The Outcast by Sadie Jones

'Gilbert, am I all right, do you think? You're lovely.
All right for him? All right for anybody'

That's the conversation between Lewis's future stepmother and his father~ Gilbert. For a while I thought everything will be going well for this troubled young boy. But I was wrong.

From a very young age, Lewis was confused by his parents relationship and his mom's alcoholic daze behaviour. Nevertheless they are his parents and he loves them. Until tragedy strikes and his luck and life seems to spiral down from there. As a young man, he's confused. People misunderstood him, he can't even understand himself which lead him into doing harmful things to his surroundings and himself.

p331 Lewis walks towards the Carmichael's house ... (I can't read anymore. Can't stand the suspense of what Dicky ~ Tamsin's abusive and arrogant father would do to Lewis). Dont know how many times I closed the book with my heart beating fast fearing for Lewis. A few beats went by before I felt brave enough to look at the pages again and read on.

And then there is Kit (Tamsin's younger, plain-jane looking sister). Whom had a secret crush on the much older Lewis. Both Kit and Lewis shared a same bond which neither of them knew at that time. They were both considered difficult and different from the other 'normal' family members. They were both an 'outcast' so to speak.

p433 I can feel myself smirking when Kit said to her mom `but when I'm gone, don't you think it will be your turn again, Mother?'
Domestic violence will never stop or go away by itself, if you keep quiet about it.

There is no justice at the end of this story, well not the kind that I'm looking for. But at least, I believe there is peace in Lewis's very turmoil mind.

p440 'Look Lewis, Kit said holding her arms out wide 'We're saved!'

Worlds Within Korean Drama

Okay I admit, watched this because of my new interest in the leading actor Hyun Bin who was also in the previous drama which I recently watched Secret Garden. Didnt recognise him in My Lovely Samsoon (which I only see half way).

However, watching the drama reminds me too much of work because it's about people behind the scene. People who makes drama -EP, directors, crews etc. Though I don't do dramas but it's comforting (in a way) to see that TV stations 'atmosphere' are about the same wherever you are. Stressful.
I was reading a comment in one of the episode where someone was asking on the scene where a tape had to be deliver too close to the TX time, PA was rushing back almost got hit by a car, threw the tape at post production, director and editor furiously editing and barely made it into transmission. Don't know in drama production but in tv especially in reality tv shows, that's normal. So if you have a heart problem stay far, far away from this industry. If you don't have such condition, there's a high chance you might develop one.

I read somewhere that this drama didnt get the high ratings that they hope for. Maybe because it was too much of a reality compare to the cinderella fantasy of Secret Garden but I still like it. Hyun Bin and leading lady Song Hye-Kyo on camera chemistry was perfect. So I guess that's why they continue it off set ^_^

Danish's 12th Birthday Bash (part 2)

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

This is the second part of my eldest son Danish's birthday party. At the end the whole 'chaotic' episodes were worth it when he exclaimed he thinks and his friends also think it was the best birthday they have attended so far. Aww... I should have made this into a profession ^_^

Danial my youngest son is asking when will be his turn? Wait for another 3 years if I'm still up to it.

Enjoy this.

Aloha

Hadi our soon to be latest addition to the family (Yameen's fiance) bought magnets for all his soon to be aunties when he went for a course to Hawaii. Can you imagine? Having a course/training there? I love this cheery, yellow magnet ... so there's my approval stamp, not that he needs it. But the boy is learning fast :)
So this makes 113 so far.

Danish 12th Birthday Bash

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

This was quite sometime ago, but I only managed to edit the photos now. Danish is a big fan of Justin Bierber so the birthday theme was as such. I had a crash course on everything JB from who is his latest duet partner to which part of his body was injured when he last fell in order for me to prepare JB's trivia during the party.
Hubby is responsible for all JB's songs & videos to play during the party beg/borrow/download. Things parents do for their kids.

This is part one. Enjoy.

Secret Garden (Korean drama)

Two days ago, I went to office feeling like I've been hit by a 10 tonne trailer the night before.

It's been quite some time since I watch a Korean drama that moved me and when I found this I couldn't catch the tv transmission time so I finally resolved to the ever accommodating www and that's when the trouble started. For 3 nights in a row, my bedtime is getting one hour later than the night before and the last 6 eps had me going over the board. I could have wait until the weekend but no I didn't. Keep telling myself, just one more eps over and over again until it was 4am and the damage has been done!
Needless to say I survived Friday at the office but not without difficulty. I was a walking zombie. And I have no one to blame but myself.

Okay back to the drama, I was completely smitten by the main character Kim Joo Won played by Hyun Bin. As a result, I'm now watching an old drama starring him too. Yes, this time I'll limit myself to 2 eps in a day. Pray: 'God, pls grace me the willpower to stop'. Amen.

The script included some lines from Little Mermaid tale:
the little mermaid's hand holding the knife was shaking..
but next, she tossed away the knife into the waves..
the little mermaid's sight of the prince faded..
and she threw her body into the ocean
and the little mermaid turns into bubble and disappeared..

Funny thing is I thought the book looked so much like Alice In Wonderland. LOL Maybe I was wrong.

While I'm recovering from the drama aftermath, this is one of the sound track from it which I adore. It has two version and this is the female one. Enjoy people and good luck to me ^_^

Second Honeymoon by Joanna Trollope

It's hard to leave your safety cocoon but coming back after you have left the very house that you've grown up in proves even harder in this book.

The title is kinda soapy. Misleading in a way.

This novel is about what happen to parents (mothers particularly) when their kids grew up and leave the house. Kids looking forward to it but found life is not always rosy and how coming back to the very place you grew up in, somehow doesnt give you the same comfort or peace you craving for. How life was so much simpler then.

Rosa the second child lose her job
p112 Losing a job through retrench(even if you hate the job), when you are faced with rejection, in whatever situation and however deserved or undeserved, it wasnt just your confidence that suffered, it was your faith in the future, your ability to see that any effort you might make could be a tiny investment in what would happen to you there after; how pointless daily life seems when you cant see where you're going

When Ben the youngest child has to sleep on his parent's sofa
p355 ... the strangeness of the sofa didnt belong to the actual sofa: it belonged to the situation

My favourite
p149 It's like presents - the way people give you what they want to give you. It's a sort of conditional generosity

It was an okay read for me. It wasnt what I expected from the cover title.

p166 'You've become responsible forever, for what you have tamed'. Hmm... something to think about.