Book | slowcatchupkuan

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3

BookFest 2009 Goodies

 
I’m really utterly frustrated today. It’s a small matter but i’m in a bad mood ever since this morning. I thought when i left that bank i’ll be rid of all the bad feng shui but it still haunts me apparently. I wonder if the same situation arised with another financial company i’ll be as short tempered as i am now. I think not.

I’ve dealt with enough problems that this bank had gave me and if it’s not because of my installment warrant a local card i would definitely had terminated all facilities with this company. Argh… as i said it’s a small matter, all i wanted was an explanation on why i’m charged an annual fees when my card is a free for life card with no terms and conditions whatsoever and also to reactivate my online account. So hard meh?! Yeah i know your system always down because i used to work there and i know you won’t get back to me until weeks later when it’s already useless or i’ve already forgotten. Really. Humpf!

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Ok let’s talk about happy things now because i need happy thoughts.

I really Finally bought the Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Pothead.. oops i mean Harry Potter books set from the BookFest at convention centre. I’ve been eyeing it for ages and i’m glad i waited for this festival because it’s on sale!
 

narnia and harry potter sets
Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter set
 

The Narnia set is gorgeous hard cover and the Harry Potter set comes in a box :).

Yup i’m a really happy girl when i teared open the wrappings after i got home.
 

narnia and harry potter book sets
Narnia and harry potter books
 

This year’s BookFest was better than the last years’ because they have more English books and it’s much more organized. However, Mr. Bf begs to differ because he couldn’t find any Chinese books worth reading. Too bad for him haha.
 

china stamp and story book
Water Margin
 

Nonetheless, he was grinning from ear to ear after purchasing a RM160 China story book cum stamp book. Geek!

There’s a section of the hall selling China stamps mainly and he found this particular one that’s supposed to be a limited collection.
 

water margin
Water margin illustrated and stamp
 

It’s a book with the chinese history of Water Margin and stamps to commemorate this event.

This particular stamp (below) was published on 1987. It’s supposed to be worth RM80 itself.
 

water margin stamp
Published on 1987
 

I’m really not bothered about China stamps really. I don’t know how to appreciate all those stuff haha.
 
 

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3

And So, it was Angels & Demons

And So, it was Angels & Demons

 
So, another outdated post again.

So, finally there are some movies worth watching on the cinema again. Thank god! It’s like seasonal isn’t it? There’s a season of really bad movies and then there’s the season (now) where all the exciting movies will play back-to-back on screen. Go figure. I shall think that the next few weeks will be spent haunting the cineplex. Wtf i have no life.

So, last weekend we managed to grab tickets for Angels & Demons which was a miracle because KidCheng reserved 4 tickets for us via online but she forgot to pick the seats… yeah like wtf right? Who would go through the trouble booking a ticket but not pick the seats right?

So, instead of going all the way to the cineplex and ending up seating on the front row (trust me, i’ve been there and it was awful), and because i’m really smart, i sent KidCheng and McBun all the way there to check first. Ah ha! I told you i’m smart right?! And because i’ve got brains (don’t roll your eyes, i could go on forever), we got to select really good seats. The cinema was really crowded you know.
 

angels-demons-poster-2
 

So, Angels & Demons was awesome… ok, not really that awesome coz i think the book is way much better. I’m a Dan Brown fan – i read all his books ok. His a genius. I wish i could come up with twists and turns in a story like him. Anyway, A&D was much, much better than Da Vinci Code. I read the book ages ago and i kind of only remember only bits and pieces of the story which is a good thing coz the expectation is less. But the movie would have been better if it focused more on the torturing of the 4 preferatis as in the book. The torturing scene should have gotten more on-screen time. It would have made a bigger impact don’t you agree? I am a sadist. I love horror. Wtf.
 

Nah, the summary:-
 

Despite his notorious relationship with the Church, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is once again called upon to decipher the clues to a catastrophic conspiracy. The Pope has died, and before conclave can begin to determine his successor, the four preferitti (primary hopefuls for the papacy) are kidnapped. An ominous threat of their hourly demise, along with the complete annihilation of Vatican City, is issued as an elaborate revenge scheme for a persecuted group known as the Illuminati. With their meager time limit steadily counting down, Langdon, accompanied by beautiful physicist Vittoria Vetra, must travel throughout Rome to unravel the carefully hidden signs that will lead them to a terrifying adversary, a harrowing discovery, and the shocking truth.

 

So, like what i told everyone who watched Da Vinci Code, Tom Hanks so doesn’t look like a Professor Langdon. I always envisioned Professor Langdon looking more like the Aragorn guy in Lord of the Ring… what’s his name again? Yes, Viggo Mortensen. He’ll make a more convincing professor. Handsome too :P.

Come on, who would you choose?

