The Last Elegant Bear
Dennis Kyte
Published by Little Simon Books
Hardcover

The Last Elegant Bear is another one of those books where the story is eclipsed by the artwork. Story? What story? I can’t remember the story. But look at the pretty pencil sketches and colour pencil work!

The book follows the “Life and Times of Abiner Smoothie”, a well-bred bear born into privilege and a family tree to reckon with. Abiner’s constant companion is Puppy (who really is a rabbit) and they are never apart, even when Puppy is not supposed to be there.

We follow Abiner to a posh school, then to the navy, and then to his travels all over the world. 

Without doubt, the star of the book is the artwork. It’s colourful enough to keep a child’s attention, and detailed enough to appeal to adults. 

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Book Sunday: The Last Elegant Bear

2008 had been a mixed year. It began with the kind of new year celebration that will be hard to beat, and I’m not kidding myself about being able to relive this ever. I’m only content that I’ll be welcoming the new year quietly with a friend. Probably toasting with an iced tea at Starbucks or something.

It’s been a year of fewer travelling opportunities but I made them (the voluntary ones, at least) count. It’s been a year of many new friends (thanks to travelling and participating in stuff) and getting back in touch with many old friends (thanks Facebook!). It’s ticking a box that’s been on a mutual to-do list and 20 years is a nice number to do it.

It’s been a year of many marriages and babies, and looking at all these youngsters with their girlfriends at a wedding dinner of someone you grew up with and thinking, “OMG. Last time I saw you, your voice haven’t even broken yet.” It provided many opportunities to muse over being over 30 and not conforming to society by mating and breeding like nearly everyone else my age. And not wanting to do it just because. And getting annoyed with how our heart is wired to long for it no matter what our head says.

It’s been a year of experimenting with new things and brandishing sharp pointy things. And finding myself naturally going into something I’ve been writing about, which lead to my most memorable birthday celebration ever.

2008 was also a year when I realised that I’ve fallen out of love with photography (the way I often fall in and out of love of everything and everyone else) and of me trying to salvage something else that I love. 

It’s been a year of me unexpectedly getting over a lifelong fear of public speaking, a year of living a lot larger and harder than I usually do, a year of casting off old self-doubts and of saying yes where I usually would have said no. And vice versa.

It’s been a year of adjusting to how things have changed at work, exactly how the cookie crumbles, and learning to deal with it gracefully and with a level head.

I’ve gotten into the GTD and uncluttering craze (a year early, Hallmark on Astro!) and looked at the psychology of why people need to own stuff. I’m still in the process of untangling myself from mine and learning how to let go, but at least I have a floor in my room and it’s still there.

It’s been a good year and I have no regrets.

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Ringing Out 2008

The Kuching Food Bloggers Gathering @ Village Fast Food was nice and had a few new faces (”new” as in I haven’t already met them everywhere else), but I was too tired to mingle after we sat down and the food started coming out. I’ve been constantly tired the last few weeks.

I was too tired to figure out how my friend’s camera worked, hence I didn’t get photos and this is not an entry into the Eat OK blog post contest. Photo above? Stole it. Thanks Annna.

I must say that the Eat Ok logo makes a great icon in real life, as demonstrated by everyone in the photo.

I’m pleased that Gab, who designed the logo, was also there. We know each other from my church days and were already planning to meet up to swap Edward Gorey books.

I helped the organisers by writing up quiz questions on the fly. I knew Caroline at VFF will be making a speech and was gonna get some things from there, but I didn’t anticipate that Francis will be introducing everyone who attended. It did make a couple of other good questions though!

I think this is the first proper food review event organised for bloggers. There were 5 tables for us and we had feedback forms to fill. I’m quite pleased with the feedback form idea because it shows that the people from VFF are serious in getting a general feel of what people think of their food.

Despite not feeling very good, I enjoyed the event and the company. I’m only sorry I didn’t have enough energy to go make new friends that night, but I am glad to see the usual suspects and a few other people I usually meet elsewhere.

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Eat OK Food Blogger Gathering

This is me recording an epic fail in liu of a Book Sunday post. As in (1) don’t buy more books this year; and (2) don’t use credit card till I pay it off. (1) and (2) tend to be directly related. I was doing quite well until I went to the Times Warehouse sales. In short, I should have stayed away but I was tired and dispirited and needed a perk.

Everything in my pile is from the warehouse sale except the first and last book, which were bought from a Christmas stall next door to my office.

I have one more book I need to add to the pile before I “close shop”. Really. As soon as I can muster up the energy to battle the crowd in the Spring and get to MPH.

As usual, strikeouts have been read. Am currently reading “The Personal Organizing Workbook”, but in general, I’m not reading very much at all. Which is another good reason why I should curb the book-buying.

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Books - Dec 2008

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Do I hear sleigh bells?