Random Blurbs

Trying Out A Cheese Steak Sandwich

2012-09-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

I like scouring for deals it saves me money in the long-term. So I got this deal from Deal Grocer. Its from the Cheese Steak Shop. As far as I know they are the only restaurant that specifically sell cheese steaks as one of their primary food items. The deal I got was worth P399 and I got it for P180. It was this humongous 10-inch cheese steak that had spices and onions on it and lotsa cheese.

Before


After

It was the first time I ate a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich but it definitely won't be the last!

Crave Burger!

2012-09-08T17:21:00.000-07:00

Got another discount deal from Beeconomic. This time the deal I got was for Crave Burger. The Burger looked delicious and large based on the picture on the promo.


Crave Burger

It was a bit underwhelming once I started to eat this thing. It tasted like a home made burger that was overpriced. But anyway I got it on a deal so it was ok.

Kamera Obskura

2012-08-16T19:28:00.021-07:00

Kamera Obskura

All of the movies I saw during the latest Cinemalaya have something to do with silence, but this time around there are no more speaking characters. Kamera Obskura is a silent film in black and white. I think the movie is about making movies. It closely follows a man stuck in a hole submerged in darkness. He then breaks out and finds a mysterious camera inside a store. Here's a full synopsis of the story.

SPOILER ALERT!

As the movie stated, this is the first time a silent movie came out since I wasn't even born. I'm not sure if that's true but I'll believe them. I liked the layers of the movie depicting how corruption is portrayed in all levels and sectors of society. The camera that got stuck on the protagonist's had the power to shine light and eliminate corrupt or bad people. Everyone who saw what he was capable of wanted a piece of him. I liked the way the movie ended with questions and not real answers. The movie didn't really end it just cut to a scene of a dialogue among a group of people covered in shadows.

Aparisyon

2012-08-11T19:27:00.000-07:00

Aparisyon is another movie I caught during Cinemalaya. I headed to Trinoma to catch this film. It dealt with silence yet again, but this time around it took it to another direction compared to Ang Nawawala.

Aparisyon

This movie is about a bunch of nuns in a convent sometime during the Martial Law years in the Philippines. The movie's serene beginnings turn into a solemn and harrowing end when the movie came to a close. The story revolves around Lourdes (Jodie Sta. Maria), Remy, and Mother Superior Ruth. Lourdes is the new nun in the block and is introduced to the cloistered life. Her character is in stark contrast to Remy who is more outgoing and strong in personality. This time around, silence is used as a tool to cover up the situations that involved the monastery. After the rape of Lourdes and subsequent pregnancy, the monastery and Mother Superior Ruth is thrown into controversy and moral issues that it did not face before.

The change in aura and character of Mother Superior Ruth is seen when the old Mother Superior, who was now delusional, saw her as Satan, when before she was though of as Mother Mary herself. Silence this time around is used as a tool that leads to inaction. Everything is kept inside and as a secret to protect the image of the monastery. Here is a complete synopsis of the movie.

I liked this movie because of the questions it posed on the viewers, at first I thought I was in for a horror movie, but when the story unfolded, the horror and dread of the aparisyon is more of what is going on in the mind and not the actual aparisyon.

This movie and Ang Nawawala took silence and moved in very different directions. Hopefully, we get to see more of these kinds of films from Philippine cinema.

Ang Nawawala

2012-08-11T18:46:00.000-07:00

The much maligned Filipino movie industry is often filled with fantasy, drama, and comedy movies that don't make you think. It's often all for the glory of manufactured artistas and movie studios. But there is a yearly event that brings out the best in Filipino movie making. Cinemalaya is the chance for indie movie makers to show their art and breathe life into the decaying corpse that is Philippine cinema. I must admit that this is the first time I watched any indie movies from Cinemalaya. But something in me told me that maybe I should give this movie festival a shot.

I trooped to Trinoma to catch screenings of the movies in the Cinemalaya film fest. I read movie reviews about the films first before I decided to watch one. What caught my eye was the indie movie by Marie Jamora.

Ang Nawawala

Ang Nawawala caught my eye because of its take on silence. After watching The Artist there is something about silence that speaks volumes. I would boldly claim that this movie won't be able to touch the hearts and minds of the masses, unless you came from a certain school or certain family.

