Crochet: Stocking: Snowman Christmas Stocking

Merry Christmas in June!

This is a cute and fun project, one which I did not look forward to initially, but end up having a lot of fun ultimately. The stocking pattern, made up mostly of half double crochet and some double crochet, is relatively easy to understand and follow. It took me 2 days to complete this lovely snowman stocking.

For a start, I follow the colours as recommended in this Snowman Christmas Stocking free pattern since I do have all of them available in my yarn stash. Yes, because of this project, I realise that I have turned into a crochet hobbyist. It goes without saying that all fiber artists have a yarn stash full of one skein wonders and leftovers from other projects. And now, because of the yarn colours for this mini project, I recognise that I have long since join them fiber artists in my pursuit of this craft.

That said, I am actually quite pleased to have found a use for my leftover yarn. I have been keeping some green and orange from some of my earlier projects, and now they can finally be put to good use.

Crochet: Shawl: Sigrid Shawl

I am always a litle apprehensive when I am about to embark on a new crochet project, especially one that is totally new to me. There is always the worry that something will go wrong, that I will not be up to it, that I will have difficulty understanding the pattern or instructions, that I will make bad mistakes. You know, the usual things people always worry about whether or not they will actually materialise. But where crochet is concerned, unfortunately, it does happen. To me. I always end up having to undo to redo the first few rows. Scratch that. Few is an understatement. I consider myself lucky if it is only a few rows or so.

The good thing is, once I get past the initial - terrible and tiring but necessary - stage of getting myself familiar with the pattern and repeating work, it is exhilarating. Crocheting a shawl is both fulfilling and rewarding. Not only do I get to have a beautiful piece of practical end product, I get to enjoy the peace and calm and meditative effect of the process.

This Sigrid Shawl is a work of art. It is brilliantly created by My Crochetory to provide both familiarity and variety to keep the person working on it relaxed and entertained at the same time. If you are looking to crochet a shawl with a meditative stitch pattern but one that is not so repetitive as to be boring, this is the one for you.

Review: The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

3.5 stars for The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling.

I do not remember how I come about adding this book to my reading list. But I do recall looking for this book on a few occasions when I make the trip to my usual library. Each time, this standalone novel is available on the bookshelf. I finally decide to give it a go and check the book out during my last library visit.

Most, if not all, of the science fiction novels that I have read so far are related in one way or another, to outer space or space travelling. This is my first time reading one that is not related to the void above, but rather, to the caves or tunnels under the ground.

This book is about cave exploration mission. It begins with the protagonist, a caver, fulfilling the terms of her contract, climbing, crawling and making her way deep within the cave at camp 4, and stepping off the edge to make the long drop to camp 5. The story then takes a step back, to the start of the mission where the caver is at camp 1, to give readers some background on the 22-year old caver named Gyre Price, the mission and the investor of the expedition known as Em.

The story has a promising start. I am captivated by the well-thought-out plot and initial development of the story. The author makes excellent use of uncertainties, unease, self-doubt, half-truths, cover-ups, fear of the unknown, helplessness and frustration to spin a story. The world-building is fantastic. The mystery and suspense surrounding the entire cave expedition keeps me riveted to the story as it gradually builds up its intensity. I am equally impressed by the author's use of technology to craft a high-tech climbing suit and helmet such that everything is well taken care of, to protect the caver from the elements in the cave. It is essentially redundant to remove either the helmet or the suit to eat, sleep or defecate.

At the base of it all, the aim of the mission is not to stay true to the terms and conditions as set out in the contract, but rather, to stay alive and get out of the cave. And this is exactly what makes the story tick, like a time bomb, as the caver races against time to keep herself alive. Everything about the story flows well except that I feel the later part of the story can have been better. The unfolding of events towards the last quarter of the book, especially the last four to five chapters feels unnecessarily prolonged, draggy and repetitive. Perhaps the story should have ended when it is time to draw to a close. In the end, what I enjoy so much about the story initially took a beating as I struggle to finish the last few chapters. It should not have been like this.

