The Bookshelf: Old Friends

In this brand-spanking new series here on M&M, I'll just be chatting about what I'm currently reading, what I've tossed aside, or what books I've recently picked up--generally what is on my bookshelf. I love talking about books, and I enjoy reading, although these days I don't read as much as I would like, and so I thought I'd do a little blurb about what I'm currently, or just recently read, or what I hope to read soon, to hopefully spark some interest. With that said, I've been all about revisiting old friends this month--either authors of whom I'm a fan, or just books that have been spending way to much time on my shelves without me even breaking their spines. I'm trying to do more reading since it IS summer vacation, and so I present you...

The Book of Images by Rainer Maria Rilke

This is a book I only just got around to reading after having purchased it from the Elliott Bay Book Company the last time I was in Seattle... 5 years ago. This poor book has sat in my "unread" section of my bookcase all that time, despite me picking it up on several occasions with the honest intent on reading it. In college, when I was toying with the idea of majoring or at least minoring in comparative literature, Rilke was one of the authors I was exposed to early on and took an immediate liking to his poetry. One of the greatest banes of my existence is that I never learned German, and so I can never fully experience the Rilke's poetry the way it was intended, nevertheless, I still think there is some magic found in the translations. What is so appealing is that there is just something sort of nostalgic and wistful in the way Rilke writes. I am a firm believer in having books come to you at the right time and even though it may have taken 5 years, the timing was perfect for me to be in the right place in my life to appreciate this collection.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

I had been waiting to read Eleanor & Park for what seems like ages upon ages now. I am such a lover of YA fiction, and had heart just so much about this book from freaking everybody and I was greedy to get my hands on it. I finally picked it up back in November--along with Rowell's Fangirl and John Green's The Fault in our Stars--and while I plowed through the other 2 novels, I kept putting off Eleanor & Park. Granted, work picked up again and I was extremely busy, but also I just, again, wasn't in the mood for this particular kind of story of a young star-crossed lovers in the flush of their first love. But as soon as school let out for the summer, I found it was the best beach read for me. I have to say, though, that it wasn't as good as the hype made it out to be. Maybe I just had a lot of expectations going in, especially having delayed reading it for months which just allowed all those expectations to fester, but I felt like bot Park and especially Eleanor were two-dimensional for me--which I know is saying a lot given the storyline. There were plenty of good, bordering on great, moments, but on the whole it was just not as amazing as I thought it would be.

Wind, Sand and Stars by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The author of this next book may be familiar to you, and it's probably because he is the author of the insanely popular and most beloved Little Prince. Yes, the little prince from the planet of endless sunsets, and a rose without a thorn, and the sheep without muzzles, and the countless laughing stars. de Saint-Exupery's writing has always enchanted me because it's so evocative yet deceivingly simple, and just so beautiful. de Saint-Exupery, beyond being a gifted writer, was also a pilot, and Wind, Sand and Star is a memoir of his crash landing and survival in the Saharan desert. I've only just cracked into Wind, Sand and Stars but already I'm yearning for adventure and far off spaces.

Neither Here Nor There by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson's work is an old friend of mine, having read his other travel novel about living in England, Notes from a Small Island, and since I've been having just the worst hunger pains for travel in Europe recently, I thought the next best thing (probably not though) would be to read about it. In Neither Here Nor There, Bryson retraces his steps across Europe from a trip 20 years prior which takes him from the most Northeastern city in Europe to the straits of the bosphorous in Istanbul, and is full of tons of enough quirky and charming anecdotes to make a person pick up a backpack and made the same pilgrimage.

What are you reading?

La Roja: A Love Story

We are in the thick of the World Cup, the only time in 4 years that Americans seem to even care about the sport, and so it comes as no surprise that I am frequently asked how I grew interested in the sport, and why, of all teams, I support Spain.