So, Ewan McGregor really shouldn’t act. Unless it’s a comedy. He is so unconvincing as the Camerlengo ok. Everyone could have guessed he was the villain even from the beginning. Omg, i can’t forget the scene where he framed Commander Richter and branded his own hairy chest with the burning iron. It was so fake i couldn’t help laughing in the cinema. Mcgregor should stick to road trips and travel writing.

So, i am like so in love with Pierfrancesco Favino (Inspector Olivetti in A&D). I was like “Shit! Why he get killed so fast?!!!” when he got shot. Italian guys are so dreamy. Geez… which reminds me of the Italian couple that went tracking with us at Chiang Mai. The guy was so… *drool*.
 

pierfrancesco_favino
 

So, if i’m a lesbian i would express my undying love to Ayelet Zurer. She’s so gorgeous. Lucky Tom Hanks. But i’m not a lesbian, so i’ll just stay contented being envious of her gorgeousness. I can’t believe she’s 40! I wanna look like that when i hit 40.

These should go on my wall for inspiration. LOL.
 

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Landmark Theatre
 

So, Angels & Demons is an enjoyable thriller.
So, go watch it if you haven’t.
So, now there’s Night at the Museum 2, Alien Vs. Monster, Terminator (i just want to watch Christian Bale ok), Transformer, Harry Porter and i forgot what to look forward to. I think i’ll go rent a camping spot at the cineplex.
 
 

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2

Don’t Sit On This Book

 
I saw this book next too the dozen of Lilian Too’s books.
 

don't sit
Don’t you dare sit or you’ll go to hell!
 

LOL. Now that’s a smart title.
 
 

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2

July 1925 Issue of National Geographic

 
You’d never guess what we’ve found yesterday… uhm… yes, you do. The title gave it away -_-”.
 

national geographic 1925
Vintage ler…
 

Yeah, we found an ancient issue of National Geographic in the old book store. Volume XLVIII, dated July, 1925. It’s as old as my late grandmother. Vintage shit i tell you. All of it were shipped all the way from the U.S. Most of them were taken right from the U.S. library. Some even have the library stamp.
 

july 1925
Look July 1925
 

We bought it for RM80.00. Ours belong to someone by the name Ruth Owens *god bless her, whomever and where ever she is. Back in 1925, the issue would have cost a cheap $0.50.
 

oshkosh
OshKosh Trunk
 

Back in 1925, the brand OshKosh wasn’t carrying fashionable kids wear. It carried trunks. Trunks that we now call antiques.
 

gillete
Gillete Safety Razor
 

Back in 1925, men shaved with single blade Gillette razors instead of 3 bladed Mach3 Turbo.
 

typewriter
Vintage typewriter
 

Back in 1925, typing means tapping your fingers against keys on typewriters instead of keyboards and winding the lever up for a second line.
 

chrysler six
Chrysler Six
 

Back in 1925, Chrysler Six is cruising on the road. Now it’s in showrooms or maybe sitting in an old garage. Maybe.
 

bell system
Bell System
 

Back in 1925, who the hell heard of mobile phones?
 

kodak
Kodak Black and White
 

Back in 1925, Kodak advertises in Black and White. LOL

The shop owner has an issue from way back in the 1880′s. That’s even older than my grandmother. It might be the very first issue. Damn. He’s auctioning it off soon. If only i have the moolah. LOL
 
 

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6

I Love Panda but Panda Don’t Love Me

 
I am being so angsty nowadays. Hence my “I Hate” post. Stress is taking its toll on my emotions and health. My hormone has gone haywire. Simple things annoys me and sends me on anxiety attack. I have difficulty sleeping for the whole week. 4 hours of facial and shiatsu massage at Cellnique in the weekend didn’t help either.

I look like a big fat zombified panda right now.

Speaking of panda and anxiety attacks, i had the most interesting watch this week. We went to the cinema few times during the weekends to get tickets to Kung Fu Panda (English version) but end up empty handed. The seats are always taken. It’s either Kung Fu Panda is really super duper amazing or pandas and i just don’t click.

I love panda but panda really, really, really don’t love me :(.

But we did end up watching movies that i normally would never agree to watch. Our weekends were spent ogling at hot chicks in Get Smart and Wanted and not so hot nanny in Nanny’s Diaries. I’ll spare you the review for now. Maybe tomorrow.

I’ve gotten my hands on another Stephen Clarkes’ book, “Merde Actually”. I’m done with it. Great book. Another review coming up. *god i’m such a nerd!

And by the way, my travel wish list at www.ceskay.com is officially up. I’m excited.
 
