#I’ve never had shark fin soup and I’m not interested in it

[flyin-shark]

Pink you look delicious

Yet you won’t take a single bite. Curious

#I’ve never had shark fin soup and I’m not interested in it #shark sayin stuff

[bookrecollection]

Do I have a Diverse Bookshelf? PT 1: Geography

I recently decided to part with over 10 bags of books because I finally admitted how I needed space, wasn’t going to read something I bought X years ago, or really didn’t need a book I read once and would never pick up again even if I loved it A LOT that one time.

As such, while admiring my newly organized shelves, I began to wonder about the diversity of what I decided to keep.

Whether we like to admit it or not, what we decide to display in our bookshelves is much like an online social profile. It lets people know who we are, what we value, what we know, and what we might be interested in. 

Outside of the shallow reasons, it’s important to be a curious reader who isn’t afraid to traverse all the different types of books out there. When you do, you get exposed to different cultures, ideas, perspectives, lifestyles, historical periods, contemporary subjects, etc. You also learn about different forms of expression and creativity across mediums, genres, languages via translation or the native tongue. You expand your awareness of well EVERYTHING. And it’s just fun!

So to help me out, I’ll be referring to the categories in this blogpost. I thought I’d tackle each to see how my newly slimmed-down  book collection does by listing 5 books that apply to each.

First up is ...

GEOGRAPHY

According to our reference, reading books about different geographic locations is a must. It helps you become more aware about the world and the many communities (i.e. urban, rural, ethnic) and class systems (racial, minority, income-based) that existed and/or still exist.

Here are 5 titles that jumped out to me about that:

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli I first read this title in elementary school when I didn’t necessarily understand that Maniac is white while the Beales are black. I did understand that he was an orphan who ran away from a dysfunctional household to find care in a community that needs to cross some world differences to understand each other. I’m also pretty sure I understood there were disparities in wealth and lifestyle. I’ve since reread it several times as an adult; it’s lovely!

Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Soup: A Sweet and Sour Memoir of Eating in China by Fuchsia Dunlop I randomly picked this book up in a travel section at a local bookstore because I wanted to read more travel writing. I still think about it! Dunlop writes about 1990s China when foreign students are just allowed to study there. She really breaks down how much we culturally define and confine ourselves to our gastronomic identities. It’s fun and eye-opening. It’s made me a braver traveler at the dinner table.

A Personal Matter by Oe Kenzaburo This is when I learned the post WW2 literature of Japan is BLEAK. I also vividly remember finishing this book and thinking: If an American wrote this, it would have had one more chapter describing the protagonist’s self-determination to accept his duty and live well. I haven’t read it since that first time, but I remember this as a dark, unsettling and intensive study of a man who must determine whether he wants the responsibility of fatherhood at all.

Love, Anger, Madness: A Haitian Triptych by Marie Vieux-Chauvet Gifted to me by a relative who knows I’m an adventurous reader, this was another BLEAK collection of novellas. At one point, I had to stop reading because I was so horrified by the abuse meted out by characters upon each other. The reason it remains on my bookshelf is because the stories really made me consider how it’s important to read and acknowledge the trauma imposed upon generations by a violent dictatorship. Overall, I think what the author was trying to show is that the trauma runs too deep. What triumph can truly heal that?

Campfire Stories: Tales From America’s National Parks Edited by Ilyssa and Dave Kyu I rarely love an entire anthology, and here is one of them! The editors traveled across six national parks to collect short stories, personal anecdotes, poems, songs and etc. It’s a wonderful collage of the history, cultures and people who first visited and those who did and continue to define these destinations. It’s made me want to see visit more parks. 

So let’s end on that uplifting note!

Next up? Holidays and Festivals.

#books #diversity #reading #booklovers

[akatsukibandhscenarios]

