Geeko Book Club

Out with the old, in with the new

2006-05-01T11:16:00.000+08:00

Yo wassup mah homies

As i was sayin in the chatbox, but was rudely censored by blogspot, I'm feelin ya bitch and I do feel it is TIME we got WITH the TIMES... if you know what i'm sayin. I've been doin a fair bit of research myself ..and let me ask you peeps this..What do people like P. diddy, Snoop doggy dog and J. Lo got in common? Yea they all cool.. but why? and then it hit me.. Its obvious y'all... they got cool nicknames! After thorough research.. i discovered the sources of most of their nicknames.. Get this y'all.. Snoop doggy dog's nickname came from some unknown comic strip (who has time to read comics anyway?) named PEANUTS where there is a dog named Snoopy. Notice how he doesn't use 'Snoopy dog' as his nickname but uses a more hip and cool variation! J.lo on the other hand is is actually..a short form of her name.. Its brilliant.. Jennifer LOpez..and hence J.LO.. I am still however getting to the bottom of the P. diddy mystery. Unfortunately there seems to be no journal articles on the subject as i have tried researching on PubMed and Science Direct several times.

So it got me thinking.. We gotta get nicknames y'all!
I thought up a few.. Let me know what you guys think:

Suchuen : M. Diddy ( which is MD for medical doctor... notice how i tried to make it sound more hip and cool)
Grace: Em-Cee (short for master of ceremony which is what she's good at doing)
Nadia: N'archy (this one took lots of creativity.. N for nadia and archy for being an architect..
Pronounced as anarchy.. i was inspired by apparently world famous pop group N'Sync)
Lisa: Dopey-D ( apparently the word pharmacist was not in the dictionary of cool words.
I also discovered after thorough research that the word on the street for Drugs is Dope (pronounced DOPE)! THis is a top ecret code apparently and can also be used to address drug addicts (for example "you a mean ass dope-head"). Pretend you didnt hear it from me.)
Krystle: Bling bling (because crystals shine)
Karmern: Flash (because of her camera skills)
Ann: ALi ( As in Ann. LIm..See above for J.Lo example)
Yi min : Noodles (as in Yee Min)
Peishi: P. CHo (once again in light of the J Lo. example)
AiLi: Chinkity Chin

I think this is the first step we can take to pursuing coolness. PLease let me know what you think

Where's the love y'all?
Dopey D

My measly attempt to revive geekobookclub. Let's hope it works.

2006-04-30T17:29:00.002+08:00

Hello all!!

Geekobookclub has obviously been confined to the dark recesses of our inner minds for the past oh I don't know, half a year or so? They say every good thing has to come to an end and as much as it pains me to say this, I believe we can no longer deny the fact that we have all *gasp* lost our love for reading and *doublegasp* become cool. Having said that, I still believe in the cause of this blog.

Please, don't be too hard on yourselves. No one is to blame. It is not our faults that the world turns its face away from geeks such as ourselves. I, just like yourselves, had high hopes of making my voice heard back when we started this little blog. In fact, the very essence of the geekoboookclub was, I believe, borne out of nothing but our undying desires to make our geeky little voices heard. All we wanted was to tell the world that IT IS OK TO LOVE READING. THAT IT IS OK TO BE GEEKY. But we failed.

But all's well, my friends. They say, it is better to have tried being geeky once, than to never have been geeky at all. And yes, they in the previous sentence was really just me. Not all is lost, y'all. Yes, such is the way the world has changed us. We have lost our sense of pride at being labelled geekos and have had to move with the changing times, using slangs like "y'all", "dude", and by far the worst I've heard, "bitch". Yes, apparently, beautiful names like Kwang Feng and Ching Chong are now considered to be uncool and too long to utter by the-cool-ones, and therefore have been reduced to that of a female dog. Why the new powers that be (yes, my friends, we are no longer the powers that be, seeing as it is almost a crime to be geeky these days.) chose to generalize everyone's name to the word "bitch" and not something less derogatory like say, "princessconsuelabananahammock" is indeed a mystery to behold.

I believe the time has come for us to accept the fact that geekos have no place in the world we live in today. Unless of course, we acquire a piece of land off the coast of Papua New Guinea, and attempt to geekonize an indigenous man-eating tribe who have never been exposed to the "coolness" of our world, but that, I'm afraid will have to wait for after Lisa's wedding this December. Until then, I suggest, we attempt to assimilate ourselves with the people around us, taking in their slangs, actions and everything that will make us cool. Sadly, this might include having to call each other the equivalent of a female dog when we're around the-cool-ones, but, this is all transient. And this will be our guise, until we hatch another plan to storm the world with our geekiness.