 

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3

Talk To The Snail

 
I’m back on reading again. This time it’s “Talk to the Snail: Ten Commandments for Understanding the French” by Stephen Clarke. (Actually there are 11 Commandments in the book so i have no idea why it says 10). This book is fantastic. Really. Read on.
 

talk to the snail
It’s obviously a Monsieur Snail not a Madame Snail
 

Steven Clarke (the author) is an actual Englishman who had been living in France for the past 12 years. Here, he presents his experience in France where he outline the Ten Commandments (yes, 10 Commandments as in the Bible) of surviving in France.

Ok, now you’re thinking that this is another book about boring travel tips and travel facts from a wannabe backpacker, right? Wrong. Talk to the Snail is a combination of a little bit of vulgarity, a little bit of insensitivity, a little bit of discrimination plus a whole lot of cheekiness. In this book, Clarke criticizes the French mercilessly yet it’s obvious that he love the country to bits. His witty and frank description of his encounters in the country is hysterical. It had me chuckling so loud in the bookstore. *paiseh…

Even the dedication page shows how painfully “honest” Clarke is.

To the French my sincere apologies”
- Quoted from Talk to the Snail -

I won’t ruin the book for you by detailing everything here although i’m really tempted coz i’m evil but the book is separated into 11 Commandments.

1) Thou Shalt Be Wrong (if you’re not French)
2) Thou Shalt Not Work
3) Thou Shalt Eat
4) Thou Shalt Be Ill
5) Thou Shalt Speak French
6) Thou Shalt Not Sing
7) Thou Shalt Not Know
8) Thou Shalt Not Love Thy Neighbour
9) Thou Shalt Not Be Served
10) Thou Shalt Not Be Polite
11) Thou Shalt Say I Love You

By the time you’re done with this book you’ll at least learn how to get good service from the grumpiest waiter; be exquisitely polite and brutally rude at the same time; know why French woman is not fat; learn the language of love and French porn amongst the many things. Most important is this book have sections on every chapter that’ll help you master a few useful but tricky French words.

Here’s some of my favorite taken from the book.

J’aimerais juste un baiser = I just want a kiss.
J’aimerais juste baiser = I just want to get laid.
Baisse-toi = Duck your head down
Baise-toi = Screw yourself

Be careful of your pronunciation or you’ll get a black eye over nothing.

Last and not least…

J’aise eu un malaise = I felt ill
J’aise ei une malaise = I shagged a Malaysian woman.

Isn’t that useful information? I think France is going to have more visitors this time around LOL.

Note to myself. Check out Steven Clarke’s other best seller “A Year in the Merde”. I bet it’s going to be equally entertaining.
 
 

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6

Alek Wek International Supermodel

 
I wasn’t aware that she is a supermodel because if i knew, i wouldn’t have selected this book. Not coz i am stereotyping models as dumb-blonds. It’s just that i generally look for something a little more… uhm… deep?

What attracted me to this book was the cover featuring a smiling African lady. I thought it was a beautiful picture because the woman had an expressive set of lively eyes and she looked like a strong and tough chick. *i love selamba-kick-ass chicks! It turned out surprisingly pleasant despite the bland ending.
 

alekwek
Alek Wek
 

Instead of stories of couture fashion and catwalk, the book Alek (Sudanese Refugee to International Supermodel) serves something like short memoir/biography of the the author’s (Alek Wek) journey as a refugee from the war ridden plains of Africa to achieve international stardom on runways of Paris, New York and Milan.
 

catwalkcatwalk3catwalk2
She look really good right?
 

It’s a great read for those who are curious about the civil war and refugees in Africa but are not keen on reading too heavily written materials. This book is light coz the author’s perspective is positive and cheerful throughout the book. Only first half of the book gives description of the author’s life as a child during the civil war and how she daringly escaped by herself to London. The other half tells is about her days in London before spotted by a modeling agent at the age of 19. Then after, her roller coaster ride on her way to graze top runways and the pages of glamorous fashion magazines.
 

alekalek2
Her name, Alek Wek means “Black Spotted Cow”
 

What inspired me was how together and close knitted her family was during their plight in the Dinka village. They were even fondly called the ‘Wek Army’ in those days. *so cute! Also i simply adore those stories about her mother. You could easily see where her optimism and strength came from.
 

alekblackalek3
Her works
 

The fact that she did not dreamed to be a supermodel initially, makes her what she is today. She was more interested in earning enough to survive, thus there was a point where she tried to quit modeling because of the instability of the pay. Eventually the agency relented and paid her a monthly fix pay which is down-right rare coz she wasn’t famous just yet and models in general just receives pay per jobs.

Now besides modeling she is also an entrepreneur. She has her own handbag line, Wek 1933 (1933 is the year her late father was born). CLICK HERE for Wek 1933 collections. Some of them are really gorgeous!

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Although i find the ending a bit boring (i’m not that into catwalks), i must say i applaud her courage and hard work. Being a black model is not easy but being an African model with authentic African feature (coarse curly hair, thick lips and exotic eyes) is even tougher. *salute!
 
 

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