2. When You Meet Again

Pein You were walking through your town when it began to rain. You were still far from your home, so you had to just suck it up and walk through the rain. You didn’t want to run because you were sure you’d fall in the mud, and that would be bad. You had bags with you, so you couldn’t hold an umbrella even if you had one. “Stupid rain…” You grumbled. The rain was coming down harder. You suddenly felt like the rain disappeared over your head. You turned to see Pein. “You seemed to need help.” He said simply. You couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you.” “I didn’t get your name the last time we met.” The two of you were walking towards your house slowly. “My name is _____.” You were able to look at him more closely now since you were sharing an umbrella with him. You saw his headband and all the piercings. “You are a ninja.” “I am a shinobi.” “I tried to be a ninja before, but my parents wouldn’t let me.” The two of you were now in front of your house. “I enjoy practicing ninjutsu. It wouldn’t be much trouble to teach someone to be a ninja.” “You mean…?” You looked at him hopefully. “Yes, I’m willing to teach you some things.” “Thank you.” You smiled brightly. Zetsu You were watching the ninja of your town train. It was interesting and fun to see them, even though you tried and failed three times. You were so captivated with them that you almost didn’t notice something coming out of the ground next to you. You looked to your right to see the plant guy from the greenhouse. “Hello again.” The white half told you. “What are you doing here?” The black half finished. “I’m watching the ninjas.” You simply said. “So what’s your name?” “Zetsu.” You weren’t sure which side spoke it. You nodded your head and looked back to the ninjas. “Who are you?” “_____.” “So _____, are you a ninja?” “Nope, I’ve failed too much so I gave up.” “We could help you.” The white side spoke. “Don’t drag me into your charity.” The black half snapped. “We’ll I’d appreciate it, unless by help you mean you’ll eat me…” Both paused in their arguing to look at you, as if they actually had to think about it. “You don’t look tasty.” You again weren’t sure which side spoke. “Well, I guess that’s good.” You laughed nervously. Sasori You were at the store where you worked. You were working right now, but you also were looking for a specific thing. One of your puppets broke and you were trying to find the right tool you needed to fix it. You found it, but you weren’t tall enough to reach it. You growled to yourself and climbed up on some boxes. You managed to grab what you needed, but at the last second, the boxes decided to become flat again and you fell backwards. Instead of hitting the ground, you landed in the arms of your least favorite customer, the redhead. “That was stupid.” The redhead informed you. You glared and got out of his arms. “I see you didn’t bring a better attitude.” You responded. “I could have let you hit the ground.” “…Good point…” The two of you went to the counter so you could buy what you needed to buy. “So, what’s your name?” “Sasori.” “Mine’s _____.” “Hurry up. I don’t like to be kept waiting.” You glared at Sasori. “Hurry up, please.” “No one was in the aisle when I fell, so how’d you get there so fast and catch me without dropping me?” “I’m a ninja.” “I wish I could be one. Then I’d be able to use my puppets better.” “I could teach you.” “I’d like that.” You smiled brightly at him. He kind of smiled back. Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all

