The Scrapped Princess!

I just finished watching this anime, and damn am I sad that it's over. What a great three days of action, fantasy, drama and romance! It had everything I love in an anime! Great characters, an excellent storyline and some magic!

The Crew!
Watch the show here...where I got his pic from :)

The story centres around Pacifica Cassul (the scrapped princess) and her older brother and sister, Shannon and Raquel Cassul. At the time of Pacifica's birth, a divine prophecy predicts that she is destined to destroy the world on her 16th birthday, as a result an order is issued by the ruling Church (the Church of Mauser) and the King himself to kill the child. The plot thickens when we learn that Pacifica is in-fact Shannon and Raquels adopted sister and in reality she is the biological daughter of the King. Her mother, the Queen, arranged for her to be saved from death and given into the care of the Cassuls.

We join our protagonists, at a point in time, when they are on the run. People, including the imperial assassins are on the hunt to kill the princess in a bid to rid the world of it's 'poison'! However, Raquel's magic and Shannon's swordsmanship mean the trio are no easy prey. The two older siblings are fiercely protective of their younger sister and are prepared to go against anything, even providence, in order to protect her!

The three siblings!

Get this wall paper here

The sci-fi elements are introduced subtly, as initially it seems the world we are observing is a medieval one. One full of knights, princesses, and dragons. However, things get more complicated. There are 'divine' beings, emissaries of the 'God' who 'protect' and 'oversee' the world. The plot thickens when it comes to light that it is these beings, known as the 'peacemakers', who under the orders of Mauser, want the scrapped princess dead. Strange right? Why would an omnipotent being (if that's the right word) want a potentially dangerous girl dead? Why not kill her yourself? or cease her existence..? Well it get's more complicated. It turns out that the scrapped princess is in fact the only human on earth that can go against the peacemakers and essentially neutralize or rather dissipate their hold on humanity and it is because of this, her potential to cause humanity to go against the peace makers and take control of their own destiny, that the peacemakers want her dead. Sounds like modern day democracy! What's more is that the world was once very advanced even more so than it is now in life (like way in the future). However, and I'll be honest here...I didn't quite follow the entire storyline, sometimes it went on a bit and just seemed to try a little hard...it was awkward and even cringe-worthy, so I kind of just listened to the bits I wanted to ... Anyway as I was saying humanity were very advanced but their 'stupidity' led them to constantly war among themselves. And so they created these crazy mad fantastical weapons with human-like personalities. Somewhere along the line these 'weapons' with personalities of their own decided that in order to preserve humanity and to prevent it from destroying itself, it would revert humanity back to the middle ages and essentially allow it to live under tightly controlled conditions.......Yeah as if that was going to work.

Eh? My cooking sucks? 

Truth be told,  this amine has a few minor drawbacks for me. The story line was somewhat strained and trying too hard to be complicated (or am I just thick?)... The whole peacemaker thing sounded a bit...hmm for want of a more choice word, cheesy. Like 'we are protectors of man, but we must cull him and eliminate his free will for his own good' and then there's the big question that hovers throughout... is a utilitarian approach to living the right one for man? Can we really say that we are living if our free will is curbed?  Is mankind the source of his own destruction? What of religion? The church? And the monarchy/ government? Are these all channels of evil that seek to herd mankind as a means to their own end? These questions were a bit beyond the scope of the anime, I felt. I know they're beyond me too, but really they were too big for this particular anime. But with that said, they did try. However, I do like stories that attempt to create/ explore moral questions that give their audiences something to think about. Not that I even dwelt on any such question while watching the show though. But mind thoughts did flit through my mind here and there,,, good effort nonetheless.
Another drawback was the actual drawings. I like the drawing style but I personally didn't like the forms of the peacemakers in battle mode...they looked like overgrown bugs or random shapes...whatever they were they just didn't look graceful or fluid in battle and made the battles a little less interesting to watch. I liked the dragon though...more fluid and with greater motion in battle. I'm no manga or anime expert but I'm saying these things just in terms of my own personal taste.

