It’s good.

I suppose you can call me a Twilight fan.

To be honest, I didn’t like the first Potter book when I first read it…I was forced to read it. Seriously. I was locked in my room with the book, bombarded by constant reminders, and there certainly was physical incarceration while my cousin read me portions out loud…..I couldn’t take it any longer. I promised to read it if she would stop harassing me and it took me more than three weeks. But then the deal was off. I didn’t want to continue the series. A few months after, I was at a school book fair and my friend goes “Oh my god! My sister is going to have a heart attack,” when she found HP. I rolled my eyes and said, “It’s a stupid book…about babies..” And she says, “My sister’s obsessed.” So I went ahead and bought the second and third books. I just wasn’t planning on reading them.

I was doing my mock IGCSEs that year. One day, I went over that friend’s house to study a bit (we were both totally choosing to fail Accounting…we were only considering the most awesome way to do it). When I came over she gave me the “Tour of the House.” Cute, right? We went into her sister’s room and while she was showing me around, a small newspaper cutting, the size of my palm, plastered to one of her walls mesmerized me. I was drawn to it. I concentrated. On less than one centimeter squared…bad quality newspaper….was the face of a girl by two boys. “Who is that?” I asked, still looking. “It’s Emma Watson,” replied my sister’s friend. “She’s playing Hermione in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. I can’t wait to see it!”

“Hermione?” I asked, still looking at the newspaper cutting, and back then I used to call her (her-mee-yaun).

“Yes.”

“No way…”

“Yes way!”

“No, I mean…but I …I don’t really like Hermione…”

“It’s her-my-yo-ni” she corrected me with that pottermania that became part of my “being” (a little essentializim now and then doesn’t kill).

The rest was history. Mock IGCSEs? Who cares! Read the second and third book in three days. Hunted for the fourth and read that in another two. And then began the real obsession…the online schools, the rereading, the trivias, the rereading, the boardgames, the rereadings, the cards, the rereading, the movies of course (always honored by a prior rereading),…and on and on. I always did other stuff and read other stuff as well. But Potter wasn’t simply a “book,” or a “character,” or even a “story.” It was a way of life with its community, its own rules and regulation, and of course its perks. I LOVE my Potter years. Yes, I fucked up quite a bit. But I wouldn’t change it for anything else. This is why for me, I really cannot compare that experience to any book–it’s not just a book for me.

Twilight won’t ever be that to me. But it’s good. Don’t quit after the first book or even the second. The real meat is in the third book. And I still don’t really like any of the characters….what does it for me is the star-sign triangle….it’s SO believable. Bella: Virgo (this is a stated fact). Jacob: Pisces (I don’t really know when his birthday is but I cannot see him as anything else). Edward: (Aquarius. I don’t know when his birthday is but TOTALLY an Aquarius). Also, I don’t really like the love crap…let me see…how can I put it…Sometimes I cringe. Others, I stick my tongue out in disgust. But that’s just me. The funny part is when she likens her relationship to Wuthering Heights….I honestly don’t remember Cathy and Heathcliff’s relationship to be that gag-worthy….I need to read it again and decipher it. All I remember is that I was a sucker for Cathy. It’s not really the case with Bella… Honestly, for me, they’re real-life-breathing-speaking star signs. Not People. And “this” is why I like it.

Hey hey hey!

I know that I have neglected my site so sue me, I mean, sorry! (rhyme not intended!) I’ll be a nice tame Lord this summer and update more often. I might even throw in a website make-over. See how I spoil you? Or try to..verbally at least. Bugger off now, it’s the thought that counts and mine’s count-worthy.

You know what else’s count worthy? My room! Goodness! So yesterday I was up by six and ready to revise and rewrite our papers which were due at eleven. I know this is not a good example for the new MA students which I have decided to call, henceforth: munchkins. So munchkins whatever I do is an example of not…Wow my English for a grad student is enviable. But I’m on a break anyway. That’s write right! Anyhoot, so back to the story: I was home by eleven…what to do now that I am no longer shackled by intellect and theory….and the best thought came at me like yesterday’s sudden duststorm…key word is “suddenly” people. I got on my hands and knees and …nevermind…a perverted joke saddled itself in my head…no need to mind that…like. I. Said: never-mind.