There is nothing much we can do to erase the geeky posts we have so painstakingly typed in the past. What I suggest we can do is change our style of writing and, maybe even change the name of our blog. If it is possible, we might like to change our logo from the geekolizard to something a little more with the times, like say a picture of the Backstreet Boys who seem to have achieved fame again with their song "I just want you to know". As you can see, I have started doing my homework by researching the newest and coolest bands in town. You should probably start soon.

Till our next meeting. Ciao y'all!

Geeko Book Club

2006-01-25T14:46:00.000+08:00

Disclaimer: The writer is not writing this to correct or compete with Su Chuen's post.

You know how disclaimers are usually written at the bottom of something. well, i decided to write it at the top.

This is the first time in a long time i have read a book. I can't say this is the first time i have read a book because it is not true and i wouldn't want to give nadia or now ai li as it seems a run for their money.

i have only in my whole life however read 6 books from beginning to end:
1) Bridget Jones diary 1 and 2
2) The curious incident of the dog in the nightime
3) Swiss Family Robinson
4) Harry Potter- all the episodes
5) some Enid Blyton books i read as a kid
6) Memoirs of a Geisha.....and this is where my story begins.

haha...cheh...drama-nya. ya well, that's how the book kinda goes as well.

i guess all the synopsis was already mentioned by chuen.

sadly, the story is completly fictional. aarrrgghhh...i was conned!! how stupid was i. i thought that when a book said "memoirs of a geisha" it meant- this book that you are now going to read contains memoirs of a geisha. just the same way one would expect "Baking Cherry Pies by Betty Bot" to mean -this book that you are now going to read contains cherry pie recipes by Betty Bot. well of course i overlooked the fact that if the book is written by ARTHUR GOLDEN it means that Memoirs of a Geisha is in fact not to be viewed in the same way as Baking Cherry Pies by Betty Bot is. i only discovered this truth when i was already 1/4 way through the book, and i glanced to the back of the book and to my horror there was the acknowledgements written by ARTHUR GOLDEN (who is not a geisha) saying "bla bla bla....completly fictional....bla bla bla"....GASP!!! the horror!!!!!!!

so i went through the rest of the book thinking.....aiyah....ya lor..where got this kind of thing happen in real life one.

anyway....the book is good. the grammar is sometimes very ununderstandable and the author uses alot of alliterations and similies.

the story is very touching. it is the kind of book that a true romantic would love.

in fact, if everyone in the world had read this book, then as i always say, there would be 2 kinds of people in this world- one who thinks Sayuri should end up with Nobu as her danna and the other kind who thinks that Sayuri should be with the Chairman.

i am the latter.

everyone takes with them a pair of glasses with which to see the world. these glasses have our past experiences, or values and dreams. when we read books or do anything else for that matter, we use these pair of glasses to do it. (and no i don't just mean those who don't have perfect vision). i guess this is why we all predict the content of books to mean different things.

to me this book was ironic. the main gist of the book was about destiny. it spoke about nothing but destiny and the paths in life from the beginning to the end. Japanese people especially geisha believed firmly that one couldn't avoid their destiny if it is already written for them. and yet the brave girl who is the star of the book, turned her destiny around. she refused to give into her destiny because she didn't like her destiny at all. if she gave into her destiny it would mark the end of her life( though not physically). She never let go of hope. Because a life without hope wouldn't be a life at all i guess.

This book reminded me that hope is one of the most important things in life.

The Girl with the Grey Iris

2006-01-20T07:38:00.000+08:00

Sayuri lived the life of a fisherman's daughter, poor and yearning for a better life. It was as if fate had dealt her a bad hand. If it wasn't bad enough that they were barely making ends meet at home, her mother fell ill with a mysterious illness confining her to the bed. Her father, a stoic, silent man spent his day out in the open sea, and during the stormy seasons, mending his net in their home. He was a quiet man. Sayuri's sister held the fort, taking over household chores and the like. Sayuri was a young girl. Her mother had been her only true friend and companion and now even that had been taken away from her. Looking at the terrible misfortune that had beheld Sayuri all her life, one would think that her life was finally taking a turn towards the bright side the day a man (whose name I've forgotten and am too lazy to check seeing as I would have to heave my ass off my computer chair and drag myself up the stairs, into my room from which I may never return seeing as I may just decide to go back to sleep which is something I am avoiding seeing as I have to leave for uni in an hour and a half. It's 8 am and I haven't slept a wink the whole night and I blame it on the impending doom of my results which I will know in exactly 3 hours. But nevermind that.) appeared on their doorstep, beckoning for Sayuri's father to release his 2 daughters into his care, with the knowledge that neither he nor his wife would ever see either of them again.

