I finished another book by John Irving this weekend, The Water Method Man. This novel was written in 1972 and was the second book Irving published. It is less ambitious in scope than either The Cider House Rules or The World According to Garp – while the latter novels span between two and four generations, The Water Method Man is about one character’s journey to find himself over a span of 10 years or so.
I don’t really care for the main character Fred “Bogus” Trumper. His personality doesn’t come across strongly, but that is the point of the novel. He barely knows who he is. There are a lot of bits in it that is recognisable in his later novels, like throwing the snails into the water, or a woman having to make a choice between two men, etc. In this novel, Biggie chooses the other guy (Couth); in The Cider House Rules, Candy chooses both.
You can tell it is written by the same author. The themes are the same – growth, change, sex, children, vocation, relationship, etc. – but this novel doesn’t engage life the way The Cider House Rules does. In The Cider House Rules, the physiological parallel is the abortion and birthing process, a procedure that envelopes life and death; in The Water Method Man, it is a crooked urinary tract, paralleling Bogus’ navigation between truth and shades of truth in his path towards self-discovery.
Monday, January 31, 2005
The Water Method Man
Friday, January 28, 2005
Is spongebob gay?
Spongebob Squarepants, the little yellow guy who lives in a pineapple under the sea, is at the centre of a controversy again. This time, it is not the larger-than-life sized Spongebob inflatable balloons that have gone missing all across the USA, but it involves the intelligent, down-to-earth Dr James Dobson himself, founder of Focus on the Family.
The media reports have been really funny. Keith Olbermann was sarcastic and hilarious in his clip on Countdown. Before they showed the allerged "pro-homosexuality" video clip, he said, "Below is the whole thing, with the caveat that if the folks from Focus on the Family are right, it could make you, your children or maybe your furniture gay. Or tolerant."
Very funny, as there was not even a hint of sexual anything on the video. Olbermann said the same thing after the clip, but noted that Winnie the Pooh wasn't wearing any pants. This guy said that Christians are losing their credibility because they are C.R.A.C.K.P.O.T.S., creepy, rigid, arrogant, cruel, know-it-all, pompous, obnoxious and treacherous, and suggested that perhaps Christians need an instructional video on how to act "normal".
All of it as to be taken with a pinch of salt though. Dobson didn't say Spongebob was gay - he has nothing against Spongebob - but he did say that the agenda of the organisation (We are Family) that distrubutes the videos promotes homosexuality. His newsletter quotes the agenda of We are Family, and of course everything in the newsletter is rational and balanced, but who wants to read a list of excerpts of an agenda? They'll rather read about the yellow guy who lives in a pineapple under the sea who is oh-so-adorable, and listen to a really funny guy on tv bash up the folks who want to bash up Spongebob.
Thursday, January 27, 2005
regret
My neons are dropping like flies! :( I found two dead this morning. Now, another four look ghastly.
And, I think we bought the wrong shoes. :(
What a depressing day!
mutant plant
I found this under my desk at work yesterday. Do you see the roots extending from the base of the leaf? The human equivalent, so morbidly put by my doctor friend, is to have a leg grow in place of an amputated arm.
On another note, do you think doctors are morbid? I read in NY Times that most doctors are boring because they know too many secrets. They ask socially taboo questions with impunity - What colour is your stool? Is it watery, hard, or like rabbit droppings? When was the last time you had sex? How many units of alcohol did you consume last month? Exactly where did you say your rashes were? So when they meet the said patient in a social setting, they can't think of anything to say without embarrassing everyone, and so they keep quiet and stay boring.
If you want to read the confession of this boring doctor, you can find it here.
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Ms. Director
I really shouldn't post two comics in a day, but I can't help myself. This one is worth it.
As usual, click on comic for larger version.
Monday, January 24, 2005
two sides of a coin
Certain bad moods are strangely productive. The most productive bad moods are the ones tinged with self-righteous indignation, full of self-esteem and perceived power. They give just enough rage to make turning points in my life – to do things that I’ve put off doing because I’ve been too concerned about other people’s opinions, or because of simple indecision. This evening is one of these days.
