Short Story Posted On Medium - A Joyful Morning

Just posted a short story for the holiday season titled "A Joyful Morning" on Medium. It's about a boy sitting alone in the playground on Christmas morning. Something is bothering him because he is crying. Even a visit from Santa does not appear to cheer him up.

Bare Bear

We Bare Bears is a popular American animated series. There is little doubt that the title is a wordplay with the homophones “bear” and “bare”. I always get confused with the words and often misuse them. Hence, it is worth looking into their usage.

In its adjective form, bare usually means naked, devoid of any coverings; simple and basic. As a verb, it means to expose or uncover. Here are some sentences that will help to provide some context:

1. A bare, chubby baby is cute and cuddly but a naked, fat adult will be avoided at all costs!
2. The couple stands by the doorway to their new house which is bare of any furnishings.
3. The bodybuilder bares his muscular body from the waist up for all to admire.

Meanwhile, a bear is a furry, giant animal that we all know. It is often portrayed as a friendly beast in the movies but that is far from the truth, so don’t go near one. Sometimes, it is also used figuratively to depict a giant or huge person. The confusion with bare comes when it is used as a verb where it means to carry, support or withstand.

1. The old structure will not be able to bear the weight of the new equipment.
2. Greg’s parents could not afford to bear the expenses of his lavish lifestyle anymore.
3. Her husband can’t bear the taste of pickles.

It will not be easy to separate the two words, but hopefully, this article helps to shed some light. There are plenty of posts online that will be able to do a better job than me. Last but not least, for the fun of it, here’s a sentence that utilises both words:

Chased by a family of bears, the jogger ran for his life and barely made it out of the woods alive.

Phew!

A Scary Pumpkin Story - A Horror Short

It was a dark and stormy night. Up in the attic of an old house, its lone occupant, middle-aged Jonathan was working on his Halloween decorations. The rain was beating hard on the window. A single incandescent light bulb barely provided enough light. After some final touches, Jon laid down the knife and held up his masterpiece in admiration.

There you go! Bet you will give everyone a good fright, Jonathan thought. Let's call you… Jack!

Suddenly, the window broke free from its latch and a gust of wind tore through, bringing in the rain. Jack the pumpkin started to vibrate in Jon’s hands. He dropped Jack on the table and backed away. In the tense moment, he forgot about the chair, so he tripped over it and fell on the floor. Fibrous strands and seeds gushed out of Jack’s carved mouth and eyes. Splotches after splotches splat on the floor. Fiery flames burst out of Jack’s eerie eyes and mouth.

Jack let out a chilling groan as a new strand of vine extended from its stem. Instead of refreshing green, the vine was withered and brown. More vines branched out to form a grotesque, thin body with flailing limbs. At the end of the limbs, tendrils split and intertwined to form crooked fingers and toes. It let out a deep, maniacal laugh. Hunched, Jack stumbled towards Jon. With each step, it gained in strength and looked more threatening.

Jon was rooted to his spot, immobilised by fear. The menacing silhouette of Jack loomed above him. Flashes of lightning illuminated Jack, revealing more terrifying details. Jack let out another bout of laughter and raised its hand to strike. In one swift movement, it brought its hand down with the intent to rip Jon’s head off. In a last effort to save himself, Jon raised both hands to cover his head and braced for the blow. With his last breath, Jon closed his eyes and screamed.

The story continues after the break…


Jon stopped screaming. He always thought death came together with excruciating pain but there was none. Relieved, he opened his eyes. He was at peace and knew he was at a better place with angels, rainbows and puffy white clouds. Instead, he was back in his room of terror. Another figure stood between him and Jack.

The similarly deformed, vine-stick figure was Joe, a watermelon that Jon had experimented on earlier before he tried his hands on the pumpkin. Joe’s hand had pierced through Jack’s mouth. Red, hot lava oozed out of the wound. Flames engulfed Joe’s hand before it turned to ashes. In its place, new vines grew to replace it. Jack attempted to swing its hand at Joe but missed. Joe raised its leg and kicked Jack across the room.

Jack crashed and splintered Jon’s bed. It managed to rebound immediately and lunged at Joe. The melon side-stepped and grabbed Jack’s disfigured head with one hand. Joe gripped the stem with its other hand and pulled it out from the pumpkin. Jack’s body shrivelled and crumbled. Joe stared at the pumpkin in its hand. Jacked hissed. With a loud howl, Joe crushed the pumpkin. Liquid lava splattered all over Joe. Its body burnt. There was too much damage to regenerate.

