The Paris Wife

Ernest Hemingway is a well-known writer, but I didn't realize The Paris Wife is a fiction based on the research of his true story by Paula McLain. Of course I knew the story was about him, but I thought it was utterly based on the author's imagination!!, since I was never with the state of wonder about Ernest Hemingway.

Now, I'm thinking like,
'Are those characters in the book all real? Hemingway, his wife Hadely, Pauline, who had affair with him, editors, Picasso and even Scott Fitzgerald, All those name of publications mentioned in the book. Those famous authors and artists that all lived in a same era. Shockingly enough, they all knew and converse with each other.'

In my opinion, the book showed pretty much below things.

1. The glamor life - No doubt, it's Paris! It's funny how, the writer, as a job, can be portrayed as glamorous as it can be- the sip of the glass of wine, the l hang outs with friends who dress and talk and act chicly, some occasional parties and skies. To add to their fun, the bullfighting and horse race. I was particularly enticed by these scenes. + the suffrage writers in any eras face, financially and emotionally.

2. Travel  - As the title of the book already tells, the main stage was Paris. But the Hemingway couple or Hemingway himself frequently traveled to foreign countries to get him inspired and write and revise. 

3. Hemingway's endless and tireless, but the passionate writing - It was literally all about writing.

4. Hadley's love and support for him - When she was pervaded by the loneliness and emptiness caused by Hemingway's frequent absence, she persevered hard to make her husband succeed as a writer. Even though she had her own dream, to be professional in piano, she only pursued and cheered for Ernest's vision, as if that was her only hope. Wouldn't it be awesome to keep someone like Hadley all the time? Someone who's constantly telling you, 'you're going to make it through hard times no matter what' 

5. Lastly, the divorce part -This context was kind of a disproportionate part of the book.
The story just wrapped up with the divorce. It's like wrapping up the unfinished burger with aluminum foil, because you're running out of your lunch time.
It was very similar to what we have often seen or heard - the once poor/incompetent man has made a career and become famous. Now what? The man abandons his sacrificial wife and welcomes another woman with his open arms? 


I loved the charm of the setting. I was taken into the several exotic places and countries that the author invited me to. McLain did an awesome job.

What Alice Forgot

 What has occurred to you in the last 10 years?
For me, I came to U.S, went to high school, college, then my family moved into a new home that we bought. And I also did a horrendous job search. 
How much do you think, a person can change over a decade?
And where do you see yourself 10 years from now? (sounds very much like a job interview -.-;;;)

Here's Alice, who has gone from a sweet, innocent 29-years-old woman to a peevish, anxious 39-years-old married woman who has three children.
She just filed a divorce on her husband, Nick.

After Alice fell and hit her head in a spin class at gym, she lost 10 years of her memory.
Will lost of her memory affect on her life positively? or.. negatively?
Viewing her 39-years-old life stage in 29-years old's perspective seemed very personal and touching.
Alice wants to neglect the type of person she has become, which she had admired 10 years ago.  
Alice's normal everyday life isn't that normal anymore. 

Even though the sentences were flawlessly smooth, the only thing I have to criticize about this novel is that Elizabeth and Frannie's letters to somebody were a little space-consuming contents.
But other than that, I loved the human in What Alice Forgot. I adored Dr. George Clooney and Alice with lost memory at the beginning lol So cute.

What Alice Forgot makes me to connect the bridges of my "past-present-future" and that it also makes me want to live harder.

I can't wait to see Liane Moriarty's another imagination. 

I'd Rather

The symptom is that my ass felt like it's stabbing itself on the first day of my period.
I have no idea what's happening back there, and even the doctor wasn't able to give me a final, accurate diagnosis of this,
but that's the kind of ass that I possess.(right now)
It's just all that wacky hormone issue.

Anyhow, I called ob/gyn nurse yesterday, to change the prescription of the brand of the birth control pill that I've been taking for nearly 3 months,
because it caused my face to break out,
and I have this strong tension on my breast on the right side, to be honest.