…

So on my hands and knees I scrub scrub scrubbed the floor. My floor! I cleaned everything in my room. Took everything out of drawers, rearranged everything and put them in different drawers. Especially my MA stuff. And guess what? I found another pile of cringe-worthy early writing crap. Which I shredded and scattered from my bedroom window (it might have been the cause of yesterday’s storm…) By seven PM I was both starving. I don’t mean like I was two people…I were two peoples? I mean like I was both starving for food and for pop…*tries to suppress another joke* Seriously guys, I need to reformat my head…it’s gotten so cheap lately and I used to be my biggest fan *sighs* Where was I? Right. Hunger. I wanted food and fun. By food I meant my tebirbis. By tebirbis I mean food-mixing. Like scrambled eggs, with white cheese, with olives, with hot dog, and pieces of cucumber and carrots, smothered with hot sauce and ketchup. WARNING: Dorie don’t read this..

Maybe I should have put the warning before the list…oh who am I kidding, I so totally meant to Grosz you out! *chuckles and nudges Reem* Ey, ey? Like that?

For my other kind of satiation I watched High School Musical one, and got down to reading Eclipse. I decided that I do like the series. Here’s how I see it: the first book was only about the characters, and since I didn’t like any, I didn’t like the book. Book two was about coalescing the characters and a semblance of a plot together. Book three accentuates the plot (in fact there are so many “new conflicts” that you’re all jumpy-jumpy on your coach…couch (reaaaally couldn’t help it there, so so so sorry) and you just want to see how it all unfolds. Also by now you realise that you were never meant to “like” the dumb Virgo Bella anyway but only to stand her. Myself, I’m experience in withstanding Virgos…I am….don’t look at me like that. I AM! If I wasn’t then why would I surround myself with them? Huh? Have you considered that?

You’re the masochist!

 

      

     

“Look What You’ve Done” by Jet

Take my photo off the wall
If it just won’t sing for you
‘Cause all that’s left has gone away
And there’s nothing there for you to prove

Oh, look what you’ve done
You’ve made a fool of everyone
Oh well, it seems like such fun
Until you lose what you had won

Give me back my point of view
‘Cause I just can’t think for you
I can hardly hear you say
What should I do, well you choose

Oh, look what you’ve done
You’ve made a fool of everyone
Oh well, it seems like such fun
Until you lose what you had won

Oh, look what you’ve done
You’ve made a fool of everyone
A fool of everyone
A fool of everyone

Take my photo off the wall
If it just won’t sing for you
‘Cause all that’s left has gone away
And there’s nothing there for you to do

Oh, look what you’ve done
You’ve made a fool of everyone
Oh well, it seems like such fun
Until you lose what you had won

Oh, look what you’ve done
You’ve made a fool of everyone
A fool of everyone
A fool of everyone

After English Day, my mood flipped. It was so terrible that I considered dissapearing for a couple of days…But I had a match…and in less than an hour.  So I went to the club. The atmosphere was filled with excitment. We wore our official uniforms and cramped in a tiiiiiiny bus. We picked our backup (but awesome) goalie on the way, got lost for 20 minutes, and finally arrived at The American International School of Kuwait (AIS).

We had less than 5 minutes to warm up before the match began. But there was a surprise: “No rules…” said the captain of their team.

“No rules?” I asked bewildred.

“Yes, no rules. There are no outs…we just keep on playing.” 

“What about the goalie?”

“Well…we don’t usually play with goalies..”

“What does that mean?”

“She can play” said their captain pointing at our goalie who was dressed differently, “but she can’t touch the ball with her hands.”

“Wonderful….”