Briefly, Joe stared at Jon and saw his gratitude. It turned and leapt out of the window. It burst into flames the moment it cleared the window and exploded. A ring of energy expanded outwards and sent a shockwave that shook the surrounding structures. The shockwave cleared the storm clouds if only momentarily, revealing clear skies above. Then, the clouds merged again and the storm returned, washing away any remnants of this tale about a scary pumpkin.

-The End-

Terminator: Dark Fate Review

The Terminator franchise has gone a long way, that is, in terms of its original and complicated alternate timelines, and the number of movies and TV series it generated. IMHO, the whole series is in a mess. The original Terminator and its direct sequel, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, were technological advances during their time that awed the audience even though they both worked on similar premises - the future is ruled by machines (which today we like to term them as artificial intelligence) which sent a Terminator back in time to prevent the existence of the human resistance leader. Subsequent films and TV series took this to newer, more confusing levels.

Therefore, there is no surprise here that the original creator James Cameron attempts to bring it full circle and make Terminator: Dark Fate a sequel to Judgement Day and not a continuation of the convoluted timeline. Dark Fate has all the action sequences and special effects we come to expect from the Terminator series. Unfortunately, it no longer impresses on the visual effects department because even the worse movies feature good enough computer-generated graphics these days. The only way it could retain enough interest is a strong storyline and bring in high profile actors to build on its existing (dwindling) fan base. Although it’s great to see Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton return, there is not much new material to work on. The plot is too similar to the prequels.

Backed by the pioneers, it is obvious the introduction of younger actors means the change of guards and another attempt to extend the rather stale franchise. Being an action movie, there is little avenue to build on the acting but this is expected. The action sequences are quite engrossing for the first half but as the film builds to its climax, I felt tired of the repetitiveness. Without any strong elements to support it, I would say this is a mediocre, albeit high profile and high budget film.

It also poses the same questions that never had clear answers - why send only one advanced robot (I used to think the noun “robot” is lame until I started reading Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series) to kill the protagonist that is bound to change the future? Why the resistance of the future send only one of them to protect the victim? Why can’t the bad guys just send the terminator into a more strategic time to kill off the victim? Of course, a simple answer would be “There won’t be much of a movie if these questions are answered, would it?” XD

Long story short, Dark Fate is a combination of the original Terminator and Judgement Day wrapped in a modernised package with a brilliant touch of feminism... and of course yet another effort to expand the franchise.

Coming Soon: A Scary Pumpkin Story

Coming soon, an original new short story from your favourite unknown author, me. Get ready to be chilled.

Writer's Tools

You know, I hardly write or draw with any of the tools below anymore. These days, most things are accomplished with the keyboard or touch screen. Unfortunately, this turns out to be detrimental to our well-being. Here's something I found online if you want to know more about why physical writing is beneficial compared to modern day tools: Bring Back Handwriting: It’s Good for Your Brain.

The original sketch (top right corner) was done with pencil on paper when I was procrastinating. I extended my stalling session by digitalising it on the iPad Air with Apple Pencil using my favourite app - Paper by WeTransfer. You can find a coloured version here.

Amber is not Ember

Embed from Getty Images

The Amber I know is the actress that starred in the Aquaman blockbuster. Not that I personally know her, of course. The other ambers I thought I knew were those red hot burning particles that come after a fire. When I wrote my short story “The Wizard and His Magic Flask”, I had used “ambers” whenever I wanted to describe the hot particles.

Thank goodness I did a search when I was looking for inspiration on how to phrase “ambers”. It took me quite a while to figure out what was wrong. My search did not return the “ambers” that I wanted. Then, I searched for “fire” in Thesaurus.com and voila! There it was. I had spelt the word wrongly. It should have been “embers”.

So… let’s clear things up:

According to Oxford Dictionary, “amber” is a yellowish hard translucent fossilised resin from extinct coniferous trees. If I’m not wrong, in the first Jurassic Park movie, researches discovered the mosquito with dinosaur DNA preserved in “amber”.

“Amber” is also a colour - honey yellow. It’s often described as the “ready to stop” yellow traffic light.

“Ember” on the other hand, is a small piece of burning or glowing coal or wood in a dying fire - precisely the one I wanted to describe in my story. I was lucky to have discovered my mistake before I posted the story otherwise it would prove embarrassing!

The Wizard and His Magic Flask - A Fantasy Short Story

“Seriously, dad?” a nine-year old boy said, pulling at his father’s sleeve.