The movie is about a young man named Gibson and his self-imposed silence since he was a child. You can read a synopsis here, because I won't go into much detail about it. This movie brings the indie music scene, style, and depth that a majority of Filipino films lack. There are multiple layers to each character in the story especially Gibson. He kind of reminds me of the guy in American Beauty.


Creepy guy pointing a camera and documenting everything

Gibson's silence is open to interpretation: it either hides depth or just plain shallowness. His character is in stark contrast to the boyfriend of her sister who just talks and blabbers mindlessly. The main reason why he stopped talking was because he saw his twin brother plummet to his demise and his own mother couldn't even tell if he was his brother or Gibson. He didn't want to say anything. You could insert several interpretations about identity or whatnot but that's up to you.

He meets a girl named Enid, his first real shot at a romantic relationship. The relationship goes on an interesting twist because she was the first person he (Gibson) decided to say something to after several years. Hurting everyone else around home, especially his childhood friend. The relationship didn't turn out for the best but it taught Gibson something. He realized the pain that his mother was feeling after several years, caused by the death of his twin brother. The self-imposed silence and the things that have happened to Gibson finally made him decide to talk. His self-imposed silence pushed him to the brink and made him realize that he had to open up and let go. Catharsis!

I like the whole silence motif, although I wouldn't say that this one was better than the Artist, but it was pretty close (Filipino pride).

Archery!

2012-07-28T07:20:00.000-07:00

Tried a different sport that looks exciting...Archery! Haven't really heard much about this sport other than Robin Hood and a few historical movies but it caught my eye when I saw a coupon from Metrodeal. The deal was P300 instead of P600 for a one hour session of archery.

My Robin Hood impression

The range we went to was called Gandiva Archery it's located near Megamall in the 7th floor of One Corporate Center. The place is open on Monday to Sunday 9AM to 6PM (I think). It was the first time I ever held a bow and arrow and felt pretty excited. I wanted to hit the bull's eye during my first few tries, but beginner's luck wasn't on my side since I didn't even hit the target area haha

Not bad eh?

Started hitting the target area after several tries.

Almost bull's eye

The best shot I had (of course I removed the errant arrows).

Not bad for a rookie archer. Archery is a fun sport to try but the equipment costs an arm and a leg. It's one expensive hobby. The starter bow costs P14,000 without any arrows and the bows for competition and advanced archers hits P30,000+++ so if you really love this sport you'll have to dole out a lot of cash. Gandiva also offers lessons for P8,000 (includes annual membership fee of P2,000) and an annual membership of P2,000. For members you only pay P350 for using the equipment and facilities.

I think archery is one of those sports that the Philippines can actually excel in. No height requirement only practice and a sharp eye. I'm seriously considering this sport in the future for now I'll just pretend to be Robin Hood.

Xoi Vietnamese Kitchen

2012-07-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

Found a coupon from Metrodeal that led me to this little resto in Megamall Atrium A. Its called Xoi Vietnamese Kitchen,

Xoi Vietnamese Kitchen

The deal was for only P99 for specific chicken, seafood, pork, and beef meals. The food looks good but I'm not exactly a food expert so expect to hear comments such as good, delicious, and nothing more. As far as I know the food was good for a discounted price of P99!

Beef Meal Vietnamese style!

The food was good because I didn't pay the whole price of P150+++. My tongue couldn't differentiate the taste of the beef but as far as I know it was good HAHA. The food ranged from P150+++ which is ok.

Tokyo Cafe

2012-07-12T06:20:00.000-07:00

The fam and I decided to eat at this restaurant called Tokyo Cafe in SM The Block. I capitalized on discount coupons I bought from CashCashPinoy. The coupons gave us 50% off on the meals that the restaurant pre-selected for the promo. The meals were the usual kind offered by most Japanese restaurants.

Chicken

The meals without the coupon cost P250 each. The deal gave us 6 meals for the price of 3. Which was a pretty good deal by any means based on the price of the food at the restaurant. The average meal in the restaurant ranged from P130-P250. Hefty price for an OK kind of meal.

Tempura

Pork

Some of the comments about the meals were that the pork was a little too salty for its own good. I ordered the chicken which was ok. I'm not exactly a food connoisseur so I'm not quite sure what to say. I'm not really a fussy eater but for 50% off I'd taste anything.