And I totally get it. I am not, upon first impression and later admission, someone who seems to care about sports at all. Being from San Diego, it's not like our home teams were something to brag about--sorry to say, please don't revoke my membership. I have never been an athlete and only played sports when they were required of us during P.E. classes in school. I never participate in office pools, can't remember the last time I went to a football/basketball/baseball game, and generally have no idea what is going on in American sports.

So when Le Roja steps onto the pitch, it seems the oddest thing in the world that I would be glued to a TV, jersey on, and ready to yell at every dive or celebrate every goal. I was so excited for the World Cup, I made a schedule of the matches and put them into my calendar. I even made a bracket, for crying out loud. On my social media outlets, I have not tried to hide how much I was anticipating the start of this tournament.

But is my love of the beautiful game merely affectation? A desire to separate myself from my American upbringing and claim rank with the rest of the world where football–the game of football–is the most popular sport? To be "different" from my peers? Is it because soccer/football players are "so hot?"

Tapas & Spain's first match of the
World Cup 2014.

And what about my preferences for club Real Madrid and country Spain? Many people will say that it's easy to love Spain's national team or that Real Madrid is an easy choice--they are champions, they are on top of the game, and doesn't everyone like to win? It's easy to support a team when they give you bragging rights, when they serve up championships like cake, when you get to ride those feel-good vibes of victory and success.

But the answer to these two questions are much simpler than that.

It was 2005 and I took my first flight into Europe--to Paris of all places--to meet my sister who was working abroad in Spain. After a trying few days in France, we made it to Madrid, where she was living. And it was in this beautiful country and this wonderful city, that I was...initiated, in the best possible way, to football.

And it was different than how I had seen the game played in the US, and the just die hard passion of the fans overwhelmed me. It was intoxicating to get caught up in the frenetic energy of the sport and the players and the fans. And the game, the game was simply beautiful. As cliche as it may sound, there really isn't another world that can adequately describe everything that the sport is. It was stunning to see.

Being in Madrid at the time, and with a certain forceful and insistent crowd, it was an easy choice to support Real Madrid. But if I had made my selection not based on the purest of intentions, then my decision to continue to support that team, even in the many years that have passed since I last step foot in that city, stems from the gratitude and the memory of what that city gave to me, what that country showed me, that first time I ventured into Europe.

That said, the last several years have been spectacular to witness as a fan of La Furia Roja. I have seen this "golden generation," this dynasty of kings, stamp their dominance of the game across the globe, have seen them seal their destinies under the weight of trophies, have seen them celebrate their victories in clouds of confetti. And more than that, what they have brought to the game is nothing short of spectacular.

And now that they are leaving the World Cup--the defending champions exiting at the group stage--there is talk about what this means for the team moving forward, about the defeat of tiki taka, of the end of an era. As a fan, it has been nothing short of heart-wrenching to see La Roja play like they did, because I knew they were capable of so so so much more. It wasn't supposed to end this way for them. It was tragic in every sense of the word. The only bright spot was today's final match against Australia, where we finally got a glimpse of what they were able to do. Some may say, a spark of their former selves.

But putting off all the questions about the future for La Roja, today's match was all about giving a proper send off for these players, this incredible group of athletes who have defined world-class soccer/football for this generation. Emotions of a different sort ran high this match, and for good reason. Because it wasn't just that Spain leaving the World Cup much sooner than anticipated, but because so many of these very players would never again play for Spain, would never step foot again on a pitch at the World Cup. After dominating the field, literally, for so many years, this roster of players would ever be seen together as a team again. In that respect only, it was an end of an era.

David Villa, for example, played his last match of his life for Spain, retiring from the international play, and after scoring Spain's first goal of the tournament, left the pitch in tears.

            

 

Many people, I know, are happy with Spain's loss. They want a new game, a new team at the top, and I completely understand that. Will them losing the World Cup make a difference in my support for them? Not at all. Now that Spain once again have something to prove, I believe this is a great opportunity for their growth. I am looking forward to the next Euro Cup.

In the meantime, I am just so grateful that I have been able to witness La Roja's greatness these last several years. They are a team that holds so much significance for me, and I support them with great affection. This is not the end--definitely not the end of an era--but a new beginning.

