Fighting for Freedom

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When I got home from work yesterday afternoon, my attention was caught by a small bird hanging upside down from the cables/power lines/phone lines (can’t tell which is which).

Its right foot was caught between the twisting cables, and couldn’t get itself free. It just rained that afternoon so the little bird was drenched, with its leg bloodied and wings somewhat reddened by frantic effort to fly free.

I wanted very badly to help the bird — at first, I thought it was a warbler, but I couldn’t tell because the feathers were all messed up — but I have nothing long enough to help it with, and the fact that it may be the power lines also frightened me. Everywhere around me was wet, and add that electricity — I am signing up for a death warrant. I didn’t want to mess with that.

I stayed right where I was hoping that some miracle would happen. A small flock of sparrows gathered nearby and I awaited in eager anticipation if birds have the capacity to show compassion and organize a rescue. But they just looked on and flew away. A warbler came very close but only gazed curiously at the hanging bird momentarily and flew afar.

“You’re a goner! Tough luck, buddy!” I thought the birds were saying.

“Are there any good Samaritan birds among you!?” I called back in my head.

The little drenched bird tried with what’s left of its might to set itself free, but failed time and time again. It was then shivering either from cold or exhaustion as it showed signs of surrender.

I had finally decided to go and get ready for Kendo practice. I left the sight of the poor bird, still hanging upside down, reluctantly waiting at Death’s door.

By morning, I found it already cold and lifeless, billowed by the strong wind that sways it to and fro. It didn’t get its freedom because no one thought to help it free.

I was very saddened at the sight of it. It had not meant to meet its end there. It is an awful and a most unfortunate way to die.

It was a sparrow.

There It Goes Again…

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I was asked last night, “Are you going to join the championships?”

“Oh no!” I replied, shaking my head in disbelief. He was referring to Kendo.

“You should join! You make a good fighter,” he answered back.

I was still shaking my head in my mind. I can barely manage to find an opening and a good strike at Jun senpai during Kakari Geiko, so what’s he talking about?

But then again, this was a comment coming from a very competitive Kendo practitioner. However, I am quite flattered that he thinks of me as competition material. :)

I better work harder then (just for the sake of getting better).

A Literary Menu

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Books for breakfast, books for lunch and books for supper! I have regained my passion for reading once again, and it’s amazing how much books I’ve devoured within two months!

1. “Week-end Wodehouse” by P.G. Wodehouse

  • Although I haven’t finished reading this yet, it is one very witty (and at times hysterically funny) collection of stories set in the 1930′s where unwittingly scheming lords and ladies often find themselves in an absurdly humorous pickle — which is often resolved by their discreet gentlmen’s-gentlemen. Wodehouse popularized the butler, or rather the ‘valet’ named Jeeves (from which the AskJeeves.com originally got their name from).

 

 

2. “The Red House Mystery” by A.A. Milne

  • The famous author of “Winnie-the-Pooh” turns out to be a colleague and the controversially ‘former’ friend of the Wodehouse himself. What’s even more surprising is that the former wrote a whodunnit book — his one and only work in that genre! This crime and mystery novel of his is pretty surprising as its got a bit of a Wodehouse feel to it — except of course that the humor is darker, and the theme is crime. Unfortunately, it hasn’t quite gripped me just yet so it’s now stashed under the ‘pending’ books to read.

3. “The Mysterious Benedict Society” by Trenton Lee Stewart

  • What a delightful little book this is! It’s an adventure-filled children’s book with plenty of puzzles and mysteries that both young and old can enjoy. I especially love the very gifted characters in it and the friendship they formed throughout their ordeals.

 

 

4. “The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey” by Trenton Lee Stewart

  • The second book in the series continues the adventures of the four children as they go on a dangerous treasure hunt necessary for the rescue of their narcoleptic leader, Nicholas Benedict. :)

 

 

 

5. “The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma” by Trenton Lee Stewart

  • The last book of the series which marks the end of the four gifted children’s dangerous missions — after they of course underwent one final dangerous mission. It is quite a page-turner and a heart-rending end to the series. It is followed by another book focused on the past of their leader, and its entitled “The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict.”

 

 

6. “The Name of This Book is Secret” by Pseudonymous Bosch

  • I find this book most entertaining and a real joy to read. It deals with a very dangerous secret that can destroy the world, which therefore forces the author to withhold the identities of its characters, their locations, and pretty much their activities — if the author can help it.

