Rereading “The Sheikh”

Thai Novel The Sheikh and The Golem and the Jinni

Welcome to the 121 days since the shelter in place order and since I’ve been working from home! I hope everyone is doing okay out there. As for our little household, we’re doing okay. But as you know, for some of us creative type, being stuck at home is driving us slowly mad. As the quote from Where’d You Go Bernadette goes: Exactly. So, I’ve sewn masks for donation. I’ve cleaned out the garage. (Also because we had “little visitors” apparently.) I’ve gotten more indoor and outdoor plants. I’ve started a weekly Instagram Live show on Mondays at 8 p.m....
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Reading Challenge: Fahrenheit 451

The Simpsons - Book Burning Mobile

Reading challenge #9: A book that was banned at some point. Note: This is NOT a book review. It’s more of a story as to why I chose the book for the challenge and my reflection after having read it. See full challenge list at the bottom of the post. This challenge is the irony to end all ironies when the book is “Farenheit 451.” F451 was not on my high school reading list, so I never read it. I came to the U.S. for my high school junior year, remember? And up to that point in my life, the...
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Reading Challenge: The Girl on The Train

OakMonster - The Girl on the Train - Trainwreck

Note: This is NOT a book review. It’s more of a story as to why I chose the book for the challenge and my reflection after having read it. See full challenge list at the bottom of the post. Note 2: Profanity is about to fly around here. You’ve been warned. You know it’s a good book when it sucks you right in and makes you feel very passionately about the characters. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins is one of those great books. I fucking hate all of these people. Every. Single. Character. Hate them all. So,...
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Reading Challenge: The Shining

OakMonster - Timberline Lodge as Overlook Hotel

Note: This is NOT a book review. It’s more of a story as to why I chose the book for the challenge, and my reflection after having read it. You already know that one of yearly goal is to read 12 books a year. Coincidentally, my friend Naz set up a book challenge with, guess what, 12 categories. A book that intimidates you. A book you should have read in school. A book published before you were born. A book you’ve already read at least once. A book you can finish in a day. A book you previously abandoned. A...
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10 Goals for 2015

OakMonster - Run for A Claus

What an interesting year 2014 has been. 2015 goals are less lofty but more personal. But first, a recap. 2014 Goals Recap: 5 out of 10 + Extra Credit Last year’s list was quite and ambitious one. Let’s start with all the fails, shall we? Fails I did not run 5K under 40 minutes at any of the 5 races I did this year. Nor did I finish reading “S”. I don’t even know where I’ve put the book at this point! I did not learn new phrases in Quenya or Klingon, which, ironically, is the opposite of the only...
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10 Goals for 2014

OakMonster.com - Brandon and Oakley with the Endeavor

Let’s do a quick recap of 2013 first. 2013 Goals: kind of 7 out of 10 Find a job I love? Check! Oh my god, check! Don’t finish last at Race on the Base? Totally check. What I didn’t expect is that I would stick with running and continue to run 5K races around the neighborhood. This year’s Race on the Base is my one year anniversary race, and also my last race in a series of 3 to receive my first ever series medal! Be able to do 20 burpees in a row? I wouldn’t say in a CONTINUOUS...
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