I read In the Miso Soup while travelling in Japan had pretty much had to finish it on one day (on a train and then plane, and then got up early the next day to finish it). It's a horrible story but the menace is brilliantly created - you never quite know if it's real or not. That doubt you have when your intuition tells you something is off and then you start to question if you're just making it up. Piercing takes a little longer to start and for awhile felt like a clumsier attempt at the same, but then there's a shift and it's funny how you process the story. It's prompted me to order two more of his works. These are not pleasant stories, nor for the faint hearted but the artistry in the writing is worth it (for me at least, it's not for everyone).
I went and saw Kara Swisher talk and really enjoyed it. I found her very interesting so gave Burn Book a go. It's about all the tech leaders, and a little on the tech evolution. I found it amazing that most of the tech changes were really only 20 years ago. I can't remember life before it, and yet, I lived half my life without it. I enjoyed this book, and there's a lot to think about. Niche history, I guess you'd call it. Yet history that changed the world, both in lifestyle, dependance and influence - political and global.
This book I didn't love as much as my friend who recommended it, similar to the Before the coffee gets cold or Lost Recipes books, but with a library. If you like those, you'll like this. I just found it less charming (in the true sense) as those ones. Ironically, my friend loves this one, but didn't like the Coffee gets cold series. I'm the reverse....
This was a book club book by a local author. It has some good ideas but it didn't really work for me. I would have liked the Dice Man aspect explored more and I found the rom com movie aspect too predictable. There was one thing I didn't see coming and it's easy and fun.
I am not a fan of Matt Haig's fiction but I did like this one. I think there is something in it for everyone. I like the idea of advice helping when you need it most but you don't have to be looking for a life raft to learn something. It's a short book, and it little bits so you don't have to commit much time in any one sitting. Which I think is also good for people feeling overwhelmed or depressed. I really liked the bit about lighthouses, and we don't always need to be reading out to people.
Note spoiler in Trigger warning discussed.
I assumed this was junk crime but there's a little more too it than that. I like that the protagonist is a woman. I like the murky complexity. I do think it needs a trigger warning as I found it quite upsetting in one part re the loss of a child and the emotional fallout in grief. It's not a must read brilliant literature but there is a bit more to it than the cover implies.
My favourite of the night was the Fantasmagoria on the Bond Building. A whimsical & delightful voyage.
Note all the installations are near the Metro station, on the top or in the park.
There is nothing around the restaurants so you don't need to make that hike unless you want to.
My other favourites were the swans and the lightning. I had been thinking it was a little lack lustre collection until when a New Zealand woman was asking security if there were more in the park - I think she didn't want to walk off into the darkness alone. He didn't understand her for some reason, so I interrupted and explained that there were, and the first one was just around the curve. She burst into a huge smile and excitedly thanked me. I suddenly saw it though her eyes, as a first time visitor. It really is magical delight and beautiful. We get so jaded of things we love. It was great to see it anew, in all it's wonder and joy.
VIVID runs from now until 14 June, nightly from 6pm.
I love VIVID, and am quite excited as I've yet to get there, due to the COVID patient and other commitments.
For new readers, and OS readers - VIVID is a winter festival that lights up Sydney for 3 weeks. There is food and music and other arts featured, along with the lighting and art displays.
So my Insta should get colourful over the next few weeks. (Note these pics are from VIVIDs past when my kids enjoyed coming out with me...now it's solo tours).
Something I loved I've enjoyed some good talks and shows at the Writers & Comedy festival. Lots of food for thought. Kayaking at Sunrise was definitely the winner, followed closely but fun and frivolity with friends, dancing to Furnace & the Fundamentals and Hot Dub Time Machine. Always good vibes with the dance crew! Countdown is on for Vini Vici! Getting my kids together for Mother's Day fun (or any fun) is always a highlight.
Something I learned Nerve-racking and nerve wracking are both correct. Wracking is probably form old English. I only thought it was nerve wracking so there you go! Probably more than you need to know about it here.
According to one of the authors at the Writer's Festival, a lot of American fiction will be set in 2014 or there abouts so they don't have to deal with COVID or Trump as it becomes too intrusive to the story. I've not noticed it but I also haven't read any modern US fiction of late. Have you noticed this? I have noticed COVID doesn't exist in the 2022 Australian book I read - or it doesn't warrant a mention, nor the Japanese books I've been reading - but they are sort of timeless.
Something that went well Our youngest is learning to drive. The other two never bothered so yesterday was the first time I sat in the car with a learner driver. She'd had a number of lessons with a driving instructor so it wasn't her first time, but it was still a nerve wracking experience. She did well as did I, though apparently I clutched my seatbelt too much in her opinion! Ha!