 

 

 

7. “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” by Pseudonymous Bosch

  • The adventure and secrecy continues as the main characters had the immense privilege to meet a homunculus — who happens to be a cannibal! Oh what disaster awaits them as they accidentally let him loose.

 

 

8. “This Book is Not Good for You” by Pseudonymous Bosch

  • The third of the Secret series, this time our secret characters find themselves investigating chocolate! This is the most delectable book in the series, and what a pleasure it is to read it! I haven’t gotten my hands on the other 2 sequels so, we’ll just have to wait and see.

 

 

 

9. “The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James

  • I started reading this when I was 12 and found that I could not understand it. I waited till I was in HS and tried re-reading it again, and still could not get past the 2nd page. By college, nothing seems to get me to comprehend that blasted book! And finally, now that I think I can handle ‘challenging’ books, I had finally finished it — and still find  myself perplexed. It calls itself a horror ghost story, but it has accomplished nothing except to give me a massive headache! No screws were turned — except either the author’s or the narrator’s who had seem to have lost it.

10. “H.I.V.E.: Higher Institute of Villainous Education #1″ by Mark Walden

  • I am not usually drawn to action-packed, hi-tech-plenty books like these, but this young adult read is pretty interesting! I don’t know if I want to buy the 2nd book though as there seems to be a lot of sequels to this. There are seven the last time I counted. I don’t think I’m up for that.

Below are books I am currently reading in-between, or rather, juggling to read:

“Dead Souls” by Nikolai Gogol

  • I love translated books. The flow of words are often very beautifully fluid and eloquent, and the story of this particular Russian book is very intriguing. The main character seems to have some modus operandi up his sleeves and I am eager to find out what!

“The Search for WondLa” by Tony DiTerlizzi

  • This beautifully bound and beautifully illustrated book caught my attention right away! It is another young adult book which is set at some distant future wherein our heroine finds herself to be the only living human being in a very strange world — all left alone to fend for herself.

 

 

“Once Upon a More Enlightened Time” by James Finn Garner

  • I have an immense fondness for fairy tales, and so to find this ‘More Politically Correct Bedtime Stories’ of Hansel and Gretel or The Little Mermaid, it was something I could not just resist passing it by. I’m glad I purchased this book and have found myself thoroughly amused by this more politically-correct adaptation of my favorite fairy tales.

 

 

To see more of the books I have read or am currently reading, see the Goodreads widget on the sidebar.

The Fall of the City

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When I was in 4th grade, I’ve been subject to memorizing various literary orations and declamations that our Speech teacher had made us know by heart. It was a drab memorizing long, verbose pieces, but I actually reveled in it! I found them highly eloquent and thought-provoking.

There is however one piece that I was most intrigued by and had never fully understood. I don’t recall our teacher ever explaining the piece to us, except that she gave it to us as a required assignment to be put to memory within a week. This was in the 5th grade, and after delivering it in front of our class I had forgotten most of it.

Fast forwarding to 2010, I again reminisced and privately recited all the pieces that I had memorized and found that I had forgotten this particularly intriguing one. I can’t even remember its title nor do I know its author. All I had to go by were the following lines:

“Do you see the smoke on the mountains?

The smoke is the smoke of towns.

And who makes them? The conqueror!

And where will he march now? Onward!

The heel of the future descends on you.”

I tried Googling it several times, but in vain! This had constantly haunted me and was slowly killing me as line by line continuously disappeared from my memory.

Finally, just this very evening, I tried to search for it again online and thought that the line, “The heel of the future descends on you,” was particularly unique. And low and behold! I had found it!!!

The piece is an excerpt from a radio play called “The Fall of the City” by Archibald MacLeish. It is orated (in the play) by a General inciting the people to fight for their freedom moments before their Oppressor finally walked through their gates to conquer them.

It is a heavily dramatic scene and, after many years of wondering what the hullabaloo was all about, I finally understood its meaning and immensely appreciate it.

Below is the original radio play performed by Orson Welles and Burgess Meredith for the Columbia Workshop broadcasted in April 11, 1937. (I love the 30′s, don’t you?).