Another great wall paper, from the same link

What did I love? Mainly the characters and the relationship between the three siblings, The bratty, spoilt but sweet and playful character of Pacifica drew me to her instantly. I liked that she didn't' seem to give a shit about being of royal descent or that her real parents were alive somewhere. I liked it. It highlighted the importance of the people who raised her and the good life they gave her. Also I love her relationship with Raquel and Shannon. Her respect, admiration and love for Raquel is evident but her greatest love is obviously her brother Shannon (is it just me or does he have a girl's name?). The way the two dote on one another and the intensity of the love between them almost verges on going beyond that of a brother and sister (that's the Japanese for you...any opportunity to through in a bit of incest!). Still I loved it. It was sincere and beautiful. Shannon's dedication to his sister, his innate need to protect her and in the process make the world his enemy is probably my favourite aspect of this anime. I won't lie, I have a crush on him, just like Zeferis does (of course she does). He's the embodiment (I know not the appropriate word), of manliness and beauty. But his relationship with Cin bugged me...actually it really pissed me off. I won't go off on one here..but I could. What spoiled it for me was finding out that Shannon had the 'guardian gene'....it put the relationships of the three siblings in a new light. Personally I didn't like it. I like to think what they had was really 'real' something that developed naturally.
Also, I felt bad for Raquel's character, she had the potential to be lot cooler and a lot more powerful than she was.  A lot of the time, her character had to take a back seat to Pasifica and Shannon's. I mean even in the damn end, she's the one who's bawling all over Pacifca and clutching at her..but it's Shannon who 'brings her back'.  It's probably the fact that her magic waxes and wanes throughout the story that really stunts her development. If she just kept developing she could have been so much more!

                                                         Shannon Cassul.... Dreamy...

Also I would have liked to have seen a bit more character development for Chris, Winia, Leo and some others. On that note,  what the heck was up with throwing Furet in there for a couple of episodes? Why build him up just to break him down? How can they do us like that?
(Rest assured, I was secretly rooting for Leo)

If I were to compare it to other anime, I'd say it reminds me of shows like Cowboy Bepop, Farytail and Spice and Wolf. Obvious comparisons, because of the elements of fantasy and Sci-Fi.

Despite the drawbacks, I really loved this show overall. It was adventurous, entertaining, funny and even quite sad at some points. Usually the duration of time I take to watch a show is inversely proportional the the degree I love it, I watched this in three days,,,. Enough said!          


*Disclaimer: None of the pictures above are mine, the links that indicate their origin are located below the pics. Thanks.

Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon.

I was looking for something similar to Marquez’s works when I came across Jorge Amado’s ‘Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon.’

The story is set in 1920’s Iléheus, a town on the coast of Brazil, in a region know as Bahia (how sensual is that name?).   

It explores a time, when Bahia is undergoing much change. Among others, there is political, commercial and social change.  The cacao trade is gaining momentum and some members of the town hope it will be host to the many trading ships that will be involved in the growing industry. The port is yet to be built and a great debate about whether or not it should be, forms the backdrop  of the focal story line, separating those inhabitants that favour the ways of old from those hoping for change.    

The main focus is on the owner of a popular bar, a Syrian man known as Nacib, who suddenly finds himself without a cook just before a very important dinner party.  In desperation, he searches the slave market in hopes of finding someone to prepare the important feast. He finds more than he'd hoped for, he finds Gabriela,  a curious but seriously alluring mulatto woman, whose characteristic strange and free-spirited behaviour confuses poor old Nacib. Amidst the scents of Bahian cuisine and political and social activities, the two fall in love, and in an attempt to possess and tame her, Nacib marries Gabriela. But the marriage is like a cage to the free spirited bird and as you might  imagine the beautiful and sweet love soon turns sour. Does Nacib lose Gabriela forever or does she learn to tame the somewhat wild and unruly character? Read and find out.

There is so much to write about this story and I don’t want to go on and on as I easily could. The seemingly endless array of characters, the bitter stories of adultery and murder, the numerous colonels, the political and social clashes make this an exotic, exhilarating and sensual read. 

Amado’s writing, which is at once both comic and pragmatic, transported me straight to Bahia. I could smell the sweet and exotic fragrances of the beautiful town which seems to be filled with the aromas of Gabriella's cooking and the heady scent of cacao. And just like the description of the small town in Tieta (Agreste), Iléheus is made so vivid and so real with all it's characters giving the town life, I can just imagine living there amidst vibrant colours and even more vibrant characters. I now love Amado nearly as much as I love Marquez.  What an incredible and majestic writer! It's as if his novels aren't fiction at all, but more like flowery and descriptive observations of an anthropologist with a penchant for descriptions, color and humor.    