Something I let go of I get annoyed about some unreciprocated invites, and lack of effort from people that I thought of as friends. I more often than not give the benefit of the doubt, but my patience after years of this is wearing a little thin. However, I am working on addressing that. In The Comfort book there is a line about not always being the person to reach out. He quotes Anne Lamott "Lighthouses don't go running all over an island for boats to save; they just stand there shining." So I think I need to let go of reaching out all the time, and if that means I stop seeing certain people, that's not a problem. I am working on being comfortable with that, as it makes me feel a little mean and petty.
Another month has come and gone. Mid year is upon us!
As aside, I went to visit my friend in the aged care and it was Nurses week and this was in the foyer. I found it sad about the low pay. Seriously, NSW Govt, do better.
I was at Hot Dub Time Machine when this song popped up. I was struck for a moment in history. I was at school when this song came out and we all thought it was sad that it was the end of Elton John's career and he was 'too old'.
That song is 42 years old now.
42 years later, he's as popular as ever, filling stadiums. He has, I believe, officially retired but that saying about how you can't keep a good man down appears to be true, and he's head lining the Singapore Grand Prix.
So I guess the lesson is, when everyone writes you off, you don't have to listen. Keep doing your thing and it might pay off in time. The blossom doesn't compare itself to the other blossom, it just blooms and all that.
Note there is skin and innuendo but it's 80's so barely racy - however, I'm not sure where it sits on 'not suitable for work' scale.
The other trip down memory lane was when Cher popped up with this song. I didn't like it so much when it came out but I really love it now. I find it hard to believe it's 26 years old. It sounds so modern. I think perhaps it was just ahead of it's time, and musically I wasn't there yet.
So the lesson here, is if people don't like your art now, maybe they just aren't ready for it, and you're ahead of the fashion! If you believe it's good (see what I did there), the audience will come, even if it takes a little time...
READ I dug out our copy of Wind in the Willows in order to refresh before listening to the podcast from the blogging book group. I didn't love this as a child but I read it to my kids and dragged them off to see it in the Botanic Gardens as few times. My favourite memory is Mole saying to my eldest as we set off into the Wild Woods to 'stay close as the weasels will pick you off, one by one'. All the kids then stayed very close to their parents or Mole, looking around in fear...hehehe. Then squealing in delight when Badger appeared.
A few times, I worried I'm Toad - and not in a good way. The opening description with him being mad for a new activity and then losing interest hit a little close to home.
Graham was the head of the Bank of England when he wrote it, which is sort of incongruous. But I guess we all want to build that bridge that connects us to our children, and our inner child. We want that magic that we used to see everywhere.
One thing I found interesting, we think of the rise in anxiety and depression in young people as a recent thing except Mole clearly has anxiety and depression, Eeyore was depressed and Gregory Guinea Pig was depressed in Rupert the Bear (from memory). It's odd that these books all have a main character with these traits - saying to me it was obviously quite common and just thought of as normal.
WATCHED We went to Mission Impossible, like the rest of the world. It is what it is but I did laugh at some parts. Like the "African Safari" outfits they all changed into in the last part. Seriously?? I've been watching Surface, which I am quite into and I have to say, still loving Handmaid's Tale (but no spoilers here!)!!
HEARD This cheery ditty on repeat at the moment.
WORE Masks. My husband got COVID so we are back to testing daily and wearing the N95 masks when we go out. He's upstairs and we're downstairs but I'd forgotten what a pain it all is. Also been wearing the same 3 outfits over and over this week as I don't want to go upstairs to get more clothes. So wash and repeat. On the plus, no make up needed with a mask. Ha!
I also wore my leggings for the first time this year, I got them in 2018 and they gave money to elephant conservation, made out of recycled bottles - all the good stuff. However, they are losing the elasticity so will need to be replaced. The company CYA is no more, so any tips on good leggings would be appreciated.
LASTLY I went to a MTV party and I went in this monkey suit - I even had the worms to eat! I had ordered big ears to attach but they didn't show up in time. Two people recognised who I was, interestingly, Guns'n'Roses, either Axel or Slash were the most popular outfits. It actually was a really great theme, as you could talk to people about who they were and then their best concert or their latest concert or even if they were going to one that was on nearby this week...
I went and saw Kara Swisher talk and really enjoyed it. I found her very interesting so gave Burn Book a go. It's about all the tech leaders, and a little on the tech evolution. I found it amazing that most of the tech changes were really only 20 years ago. I can't remember life before it, and yet, I lived half my life without it. I enjoyed this book, and there's a lot to think about. Niche history, I guess you'd call it. Yet history that changed the world, both in lifestyle, dependance and influence - political and global.