For me, they will always be kings. Gracias Por Todo. VIVA LA FURIA ROJA!

Favorite Things: May

I'm back with a new series here on M & M: my monthly favorite things. Basically I will give a list of my list of favorite things of the month in a variety of categories. For May I experimented a lot with new products, especially for skin and makeup not only because of the change in seasons, but because I've been trying to find more products to replace my Korean ones. If you notice, there's not a book category as I'll be doing that separately :) Here we go...

Kpop Corner #2: Running Man

For this installment of the Kpop Corner, I thought I'd bring you a much loved, and personal favorite, genre of the Korean entertainment line-up: the variety show. In the US, I'm not sure we have an equivalent type of show--one the combines "reality" type programming that is non-survival, non-marriage binding, non-7 strangers picked to live in a house, with comedic situations. Although Korean variety shows don't send people home every week, they don't abandon their cast naked and alone in remote parts of the world, they also are not a game show in a traditional sense (although there are certainly games involved). Let me put this a different way.

Korean variety shows typically have a set cast and often have "guest" stars join them each week. The show, is both real and scripted. The producers will structure and plan for certain things to happen, whether it be assigning missions/challenges to the cast or setting up a ridiculous situation, but the best variety shows rely not on the schemes that the producers cook up, but on the comedic timing and relationships of its cast.

An example of a popular variety show is Running Man, not to be confused with the popular 80's dance step. In this variety show, which was initially billed as "urban action variety," the cast is met with a series of challenges that they must complete in order to obtain final victory--whether as the last person standing, winning a prize, or just plain old bragging rights.

In this clip, a simple game of rock paper scissors is anything but, with the losing team being launched in the air and into a swimming pool via a catapult contraption, but like all competitions on Running Man, it's all in the spirit of good fun.


[EngSub] Running Man Ep.147 Part 1_2 (Kim Soo... by movie-trailers4you

But the highlight of Running Man has to be the "name tag ripping game," a hilarious adult version of "hide and go seek" meets "capture the flag," which involves battling members of opposite teams to rip off their name tag attached to the back of their shirts in order to get the "out" of the game.


These are shows that make you laugh, and sometimes cry, as you grow increasingly attached to the cast members with each passing week. Watching the cast and their antics, seeing what kind of hilarious situations they find themselves in each week, and what kind of games they'll play, is worth watching. And, I don't know about you, but I would love to participate in Running Man's games! In short, it's a damn good time.

Ask Me Anything!

(Or almost anything)

here--> ask.fm/perangtang

The Comeback 2014

Things have changed since I started this blog as a way to sort out all that I was mentally and emotionally going through in the wake of returning to America & attempting to be an adult. I no longer have this crippling worry about fitting in or then over-compensate for my anxiety. And while I still think about Seoul from time to time, it is not with that deep longing and heartache as if I might have made a wrong decision in returning home. I am mostly a functioning adult with my mind firmly set in the present and near future.

All in all, things are good.

And so I feel like I'm in a good space to return to the blogging world. I know this blog has been neglected for most of this year, largely due to the fact that instead of blogging, I've been journaling. I didn't make any firm resolutions this year, but one thing that I wanted to get in the habit of is journaling more often. I like the idea of me writing books about my life--if only for me and to be read by me. As I get older, I've found that my memory isn't as dependable as it once was, and that I being able to reference an event or a time in my life in my journals is useful in keeping my mind right. It's also nice to revisit with myself from ages past, and I think it's also useful in seeing what personal developments, if any, I've made. I know that I could also do that with a blog, and have quite often done so in the past, but as a blog is, by definition, a public thing, I am not always forthcoming on my posts, and sometimes what's needed in a moment isn't a well-planned and executed blog post but a long rambling tirade of emotions that can happen in the privacy of your journal. I have little doubt that my journaling this year has helped me see my life in certain ways and focus my attention on the things I wanted to change.