The teams gathered at their respected benches were I translated what transpired to my girls. We were dressed in black trousers and bright yellow tops, while AIS were dressed in blue and white. We began the match with a bang; my goal being the first to soil their net. And the way I scored it was simply a beauty (if I do say so myself). Their defender was less than two meters away from me and she kicked the ball with all her might into me (I’ll get to the violence in a bit). Our balls are smaller but heavier than basketballs and here was their defender putting all her might into knocking me out. But guess what, I didn’t topple over (she didn’t know that my specialty is aerial balls XD). Instead, I deliver it onto my feet and roll it between two other defenders into the net.  

But then it got nasty. Try mixing violence, injuries and goals conceded. I was slammed against the wall, pushed onto my knee, and tripped (correction: kicked in the shin till I fell over); another player was elbowed in the eye and tripped; a third who’s had a weak knee was tripped and landed on it. And two other things helped matters get worse: a) our goalie kept deserting the goal, and b) the coach kept telling us not to play in positions so no one really knew were we were supposed to be.

I don’t really know who kept the score (I heard one say 11-6 to them) but I know that I scored one and assissted 3, while one tore onto the post and ricocheted back. And one of our players scored a super goal from the center, right after the whistle was blown. “Pass me the ball, I’m going to shoot,” she said. I nodded. When the referee blew her whistle I passed, she shot, and zoooooooom! went the ball between all the players into the net and out of it. Whoever said that Tsubasa Auzora (Captain Majid) is fantasy was kidding him/herself.  

The game was fun though and I adored the girls, their coaches and teachers. I was the first to shake their hands after the match.  We even set up a date for another match, possibily at the beginning of the second week of June. And you know what I’m getting: a helmet.

I was studying with my friend last night and by the time she left, I was pretty out of it. In fact, I remained on the couch watching the rest of V for Vendetta. No.  We weren’t slacking off. It’s actually part of our presentation and papers. And we spent a good while brainstorming, investigating and organisinf before sitting down with our notebooks and watching the movie. 

The point is that she left, closed the door and I remained on the couch….where I slept though the moivie. Without brushing my teeth (ew, I know, shut up), without changing my clothes (hate sleeping in denims), and with the lights on. My first thought upon waking though was “Omg I can see! My eyesight’s cured!” And then I felt like somebody stuck a pudgy finger in my eye and scratched it…. Turns out I wasn’t healed..I had just slept with my lenses. Doh!

The good thing was that I was up early (I really miss waking up early). By 5AM I had changed, tidied my room a bit, and had my morning cups (yes plural) of coffee. I facebooked a bit, exrcised and organized my To-Do List. But it was still early, and my friend wasn’t going to come for quite a while (she has sleeping beauty syndrome during the weekends).  

So that’s when I thought about unpacking the crap (excuse the French) that I’ve stored in plastic bags and stuffed in my cupboard when I redid my room eons ago. And that’s when the REAL OMG MOMENT OCCURRED!!!

I found well over 200 moems and rap/pop songs I wrote when I was a wee loser! Omg I was horrified! It wasn’t even laugh-at-loud worthy! It was a pure eyes-popping-heart-failing-intestines-bursting moment! I tore them all up and threw them away in different garbage cans! It was an abomination that should have never seen the light of day. 

I found some other stuff (good stuff) that I had stored. Database drafts, three chapters of a story that would’ve inolved my university pals at the time, the actual handwritten first draft of my play: “The Genteel Armor,” as well as 4 notebooks with various writings (which I won’t show anyone XD).

The butter of the whole thing: tell whomever you see slaving away on moems and rap songs to STOP lest they consider being run over by a tank.

In General

Damsah’s Ghost! What a sensational read! Let me try and translate that into words…At first, I was only really intrigued by the novel utilization of the Dystopian genre. I mean, who else has created a peaceful and productive world that functions primarily due to capitalism? A world where corporations are infinitely more influential than governments? A world where you had stock in other human beings? A world whose sociological views have allowed them unheard-of technological advances? But at the end of the day, I was a bit worried and (I have to say it) somewhat skeptical. Why? Because I figured that this was going to be just another sci-fi novel albeit its original premise. What does that mean? Why it meant that the one free man was going to be the one male action hero. It meant that the grand themes where going to be just that: grand themes. It meant that the plot was going to be long, convoluted, and eccentric.

