Posts

Showing posts from 2013

Cloud Atlas – Tom Tykwer and the Wachowskis

Image
It took a while for me to watch Cloud Atlas , the film adaptation of David Mitchell 's 500 page novel. Even after listening to Tom Tykwer and the Wachowski brothers (now Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski) talking on the The Nerdist about the challenges they faced making the movie and the ideas behind them making it, I was not convinced it was worth seeking out. I had the opportunity of watching it this Christmas and was one of the most impactful films I have watched in about four years. You could feel the care and love shine through. You could also see that it was personal. Though they are rumoured to be a closet bunch, the Wachowskis, I do wish they give interviews more. If you love the Matrix trilogy , as in not just love the special effects or fighting parts but the general theme, then I highly recommend Cloud Atlas . It is a great special effects just like The Matrix but is less actiony. The general theme is interesting and the level of intrigue the story carries is unp

The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life

Image
“We are all unsure of ourselves. Every one of us walking the planet wonders, secretly, if we are getting it wrong. We stumble along. We love and we lose. At times, we find unexpected strength, and at other times, we succumb to our fears. We are impatient. We want to know what’s around the corner, and the writing life won’t offer us this. It forces us into the here and now. There is only this moment, when we put pen to page.”  – Dan Shapiro : Still Writing – The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life   Still Writing: The Pleasures and Perils of a Creative Life: Dani Shapiro: Books ISBN : 0802121403 ISBN-13 : 9780802121400

Gamespot's Game of the Year 2013

January/February 2014 Issue - newbooks Magazine

Image
I got my copy of newbooks magazine last week and was happy with it. As you can see on the cover, it has the picture of Val McDermid on it and inside was an interview with her about her works (which is quite a lot, I tell you). Inside the magazines are reviews (sad mine didn’t make it) on books like Unfaithfully Yours by Nigel Williams, Longbourn by Jo Baker, When Mr Dog Bites by Brian Conaghan and others. If you are interested in this kind of stuff, you may visit newbooksmag.com and subscribe. Note that there is a free book for every magazine (you will have to pay for p&p, though).         Unfaithfully Yours: Nigel Williams: Books ISBN : 1472106741 ISBN-13 : 9781472106742 Longbourn: Jo Baker: Books ISBN : 0857522019 ISBN-13 : 9780857522016 When Mr Dog Bites: Brian Conaghan: Books ISBN : 1408838338 ISBN-13 : 9781408838334

Book Review: Unfaithfully Yours - Nigel Williams

Image
Mrs. Price suspects her husband of cheating and won't rest until she finds out the truth. She hires a private detective who begins stalking Mr. Price and what he finds is not just the infidelity of one man but a web of betrayal, unfaithfulness, casual sex, and murder among childhood friends and neighbours. Unfaithfully Yours starts brightly with witty lines and an uncanny understanding of human nature which lends believability to its characters. However as the story progresses towards the end, the author abandons believability in favour of incredulity and farce as almost all the characters begin jumping over one another's bones regardless of past association and feelings, with the private detective looking to get a little bit of the action as well. My take in a line: great writing style and humour tempered with an unrealistic storyline.   The Wimbledon Poisoner: Nigel Williams: 9781472106766: Books ISBN : 1472106768 ISBN-13 : 9781472106766

Sunset in Maidstone

Image

Malcolm Gladwell – The Story of David and Goliath

God's Workings

Image
More than most books in the bible, Ecclesiastes drew on life experiences to determine God's workings on earth.

Malcolm Gladwell’s Latest Work

Image
I do love most of Malcolm Gladwell ’s books. The Outliers and What the Dog Saw are two of my favourites. Hence it was with joy that I received the news that a new book is on the horizon – David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants .   Even if you do not yet have the opportunity to read the blurb for the book, it is somehow clear what the theme of this book is.   In these world of mismatched strengths and constant grapple against the odds, I am happy to welcome this book into my library as soon as it is out. Oh..yes, the release date is the 3rd of October, 2013. David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants: Malcolm Gladwell: 9780316204361: Books ISBN : 0316204366 ISBN-13 : 9780316204361