So now that I'm in a much better place than I was last year, consider this my comeback. I've thought of a lot of different things of this blog during my hiatus, and I'm excited to get to them.

K-pop Corner #1: Akdong Musician

I know I've been neglecting this blog (for reasons) but I'm going to try and ease into blogging once more. I find that after a long hiatus, I come back to my blogs with renewed enthusiasm. And with that in mind, I'm presenting this new series on my blog called "K-pop Corner" where, bi-monthly, I will introduce some (hopefully) interesting piece of k-pop to all your inquiring minds. It may be something as simple as a song, a short video from a variety show, a trailer for an upcoming movie, or something of the kind. There is just so much to k-pop besides Psy & "Gangnam Style" and the aim of this series is just to broaden the horizons a bit on what else K-pop has to offer. Think of me as your K-pop ambassador, if you will.

 For this inaugural post of "K-pop Corner" I decided, after much a long debate with myself, to go with something a little more accessible and familiar, but not lacking in punch. I give you the talented sister-brother, singer-songwriter teenage duo, Akdong Musician.

 
The siblings (Lee Soo-hyun + Lee Chan-hyuk) first came to the public's attention when they competed in the second season of a talent survival program (similar to American Idol) called K-Pop Star in 2012-2013. They were a favorite to win, capturing judges and audience votes with their combination of clever lyrics, skillful composition, unique voices, and just over all adorableness. After winning the competition, Akdong Musician signed with one of the "Big 3" entertainment agencies in South Korea, YG Entertainment, and have recently released their debut album entitled "Play."

The album is fresh with a whimsical youthful sound that seems to embody all that Akdong Musician is. But don't be fooled; behind those child-like smiles and serious musicians are singers with talent and skill in excess. "Play" consists of 11 songs, all of which were produced, composed, and written by Chan-hyuk, who is a mere 18 years of age, by the way. Just because Akdong Musician are young and want to capitalize on the essence of being young, doesn't mean there is anything juvenile or childish in the music they are producing. And while the entire album is A+ in my book, I narrowed my selection to 2 of their songs (I couldn't pick just one) that just so happen to be their title tracks.

The first, the up-beat, incredibly delightful "200%" that perfectly captures the flush of feeling for a young love:


And to prove that young doesn't necessarily mean unperceptive, "Melted" demonstrates a more serious turn for the duo and seems to express that pivotal moment between adolescence and adulthood, where one questions why the world of adults is so cold compared to the warmth of youth. When Soo-hyun asks, "Why is ice so cold?" (a play on the words for "ice" and "adults"), it is a question that lingers with you as much as her hauntingly beautiful voices does:


What I love so much about Akdong Musician is that they occupy such a unique niche in mainstream k-pop. They're almost indie, but not quite. They're mainstream, but they're not an idol group. They have a ridiculous amount of autonomy when it comes to their music production, but they have the backing of a major record company. The result of all of that is presence of otherness in mainstream k-pop--a slightly different sound, a slightly different look--than what is pumped out of the k-pop factories. But all of that aside, I just really enjoy Akdong Musician's music. "Play" is their first musical offering, and if it is any indication of what we can expect from the Lee siblings in the future, they'll be around of a long time yet.

As an added bonus, here is the duo performing their original song, "Don't Cross Your Legs" (다리꼬지마) from their days on K-pop Star:


[ROM/HANGUL/ENG] 악동뮤지션 (AKDONG Musician) - 다리꼬지마 (Don't cross your legs) Live from Joel Ramirez on Vimeo.
Their album is available on iTunes for purchase.

I Left My Heart In Seoul

My most favorite Oppa (and only oppa lets be real) is getting married! I could not be more happy for him and his fiancee. The wedding looks like it will be in October of this year in SEOUL. While I was thinking about making a return trip to Korea next year, I certainly don't mind going sooner than that. I'm seriously too excited over the prospect of being in Korea in 6 months that I can't think of anything else. (But to be honest, I've got a lot of things to do this year w/friend's baby + bridal showers that I don't know if I can go to Korea this year < /3)