THE CASUAL VACANCY by JK Rowling

Ever since I was a little girl, I have been a fan of JK Rowling and the Harry Potter Series. Of course, when I heard that she was about to publish a new book, I was very excited. It interested me even more to hear that the book would have nothing to do with magic. 

With that excitement, however, came the realization that I would have to put all thoughts of the magical world of Harry Potter out of my head while reading this book. The Casual Vacancy was about a totally new set of people and a completely different place. A normal place filled with normal people.

Or so I thought. 

The Casual Vacancy is set in the small and suburban town of Pagford. Despite the seemingly sleepy appearance of this West Country town, Pagford's residents are all at silent, personal wars with each other. The two main wars in the town are of a political nature. The first war, a long-fought battle of divided local sentiment, is being fought over the possibility of disassociating the town from "The  Fields", a nearby local estate which is mostly filled with what the old Pagford families refer to as "good-for-nothings". The second war is being fought over a seat on the Parish Council, the town's local government, which was left empty after the death of Parish Councillor Barry Fairbrother, a well-loved member of the community who championed the cause to keep the the Fields with Pagford. 

The set of characters present in JK Rowling's newest book range from reckless young children to restless adults. These characters, like the depressed and socially awkward Sukhvinder Jawanda, the idealistic newcomer Kay Bawden, the  self-absorbed leader of the Parish Council Howard Mollison whose head size is matched only be that of his stomach, and the outspoken and misunderstood Krystal Weedon, are the crowning glory of the novel. All of JK Rowling's characters are extremely well-developed, vividly distinct, wonderfully human, and deliciously flawed. I found myself either relating very well to the feelings of many characters or thinking that I knew someone who was exactly like the characters being described. 

The book does not have a fast-paced, action-packed plot. Rather, it has a character-driven plot made up of interconnected story arcs which concern the different residents of the town. This makes the book's plot as a whole progress slowly, yet it highlights how the characters and their decisions affect one another, whether they intended to or not. I have two main comments regarding the plot: (1) there were chapters which I felt were not needed to further the story along, but were very useful in developing the characters and (2) not all of the noticeable conflicts were resolved in the end. 

I loved JK Rowling's writing style: simple and unpretentious yet witty and flowing. The novel itself is intelligent and insightful, talking about issues like politics, drugs, sex, poverty, prostitution, and social class, without being preachy. 

Overall, I thought it was a good book. It had its flaws here and there, mostly with the plot, but it was still an enjoyable read. You will only enjoy the book, however, if you do not compare it to Harry Potter. Under a completely different genre, The Casual Vacancy is its own book. 

"The Destruction of Sennacherib" by George Gordon, Lord Byron

As much as I love reading poetry, I have to admit that I am not well-versed in the works of George Gordon, better known by his title, Lord Byron. I read one of his poems for the very first time in my Introduction to Poetry and Drama class last week, and I absolutely loved it. Here's a copy of his wonderfully written piece about how an Assyrian king and his grand army were defeated.

The Destruction of Sennacherib

By George Gordon, Lord Byron

              The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold,

              And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold;

              And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea,

              When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee.

              Like the leaves of the forest when Summer is green,

              That host with their banners at sunset were seen:

              Like the leaves of the forest when Autumn hath blown,

              That host on the morrow lay withered and strown.

              For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast,

             And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed;

             And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill,

             And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever grew still!

             And there lay the steed with his nostril all wide,

             But through it there rolled not the breath of his pride;

             And the foam of his gasping lay white on the turf,

             And cold as the spray of the rock-beating surf.

           

    And there lay the rider distorted and pale,

             With the dew on his brow, and the rust on his mail:

             And the tents were all silent, the banners alone,

             The lances unlifted, the trumpet unblown.

             And the widows of Ashur are loud in their wail,

             And the idols are broke in the temple of Baal;

             And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword,

             Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord!

For my fellow Byron first-timers, I hope you enjoyed the poem as much as I did!

Until Always, 

Lemonjuicesodapop

BATMAN: UNDER THE RED HOOD by Judd Winick

Hi, everyone! I am so sorry for being a no-show for the past two weeks. With academic work being what it is, posting on time has become quite difficult. My class hours today, however, were cut short by the university because of a faculty awarding ceremony scheduled later this afternoon. Also, there is no homework due tomorrow, so I'm free for the rest of the day!