On the other end of the spectrum, there are bad moods that do nothing for me. I lie in bed and cannot get up. In the throes of depression, nothing is worth the effort. I feel like a 500-year old ancient trapped in a twenty-something year old body entrusted with the secret heavy knowledge that everything is vanity, meaningless, a vapour that disappears. And I sleep until the headache comes.
What are yours like?
Moving clouds
Thursday, January 20, 2005
surreal
I was sitting with my parents having dinner in the living room when they suddenly turned to me and dropped a bombshell:
"You know, L, when you were six years old, we swapped you with a six year old girl in Scandinavia."
"What? For how long?"
"No, no. You don't get it. You are the swap. The original L is in Scandinavia now with her doctor-cum-researcher parents."
The info sat in my brain like alcohol on top of water, refusing to sink in. It didn't make sense, yet it made pefect sense as well. That would explain why I can't remember anything with my parents past the age of 6. But what was my original name? And why did they do it?
"Riona. Your name was Riona, but it was a swap, so you became L, and L became Riona. We did it because the original L was very sickly and we thought the cool Scandinavian air would do her good. Your real parents were interested in treating her condition, and so we made the swap, one for one."
They spoke as if this happened everyday, like a transaction in the wet market. It made me feel very weird, like I was two people at the same time. I couldn't help but wonder about the health of the original me. What did I do the first six years of my life? Why didn't I have blue eyes? I opened my mouth to ask my parents, but decided that I've had too much information for a day already, and so mulled quietly as I ate my dinner.
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Epiphany
Without the invention of the washing machine, denim jeans will not exist. We will all be wearing sarongs. I know this for a fact because T, my friend who hand washes all her clothes, does not wear jeans. If her uppity audit firm would allow it, I'm sure she'll be wearing a sarong.
It is also a fact that the earliest manual washing machine was invented in 1846. "Blue jeans" was patented in 1873 by Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis, 27 years after the invention of the washing machine, which further proves my epiphany.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
4:55pm, Tuesday
40mins before I knock off and do the barker jog and all I can think about is the excellent chicken rice at Novena.
Techie Tip of the Day
To rotate an object in Adobe PageMaker
1. Select object.
2. Select 
in tools panel (Windows>Show Tools).
3. Position mouse at rotating point. Press, hold, and drag in direction of rotation.
4. To use centre of object as rotating point, hold Ctrl (Windows) and drag mouse. To constrain rotation to 45 degrees angles, press and hold Shift.
N.B. Useful for rotating entire pages in its place.
Monday, January 17, 2005
Run for tsunami victims
The Lonely Runner is organising a run for tsunami victims. He plans to run for 24 hours from Friday night to Saturday night at East Coast to raise funds. If you are interested in joining this run, do check out his post for details.
I think I will faint before the 12 hour mark! May consider joining him for a round or two, if I can run on my own/ or with a friend. Don't want to slow him down lah.
So what, do I just show up whenever?
Friday, January 14, 2005
breakfast
If I were to categorise the subjects of my posts, an entire category will be reserved for breakfast.
Toast, melted butter, melted cheddar cheese, and a cup of hot tea. Now I'm ready to begin.
Thursday, January 13, 2005
My restless ghoul
Don't you just hate it when you have to pick up after someone's mistakes?
I wish the powers-that-be will quit treating me like a clerk and realise that my skills exceed taking calls, printing photos, designing layouts, and fixing computer issues. I covet responsibility, advancement and affirmation - a sprinkling of all three will quell my restless career ghoul.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Monday, January 10, 2005
In other news
Check out singabloodypore's post on Corporate Contributions to Help Tsunami Victims. He contrasts the media's coverage of tsunami giving in Singapore and in the UK. Fodder for thought.
I have finally updated the pic of my fishtank. Check it out!
Where are the bodies?
I am two fish short - one white transparent fish and one red guppy. I assume they are dead. But where are their bodies???
