the reader's rant

I absolutely love Reader's Digest. Always have and always will. It's one of those magazines that've been around for soo long, I can't quite imagine life without it. I remember munching on a bar of Crunch (which also remains to be an unbroken tradition) and reading it outside our family physician's office waaay, waaaaay back in the hey days - which was *gasp* almost 13 years ago! Admittedly I've worn out of the comic section and instead of frantically searching for pictures, I actually sit down - still waiting outside my current physician's office - enjoying and actually reading some of the articles. And of course, it's like the only magazine you can really find in those fancy public toilets. Cause apparently other magazines aren't worthy of bathroom stalls. Not to mention the fact that you can find anything about everything.

The magazine makes me happy in all the right places. Alright, its no Cosmo or Vogue, but RD has an entire column dedicate to sleep. It SPEAKS to me.

8 Secrets to Better Sleep, 5 Ways to Eliminate Fatigue, Eat Well & Sleep Well , How to Get More Sleep, How To Get More Sleep...which I really don't get. I have the opposite issue. They should write an article about how to sleep LESS. Seriously, this whole summer, on average I slept 12 hours a day. And I'm still sleepy. How is that humanly possible?

Anyway, so on a recent visit to the doctor's I came across - yes, yet another copy of Readers Digest  - and read an article stating that reading is the one of the most simulating activity for our brain, only second from the list to sex. Basically, our brain produces the same response whether we fulfill our carnal desires or get "hungry" to read a book. So all this time, whilst going down my path of knowledge, I've also been satisfying my brain's sex drive. Beautiful. (Reader's Digest Canada Issue: May 2010). Reading, of course, to those who can no longer breathe without technology (I'm soon likely to become one of them - the lure of smart phones is too great for me to handle), is a more knowledgeable resource than say, browsing the Internet. I want to agree (because I love reading articles, IET journals, books that have a 1000 pages), but for a girl who Google's - yes, the people of Dictionary.com should really consider adding it as a verb - day in and day out, researching with books and achieving the same speed is a tremendous feat to overcome.

Although, finding detailed information on certain subjects is much more easier to find in books than on the Internet/Google. But that's another topic on its own. I'm just surprised that my brain will react the same if I read a particularly engaging article about super-conducting cables or have a steamy night. The concept is just so bizarre.

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Where's Waldo?

Symptoms

• bouts of morbid thoughts
• nightmares of unemployment
• continuously vibrating feet - subconsciously
• complete loss of will in make-up, clothes & shoes
• tendency to click on the empty screen on the desktop
• occasionally caught starting blankly at the lower half of the shelf
• is subjected to frequent dozes of insomnia
• cannot maintain a normal sleeping pattern similar to that of a functioning homo sapien
• more often than not, is found forming words that don't exist in the dictionary
• rarely cracks a smile

Diagnosis
Most certified psychologists (mother dearest) would consider this a serious case of frustration and the complete loss of self-confidence and self-esteem. Keen observers would describe this case as a hindrance to society and would most likely add that the condition in question is relatively similar to a severe attack of early midlife crisis. Others, would consider the symptoms and straight away declare a depressive state on a lower scale. Overall, most experienced candidates would call this syndrome nothing more than a situation where the patient in question has an obstacle they're under "belief" they cannot handle. The candidates (my mother) would like to state that: "shit happens".

[The patient would like to add that shit does not happen at such pivotal points of one's life unless a person screws up royally. But of course, that's besides the point. What's forty years of experience in comparison to the twenty measly years that the patient has lived?]

Prescription
The psychologist and the candidates would like to prescribe the patient with a severe dose of reality and state that life is not over. They believe that things will look brighter if only the patient stops swimming in the dark lake of pessimism and for once, try to look for the goddamn light at the end of the tunnel. Life is a challenge, we all make mistakes and the candidates would like to conclude this trivial issue as soon as possible and move on to more serious cases that need to be dealt with.

Patient's Status
Well, that certainly sheds light onto things. I guess finding a legit career is just as hard as finding waldo in "where's waldo?". Man, it used to take me long to find him. I think my half-assed blindness had something to do with it. It wasn't discovered at the time.

Conclusion
*shuffles over to prayer mat and prays for a miracle*

I think referring to oneself as the patient more than once isn't that much of a healthy routine - psychologically speaking.

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we're almost there

I've seen a lot of k-dramas. Enough for a non-korean like me. Believe me, I have cringed at some of the story-lines, did my nails during some (Lie to Me) and absolutely adored some. More or less, they were entertaining enough for me to search for the "next episode" button.

