It's been a tiring week, in multiple aspects, but it has been one productive and eventful week as well, which is why I'm not exactly complaining about it.
Looking back at this week, I have a handful of things to talk about, but just as usual, I only have enough time to write about several of them. Still, I'm writing with a view to be as inclusive as possible.
Reading Routine
I used to consider myself a hardcore reader. I could spend hours at one place (but never with the same pose for too long. My back problems hindered me from being a static reader) tearing through the pages and devouring the soy-ink-printed words until I finished one book after another. It's both accomplishing and relaxing, being able to be diverged from the nuisances from the world. But then cell phone cases and Japanese drama came along, which, morsel by morsel, nipped away my time I used to exclusively reserve for free reading. I know that these activities are not much different from reading, but when I am at the sofa staring at my screen, I sometimes catch myself with a sense of guilt, one feeling I never felt when reading my time away.
This Friday was different for a change. I just finish the last book I was reading, and I went directly to my shelves, and stood there. For ten minutes or so I stood there, giving an overall look at my collections. After picking out around four books for my "What to read next shortlist". Then it came to me that this month was actually pride month, according to the report from BBC, so that was how I picked from my shelf Becky Albertalli's Love, Simon: Simon and the Homo Saipien Agenda. This books is supposedly quite renowned, given that the movie adaption was quite successful and beloved by the audience.
When you read how Taiwanese translated the name of the book, you will get an idea about what this story is about: Simon's Coming Out Journal. Well, our protagonist was a closeted gay kid in high school who kept a penpal with the same sexual orientation but with hidden identities. Then came thrusted upon his face a blackmail that threatened to bring all that was concealed to the sunlight.
For the first time in who knows how long, I finished the book in one day. Granted, this was, by all words, a light read with larger fonts and easily-digested plots and wording, but it was still a delight for me. The story carved out a very synthetic voice that one living as a high schooler in the 21st century can relate to since it's got some really up-to-date cultural references, which made it familiar and enjoyable. The romantic plot was very... fairytale-like, but that was for me, euphemism for 'unrealistic'. The person with secret identity was also infatuated with the protagonist because of their e-mail exchanges and turned out to be another kid in the same high school; the best friend was indignant and jealous because she was not the first one to whom Simon came out to, but the knot was resolved after having a conversation. I mean, all the events all got resolved with the best way possible, and maybe that it is just a trait in Y/A love stories, and I am not typing here saying that I am tired to see things like this; quite the contrary. I think everyone needs this kind of sweet and saccharide plots every once in a while to continue believe that there is something about love you can look forward to. This book shares a very similar plot to another Y/A that I read a while ago, Sandy Hall's Been There All Along, but presumably it was not as well known since it's got no movie adaption. However, I love this kind of loving, adorable read reminding me how it was to be a kid in school (even though I just left it a month ago).
Riding the momentum of this book rush, I have already latched on my next book. It's a longer read with a touch of magic and is a little bit like the Grimm Brothers: a tinge of darkness in the realm of magic. I'm looking forward to writing about it in next week's entry.
Driving Lessons: Why Manual?
As I might have mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I have started going to driving lessons, and this week is the time to maybe talk about it a little. Up until now, I still have no idea why I chose to learn to drive a manual transmission car at the enrollment. I guess my brain just stopped turning when I heard that "when you know how to drive a manual transmission car, you will be able to drive an automatic one with no problem". I must have thought that it would be cool to know more than the others, but it didn't occur to me the that manual transmission cars are less and less commonplace these days, and that I actually have no prior experience with car driving, much less have any interest in the first place to wrap my mind around these metal-made roaring beasts.
It's way too difficult for my taste. When people ask about my driving lessons, I give a pained smiled, and nondescriptly said that it would need some time to get used to, but it was but an understatement, really. With one extra pedal, I could not keep up with any events taking place with my seriously uncoordinated body. I don't want to shy away from difficult lessons because the harder it is, the sweeter the instant I prevail tastes, and I am referring to the periods of language learning, whose gratification was remarkably pleasing during learning process. Driving, on the other hand, was a way more strenuous office than learning a new language. I would not say it was not fun, but the fear of breaking the car and/or the passenger was far greater than the fun one can extract from this learning process. The road tests will be on the 24th of July, and I just hope that the coach won't be mortified with how I drive. To be continued.
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| In the cockpit. |
Promise not Kept
I recall having promised to be more "inclusive", as in giving more insights into the notion of a "eventful week", but apparently my mind seems to prefer babbling about books over upholding the promise. That is...
Me.
Sincerely,
Hugo
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