Batman: Under the Red Hood by Judd Winick
Art by Doug Mahnke, Shane Davis, Eric Battle, and Paul Lee

Last week, I read Batman: Under the Red Hood, the story about how a new masked figure, using the name "Red Hood", appears in Gotham City. A one-man army, he takes on the criminal empire of the Black Mask, who is the city's crime lord. Of course, his actions catch the attention of Batman, who senses that there is something more underneath the red helmet.

I love how this story arc portrays the emotional struggle of Batman. Sometimes, I feel that people, both the writers and the audience, forget that the psychological and emotional struggles are what make Batman the kind of superhero that he is. Of course, there is a lot of the exciting, action-packed fight sequences with the stunning acrobatics, martial arts, and gadgets that Batman has at hand.

The art was done in the usual style of Batman comics: gritty and dark yet eye-catching. The fight sequences, which always take the cake in a graphic novel, were riveting and dynamic.

I know that in terms of comic continuity, I am very late in reading this graphic novel. It is a very important story arc for the story of Batman and the Bat Family. So, if you are a Batman fan and you haven't read this graphic novel yet, I suggest that you pick up a copy soon. 

Until always,

Lemonjuicesodapop

"Wasabi" by Andrea Gibson

 Spoken-word has always been an interesting form of poetry. People do not hold many poetry slams where I live, so the internet serves as my source of spoken-word poetry.

Here is a spoken-word poem entitled "Wasabi", written and performed by Andrea Gibson, which I found on tumblr. It is a beautifully written and performed piece!

“Wasabi” by Andrea Gibson

The plan was to play hard to get, that’s right.

I wasn’t just gonna go giving myself away, I’m no easy catch.

Can you really see me in fishnets? No.

I always find myself slipping out the holes,

swimming back out to sea.

I’d never been anybody’s sushi roll.

But she has lips like wasabi.

My eyes water every time we kiss.

Makes me wish we had a porch swing

and a little home

Makes me wish I could right wrongs

instead of poems

The heart is a bullet that’s terrified of blood

Love is a windshield wiper in a hurricane;

Nothing is ever clear

You mistake her name for the moon

Mistake porch lights for the stars

And sometimes they are.

Her constellations lead me home

Ten thousand shades of open

And if there’s one thing in this world

I’ve ever known for sure it’s that this girl

is gonna crush me like a small bug,

leave me so freaking broken there’ll

be body bags beneath my eyes

from nights I cried so hard the stars died

but I’m like, go ahead, I’m all yours.

I would kiss you in the middle of the ocean during a lightning storm

cause I’d rather be left for dead than left to wonder 

what thunder sounds like.

I’m not looking for someone who can save me

Liferafts might keep you afloat but they rarely get you anywhere 

and I’ve got places I want to go. 

So break me in two, peel back my ribcage and 

cover every page of my heart with love poems 

that you will burn someday.

The most fertile lands were built by the hands of volcanoes

And I want to know what grows beneath the drone of

hallmark and roses.

I want your goodbye to feel like explosives.

Your lips a burning building without fire escapes,

Your hips the gates of hell if I know if heaven exists,

but this will do just fine.

And I want to feel you like lifelines on the palms of Jesus 

when the nails went through

Is that really, really creepy?

Just in case it is, let me also say that I want you

sleepy-eyed in the morning waking at my side

like a warm summer sky born from

so much softness the horizon cries every time

night fall comes to take you.

Let me also say that I want to make you sandwiches and soup,

and peanut butter cookies—though, the truth is,

peanut butter is actually really bad for you ‘cause they

grow peanuts in old cotton fields to clean the toxins out 

of the soil—but hey, 

you like peanut butter and I like you.

Let me also say I’ve never seen anything more gorgeous 

than you were that night,

the moon bending through the window blinds

I told time by the light casting shadows across your face

while you told me the story. 

My grandparents were married for 63 years.

On the day my grandfather died, he laid in bed and said

Nothing but love love love love 

then he puckered his lips and kissed my 

grandmother for the last time.

Love love love

Love is like sunshine. Sometimes you have to get burned

to know you were there, I want to know that I’m here.

Every single part of me—my heart open as

the river’s eyes the first time it sees the ocean.

My God, look at those waves.

Listen to that thundering tide.

Can you imagine anything more frightening?

Can you imagine anything more alive?

I hope you guys enjoyed this poem as much as I did!

Until always,

Lemonjuicesodapop

Memorable Monday

Like every student, I hate Mondays. In all honesty, who doesn't? Mondays signal the end of the brief taste of freedom we get on weekends and the beginning of a grueling week of all work and no play. 