Going from missing fish to eating fish, I think the talk about avoiding fish because they feed on dead bodies is a load of crap. Fish feed on dead bodies all the time. I should know.
Sunday, January 09, 2005
Come by here!
There was a combined prayer service for the people affected by the tsunami at St. Andrew’s Cathedral on Friday, 7th January. It was a moving service – with leaders of the various mainline denominations leading prayers for those affected in the disaster. The Wesley Singers sang the song Kumbayah as a prelude to the service. Kumbaya is translated "Come by here". In light of this disaster, the words rang deep:
Kumbayah my Lord, Kumbayah
Kumbayah my Lord, Kumbayah
Kumbayah my Lord, Kumbayah
Oh Lord, Kumbayah
Someone’s crying, Lord, Kumbayah
Someone’s crying, Lord, Kumbayah
Someone’s crying, Lord, Kumbayah
Oh Lord, Kumbayah
Someone’s praying, Lord, Kumbayah
Someone’s praying, Lord, Kumbayah
Someone’s praying, Lord, Kumbayah
Oh Lord, Kumbayah
The service ended with the call to go do our part as salt and light of the earth, along with the warning not to trumpet our good deeds so that we will get praised by everyone. After a moment of silent prayer, the versatile bells at St. Andrew’s chimed Amazing Grace.
----
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountain be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
Psalm 46:1-3 (ESV)
Friday, January 07, 2005
New fish!
I have new fish! I bought 4 guppies and 1 suckerfish from Tiong Bahru, but only 3 guppies and no suckers made it alive to my office fish tank. I desperately needed a suckerfish (for non-fish keepers, a suckerfish is equivalent to a self-running energy-saving vacuum cleaner) and so I got one at AMK for a dollar.
(Argh! I spelt transparent wrong!)
I'm keeping the white albino catfish for a friend who has gone away to Australia to work. I don't usually like catfish, but this one is alright - it minds its own business and keeps its nose on the ground. It isn't very big either, so that's a plus point. My friend who owns it is a vet and Mr. Catfish is one of ten dependents she is leaving behind in Singapore. The coolest of her dependents is a schnauzer nicknamed sexy tail.
The three guppies are gorgeous. I don't know how long they will last though. At most three months I say, and if so, I'm lucky already. These beautiful things have a knack of going belly-up at the slightest provocation.
I have one orange transparent goldfish-like-but-not-goldfish fish. This little fella has a swim bladder problem. He can't swim straight. Swim bladders are the most amazing organ in a fish. It keeps a fish bouyant, and in some species, it acts as a sound producer and receptor used in courtship! Read this short snippet for more info.
I also have two white transparent fish, and three orange fish. The white transparent ones were a little daft in the first month - they didn't know how to swim to the surface to get food. I was worried that they would starve. But they got the hang of it eventually. At least one of them. The other is perenially shy. Haven't seen him in ages, hope he is still around somewhere.
And of course I have innumerable neon tetras. They are the hardiest pretty fish you can get for your money. And with the perfect temperment too, unlike my all-time favourite twerpfish, R.I.P.
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
*stupid people
Please click on comic for larger version.
* See gripe about stupid people
N.B. Blasted asterisks**. Can't get rid of them. This year is starting on a very *bad* note.
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
plainspoken prose & other resolutions
I would like to develop a skill for plainspoken prose. My posts have been far too fanciful.
Therefore, resolutions for the new year:
#1 - Write more plainspoken prose
#2 - Walk up more steps
#3 - Fast food* at most twice a week
#4 to #32,236 - Other worthy things** I have the velleity*** for
*not including curry puff
**like jumping rope, spending more time with family, getting a new job, saving the world...
***the lowest degree of volition
N.B. Too many asterisks. Plainspoken prose will begin next entry.
Monday, January 03, 2005
Proposal
Me to the Government - How's about cycling lanes? It'll reduce traffic, pollution and COE prices, promote a healthy lifestyle, propagate the idea that we are a rugged state, and increase the number of adventure tourists... a multi-prong solution.
My condolences to Mr Sylvester Ang's family.
