i also dont recommend staying at Malaysian Hall Sydney (something should be done there, the place looks really rundown). but, at least MH Sydney replied to our enq promptly. and the students squatting there are mostly polite. with one exception for the golombon* kid. haiya... teda orang ambil gambar kah si golombon?

*fat/overweight

p/s: astaga.. makin golombon plak sy lepas cuti-cuti ni

after august

a few updates:
1. i have made up my mind. i'll go study again. where? first choice would be Melbourne (for the fresh fruits in Victoria Market). what to study? hahahha...
2. i am suspiciously 3 months pregnant and showing. i'll put up pic to support the allegation. later.
3. i am looking for Mr. Yuta Tanaka. the last time i saw him was at Paddy's Market in Sydney. he played wicked guitar. i bought his CD only to be left in the CD player in that AVIS car. so, if anybody have any info of this guy, i appreciate the help.

chilling out

So, finally a motion to standardized air-cond temperature in gov offices eh?
its lawak, i knew. but st**id workers in public sector need SOP of air-con temperature in their offices (before you growl in anger, i too, work in public sector, so, chill out). seriously, i never have problem with air-cond (as i have my own office and i set my own room temperature at 23C, apparently, i have to hike it to 24C after the standardization). but, i knew a colleague who set her aircond at 16C and put a shawl and heavy sweater on! i wont really mind if she ever been overseas to study. mungkin terbiasa kan?

i was once in KLIA and overheard a group of tourists commenting on our super cold airport. i used to sleep in KLIA when i was a graduate student, lining up for half price ticket at stand by counter. i was always tempted to bring my sleeping bag, i usually had a double socks on, on such occasion. its freezing cold in there. i wonder what's their standard in-building temperature.

i was raised in Ranau, a hilly district with cool temperature at night and early morning. i was tormented when i went for my study in Kota Kinabalu. i still feel, KK is a hot hot place to live (and that cover the hot bars and pubs too ya). so, its kinda relief to work in suburb Kuching. i live in Kota Sentosa, 7 miles from the city centre. we had our hot days in Kuching too, but not as fierce as in KK.

So, as i observed, the issue of temperature is of personal preference. i sincerely hope, scientific evidences were put together in the standardization decision. and not because the said minister cant tahan suhu sejuk ?

Sorry, i'm not making any point here. it's just, the issue of temperature has been in our 'hot' discussions (among my kaibigans) lately. and because hati rasa sejuk today, because of the bonus from government. thank you. but, at the back of my mind, questions keep on nagging, can the gov afford the bonus ? bikin panas kan ?

Boyce Avenue

You've probably heard of them. they're VERY GOOD (like, really, really good). please go to Youtube and listen for yourself: BOYCE AVENUE. i have yet to decide which of the cover i love the best. so far, i've seen about 5 (and i love their version of Katy Perry's Firework)

i'll miss their Australia tour this august by a few days. darn!
here's their tour schedule in Australia

23/08 Perth
25/08 Melbourne
26/08 Sydney
28/08 Brisbane

and no, they're not heading for a tour in Asia (at least not in 2011).

edit:
my current favourite of covers they did is "How far we've come" by Matchbox 20. theirs mellower version from the original one. i guess, the riots in London influence my mood. God forbid, the riot to spread.

edit 2:
their good taste starting to turn stale to me. the voice is (to say the least)-mediocre. have to tinguk muka dia baru macam siok.. Cait!

The Holy Month of Ramadhan

its Ramadhan again! if you live in Kuching, there's Kuching Fest for 3 weeks at MBKS from 5 pm onwards. its food heaven. i have yet to go to this food fair. will go there this weekend.

first week into the holy month of Ramadhan and have you heard of the (in)sensitive ads by 8TV? (just google 8TV ramadhan ads you'll have lots of links, however, its no longer available on youtube) and please read the comments by our muslim friends, those who truly know the meaning of fasting and observing it, not because they have to, but because they wanted to.

Each year, the church where i belong, held a fasting month in the month of august (coincidentally during the Ramadhan this year). we fast and pray, mostly for our family, friends, local authorities, the government, YDPA etc. usually, its a 40 days fast and prayers marked to end by 16 September (Malaysia Day). i started participating in this church activity in my univ days (when i had to save lunch money for books and also because i desperately need guidance in what to believe in). now, i believe, you cant imposed faith to a person. one only can lead a donkey to where the water is, but to make it to drink is a whole lot another matter.

i am aghast reading of church raid in Damansara Utama. Datuk Dr Hasan Ali, please dont undermine the faith of your fellow believers.

listen, listen harder

i have a brother who love reading. not as much as i do, i guess. because he put it second after computer games. but he does read and buy books. his favourite author is Mitch Albom. i spent half of today, watching Mitch Albom live (just type mitch albom on Youtube), and i found him endearing. the reason why people talk to him was because he listened.

and as i went reading the star online, i read older post of Wong Chun Wai in his column "talk less, listen harder". Dy, you'll absolutely agree with his latest post "Cut the frills, make it simple". (astaga.. punyala sy sokong!). its exactly what i want to say, only he wrote it better and more articulate.

i am currently hooked to Hugh Laurie's Let Them Talk. he's no singer. but, his music.... fine grade. and i totally got Greg Iles's saying his paragraphs got rhythm. when you read a book and you listen hard enough, it does have rhythm. bad books contain haphazard rhythm. bikin pening

students sometimes asked me how i managed to memorize their names. i always replied by saying, all of them are too naughty/ too kind to forget. the truth is, each of their name have taste in my tongue/ scent i can sense. but, by confessing that, i might scared them off. sound like a perv, or something, dont you think?

pause awhile. listen. listen kindly.