Overall, The Luminous Dead is a book worth reading. I have great fun exploring the underground cave and tunnels and sumps while getting myself spooked. It is just that I also have to endure the little unfortunate glitch before I can call it a day. Other than that, it is actually quite a remarkable debut novel. I will definitely keep a lookout for more of author Starling's books.

Review: Opening the Door of Your Heart: And other Buddhist Tales of Happiness by Ajahn Brahm |《Reread》

5 stars for Opening the Door of Your Heart: And other Buddhist Tales of Happiness by Ajahn Brahm.

I read this book more than fifteen years ago. Due to recent events, I go in search of this book. I know it is sitting somewhere, untouched through the years, on one of my bookshelves. Aha, there it is. My treasure of a book, with Ajahn Brahm's writing and signature, dated 8 August 2004. To this date, I still find it weirdly ironic that out of so many of my favourite authors, I have gotten a Buddhist monk to autograph my book; though not just any monk, but Ajahn Brahmavamso! As strange as it may seem, not only is this the first, it is also my one and only book to date, that is signed by the author, and witnessed by yours truly.

Opening the Door of Your Heart is a collection of stories, 108 of them. Though the stories are all short, they are long in wisdom, insight and inspiration. They are heartwarming, touching and funny. They are there for a reason; to help us change our lives for the better, to guide us towards meaningful and purposeful living, to realise contentment and to find true happiness.

As I reread this book, I am astounded once again by the timeless wisdom inherent in the stories. This book was first published in 2004, way before the massive influx of smartphone such as iphone and android phone, and social media with the likes of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Watsapp and YouTube to name a few, dominating our everyday life. Regardless of the timeline, the tales that Ajahn Brahm shares in his book cleverly encompass everything. It does not matter when the stories are written or if they pertain to technology or social media, so long as you are willing to open the door of your heart, this book will give you what you need - hope, forgiveness and freedom from pain, guilt and fear.

One cannot tell much just by looking at the title of each short story. You will need to go one step deeper by reading each story, sometimes even twice, to gain the moments of insight, love and compassion that flow through Ajahn Brahm's stories. What I like most of all is that the teachings in his book do not impose. In fact, they feel mostly like a way of living instead of a religious belief. And so, I feel thoroughly at ease reading and digesting this collection of timeless stories of which many are true to life.

The book starts off with a story on two bad bricks. Ajahn Brahm draws an analogy between the bad brick and the mistake we humans make. Because of our mistakes, we become blind to everything else. We focus exclusively on the faults, the two bad bricks, and we fail to notice the rest of the good bricks, the perfect bricks. To quote "We've all got our two bad bricks, but the perfect bricks in each one of us are much, much more than the mistakes. Once we see this, things aren't so bad. Not only can we live at peace with ourselves, inclusive of our faults, but we can also enjoy living with a partner." Who knows there can be so much wisdom in a simple wall of bricks, of 2 bad bricks and 998 good bricks.

Many meaningful and interesting stories follow after the two bad bricks. I shall not expand on them but leave it to readers to find out for themselves. But I do feel the need to say something about how the book ends off cleverly with a tale on the worm and his lovely pile of dung. Why, you may ask, is it that the book ends with such a story? Well, the way Ajahn Brahm put it across, it is because some people do not want to be free from trouble. They are too attached to their burdens and do not want to be happy. To quote "One hundred and eight times the deva (a heavenly being) tried to lead the poor worm out from his miserable dung pile, but the worm was so attached to his lovely pile of dung that he always wriggled back! So eventually, the deva had to go back up to heaven and leave the foolish worm to his 'lovely pile of dung'." With that, we come to the end of the 108 stories as told in this book. What a brilliant way to wrap up the stories!

