OK so I only recently finished The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, which I really did not enjoy.
Then I read a piece online that slams Kavalier & Clay.
"But I do not at all agree with the common line that Kavalier & Clay is Chabon’s best book, or even that it is a good book. The Mysteries of Pittsburgh was small, but it was piercingly direct; Kavalier & Clay attains breadth, but at the loss of focus. Larger in scope, it is smaller—and shallower—in spirit."
He makes a fine argument but how can Kavalier & Clay ever be described as being shallow in spirit... that's just... stop ruining the book for me!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Top of my wishlist: http://www.hp.com/united-states/campaigns/mini1000/hpmini1000_vivienne.html
OK just kidding. I will settle for the black one. Seeing as how the Vivienne Tam edition (which I find stunning) is double the price. So the hp mini! Because I want to be able to write stuff on-the-go. I want to fit a laptop in my purse. And I like anything that has the word "mini" attached to its name.
One thing I realized a long time ago: I write better when I am sick/tired/dizzy/drunk. Actually I do just about everything better when I'm tipsy. I sing better, I talk better, I probably drive better, not that I'm going to try that.
I am totally serious about the driving thing, by the way. My main problem in life is that I am a control freak. There are merits to being a control freak, but thsoe are vastly outweighed by the problems that arise from this malady.
Well yesterday I was sick and at work, and although it took me three times as long to read things, I could write three times as fast. So I'm thinking, once I get my hp mini (in my current semi-sick state I think it is an inevitability), I can go out and have alcohol and then go hide somewhere and finish a week's worth of writing in say 2 hrs!
Please excuse my current condition. I haven't been getting much sleep b/c of my lack of oxygen due to congestion.
OK just kidding. I will settle for the black one. Seeing as how the Vivienne Tam edition (which I find stunning) is double the price. So the hp mini! Because I want to be able to write stuff on-the-go. I want to fit a laptop in my purse. And I like anything that has the word "mini" attached to its name.
One thing I realized a long time ago: I write better when I am sick/tired/dizzy/drunk. Actually I do just about everything better when I'm tipsy. I sing better, I talk better, I probably drive better, not that I'm going to try that.
I am totally serious about the driving thing, by the way. My main problem in life is that I am a control freak. There are merits to being a control freak, but thsoe are vastly outweighed by the problems that arise from this malady.
Well yesterday I was sick and at work, and although it took me three times as long to read things, I could write three times as fast. So I'm thinking, once I get my hp mini (in my current semi-sick state I think it is an inevitability), I can go out and have alcohol and then go hide somewhere and finish a week's worth of writing in say 2 hrs!
Please excuse my current condition. I haven't been getting much sleep b/c of my lack of oxygen due to congestion.
Maria Elena!
I was at work during the Oscars but V.Li and Tim kept updating me via chat. It was pretty funny, actually. But anyway I watched a lot of it that night during the evening re-run, and Penelope Cruz's acceptance was the best. I was really surprised when I was informed that she won, but really excited!! And I have even more of a crush on Maria Elena now, or rather the whole crazy-artist-lovers-who-want-to-kill-each-other concept. I heart Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Well, I was reading Kris Carr's website and felt motivated again to eat healthy and fast and juice. That was about 30 minutes ago. Now I feel like my lunch is going to consist of coffee. Just coffee. I'm so bad at life. But then I feel like people are constantly saying things along the lines of "stop having a stick up your ass, live life, have a Brownie (thanks Bliss Spa), have lots of wine (thanks parents), have our signature mojito and 3 set lunches and coffee (thanks PRs), go on vacation," blah blah. But then here's Kris Carr's website telling me "live life as long as you eat bland and raw, try fasting, rock it out girl!, don't stress!, be anal about food or you'll die a horrible death some time too soon, ok have fun!" So I dunno... this is causing me a lot of stress, know what I mean?
I know there's a way to reconcile it all but I can't be bothered to figure it all out.
I know there's a way to reconcile it all but I can't be bothered to figure it all out.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Last night I watched Proof on cable. The first time I watched it, in an Evanston theater, I liked it enough, and it was great again last night.
Yesterday I was sleep deprived and wired on caffeine, big time. I'd taken four of those painkillers full of caffeine that says Don't drink too much coffee or tea with this, but of course since I was sleep deprived, and the label said "not too much," I had my cup of coffee. So I was feeling a little crazy with all the no sleep too much caffeine.
Then Proof was on and I was like, "Wow, I can really identify with Gwyneth Paltrow's character. Like, omg!"
She's kinda crazy, spacey, thinks a lot, depressed, sleep deprived, whiny, and argumentative. And it made me feel even more insane. She and Anthony Hopkins get into this whole discussion about how crazy people would never admit to being crazy, and how... well I don't remember exactly, but it made sense at the time. And I love how so much of the movie's dialogue is arguing logically - yeah, tie-in to the whole idea of "proof." What you can and cannot prove in life...
(Although I do dislike how the movie, adapted from a play, really feels like a play, especially multiple sequences when people are arguing REALLY loudly, and yet other people in the house have no idea what's going on.)
Of course, another reason I like this movie is Chicago. One of the best lines: "You actually want to live in Evanston?" - Anthony Hopkins, upon hearing that Gwyneth Paltrow will attend Northwestern. The score is also beautiful and really reminds me of A Beautiful Mind's score, which makes me feel like there's probably some kind of formula for writing scores for movies about math and geniuses.