“Have a little faith, son,” the father said but his quivering voice betrayed his lack of confidence. He better know what he’s doing. He’s our only hope!

In the distance, the boy wizard, not a day older than the nine-year old boy, stood with a straight posture. He was facing the throng of villagers, his back to the raging forest fire. His expressionless face did not give any reassurance to the gathered villagers.

~~~~~

The forest fire had burnt for days and nights. No one knew how it started but silently, the villagers pointed poison fingers at each other. Separated by a stream, the village had remained unscathed but the safety net was evaporating quickly. A thick layer of haze enveloped the village. The villagers were choking on smoke. It would not be too long before the fire spread across.

Everyone was in a panic frenzy but no one was doing anything useful. Putting his hope on a legend told by his great grandfather, the village’s medicine man clambered up the mountain to seek help from the wise.

When the medicine man reached the only cave on the peak, he was bemused to find a little boy perched on top of a rock. Legs crossed, eyes closed, he appeared to be deep in meditation. Aside from the age of the figure in front of him, the medicine man was rather impressed by the display of profundity, until he heard the boy snoring. The boy’s snore reverberated across the cave, shattering the man’s hope into a million pieces. The medicine man shook his head in despair and turned to leave.

“I know why you’re here,” the boy’s quiet, soft spoken voice echoed. “Do not be influenced by what you see… or hear. Come, we have a village to save.”

~~~~~

Embers floated across the stream to extend the reach of the fire, to widen its path of destruction. The boy wizard raised his hands to silence the villagers and turned to face the fire. He reached into his robe and pulled out a glass flask. He uncorked it and chanted a string of unintelligible words.

The flow of embers changed direction and shifted toward the boy wizard. In a spectacular display of swirling lights, the embers spiralled inwards into the flask, followed by smog and, finally, the fire from across. The flask glowed in tones of yellow, orange and red. Within minutes, the boy had defeated the fire. In its wake were charred remains of a once grand and ancient forest.

The wizard held the flask to his mouth and drank the fiery liquid. His body started to light up as if he was on fire. He held out his hands and pushed his body forward. A gust of wind followed by streams of energy discharged from his fingertips. Tentacles of energy weaved and intertwined with blackened trunks and twigs. Instantly, young leaves appeared and flowers began to blossom from the dead trees.

The wizard turned, smiled at the villagers, and walked towards the mountain. He was long gone before the stunned villagers recovered. They wanted to applaud but the moment was already over.

- End -

Review: Weathering with You

Weathering with You is set in Japan during a very unusual rainy season. The movie starts with Hina by her dying mother’s bed in a hospital when she sees a ray of sunlight in the distance. She leaves the hospital to investigate. When she reaches an abandoned building, she finds the light illuminating a shrine. After she prays, she is blessed with the power to alter the weather, particularly the capability to bring sunshine into the otherwise gloomy and rainy weather.

Hodaka is a runaway underaged teenager setting out to explore Tokyo. He tries to fit in but fails. Along the way, he briefly stumbled upon Hina and was touched by her generosity to provide him with food. He managed to find work with a magazine on urban legends. Not long after, he meets Hina again and eventually teamed up to start a business providing sunshine to people.

Hodaka’s status as a runaway catches up with him as the police start to look for him after his parents filed a missing person’s report. Meanwhile, both Hina (who lives with her younger brother) and her brother are about to be placed under social services. Left with little choice, the trio decides to run away. Amid all these, the weather worsens while the romance between the main protagonists blossoms. By now, most will be able to predict what’s coming next. There are little surprises here. However, accompanied by an excellent soundtrack, the movie managed to keep my attention on the screen with its beautifully done animation and artwork.

At the core of it all “Weathering with You” is a love story that feels tepid at best because there was not much avenue for the main characters to build their relationship. Besides that, the plot about weather control appears flawed. Fortunately, when combined, the movie, with its stunning visual and soundtrack, manages to build to an emotional climax that does not disappoint.

A Small Worlds Short Story - Love Blocks

Light weaved pass hundreds of suspended worlds in the shape of cubes. In the early stages of his experiments, he created simple shapes for his small worlds and their inhabitants. On one of them lived Alexis and Steven. Each was made out of a combination of three-dimensional blocks. The head was the shape of a single cube attached to a bigger cuboid body. The limbs were more segments of cuboids of varying sizes.

