HAIKU No. 4

TRANSITION
In a line of trees,
there's one, sans leaves, sans colors;
waiting for what's next.

(Image from here)

I'M DROOLING OVER THIS BOOK! AND I WANT IT NOW!

Well, sorry for that. As much as I wanted to lay my eyes on the pages of this graphic memoir, the title won't be available until the second week of April next year. I do have the choice to pre-order it from Amazon, but my fiscal capacity won't allow me to fork out $15.61 (which is roughly P700) for this book.

Here's a lowdown on the book anyway. Credits go to Tuttle Publishing's site, as well as that of the book's front cover photo.

Florent Chavouet, a young graphic artist, spent six months exploring Tokyo while his girlfriend interned at a company there. Each day he would set forth, with a pouch full of colored pencils and a sketchpad, and visit different neighborhoods. This stunning book records the city that he got to know during his adventures, a gritty, vibrant place, and full of ordinary people going about their daily lives. Realistically rendered city views or posters of pop stars contrast with cartoon sketches of iconic objects or droll vignettes, like a housewife walking her pet pig, and a Godzilla statue in a local park.

Florent Chavouet observes that, “Tokyo is said to be the most beautiful ugly city in the world.” With wit, a playful sense of humor, and the colored pencils of his kit, he sets aside the question of urban ugliness or beauty and captures the Japanese essence of a great city.

HAIKU No. 3

FREE
Looking up I see
blue skies watching over me.
Run, as I feel free!

(Image from here)

HAIKU No. 2

BEST FRIEND
Knows me inside out.
Lends a hand when I stumble.
Will cry when I'm gone.

(Image from here)

A QUOTABLE QUOTE

I really liked this quote from a very good read Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and thought that it was worth mentioning in a blog topic, perhaps about love or the like, but I haven't been much in a lovey-dovey mood of late (and just decided that I don't really want to be). But for the sake of having it posted -- which it rightfully deserves given the enlightenment it has given me about this so-called 'soulmate' -- I'll have it here anyway.

"...Your problem is you don't understand what that word means. People think a soulmate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soulmate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that's holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soulmate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soulmate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soulmates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then they leave. And thank God for it. Your problem is, you just can't let this one go. It's over, Groceries. David's purpose was to shake you up, drive you out of that marriage that you needed to leave, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light could get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you had to transfrom your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master and beat it. That was his job, and he did great, but now it's over. Problem is, you can't accept that this relationship had a real short shelf life. You're like a dog at the dump, baby -- you're just lickin' at an empty tin can, trying to get more nutrition out of it. And if you're not careful, that can's gonna get stuck on your snout forever and make your life miserable. So drop it." -- Richard from Texas

I never would have thought a soulmate to be likened with a mirror had I not read this valuable piece of advice given to Groceries (that was how Richard from Texas called Liz back when they were still in this unnamed ashram in India). A soulmate, simply put, reflects what's inside us. He or she does not always correspond to someone of romantic value. And I guess it's all true, after all...