And this is where the story begins for Sayuri. Her sister was just a side character thrown in by the author but the last I heard, she was thrown into a brothel if you must know. Memoirs of a geisha is a story of Sayuri and her life as a geisha under the tutelage of one Mameha, a geisha of renowned beauty and style. It is a story that intricately weaves the fine webs of deceit, hatred, jealousy, desire and most of all undying love. Many other characters spice up the storyline and makes it a very enjoyable read indeed for example Nobu, the cynical yet intellectual individual who unfortunately was scarred on his face, earning him the nickname of Lobster (I may be wrong, but it was definitely something to the effect of Lobster. But it doesn't really matter la.)and a Dr Crab, yet another of Sayuri's suitors. Like the title says, what set Sayuri apart from all the other geishas was the fact that she had grey eyes. This was apparently a sight to behold although it gives me the heebee jeebies just thinking about it.

Sayuri goes through much disappointment and discouragement at the beginning of her stay in the house of geisha. (there was a special name for this 'house of geisha' but I forget. I'll check later and correct it ok.) She is mistreated by Hatsumomo, a nasty bitch if you ask me, who makes her life a living hell in the beginning. However, Sayuri's life takes a turn for the better somewhere in the middle of the book. I shall leave you to read that for yourself.

Memoirs of a geisha to me, has a central theme, and it is that of pure, unadulterated love as it is her love for a certain person whose real name I have also forgotten but is also known as The Chairman which I believe provides the drive for her character and is in essence her very reason for living. An awesome read. Go read the book before you catch it in the cinemas.

Please bear in mind that I'm writing this off the top of my head without any references whatsoever (due to reasons I have provided in the first paragraph) or sleep so forgive me if I make the occassional grammatical error and for the many memory lapses I have had in regards to names of characters.

I give this book 5 lizard tails or claws, whatever. Sorry,I don't know how to load them tails. If somebody who knows would kindly do it for me (read: We-Ki) I would very much appreciate it.

Demise of the Geeko Book Club?

2006-01-12T20:32:00.000+08:00

This blog is like sooo dead!
anyways...to revive this blog a little....i have decided to play a game.
can anyone guess who wrote this post that you are now reading...yeah that's the game. simple right

the rules are- you can ask the person whom you think it is real life (face-to-face)/ you can ask other people/ you can just guess randomly . if the person chooses the person can lie to you.

well, basically the fun is just to see whether you all can guess who i am la

happy guessing

*btw....i know this has nothing to do with books but neither does the beer post!!!!!!!!!!

Geeko of the Year updates

2005-12-14T09:27:00.000+08:00

At last count, there have been 2 nominations:

Nadia Tan (2)
Lim Kar Mern (1)

Nadia Tan seems to be leading at this point of time by 1 vote.

Sorry Karmy, my vote still goes to Nads.
No doubt, you did write a rather witty post in regards to beer, but Nads simply cannot be denied the recognition and honour of the title as she has written the bulk of book reviews posted in the Geeko Book Club.
If you care to peruse through the golden rules set at the start of this, you will come to the realization, as did I that not only has she been the main contributor to the Geeko Book Club, but she has been the only one to strictly adhere to all the rules stated there.

Besides, she has a franguncle who's a dentist. Nobody can beat that.

Geeko of the Year award

2005-12-05T19:35:00.000+08:00

2005 is coming to and end and 2006 is drawing near. The geeko book club has been up and running for the past 4 months. What do we have to show for ourselves? I urge you to take the time to think about how you have contributed to the great cause that is the geeko book club. I am excited for what's in store for 2006. In the spirit of celebrating 4 months of geekiness, I have decided that there must be a Geeko of the Year award. I propose that this be given every year in recognition of the geeko who contributes the most. I hope that this award will bring cheer and joy to the heart of the winner and encouragement to the rest of us lazy asses to contribute more to this great cause.

