MidniteLily's decision to (maybe) attend the latest round of Readings spiced up what was becoming a monthly routine - depending on the circumstances. There were certainly a few new faces among the attendees, but she was nowhere to be seen.
It was still a memorable affair, though. For reasons good and bad.
Good, because of two celebrity writers: David Byck, and Andre Vltchek. There seems to be at least one luminary among the readers for each session, which contributes a great deal to the main goal of Readings: encouraging writing talent.
Byck stood out because of how my attention was drawn to his book a few weeks back at MPH MidValley for some reason I could not fathom. It's A Long Way to The Floor brings to mind the recollections of a CEO who has gone back to his roots, not a story of someone's path to discovering yoga. Yogis, as far as I can tell, stay real close to the ground.
Good, because Sharon, the emcee and a major driving force behind the organisation of the event, took her turn at the mike and did not disappoint. It is, in addition, a great boost to her credentials as a teacher of creative writing.
So, why the bad? Well, "bad" wasn't exactly the word I wanted to use...
"...the nose, that organ located halfway between your eyes and mouth... that very useful organ, good for smelling and most of all, digging..."
What - the - hell?
"...yes, nose digging is such a relaxing activity, does not harm the environment or endangered species, a great way to pass the time, unsurpassed by anything else, except maybe..."
The revelation that followed drew mixed reactions from the crowd. I knew at that point I shouldn't be in the room. But it only got weirder from there. The mental overload that started with the recitation on the benefits of nose-digging kept me rooted to the spot like a stroke - without the debilitating side effects. It didn't help that my own nose was itching towards the end.
I wanted to sink into the floor. Get struck by lightning. Be attended to by Dr Kervorkian. Meld into one of the abstract paintings on the walls. Anything. Just get me out of here!
It was later revealed that the author had written all that himself (in Malay) and passed it off as the fevered mumblings of a man dying of some obscure cancer. I'm still conflicted over whether it was "bad", extremely funny, or both.
Categories:
Misadventures
This FunnyBunny character sounds interesting. Bet she's a handful in person.
ReplyDeleteSince you've already laid on the charm, about time you make that move for the kill!
;)
J
Infinitium: Interesting? Yes. A handful? You have no idea 8-) I'd be careful, though - she reads this blog, and sounds like she probably knows you.
ReplyDeleteoooh... intersocialnetwork intrigues :)
ReplyDeleteps: do mention when the next readings are coming up.
ReplyDeleteSneexe: The "usual" sessions are held on the last Saturday of each month, although they are subject to change. Updates on Readings - and almost any book-related event - can be found in Sharon Bakar's blog.
ReplyDelete