Frutti FroYo

2012-06-30T06:47:00.000-07:00

Who wouldn't want to buy stuff at a discount especially if its food? I cashed in my Ensogo coupon and got myself a sort-of healthy dessert, yogurt.


Frutti FroYo

Yes its chocolate, vanilla, with candy and chocolate balls. I'm actually a 12-year old disguising as a yuppy. Its yogurt so it is supposedly healthy but like most things a little too much is bad for your health. Paid only P50 for this because of the discount from Ensogo.


Not really a very clear picture of the coupon I used

The coupon was worth P152 and I only paid P76 for it, paid a little extra because I went over the limit. You can find other deals by visiting a bunch of group buying sites online.

4 Fingers Crispy Chicken

2012-06-30T06:26:00.001-07:00

I was browsing around SM North Edsa after paying for something I bought online when I felt the pangs of hunger taking over. my random walking about led me to 4 Fingers Crispy Chicken. It was your typical fast food chain that offers fatty food that that isn't healthy but still good to eat.


4 Fingers Crispy Chicken

This fast food chain was a cross between KFC and Bonchon and offers a little bit of everything. Chicken wings, drumsticks, drummettes, chicken sandwiches, french fries, and everything chicken and deep fried. The menu was affordable (somewhere between P130 to P200), and the staff generally friend. I couldn't try everything so I decided to take the bestseller.


Chicken Sandwich and Fries!

For P199 it was just right. You get to choose between so garlic or hot sauce for this sumptuous sandwich. The sandwich itself was ok, nothing spectacular but it was enough to hit the right spots in your stomach.


4 Fingers Crispy Chicken

The delectable sandwich was worth it. You can visit 4 Fingers Crispy Chicken in SM North Edsa near Yakimix and the side going to the Block.

Drive

2011-11-13T04:30:00.000-08:00

There comes a time that there is a movie that will just catch your attention because of its slick acting and cool premise. Drive is about a driver who moonlights as a wheelman and keeps his day job as a stuntman and mechanic.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

The lead is played by Ryan Gosling. The driver, as he is called (he's got no name that's how cool he was), walks around in a white scorpion jacket as he helps crooks do what they want. All he gives them is five minutes. But his life does a full 360 once he meets, Carrie Mulligan's character and her son. He hangs out with them and gets thrown into their world. The driver is all cool and nonchalant as the world around him unfolds. He is an observer of the good and the bad that transpires around him. The driver 'drives' around the situations he is in until he is thrust head on when he gets involved with a ex-convict.

The movie has undertones that were not directly laid out. The little that is said will make you feel real tension and think about the underlying meaning of the entire movie. He tries to set things straight and decides that he no longer wants to be a wheelman but he is quickly thrown back into the fire because he wants to help the woman's husband get his life back on track. When things go wrong the driver takes things into his hands.

The movie was well though of. The shots were amazing and the soundtrack was on point as it queued on each scene, giving the movie an 80's modern vibe. I like how the driver can stay cool and calm despite the things that are happening around him. He saw the good and the bad and he is just cool with it.

Two thumbs up for Drive a must see movie.

4 Peat

2011-10-02T04:46:00.000-07:00

The Blue Eagles have proven yet again that they are the best cagers in the UAAP. Although in the bigger scheme of things this doesn't amount to much but for school's spirit sake I'm happy that the Eagles won. As a basketball enthusiast I can't help but gush at the fact that my alma mater has accomplished something that only a handful of teams have done.

4 Peat Blue Eagles

4 time champions is not an easy thing to do in college hoops because you will never know who will be playing year after year. A team has to go through cycles of players coming and going. So kudos to the excellent coaching of Norman Black. And a shout out to the two best 'rookies' Greg Slaughter and Kiefer Ravena.

Ateneo was too good and too experienced for the competition. This is actually a good thing for everyone else because the level of competition would be higher. Here's hoping that the Eagles win an unfathomable 7-peat.

Gilas

2011-09-25T02:54:00.000-07:00

Too bad Gilas lost to Korea again! They should have closed the game out period. Missed free throws and gimmies killed them after leading for most of the 4th quarter. They shouldn't blow this team up though long term should be the goal here.