For this year, 2005, I'd like to nominate Nadia Tan as winner of the Geeko of the Year award. She has painstakingly written many a review and to be quite honest, is the reason geeko book club is still alive at all.

The winner of the Geeko of the Year award will receive a plaque bearing his/her name with the words "Geekiest geeko 2005" and a 6cm by 5 cm section of the sidebar for the whole of year 2006 for him/her to place anything she/he pleases.

The nomination booth will be closed on the 25th of December at the stroke of midnight.

from metal...to Gold!!!

2005-12-03T18:05:00.000+08:00

Okay...Since No One wrote a review on Paulo Coelho's books despite my fruitless pleas, I have taken the liberty of reading one of it myself. Here's a review on The Alchemist.

Is it written in the preface of this book, that a wise Teacher said; there are three types of alchemists: those who are vague because they don't know what they're doing; those who are vague because they do know what they're doing, but who also knows that the language of alchemy is addressed to the heart and not to the mind. Last but not least, those who will never hear about alchemy, but who will succeed, through the lives they lead, in discovering the Philosopher's Stone.

This book tells of Santiago, a shepherd boy who dreams of traveling the world to seek the most wonderful treasures known to man. On his way, he had an encounter with an alchemist that changes his life forever.

This book unravels the three aforesaid characters slowly and elaborately. Seriously geekos, it’s a great read!!!

The verdict :

nads

ACTORLYMPICS!!!

2005-11-21T03:06:00.000+08:00

Comedy: Actorlympics!

End the year with a blast! For an evening of comedy improv from Malaysia's best entertainers, comes Actorlympics! at the Actors Studio@BSC - Malaysia's version of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"

Actorlympics! is a test of skills for the players, all of whom rely on the wit and demands of the audience to push themselves to the limits of Improvisational performance!

Watch crusty old veterans pitch their talents against newbie upstarts, playing theatresports games - inluding old favourites like the freeze game, censorship game and line in a bucket, as well as new games like the ting game, bocelli, music video and the like.

Audience members stand a chance to win prizes every night! Look out for our special ticket offer for two and special time of 5pm for the new year weekend shows (sat/sun). Hope to see you there! Book early to avoid disappointment!

Starring among others, Afdlin Shauki, Edwin Sumun and Nell Ng.
Call for ticket promotions. Date: 28 – 30 December 2005 @ 8.30PM31 Dec 2005 – 1 Jan 2006 @ 5PM Price: RM45 RM40 RM80 RM70, RM20 (Students)

KRYSTLEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!! KRYSTLEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeee

FASTER BOOKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!
FFFFFFFFFFFAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSTTTTTEEERRRRR!!!!

we go 28th or 29th okieeee?????

people faster call krystle for tickets..
er..

HAHHAHAHAH plllllleeeeeeeeaaaaaaaeee book for meeeeeeeee?!?!!!?!!?!?!? please please pleaseee

And the truth shall set you free...

2005-11-05T01:32:00.000+08:00

So WHO is this anonymous reporter person?

Heh heh heh....

The Spider's Temple

2005-11-01T01:07:00.000+08:00

The book I'm reviewing is called, Touching Earth by Rani Manicka. The first page begins with;

The woman stretched out her neck and howled like a wolf. She tore at her hair until clumps came out in her clenched fists. With the same fist she beat the dull earth. Alas, alas, the boy was dead. She sprang up suddenly, her eyes wild. 'Do not touch him until i return,' she instructed and ran all the way to the bodhi tree to fall at Buddha's feet. 'Oh Enlightened One,' she cried, 'My son is dead. If you are indeed the true master, then bring him back to life.' Budhha opened his eyes. Perhaps he wanted to tell her about the inevitability of birth and death for the unawakened, but he must have seen the dust of dreaming in her eyes, so he told her, 'go forth and bring me a handful of grain from a home where death has not yet been, and i will return your son to you.' Overwhelmed by gratitude and joy the woman bowed many times before she withdrew to begin her search. She searched, and searched, and searched, and...

Now, what did that mean to you? Maybe it's just me but when i first started reading this book, honestly, i couldn't make a head or tail of what she was talking about!

She then introduces the characters one by one in a first persons' point of view. After reading it for a while, you will start to appreciate the way the book is written. The way it was intricately woven is mesmerizing.

