The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Just finished reading The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller this month. After reading some reviews on Barnes & Noble, I thought that I would post some thoughts here.

The theme of the story is Patroclus' relationship with Achilles and is told from Patroclus' point of view. We are given a behind the scene glimpse as to how they came to know each other during their youth, how they grew up together and their relationship during the Trojan War. This story plays upon the things that we know about from Homer's Illiad while enrichening the story with the details not included in the original. However, there is a surprising twist. Patroclus and Achilles are more than best friends, they are lovers. Unlike some of the Barnes & Noble reviewers, I was not put off by the homosexual element and thought that it only helped to reinforce their bond and show why Achilles was so distraught over Patroclus' death. The story ends with Thetis, she who hated Patroclus with a passion throughout the book, giving satisfaction to Patroclus by allowing him to be reunited with Achilles after his death. Strangely enough, she doesn't hate him because he is the reason Achilles dies. She doesn't even associate Patroclus with his death - Hector has that honor. Hector kills Patroclus, but she does not foretell that Hector will kill him.

Another twist is that the story about Achilles' vulnerable heel is entirely absent from The Song of Achilles and instead he dies with an arrow to his heart. The heel is mentioned in the character list, in Achilles' description as a variation to the story. I feel that this is one of the more well known themes in The Illiad that readers would look for and it was strange to leave it out.

Patroclus' voice as a lost soul continues to tell the story even after his death. It is interesting though that we do not hear anything of Achilles' voice. Patroclus tells us of Achilles conquers during the war and his grief and death wish. But when their ashes were mingled, interestingly Patroclus does not feel Achilles' presence.It is not until Thetis carves his name next to Achilles does he reunite with Achilles in the underworld and the souls are put to peace. At that point, there is no dialog but a feeling of extreme contentment and happiness when the two shades finally reunite.

I'm glad that the two are reunited at the end, but I found the last chapter a bit unsatisfying. Although the reason is never explained, Thetis hates him with a passion throughout the entire story . However, in the end, when he reminds Thetis of Achilles' life and that he was not just a killing machine, but also a human does she relent. It doesn't make sense that she shows Patroclus a bit of mercy at the end since she was always portrayed as a cold person. It just seems like an easy way to end the story.

As with any love story, there are a lot of emotions in this book. Fear of losing a loved one, both from Thetis' and Patroclus' perspective. Thetis fears her son's death and hides him with King Lycomedes on Scyros. Patroclus reluctance to go to war knowing that Hector's death will lead to Achille's own death.

The writing style was casual and easy to read. The story was interesting, but not grippingly so. I enjoyed reading about their relationship, but there was not much more to the story apart from that. I tend to like really descriptive books that immerse the reader in their world with rich detailed environments. This book was lacking in that quality. There were descriptions of the sea and the war, yes, but it wasn't quite immersive as some of the other books I've read.

I picked up the book during a Barnes & Noble nook special during LGBT Pride Month in June, so I had a suspicion that there were some homosexuality between Achilles and Patroclus in the story. However, I remembered that I liked The Iliad during my college days (my favorite translation being that of Robert Fitzgerald) and thought it might be interesting to reread through a different perspective. This was a good story and I'm glad that I read it. I rate it a 3 out of 5 for being a good story with a novel twist as well as a quick and easy read. If it was a bit more suspenseful in more of an "I-can't-put-this-book-down" kind of way, I probably would have given it a 4.

Simple Modern Sewing Cap Sleeved Top

Today I finally completed my version of the Cap-Sleeved top (pattern 7b) from Simple Modern Sewing by Shufu To Seikatsu Sha. The first time I made this top I used a navy blue silk voile with a slight change to the instructions. Instead of a scoop neck, I modified the pattern to have a square neck outline in the front. It's one of my favorite tops, but feels ever so slightly restricted at the underarm area. 

This time, I used Liberty of London's Yoshi Lawn. It's still in navy, but overlaid with a charming floral and fauna print. Thinking that adding a bit more width to the front might help with the fit, I also made the top 1 inch wider with no alterations to the back. The sleeves were lengthened as well since the original tended to dig a bit into my armpits and no elastic was added to the hem of the sleeves. I might change my mind on this later, depending on whether I like it without the puffy sleeves look or with it. The square neckline was kept. 

It's quite a bit wider than I expected. Somehow I didn't take into account that addin a 1 inch at the fold would add 2 inches to the front. If I ever make this one again, I'll have to remember to cut away a half inch. The sleeves felt a bit long, but I think the length looks more flattering on my thick, somewhat flabby biceps as it doesn't cut across the widest part. Looking forward to wearing it to work on Labor Day!

Barrett Browning Daffodils

Planted Barrett Browning daffodill bulbs today:

Full Moon Kayaking

My better half and I had taken a one day L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery School for kayaking earlier this year and we thought that it might be fun to do the Full Moon Kayak Tour at Lake Nockamixon in PA. We were not disappointed! Our instructors, Gary and Bruce, are knowledgeable, highly experienced kayakers and are also trained in medical emergencies. It is clear that safety is a priority and as a new kayaker, this is comforting to know (especially since I was a bit nervous about falling into the water at night). We were equipped with life vests and taught how to tighten them properly, headlamps and glowsticks.

