Sunshine Blogger Award #9

Big thanks to Nen & Jen for my 9th Sunshine Blogger Award! Nen & Jen’s site goes by the same blog name. It’s one of the few blogs I’ve chanced upon and followed right away because of interesting contents and friendly blogger’s attitude. I am so glad to be interacting with them, they are really very friendly so do make sure to check on their blog as well. You won’t be disappointed, I assure you!

Let’s get started!

The Sunshine Blogger Award is given to those who are creative, positive and inspiring while spreading sunshine to the blogging community.

The Rules:

• Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.
• Answer 11 questions the blogger asked you.
• Nominate 11 blogs to receive the award and write for them 11 new questions.
• List the rules and display the sunshine blogger award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

Nen & Jen’s Questions:

1. What was the first book you really obsessed over?

 

I got really obsessed with The Kite Runner. I wasn’t even done reading the book at that time but I talked about it to literally anyone. It is one of my all-time favorites and one of the books that really touched my heart so deeply. I think most people I know knew about this book because of me.

2. Which book was your last 1-star rating?

I haven’t rated any book with 1-star. The lowest rating I’ve ever given a book was 2-stars.

3. Name your ultimate (specific) book + food/drink pairing.

The Kite Runner + black coffee (and tissues)

A Gentleman in Moscow + black coffee & pumpkin pie

The Book Thief + black coffee

4. Do you ever read a book without reading its synopsis?

 

No, never, except very recently for Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. One of my best friends loved it so much, we actually agree almost 100% on books so I thought of just diving straight to it. I ended up disappointed, though, so I won’t do it again.

5. What is your favorite type of blogging post?

I like reading book reviews, book tags, travels or any random experiences the blogger is sharing.

6. What is your least favorite book troupe?

Love triangles. (Does that count?)

7. Who was your favorite childhood author?

As a child, I didn’t really care much about the authors of the books I’ve read so I didn’t have a favorite author then.

8. Do you like to write or only like to read?

I like to write but I don’t have the talent to do so but I try to, sometimes a haiku, an elfchen, and some “reviews” about the books I’ve read.

9. If you can turn any book into a film, which would it be?

 

At the moment, I would really love Pachinko turned into a movie or a TV series. It’s a very interesting and informative book that I would love non-readers to know about.

10. What genre do you wish you could read?

I would love to try to read a graphic novel.

11. What made you decide to get into book blogging?

Same reason why I started this blog: boredom. A few years ago, there weren’t too much work to do in the office and I was on a reading hiatus. So to kill time I thought of writing about the books I’ve read. This eventually got me back into reading again.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

The hardest part in this awards is choosing the nominees. Consider yourselves tagged all of you and here are my nominees this time:

1. Mani
2. Jessica
3. Rebecca
4. Mohamadha
5. Kristina
6. Diana
7. Sammie
8. Emma
9. Yvo
10. Lisa
11. Jen

My Questions:

1. What attracts you to a book?
2. What genres do you love to read about?
3. Paperback or Kindle?
4. Your perfect reading spot.
5. Your perfect company while reading.
6. Your all-time favorite book character.
7. What movie adaptation do you think was better than the book itself?
8. What do you think of classics?
9. A popular book you dislike.
10. What is your favorite book quote?
11. Recommend one book you want me to read.

Thanks again Nen & Jen for the nomination, I enjoyed answering your questions. 🙂 Until next time!

I’m looking forward to all of your answers, the comment box is yours again, homo sapiens! Have a wonderful day and week ahead!

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A Six-Word Story

Loving you has made me better.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is my first classic of African literature. Set on the eve of the colonial encounter between British missionaries and the people from Igbo villages called Umuofia. It tells the story of one of the village leaders, Okonkwo, born to a lazy father but told himself early on that he will not be like his father and thus became hardworking and soon became famous for his strength and ferocity in war.

The book is divided into three parts. First, the Igbo society, a typical African society with all its beliefs and customs. Second, Okonkwo’s expulsion from his village as a punishment for a crime. And third, his arrival and time in Mbanta, his mother’s village. As is with the history of colonial conquest, though there were moments of hope, the ending was tragic and inevitable.

Definitely an interesting read but there’s just too much characters and lots of foreign languages I just couldn’t get used to so it was a bit on the hard side for me reading this but I think a reread will make me like this more.

Quotable Quotes:

“A proud heart can survive general failure because such a failure does not prick its pride. It is more difficult and more bitter when a man fails alone.”

“No matter how prosperous a man was, if he was unable to rule his women and his children (and especially his women) he was not really a man.”

“Age was respected among his people, but achievement was revered. As the elders said, if a child washed his hands he could eat with kings.”

“If you had been poor in your last life I would have asked you to be rich when you come again. But you were rich. If you had been a coward, I would have asked you to bring courage. But you were a fearless warrior. If you had died young, I would have asked you to get life. But you lived long. So I shall ask you to come again the way you came before.”

