wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure

Had one of our book club meetings today, and as always time seems faaaar too short; I think if we could be allowed to talk all day about our books, we would. Even though I was the only one who actually finished the entirety of our current text, it certainly did nothing to quell the rapidity of our conversations and the passion in our exchanges.

It is safe to say that we are all pretty much enraptured by the man that was Malcolm X. 

(I need a big silly heart emoticon right now, 

because how else should I express my fangirling, I don't know.)

Just listening to this -- several thoughts cross my mind: that history repeats itself, probably because humanity has had the same problems since forever, and we don't learn from our forefathers. 

By the end, we decided that my bookie friends will finish reading his autobiography and we will discuss this awesome personality again at the next meeting. While I devour any research pertaining to his life, person, and efforts. And the civil rights era in America.

And by the end, I've decided that the following qualities to exist simultaneously in a person is the recipe for greatness: sincerity, discipline, courage, and wit.

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Not entirely unrelated since I'm in the business of talking about sincere and courageous individuals: I've been waiting and waiting for the Snowden movie to come out and I thought it would be March this year, but they've pushed it to September (rumour has it that the government is making problems for production --  haha, evil).

Here's another amazing personality I admire who is our generation and whose book -- No Place To Hide by Glen Greenwald -- still sits unfinished in my Kindle. I should get to it.

Edward Snowden was 29 when he  revealed confidential US government documents because he believed in liberty and privacy for his fellow Americans. You've just got to respect people who are willing to stake their lives for their beliefs. I'm going to be 29, and what the heck have I done with my life.

It was probably watching John Oliver that made me pay attention to Snowden:

Life, why are you so puzzling --

this drama is one to Remember

ohmygod, did I just make a lame pun there, ahah.

I am 2 episodes away from the end of this drama Remember, and it has been a fantastic ride so far.

The acting chops overall were so impressive, I am struggling to look for a synonym and adjective to better describe how I feel.

Park Min Young has always hit jackpot year after year with her dramas; I don't know how she does it. It's like black magic, ahah -- she always kills it as the female lead for any intense hurt/comfort OTP scenario. Last year we had her with Ji Chang Wook in Healer, and at some point earlier, it was with Lee Min Ho in City Hunter -- I mean, she seems to keep appearing in my favourite hero dramas!

Then we have the main villain who was superbly acted by Nam Goong Min; I cannot say this enough, I think -- he was so, so good. He really gave this drama the oomph. The rage meter for the drama can largely be attributed to him; he is so nuts, so evil, and so dysfunctional, all viewers want is to to see him burn. HAHAHA. As I watch, I hate him so much, it's hilarious; and at the same time, the back of my brain is noticing how so super-awesome this actor is and I'm scrawling down a memo to look him up later.

And finally, we have our hero played by Yoo Seung-ho, who has been living up to Korea's expectations of him. The first time I saw him was in a drama when he was ~17 years old acting as a secondary character in Warrior Baek Dong Soo. I was puzzling over why an important character was given to this mere boy who could barely pull off the physical demand of the role (i.e. warrior in a historical setting! he was sooo small then). But even then, at a young age, I could see it -- there was a calibre to him. And Korea was just waiting for him to grow up properly so they could cast him as lead hero, haha. Now at 22 years, I think he has proven himself beyond a doubt in this drama. I haven't checked for sure, but he's probably the youngest in this entire cast of veteran and much, much older actors and proving himself equal to (if not better!) than all of them. Simply, this boy is amazing and has years to go in the industry for us to watch.

Had to take a pause while watching this kdrama called Remember --

-- because my goodness, it reminded me of the famous documentary Making A Murderer 

(I'm half wondering if the drama writers weren't entirely influenced by Steven Avery's story) 

and it's making me so emotional.

I hadn't blogged about it, but E and I spent the nights during our Cameron Highlands getaway watching this documentary from start to end -- and God, it so enraged us. And now watching this kdrama, the rage comes back, haha oh dear.  If you have no clue what all this is about, please watch the trailers. And watch the documentary at least.

Unlike real life, the drama has a protagonist on whom we're putting our hopes, and as the audience, we demand that one day, in drama years, justice will prevail. There will be vindication. 

Real life, however. RAGE. Just rage. Why are people evil.
Who says reality isn't dramatic. So much drama!

oooooohmygod.

Our generation has grown up and now making such ambitious HP fan productions!

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and this is a nice mini ted video.

hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul

finally, a moment.

I couldn't find a moment (you know, crazy busy weekdays and crazy wedding weekends). Not that I was occupied a 100% outside of right now -- but you know, the right moment. to pen thoughts.

or just one thought, maybe, for now.

That is... I think I'm finally realising the meaning of the maxim: to hope, but not expect.

It is a thin line. That sweet spot called hope, that is neither despair, nor entitlement or expectation. And insya Allah, this is a step-up in iman; because this does seem like a type of submission. I'm starting to wonder too if we're being taught the same core lesson over and over but always being given an up on the ante with respect to the context, as we go on with life.

Hope gives me leave to live according to my heart, in consort with my head, insya Allah.



When I was a young girl, there was a fad started by the used-to-be-awed Lance Armstrong who fought against cancer and continued cycling in the Tour de France: these hand bands that said LIVE STRONG. People would sport it in a range of colours on their wrists -- mostly in association with athleticism and resilience etc. Later, I decided that while this live strong idea was quite awesome -- you know, not giving up, striving hard no matter what -- the motto that was preferable for me to live by was to LIVE TRUE.

It was something that stuck with me as I grew older and stays with me today.

Live true to myself, true to God and his Beloved Nabi s.a.w., and to have hope in my heart.