This tour is great for everyone including absolute beginners. We were given the basics of how to use our paddles properly even before getting into our kayaks. Refreshments were also thoughtfully provided during the middle of the tour when we took a break at another site at the park.

Pictures do not do the experience justice though. You really have got to get out there and try it for yourself!

Un Bracelet de la Mer des Salish

After starting ArtBead's Salish Sea Bracelet before dinner last night, I just completed it today and could hardly wait to tell you about it...

Contents of the Salish Sea Wrap Bracelet Kit

Lots of thread - careful not to get tangled!

Voila! Un projet complet!

I was really taken by the beachy colors that jewelry designer, Cynthia Kimura, chose for this project that I decided to splurge on the kit. It is my first 5 wrap bracelet and the instructions were fairly straightforward for the most part. I was a bit confused with the instructions for continuing with new thread... something about pulling it through the bead and then tying it. Seemed to make more sense to tie the new thread first before pulling it through the bead... Anyhoo, was you can see, it came out more or less like the example in the picture. Very happy with my project and looking forward to making similar ones for my friends. :)

Note: Since I never heard of the word "salish," I decided to wiki (yes, I made that into a verb) it since I was wondering about its origins. There is, in fact, a place called the Salish Sea. It is a confluence of several bodies of water in the northwestern US states and the southwestern Canadian provinces, most notably the Strait of Georgia, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound. The word "Salish" itself is used to categorize groups of indigenous peoples in that area. There! Now you know... 

Why yes, I would love mo Milk Bar...

The best chocolate and bacon combination! Creamy milk chocolate with bits of salty bacon.... mmm.... 

Vosges Mo's Milk Bar

Claudette, NYC

Hubby and I celebrated my sister's birthday at Claudette in NYC - a French restaurant with a Mediterranean flavor. The restaurant is located in Greenwich Village (or "the Village" to New Yorkers - as in "Hey, let's hang out in the Village tonight") just a few blocks away from Washington Square Park. Although this French restaurant has a ritzy Fifth Avenue address, it manages to have a somewhat casual elegance about it which I appreciated. Adding to the restaurant's relaxed vibe were the friendly and helpful staff who made us feel welcome.

Claudette | 24 Fifth Avenue, NYC

Drinks

My first drink was the Strawberry Thyme Soda. It was a light sweet drink which my sister accurately and concisely described as tasting like cotton candy. For my second round, I ordered the Blood Orange Harissa Soda which was lighter and less sweet. I enjoyed both equally.

Starters

For starters, we shared the Truffle Hummus which we all agreed was really good (I would definitely go back again just for the Truffle Hummus).  The flatbread was thick, warm, soft and fresh. Delish! The hummus seemed freshly made and had an appealing rustic texture. The three of us shared the dish, but I think we should have probably ordered the Pistounade as well - as it seemed slightly light for the three of us to share.

Entrées

My entree was the Sasso Chicken Tajine which arrived at the table in - surprise - a tajine! Compared to my sister's lamb dish and hubby's sirloin, it seemed a rather large amount of food - but happily, it was a good dish and I was able to bring the rest home to enjoy. I tried a little piece of Hubby's Black Angus Sirloin which was also very good.

Conclusion

Although my sister may scoff at the idea of returning to a restaurant ("There are so many good restaurants to try," she advised), I would definitely go back again. Our first time there was an enjoyable experience and I'm already planning to try the Pains Tunisiens with the Truffle Hummus, Chicken Liver Mousse and Pistounade!

Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew

Trying out Starbuck's Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew. Yum! I can definitely taste the fruitiness. Normally don't like coffee, but I would get this again in a heartbeat. Can't wait to try the Nitro version once it arrives!

Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew

Trying out Starbuck's Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew. Yum! I can definitely taste the fruitiness. Normally don't like coffee, but I would get this again in a heartbeat. Can't wait to try the Nitro version once it arrives!

Tibetan Monks Creating a Mandala

Saw some Tibetan monks creating a beautiful and colorful mandala at Brookfield Place this week. 

 

Love of Learning is the Spice of Life

I've been keeping myself busy these past few months with some very interesting free online courses:

Stanford's Digging Deeper - Parts I and II 

Coursera's "Sagas and Space - Thinking Space in Viking Age and Medieval Scandinavia" from the University of Zurich and "Magic in the Middle Ages" from the University of Barcelona

I would rather take the courses one at a time to get the most out of each course, but since the guided courses are only open for a limited time, I didn't want to miss the opportunity to participate.

My favorite courses are the Digging Deeper courses, Parts 1 and 2,  offered by Stanford University. The first part was an introduction to medieval manuscripts: how they where made, how to find them online and how to read the scripts. The second part of the course explored Chinese and Arabic manuscripts, as well discussing the current state of manuscripts today. Again, there are transcription exercises to test letter form recognition. The instructors did a wonderful job in putting the courses together and I am very grateful to have the chance to learn something I may not have had a chance to learn otherwise.

