At long last, Evelyn Waugh's book Brideshead Revisted has been adapted for the big screen. And it's about time too. E.M. Forster and Jane Austen have all found new audiences through film but poor Evelyn has languished, forgotten.

No big names here except for Emma Thompson as Lady Marchmain. Taking a cue from the BBC TV series back in 1981, Brideshead is filmed at the famous Castle Howard in Yorkshire. Look out for the TV series, now available on Amazon, which stars a very young Jeremy Irons and Anthony Andrews.

And oh! another forgotten author is also due for fame soon. I just read online that filming will soon start on Wuthering Heights. Natalie Portman who was suppose to star as Catherine as dropped out. No news yet on a replacement but Heathcliffe will be played by Michael Fassbender (Stelios in 300). This could be interesting.

Now who would you like to play Catherine opposite him, eh?

Labels: News, TV/Movies

Moleskines are getting ridiculously expensive here (no thanks to inflation). A large notebook is currently retailing for S$37 or approx US$25. I'm finding it increasingly difficult to justify the price when I'm using my notebook for just that: notes, and lists, and thoughts, and stuff. I've got one for when I travel, and the NYC Moleskine.

Thanks to a good friend who hoards these beauties, I've found an alternative - Monologues. The sketchbook version has 100gsm acid-free cream sketch paper that can take washes but has no pocket on the inside back of a flexible black cover. It takes the ink of my Pilot G2s very well, with no smudges or bleed thrus. The ruled version however has a pocket a la Moleskine and a stiffer cover that comes in several colours. They both have wrap-around elastic holders and a ribbon bookmark. And better yet - they retail for under S$15 (USD$10)! I can buy two for the price of one Moleskine!

If you're in Singapore, Monologues are available at Kinokuniya at Takashimaya, and at Popular bookstores. Sorry Moleskine...

Labels: Geek Stuff, News

Special Topics In Calamity Physics :: Marisha Pessl
668 pages, Penguin Books, 2006, Paperback

I was NOT going to let this book get the better of me. I hung on for dear life, carting this heavyweight around in my bags for nearly 2 months. I endured some rather rotten characters in the first 434 pages to only have those characters nearly disappear in the remaining pages. So much for getting attached to some people I had grown to really dislike.

I kept asking myself as I turned each page, "What's the point in all this?" And after just finishing the book a scant 10 minutes ago, I have to say, "Nothing." Except for a couple of incidents that happen in the first two-thirds that shed some light on the last few chapters, everything is expendable. Pessl's freshman effort could use with some drastic editing, if not for the book's benefit, than at least for the sake of her readers. The last 200 pages zipped along with a couple of twists I rather enjoyed though you can see them coming as the plot slowly unravels. But goodness! Getting to that point where you can actually start enjoying it, is SO tedious.

Go to Amazon to read a synopsis, I'm too fed-up with this book to write more than this: Girl and father move to a new town, to a new school, girl makes unlikely new friends, girl finds body of her teacher, loses friends, then uncovers an underground, near-legendary revolutionary group with links close to home.

Recommended only if you're going to be marooned on a desert island.

Now gratefully reading: An Alphabetical Life by Wendy Werris.

Labels: Books, Bookshelf

At the Exxon gas station near my house, in a barely populated book rack near the door, you can find some rather good books for a pittance. Like this baby here by one of my favourite authors - a first edition hardcover of Edith Wharton's The Cruise of the Vanadis, for only $10 (about US$7)!

Labels: Books

This is the cover of my first magazine - lol or Living Out Loud. This 20-page issue is currently only available at Lasalle - College of the Arts. The next issue due out at the end of June, on the SIM campus.

You can read an interview I did of a Singapore illustrator here. Thanks OIC!

Labels: Projects, Work

The books I ordered from Amazon.com arrived today, two weekends since I ordered. Not bad for standard shipping.

1. The Reagan Diaries, edited by Douglas Brinkley
2. The Copyeditor's Handbook by Amy Einsohn
3. The Life of Elizabeth 1 by Alison Weir
4. A Passion for Books by Rob Kaplan
5. An Alphabetical Life by Wendy Werris
6. Leave Me Alone I'm Reading by Maureen Corrigan

The Reagan Diaries was something I should have bought when I was at my sister's last summer - it was only $18.90 at Sam's. It's retailing at Border's here for S$60 or about USS35!! ACK!!!