 Columbia Workshop – 370411 The Fall of the City .mp3
Found at bee mp3 search engine

 

 

 

3rd Kendo Injury

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My recent injuries from Kendo are two large ruptured blisters on my left foot (one on the toe mounds and one on the neck of the big toe). This is caused by suriashi (sliding on the floor), which is a major footwork in Kendo.

After my first injury months ago, I made it a point to bring a mini-first aid kid with me every practice. It contains several band-aids/plasters/adhesives of different sizes, some gauze, sterilized wet wipes/cleaning cloths, and small scissors. I also bring an antiseptic and a cloth tape (which has become a must-have for me) with these.

It had been very difficult to walk for two days. I limped a lot. But I found that wearing shoes with a soft padding helps a lot to alleviate the pain and discomfort of using your feet. It only took about 2-3 days for the injuries to start healing beautifully, and now (about day 10) it has mended very nicely and I think the secret to it is cleaning the injury diligently.

So always bring your first aid kit with you.

Kendo Photos

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Yes, I practice Kendo (a beautiful Japanese Martial Art utilizing bamboo swords). Below are some photographs I took during a 7-Dan Sensei’s visit to Cambodia held at the Japanese Embassy sometime in February. It was a very memorable experience and I shall never forget it (especially since I took plenty of photos, below which are just a handful of samples). You can see more photographs of Kendo in Cambodia at our Club Blog.

Then sometime last month, my fellow beginners/members and I were thrilled to receive half of our long yearned-for bogu (uniform and armor). We are now practicing even harder to earn the other half. :) It has been very tough — our practices — particularly now that the weather’s getting even warmer, and the humidity at times can be unbearable. But harsh conditions are good, says my sensei. It really tests your endurance.

Well, we hope to earn those bogu soon! So here’s to hoping… .

 

A Kenshi is Born!

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This evening at Kendo practice I got myself my second set of injuries (but not too serious as the first one, which was a ruptured-blister-and-flappy-skin on my left foot which made walking and wearing shoes very challenging and painful for a couple of days. Not a pretty sight!), and they are:

a) A blister below my thumb ‘mysteriously’ caused by holding the shinai (bamboo sword), and

b) 2 small bruises (on my knuckles) caused by my pushing my sensei after a men (head) hit as I was suriashi-ing (Kendo slide) forward because he wouldn’t move aside.

But you know what? I’m pretty proud of these injuries. My sensei praised me for pushing him, and it was very encouraging to be told that I did a “good job!” So these things — the injuries, the bodily pains, the exhaustion, the 2-hour-long-no-break-practices, and being pushed to one’s limits — they’re all worth it!!!!! :)

Well, after practice he asked me which bogu (armor) I was taking!! *volcanic elation*

I think I’ve just earned my bogu! At last!! Weeeeeee!!!

(Bottom photo courtesy of my friend and co-kendoka, Alex M.). :D

Artist Watch: Michelangelo

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One of my biggest influences in drawing and painting is Michelangelo Buonarroti. He is a remarkable Renaissance sculptor who happens to be a very gifted painter, architect, engineer, and poet. He was made famous by his ceiling frescoes on the Sistine Chapel, which he was at first reluctant to do because he considers himself a sculptor first. But he had astounded the world with his expertise in painting and had proven himself a real master!

(Left) Portrait of Michelangelo by Volterra.

My 5th grade class began studying about him and his works the previous week. We discussed about his Sistine Chapel ceiling frescoes and they were not as in awe as I was when I first learned that he spent four years on his back painting the ceiling, which kind of was a downer for me. So to give them a chance to appreciate Michelangelo’s hard work and extraordinary talent, I got this idea online to have them be Michelangelos for a few minutes.

To accomplish this, I gave my students A3 paper, tape, and charcoal pencils and asked them to tape the paper under the tables, which will be their ‘ceilings.’ They can draw anything they like for 10 minutes. They were thrilled to undertake this unusual project and soon, they were all on their backs on the floor, and the first pangs of difficulty had set in.

They reported that drawing on their backs gave them the following (although not all at the same time):

1) headache  2) back ache  3) visual difficulty  4) great fatigue over arms or hands 5) feelings of lethargy.

But they all nevertheless found the activity fun and interesting. I don’t suppose they’ll ever forget the experience, or perhaps the name Michelangelo.

For more of my drawing appreciation of Michelangelo’s work, click here.