Raise the Red Lantern

2011-09-18T08:17:00.000-07:00

Read a Chinese movie about concubines and the changing of the guard in Chinese history. It's a novella collection by Su Tong. Su Tong is known for his magic realism style of writing and these three novellas are filled with magic realism and historical motifs. The three novellas are Raise the Red Lantern, 1934 Escapes, Opium Family.

Raise the Red Lantern

Raise the Red Lantern is the only story that has been turned into a movie. It follows a young girl that was taken as a concubine by a rich man. The story shows the deterioration of the man's household and the deterioration of the last concubines' mind. There is deceit and gossip and murder and planning among the women.

I like the way Su Tong weaves history with his story. The changes that China is undergoing and wher eChina is headed. Although there are things lost in translation the heart of the story still reveals itself in the prose. The two other stories revolve around a village and what transpires inside the minds of its characters. It shows the transformation of China.

Chinese literature has a deep history maybe it's about time the rest of the world saw through Chinese eyes.

Brothers

2011-09-10T18:38:00.000-07:00

Rarely does a translation do justice to the original text but for Brothers this might have to do.

Brothers

My Chinese is rusty and not as proficient as I'd like it to be so settling for a translation of this book by Yu Hua will do.

The book has high aspirations to be satire mixed with raunchy comedy and cultural undertones. Chinese as a language does speak a lot of its eloquence through non-verbal lingo so reading this book was a chore but I think I could grasp what it was trying to say.

The story is about half-brothers Song Gang and Baldy Li. Their travails show a back drop of what China went through before and after the Cultural Revolution. The relationship of the two brothers is not all lovey but is filled with bumps and contradictions. They both set out in different paths after falling in love with the same woman, Lin Hong. Song Gang a life of subservience and destitution as he tries to preserve his rustic ideals in a booming economic China. On the other hand Baldy Li, did all he can to become a tycoon in the new China. It is a struggle between old and new and urban and provincial. The winner is not clearly spelled out since both brothers ended up with nothing but each other.

There are several undertones that the story does not tell you outright. The context is very Chinese unwittingly subtle and unobtrusive. Why not figure those out for yourself?

Prepare for Bass Battle!!!

2011-09-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

There is a point in your life where an obscure movie catches your eye simply because it is quirky and something different from the usual movies you watch. I got to see one of those movies.

It's called Scott Pilgrim VS. The World

This ultra quirky yet good movie was an adaptation of a comic book. I did not get to read the comics but I did like the movie. The comics was one of those obscure types wherein the select few got to read and enjoy them.

Anyway...

Back to the movie.

The movie combined geek speak mixed with video game jargon and bolstered by excellent music. I could not tell what it was trying to be as a movie but the sum of its parts made one good whole. The story was good although a bit quirky if you ask me. Scott started dating a young Asian high school girl because he was reeling from a previous relationship.

I liked how the characters played their parts very well. From the nagging sister to the gay friend who knows everything to the evil exes that Scott had to battle to gain the love he wanted.

The concept was cool especially the shifts between cartoon/comic world to the real one. he mix of fantasy and reality meshed well with the parts of the whole.

Who wouldn't want to watch fight scenes like this:

Why wouldn't you want to engage in combats like that with your arch nemesis/ex/evil brother and sister/evil maid/grumpy old person next door. The upper cut and the final bonus once you finally knock them out???

Let us go back to the story...

Yes love, the kind that makes your heart go bump-bump-bump. The movie still had the oohhhhsss and ahhhsss of young love but I like the way it ended.

The self-respect.

Two thumbs up for Scott Pilgrim VS. The World

NBA Lockout

2011-09-03T20:15:00.000-07:00

The NBA lockout has been on a stalemate for the longest time. The players and owners have yet to reach an agreement that is beneficial to both parties.The article written by Gladwell states that owners buy teams because of the Psychic benefits it has on the owner pretty much like the way a child has a really expensive toy.

Read this neat article about the NBA lockout:

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6874079/psychic-benefits-nba-lockout

Malcolm Gladwell has a keen eye for details that I think no one else has. He is also the author of three best selling books such as Outliers, Blink and Tipping Point.

Check it out!

