Anna Tan's Blog, page 120

Thank you

Today, I am thankful for friends, new and old and in-between, for the time to spend to talk and dream, to encourage and to spur.



Today, I am thankful for dreams that align, for visions that encompass more than just us, for the hearts that beat as one.



Today, I am thankful for a God bigger than what we comprehend, who somehow draws us together, and knits us close, in many random and beautiful ways.



Today, I am thankful for the space you've given me to continue to be me, even whilst pressing...

#fridayflash: Derailed, Episode 2

They sell you a dream, telling you that you can have it all, now. Your child, your career, your jet-setting lifestyle, with perks. Everything you wanted in life is at your fingertips. All you have to do is pay a one-time membership fee, get your materials and start selling dreams. Forget about your dead-weight husband (pause); I'm sorry for your loss. 



I bought into it, alone as I was with Sean. What else could I do? I couldn't find a desk job with a babe suckling at my breast. Maybe I...

Maybe there is no plan B

So I've ridden the wave of euphoria amidst the depths of depression (bipolar, anyone?) and now the question remains: yes or no?The stressed side of me says yes. The faster, the better. (Ini kalilah?)The other side of me says don't give up plan A.Because there is a Plan A and somehow I have this funny feeling that this isn't even Plan B; it was merely a sidetrack. The results will tell. 
Lord, make it so clear that even li'l blind me can tell the difference. 

#bookreview: The Humbling by Philip Roth

The Humbling by Philip Roth

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



The Humbling is the story of Simon Axler, a reknown actor, who wakes up one morning having lost his ability to act. Everything comes crashing down on him - he loses his career, his wife, his self-esteem and his will to live in a short span of time.



Roth strikes at a deep fear - the fear of losing your sense of self when you grow old, when your hands and body can no longer do what you have made yourself into over the length of your years. W...

Derailed snippet, a sort-of #fridayflash

Sometimes the choices you make in life derail you. And no matter what you do, there's no way to get back on track again. 





Tim was that choice. It wasn't that he was bad. No, he was good, too good, and I couldn't get enough of him. My dad didn't like him of course. Which father ever likes their baby girl's first boyfriend? "Get that stinkin' b- out of my house," he'd say ever so often. So we'd go to his place, you know? So maybe it was dad's fault as much as anyone's. Who knows? ...

Replay of the day: Moving on

Can we put back all the pieces to the puzzles left behind?

We will soon be back together just before the stars align

When the curtain falls for one last time and closes out the show

Marching left, right, left, another step


Keep smiling as you go



Movin’ on

Movin’ on



I’m sick of good intentions, how they always tend to drown

But then, nothing seems to stay afloat living in the saddest town

When the curtain falls for one last time and closes out the show

Marching left, right, left, anothe...

#bookreview: Snuff by Terry Pratchett

Snuff by Terry Pratchett

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Commander Vimes, also known as Sir Samuel Vimes, His Grace the Duke of Ankh and Blackboard Monitor Vimes, is on holiday with his family out in the countryside. Young Sam is now six and is very interested in the world and science of poo. But Vimes' police sense starts to tingle not long after arriving at Ramkins Hall, and when a body turns up and he is arrested for murder, the Commander sets off on the chase.



Snuff picks up several years afte...

Me? An #atozchallenge survivor? Maybe not

I'm posting this picture with a bit of hesitance. I don't think I quite survived A to Z this year. In my first year (2011), I managed to write a serialised story, with only one or two filler posts. Last year, I managed almost all 26 posts of flash fiction. This year...



It was a bad month. That is all. Links to my A to Z flash fiction posts are here (ignoring the obviously filler ones):



Asparagus

Balloon

Corkscrew

Dart

Elevator

Flag

Gum

Hammer

Ink

Lipstick (partial, hah!)

QuiltI'

Rum...

How clean should #loveinpenang be?

So I've done a first read through for the Love in Penang submissions and generally separated the stories into three categories: yes, maybe and no. Those under "no" were fairly easy. Those under "yes" and "maybe" are in for another read, especially since the initial readings were done over the submission period of more than a month so things may have changed from the initial yesses and maybes up until the final few. To cut things down even further, even under the "yes" column I have my own cat...

#GE13: What's new?

I figured since I wrote a post back in 2008 when I voted for the first time, I might as well write a post for today. As I write this, there's another 50 minutes for Malaysians to vote, and looking at the rate I'm writing, by the time I'm done, we'll be waiting for the results. (Sorry, there's just too much to process).



The one thing that stands out in this election is the overwhelming emotions that are surrounding it. Sure, people are disgruntled. But this is raw anger, and anger that's not...