Friday, May 10, 2013
Happy Anniversary!
I finished finals and school today, which is reason enough to celebrate, but I found out recently that today is my parent's 27th wedding anniversary, which is a momentous occasion. It seems like yesterday my sibling's and I were young children, but here we are, all basically young adults. We've changed, but something that hasn't isn't the bond my parents have. Even though I don't show it all the time, I am grateful for everything, and just want to take this small amount of time to say HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Here's hoping to many more!
Thursday, May 9, 2013
The Top Novels I Read This Semester
Now that all my classes are done, and I only have one final left to take, I think there's been enough time where I can fully comment on the novels I read. There were only 7 of them, so it's not going to be a long list, but it's safe to say they all made an impact on me, whether I liked it or not.
With that out of the way, here's my list...
7. Democracy by Joan Didion: This novel dulled me from the start because I had just finished reading The Crying of Lot 49, which hurt my brain for a few weeks. It had an interesting premise taking place at the end of the Vietnam War, and the fact that Didion breaks the fourth wall, but I was so confused with everything that it made this novel painful to read through. This maybe one of Didion's most acclaimed work, but it doesn't get my vote.
6. Franny and Zooey by J.D Salinger: Everyone is probably surprised to see a novel by Salinger this low (especially since he wrote The Catcher In The Rye), but I say read this, and you'll agree. This novel is promising, but it's not The Catcher In The Rye. To be honest, I'm not sure what it is. The novel has connection with the Glass family that Salinger constantly wrote about, and how they're dissatisfied with life, but that's all I got from it. Yes, maybe there's some enlightenment, but it's dragged out. And the fact that everyone is so cynical gets tiring after awhile.
5. Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer: The most modern/recent novel on this list considering it came out 2002. Again, like Didion, Foer breaks normal narrative and has himself as a character in the novel trying to figure out family history of sorts. The novel is humorous, tragic, and contemplates a lot of questions about life, but it was hard for me to take anything seriously being often confused. Definitely not for me, but if you like a challenge, this may be the novel for you.
4. The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon: Probably the biggest surprise on this list considering I despised this novel when I first read it, but when I had to write an essay on it, I found I liked it much more than before. This novel still makes no sense, but there's no doubt Pynchon's prose is great, and that this novel is a must read for people serious about literature. The ending is a bit of a letdown, but just the fact I understood it (compared to another one of his works, like the short story "Entropy") was a huge step for me as a reader and writer. I'd say more, but the less I say, the better.
3. The Joy Luck Club: This novel is here because it relates to who I am being Asian-American myself. The second half of this novel takes away from its overall value, but it is still a joy to read.
2. Another County by James Baldwin: Baldwin's novel about the jazz musician Rufus Scott isn't pretty at times. To be honest, it's not pretty at all. There's sex, racism, religion, and dis-enlightenment of American culture in this novel, but it speaks true to the artists who lived in New York during the 1950s-1960s, painting an unforgettable picture of them. The novel focuses on mostly on Rufus, but Baldwin shows us the inside of many lives, which is hard to watch at times, but beautiful at the same time.
1. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler: And now, the best novel I read this semester, which was Parable of the Sower. I must admit, part of the reason this is up so high is because it blew my expectations away, but that doesn't take away what an achievement it is being futuristic and apocalyptic. This novel was written in 1993, but it's striking how many similarities it has to the U.S now. It's deeply religious, but you can't help but be drawn in to the protagonist Lauren Olamina, and the way Butler writes. I haven't read any futuristic stuff before this, but now that I've read this, I can't wait to read more.
With that out of the way, here's my list...
7. Democracy by Joan Didion: This novel dulled me from the start because I had just finished reading The Crying of Lot 49, which hurt my brain for a few weeks. It had an interesting premise taking place at the end of the Vietnam War, and the fact that Didion breaks the fourth wall, but I was so confused with everything that it made this novel painful to read through. This maybe one of Didion's most acclaimed work, but it doesn't get my vote.
6. Franny and Zooey by J.D Salinger: Everyone is probably surprised to see a novel by Salinger this low (especially since he wrote The Catcher In The Rye), but I say read this, and you'll agree. This novel is promising, but it's not The Catcher In The Rye. To be honest, I'm not sure what it is. The novel has connection with the Glass family that Salinger constantly wrote about, and how they're dissatisfied with life, but that's all I got from it. Yes, maybe there's some enlightenment, but it's dragged out. And the fact that everyone is so cynical gets tiring after awhile.
5. Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer: The most modern/recent novel on this list considering it came out 2002. Again, like Didion, Foer breaks normal narrative and has himself as a character in the novel trying to figure out family history of sorts. The novel is humorous, tragic, and contemplates a lot of questions about life, but it was hard for me to take anything seriously being often confused. Definitely not for me, but if you like a challenge, this may be the novel for you.