The core of this book is about drug addicts. It is quite creepy at times when you realize how deluded addicts can be and the crazy things they are capable of doing. The place where they are drawn into addiction is called The Spider's Temple. I will leave out the rest of the details for you to find out should you decide to read it.

My verdict :

I would have given it four hands if it weren't for the fact that i don't really like thought-provoking books.. You guys might like it though. And by the way, Rani Manicka is a Malaysian international bestselling author. Dear friends, this time there is no denying that 'Malaysia really Boleh!!!!!'

n a d s

Once upon an end...

2005-11-01T00:14:00.000+08:00

This is a story about a man named Eddie and it begins at the end, with Eddie dying in the sun. Yes fellow geekos, i'm talking about Mitch Albom's; The five people you meet in Heaven.

Eddie is a lonely war veteran who dies in a tragic accident trying to save a little girl from a falling cart. The next thing he knows, he is in the afterlife. But instead of being in the heaven all our minds perceived heaven to be, he is in a place where your earthly life is explained to you by five people who were in it.

People in general, are often overlooked in our lives. Now, if you look at it more conscientiously, I daresay you will find that perhaps even people you barely remember has affected your life in some way or another.

If you're searching for the type of book that you just can't put down because every page reveals something new and enlightening, search no more!

My verdict :

P/S : I hope you like the review! Sorry i don't have Paulo Coelho to compare it with.. Haven't read any of his books yet.. Maybe one of you could post a review on Paulo Coelho's books? Thank you!

n a d s

Which animals make the best pets

2005-10-20T18:35:00.000+08:00

I am often awakened from my sleep by the sound of my dog trotting up and down the corridor. I have come to recognise this as a sign of her urgent need to do a number two. Ah my curious readers.. you may be asking.. how is this so? how is it possible that simply by listening to the click clack of your dogs paws you can interpret what is going on in her body?? I will have to disappoint you my dear friends by telling you there is no great mystery there but only that i have had to learn the hard way.. Yes yes! Owning a dog brings many responsibilities..Often my dog consumes synthetic materials that the body was not created to digest only to have them resurface at the most untimely moments..while i am in deep sleep. But i can assure you..everytime she greets me at the door on my return home or when I watch her sleep by my door at night..I know that it is all worth it!

Now what would a review be if i did not bring into comparison other animals. I have owned rabbits in my time and although i must admit they can be cute and cuddly they hardly bring enough pleasure on a relational level. Now my rabbits would often deplete my carrot supplies without so much a wag of the tail as gratitude!! I would try to let them out of their cage to play but only followed by pangs of regret as I spend the next couple of hours on all fours trying to coax them out of a bush. At the end of the day.. i felt like i was giving and giving but alas i got nothing in return.

And then my friends we have cats to compare. I must admit i have not much experience in the actual owning of a cat as a pet but i am still often haunted by the memory of a viscious feline giving me a scratch on my foot as I was one day obliviously wolfing down a plate of chicken rice when i was 7. Some of you may quote sayings at me such as "how can you judge all apples just by tasting a rotten one?" or perhaps something more profound like "how can you judge all LV bags just by looking at the cherry blossom range??" and i would just have to admit that it is by pure prejudice that i make my conclusion that Yes dear readers, dogs are truly man's best friend. I bid you adieu!

Map-to-Astro

2005-10-07T14:30:00.000+08:00

Map-to-Astro
Originally uploaded by Crazy G.

Here is the map

Geeko Book Club

2005-10-07T14:28:00.000+08:00

This is how to get to Astro. When you reach, just go to the guardhouse and say you wanna watch a show. There will be others there and someone to show you where is everything. Don't try to call me cause my phone will be off as we are in the studio the whole day. If you need to call someone call Nadia or Krystle as Krystle has been b4 and Nadia is the only one so far confirmed coming. Okays hope you find your way ppl!

G-Spot on TV

2005-10-03T20:27:00.000+08:00

THE BATTLE IS ON! ...again.

eh got new pic at the astro website...weki, go and see!

karmern

Appreciation

2005-10-03T11:23:00.000+08:00

Thank you for all the support guys. The banners are hilariously funny! and i wish i had a book to review =(

Grace of Spades

2005-09-25T13:33:00.000+08:00

Invasion of the G-kind

2005-09-25T05:13:00.000+08:00

karmern

G? Smart? Sexy?

2005-09-24T00:33:00.000+08:00

Who says Einstein and Monroe are dead......

Crazy G tells us about her virgin hair

2005-09-24T00:30:00.000+08:00

G? Crazy?