Well, the whole thing made a lot of sense to me last night when I was feeling like I had multiple Red Bulls, and it was really sad and smart and... well, there IS something dissatisfying about the ending though.
I only slept maybe 2 hours last night so I'm not sure what I'm thinking now.
Yesterday I was sleep deprived and wired on caffeine, big time. I'd taken four of those painkillers full of caffeine that says Don't drink too much coffee or tea with this, but of course since I was sleep deprived, and the label said "not too much," I had my cup of coffee. So I was feeling a little crazy with all the no sleep too much caffeine.
Then Proof was on and I was like, "Wow, I can really identify with Gwyneth Paltrow's character. Like, omg!"
She's kinda crazy, spacey, thinks a lot, depressed, sleep deprived, whiny, and argumentative. And it made me feel even more insane. She and Anthony Hopkins get into this whole discussion about how crazy people would never admit to being crazy, and how... well I don't remember exactly, but it made sense at the time. And I love how so much of the movie's dialogue is arguing logically - yeah, tie-in to the whole idea of "proof." What you can and cannot prove in life...
(Although I do dislike how the movie, adapted from a play, really feels like a play, especially multiple sequences when people are arguing REALLY loudly, and yet other people in the house have no idea what's going on.)
Of course, another reason I like this movie is Chicago. One of the best lines: "You actually want to live in Evanston?" - Anthony Hopkins, upon hearing that Gwyneth Paltrow will attend Northwestern. The score is also beautiful and really reminds me of A Beautiful Mind's score, which makes me feel like there's probably some kind of formula for writing scores for movies about math and geniuses.
Well, the whole thing made a lot of sense to me last night when I was feeling like I had multiple Red Bulls, and it was really sad and smart and... well, there IS something dissatisfying about the ending though.
I only slept maybe 2 hours last night so I'm not sure what I'm thinking now.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Wells. You know what blows?
I am officially scared of Chinese New Year. Forever and ever. And must be far far away from it.
On the other hand, after the holidays, for about a week, my bus stops and supermarkets and work email are so empty and quiet and ahhh nice, I'm gonna miss it once things start to pick up again.
Anyhoo...
My magazine started doing regular spa features again since January, after not really having done them for over a year, and while I am far from a spa connoisseur and have only been to a few, I pretty much get the gist and must say I am already quite certain of my favourite. I can't imagine a cooler spa, basically. It's the one in the W Hotel. Bliss Spa. I love Bliss products and was really excited to go for the treatments, just b/c it's freakin' BLISS. Best smelling (and great working) beauty products ever. The hotel had set up two treatments for me: oxygen blast facial and double choc pedicure. OMG! I was excited just hearing the names. How can oxygen be bad? And chocolate? I had no idea what a chocolate pedicure is but I'll take it!
Anyway, it was ultra cool. That's all I'm gonna say. Read all about it in our March issue. Teehee. Oh, sidenote, I love W Hotel (at least the one here). It helps that it's brand spankin' new, but it's the coolest hotel (hyperbole coming...) EVER. People who think it's too modern, pointless and random... well I don't understand those peeps. All new hotels are gravitating toward the modern look, so they better get used to it. The PR took me on a tour and I was gasping at everything in the rooms, the avant garde art in the restaurants, the cool employees in their cool outfits, aiii I love it. And sometimes I see how jaded people are and it's sad in a way to be jaded about modern marvels, technology, design, luxury, etc. Let's all be dai heung lei's and aliens and find everything fascinating.
BTW, Bliss Spa is freakin' expensive. I think BEST VALUE high-end spa in HK (from the ones I know at least) is Landmark Mandarin Oriental's Oriental Spa, especially their monthly specials.
I am officially scared of Chinese New Year. Forever and ever. And must be far far away from it.
On the other hand, after the holidays, for about a week, my bus stops and supermarkets and work email are so empty and quiet and ahhh nice, I'm gonna miss it once things start to pick up again.
Anyhoo...
My magazine started doing regular spa features again since January, after not really having done them for over a year, and while I am far from a spa connoisseur and have only been to a few, I pretty much get the gist and must say I am already quite certain of my favourite. I can't imagine a cooler spa, basically. It's the one in the W Hotel. Bliss Spa. I love Bliss products and was really excited to go for the treatments, just b/c it's freakin' BLISS. Best smelling (and great working) beauty products ever. The hotel had set up two treatments for me: oxygen blast facial and double choc pedicure. OMG! I was excited just hearing the names. How can oxygen be bad? And chocolate? I had no idea what a chocolate pedicure is but I'll take it!
Anyway, it was ultra cool. That's all I'm gonna say. Read all about it in our March issue. Teehee. Oh, sidenote, I love W Hotel (at least the one here). It helps that it's brand spankin' new, but it's the coolest hotel (hyperbole coming...) EVER. People who think it's too modern, pointless and random... well I don't understand those peeps. All new hotels are gravitating toward the modern look, so they better get used to it. The PR took me on a tour and I was gasping at everything in the rooms, the avant garde art in the restaurants, the cool employees in their cool outfits, aiii I love it. And sometimes I see how jaded people are and it's sad in a way to be jaded about modern marvels, technology, design, luxury, etc. Let's all be dai heung lei's and aliens and find everything fascinating.
BTW, Bliss Spa is freakin' expensive. I think BEST VALUE high-end spa in HK (from the ones I know at least) is Landmark Mandarin Oriental's Oriental Spa, especially their monthly specials.