4. The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon: Probably the biggest surprise on this list considering I despised this novel when I first read it, but when I had to write an essay on it, I found I liked it much more than before. This novel still makes no sense, but there's no doubt Pynchon's prose is great, and that this novel is a must read for people serious about literature. The ending is a bit of a letdown, but just the fact I understood it (compared to another one of his works, like the short story "Entropy") was a huge step for me as a reader and writer. I'd say more, but the less I say, the better.
3. The Joy Luck Club: This novel is here because it relates to who I am being Asian-American myself. The second half of this novel takes away from its overall value, but it is still a joy to read.
2. Another County by James Baldwin: Baldwin's novel about the jazz musician Rufus Scott isn't pretty at times. To be honest, it's not pretty at all. There's sex, racism, religion, and dis-enlightenment of American culture in this novel, but it speaks true to the artists who lived in New York during the 1950s-1960s, painting an unforgettable picture of them. The novel focuses on mostly on Rufus, but Baldwin shows us the inside of many lives, which is hard to watch at times, but beautiful at the same time.
1. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler: And now, the best novel I read this semester, which was Parable of the Sower. I must admit, part of the reason this is up so high is because it blew my expectations away, but that doesn't take away what an achievement it is being futuristic and apocalyptic. This novel was written in 1993, but it's striking how many similarities it has to the U.S now. It's deeply religious, but you can't help but be drawn in to the protagonist Lauren Olamina, and the way Butler writes. I haven't read any futuristic stuff before this, but now that I've read this, I can't wait to read more.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Dr. No
Dr. No (PG)
Grade: A-
- Directed by: Terence Young
- Produced by: Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli
- Screenplay by: Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood, and Berkley Mather. Based on Dr. No by Ian Fleming
- Starring: Sean Connery (James Bond), Ursula Andress (Honey Ryder), Joseph Wiseman (Dr. No), Jack Lord (Felix Leiter), Bernard Lee (M), Anthony Dawson (Professor Dent), John Kitzmiller (Quarrel), Zena Marshall (Miss Taro), Eunice Gayson (Sylvia Trench), Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny)
- Cinematographer: Ted Moore
- Music by: Monty Norman
- Studio: Eon Productions
- Distributed by: United Artists
- Released: October 5, 1962
- Running Time: 109 minutes/1 hour and 49 minutes
- Language: English
"Bond...James Bond"
-James Bond
The first time I remember being exposed to James Bond 007, was when I was a child reading Ian Fleming's novels. My dad had a huge volume of his works, so I read them all at school, or whenever I had spare time. I didn't understand anything since the dialogue was too intricate for my young mind, but after being exposed to James Bond, I knew I would never forget the name. Then one Saturday night, out of nowhere, I saw "Dr. No" on ABC. I was confused because the film was nothing like I pictured it, but I watched it anyways, starting a love affair that still continues to this day.
"Dr. No" starts off with a British Intelligence Station Chief named Strangways, who gets ambushed and killed in Jamaica. After British Secret Service gets news of this, they send their best Agent, James Bond 007, to Jamaica to investigate what happened. He doesn't find much at first, but with clever tactics, he finds that everything leads to Crab Key and the mysterious Dr. No.
I realize that I didn't say much about the plot, but that's only because not much happens in the "Dr. No". I know that seems hard to believe, considering what all the recent Bond films have been like, but that's really the case. It's the first film, so it's likely the filmmakers were just trying to get a feel for the series, and the Bond formula we're all so accustomed too. Despite being unlike modern Bond films, there is a car chase, fight scene, and beautiful women, including the beautiful Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder.
The star of the film though is Sean Connery. No doubt, we all know what a great actor he is now, but back then, he was basically unknown besides a few roles. In fact, he was so unlike Ian Fleming's depiction of Bond, that he was almost passed over until fate changed things. Everyone has their own preference of Bond, but true fans will always know Connery is the best. He's sexy, suave, smooth, charming, but at the same time, you know he's knowledgeable and can kick your ass. Not to mention, his dialogue and accent play well to the character, and he has unbelievable chemistry with everyone in the cast as they'll tell you. "Dr. No" has some memorable moments, but none more memorable than this one (which reminds me of how Alfred Hitchcock introduces characters in some of his films).
The immortal introduction and soundtrack
So overall, "Dr. No" is a good Bond film. Not great compared to "From Russia With Love" or "Goldfinger" because the villain doesn't appear much in the film (among some other small flaws), but it's a good introduction to the franchise. I know some of you are wondering why I gave such a high grade to a "good" film, but my answer is because of the way the film made me feel then, and how it makes me feel now. After seeing "Dr. No" as a child, I was obsessed with Bond to the point that I played James Bond at the playground more than tag. Because I'm older, I'm not as addicted to Bond as I was then, but I still love it, and wish I could be him (or at least Sean Connery for that matter). I know that's impossible, but I can still dream, and "Dr. No" was the first film to get me started on that. The James Bond franchise may be 50 years old now, but "Dr. No" shows the attraction people have to him, and why he still matters to film lovers everywhere.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Bullying
Being older, it seems that one thing that has died down is bullying, but in hindsight, that really isn't the case. All I have to do is turn on the TV, or read the newspaper, and there's a story about a child being bullied. I suppose it wouldn't be that bad if the situation got resolved, but there's an old saying said about the media: "They only report what's negative", which is why you sparingly hear about happy things that happen in the media; they usually only talk about negative news, which is why whenever I hear about bullying, I know it's unfortunately tragic.
