The mermaid and the Minatour

I chanced upon this work by the late Dr Dorothy Dinnerstein, as I was reading about strategy and leadership. Published in 1976, the current beautiful National Library Board in Singapore no longer carry the book. This book was a well known body of work, listed in one of the top 10 book list of Gloria Steinem, a noted American feminist, as a pioneering well-researched book about the sexual arrangement that underlies the "maladies of society".

I shall update again when i managed to get my hold on the book. But here is the link and excerpt from a well-written commentaries from New York Times staff Vivian Gornick when the book was published in 1976. 

On a side note, how wonderful of digitization of the New York Times that archives the old newspaper articles of this media institiution.

Book 1: The Heart by Maylis de Kerangal

The third book I finished in 2020 is The Heart by Maylis de Kerangal. I believe I picked this one up years ago from books that Bill Gates recommended. Coincidentally, BillG decided to step down from the board of Microsoft and Berkshire the day prior, to focus on his Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The book, unlike most fiction I read, has the quality that touches your mind, heart, and soul. It is not exactly satisfying. It stays with you a while after you finished the book. I finished it in 2 days while on medical leave.

The Book Cover

The book was written in French, and translated by Sam Taylor to English. The story took place in 24 hours elapsed, exactly. From the celebration of life, for a 19-year-old boy who cares about surfing, and throughout the book his persona emerges, but not quite clear. The prose was well articulated, and defines everyone on the book in unique perspective, with a combination of description of things around the person, their thoughts, POV, but also description of universe. I guess I like this description the best from Priya Parmar's NY Times 2016 review of the book

The story unfolds in an intricate lacework of precise detail. Each character is introduced in particle form, and then the details compound until a wholeness is reached, a person takes shape and steps forward.

Goodreads link.

Book read

Today I finished up a book that's been sitting on my shelf, What Alice Forgot. The story line was smooth, narrative interesting from first-person and third-person point of view. I love the POV from Alice's 30-year old self as well as the sense of the grown-up busy housewife of Sydney urban mom with 3 children. A delicious way to spend my lazy Saturday.

Amy Tan Valley of Amazement

This is my first Amy Tan's book. Amy Tan is a Chinese-American author who's famed for writing novels with are sensitive, depicting the wrought-emotional ties between mother-daughter as this showcases in this novel. I bought the book at the Kinokuniya bookstore in Bangkok where I was wondering on a Sunday the weekend before my business trip.

The review on Amazon turned out to be less than fantastic. I thought this book was entertaining but I have to agree that I felt no more emotional connection. There are certain parts that are very good, such as the letters' exchanges. There are parts in between that are not realistic and seemed like a chore to read.

My learnings are it is tough to grow up in cross culture environment. One shouldn't take one's fate for granted. And emotional damage of abandonment and neglect are greater in future in the form of inability to love and receive love. Ability to receive love is also very important, and as essential to happy and loving life.

Book

Hereby my book list of year 2015:

Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling
It is said that Rowling published the book under a different pen-name. It had a decent success until it exploded when people got to know (or it was leaked) that she wrote this book. I enjoyed this book craft. One review said "this book is about pain and cruelty". This book is astonishingly well written, humorous, and humane.

Recovering

It is day 4 of my pneumonia. I am recovering - or I think I am. I'm still coughing but at less intensity. The phlegm or the secretion from lung, you are supposed to get rid off, is thankfully didn't turn glob green. But instead lighten its color to light yellow.

I tried to pace my antibiotics, and since I am supposed to take twice a day, I pace it 12-hour a part at 11 o'clock. I then take the probiotics roughly in between that, trying to take them in between meals.

I made homemade soup yesterday with hotpotch of greeneries, red and yellow bell peppers. Today I made pork meatball with simple recipe of minced pork, flour (supposed to be cornflour but I only had all-purpose flour at home), spring onion, then salt and pepper. They are comfy food.

Researching only, it seems that the only food to avoid is dairy products, such as milk as it allegedly promote phlegm production. I am reading David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell, a recommended read.

Singapore Household survey 2012

Singapore govt is carrying out the survey for 2013 latest. This is a document from the last one in 2012 - useful and informative for my weekend reading. Local file and website of http://www.singstat.gov.sg/publications/population.html#household_income_and_expenditure.

My weekend with good book : SEAL Team Six

Sometimes the most unexpected can turn out to be most rewarding.

I often hear, and believe in the phrase. But in my forgetfulness, in times when it happens the life turns out its most pleasant surprises in little things.

Like my weekend. After spending enjoyable drink with my colleagues, the three of us chatted on a table near fantastic view at L33 on MBFC. The weather was hot and humid, and the Singapore skyline turned out its lustrous heart-meltingly beautiful lights at dusk. Always my favorite time of the day.

I woke up with a slightly swollen right eye. Unsure why and only half prepared for a ruined weekend, I while away the Saturday, reading stuff like how to use egg cartons to dampen the noise and soundproof your room . In fact when I walked away to Yakun to pack takeaway breakfast, I eyed quietly at their egg and finally emit enough courage to ask. Also arrange a contractor to come down next Saturday for an exact quote of a double-glazed soundproof window. I then travelled to Bras Basah for a trip on library and shopping trip of my arts equipment finally getting a nice-setup for my painting project.

Almost accidentally, I walked past the wall that displayed library's newest books on my way out. I spotted the book by Howard Wasdin. I have been knowing the book since I got first my kindle. I read the trial but thought the story was so far removed from my live that it would be waste to purchase it. So fate brought the book to my hands this weekend.

The book, editing and content was very good. The action, details, and the drama - as well as the valor, courage and the sheer mental toughness of the soldiers so admirable. I woke up on Sunday, today with a heavily swollen eye. surely my night cap reading half of the 308-pages book.

Now a bit worried, I travelled to check which clinic opens on Sunday. If you ever need one (non A&E), Raffles Hospital has GP practicing from 8am-10pm. I took my time to travel there, inhaling the sweet fresh air of Sunday morning. Life is beautiful. Except for a swelling tearing right eye.

I had my check-up, a bout of antibiotics (Moxiclav), Sofranex eye-drop and anti-histamin. Then travelling to the art school, in vain, then the cinema. Headed home with JCO half-dozen donuts and some groceries. Cook a pigrib soup with cordyceps and ling zhi, settledown with some painting done on my tiny canvas, and proceeded to finish off the book.

Seal Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy Seal Sniper by Howard E. Wasdin and Stephen Templin. Amazon rank #4,947 today.

Pursuit of Happiness

Today I got a note from a colleague who is leaving my company. He is someone I respected alot because he is genuinely interested in people - invested his time to coach and improve. He is also someone who could see different point of view which I think is a rare and admirable quality of the leader.

He also reached out as he wanted to get a trusted point of view on areas of improvements - at least 3 points. Let me share what I said:

1. Time and investment in people - balance that.

2. Know the right people and gut to trust.

3. Communication style - share when needed esp if people gap is too big.

The discussion inevitable turns into discussion about his past experience, and reason of his resignation. I asked him why he resigned. He shared his observations from reading "Prisoners of Our Thoughts : Viktor Frankl's Principles of Discovering Meaning in Life and Work".

Beside's link to the Amazon site.