On the very first day of existence, they found each other at the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea. After some awkward moments, they came to appreciate each other. They held hands and stood for a long time, staring out into the open sea. In the distance, the setting sun hovered just above a valley between two great mountains. Its ray cast a beautiful golden glow on everything. They spent many seasons together and started a family.

On one mid-autumn season, as the temperature started to drop and leaves turned to shades of red and yellow, Alexis thought of baking something special for her family to celebrate their harvest. She wanted to reward them for their hard work. While Steven and the children were out, Alexis looked for inspiration. As evening gave way to night, she stared up into the sky and saw a full blocky moon rising. She smiled and moulded the dough in the shape of the moon. She had always loved the moon - simple and easy on the eyes - a total contrast from the sun.

“Surprise!” Alexis chanted as her family made their way to the dining table.

“Smells great!” Steven said.

“Mom, it looks like the moon!” their daughter exclaimed.

“Can I name it? Can I? Can I?” their son asked enthusiastically. “Let’s call it a mooncake!”

The cake tasted so delicious that it became a tradition. Every year when the air started to cool, Alexis would bake mooncakes to usher in the mid-autumn harvest. Over the years she had improved the plain cake to one with patterns on the outside and fillings on the inside. The family was content with their lives and they lived happily ever after… until Darkness passed by the cubic world and noticed the blossoming love in it. He decided it was time to intervene…

Before the sunset, Alexis washed in a lake. After she was done, she looked at her own reflection in the water. Over the years, she had acquired lines on her forehead and the corners of her eyes. Her golden blonde hair that she was so proud of had darkened over time and started to lose its lustre. She let out a sigh and was about to get out of the lake when her blocky reflection morphed into a beautiful figure with smooth outlines. She reached out to touch it but her fingers triggered an eddy of water. Her heart sunk as her image disappeared in the ripples.

“You can look as beautiful as what you’ve just seen,” Darkness’ deep, booming voice startled Alexis. “All you need to do is to wish it. Do you?”

“Yes!” she replied without hesitation.

“And so be it.”


Water swirled around Alexis, slowly enveloping her within. Storm clouds loomed above. A column of spinning wind formed a tornado that reached down to merge with the vortex of water. Intermittent flashes of lightning revealed Alexis’ shadow within the cyclone. Coldness coursed through her skin. Every edge and corner of her body transformed into gentle curves. She was no longer confined by the constraints of her blocky figure. Her body became a new definition of flexibility she never thought possible.

When the transformation was completed, the sky cleared. The cyclone receded. Floating above the lake with a full moon behind was the most beautiful woman that future humankind would come to love. Alexis looked down and saw her family staring up at her. The commotion had no doubt attracted their attention.

“Alexis, is that you? You looked... you looked...” Steven was lost for words. He could not find any way to describe his wife. He was still not entirely sure if she was, indeed his wife. The woman that slowly descended in front of him bears little resemblance.

Alexis reached out to touch her husband, “Steven, you still looked... the same.”

“Ouch!” Alexis cut her palm as she ran it across Steven’s blocky face. “I’m sorry. We can no longer be together. You are no longer… perfect,” Alexis said.

She turned to look at the night sky and flew away towards the moon. “Yes, a perfect place for a perfect person,” she whispered to herself.

As she got nearer, the moon morphed into a sphere, a ball of light. Slowly, Alexis’ new form merged with the moon. She was not prepared for the pain of a thousand needles as her skin cracked and hardened into moon rocks. Her immortalised form became encrusted to the moon as mountains and hills. Her proudness of her new found beauty made way for pain and regret. Her eyes crumbled into hollow caves as her soul ceased to exist. The new terrain that was once Alexis cast shadows on the surface of the moon that served to remind Steven and the children she had existed.

Steven brought his sleeve up and wiped a block of tears from his eye. Every time there was a full moon, Steven and the children stared longingly at the image of Alexis. Eventually, the children had come to accept that their mother would never return. They went on with their lives and left their father to grieve alone.

Light was intrigued by Steven’s persistence. Despite the hurt he felt, he was not willing to let the memory of Alexis go.

“I can never understand these humans. I wonder...” Light snapped his fingers.

Steven felt a presence behind him but he did not care. It was probably one of his children. A hand reached out and gently touched his shoulder.

“Don’t be sad, Steven,” a female voice said. “It’s not the end of the world.”