2005-09-23T21:38:00.000+08:00

KAKAKAKAKA!!! am i the banner master or am i the banner master....

karmern

The Wood between the Worlds

2005-09-20T19:38:00.000+08:00

Greetings, fellow geekos!! Sorry for not posting sooner!! Anyway, the real name of the book I’m reviewing is “The Magician’s Nephew”. It’s the first of the seven books of the Chronicles of Narnia.

Firstly, I’m going write a bit about the author. His name is Clive Staples Lewis and he is a Christian. You may think this small piece of information insignificant but it’s quite the contrary really… It actually explains a great deal about the Chronicles of Narnia.

The Magician’s Nephew tells about the origins of Narnia and how it came about. There was this magician who created two types of rings; yellow and green. These rings enable you to travel to other worlds. But before going to another world, there’s this transitional space you’ll disappear to first. Ahh… that would be The Wood Between The Worlds.

Narnia is a world on its own. The ultimate Ruler of Narnia is Aslan, a lion, and every time he appears in the book, I get goosebumps, I kid you not… In the beginning before Narnia was made, the magician’s nephew accidentally unleashed Jadis, the most evil Queen in the world who wreaks havoc wherever she goes. When Aslan made Narnia, Jadis fled only to return when everyone thought she was gone.

I think it is so unbelievable how these 7 books are so relevant in our lives. First, the wood between the worlds… I guess to me, it sort of reflects the position you find yourself in when you’re deciding between two different things and how you must face the total consequence of your choice. And in the beginning even before the world was made, evil already existed. I guess it made me realize that although we are super susceptible to ever present temptation, His grace is really sufficient for us.

Well, I think you guys should read it! Honestly speaking, it’s the most boring of the seven but you kinda have to read it to understand how it all began.

The verdict :

P/S : My review is so lousy!! I’m so sorry if I bored you all to death….=(
I’ll try harder next time I promise!!! I don’t know how to write la..
Don't hate me pls!!

n a d i a

Streams of Euphoria

2005-09-20T06:51:00.000+08:00

since NOBODY EVER POSTS anything...i've decided to help save our bookclub reputation. ( our "bookclub" now transformed into a freelance review club )

Today, i will post about beer. Whilst i am aware that many of our readers do not really fancy beer...or consume much of beer by any chance, i must share with you the types of lager that have come across my taste bud.

I remember the first time i actually enjoyed beer. 2003. It was at a barbeque in Melbourne, when my sister said "Oi. want some stella's?" I was like..."no thanks." without really knowing what she was talking about. Boy oh boy. do i really regret saying 'No' to Stella. She was a diamond. To speak metaphorically, she was a bowl full of yellow piss in disguise. When i found out that it was actually beer, my heart was racing ecstatically in the knowledge that a type of beer could actually have such a fancy, sexy name. To be honest, i took my first sip and i couldn't stop pouring it down my throat ever since. Stella Artois, that is. Unlike Carling the taste of Britain (harhar) Stella has really got the groove goin on, not just in Belgium, but everywhere else around the world! (pun intended for those of you who know what im talkin about or watch alot of Astro) It's really smooth, and it gives you the right after-effect you're looking for. It's like ...swimming in a chocolate river. Imagine - thick, milky and always ever so soothing. You know the beer advertisements you see in movies? YES. the way the guy has his eyes closed after he finishes the whole pint. the way the lady runs down the Great Wall of China. the way the sunlight touches your skin on a breezy afternoon. the way the hot air balloon floats around the horizon in Southern California and the way the geographical silhouette looks in the Cairngorm Mountains. I wouldn't call it an acquired taste...it's either you like it, or you don't because it's really, really that straightforward and distinct.

Carling. It's the cheapest, and has the highest alcohol content of all, what i'd like to call 'B-grade lager'. Most students get it because it's cheap, and it's always on the tap ready to be pulled in almost every pub. It's a bit more bitter, it's not as smooth as Stella, almost as if it has shards of plastic slightly lacerating your oesophagus... BUT... i have always been a big fan of Carling simply because it's cheap and not as bad as Guinness. Guinness....is just so wrong if there isnt blackcurrent cordial in it. Blackcurrent cordial? in STOUT? yes. to get rid of the brawny frizz in your mouth but it's usually for uncles who are over 60. Are you over 60? NO. Hence, no point consuming such harsh liquids. Don't bother, really.

