The Black Isle

USA USA USA!

Plus:
This medal was created by Imperial Edict No. 496 of July 27, 1939, was given for service in China during or after the 1937 invasion, AKA The China “Incident.”

BONUS item below! (not WWII tho’ it might as well be)
People’s Republic of China, cased medal and bar device as given to the soldiers who participated in the Tiananmen Square massacre of June 4, 1989. While the government of the People’s Republic seems to have initially stood by the nature of its response to protests at Tiananmen Square, this incident has become an embarrassment. Consequently, the medal has become supressed, and it is illegal to wear it in China.

Finally, a memoir to look forward to: Can You Ever Forgive Me? by Lee Israel. The confessions of a literary forger (ie. forger of letters “written by” Julie Andrews, Noel Coward, Lillian Hellman, etc., all created in a studio apartment on the Upper West Side), out next month.

Let the Right One In: Saw this most original vampire movie from Sweden at the Los Angeles Film Festival last night. It’s so damn good I wouldn’t classify it under horror. Because it’s based on a novel, it’s filled with emotional density. The protagonists are twelve year olds! But it’s not cute, not campy — and falls to none of the usual cliches. The US release will come (who knows when) via Magnet.

My mad uncle took his team to the Cactus Garden last weekend:
In order that they might be inspired as they build his most amazing park:
Last year’s expedition.

Eden Spring RIP February 2008 

Be back in the New Year.

Video from last month. The family housekeeper Ah Eng helping baby cousin Wen prepare for a weekend trip.

The Worst Intentions by Alessandro Piperno (translated by Ann Goldstein), from the superb Europa Editions house. I’m only about a third of the way into this book about family (a genre I’ve never really had much patience for), but I highly, highly recommend it.

Back from my voyage. But my usual reticence applies. There’s too much to say and show, so perhaps I should say and show nothing. These pictures are safe, I guess. The second one’s even a little funny.

Went to the Desert Garden at the Huntington Gardens today with botanist extraordinaire uncle Kiat and Jim Folsum, his pal who runs the Gardens (and calls Kiat “the God of Plants”). It was fun seeing plant guys in such exquisite ecstasy. Should have brought a video camera.