November 5, 2012, however, proved to be a unique Monday experience. In school, my Monday mornings begin with back-to-back classes of Expository Writing and Poetry & Drama under a wonderfully witty (and many times bitingly sarcastic) professor who allows us to have dress-up days in class. Dress-up day themes range from banal, like sporty chic or animal prints, to insane, like mismatched clothes or swimwear. On the day in question, which was the first Monday after Halloween, the theme was Halloween-Hangover, so we all went to class wearing Halloween costumes. Popular costume choices included Phantom of the Opera, James Bond, Clark Kent, Rachel Berry, guerrilla soldier, hippie stoner (or at least what I think was a hippie stoner), and my professor (complete with a floral print shirt and an umbrella with a handle shaped like the butt of a rifle). 

Originally, I planned to go as stereotypical beatnik by wearing a black turtleneck sweater, black leggings, black shoes, a black beret, and dark glasses. Unfortunately, the cooling system in the classroom wasn't functioning so I had to make do with a last minute costume change. I swapped the sweater for a white tank top and a sporty cardigan and the black leggings for skinny jeans. From a beatnik, I became a female One Direction wannabe. I didn't mind at all since that costume was much more comfortable than the first one and I like listening to One Direction. 

Instead of changing out of our themed apparel after the two classes, as we usually do on dress-up days with funny themes, my classmates and I walked straight to the university's cafeteria for everyone to see. After our short costume parade, we sat at our usual table by the windows and proceeded to talk, laugh, and eat as usual. 

The next notable thing happened in my Introduction to Physics class. My professor, who they call "Magic Mike" for reasons totally unrelated to the Channing Tatum movie, said something which made the whole class laugh: "There are no stupid questions, but there may be stupid answers." Honestly, I don't know why we found it so funny. Maybe it's because we are all guilty of giving stupid answers in class. 

After that class, we had an hour's break before the next class, which was Physics Laboratory. One of my newly-met classmates, who was celebrating his birthday, invited me to his birthday lunch being held in a pizza parlor off-campus. With the other invitees, we went to the pizza parlor, where we wolfed down three pizzas and washed it down with three pitchers of soda. When we finished eating, we realized that we had only ten minutes to get to the Physics lab. So we rushed out of the pizza parlor and ran back to school. I do not know how we did it, but we somehow made it to the door of the laboratory the instant that the bell began to ring. Talk about close calls, huh? 

That sums up all of the notable events of that strange Monday. If I'm lucky, maybe I'll be able to have more memorable Mondays. I hope you guys had a good Monday too.

Until always,

Lemonjuicesodapop

Greeka Kouzina: The Return Trip

I gladly returned to my new favorite Greek restaurant, Greeka Kouzina, with my mother, my father, my three brothers, and my grandmother, who can be a bit fastidious when it comes to food. Of course, I was eager to hear my grandmother's opinion of the restaurant.

For appetizers we ordered Melitzanosalata, which was as tasty as ever, and Hummus, which was excellent! The chickpea dip was creamy and delicious without being too oily or cloying. The pita bread was soft, warm, and light. Sadly, I wasn't able to take a snapshot of the Hummus before the rest of my family attacked it.

Watercress Blue Cheese Salad

Next, we ordered the Watercress Blue Cheese Salad. A tall pile of watercress was resting on a bed of lettuce and decorated with crumbly blue cheese, walnuts, and salad dressing. The greens of this salad were wonderfully crisp and fresh, while the dressing was a perfectly balanced mix of sweet and tart. The blue cheese gave the salad a nice and salty flavor while the walnuts lent the salad a good crunch.

Spanakopita

The next vegetable dish we ordered was Spanakopita. The thin, crispy layers of filo pastries were bursting with the delicious spinach filling. I loved this dish so much that I would have eaten the whole thing if I didn't have to share it.

Beef souvlaki

The first meat dish we ordered was the beef souvlaki, which was made of tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned pieces of roasted beef which were skewered with pieces of onions, green bell peppers, and tomatoes. The lemon juice and tzatziki (a blend of yogurt and cucumbers) added a refreshing zest to the dish.

Spanakorizo

The side dish that we ordered with the souvlaki was the spanakorizo, a dish of rice, spinach, dill, onions, and feta cheese. The dish was surprisingly delicious, especially with sprinkled lemon juice. My only comment was that the rice was a bit too dry for my taste.

