To write, but not to read

Right now I'm listening to the NPR interview between Terry Gross and Gary Shteyngart, the author of Super Sad True Love Story. The novel is based on the future, where books no longer exist and people's attention are glued to the screens of their iPhone-like gadget, slowly watching society collapse into pulp.
What caught my attention is towards the end of the interview. What I found interesting in the conversation between Terry and Gary is the idea that everyone wants to write, but not read. Gary finds it funny how the publishing company is bombarded with new ideas for books, upcoming chapters in a memoir and potential/not so potential authors, while the authors themselves don't read. Everyone wants to express their opinion about something through writing a book, blog, etc., but no one wants to read.
I was always taught that the only way to improve my vocabulary, my writing, and my knowledge, is through reading. I've always loved reading ever since I read my first book, and I still do. I love reading anything that keeps me on my toes and interested. Right now, I'm reading Hunchback of Notre Dame and Gone with the Wind, two great classics. However, as I grew up, I spent more time on the computer, tv, and iTouch. Gary on NPR also brought up his opinion on technology. We are now always connected through the amazing, effective technology, but it doesn't make us any happier. I'm so caught up with my news feed on Facebook, tweets on Twitter, etc., and I truly don't realize how much time I waste on it. I need to learn how to monitor my time that's spent on the computer, especially when I'm leaving to college so soon. I love being connected, but in the end, the information that I read is not very useful and worthwhile. What's worthwhile? Curled up on a comfy chair and reading a book.

"There's more to life than books, you know but not much more." -Morrissey

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Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita

Lolita
by Vladimir Nabokov

I’ve wanted to read this book ever since I heard of Throw Me the Statue’s song, “Lolita.” The plotline, an older man falling in love with a child, although it was total blasphemy, was quite interesting and unheard of. The book’s first paragraph drew me in:

“Lolita, light of my life, fire of my lions. My sin, my soul. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta.”

Lolita is about a pedophile named Humbert Humbert, a middle-aged man who has a fetish for young girls known as nymphets. Humbert finds himself as the lodger at the home of a lonely widow, Charlotte Haze and 12-year-old daughter, Dolores. His fetish became an unhealthy, sick obsession when Dolores, his Lolita, became the subject of his fantasies. This is a story about his forbidden love affair, which ultimately leads to his psychological demise.
Lolita is one of the most well-written novels I’ve read yet. I never would have guessed that English is Nabokov’s second language; it’s such an accomplishment to be fluent in another language and write a novel in it so beautifully, especially when the storyline causes such controversy. Nabokov brought Humbert’s obsession to life as his chilling desires and needs controlled Humbert like a drug.
Although the book dragged a bit in the middle as Nabokov described every detail of the “couple’s” cross-country trip, the ending made everything worthwhile. It's interesting how Nabokov portrays this "fantasy" lolita and how she would behave and act. It makes you wonder...is it really okay that love is blind in every way?

Billionaires pledge to donate half of wealth to charity

Forty U.S. billionaires pledged Wednesday to give at least half of their wealth to charity — either during their lifetimes or after death.
That could be a big boost to nonprofits, which have suffered from the recent economic downturn.
The list of those taking the pledge includes some of the nation's wealthiest individuals: Bill and Melinda Gates, Warren Buffett, T. Boone Pickens, Michael Bloomberg and George Lucas of Star Wars fame.
Buffett says the purpose of the public pledge isn't just to increase how much these people give — many had already planned to give a lot — but to inspire others to give as well.
- NPR's 40 U.S. Billionaires Pledge Half Of Wealth To Charity, Pam Fessler

During a series of private meetings held by Bill Gates and other billionaire philanthropists, forty billionaires agreed on donating at least half of their wealth to various charities. Different billionaires are interested in different non-profit organizations-public health, education, the arts, the environment, etc. Undoubtedly the donations will help the charities that suffered from the economic recession. $500 million dollars x 40 billionaires. That's a lot of money.
Of course, this brings up many concerns. Will the money go to the people who need it the most? According to NPR, many large donations are given to wealthier institutions and organizations like universities and hospitals. They tend to leave out the poor and disadvantaged.
What I'm worried about is that, although these donations are needed, what about donating what might be just as important as money: your time? This reminds me of what happened with the earthquake in Haiti. People could have easily donated money via text and pat themselves on the back, but will it have the same effect as actually getting "down at dirty with your hands" at Haiti? Haiti is different, since it's at a foreign country, but I believe volunteering your time rather than money is just as rewarding. By volunteering at the Lionsgate retirement center or the Voorhees Animal Shelter. I got to know the residents, animals, and volunteers. I played bingo, went to parties, played with the dogs, etc. I built a relationship with them, and it was rewarding. Is it the same as giving money? No, it's different, and you can't compare the two. However, I think it's a great alternative that should also be talked about. I think it would be interesting how the billionaires would react if they chose to donate their time as well. Maybe they already have.