Steven turned his head and saw her. She was a complete contrast to Alexis. Her hair was dark but she had deep blue eyes. While Alexis had fair skin, hers was bronze. Most importantly, she did not possess Alexis’ curves. She was all blocks, just like Steven. He felt his heart thumping. He had not felt that way since he first held Alexis’s hand. Finally, Steven was willing to let go of the past, a past that was as distant as the moon.
- End -

“Let’s” or “Lets”

Looking at this title, I was pretty sure that there is no such word as “lets” but I was wrong. A quick search from Grammarly blog cleared all my doubts and queries about these two words. They both originate from the same verb “let” but their usage differs.

“Let’s” is the contraction of “let us” which is something like how “I’m” is the short form of “I am”. It is used when the speaker wants to suggest him/her and at least another person to do something together. Some examples:

• Great weather! Let’s go for a jog.
• Let’s visit Larry tonight.
• I doubt he’s telling us everything. Let’s shadow him to find out the truth.

Now that we’re clear about the usage of “let’s”, we shall take a look at “lets”. It is the third-person present tense of the verb “let”. It is used as a singular verb “to allow” or “to grant”. For example:

• If Jonathan lets her go, he will lose her forever.
• Besides being a place to read, the library lets others do their work without being disturbed.
• Having produced the complete documentation, the customs officer lets the immigrant through the gate.

Hope the above clarifies the usage of both homophones. Let’s not forget how to apply them correctly, all right?

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Grammarly is both a website and a keyboard app that helps verify and correct English usage. The basic functions are free while there are more comprehensive features that require monthly/annual subscriptions. It’s easy to use. Try the free features by clicking on the banner below.

It is “all right” to be “alright”, is it not?

Are there any differences between “all right” and “alright”? Can they be used interchangeably? According to Dictionary.com, they mean the same except “all right” is the formal standard while “alright” is not. If you want to use the single word, it should only be utilised in a dialogue.

You will find that Grammarly blog and the YouTube video from Miriam-Webster below concur with more elaborate explanations.

I will not be surprised if one day "alright" will be accepted officially. However, at the moment the English teacher (or anyone else concerned with proper English use) will not be pleased with its usage. Ultimately, in most situations, it is quite “all right” to use “alright”, especially in modern context unless you are being graded.

A Small Worlds Short Story - Haze Nation

“Let there be light!”

A swirl of gas formed the sun. Its light illuminated half of a small globe to reveal splashes of green and blue.

“Another one of your trials?” Darkness asked. “Why don’t you just make a big planet with billions of people already? That would be fun.”

“I need to find out what a perfect world with the perfect people are before I can make a bigger world. I need to be very sure,” Light replied.

“You’ll never succeed, brother. This is your what, millionth trial? Yawn!” Darkness drifted off, passing by Light’s many other experimental planets.

Light ignored his brother and returned to his experiment. With a snap, he created a couple - a man and a woman. He found this by far the most optimal combination.

The couple looked around, wondering what they should do. They began to observe their surroundings. Within days, they had crafted some equipment and started to clear an area for their farm. This was always how they began. Light would always help them by providing the best weather and environmental conditions. The crops flourished and the couple had wonderful lives.

Next came the family. They were blessed with twins - a boy and a girl. Light accelerated the children’s growth. Within days, they were teenagers and started to help their parents at the farm. As always, the harvest was bountiful. The parents were always happy. Unfortunately, the teenagers did not share their positive attitude. They dreaded the work they had to do the next day.

Tomorrow, the family had to labour to clear the old crops so that they could replant. The teenagers loved the harvesting because they got to reap the benefits. Sadly, they hated the clearing because they got nothing out of it other than hard work. They were not able to think beyond the current situation.

The teenagers woke early and went to a nearby clearing in the forest. Away from their parents, the spot was ideal to discuss how they can avoid the laborious task. There did not appear to be any solution. A storm cloud loomed above them, further dampening their mood. The cloud blocked out the sun’s light. At that instant, Darkness let loose a lightning bolt. It struck a nearby log. It burnt instantly with such great intensity that the twins had to back away.

They stared at each other happily. The fire made their face glow. A plan began to take shape. Farther in space, Darkness smiled, too. He had successfully implanted the idea into the twins.

As the cloud cleared, the twins set about to put their plan into action. The boy surrounded the crops with hay while the girl went to look for flint. They met again after one hour.

“Are you ready?” the girl asked eagerly. “I’ve got some extra flint. You can start the fire at the other end of the farm -“

“- so that it burns faster! That’s a good suggestion, sis,” the boy cut in. “Ready as you are.”