Arni Lemonata

The next meat dish we ordered was Arni Lemonata, roasted lamb with lemon juice. The lamb was so juicy and tender that it was practically falling off the bone! The perfectly seasoned meat was scrumptious with or without avgolemono, the egg and lemon sauce which come with the roast lamb.

Lamb Paidakia (lamb chops)

hThe second meat dish we ordered was Lamb Paidakia, roasted lamb chops. Like the Arni Lemonata, the meat was tender, juicy, perfectly seasoned, and tasty down to the bone. A truly flavorsome treat!

Arni Keftedes Pasta

The side dish we ordered with the Lamb Paidakia was the Arni Keftedes Pasta, a cheese pasta dish with lamb meatballs. This was the only dish which, in my opinion, was disappointing. The cheese sauce and the meatballs were bland. This is a dish which I will never order again.

Milopita

Our first dessert was Milopita, Greek apple pie topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was a delightful dessert, especially for someone with a sweet tooth as large as mine. The apple filling was well-spiced and the slice was warm and sweet, while the vanilla ice cream was a no-fail palate-cleanser.

Baklava  topped with Greek Yogurt

For our second dessert, we ordered Baklava, a classic Greek dessert of filo pastry and a nut-and-honey filling. Like the Spanakopita, the filo pastry was bursting with filling. The Baklava was well-spiced and not too sweet, a the Greek yogurt added a nice touch to the treat. It is not a craving-inducing dessert, but it is definitely an enjoyable meal-ender. 

My entire family, especially my grandmother, loved the food. She even ordered food to-go! I think it's safe to say that we'll be opening the Greeka Kouzina menu again soon. If you love Greek food too, you'll definitely want to swing by soon.

Until always,

Lemonjuicesodapop

New Blog Title: The Lawless Love of a Gypsy Child

I realized that the title "Mindful Musings" is nothing if not unoriginal, so I decided to replace it with another title which, come to think of it, is just slightly less unoriginal as the first one. I got the title "The Lawless Love of a Gypsy Child" from one of the arias in Georges Bizet's Carmen, a French opera set in Spain about the love affair between a beautiful gypsy girl and a Spanish soldier.

In the first of four acts, Carmen sings "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle" ("Love is a rebellious bird"), an aria in habanera form. In the aria, two lines, when translated into English, say that "love is a gypsy's child, it has never known the law." I was very taken by those lyrics and decided to base the blog's new title on them.

If you would like to hear the aria, I have attached a video of it from youtube. Props to Anna Caterina Antonacci and her amazing voice. Enjoy!

All lyrics in parentheses are sung by Choir

French

Translation in English

(spoken intro) Quand je vous aimerai? Ma foi, je ne sais pas, Peut-être jamais, peut-être demain. Mais pas aujourd'hui, c'est certain (sung) L'amour est un oiseau rebelle que nul ne peut apprivoiser, et c'est bien en vain qu'on l'appelle, s'il lui convient de refuser. Rien n'y fait, menace ou prière, l'un parle bien, l'autre se tait: Et c'est l'autre que je préfère, Il n'a rien dit mais il me plaît. L'amour! L'amour! L'amour! L'amour! Carmen: L'amour est enfant de Bohême, il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi; si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime si je t'aime, prends garde à toi! (Prends garde à toi!) Si tu ne m’aimes pas, Si tu ne m’aimes pas, je t’aime! (Prends garde à toi!) Mais, si je t’aime, Si je t’aime, prends garde à toi! L'oiseau que tu croyais surprendre battit de l'aile et s'envola ... l'amour est loin, tu peux l'attendre; tu ne l'attends plus, il est là! Tout autour de toi, vite, vite, il vient, s'en va, puis il revient ... tu crois le tenir, il t'évite, tu crois l'éviter, il te tient. L'amour! L'amour! L'amour! L'amour! Carmen: L'amour est enfant de Bohême, il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi; si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime si je t'aime, prends garde à toi! (Prends garde à toi!) Si tu ne m’aimes pas, Si tu ne m’aimes pas, je t’aime! (Prends garde à toi!) Mais, si je t’aime, Si je t’aime, prends garde à toi! Choir: L'amour est enfant de Bohême, il n'a jamais, jamais connu de loi; si tu ne m'aimes pas, je t'aime si je t'aime, prends garde à toi! (Prends garde à toi!) Carmen: Si tu ne m’aimes pas, Si tu ne m’aimes pas, je t’aime! (Prends garde à toi!) Mais, si je t’aime, Si je t’aime, prends garde à toi!