My favorite activity is transcription. Most of the text is in Latin, but there was at least one on Old English. I really enjoyed using my knowledge of both of these languages to see if I could make sense of the passage. Fortunately, the English translations were thoughtfully included in the exercises, so whenever it was difficult to make out a letter, I could always look in the dictionary to find out what the letter might be.

Milestone: Shao Bing

A new Chinese restaurant has opened up at Hudson Eats food court today—Northern Tiger. It's the last restaurant to open in Hudson Eats' initial offering and I've been waiting for months to try it. What a surprise to see that it has opened today!

It's nothing like I imagined it would be—a typical Chinese fast food on hot steam trays. It's a Chinese fast food joint with a small menu focusing on northern Chinese fare, some of which I've never heard of, like shao bing and a noodle dish called Beijing zha jiang mian. I after a few minutes of deliberation and researching on my smartphone, I decided to try the shao bing which is a thin sandwich made of scallion pancake type "bread" enclosing chopped beef, onions, Anaheim peppers and cilantro.

The Verdict

Although it was made fresh and served immediately, it wasn't hot. The texture of the beef might also give pause to those who are accustomed to western food. There were pieces of something chewy in there which I couldn't identify. It was OK, but a bit too greasy for me. Supposedly it is one of the more popular items, along with Beijing zha Jiang mian, which I'll try next time.

Winchester Bible

Visited The Met Museum to see the medieval Winchester Bible since this is the last weekend of its NYC stay. I wish I had sone pictures to share, but unfortunately, since it was temporary exhibition, photography was not allowed.

It was fun and exciting to apply the terminology and knowledge I gained from taking Stanford University's online MOOC, Digging Deeper, when I was explaining to C how the book was made.  I was able to see the faint pricking right along the edge and ruling with C's help.

Anchors Ahoy!

I finally finished The Purl Bee anchor hat for my coworker's baby. Hopefully the hat will fit, if only for this season. I wanted to complete it sooner, but didn't want to work on it when I was sick for fear of putting germs on it. I also hit a milestone with this pattern. It is the first time I made a pompom and also the first time I used the duplicate stitch needed for the anchor pattern.

Happy New Year!

It's January 1, 2015. Welcome to the new year!

The Poetic Edda

Translated by Lee M. Hollander
Second edition, revised
University of Texas Press, Austin

Slowly making my way through this book. Had a difficult and slow start due to the many unfamiliar names, but it's becoming more interesting as I get to know the characters better. Just started to draw out genealogical charts as I'm reading so that I can keep track of everyone's relationships.

Updating Time on a First Generation Kindle

I have a first-generation Kindle and needed to update the time. Since it is not exactly intuitive, I thought I should share my workaround in case someone has the same problem. Make sure that Wireless is turned on and then from the Home page, go to Menu > Settings > Menu > Restart. It should take a few minutes, but that should do it...

Getting in Shape

I've been trying to get in shape and have just created my ticker symbol for MyFitnessPal.com.

Created by MyFitnessPal - Nutrition Facts For Foods

Pure Green Yuck!

Last week, I visited my local GNC to see if I can find something to help my leg muscles recover more quickly from running. The salesperson recommended the following whey protein:

It was just okay... not bad, but not as good as chocolate Ovaltine either. The directions recommend 3 scoops of powder with a glass of water. I definitely did not like it with water. It tasted like watered down milk chocolate, but with milk, the taste wasn't too bad. To lighten the formula, I am currently taking one scoop of powder with a cup of milk for breakfast and before I run.

The downside of the product is that it has an artificial sweetener, which I try to stay away from. Today I tried with two alternatives, 1. Garden of Life Raw Protein and 2. PureGreen Protein. Both of the single serving packets were chocolate flavored. 

Garden of Life Raw Protein contains stevia, which, derived from the Stevia rebaudiana plant,  is more natural than sucralose, but still leaves a strange sweet aftertaste. Another strike against this product is its inability to dissolve easily in liquid. Since it didn't dissolve easily in milk, I choked on the dry powder as I was drinking it. It has a light chocolate color and taste, which was not too bad, yet not the greatest either. 

PureGreen Protein was the worse of the three. When used with a shaker bottle, it mixes well. However, the taste and smell was very vegetal, due to the vegan ingredients and there was little indication of any chocolately goodness. When mixed, it was dark green in color with unattractive dark, almost blackish flecks in the powder. The texture was also very gritty and not very appealing. 

Hopefully, this weekend I can find a better alternative at the GNC made with sugar or even something without sugar that I can blend into my chocolate Ovaltine. I like taking the whey powder for breakfast as well as before I run, but need to find a better brand. 

Completed: Brain Rules (Updated and Expanded): 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School

Brain Rules (Updated and Expanded): 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School by John Medina

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful and fascinating book about your brain, how it works and how to get the most out of it. It is a great read for teachers and students alike, although it can benefit others too.

The contents are based on scientific research, but John Medina is a very skilled writer who presents the information in a fun, yet informative and interesting way. I enjoyed every chapter. :)

View all my reviews