City Hunter, however, is some next level stuff. It's k-crack. Literally. Maybe not as much action as I'd hoped for - cause come on Koreans (actually Asians in their entirety) are famed for their action stunts & sequences. There's no denying how hot they are. Regardless, combine Lee Min Ho and some pretty sick action sequences and I was - and still am - pretty much hooked. What caught me off guard the most, however, was the story. And what a story it is. Each episode has a-butt-at-the-edge=of-seat worthy cliffhanger. For once, this drama has a story that is like ten steps ahead of me. And the characters are like a ten steps ahead of the story. So half the time throughout the action-filled 51 minutes, you're wondering who's gonna get who. Ultimately, my predictions are not even right. WHICH I LOVE.

Not to mention the pretty. Oh, how can I even begin. There's Lee Min Ho. There's Lee Jon Hyuk. With their awesome spats/bromance (still can't decide which). That's really all I needed. Park Min Young is probably the least exciting part of this whole drama and even she manages to inject some excitement into it (although t'was more fun to watch when she was held at stake by daddy dearest). The elder actors, of course, have firm grip on their roles. Kim Sang Joong, for instance, is one hell of a scary man. Cool, slick and bloodthirsty. How much better? OH SNAP. I forgot Ahjusshi. He's SO adorable.

Another aspect I like about this drama is that it taps in on a lot of genres. It doesn't just delve straight off into the action, which I like. It allows our hero some room to explore other parts of his life - his family, love, friendship and not to mention the messed up relationship with his avenging father. Last but not least, the OST/score is AWESOME (I'm not really a instrumental person, but it works so well with the story). Can it get better than this? Maybe. But this is so far one of the best I've laid my eyes - and undivided attention - on.

So it is with a heavy, heavy heart that I have to say farewell to this epic-ness of a drama. Seriously, my wednesday's and thursday's have never been this good. *sigh*

But City Hunter, is definitely going on my "keep" list. For months and months of re-watching.

Note: SPOILERS AHEAD
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I know I usually wait till the drama subs are 100% but I just couldn't handle it. I figured I've watched enough k-dramas to watch Episode 19 at 80%. My tolerance levels suck.

Anyway, after sitting at the edge of my seat through a series of almost-deaths, I think we finally, finally, FINALLY have one. I don't know what to think..or feel for that matter. Young-Joo is a pretty important character. But the way he dies..I don't know if I like it. I wish Choon-Jae Man died instead. Or Park-Min-Young. Because really, after her epic almost death scene, her appearances really serve no point for the drama except to comfort Lee Min Ho..from like the sidelines after he unceremoniously dumps her and tells her not to help him again. What a bummer.

I can't believe it though. You'd think a blood-thirsty type of drama like this would have no scruples killing people off, but after every almost-death scene, I'm really starting to doubt if Young-Joo is gonna die at all. I know, how morbid of me. He has his veterinarian ex-wife to save. Maybe Young Sung will carry him to her. But this is an ACTION drama. Shouldn't people die?! Or at least satisfy watchers like us by savagely killing the baddies? At least kill off that pest of a security guard. We're almost at episode 20 and I see is ONE death.

Hmmm, I don't know if I want Nana to end up with Young Sung. I'd rather he die. But then this other part of me wants him to live. Happily with his mother and her. Which is hardly probable because, come to think of it, assassin's don't get happy endings. According to poetic justice anyway. Logic wants death. Heart wants life. Alas, they never seem agree =(

Although I still can't tell what the drama is alluding to. I mean from his side you see the frame and automatically start foreshadowing that they're not gonna end up together and both will die a painful death. Him trying to kill the president and her trying to protect him. On the other hand, you see Nana's side of the frame and it's in another frame, glass intact.




Maybe, MAYBE, I'm seeing this the wrong way. It might mean that from his perspective, this relationship is a no-go whilst she firmly believes that they have a chance despite what the odds the are. Well, Nana, I think you should listen to Young Sung on this one. If he's still alive after successfully capturing three hugely power hungry political leaders, he's bound to be pretty damn good at calculating the odds. Just sayin'

And WTF. Target no.4 and 5 are still alive?! Writers, you do realize that the ending isn't that far away. I'm gonna get SO furious if the ending jam-packed and retarded. *throws a hissy fit*

The last episode better be good. I'm not kidding.

How jealous am I that Lee-Min-Ho is doing that to her hair?

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