I like my dents old and rusty

2011-08-28T21:05:00.000-07:00

In most cases the sequel almost always falls short of the standards of the first movie. So when I first heard about the sequel to Cars (which I believe is the weakest in Pixar's stable of animated movies), hereee we go againnnnn.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

I still went and watched the movie with my little sisters and mom because it was still Pixar and I liked all of the movies from their studio. The movie focused on one of the most obscure characters in the first movie, Mater. Mater is the rustic and rusty trailer truck. The movie revolves entirely around Mater which might not be a good thing for some moviegoers.

Mater

Mater is well kind of the odd man out in the movie even in the first one because of his very rustic demeanor. The movie kicks off promisingly and straight to the action. Mater starts to argue with another racecar on the telephone because he is bad mouthing Lightning McQueen. Then he challenges challenges the Italian racecar on his behalf on live television but McQueen (Owen Wilson) still agreed on the race.

The movie hinted on a world issue which is the use of fossil fuels. The car who arranged the world racecar derby wanted to use all natural fuel for the race. The head honcho of a high profile oil company wanted to stop using fossil fuel and use alternative energy instead (way to go for inserting a cause in kid's movies).

Racing along...

The movie focused on Mater and how he turned into an agent that saved the world and exposed an evil scheme. I seriously don't know why the movie took so much flak for being dubbed as the worst of Pixar's movies. I found it had a lot of heart and comedy for kids and grown ups alike. Maybe the thought of Mater as a lead character made them cringe but I thought it was consistent with the whole theme of the movie which is being yourself wherever you are.

I think it shows that there s more to someone than meets the eye and it is not important what you are or where you came from if you were given the opportunity to be something great you can achieve it. That you matter no matter how insignificant you think you are, no expectations means better results.

I especially liked the line about the dents maybe we shouldn't be afraid of the dents we all ready have.

I like the movie do you?

It suddenly occurred to me to write about cars...

2011-08-25T03:31:00.000-07:00

I'm not really a big fan of cars (nor an expert for that matter) but I do admire beautiful design and magnificent engineering.

Bugatti is one of the fastest cars on Earth and it looks like a sweet ride too:

Bugatti

And here's another sweet looking ride, an Aston Martin design perfection and engineering from outer space:

Aston Martin

I may not own these cars in the future but their still nice to look at hehe.

Tinkers

2011-08-24T07:41:00.000-07:00

Once in a while you run into a book that catches you off guard. One of the books that caught my attention was Tinkers by Paul Harding.

Tinkers by Paul Harding

Tinkers is a special book that was written beautifully. The prose just fluttered in your ears with a distinct sound that is like poetry. Its obscure size and all white design is easy to miss but once you start reading you will be captured by the writing style and imagination of Paul Harding. He is a new writer with his first published book. The book was passed by several major publishing houses before Bellevue decided to publish the book with a limited number of copies. As it turned out the book was good enough to bag a Pulitzer Prize which it deserved.

SPOILER ALERT! READ ON AT YOUR OWN PERIL!

The story is a parallel between father and son that were on their deathbeds and had a serious illness at the later parts of their life. The book started with Howard Crosby and his son George Washington Crosby. The book takes you on a ride with a multitude of memories of both men that are intertwined into one story. Although the book was non-linear the fragments of memories put the whole piece together. There is a touch of humanity that is at the heart of the book. I especially liked the way the author mixed the story of how clocks were formed and even how to make a nest. It somehow makes you feel that he was trying to say something more about the life of the two men and nature.

Nature was an integral part of the story and how small man can be at times with nature's regal presence. The story moved from one perspective to another but somehow you feel that it is the same person but the main difference is that they are in two different points in time. The life of Howard and George are told in a pastiche of time segments.

I won't divulge any further you have to judge the book yourself to find out.

4 out of 5 stars for Tinkers by Paul Harding

For The Literary Peeps Out There

2011-08-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

For the poetry lovers out there here is a published piece of mine from the Front Porch Review:

Parts of a Whole

I see these glass shards scattered on the floor. Little pieces
of light crystallized on that glassy ember. I hear my mother saying
after she heard the glass burst, "Pick up the bigger pieces
and separate them from the smaller ones, it’s easier to
dispose of them that way." I remember my father and
the way he would drink his way to sobriety. I used to love
that man my mother would say, whatever happened to him?
Like he was some piece of paper written and re-written again.
I pick up the pieces and see my reflection. The brown eyes, the small ears,
the pointy nose, and that shattered face. I would hear my younger sibling
calling out my name. "Brother, brother, look I'm almost finished
with my puzzle. I need just one more piece." I see the shards
of glass on my hands, I pick up the missing piece lying
on the floor.