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Jean Kwok's Girl in Translation

Girl in Translation
by Jean Kwok


Tired, penniless, and in the mercy of her aunt, Ah-Kim Chang, known as Kimberley in America, clutched onto her mother's hand, who doesn't speak any English. They just arrived to New York from China. Kimberly's aunt, who funded this trip, "generously" gave them an apartment to live in and a job to work in. The cramped apartment was condemned and infested in roaches and rats; it's unbearable to live in. The job at the Chinatown clothing factory forces Kim's mother, once a successful piano teacher, to work long hours for pennies. Indebted to her aunt, Kimberly and her mom agreed to these standards. Readers are exposed to the hardship of a new immigrants life, and as the book transitions to when Kimberley becomes a teenager, it becomes a coming-of-age story that leaves readers realizing that, maybe, light will always be found peeking through a seemingly dark room.
Girl in Translation weaves what it means to be an immigrant with family values, a sense of duty, and hope for the future. Although this is a work of fiction, Jean Kwok, also a Chinese immigrant, incorporated much of what she endured when she moved to America in this novel. Like Kimberly, she was penniless at her arrival, and her parents were forced to work in sweatshops. She lived in poverty, basically taking the description of the protagonist's apartment from her childhood apartment.
This novel kicked off my summer reading project. I loved how she incorporates the accents of Kimberly and her mother in their dialogues. Kimberly speaks and understands a Chinese schoolgirl's English; she understands most words, but struggles constantly. Thus, Kwok writes the dialogue the way Kimberly hears and interprets it. I was forced to be in Kimberly's place, feeling the sense of disorientation and bewilderment she feels. Jean Kwok puts you in Kimberly's worn shoes with ease, especially when you were an immigrant like her. Coming from Seoul, South Korea, I never distinguished myself as being different from everyone else...until I took ESL classes. I know how that feels: the shame and embarrassment of not being fluent in English. However, even through I was discouraged and felt "slow," I persevered and took regular classes in middle school. I sacrificed, however, my once fluent Korean. Still, this book truly inspired me to teach myself Korean every night, and even use a silly approach as to set the language on Facebook to Korean. Kimberly taught me to embrace and be proud of my oriental background, and that through hard work and persistence, you can move mountains.

Another ethics case plunges Democrats in deep water

"Formal ethics charges against 10-term Rep. Maxine Waters of California were filed Monday, just days after the House Ethics Committee, in a separate investigation, charged New York Rep. Charlie Rangel with 13 ethics violations.

The charges against Waters — and her immediate vow to follow Rangel's lead and challenge the findings — only confirmed the stark political reality that has emerged for Democrats over the past week.

'Democrats are facing the loss of control of the House, just owing to the economy,' says Darrell West of the liberal-leaning Brookings Institution. 'Adding the ethics problems on top of that is pouring gasoline on the fire.'"

- For Democrats, Ethics Cases Add to Woes by Liz Halloran, NPR

Days after New York House of Representative Charlie Rangel was charged with 13 ethics violations, California Rep. Maxine Waters was accused of breaking House rules by using her status to get federal bailout money for a bank that has connections with her husband. Charges for Rangel include tax violations in his Dominican Republic villa and agreeing to do official favors for his benefit. The similarity? They're both Democrats. Rangel realizes that he's losing the trust and confidence of fellow Reps and even President Obama; many advise him to resign with some dignity, which he should wisely consider. However, Waters stands firm in her innocence. Nevertheless, the Democrats are already struggling to remain in power at the House, and these ethics cases might plunge them into deep waters.
Of course I don't know whether they're innocent or not, nor is it the focus in this blog post. The question I'm asking is whether this ethics cases will result in the Democrats losing some seats in the November election. The Democrats hold 255 seats in the House, 77 more members than Republican's 178. At least 65 House seats, according to NPR, may change hands in the upcoming elections. The Democrats hold most of those 65 seats. Both political parties have suffered from political scandals and embarrassment, costing them the House Majority in many cases. Rep. Speaker (D) Nancy Pelosi is undaunted, or at least gave that appearance. She said that she was confident she will remain in power of the House of Rep. I hope the voters aren't swayed from what two people have done, even if they're considered the "top members." Yet, I do believe that many will keep the ethics cases in the back of their minds for elections. Chances are, history will repeat itself, and the Democrats may lose control partially because of the scandals.