Then there's Fosters. Which falls into the same category as Castlemaine XXXX - both tastes like piss.

the ULTIMATE PISS of the world would have to be Carlsberg. Honestly. What was i thinking when i consumed Carlsberg? It's like summing up 1+1 then realising that the answer 5 doesn't make sense. For those of you who have been deceivingly PERSUADED into thinking Carlsberg is your only ever choice of beer just because there's just too much advertising going on and on about it, my friend, all i have to say to you, is to CHANGE YOUR BEER AND MOVE ON! Kind of like life itself, really. You don't like something, think about it, consider your options, pray about it if you must, and then start moving on. Time waits for no one...and certainly not for shitty Carlsberg.

Of course, this is the part where i have to start contradicting myself. i do drink abit of Carlsberg but ONLY when i have no choice. Beer is beer, at the end of the day. But for those of you who are still wandering about trying to decide what your taste is all about, i suggest you take a shot at Carlsberg actually. It sets the boundary between shit beer and GOOD beer when you taste something else other than Carlsberg.

For Carlsberg drinkers, i'm really sorry but your beer sucks. like crap, it does.

ANYWAY, moving on.

Duvel (yet another Belgian beer) has one of the highest alcohol content in the world! yes yes! One pint and you're like... "hey i thought it took me 3?" and it's really just swallowing real shards of metal this time around. It's great and it'll take me awhile to get used to it. It's not something you take after a game of rugby. It's something you take when you want to spend hours and hours chatting and having a good laugh. When i was in Brussels, i tried beer mixed with peach, strawberry, blackberry cordials...and my friends, they were AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! even my mom agrees!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i could go on. but i won't. Three reasons:

1) i've only been drinking the aforementioned beers. the rest are only consumed occasionally hence i can't really give proper reviews. it would be inappropriate.

2) it's abit late and there are just too many things about beer to rant about.

3) do not want to encourage weight-watchers to be inclined to drinking beer as it is very pot-belly inducing.

note to readers:
* if you are under 18, you shouldn't have read this. but you already have, so if you get drunk, and you hurt yourself, your best mate, girlfriend, boyfriend or a dog whilst driving under the influence of alcohol, it's your fault...and i will make sure you do not bring this site down with you when you are in court trying to save your sorry, sorry ass.

* if you are over 18 and don't like alcohol (particularly 'beer'), bugger off.

* if you are my friend and you do not approve of this post...well... then what kind of a friend are you?

* if i dont know you and you are over 18 but don't like this post, i don't really care and i will make sure you don't get a membership in this exclusive elite review club.

Till next time....

PEACE!
Karmern

Let's see those hands!

2005-09-03T23:46:00.000+08:00

As discussed during the dinner that night, I proudly present to you a new feature of our admirable book club - the rating system.

After each review, you are now required to give a rating between one to five as illustrated below:

Wow! This rating system is great! But how do I upload the ratings?!

Well, I'm glad you asked. The lizard hands/palms/paws(?) are on my photobucket server. All you have to do is to click on the Add Image button (next to the Spell Checker button) and then paste either one of the URLs below.

1 hand/palm/paw(?) - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/ikewauhc/1-star.jpg
2 hands/palms/paws(?) - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/ikewauhc/2-star.jpg
3 hands/palms/paws(?) - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/ikewauhc/3-star.jpg
4 hands/palms/paws(?) - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/ikewauhc/4-star.jpg
5 hands/palms/paws(?) - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v301/ikewauhc/5-star.jpg

The Beach by Alex Garland

2005-09-02T05:23:00.000+08:00

[My my, it looks like i have the pleasure of putting in the first geeko post! Am not going to do a review about Medicine and Ethics (though it may be quite useful to some of you, actually, ALL OF YOU, to know your stand in the healthcare area...just in case somebody gives you acid to fry your brain...) but perhaps sometime soon when i come across an interesting topic...]

"The Beach" - the movie with Leonardo Dicaprio, i think, is based on this book. Have heard polarised reviews about the movie...but the book, my geekos, is a book you guys ought to read. It's basically about Richard, this worn out traveller avidly in search for some (any) adventure. Based in Thailand, he meets a weird old man who gave him a map (just before he killed himself) to "the beach", where it's apparently one of the only places in the world which hasnt been covered in thick layers of oil and all sorts of excretion and waste. Richard, being the jaded but hopeful person that he is, goes and takes on this challenge in finding this obscure and so-called 'traveller's haven'...only to find that there are already a bunch of people there. They weren't just any ordinary tourists making their way around Thailand...they were a community.