Boy was I wrong.

The first page of the book gives you a taste of how the story of Justin Cord would unravel: titillating quotes that interrupt the narrative, diverse points of views, and captivating cliff hangers. It doesn’t however do justice to the rest of the tale. What I mean is, you need to have patience and you must give the authors their due. They’re not stupid. So what you might moan about in the first couple of pages is there for a reason. Not to simply be debunked or reversed at the end but so that it will be developed, contested, and then extricated, only to leave you wanting to learn more. It’s not the end of the book that you find yourself anticipating, but the next few minutes. The characters become so real and the events so pressing that you become immersed in the moments themselves. I don’t know which I appreciated more, the complexity of the themes or the intricacy of the plot. Every few pages slaps you with a twist that makes you stop, chuck your preconceptions, and attempt to begin again.

I have to be honest, I didn’t like Justin Cord. He was too “American” for my taste, but that is exactly what he was supposed to be. I won’t hold that against the writers because they have invented a series of other attractive characters. Some were hilarious (Dr. Gillet and his Mardi Gras outfit was LOL-worthy), some were multifaceted and lovable (Omad who doesn’t give a shit and actually does was just so imperfect to the state of perfection), but my personal favorite, the one I will read the rest of the series for, is none other than Justin’s arch rival: Hektor Sambianco! In my opinion, Hektor is the real hero of the tale and if it wasn’t called The Unincorporated Man, it would’ve been called The Man Who Totally Whoops the Unincorporated Man’s Stubborn and Selfish Behind, possibly subtitled: Hektor Sambianco’s Tale of Awesomeness.

Read this if:

a)      You enjoy a good Dystopian novel.

b)      You enjoy an intelligent and stimulating read.

c)      You are seeking an entertaining page-turner.

d)      You are looking for well-fleshed characters.

e)      You are fascinated by economics, science fiction, or both.

Don’t read this if:

You’re nuts.

 

Introduction

The Unincorporated Man by Dani and Eytan Kollin was published a week ago by TOR, the greatest science fiction publishing house, and has a rather intriguing premise. The capitalistic future is Utopian in nature. Technology has become so advanced that people rarely ever get sick, and when one dies, one is automatically revived. There are no wars, no famines, no direct aggression, why? Because everybody has stock in everybody else…literally. When someone is born, his parents, his brothers, his teachers, his friends, and so on, own various percentages of his “self.” Which translates into profit …and therefore power. Meaning, a kid cannot disobey his parents if they own more of him than he does himself. He cannot eat whenever he wants to, he cannot not do his homework, etc. Instead, he is encouraged to “increase the value of his stock” by perseverance, obedience and hard work. The more his stock gains value, the more he can own more percentages of himself and might (if lucky) buy majority, which amounts to 51% of stock.

If you’re interested, here’s the link from amazon:

Initial Thoughts

I’m curious as to how essentialism/constructivism, gender, and Foucault’s micropolitics of power function in the novel. I’m also curious as to whether this will end up as just another American individualistic and freedom-fighting novel, or whether it will culminate in a more theoretically stimulating aspect. The language is beautiful (despite its genre) but it is very masculine. Neither Cixous nor Irigaray would approve. Also, the first glimpse of the female protagonist is typical. Attractive, “natural,” and fiery. The protagonist himself is generic as well in the sense that he’s handsome, confident, tall (bastard!), and has a “strong masculine jaw” (38). What’s interesting, is that basically everyone’s a cyborg, and yet, they’re conditioned cyborgs. What I mean is, that the cyborg (which is a symbol of subversion in Haraway’s terms) is here utilized as an extenuation of both technology as well as the present hierarchical construction of power…. The human/oid is a human, despite having software implanted in his/her fingers to answer calls, or in their irises to retrieve particular information. This meant-to-be-blurring of human/machine is not blurring anything at all. The human is an advanced human, the machine is an advanced machine (the computers respond, they argue, they explain) but simultaneously remain fixed in their respective categories. I’ve only read 50 pages so far, but hopefully I’ll have more read by tonight.

