Weekly diaries

So, I’m back with another diary-style post. This week has been a bit quiet – mostly busy with work, but I still think I have enough material for a weekly diary post. Or at least I hope so. My tendencies to ramble usually make these small life updates bigger than they actually are.

Last weekend I went to Oko to try out their Mandarin Calling food fest, and I had the best time. I’m realizing of late that events like Oko are the ones that I like and most want to attend. Great ambiance, food, a friendly PR, and the fact that I got to visit it with friends made me feel so comfortable and relaxed, and I think that genuine pleasure in the day reflects in my blog post.

I attend blog events only once a week or once in two weeks. That is partly because I don’t have too many PR contacts or blog/social visibility. Still, it is also because I turn down many events that don’t interest me, fit into my day job schedule, or involve a stressful trip across town. This is also why I suck as a lifestyle blogger. Just too damn lazy.

So, what did I do this week when I was not attending blog events? Well, I saw the Game of Thrones finale without actually realizing it was the finale. Doesn’t this season seem just way too short and jerky? I would have much preferred the story to have stretched over a couple of more episodes and at least try to match up to the complexity of earlier seasons.

I read and loved the book way back but never had the patience to attempt the rest of the books in the series. Anyway, now that the season is done, I browsed on Netflix to see if there was anything else addictive out there, and I landed on Outlander. I watched a couple of episodes, and so far in, I really like it. This is mainly due to the historical feel and the beautiful green Scottish locations (on my travel wish list someday).

Catriona Balfe as Claire is as annoying as the book character. I mean, I like that she has a mind of her own and is not a useless bimbo, but I think the book and the serial overplay this aspect of her. Or maybe this is just my dislike of bossy, officious, know-it-all type people. Sam Heughan, who plays Jaime so far, has nothing much to do. He looks handsome and speaks with a lovely accent, and that’s enough for now. I see myself watching at least a couple more episodes. Where I will probably stop watching is the excruciating rape scenes, which were horrible in the book, and likely to be intolerable on-screen.

Have you watched this series? Do you recommend it?

I finished reading My not so perfect life by Sophie Kinsella, and it was not so perfect. Sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun. Actually, it was a perfect book to read during a busy week.

Here’s a brief synopsis:

Katie Brenner has a perfect life: a flat in London, a glamorous job, and a super-cool Instagram feed.

Ok, so the truth is that she rents a tiny room with no space for a wardrobe, has a hideous commute to a lowly admin job, and the life she shares on Instagram isn’t really hers.

But one day, her dreams are bound to come true, aren’t they?

Until her not-so-perfect life comes crashing down when her mega-successful boss Demeter gives her the sack. All Katie’s hopes are shattered. She has to move home to Somerset, where she helps her dad with his new glamping business.

Then Demeter and her family book in for a holiday, and Katie see her chance. But should she get revenge on the woman who ruined her dreams? Or try to get her job back? Does Demeter – the woman with everything – have such an idyllic life herself? Maybe they have more in common than it seems.

~ Synopsis from goodreads

I loved this book overall. Kinsella heroines can get a bit too much at times, but Katie is perfectly written, and so is Demeter. I really loved how their relationship grows and develops in the book. Very little about the book has to do with Instagram – the main reason I picked up this book! The love interest was a bit disappointing and felt phoned-in, as was the Instagram angle, unnecessary.

Still, it was a nice, fun read.

I am still struggling with Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. It’s not a DNF, at least not yet, but I am finding other books so much more interesting. Maybe trying to read Sarah Waters back to back is not such a good idea.

I picked up Gone Baby Gone by Dennis Lehane from the library. The movie version starring Casey Affleck was fantastic, and I simply loved it, and I thought I’d check out the book. I checked on Goodreads, though, and it seems the book is one of a series, so I now wish I had started from the first book rather than midway. Also, I remember the last book I read by Dennis Lehane (The Given Day) was so overlong and dry that it put me off all future books.

Still, I think I”ll give this one a try.

Have you read this book? This series? Is it worth the time?

On the personal front, it’s been hectic. Snubnose evolved into the quintessential awkward pre-teen this week with a bang, getting fitted for braces and prescription glasses. The ophthalmologist also took a look at Piglet and seemed to think there may be some eye issues. We need to give him drops to dilate his eyes and bring him again on Saturday. Oh, joy! I am so looking forward to it (sarcastic). Piglet is going to raise the biggest hue and cry over the drops and the examination. I just hope he’s not going to need glasses too. He’s going to run through them at a glass a day, I think!

On the health side, all that clean eating seems to have worked. I’ve lost 7 kilos over the past five weeks, and despite a couple of stumbles (read food blogging events), I have managed to show remarkable restraint.

This restraint may be for one particular reason. I don’t want to divulge too much for fear of jinxing it, but I have something exciting planned over the second week of November. I am so happy that the clean eating is working out to (fingers crossed) be fully slim and trim by November.

So, this is what my week has looked like. When I started writing out this post, I thought it wouldn’t be much. But a lot has happened! Maybe I should keep these weekly diaries on as a reminder of just how much whizzes by in a week.

I want to end this post with a question for you guys. How do you like these super-long diaries? Would you prefer less text and more photos? Do you mind me weaving in a quick book review, or would you prefer I do standalone book review posts? Let me know. I am not sure if I am getting overly rambly with these posts.