The girl bent low and started the fire as her brother raced across the farm. Within moments, dark smoke rose from both ends of the farm. The fire, aided by wind that Darkness conjured, spread quickly. Its hunger further fed by hay. By the time the parents came out of the house, the fire had became uncontrollable. The flames had engulfed the farm and were spreading outwards into the forest.

Trees burned. Smoke darkened the afternoon sky. The fire was strong enough to consume everything in its path. For days the small world burnt. The fire died only when there was nothing else to burn. By then, the sun was completely blocked out. The family of four had perished together with almost all the animals and foliage in the world.

Light held the world in his palms. He was disappointed that this one ended so abruptly. He squeezed his hands together and the world disappeared in a blinding flash. A loud, deep explosion echoed into eternity.

“In the next world, I will do better,” Light said.

Darkness smiled.

- The End -

Review: Educated by Tara Westover

A number one New York Times bestseller, Educated is a memoir about the author, Tara Westover’s life from the days when she was part of a secluded family. It’s about the many hurdles she had to face in her journey for a better educated life.

The book is divided into three parts. The first serves as an introduction to her life with her conservative Mormon family. Her father is a staunch believer in Mormonism and constantly has suspicions of government conspiracies. The family were never allowed to go to school nor to hospital for any treatment despite severe injuries. Several bad accidents almost killed them. Things only went south as one after another sibling left the house for work and education. The situation turned ugly as one of her brothers became abusive. Tara lived in denial and constantly in conflict with her own feelings until a few more bad incidents triggered her to leave and get herself educated. These feelings soon turned into guilt.


Part two details Tara’s life as she starts her formal education. I doubt most of us could even think of the uphill tasks she faced because she had never gone to school and yet she took her first bold steps beginning immediately at college level. Her struggles at college was challenged every step of the way by course work, friends/classmates that could never understand her situation, and worst of all, troubles at home continued to haunt her both psychologically and physically.

While Tara drowned in despair and sorrow, and all hope seemed lost, opportunities knocked and she found her self-confidence through encouragement from people who see her for what she is.

Part three is where Tara begins her new life as she tried to settle down and earn her diploma and later her doctorate. Life was starting to improve until her troubled past, which was her family, caught up with her once more. Once again her life was in shambles. She finally broke down but can she pick herself up again?

This is my first memoir so I couldn’t attest to any prior experience but I found it to be a very interesting read. The author’s life and issues she faced were not typical day-to-day encounters. It’s also about courage and perseverance. After I’ve finished the book, I realised how important education is but it’s not only for a better future. To get educated also means to know, understand and live a better life.

Review: Train to Busan

Zombie movies are aplenty but our appetites for mindless violence can never be satisfied. The last memorable zombie movies that I can recall are the Resident Evil series (I’ve not watched the last instalment) and the standalone I Am Legend. Today, I had the chance of watching another. One that I’ve heard received rave reviews from my peers. It was released in 2016 and was a surprised blockbuster.

There were little to differentiate this film with the others. The usual: There was an epidemic and it went out of control. Whoever that got bitten will become a zombie. On the plus side, the film did not skimp on the thrills and emotions. There were the expected sacrifices and there were selfish people, too. There were scenes where the protagonists had only moments before the zombies were upon them. So don’t worry for any lack of those.


I can’t really say if the effects were good or not because the pace of the film was fast enough that I did not have the time to look for flaws. What I can say is the CGI did its job well enough.

Overall, this zombie film was nothing revolutionary but it had the ingredients to engage the audience albeit being predictable. Besides that, I was rather pleased that it was mostly done in the day. I’ve had enough of dark, and I mean lack of light kind of dark, undead movies. It’s really refreshing to watch one mostly in the light and still able to thrill. Recommended!

If you like this movie, you would be happy to know that a sequel is in the works. It’s due for a 2020 release. ;)

Review: Voice Lessons for Parents

Some might grow up in a happy family while some may not. Some might not even have one. Despite learning from all these growing up processes, we should never assume that we are ready to be parents. I would strongly advise that you read books and watch programs that provide some guidance. Any literature or shows on the subject will provide a good starting point.

One such book is Voice Lessons for Parents - What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Listen by Dr. Wendy Mogel. If this is the first parenting book you read, then you will be surprised and enlightened by the topics covered.

The topics cover parenthood that starts from the newborn child up to the teenage years. Published in 2018, the book is current with stern warnings to parents on the negative effects of exposing the toddler to mobile devices too early.

