Mindbabbling World

Sunday, October 13, 2024

Book Review: The Vegetarian by Han Kang

I recently read about Han Kang's The Vegetarian receiving a Nobel Prize award, and it reminded me of my own experience with the book. Though it's only 188 pages long, it took me a month to finish. Initially, I assumed it would be an easy read due to its brevity, but I was mistaken. Han Kang’s poetic language weighed heavily on my heart as I read. While beautifully written, the novel was also somewhat draining. As I delved deeper into the chapters, the story unfolded with increasing complexity—the words, the emotions, the meanings they sought to convey.

There were moments when certain scenes left me confused, and at times, I felt overwhelmed. Yet, the more I immersed myself in the narrative, the more it pulled me into its world.

The Vegetarian is about the protagonist’s profound commitment to veganism, a passion so intense that it melds her with nature itself. Some parts of the story are unsettling—gory and perverse—but readers who appreciate Kafka’s Metamorphosis may find a similar atmosphere here. I would rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.

From Island to Golden Sands

It's a bittersweet feeling. Seven months ago, my daughters and I packed our bags and flew to the City of Gold to be with my husband. It was an exhausting yet exciting experience — a new country to explore and the start of another chapter in our lives.

Touchdown in Dubai. I never thought that a desert could be cold, but it was January, the peak of the winter season. I was quite surprised. I hadn’t noticed how grand the airport was; we were transported by a train to the main area. It was our first time traveling abroad, and we didn’t know much about this country. Everything felt foreign. Thankfully, an auntie from the same flight helped us get through immigration. And there, I saw beautiful faces from the Middle East, Africa, India, Asia, and many other places. Some were still wearing their colorful traditional clothes. It made me wonder why Filipinos no longer wear the Barong and Saya on regular days.

After the long, roundabout process at immigration, we finally proceeded to the arrival area and saw my loving husband waiting for us, beaming with a smile. It was a happy moment.

Our first meal in Dubai was Jollibee! But not the usual snacks we eat in the Philippines — Jollibee here had a twist. They offered Shawarma and Biryani meals, which I really liked, by the way. Jollibee has always been my comfort food. After dinner, we walked a little with our luggage and met our flat mates. There were four of them. We exchanged quick hellos and finally got some sleep after the long journey.

(photo credit: Aleksandar Pasaric)

Japan's version of Old Europe...Stunning!

This is Nukumori no Mori (ぬくもりの森) or "The Forest of Warmth."It's a shopping centre for tourists found in Shizouka Prefecture.

After Paris, I want to visit this place. :)

Know more about this lovely place here

My 28th Year and some Reflections

Today marks my 28th year of existence on Earth, and I am grateful to the Lord for giving me another year to create precious memories with my loved ones. Before my birthday, I received wonderful gifts; they are not material things, but they are those that will last forever, and I am so thrilled. This year, I have many plans and goals, and hopefully, I can achieve them all, primarily for my family, especially for my child. Yesterday, I saw her trying on my shoes, and that’s when I noticed how fast she’s growing up.

Every day, I feel like a student at Motherhood University, learning many things that will help me raise a happy child and decode her little toddler attitudes. There have been many times when I felt I failed because, whenever she does something challenging, I can't help but break down and lose my patience. Fortunately, my husband is always there to support me. We're both working side by side on this journey. It is challenging, but it is the most rewarding thing we've ever done. I believe our child is a reflection of who we were to our parents. My daughter has helped me realize many things, like how I treat my parents, how I behave, and who I was. So this year, I want to focus more on being a mom and a wife. One of my birthday wishes is to become an excellent parent to baby G.

My Year-ender Post

Few more hours and 2014 is here. The year 2013 has been so crazy but fun. I turned 27, and I realized many things about life, especially the importance of family. Now that I have my own, I realized that they are the ones who always got my back no matter what. 2013 also allowed me to see who my real friends are and who I should cut out. I admit this year was tough, but it did help me grow and be strong.