What attracted me most about the book is how the author splashes his voice in both Richard and Richard's subconsciousness (which happens to be the dead old man); and how he has these internal conflicts within himself about who he is and who the people around him really are. This community at the Beach basically live very simple lives. As each of them have their designated chores to do - farming, construction, cooking, fishing... they don't have much to worry about. No bills, no dogs to bring for walks, no family to feed, no high street shopping for corporate "uniforms", no 8am-beat-the-traffic-rushes, no obligations to anybody else apart from themselves, no real relationships to have heart aches, no laws, no pollution, no tall buildings or car honks....basically the ideal way for those who just want to disappear. The only rule? Nobody else outside the community must know about this Beach. They smoked marijuana all day, went swimming everyday, took showers under waterfalls, picked strawberries for dessert, had shark meat for dinner, coconut juice on a sunny hot afternoon......you have to understand that these people WANT to live simple lives. Think : Ultimate escapism. They don't mind just hanging around doing nothing...being idle doesnt mean you're not doing anything, it means you're free to do anything. They just aren't allowed to go back to mainland to tell the world about this. Selfish selfish...

....But what happens when one of them gets bitten by a shark and is in need of hospitalization? ahh...that's for ME to know and for YOU to find out.

haha TA-DA! i know lah...it's a damn stupid review and written drearily in all ways... but whatever la...im telling you now that it's a good book!!! Talks alot about humanity, relationships, self-discovery and it's also something for travelling enthusiasts to dip their tongue into. Garland wrote it in quite a unique way i can't quite describe. In a way, i think he's depicting how we all are at the end of a busy and abominable day at work, with your boss spitting at your face, and your legs are just too heavy to move from one tile to the other...the phone is buzzing, the house is empty, the landlord's at your front door...with all this happening, and all you can think of is to retreat to that one place in your mind where solitude meets peace...i think that's when you know you've escaped reality.

Fancy going Thailand, anyone? (serious...im thinking about going in January 2006. lemme know!!!)

Till next time...

Karmern

Ground Rules

2005-08-29T14:00:00.000+08:00

Welcome to the unofficial inauguration of our very own GEEKO BOOK CLUB!!
First, I would like to set some ground rules for those of you who happen to chance upon this site.

1. This blog is essentially what it says at the top. It is a book club. We shall be writing reviews (doesn't have to be all formal and stuff la) on any book that is of interest to the reviewer. This is not a personal blog. We do not want to know what time you woke up this morning and how many strokes you took to brush your teeth.

2. To be a full-fledged member of the Geeko Book Club, you have to either be the owner of a pair of spectacles (which you wear) or contact lenses. This is a very important prerequisite which takes precedence over your love for reading. (as in, if you love to read but have perfect eyesight, you are not eligible to become a member)

3. Should you have any queries regarding the club or wish to join it, please submit a full resume of how many books you've written from the time you first learnt how to read, complete with a summary of all the Enid Blyton books you've ever read to geekobookclub@hotmail.com (it really does exist) Again, if you have perfect eyesight, don't bother.

4. For now, all the book reviews will be done by the powers that be as we are the only members of this club. (those deemed worthy will receive an sms from me detailing the login name and password.) Reviews written would be in the reviewers point of view and therefore any spiteful comments aimed to critiscize the reviewer is highly discouraged. We hold strongly to the adage "to each his own". Ignore this rule and the powers that be will track you down, afterwhich we will spam your comments section and tagboard with a very lengthy review of Sejarah Malaysia Tingkatan 5. Be assured, we will do it because we are geeks.

5. If at any time you would like to post a review of a book of your choice and have not yet become a member, please feel free to email us at the address stated above. Your review will be processed by the elite members of Geeko Book Club's censorship board. Should it meet all the conditions of the book review quality control act, your review will be duly posted within 7 days of submission. That is unless the members of the censorship board are busy studying for exams. Under these conditions, we do not guarantee when your review will be posted, as it might be deleted out of frustration. Also, we will not hesitate to delete book reviews with stupid titles without so much as a click to check if the rest of it is in fact, substantial. Please choose your titles wisely.

For now, these are the 5 golden rules of the Geeko Book Club. The powers that be reserve the right to alter, add or retract any of these rules as and when we please because we are, the powers that be.