(spoken intro) When will I love you? Good Lord, I don't know, Maybe never, maybe tomorrow. But not today, that's for sure. (sung) Love is a rebellious bird that nobody can tame, and you can call him (although it is) quite in vain, because it suits him not to come. Nothing helps, neither threat nor prayer. One man talks well, the other, silent; but it's the other that I prefer. He says nothing, but he pleases me. Oh, love! Love! Love! Love! Carmen: Love is a gypsy's child, it has never known the law; if you love me not, then I love you; if I love you, you'd best beware! (You'd best beware!) if you love me not, if you love me not, then I love you (You'd best beware!) but if I love you, if I love you, you'd best beware! The bird you hoped to catch beat its wings and flew away ... love stays away, you wait and wait; when least expected, there it is! All around you, swift, swift, it comes, goes, then it returns ... you think you hold it fast, it flees you think you're free, it holds you fast. Oh, love! Love! Love! Love! Carmen: Love is a gypsy's child, it has never known the law; if you love me not, then I love you; if I love you, you'd best beware! (You'd best beware!) if you love me not, if you love me not, then I love you (You'd best beware!) but if I love you, if I love you, you'd best beware! Choir:Love is a gypsy's child, it has never known the law; if you love me not, then I love you; if I love you, you'd best beware! (You'd best beware!) Carmen: if you love me not, if you love me not, then I love you (You'd best beware!) but if I love you, if I love you, you'd best beware!

Until always,

Lemonjuicesodapop

Wooden Spoon

Last Sunday, I visited another restaurant with my two favorite eating buddies: my mother and my brother. This restaurant is named Wooden Spoon, a Filipino restaurant near the university. It is run by a chef who owned a similar restaurant while living in Paris. After his restaurant in the City of Lights shut down, the chef left Paris and decided to open a restaurant here.

Crab pancit (noodles)

I was eager to eat in Wooden Spoon after hearing many wonderful things about it from my friends in the university. The first thing my mother, brother, and I ordered was the Crab Pancit. In Filipino cuisine, the word pancit refers to noodles and/or noodle dishes. This dish was made up of a rich, creamy concoction of crab and egg which topped a mound of friend noodles. Despite its pale coloring, this dish was quite tasty. The only problem I had with this dish was that it was too oily. 

Wooden Spoon Fried Chicken

While perusing the menu, my mother suggested that we order the Wooden Spoon fried chicken, saying that the chef must be proud of this dish if he named after the restaurant itself. The dish, however, was disappointing. The marinade's flavor was weak and the taste did not permeate to the chicken itself. Rather, it stayed on the breading.

Stuffed pechay (Chinese cabbage)

Next, we ordered pechay (Chinese cabbage) stuffed with smoked fish and ground pork and covered with a mildly spicy sauce made of coconut milk. Flavorful and savory, this was a surprising dish, though I did find the stuffing and the sauce too salty. 

Pan grilled tuna belly with soy sauce,  bagoong (shrimp paste), and an eggplant salad

My brother, being a lover of anything that has tuna fish in it, ordered the pan grilled tuna belly. This order came with, soy sauce (for the fish), bagoong (Filipino shrimp paste), and a salad made up off chopped tomatoes, red onions, green mango, salted egg, and eggplant. The salad itself was tasty and fresh, but I ate it without the shrimp paste. The tuna belly was a bit dry and definitely needed to be eaten with the soy sauce. 

Reyna Blanca

As usual, the three of us decided to order dessert in two parts. The first was Reyna Blanca (which, when translated literally, means "White Queen"), a dish of coconut custard topped with rice puffs. The custard was refreshing, mild, and creamy while the rice puffs gave it a little crunch. This was a real treat. 

Sago cake with covered in palm sugar syrup and rice puffs

The second dessert was sago cake, which was made off sago pearls and sweetened with palm sugar syrup while being topped with rice puffs. The cake itself was nice and sticky while syrup gave it the right amount of sweetness. Like with the Reyna Blanca, the rice puffs added variety to the texture of the soft and sticky cake by giving it an added crunch.

Overall, I found Wooden Spoon to be disappointing. I had expected more out of the restaurant since many people were raving about it. With the exception of the desserts, which were my favorite parts of the meal, the food was neither terrible nor special. In other words, the food was just edible. I highly doubt a return trip to that restaurant any time soon.

Until always,

Lemonjuicesodapop