So this was the dialogue on the phone. N as the nurse.
N : So then, you should stop taking the pill.
J : Can't. Then, it'll start bleeding.
N : Then, just keep taking that pill. The hospital can't prescribe you the new pill or the new brand until you came in for your next appointment.
J : I told ya, it's causing the severe acne.
People were meant to be empathetical when you announced a severe acne on your face. 
N : I'd rather have you break out than bleed. [answered for me, sounding not at all medical or health professional.]
J : So would you like me to keep those pimples?
N : Yes!
I was struck, but answered obediently and even determinedly, "Ok, I will."  and hung up.

4 Secrecy to Contentment

1. Decrease Comparison-Learn to admire than having to acquire
-The fact that everyone has different life
2. Increase Enjoyment
3. Increase Perspective
4. Increase Assurance

The Secret Life of Bees

The time was taken in 1964, when the racial tension was the highest. 
Lily, the 8-yrs-old girl, one day, fled with her caretaker, Rosaleen, African American woman, from her abusive father, T-Ray, who used to make her kneel on grits. Lily's braveness came through the action, where she was determined to save Rosaleen from three white racist men, who attacked her whilst undertaking her first voting registration.

Deborah, Lily's mom was dead when she was four. Lily witnessed T-Ray threatening her mom with the gun, and to help her out, Lily tried to pass out that gun to her mom, but to worsen the case, she accidentally shot her to death.

Lily has always missed her mom and that's why she pick the Tiburon, South Carolina, as the place to escape, because the Tiburon was written on the back of the picture of black virgin Mary, which was Deborah's. Lily noticed exactly the same picture on the honey jar at the food store she happened to stop by. Asking the store clerk where the owner of that honey jar suppose to live, Lily's uncovered the truth about her mom and her new life as a bee keeper in the Boatwright Sisters' house. 

This novel made me feel good with the tranquil Southern lifestyle and the homey food.
The little girl Lily always deserves to be loved, the life part, where I realized it's nothing really different from mine or anyone else's.
And it was unusual that bees and honey were being considered this much uniquely.
To create the honey, there were so many procedures to undertake, and the most important part is, sending bees some love.
Learning to be a bee keeper. Learning to live life.
The intersection is, love.

Something Borrowed

Rachel and Darcy have been best friends since childhood. However,The night of Rachel's 30th birthday party changes everything. 

Dex, Darcy's husband-to-be, kissed Rachel and confessed that he likes her and they almost slept with each other. As the day of Darcy-Dex wedding got closer, the summer romance between Rachel and Dex got real heated up.

The whole story about Rachel and Dex getting back and forth behind Darcy's back and figuring out the decision: whether to call off the wedding or to be with Rachel, could have been very boring, and getting lame feeling about this book was what I sort of expected when I first started it. But as a matter of fact, it was very funny and I totally enjoyed it. It never lost its pace and it was impossible to put down the book, because I couldn't tell who will turn the tables on Dex until I got into the very last chapter.

This witty [chick-lit] story was told by Rachel, Manhattan's big firm lawyer's point of view, where she has observed her long time best friend, Darcy, sort of glamorous, laid-back type, who always gets everything she wants. That's why I felt like I was more attracted to the character of Darcy. I really loved Rachel's narration and I was with her in various aspects. And I also liked the way how Emily Giffin portrays the lovely competition going on with Rachel and Darcy, like for instance, the acceptance letter from Notre Dame and Darcy lying about her SAT scores.

The lesson I got from the book is that love overpowers everything, no matter how hard the obstacles are going to be. There's one sentence that Rachel said, really left me a shocked feelings.
"I love Dex enough to sacrifice the friendship."

The Secret World of Arriety

I enjoyed this sensitive animation movie.
It's the story about the friendship between a small person and the normal human, living in the same house. There was not much of a story plot, but I like the animation and the music. I also liked the voice of Shawn and I just googled who played it and it was David Henrie! O m g, cause he was not my favorite actor and I thought the voice was really awesome while I saw the movie. Interesting, haha.