This year, I want to thank the Lord for always looking after and taking good care of my loved ones. I always pray that they will have a happy, healthy, safe, and contented life. I am also thankful for the many blessing we received - my baby G. turned one this year, and she's growing up so fast. Now, I am happy with my decision to take a break from office work and stay at home with my family. I will continuously pray that she'll grow up intelligent, kind, healthy, and beautiful. I am also thankful that my marriage is going strong. Despite the misunderstandings and fights, my husband and I will do our best to keep our bond and love stronger.

Hopefully, 2014 will be good for us. I have so many plans and want-to-dos for the coming year. So 2014, bring it on!

DIY: GIFT WRAP USING MAGAZINE PAGES

Merry Christmas! I know, I know—this is a very late post, but better late than never! How was your Christmas? Mine was great, although I was already so busy in the weeks leading up to the holidays. I had to wrap more gifts and buy a few more as well. It's tough having so many godchildren, but it's also fun!

Anyway, I came across a fantastic gift-wrapping idea on Pinterest—recycling magazine pages as gift wrap. What a great way to save on gift wrap! So without further ado, here are my masterpieces:

Since my magazine collection wasn’t enough, I used my hubby's instead because his mags are better than mine. They’re precious to him, but he gave them to me anyway—it’s Christmas! I love the texture of Pulp Magazine; some of its pages have cool designs, which are excellent for gift wrapping. The only problem was that most of my godchildren are girls, and the magazine is designed for "boys." However, we still used it!

Here are just a few of the gifts I got for them. I love giving something useful. When it comes to the little ones, I usually give educational items.

And here’s the result of my experiment. I’m proud of it! How about you? Share your Christmas DIY ideas—it’s not too late!

The Man in the Pink Tutu

(photo credit: Buzzfeed.com)

This story made my day - A man wears a pink tutu in every place he visits. Find out why. Read his story here.

If you want to see more pictures of Bob Carey and his pretty pink tutu, read his The Tutu Project blog..

3 Life Stressors and How to Deal with Them

With so many distractions grabbing our attention, we never run out of things to do, making us constantly busy. Because of this, we become more prone to stress. Various factors contribute to it, depending on our habits, lifestyle, environment, and the food we eat. I’ve battled anxiety for many years, but it became a more significant issue when I became a parent. Recently, I experienced extreme fatigue and stress—reaching a point where I'd had enough. So, I decided to list the things that make me feel stressed. That way, I could evaluate them and find solutions. After identifying my stressors and finding ways to address them, I can say that my day-to-day life has improved. Here are some of the stressors I identified, which might help you determine your own:

Technology

As a freelancer, I usually spend 12 hours a day in front of the computer. Even when I'm relaxing, I often feel the urge to check my phone and browse the web. I realized that after using them, my eyes and back hurt a lot. It’s an unhealthy habit. To prevent stress early on, I focused on completing my work on time and limiting internet browsing when there’s nothing important to do. After my shift, I now spend time with my baby and husband.

Negative People

Sometimes, other people can cause us stress. I have a few friends who constantly complain about their lives and relationships, which affects me because I sympathize with them. However, I realized that I was becoming their emotional shock absorber, and in the end, I was the one carrying the burden. While there’s nothing wrong with listening, especially to a friend, make sure you’re strong enough to handle the negativity. If not, you can still listen, but if you're asked for advice, give a suggestion and then move on. I decided to take a break from absorbing negativity. When I’m with my friends, I bring up interesting topics and share happy stories that have nothing to do with their personal issues.

Environment

I usually spend most of the day or week at home, in my small office, without seeing other people or visiting new places. This can be stressful, especially when my room becomes messy. So, I organized my space and made time for cleaning and family bonding. A cluttered environment can be a major stressor, so it’s better to tidy up. A clean space helps clear the mind.

So far, these are my main stressors and how I’ve dealt with them. They may seem like minor issues, but when they pile up, they can become overwhelming. How do you deal with stress? Please share your experiences! :)