Colleague: Listen Nada, I’m just going to pick something from my mom and come back.

Nada: As long as it’s not her nose.

—————————-

On another note, this is Light-kun, from Death Note although he’s not with Misa-Misa. LOL he’s with my Britney doll

I marvel more each day about the power of knowledge! I thank my Literature and Film course for wrenching me out of the quicksand of bibliophilic-prejudice and expanding not only my tolerance to, but my compassion and admiration for other forms of “literature.”

And now, the impossible is in motion, gradually but potently ploughing the crevices of my cognizance and change can be heard echoing faintly within. Yes heard, yes in motion, not yet caught, not yet reversed, but trapped in mobility. It is happening and I am glad.

PS: Feminism is not about a bunch of whining women, and Gender Studies is not about a bunch of fags.

ANNOUNCEMENT

The first thing I’m doing when I get this month’s paycheck is ordering The Uincorporated Man–the newest Sci-Fi novel by none other than Dani and Eytan Kollin.

Listen to this synopsis from the official website:

A brilliant industrialist named Justin Cord awakes from a 300-year cryonic suspension into a world that has accepted an extreme form of market capitalism. It’s a world in which humans themselves have become incorporated and most people no longer own a majority of themselves.

Justin Cord is now the last free man in the human race – owned by no one and owning no one.

Sounds good? It gets better! Dani Kollin is actually an awesome guy who has shared the history of his publishing process with Live Journal users. His latest entry of smelling the published book is beyond inspirational! An earlier one that documents the mix-up in the dedication was helarious (though quite embarassing for him). And just to intice you all suspicious viewers, I’l leave you with some awesomatic reviews!

“Fans of SF as a vehicle of ideas will devour this intriguing debut.”
Publisher’s Weekly 2/9/2009

The Kollin brothers’ first novel, chosen as a Sci Fi Essential Book, recalls the emphasis on freedom of the early works of Heinlein and the cutting-edge social commentary of William Gibson and Fritz Lieber.
Library Journal 2/15/09

A cohesive, gripping, and potentially controversial story of the future that reminded me at times of the more balanced work of Robert A. Heinlein, with a touch of Philip K. Dick. I foresee very good things in the future from this pair.
Don D’Ammassa, Critical Mass

The economic ideas alone are worth cracking this one open…The Unincorporated Man is an excellent novel with a sturdy plot and enough future world building to satisfy any science fiction fan. I highly recommend this book and look forward to their future works.
Andrew Brooks, SF Review

“A narrative with a strong, fascinating voice–the Kollin Brothers write like a younger, more innocent Heinlein; there’s the same rare sense of personal freedom inexorably combined with personal responsibility. The characters are clear and appealing, but the real fascination is the human condition explored in their post-corporate nation world. It cries out for a sequel, and I’ll read it eagerly!”
Kage Baker, author of The Sons of Heaven, Hugo and Nebula award nominee

“This is a bright, stimulating work that deserves a wide readership.”
Gregory Benford, 3 x Nebula award winner,
author of Beyond Human: Living with Robots and Cyborgs

“Reminiscent of Heinlein–a good, old-fashioned, enormously appealing SF yarn. Bravo!”
Robert J. Sawyer, 4 X Hugo Award-winner, author of Rollback

“[The Unincorporated Man] is equal parts in-depth socioeconomic discussion and good old-fashioned science fiction adventure. Achieving a balance between those two seemingly disparate purposes is the Kollin brothers’ greatest strength. Throughout the book, the authors seamlessly integrate the gripping, character-driven storyline with an overarching discussion not only of what makes an economy (and therefore a society) “good,” but also of our definition of personal freedom.”
Kelly O’Brien, St. John Sun Times Book Review

Congrats ol’ pal! You give us all hope And make sure the sequel is on the way. I don’t want to wait long after The Unincorporated Man.