The feeling of dread

I finished my finals over two weeks ago now. I've really appreciated the time I've had to do whatever I want over the past few weeks. I've had countless long-sleeps and long lie-ins (I'm no stranger to a 12 hour + sleep!). I've been abroad for a few days (Switzerland), I've spent many hours drawing and painting. I've been reading (Amado and Bernieres) and have spent a lot of time hanging out with the fam. However I haven't yet sat down to write, though I've been itching to. Mainly because I haven't really had any solitude and when I do (Often I find that I am the only one awake in the dead of night), I'm so sleepy and tired I stay awake (without reason) forcing myself to watch a movie or a few episodes of an anime or drama.

Anyways, I'm actually just writing because I needed to vent a little. I'm not angry though. I'm scared and i'm anxious. There's a tightness in my chest and a funny hollow feeling in my stomach. Sometimes I think and I think and I need to catch my breath... Sometimes the feeling of dread is so great that I can't breathe. Mostly I've been ok, thank God. Most of the time I feel like whatever happens will happen and fate will take me where it will. Whatever God has willed is what is meant to be and in some form or shape it will be for my good. But I don't feel like it's enough to think like that. I hope and pray things turn out ok. I've prayed that things turn out well. My results are out tomorrow morning. My life might change tomorrow. I'm not being dramatic. It actually could. Please Lord let it be good news for me!

Michael Jackson

Only 7 weeks to go...then finals! Nervous wreck, but Lord willing it goes well... :O
In the midst of the madness of revision I resurface for a dance/ singing break (or TV/ a chat with my sibling or rents/ bestie etc).

Over the last few days I've been listening to Michael Jackson on repeat. His music and films characterized my childhood. I can still remember watching Moonwalker at least once a year for several consecutive years. It was a magical film and the music made it what it was.  Those where the days that my big brother would try to teach me the moon-walk and also that move from Smooth Criminal (the one where MJ leans forwards...at the time we thought it was for real, so really tried very hard to master it...).

I remember borrowing the Dangerous album (CD) from one of my family friends (it was her dads but she lent it to me when he was abroad). I'd hide it every time she came over, hoping she'd forget to ask for it back...which she did.
We didn't have internet or a proper stereo, but our old Hi-Fi was sufficient. When my parents where out, or at the back of the house (where the kitchen was), we'd put the volume to the maximum and started  prancing around thinking we are actually doing the MJ moves...even the hip thrusts and the leg thing etc
Mr Man, the old guy that  used to live in the house attached to ours (semi-detached), was always banging on the walls, whether we were making noise or not. So we barely cared that he would incessantly knock on the wall until the music turned off.

Then there were the endless documentaries that we'd watch as a family (all 7 of us). The life of the Jackson's, MJ's childhood, his rise to fame, his influence and crazy fan-base.

I feel sad knowing that I'll never be able to see him perform live...that would've been one concert that I would give a thing or two to see. Dammit why was I too young to care about an MJ concert back then?

 I cared and still care very little for what the media have said about him. I fear we can't trust what we hear or see and I don't want dubious stories, shady documentaries/articles and much more to taint the beautiful music that still now inspires. Timeless.

Extract from Rumi's Masnavi (VI)

"Wealth has no permanence: it comes in the morning,
and at night it is scattered to the winds.
Physical beauty too has no importance,
for a rosy face is made pale by the scratch of a single thorn.
Noble birth also is of small account,
for many become fools of money and horses.
Many a nobleman's son has disgraced his father by his wicked deeds.
Don't court a person full of talent either,
even if he seems exquisite in that respect:
take warning from the example of Iblis (The devil) 
Iblis had knowledge, but since his love was not pure,
he saw in Adam nothing but a figure of clay."