When it comes to bullying, it's a touchy subject for me because I was bullied a lot as a child from elementary to middle school. I wasn't sure why, but I think it had to do with how I looked, my weight issues, or the far fetched idea that somebody liked me (I know, ridiculous). I won't get into the details of it, but the bullying was so bad at one point that I had to get transferred from the class I was in just to get through school. That worked for awhile, but in middle school, the same thing happened. Even when I tried nice, or did what they wanted, nothing changed, and it scared me. Worst of all, all of my bullies were girls believe it or not, so whenever I complained, sometimes teachers believed me, and other times they didn't.
Now, I'm not hear to blame the school, or even the people who bullied me since that was a long time ago, but bullying is still something prevalent now. You may not think it is because you aren't exposed to it, but it's happening at school's, and even online (which I think is worst). Children are being picked on for no reason, and it unfortunately ends in suicide most of the time. Suicide is a terrible thing, but it can be avoided if the person being bullied has someone to talk to, a parent, sibling, anybody. I wish as a child, I spoke up more, but I didn't and still deal with the effects. That doesn't have to happen now. You can be there for someone in their time of need. All you have to do is be there, or seek professional help when necessary. It doesn't matter if you're the person being bullied, or the person helping. You still matter, and you have a voice to make a difference.
In light of this subject, I found an episode of Arthur online that deals with this subject. It's from season 16, so the animation is different, among other flaws, but I think this episode shows a good example of how bullying can affect a child's mind, while at the same showing how it can be fixed by talking about it, or taking responsibility. Yes, I know Arthur is a children's show, but as they've shown with the cancer episode and fire one, they aren't afraid of tackling adult subjects. And while bullying usually happens to kids, it's something that shouldn't be ignored.
(Couldn't get the video posted since the episode is so new, but here's the link. Sorry you may have to paste it. I'm still getting used to this blog)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou0t-3hk5eM
When it comes to bullying, it's a touchy subject for me because I was bullied a lot as a child from elementary to middle school. I wasn't sure why, but I think it had to do with how I looked, my weight issues, or the far fetched idea that somebody liked me (I know, ridiculous). I won't get into the details of it, but the bullying was so bad at one point that I had to get transferred from the class I was in just to get through school. That worked for awhile, but in middle school, the same thing happened. Even when I tried nice, or did what they wanted, nothing changed, and it scared me. Worst of all, all of my bullies were girls believe it or not, so whenever I complained, sometimes teachers believed me, and other times they didn't.
Now, I'm not hear to blame the school, or even the people who bullied me since that was a long time ago, but bullying is still something prevalent now. You may not think it is because you aren't exposed to it, but it's happening at school's, and even online (which I think is worst). Children are being picked on for no reason, and it unfortunately ends in suicide most of the time. Suicide is a terrible thing, but it can be avoided if the person being bullied has someone to talk to, a parent, sibling, anybody. I wish as a child, I spoke up more, but I didn't and still deal with the effects. That doesn't have to happen now. You can be there for someone in their time of need. All you have to do is be there, or seek professional help when necessary. It doesn't matter if you're the person being bullied, or the person helping. You still matter, and you have a voice to make a difference.
In light of this subject, I found an episode of Arthur online that deals with this subject. It's from season 16, so the animation is different, among other flaws, but I think this episode shows a good example of how bullying can affect a child's mind, while at the same showing how it can be fixed by talking about it, or taking responsibility. Yes, I know Arthur is a children's show, but as they've shown with the cancer episode and fire one, they aren't afraid of tackling adult subjects. And while bullying usually happens to kids, it's something that shouldn't be ignored.
(Couldn't get the video posted since the episode is so new, but here's the link. Sorry you may have to paste it. I'm still getting used to this blog)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou0t-3hk5eM
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Mirror Pictures
One thing I saw today that I cannot stand is mirror pictures, which for those of you who don't know, is when someone takes a picture in front of a mirror with their phone, device, etc. I'm not sure what I dislike about it the most, but I know that it's tacky and lame. If you can't even take a proper picture, then you shouldn't take one at all. To me, that would be better than a mirror picture, which makes a person seem self centered or vain. I'm know I'm not one to judge, but I just can't stand it!
ESPN SportsCentury: Kevin Garnett
With everything that happened to the Boston Celtics on Friday, it's hard not to focus on Kevin Garnett, arguably the best player on their team. His future is up in the air after this season since he's unsure what the future of the Celtics is going to be. Because I was so interested in him, I found an interesting SportsCentury video posted on Youtube about him during his Minnesota Timberwolves days. Yes, it's outdated, but it's interesting if you're a Kevin Garnett fan, or want to see what he was like as a youth. I know I gained something from it. Anyways, here it is, so I hope you all enjoy!
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