The Handbook is something for work especially now that I'm doing more corporate communications writing. The rest - well, because they've been on my Amazon wishlist for so long and I've not been able to find them here!

And that's it for now. No more new books for the next... oh! 3 months?? Really!

I'm so looking forward to this weekend. It's Labour Day tomorrow here in Singapore, and I'm taking Friday off. So that's a long 4-day weekend for me. And oh! I'm off to the ShangriLa for English tea tomorrow with some friends. A small treat to myself after the last 2 crazy months.

Labels: Books, General

Had a client reject all 3 concepts for an annual report design because they were 'too creative'. Can you believe that? Too creative?! He tossed out everything, changed the theme again, and said he wanted something more conventional. This translates to safe, boring and one that his secretary could probably do in Microsoft Word.

Didn't know whether to laugh or cry. And they weren't anything too avant-garde or 'unconventional' either. One involved the use of different textures, one had interesting packaging and one was quite conventional but with a clever title to positively introduce their past year's efforts.

Note: Re-did them, re-presented the new idea and client loved it. Sigh!

Labels: Work

Two crazy weeks of work and deadline are over. For now. I'm currently in the eye of a hurricane, and how long this little breather will last, I'm not sure but I'm taking full advantage of this period of lesser work.

My magazine is finally O U T! Titled lol or Living Out Loud, it's a small 20-page issue about creative people, the creative business, events and the school of the moment, all targeted at students. For the first year, we'll be publishing it as a bimonthly of 2500 copies per issue. Next year, we'll see... So far, it's gotten good response, and my boss is happy. So whew!

I haven't had much time to read for pleasure. So far, I've had my nose buried in and my head crammed with corporate and government stuff for work. I've had Special Topics of Calamity Physics riding around in my bag for the last few weeks, reading a page or two whenever I have a short break. And recently I found and bought The Cloudspotter's Guide. Didn't think I'd ever find it here but there it was, on the bottom shelf at a bookstore I hardly ever visit.

I've added to my book larder - stocking up for a rainy day. This evening, I went shopping at Amazon and Alibris, and bought some books, including Sixpence House which has disappeared from bookshelves here AND in Wales (Ems tried to find it when she was home there over Christmas and nothing. Imagine that, especially as she lives very near Hay-on-Wye, the location of the book!) At last, I got to use my $20 Amazon gift voucher from Tanabata. Woohoo!

And finally, last weekend, my parents celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary. I couldn't help much in the preparations cause of work but it was great party - good food, family and friends we haven't seen in an age. At first I wasn't too sure about celebrating 45, but as our priest said, 'why not?' And he's right. There was much to celebrate - just wish my sister and brother-in-law could have been there too.

I've just been vegging this Saturday and will again tomorrow; blogging, surfing, watching TV and doing some reading. How about you? What are you up to this weekend? And if we haven't chatted in a while, how have you been?

Labels: General, News

I'm utterly pathetic and deserve to be flogged.

Bear with me as I try to live up to the name of this blog in real life. Two weeks of non-stop copy-writing projects and I'm near worn out. I've got another hectic week ahead after which I think I can safely draw breath. And I'm giving birth soon too. To that magazine I mentioned earlier. Publishing pains seem almost as bad as baby-popping ones. Only there are no drugs to ease this pain.

Speaking of which, there's this nagging pain in my left heel. I only noticed it after my summer in the US last year. I usually go barefoot at home but now, I HAVE to wear bedroom slippers with a cushioned heel otherwise it hurts to walk! I really need to get it seen to soon. Oh, and I notice that wearing my Birkies make it worse.

Anyways, if you're a new guest or a returning old friend, forgive my tardiness, lack of visits and non-appearance. Famous last words but...I'll be back!

UPDATE: Bear with me folks, I'm having some publishing problems with Blogger. Silly thing won't publish FTP.

Labels: General

The iPhone is finally coming here. In September. And a 3G version too.

*faints*

Labels: Geek Stuff, News