There is a season for everything. When I was young (not that I am that old now) and well and carefree, I remember feeling nonchalant when I first read this book. Now, years later, burdened with life's worries, the indifferent feeling is completely absent when I read this book again. In its place however, is the feeling of richness as the stories resonate powerfully with me. I feel as if these tales are written and tailor-made just for me and for whoever I share my book with.

Once again, I read this book from beginning to the end. Though I have finished reading it, I know in my heart that this will not be the last time I am going through the book. How wonderful will it be, when one day, in the future, when I read this book, I can feel indifferent all over again. Till then..

Review: Happily Ever After & Everything In Between by Debbie Tung

4 stars for Happily Ever After & Everything In Between by Debbie Tung.

This cute graphic novel is a welcome change from my previous read, The Bell Jar. It is lighthearted, adorable and quietly touching. It offers a glimpse into the lives of a newly married couple, that of an introvert and an extrovert, and the lovely and mundane moments that come with marriage and commitment.

I take my time to slowly enjoy this collection of comics about married life. But all too soon, I come to the end of the book. Based on the last few sketches, I can guess what to expect in the next collection by this same cartoonist and illustrator. I can't wait for the next book to be published and made available.

I quote below a comic strip from this book. It is short on words but the meaning it brings across is so sweet.

Review: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

3 stars for The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

This book has been at the back of my mind ever since my ex-colleague turned friend Gi mentioned to me in passing, that she has read it. I know vaguely that the story has something to do with depression, but other than that, I have no idea the writing style nor the finer details of the story. Due to recent happenings, I decide to read this book, to see if it can offer me a better understanding to this mental illness.

The Bell Jar is a depressing story of a woman struggling with mental health. The protagonist, a 19-year old Miss Esther Greenwood, feels inadequate all the time. Even though she excels academically, she sees herself as anything but good; she is a terrible cook, she cannot dance, cannot ride a horse, cannot ski, does not know shorthand and does not know enough languages. She has trouble sleeping, eating and reading. As her condition progressively worsens, she undergoes the dreaded bell jar experience, the sudden descent into deep depression, one that triggers suicide attempt, and was finally warded. Through it all, the novel explores social expectations of women in the 1950s. It examines Esther's quest to forge her own identity, to pursue what she wants in life, to be herself rather than what society expects her to be. The book also gives an account of the treatment of mental health in that same period of time.

It is interesting to note that the protagonist's descent into mental illness parallels that of the author's own experience with what may have been clinical depression. Author Sylvia Plath died by suicide at the age of thirty, a month after the book's first United Kingdom publication. The writer's suicide on 11 February 1963 brought her instant fame in England. Unfortunately, the limelight comes too late to help this young American woman stranded in the British countryside with two young children and no money in the early sixties.

Truth be told, I find no joy in reading this book. It is sad and gloomy and all too depressing. Each time I put the book down for a break, I find myself dreading to continue with this cheerless story. I am also put off by the way the story flits about and moves on before finishing the parts that are clearly left hanging in the air. The book list down all possible ways to end one's life. You name it, the story has it. It is definitely not a book for those who are suffering from depression, anxiety or panic attacks. At the end of the book, I find myself none the wiser about major depressive disorder. It does not offer me any further information to what I already know about depression, except that this book, the only novel by the American writer and poet Sylvia Plath, contains references to real people and events in the author's life.

Review: My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey by Jill Bolte Taylor

3.5 stars for My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey by Jill Bolte Taylor.

This book is a personal account, as seen through the eyes of a neuroscientist, about what it feels like to experience the deterioration of the left brain and then gradually recover it over the years. The author hopes that her book will offer insight into how the brain works in both wellness and in illness, and that it will help to give direction and hope to stroke patients and their families and caregivers.

