Tuesday, May 4, 2010

One Day (2009)

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I picked up the novel One Day on a whim while waiting for a train in Germany last month. Having finished it now, I am so glad I decided to buy it. It's been a long time since I've connected to a fictional story in such a way (also a while since I've finished a book for leisure, I suppose). I read a large part of the book immediately after purchasing it, devoting every train ride while traveling to the story of Em and Dex. I was nearly finished by the end of my travels in Russia, but I stored it away as school got busy again, having almost lost interest as it seemed to have reached a pleasantly stagnant conclusion. It rested on my bookshelf until today, when perhaps out of a desperate attempt to avoid my daunting assignments, I decided to see how the story officially ended. After finishing, I'm convinced the critics who acclaimed it simply as a great romantic comedy must have also thought they had reached the end when I did and failed to finish the novel. The last few chapters of the book, in fact, offer the most poignant, affecting, human portrayals of life and love only alluded to in earlier parts of the story. Three hours after finishing, I still feel the weight of the story on me, a sense of loss coming over me upon the characters' departure from my life.

Between his characters Dexter and Emma, David Nicholls paints a universal story of human longing, nostalgia for a lost past, and, above all, the constant uncertainty of life, love, and happiness. At times unbearably sad, at times remarkably hopeful, Nicholls brilliantly captures the experience of loss as well as the power of human resilience and finding beauty within tragedy.

Some readers claimed that the novel failed because the characters were unlikeable, which I found astounding. Em and Dex emerge vividly from Nicholls' striking talent for crafting genuine characters, so real and flawed and human in every way that you're drawn in almost immediately. We may like people because of their good qualities, but we love our closest friends and family in spite of their deepest faults. Are fictional characters any different? We come to know Em and Dex in an intimate way, sensing their vulnerabilities, disappointed at their failures but ultimately rooting for their success. They irritate from time to time when we first meet them, but after 20 years (or 435 pages) spent together, it is impossible not to love and feel for them as if they were our own friends.

Apart from the brilliant characterization and subtle depiction of human emotion, the story portrays the profound trajectory life can take over 20 years. I currently stand just at the outset of the story, connecting with the post-graduation anxiety of facing the real world, with both Dexter's hedonistic desire to explore the world and Emma's insecurities that prevent her from success and happiness. The beauty of Nicholls' narrative lies in this fact that people in all different stages of their lives will connect to the story in different ways. It's a story I'll be able to return to throughout my life, a companion to the triumphs and losses along the way.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

baby went to amsterdam, she put a little money into travelin'.


The remnants of Queensday the morning after

Wednesday 28 April 2010

My friend Claire and I left in the evening for Amsterdam on our respective forms of transportation - a mere one hour flight for her, 15 hour overnight train (without bed) for me. Despite the horribly uncomfortable seats clearly not built for sleeping or sitting for long periods of time, I would still choose to travel by train. There's something about seeing the land change as you pass - about enjoying the green expanses of the German countryside and the endless fields of bright yellow, almost fluorescent flowers, about opening the windows to fresh air - that is irreplacable, no matter how much faster a plane will get you to your destination.


Preferred form of transportation

Thursday 29 April 2010

9:23 AM

Woke up groggily to find that the train has been stalled....for the last 6 hours. Engine broken. Apparently someone commit suicide on the tracks in the middle of the night while everyone was asleep. Definitely did a number on the locomotives. Now everyone is out of their compartments, having conversations with fellow travelers from other countries, the windows are open for some fresh morning air, and someone is strumming languidly on a ukelele. If it weren't for the grim circumstances and the fact that I'm losing a whole precious day of travel and leaving Claire alone in Amsterdam, I'd almost enjoy this.


14:00

After a couple hours back on track, just when we thought we could finally make it to Amsterdam, the train has stalled once again. This time we've all gotten off the train, resting on the platform in the warm afternoon sun and balmy breeze. The weather truly feels like summer right now, wherever we are.

Later that day...

Six hours after I was supposed to arrive in Amsterdam, I finally made it to Centraal Station around 4 in the afternoon, exhausted from a rather sleepless train ride, and starved, having not eaten anything since 6 o'clock the previous evening. I met up with Claire and we rode to Haarlem, where we are staying for the next two nights, to drop off our bags at our hostel. In the evening we explored a bit of Amsterdam, mainly the many eateries so considerately open for late night munchies. Total food consumed tonight: huge plate of Chinese noodles, Belgian waffle, various cakes, and a "Lion" McFlurry (in response to my original order for a KitKat McFlurry, the clerk said 'why have a kat when you can have a lion?' Wise words, for the Lion McFlurry exceeded anything a KitKat McFlurry could have dreamed of being). Note to self for rest of the trip: eat less, spend less money.

Friday 30 April 2010: Queensday


Queensday in....Haarlem!

We woke up today with the intention of eating an early breakfast at the hostel, exploring Haarlem all morning, and being on a train to Amsterdam by noon. Instead, we skipped breakfast, went back to bed and slept til noon.

Well-rested and finally ready for Queensday, we headed into the center of Haarlem, where we were met with huge crowds of youths and families alike all decked out in orange and already drunk (probably from last night's Queensnight celebrations). The train station was mad chaos. Turns out no trains were going to Amsterdam today and crowds of young people were already mobbing the buses to the city. We decided to let the locals celebrate their holiday in Amsterdam and ended up spending Queensday in Haarlem, which I actually appreciated because it was the perfect balance of party celebrations and small town charm. And while Amsterdam was ridden with tourists, Haarlem retained a local atmosphere.

We stopped first for a delightful brunch at a quaint little French cafe on the corner. I had an omelette the size of my face that probably contained a month's supply of cholesterol. It was wholly satisfying, and the coffee was wonderful too. After our cosy rendezvous with France, we returned to the streets of Haarlem to join the Queensday celebration, pausing at a grocery store to arm ourselves with Heinekens. The streets were packed with people (I can only imagine what Amsterdam was like). In addition to being a huge outdoor party, the streets also functioned as a big flea market (I managed to find a lovely ring for just 50 cents) as well as a public children's talent show (still confused about that one). All in all, Queensday was plenty of fun, though the celebrations ended early (after all, they'd been partying since the previous night).


Balancing act

Saturday 1 May 2010

I have so many fingers! (still only 10)
These hands aren't mine. (they were)
A steak would be great in two years. (probably)
They're speaking English! (they were)
They're speaking Danish! (they weren't)
Everyone's speaking Danish! (no one was speaking Danish)
Seth Rogen! (wasn't there)
Did I say that out loud? (yes, I did)
Am I speaking? (yes, I was)
Where's Keanu Reeves? (in The Matrix)
Was that real? (no one knows)

Sunday 2 May 2010

8:17 AM



Beautiful morning. Claire left for the airport already and I have about 2 hours before my long train journey back to Copenhagen. I'm currently sitting by the canal, taking in the beautiful scenery (which somehow has not been the focus on this trip) and enjoying the brisk morning breeze. It's refreshing to explore the city while the streets are mostly empty and everyone is still sleeping off the effects of Queensday weekend. It's a much needed detox: peace, quiet, fresh air, lack of excessive stimuli, getting away from people and being alone in a lovely city - one of my favorite parts of traveling. Once in a while a Heineken can drifts by in the canal or a whiff of urine passes through the air, but for the most part it seems like the party's officially over. Amsterdam, you mad, mad city. You have certainly taken your toll on me.