*** The post continues after the break ***

When reading a parenting book for the first time, there’s generally little experience in what to expect so the chapters after the first will be unexpected guidance and advice: Be amazed by how toddlers can quickly learn the trades by merely observing. The book points out how different young boys and girls can be, and then how much they change as they approach adolescence. These are important because as parents it’s crucial to know the child’s traits before connecting.

The book also prepares parents when the time comes to talk about difficult topics. I was surprised that the tough one is not just about the birds and the bees. There are death and money, too.

Besides topics that are directly related to parenting, there are a couple of chapters dedicated to dealing with separated parents, grandparents, nannies, teachers and other important figures that hold certain significance in the children’s life. Take for example how the teachers of the present are more cautious compared to teachers in the past. The book gives some general guidance on how to earn the teachers’ trust and entrust them to do their job.

I wouldn’t say this is the ultimate know all, tell all book but if you’re looking for your first read about parenting, I would recommend this as one of your first choices. As with any guides, this will serve only as a theoretical approach. You will still need to live out the experience yourself. Good luck!

Review: David and Goliath - Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants

I’ve just finished my second Malcolm Gladwell book (my first was The Tipping Point) and I’ve become a fan. My next book by this profound author would most likely be Blink but that is another story for another time.

David and Goliath defies the obvious just as how David killed Goliath. For the uninitiated, the story of the titular characters go way back. You can read more about it here but the gist of it is about an apparently weak shepherd called David (compared to the warrior he was going to defeat) that won the fight with a gigantic Goliath. In the process he saved a civilisation. 

The book serves as a reminder that the obvious life we live is in fact, not what it seems. For example, without thinking, most of us would agree that the smaller a class, the better the learning for the children but is it? After reading this book, I’m more cautious about highly reputable academic institutions that market their small classes this way.

*** The post continues after the break ***

The book is about how, in the face of seemingly impossible obstacles, some individuals will rise above all and triumph.

It explores the world where the undesirable can be turned to an advantage and how a disadvantage becomes the inspiration to the winning formula. You won’t know what I’m talking about until you read the book.

Every chapter is filled with a real life example so that the reader can relate to it. David and Goliath contains more twists and surprises than even the best thrillers! It’s books like this that slowly converts me from a fiction fan to a non-fiction bookworm so if you’ve not read this, do yourself a favour and get a copy!

Review: How Plants Work: The Science Behind the Amazing Things Plants Do (Science for Gardeners)

Despite its namesake, How Plants Work: The Science Behind the Amazing Things Plants Do (Science for Gardeners) is more like a beginner’s guide to the botanic world. It starts off describing the microscopic details of plant cells and eventually goes all the way to the big trees. The book is easy to understand and doesn’t burden the reader with complex terms. However, I do occasionally wish there are some footnotes to explain some terms that are unique to this field.

Some fun facts from the book that you can look forward to: We all know plants appear differently during each season. They look especially beautiful during autumn and spring but the how’s and why’s they act this way were never more than an afterthought. This book will blow your mind away as it describes in reasonable details why plants act this way.

Besides that, the book clarifies and/or dispels certain myths and techniques that are nothing more than just marketing gimmicks. Some should even be avoided because they do more harm than good to the plants.

By the end of the book, you will consider plants as more than just mere vegetation. They will become your buddies and companions in this world! Well, I may exaggerate a bit there but really, you will look at plants differently by the time you finish reading this book. There is a list of recommended books for further reading in the last few pages. I would choose The Pruning Book one of these days and create my own bonsai friends!

Review: Batman Ninja

This review of Batman Ninja seems timely as we celebrate eighty years of Batman. The Caped Crusader first appeared on 30 March 1939. Recently, I streamed the animated feature on Netflix.

After a time machine mishap, Batman ends up in feudal Japan with Gotham’s most dangerous criminals - there’s no way the story guys would miss out arch nemesis Joker and Penguin in something like this. We will find out later, Batman’s faithful butler Alfred, Catwoman, Robin and gang are also transported to this timeline. Sounds just like another good versus evil Batman movie-length cartoon doesn’t it? That is, until the surprises start to trickle in.

The bad guys arrived earlier in time than Batman and managed to become warlords and establish their own clans. It is only for sure that the already chaotic era becomes a bigger mess with this bunch’s meddling. Thus, begins the quest for Batman’s gang to right what was wrong whilst finding their way back to their own time. Naturally, there will be setbacks and betrayals along the way as the movie progresses.

The Batman Ninja version that I watched was in Japanese. The feature has all the characteristics and exaggeration unique to Japanese anime. The creative team even threw in some over the top giant robots that can combine to become an even bigger one. One can look forward to the climactic fight scenes. Coupled with some good storytelling, Batman Ninja is an experiment that just works.