Author Jill Taylor suffers from a rare form of stroke in the left hemisphere of her brain when she was thirty-seven years old. This stroke rendered her completely disabled; unable to walk, talk, read, write or recall any aspects of her life. In her book, she gives a step-by-step explanation into the deterioration of her cognitive abilities and what she experiences in that unforgettable morning of the stroke. The chapter on "The Morning of the Stroke" is informational and helpful in that it tells us the symptoms of an impending stroke, and what and when to look out for it. The later chapters on recovery are equally useful. They include more than fifty tips for the road to recovery. One only needs refer to Appendix B for a bird's eye view on recommendations for recovery.

Though this is a book about stroke, it is ultimately not a book about stroke itself but insights gained from the traumatic event in which the author is very kind and generous to share with us. It is also about the beauty, resilience and adaptability of the human brain - its ability to repair, replace, retain and recover. Not only do we get to know the pre and post-stroke author Jill Taylor, readers also have a better understanding of the human brain, the right hemisphere and the left hemisphere and the asymmetries of the two cortical hemispheres.

I have no doubt that this book can help people in recovering from neurological trauma. But first, the book needs to be read, from beginning to the end, to have a good understanding of the human brain, and then, the insights gained from the author's journey and experience. This book is not, what I will say, an easy to read book altogether, especially the portion after the surgery. Maybe it is due to the dry facts of the matter, or repetitive narrative at times, I have a tendency to drift off into my own la-la land while reading. Don't get me wrong. I do not mean to say that this book is not a good one. It is just that, well, the stars of this book are not so well aligned with my attention for reading.

Overall, the insights the author gained from her stroke is amazing. Perhaps the most significant insight of it all, at least it seems to me, is the inability of the medical community to know how to communicate with someone who has suffered a stroke, especially one in the left hemisphere of the brain, impairing language. This is surely something that the medical community can work on.

Review: Extraordinary Hearts: A Journey of Cardiac Medicine and the Human Spirit by John A. Elefteriades, MD

3 stars for Extraordinary Hearts: A Journey of Cardiac Medicine and the Human Spirit by John A. Elefteriades, MD.

This book is about the human heart and the human spirit that dwells within. The author is a medical doctor and heart surgeon. In this book, he shares ten of the cases that have touched him the most and leave a deep imprint on his being.

Besides getting to know the daily life of this cardiac surgeon and some of his patients, readers also learn about the different heart conditions such as coronary artery disease, aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection, and cardiac reparative procedures. I especially enjoy the author's sharing of real-life clinical application of suspended animation in cardiac surgery under Still Life in chapter 5. It is also interesting to learn about the two nurses, the scrub nurse and the circulating nurse, in any operating room, their responsibilities and importance.

Though there are shortcomings that still exist in modern-day medicine, it is amazing to see how science and medicine have advanced to the stage where the heart-lung machine has been invented to enable heart operations to take place smoothly. It is an eye-opener to see how modern surgery offers solutions and treatments in a bid to prolong life.

Extraordinary Hearts is a good to know book. It is informational as well as educational. However, I cannot help but wonder if it is also about fame and wealth and riches. Almost all the cases mentioned involved patients who are well-known and in all likelihood, well-to-do. I wonder if the author will remember a patient enough to want to share his or her story if it is the average man in the street. I doubt so. Also, I feel that the doctor gets carried away by the background of the patients he chooses to share in his book. He delves too much into the specifics of these patients' careers, what they do, and how famous or popular or well-liked they are by their community.

Finally, what I cannot stand the most in this book, is the author's constant reference of his cases in relation to his religious belief. Yes, we never know what will happen to those patients with severe heart and health issues, both during and after the heart operation. They may not survive. Or they will pull through to be long-term survivors, and if they do, they are not miracles but statistical outliers. They have a chance to continue living because of the surgery performed by the good doctor.

As I mentioned above, Extraordinary Hearts is a good to know book. However, it is not a book suitable for all. Half of the book is dedicated to knowing the human heart and open-heart surgery, the other half to the human spirit and whatever else. So, depending on one's worldview and religious beliefs, this can either be an enjoyable read or an annoying one.