Thinking About Thinking

Image
“The Intelligentsia of the artistic and vaguely anarchic clubs was indeed a very strange world. and the strangest thing about it, I fancy, was that, while it thought a great deal about thinking, it did not think.   “Everything seemed to come at second or third hand; from Nietzsche or Tolstoy or Ibsen or Shaw; and there was a pleasant atmosphere of discussing all these things, without any particular sense of responsibility for coming to any conclusion on them.”   ( G. K. Chesterton, Autobiography; House of Stratus, 2001 )   Tags: Intelligentsia , Nietzsche , Tolstoy , Ibsen , Shaw , Chesterton , Autobiography   Autobiography of G. K. Chesterton: G. K. Chesterton: 9780786101726: Books ISBN : 0786101725 ISBN-13 : 9780786101726

Joy & Pain

Image
Joy and pain are meant to be enjoyed and endured respectively. Especially when it comes to pain, I think it must be embraced and welcomed. Resistance and loathing only makes pain stronger.

What Is It Like?

Image
  What is it like, not having any expectation of yourself, going with the flow and doing what you can with the time you have been given? What is it like, not having expectations of yourself or others, treating each person, good or bad, the same; leaving all judgments to the Creator of heaven and earth? What is it like, not having any expectations, fully trusting in God for everything? I don’t know what it is like, but I know it is called perfection - a state of mind close to heaven.

Assumption of Shared Values

Image
Insults are hurled because the “hurler'” instinctively knows it’s gonna hurt us. They peer into our psyche and decide on the best weapon of choice - a word or action that will sting the most. These "hurlers" do well with stereotypes. For example, they generally assume most people dislike not having enough and strive to make more money. They trust that fat people tend to hate themselves and that people of certain races bemoan their origins. With this information, they fire random bullets with the intent to bring us down emotionally. A lot of insults or snide comments are based on an assumption of shared values, with the insult- er  believing we believe what they believe. Try throwing pennies at a man who does not believe he is poor. Or try calling someone a nasty nickname you just learnt from a show they don't watch and what you'll get is a confused look that tells you your jibe has no effect. This is one reason why we must always examine mainstream narrative

Your Primary Reward

Image
  Watching and reading about Channel 4’s Dispatches made me realise nothing is original. That chasing fame and wealth is a pointless activity and useless in the long run even when you have acquired either.   We all chase Facebook’s “Like” and Google’s “+” for various reasons - exposure for our work or art, the need to appreciated, and the assurance that we are doing something right. But when people start to purchase all that with money, then we cannot based our criteria for doing well on the “Like” and “+” anymore. We cannot adore those who amass millions of “fans” as being at the top of their game while those who work equally as hard at their craft are looked upon as nothing because they have zero hyperlinks declaring them as worthy.   As far as I'm concerned, I believe it’s all about the process - enjoying your work and hoping someone out there loves it and are blessed by it. As it was written in Ecclesiastes 2:24 and 3:22, (I will paraphrase) there is nothing as good as

Dragon Age 3: Inquisition – Official Trailer

Image

How to Read the Bible

Image
Some people say you must approach the Bible with reverence, studying it line by line, meditating on each word, taking it to heart. Such argued that reading the scriptures like a novel is not ideal and does not make for useful experience, nor does it enrich whoever approaches it this way. I suppose some view the bible as a kind of a wild animal, you know, a lion or a gorilla…something you might want to approach with trepidation, lest you displease it and it gobbles you up. The bible is a book, a precious and inspired collection of books – read it fast, read it slow, sing it if you like, and dance it if it makes you glad. It does not matter if you come with a heavy or a light heart, in mockery or sincerity. Be sure it will leave its mark on you, one which will never cease to haunt your imagination, chiselling its message into your mind like a sculptor. A mark you will either carry around with love or with anger.

Show Up Anyway

Image
You know, those days when you don’t feel like doing anything (I’m not entirely sure but I think there is a song with a line like that). When you wake up and stare at your computer screen with slant, expectant eyes as if you are expecting a precious long lost item to fall back into arms…and after fifteen minutes realise: nah…nothing is going to be written today. But the gurus have always told us to show up anyway. So here I am, present, in front of the ever so white-looking blank page, bored.