- Jalal al-Din Muhammad Rumi

The dead of night

It’s a stormy night. The wind is howling outside my windows. There are two, as my room is situated on the corner of the building, right at the top. A place where the billowing of the wind can be felt all around. I've left both windows partially open, and though it is a cool night, the heating in my room means that the cool gusts of wind swiftly entering my room at both angles isn’t a problem. The gentle pitter-patter of the rain can be heard when the mighty wind takes a small rest and then once it regains it force and momentum, it hurls the gentle rain against my windows and the pitter-patter changes to a vigorous drumming. It’s as if the wind in all its anger is humming a low and angry tune that almost sounds like a rumble and the rain, the sweet gentle rain, is attempting to soothe it, but ends up calling attention to itself so that the irate wind turns it displeasure on it.

Among all this noise is the swishing noise of my curtains, as they dance to the tune of the wind. They’re made of a type of nylon and viscose material, quite stiff and when they flutter the sound they create is similar to that of the pages in a book when they are being turned. 

The beauty of this night has created a perfect environment to write. It invokes the right emotions and the right mood. 

But what am I doing? Why am I still awake? I haven't studied properly in over a week and as far as I am aware my exams are still on. I feel so frustrated but I can't help but want to stay up and write. I've been feeling simultaneously miserable and hopeful... yet the idea for a new story came to me, so as I couldn't revise I decided to write. And in between the writing I've been writing blog posts... What kind of maze have I created for myself? Lord only knows. 

Oxford handbook of clinical medicine

I've thought a lot about it and I've decided that this little gem is my all-time favorite medical text! I'm sure I'm not alone on that one, this book being a bit of a celebrity in the medical world. Not only is it a comprehensive but concise text, containing all major medical and even surgical topics, but it also mixes it up with a little literature!  When I first saw it, I loved it straight away. It's small size and the clear way it presented disease and management was everything I ever wanted in a medical book. It cuts out the BS and really gets down to the nitty-gritty. Essentially it's like your revision notes have been made for you, all you have to do is read, underline/ highlight and memorize (I hate writing/highlighting my books..the most I'll do is use a pencil to underline but never more!) and ponder. However, it goes beyond being just a simple medical text containing facts and figures. The intelligence and compassion of the authors is evident from their exploration of the importance of not losing sight of the human aspect of medicine. The importance of seeing the bigger picture, the whole story, the patients story.  When I was first reading it and came across poems by Ted Hughes and mentions of Silvia Plath and James Joyce etc I nearly shed a tear of joy. Such a beautiful way of educating people, creating wonderful and compassionate minds. Such scholastic brilliance!

The authors try to open the mind of the reader to the world around them, to the those things that may be overlooked when one becomes lost in the factual details. Medicine isn't as simple as diagnosing and treating a disease, it goes way beyond that. Among other things, it's about understanding, empathizing, respecting and being compassionate. It's so easy to remove oneself from the emotional, spiritual and human side of things as one gets desensitized to illness and death. I see my peers (and I'm sure they see my faults too, but one doesn't see oneself as you do others) and wonder how it is that some of them are prone to treating some patients, for example patients with broken English, as if they were devoid of personality or opinions. It really gets me frustrated and angry and I wonder how they can be exposed to the fragility of life and yet be so compassion-less?    

Here's the extract of a Ted Hughes poem called The Lodger, that comes under the cardiovascular history section:

"At night on my pillow the syncopated stagger

Of the pulse in my ear: Russian roulette: 

Every heartbeat a fresh throw of the dice...

Hypochondria walked, holding my arm

Like a nurse, her fingers over my pulse...

The sudden lapping at my throat of loose blood."

It's so beautiful how it ties in so perfectly with the medical text.

I've recently upgraded from the the 6th edition to the 8th. I'm a bit late in doing this upgrade... the 6th ed. is somewhat dated... Anyhow I thought I'd write this post in honor of the old and the new!  I really hope my love for this book, will lead me to devour it in its entirety and so I will be well prepared for my finals! Here's to praying and hoping! *clink*

I have to confess that I'm a little bit of a cheater. You see I haven't been exclusive with my love, I have another lover on the side. Naughty I know, but does it make it better if I say that it's the cousin of the OHCM? Haha, it's the Oxford Handbook of Clinical Specialties! I love this little blue book too. It's just as good and has the same wise approach to teaching. Also there's an illustration of an apple tree on the inside cover of the book and each fruit on the tree has the name of a historically significant physician. From Hippocrates to Ibn Sina. Perfect!