THE LETTER "X" X marks the spot. Malcolm X certainly made his mark despite being told Xanadu was unattainable. And what beauty in John Singer Sargent's painting of Madame X wherein he X-rays her enigmatic character with his masterful brush strokes. What of Generation X surpassed by Generation Z who know not of the times …
Month: December 2021
Word nerd
I declare myself a word nerd. Being a Generation X'er I spent all my school years flanked by a full arsenal of monolingual, bilingual, technical and foreign language Dictionaries, Lexicons, Grammar helpers and Thesauruses. Ahhh! the phonetic and auditory rush derived from a satisfying mouthful of words. Decisive dental notes (deleterious, terminate, tranquillity), sibilant whispers …
Tea at Fortnum & Mason
Richly Historied It is no secret that I adore books. So, for friends and family, it is a no brainer to shop for me at Christmas or Birthdays. Gift me a book and you will never go wrong. After Christmas Eve midnight unwrapping, I will certainly be sharing with you some of my newly acquired …
Express yourself
An explosion of ideas Basquiat, Haring and Banksy did it via their Graffiti art. Madonna did it via her music. Writers, architects, actors, designers, dancers, chefs, and more, do it. They express themselves through their creations; announcing their presence to the world. Their genius lies in making the expression seem facile, when it certainly is …
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
This book was recommended to me by a friend. Do your friend(s) a kindness and do the same because it is worth it. Written in a genteel manner, this elegant read is part history lesson and love story, part etiquette manual and cuisinay guide, part class study and artistic/literary essay. You will find yourself in …
A Slap in the Face
An indelible mark Just as the older freckled hand centered the smooth cheek of the younger woman, seconds after the satisfyingly clean sound of the slap and right before the redness began radiating across her cheek, another crisp smack resounded. Only this time it was delivered by the younger woman. So perfectly timed was the …
In the Woods by Tana French
Tana French's novel, In the Woods, (the first of her Dublin Murder Squad Series) is for those who aren't put out by the unexpected. You won't find the neatly wrapped up finish wherein, as per usual, the boy gets the girl and justice is had by all, where all problems are resolved and all enigmas …
Snippets of Life (from A to Z) “Q”
THE LETTER "Q" Quintessentially quaint and elegant. People are in a quandary after meeting her. Don't let the seemingly quiet demeanor fool you, for make no qualms about it, if she so desires, she can make you quail. You mustn't make the foolish mistake of considering her quarry. She is the well camouflaged hunter. Questions …
Virginia Woolf and doughnuts
A Room of One's Own Consider this...The doughnut hole is an integral part of the doughnut. It has a designation (doughnut hole) and a function (it allows the dough to cook evenly inside and out). Many, though, perceive the doughnut hole as meaningless empty space. Consider now the doughnut hole as a representation of women …
Manu writes 