His Purpose and Pleasure

Image
“Bowing down in blind credulity as is my custom before mere authority in the tradition of the elders, superstitiously swallowing a story I could not test at the time by experiment of private judgement, I am firmly of the opinion that I was born on the 29th of May, 1874... The story of my birth might be untrue. I might be the long-lost heir of the Holy Roman Empire, or an infant left by ruffians from Limehouse on a doorstep in Kensington to develop in later life a hideous criminal heredity.” ( G. K. Chesterton, Autobiography ; House of Stratus, 2001 ) How do you verify if God’s exists? Most people who had near death or out of the body experiences are champions of the divine. Comfortable people who had most of their needs met physically and intellectually are mostly champions of ...err...earthly stuff.  Truth is most of us are champions of themselves. We’ve always believed what we wanted to believe.  The poor are led to believe a God will solve all their financial pro

Free Audiobook for July 2013: Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry

Image
“From the simple setting of his own barber shop, Jayber Crow, orphan, seminarian, and native of Port William, recalls his life and the life of his community as it spends itself in the middle of the twentieth century. Surrounded by his friends and neighbors, he is both participant and witness as the community attempts to transcend its own decline. And meanwhile Jayber learns the art of devotion and that a faithful love is its own reward. Warning, this book contains strong or potentially offensive language.” © Courtesy of ChristianAudio

Evolution - A Monkey's Perspective

Image
Many stories I’ve heard from men, Of where we originated. But none was so interesting As the one told by a monkey: I’m better than men, it said. I take care of my kids. I ain’t like some crazy teens, Dumping babies in bins. Many men with lots of fruits Would rather they go to rot; Even if little boys beg till morn' For a bite to soothe their guts. I once strolled past a school, Wedged myself beneath a stool, To listen to the latest follies, That catch human fancies. Ape begat man, the teacher said. Evolution it's called, he further expressed. Briskly I shook my hairy head, And in fury stamped my stubby feet. For I know so well, We’re way different from men.

Living Fearlessly

Image
There are few artists as fearless as the comedian, who in spite of his wet palms and dry throat, climbs up the stage. He opens his mouth and disappears into an imaginary world. He then reappears - bringing out the unusual, the weird, and the outright hilarious. Who is the one that lives in the present if not the comedian who must laugh at himself whether he stands or falls, receives stones or praise, rotten eggs or applause. Who is stout of heart if not the comedian, clawing at rocks with bare hands, digging wells with bare feet, carving wood with bare teeth, mining a smile from a lifetime of pain. Have I half of your fortitude, dear comedian, I will be on roll through the divine street, riding on a chariot of wind.

On the Subject of Believing

Image
"We believe what we want to believe; it's what we do. Shut one's eyes tight, or open one's eyes wide. Either way, one's a fool!" -  Flemeth (Dragons Age – Origins; Bioware ). Dragon Age: Origins (PC): PC & Video Games ASIN : B002BWONIU

Free Audiobook: The Explicit Gospel by Matt Chandler

Image
According to Matt Chandler ’s own admission, he gravitates towards Christians who have attended church buildings for Sunday service all their lives but did not and still do not understand the main pillars of Christ ’s message to the world and its implications for Christians. This free audiobook is for such. The audiobook can be downloaded for free (worldwide) at christianaudio .  

The Clock of A Man’s Age

Image

BBC2 – How To Write

Image
Michael Morpurgo , Philip Pullman , Caroline Bird , and few others talk about their personal approach and unique process to writing. This 30-minute talk was delivered to 400 young people at Broughton Castle in Oxfordshire . The video is available on BBC iPlayer (UK residents only) until April 24th.   War Horse: Michael Morpurgo, Francois Place: Books ISBN : 1405226668 ISBN-13 : 9781405226660

Book Review: Origins by R.H. Hughes

Image
The tale is about the creators and the inhabitants of heaven . So it happens that the Masters are the creators. And of all their creation, they extol the characteristics of Lucifer , Michael, Gabriel and a few. The Masters continually give these select archangels greater responsibilities and duties of high honour in heaven. However, the Masters possess a secret knowledge - that Lucifer will betray his brothers and bring a terrible war on the universe. Secretly, the creators begin to plan with trusted angels and set up the defences of heaven in anticipation of the war their enemy will unleash on them. “ Origins ” explores the fantasy realm of heaven, the creation of its government, and its ways of life. It also reveals the ties between the rulers and the subjects, though more of the text is dedicated to the development of the relationships among the powerful archangels. We also get to see how these heavenly beings grew into their given roles and how those role