“He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.”

Rating: 3/5 stars

Quote of the Week

Self-care is not selfish or self-indulgent. We cannot nurture others from a dry well. We need to take care of our own needs first.

~Jennifer Loudon

Books

great companions

enjoy and learn

always there like a

friend.

7 Things I’ve Learned from a 7-Year Interracial Relationship

Let me preface by saying that I’m not an expert about this topic and I’m writing this based only on my own experience. I have never dated anyone outside my race before the 7-year relationship I had with an Arab guy. I remember telling my mom when I was younger that I’m never gonna date a foreigner but I did and the relationship went pretty serious and splendid actually, but then I guess, some good things just never last.

Each of us has an idea of what love is but it isn’t always as easy at it seems, is it? Sure, any relationship have its own challenges to face, however, though an interracial relationship can be just as rewarding, it comes with additional baggage. While the magic works for some, it may be a little bit complicated for the others.  And whether it works or it doesn’t, there’s always something to learn from it.

1. Families can end it all.

Sad but true. It’s not that he didn’t stand up for me but well, I guess, there’s nothing more I could do at that time but to let him go because arrangements were made on certain things already here and there so yes, families can end it all. There were haunting regrets at first of course why we didn’t try harder, why I didn’t do this or why I didn’t do that but eventually, I’ve realized there’s nothing more I can really do about it anymore, really. They’re family and I can’t and I don’t want to fight them. Blood after all is still thicker than water.

2. Each and everyone is a lot more than their race.

Every culture has its own intricacies and nuances and yes, it’s not always easy accepting these things. It’s important to keep an attitude where no one culture is better than the other. It’s important to remember that you both are unique individuals and that cultural differences shouldn’t define your relationship. To belong to different races means that we have different experiences and different things to learn from and about. We should learn to accept and appreciate each other alongside our cultural differences. We can always be ourselves so it’s important to be honest about your views and opinions about everything. Moreover, it’s important to always listen to what the other has to say. There’s so much to learn and gain from listening to each other. I became more aware of things this way.

3. It’s not just about sex.

While sex can be an important part of many relationships, I still believe that it shouldn’t be regarded as a primary reason for a relationship to work. I know a lot of people who link love and sex together but the truth is, sex doesn’t mean the person loves you. And how someone performs sexually should not be based on what race they are from.

4. Love doesn’t/can’t conquer all.

I guess this notion has duped us for quite too long. It’s just not true. True enough we were madly in love with each other but there were times that we’d also fight. We’d make up and feel like our love for each other makes us solve our issues but when I look at it more, none of our issues were actually resolved. We’d fight about the same thing after some time. Eventually, this somehow contributed to the breakup. If we don’t get to work our asses off for a relationship to work, it will definitely fall apart. We shouldn’t depend on love alone because love won’t save us all the time. Love is necessary. It’s a strong force but it’s not enough.

5. You only have to answer for each other.

Many people including my friends and family have something to say about our relationship but how we feel about each other and how we decide to progress in our relationship should always and should only be decided by no one else but the both of us. Easier said than done but once I’ve learned that the more I let others interfere and decide for me, it ruins the relationship. It’s essential to make a commitment to deal with problems as a couple and don’t let others’ opinions matter. Who I’m dating is no one’s business but my own. It taught me a great deal that when it comes to who I’m dating or who I become involved with is solely my own business and no one else’s. I don’t feel the need to explain to anyone why I dated an Arab guy for that matter.

6. It’s not always easy.

Well, if you haven’t realized it yet, it isn’t always easy maintaining and making a relationship work. And I find this harder when I dated someone outside my race. I needed to learn to understand and be familiar with my partner, his body language or even the way he talks. I also learned to compromise. And it takes a lot of patience. I’ve lost count of how many stereotypes and insults I’ve seen with regards to interracial couples and one of the worst in my case was when someone commented that I’m dating this Arab guy for his money. I’ve always believed that a man is not a financial plan. I can finance myself, thank you very much and so I’ve mastered long enough to just ignore such comments.

7. It’s not that big a deal.

For some, questions like what their parents will think or feel about the relationship is a big factor, but not all. I’ve been asked this question a hundred times and sure it was something my parents, my brothers and I didn’t quite agree on at some point in the beginning but then again, they’ve never quite agree to every guy I’ve dated before. Haha! 😁 So at the end of the day, dating someone outside your race need not to be a big deal, really. It’s just a normal relationship in most ways.

Every relationship is different and race wasn’t really an issue for us at that time. When it did, it ruined us, unfortunately. I’ve learned lessons the hard way but there’s nothing I’d ever regret. We were just two people who loved each other… then. I’m still glad it happened.

Happy day, homo sapiens! 🙂

Quote of the Week

In everyone’s life there are people who stay and people who go and people who are taken against their will.

~Karen Joy Fowler