You can click the link below the title for the site.

3 Idiots

2011-08-18T07:46:00.000-07:00

I saw this movie called 3 Idiots:

3 Idiots

SPOILER ALERT IS OFF THE CHARTS READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL!

Moving along...the movie is about three idiots (insert sarcastic symbolism here) who went to a school for idiots (ahem engineering school). The protagonist's name was Ranchodas, rancho for short. He was roommates with two other idiots. They had a school director called Virus and the guy-who-like-to-kiss-ass-because-he-wants-to-get-high-grades-person-we-all-know-and-love.

The movie runs by this mantra "wisdom is knowing the exceptions to the rules." If you understand what that means then you know how to make ice cream with no ice and no cream.

Moving along...The movie is kinda sorta similar to Good Will Hunting but as a personal preference I liked Good Will Hunting more. This movie had the staple of Indian song and dance mixed with emotional highs and lows. It was intelligently made with a lot of heart.

It dealt with two kinds of learning. The memorize learning and the joy and wonder of learning because you love to learn. At the heart of it all is creation. There are several ways to look at the movie and thaw out a perspective but at the end of the day its just parts of a whole.

I would definitely give this movie a two thumbs up, it is a must see!

The Lives of Others

2011-08-14T08:52:00.001-07:00

I watched an interesting German movie called The Lives of Others:

The Lives of Others

It was about a military officer who was notorious for catching dissident citizens in Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The interrogator was so damn good at what he did the people he investigated always cracked when he talked to them. There was no torture---just insane interrogation and eyes everywhere big brother kind of thing.

Anyway moving along...The government controlled everything even what the artists were doing. Then one artist commits suicide which has a profound effect on one artist. This artist (the good guy) decided to write about the number of suicides happening that were never reported. This topic was taboo because it was a knock against the government. Then the toughest interrogator was tasked to find out if the artist was doing anything wrong. So he wired his house and listened to his every move.

But as he listened to his life he knew this guy was fighting for something much more. So what he did was lie to his superior. I won't divulge anymore of the story it is better and more rewarding if you watch the movie.

I'll give this movie two thumbs up!

A Yellow Cab Night with Food Bloggers | Foodiestation

2011-08-13T04:48:00.000-07:00

I can't help it, it's about food and pizzzzzaaaaaaaa yum!Check out the link to read the whole blog:

A Yellow Cab Night with Food Bloggers | Foodiestation

Outliers

2011-08-12T08:46:00.000-07:00

I've read a book about success. It was Malcolm Gladwell's book 'Outliers'

This book is interesting because it points out details that can make or break a person's life in general. Just because you met this particular person, you were born on a particular year, you were in a specific community that had this specific machine or building or whatever minute detail such as the year you were born. The book opens a new perspective on how success is perceived. We thought that successful people had just talent or had money or had connections or whatever that they have going for them. That the individual was the only indicator of his or her own success.

But little did we know that there is more to success than just individual effort. It is the combination of all these little details that converge and peak at the right time. There is this cliche that says that a person is made through nature and nurture. A cliche is cliched for a reason.

The book states that a person much reach the ten thousand hour threshold in order to become a master of their art. That's close to 8 hours a day for around four to five years on a consistent basis. But the trick is there is also a certain point in time wherein you have to hit this threshold to make it big. Its a convergence of a lot of small details to work in order for you to achieve ultimate success.

And the environment you live in must make it possible for you to focus all of your efforts to achieve the ten thousand hour threshold. The people around you also play a very crucial role they must make compromises so that a successful person can just keep their mind on a particular career and avoid unnecessary distractions. It can be in the form of relationships, poverty, bills to pay or whatever. A successful person must also have the right opportunities to strut their stuff. Here comes another crucial role of the people you surround yourself with. We are never alone now are we? It seems like we all need somebody in some way. An individual's success looks like a team effort based on what I understood from this book.

The examples that were laid out on the book were very compelling. Malcolm Gladwell offers great insight. This book is definitely a must read.