Collections

Somehow, I think a person’s “character” can be reflected in what he or she is “collecting”. Some collect games, comic figures; some collect paintings, sculptures; some collect DVDs and VCDs … of course, most of us collect money or dust. In other words, some are young at heart, some live in the past, some feel very unsafe and some just have no goals at all.

But for me, I like to collect the premier issue of any magazine, as I am a believer of good beginnings.

I am also a collector of the last issue of magazines and “The year in pictures” from magazines like Time and Life, as I am a believer of good endings.

Now I starts to collect old magazine or newspaper advertisements – as I start believing that our world is getting worse, unlike the good old days. Couple of years ago, I found some beautiful advertisement prints in Paris, Les Puces de Saint-Ouen (the largest flea market in Paris and is a must go). I was told the advertisements were printed in 1936 but I really have nothing to verify … until I do a search in Internet, of course.

Check this web site and scroll down … it was really a masterpiece by Jean-Gabriel Domerge for Perrier in year 1936. You can tell how happy I was when I found this site. Now it is framed beautifully and hanged with other three prints at home.

What are you collecting ?

After Math

beautiful-handwriting-lettering-calligraphy-7-572b1dd241d65__700

48 days, 47 nights;

4 wards – G5, C7, A7, H7;

Over 140 tasteless meals;

8 and a half books finished … you know, “The World is Flat” is simply too boring (for me);

Numerous needle holes in my palm, hand, thigh and leg …;

Countless doses of medicine, blood tests, X-ray scans, CTS scans;

2 heart operations;

Hospital bill – US$ 600;

Dozens of emails, SMS, blog posts;

No more stranger wake me up in midnight from now on;

And … over 25 lbs of fresh disappeared …

Now you all can call me “Boney M”.

Prison Break

Just imagine how boring it is to stay in hospital for not 48 hours … but 48 days.

But finally, today I was discharged from the hospital …. not because I am fully recovered, but the doctor and specialists just think I can rest at home. For example, my second operation did not solve the problem it intended to solve … so, keep observing and have check-up regularly. And the medicine I took in the past weeks created some problems in my other part of my body (!), so again, keep observing.

Still, I am now free …

Book worm

Fashion Babylon A cook's tour.jpg The Starbucks Experience

So I just finished the 8th books in the hospital, and would like to recommend 3 of them. The first one is “Fashion Babylon”, from the same author of “Hotel Babylon” and “Air Babylon”. Thru this book, you will have a peek into the ins and outs of the fashion industry like how to copy ideas from previous designers, how to run a show and how the beautiful models live thru the days with drugs. A very interesting read.

The second one is “A Cook’s Tour” by Anthony Bourdain (who runs the show No Reservations in Discovery channel). Unlike other cooks who only enjoy good food and wine in luxury restaurants, Tony went to some very odd places to find some exotic cuisines and recorded those experience like a journalist. A very different tour book.

Lastly, the “Starbucks Experience” … I recommend the short stories or customers’ comments in the book about how Starbucks run their business – some are really touching. But I really hate that book as it really believes Starbucks is the best company in the world. A shoe-shining book.