Getting Out Of Our Head

Image
A portrait of Anthony Hopkins. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) A friend posted this quote on Facebook last week: There was nothing in his construction, in his architecture that would permit him to, but Peter did venture out on the water. It was audacity; it was temerity; it was inconceivable; it was madness; insanity of the first order. But he stepped out and the water held him; he took the second leg and the water held him – and he began to walk to Jesus ! After some time he stood and his history began to challenge him... The key to audacity is to kill the intellectual! – C.D. Gwamna I did not think much of it, but I ran into another quote while surfing the web this week: We are dying from overthinking. We are slowly killing ourselves by thinking about everything. Think. Think. Think. You can never trust the human mind anyway. It's a death trap. - Anthony Hopkins I have no special liking for quotable quotes. I believe it does sometimes breeds the tende

Keeping Your Eyes On The Ball - The Pitfall of Chasing Creative Ideas

Image
Greek philosopher Archimedes having his famous bath (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Picture a naked man running in the streets, shouting “ Yes ! Yes! I found it. I understand it now.” Yeah. That should be Archimedes after a crucial mental breakthrough on his problem regarding the king’s crown. After a long period of intense concentration on determining whether the king’s crown was 100% gold without harming the item and coming no closer to an answer, Archimedes decided to take a break at the local bath. That break proved more valuable than all the hours he had spent at work. A lot of creative people do say most of their ideas come out of the blue...when away from real work. An article in by Melanie Pinola on Lifehacker illustrates this well. You can also check designer Erik Spiekermann ’s interview with Design Matters . One of the most cited book regarding thought processes and creativity is the Art of Thought by Graham Wallas (1926).  Wallas broke down the creative proce

How To Be The Best - Daniel Day-Lewis’ Way

Image
  Academy Winner: Best Actor . Three times. That is a feat that no one has achieved, except for Daniel Day-Lewis . The moody-looking, son of Poet Laureate , Cecil Day-Lewis , took his first Oscar gong for Best Actor in My Left Foot (1990), his second in 2008 for There Will Be Blood , and just this week took the third  for his role in Spielberg 's Lincoln . So what makes Daniel Day-Lewis special? Is he just lucky? Or was any of the three awards a mistake, you know, may be someone else deserved it more? In any case, whatever you think of him, many people who have worked with him says he takes his art seriously and has a unique way to work. As a writer, I am curious to learn Daniel Day-Lewis' approach to work. I want to know how he became one of the best around. As I read more about him, I discovered three things that makes him unique. 1. Fussy Bunny Day-Lewis is reported to be very choosy of the roles he takes in the movie business. He is said to always agonised

Creative Flexibility Sometimes Means Going Out On A Limb

Image
Coming out on the desert (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) I have changed a lot of things on this blog and more change will be coming in coming days. I love to think this is because I am still searching for my calling rather than being double-minded. More so, I would like to think I am being flexible and not superficial. I have learnt that being creative involves taking a gamble and being adventurous. So I will say this is my adventure and I am going to enjoy every minute of it. Related articles Do you dare to ride the top mountain biking trails in Wales? (visitwales.co.uk) Every Day is a New Adventure So let us Enjoy our Journey. - Daily Poetry and Stories Portal | Easy Branches (janjansennetwork.wordpress.com) 5 Reasons to Be Flexible About Your Career Plans (bigfuture.collegeboard.org)

Free Audiobook - Brother Andrew: God’s Smuggler

Image
Assuming you do not know anything about Brother Andrew , he was basically a man who risked a great deal smuggling bibles across closed borders to get the Word of God into places it was not allowed. This free audiobook is about his adventures, escapades, and the miraculous ways God led him during his various missions to dangerous places. The audiobook can be downloaded for free (worldwide) at christianaudio .com Hope the tale of this man of God enriches your spirit.   God's Smuggler: Brother Andrew, John Sherrill, Elizabeth Sherrill: Books ISBN : 0340861142 ISBN-13 : 9780340861141