As media consumption becomes readily accessible, quirky ideas like Batman Ninja are a welcome addition to the mundane styles that are common every where.

#LongLiveTheBat

Review: Enchantment - The Art or Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions

I bought this book many years back at the annual Big Bad Wolf book sale. I had no idea what enchantment (the action of positively changing people’s perception towards the reader and his/her product/business) was when I got it (see why I decided to get it anyway below). I’ve only read it recently as I start to clear my backlog of unread books (I love reading but abandoned the hobby until slightly more than a year ago when I restarted).

I love the book from the very beginning (I guess you can say I was enchanted right from the start) because:

1. It was written in simple, easy to understand English so that I did not need to keep searching the dictionary.
2. The sub-sections are short but straight to the point and concise. I don’t feel burdened or bored by a long chapter.
3. Because of the above points, it’s easy to put down and resume afterwards.
4. There are various examples of real life success stories at the end of each chapter.

Seasoned readers of business books may find the contents too simple. However, for a beginner like me, I find this to be a really good introduction to the art of enchantment. This book is also very relevant to our day to day lives. We could make good friends and have happy bosses if we keep the points in mind.

While at it, the author emphasised the importance of being genuine and do good. Never do unto others what you don’t want done unto you.

Overall, after finishing the book, I would say it serves as a great starting point whilst still very readable for the seasoned practitioners. It will work well as a quick reference guide, too, should you need to go back and look for some pointers.

* Guy, if you ever come across this obscure blog post, I bought this book because:

1. Someone suggested to follow your tweets but I can’t remember who did the recommendation, sorry.
2. The cover looks really nice.
3. The cover states the books is a  “New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestseller..”
4. The book was on sale.

Year of the Dog: My First Short Story Now on Kindle

Good news, folks! If you enjoy short stories, please give it a go with my first one titled Year of the Dog. It's now on Kindle and it goes like this:

A short story about a stray dog’s unfortunate encounters with humans that did not turn out well. In trying to escape from captivity, he soon becomes lost in the city. As the year of the dog draws to a close, will he be fortunate enough to find a decent master and becomes man’s best friend?

To buy or read for free with your Kindle Unlimited subscription, click below:

I must apologise to my fellow Malaysians because it's not available here. I've written to Amazon and below is the unfortunate reply:

Hello, 

I understand that you are unable to buy your book in Malaysia. 

Kindles and Kindle content that is published through KDP are currently unavailable in Malaysia. 

We value our international customers and hope to make Kindles and related content available in more locations in the future. 

Thanks for your interest.

Bumblebee (2018 Film) Review

Before we start, I’d like to state that I’m a huge fan of the original first generation Transformers cartoon (people seem to use the word “cartoon” less and less these days, preferring to call them animation). All the subsequent ones never quite found a place in my heart.

Looking at the big picture, Bumblebee pretty much recycles the same plot materials from the Michael Bay Transformers movie series, especially the first one - ugly, complicated robots in disguise, Decepticons aiming to destroy earth, foolish and gullible humans, humourous clumsy robots, mindless slugfest, etc.

Thankfully all these had been toned down and refined. There is also a much better actress than the Sam Witwicky-plus-hot chic combo. Surprisingly, these actually made the movie work for me.

The whole movie is much more watchable this time around with much, much lesser Michael Bay’s Transformers. In fact, the focus is on just three robots (Bumblebee and two Decepticons Shatter and Dropkick - never heard of these two until now) most of the time. It’s unfortunate Michael Bay’s ugly, overly complicated versions of robots still plague this movie but this is somewhat saved by the simpler Bumblebee and some added colours to the other two Decepticons.


Some scenes in the movie paid homage to the first generation cartoons. These gave me hope that the originals could return someday and helped me forget the current version of Optimus Prime that philosophise too much of the obvious while sounding like a too-good-to-be-true leader. I couldn’t quite remember why I used to love Optimus Prime. I most certainly don’t now because he’s really a boring hero. I suppose this movie worked because he’s not the focus.

I was disappointed that this movie is a very relevant prequel to the first 2007 Michael Bay movie. I had hoped for a complete reboot. I wait with hope and anticipation for what’s next. A message to the filmmakers - as proven in this movie, less is more, simple is better so please do away with the confusing fight scenes and it’s really not necessary to have a very attractive chic running around much ado about nothing.