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Late Renoir

"I will not make a portrait of you, but I will paint a picture with you in it."


Late Renoir at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
June 17 - September 6, 2010


Regarded at the time as the greatest living painter in France, Pierre-Auguste Renoir is celebrated often from his Impressionist work. I knew of his work from visiting the Philadelphia Museum, but I never really appreciated his later works. When I was younger, I thought those who focused on drawing nudes often is art as an excuse to be able to do so. I was exposed to his work in high school history classes and movies that referenced his work, notably Amelie with Luncheon at Boating Party. However, I never looked seriously explored his other work until later. I admired some of his more famous, Impressionist paintings like Bal du moulin de la Galette and Girl with Watering Can.
My father went to the exhibit earlier this summer, and told me that he wasn't very impressed by the overflow of floral, romantic paintings. He knew that I would enjoy it though and recommended me to see it with some friends. With my "Starbucks crew" (Amy, Amber, Christina and I), we walked from the PATCO train station to the museum at around 10 am. There was some confusion while buying tickets, mostly my fault, but we managed to finally receive the tickets to the exhibit. With my audio-headphones on, but not prepared with a notepad I walked through the hall into the Renoir exhibit.
There was a wall of a Renoir's timeline from when he was born on February 1841 to his death on December 1919. I then walked into the gallery where the paintings were hung on bare, white walls. What I love about museums is tuning into other people's conversations and their opinions about each paintings. However, the exhibit was quiet; hardly any art enthusiasts uttered a word. I proceeded with caution.
His late style of work in the last 30 years of his life dubbed him as a semiclassicist: his paintings had softly blended colors and a rosy, romantic palette. Female nudes and members of Renoir's household are often the subjects to his paintings. He preferred observing them doing everyday activities such as bath, play with toys, etc., making it less of an "artificial scene." Residing in Southern France (Cagnes), in a house by the sea, he painted Arcadian landscapes as well as goddesses. He said, "The earth was the paradise of the gods...that is what I want to paint." The New Arcadia turned away from the modern world as his landscapes were inspired by the Mediterranean region.
My favorite paintings of Renoir's late works often consisted of a woman brushing or hair, or had her hair simply down. I don't know if I have a strange fascination with how Renoir paints the women's silky hair cascading down their backs or spilling into their hands, but I was mesmerized. So mesmerized, at the end of the exhibit I had to rush back to one painting that I truly found captivating: Bather sitting on a rock. I loved the use of the background, her rosy cheeks and strawberry-blond hair. That was, undoubtedly, my favorite painting in the museum.
Many paintings inspired by the late works of Renoir were also displayed in the exhibit. Each generation of art transitions to the next, and many considered Renoir a true hero and artist. An example is Picasso's Woman with a white hat. He regretted never meeting Renoir. Also an admirer of Renoir, Pierre Bonnard shared his love for Southern France which was reflected through the color and sensations in his Sunlight landscape painting. A good friend of Renoir, Henri Matisse lived in Nice, France near Renoir, and had painted works inspired by Renoir as well. Renoir, rather haughtily, criticized Matisse's use of black, which Renoir didn't even consider a color, in his paintings. Matisse may have been considered a terrible artist, but Renoir credited his use of using the "color" skillfully in his artworks.
What I found utterly inspiring and admirable about Renoir is his love for painting. Renoir suffered from rheumatoid arthritis towards the end of his life; his fingers bent like claws, eventually forcing the fingertips press against the palm of his hand. Like a musician becoming deaf, it's almost impossible for him to continue painting with ease. He had to choose between walking or painting, but he was undaunted. With a paintbrush in his hand, he forgot about the crippled and painful state he was in. "Pain passes, but beauty remains." Love triumphs, and his love for his work surpassed exceedingly what his arthritis tried to restrict.
The Bathers ended the painting exhibit. It's noted as the culmination of Renoir's career, like Monet's Water Lilies. This painting does capture the essence of his work with the beautiful women nudes, floral background and Van Gogh-esque sky. It brings a happy closure with the exhibit, which then a film of Renoir is shown of him towards the end of his life, laughing as he picks up a paintbrush and paints to his heart's content.