Itachi You had just gotten off work and decided that you wanted to go to the lake that was down the street from your house. When you got there, you saw Itachi sitting there on the dock. “Hey Itachi,” You said to him as you walked down the dock to him. “Hello _____.” He responded, without even turning around, as if he was expecting you to show up. When you sat down he looked at you finally. You saw that his red eyes weren’t as harsh as the last time you saw them. “How have you been?” “I have been decent. What about you?” He turned to look back out at the water. The sun was beginning to set and the red-orange was reflecting beautifully off of the water. “Decent as well, I guess.” You had wanted to tell him that he has been on your mind lately, but you figured that it would probably freak him out. “What are you doing here?” “There is a café down the street that interested me.” “Ah, I love that café. I go there all the time.” As you spoke you picked up a rock and tried to skip it across the lake, but failed miserably. You could have sworn Itachi smirked at your fail. He then proceeded to pick up a rock and tossed it, causing it to skip perfectly over the water. You frowned, a bit jealous that he could do it and you couldn’t. “You are a ninja, am I right?” “Yes, I am.” “I’ve always wanted to be a ninja. No one would help me though.” “I could help. I mean if you wanted me to.” You nodded your head eagerly, overjoyed with the thought of being able to learn some things. Kisame You were at the market doing your weekly shopping when you bumped right into someone. “Oh gosh, I’m so sorry.” You turned to see Kisame. “I’m so sorry again.” You felt bad that you bumped into him once again. He just chuckled and smiled at you. “It’s alright _____. I wasn’t watching where I was going either, again.” “So what brings you to the market?” “Just getting groceries for my friends and me since none of them want to do it.” “Sounds fun.” You giggle as you both reach for some fish. “You…eat seafood?” “Yes, I do as long as it isn’t shark fin soup.” He chuckled at the shock on your face. “I see.” The two of you went back to your shopping together and talked the whole way. Through the time you spent with him, you had one question burning in the back of your mind. Every so often you wanted to ask him the question, but decided not to and it seems like Kisame noticed it. “What’s on your mind?” “Well I noticed your headband thingy. You’re a ninja?” “Yes, I am.” “It’d be awesome if I could have been a ninja, but since I live in a small village it isn’t possible.” “I could teach you a few things.” You were overcome with happiness so you hugged him. It caught him off-guard but still, he hugged him back. Hidan You had a stressful day at work so you decided to go to a bar out of town. You never expected him to be there, and you were both happy and annoyed. “Hey there bitch, you’re not lost again are you?” You tried to ignore him but you could tell that he wasn’t going anywhere. You heard the chair next to you get pulled out and then sat on. You could tell that he just sat down. You sigh and turn to face him. “No, I’m fully aware of where I am you asshole.” Since you had a few drinks in you, you were feeling bold and really didn’t care what he might do to you after what you had seen him do last time. “Well bitch, I might as well sit with you.” You ignored him and instead asked him a question. “What’s your name? Last time you never told me.” “I’m Hidan. Your name is _____ right bitch?” “Yes.” You went back to drinking the glass you had. You hoped he would just go away and bother someone else. “Do you got a problem with me bitch?” “Yes, you are my problem. What the fuck do you want anyway?” “I want to fuck you.” “Teach me some ninja stuff and maybe I’ll let you have sex with me.” “Fine, but if the sex sucks, I’ll fucking sacrifice you to Jashin.” Kakuzu You were bored at your bank job when he came in. It wasn’t often you saw masked men coming into the bank with a giant bag of money, normally it was the opposite. Kakuzu seemed like he was in a rush. “_____, you take care of him. He looks creepy so I’m going on my break.” Your manager told you as he walked away. You nodded your head and turned to look at Kakuzu and smiled brightly. “How may I help you?” You asked politely. “Hello again.” He said in his deep chilling voice. It sent shivers all over your body, good shivers. “I’d like to put this in my account.” He put the big bag of cash on the counter. You nodded your head happily. You loved counting money so this was going to be fun for you. Once you counted the money you went through the rest of the transaction. The whole time you had wanted to tell him that you wanted to talk to him but once you were done, your manager came back and stopped you from talking to Kakuzu. “Go on break.” He ordered. You looked at him and noticed he was angry so you nodded your head. You turned to Kakuzu, but he wasn’t there anymore so you frowned and walked away, without having the chance to tell Kakuzu anything. You went outside and sat on the ground. “Damn, he disappeared again.” You mumbled to yourself. “Not quite.” “Ah, oh my god you scared the hell out of me!” You yelled at Kakuzu. You couldn’t tell, but you could have sworn he smirked. “Damn ninjas…” “Do you have a problem with me being a ninja?” “Just jealous that I’m not one.” “I can help with that.” Tobi Along with your love of candy, you loved baked goods. You love baking the sweets and then eating them. That was a big reason why you worked in your local bakery. It seems like Tobi also liked baked goods. “Hey _____!” Tobi cheerfully said to you. “Hi Tobi, what are you doing here?” “I wanted some cupcakes and I heard that this place sold the best ones in town.” “I can make you some special ones if you want.” You smiled at how happy he seemed and went to go and back him cupcakes. The cupcakes were chocolate and vanilla. You frosted them with black and orange in the form of his swirly mask. Once they were done you put the dozen of them in a box and went out to show Tobi. “Oh Tobi loves them! Thank you _____!” He cheered happily when you showed them to him. He hugged you tightly and hopped in once place like a child. “I hope you’ll like how they taste.” “How much does Tobi owe you?” “Nothing if you teach me some ninja stuff.” Last time he told you that he was a ninja, and since then you wanted to be one too. “Deal! Now let’s go eat cupcakes!” With that, he dragged you off to eat cupcakes together. Deidara “You call this art, hn?” Deidara yelled at some little kid. You sighed to yourself. This was the third kid he’s yelled at because of the fireworks that the kid picked out. Deidara was convinced that every firework should be art, but some kids were picking out ones that he didn’t think were good enough. You were getting angry because he was scaring off customers and if your boss found out, you’d be getting in big trouble since you told Deidara about this fireworks shop. “Stop that! If you keep yelling at children, you’ll have to leave!” You finally yelled at him. He looked at you, clearly getting ready to have a fully blown argument with you about art. “But-” “No buts Barbie! You are making kids cry because they don’t share our view of art. Let them be, they are dumb and will learn eventually.” “Whatever, hn.” “Just buy what you want and go to our field to wait for me.” “Fine, hn.” He went through the whole store to find the few things that he wanted and then went right to you eager and excited. You rang up all of the things and placed them in a bag. When he paid, he found out that he didn’t have enough money. “Listen Barbie, if you teach me some of your ninja skills, I’ll pretend like you paid in full.” “Deal, but if you blow yourself up, it’ll be all your fault and I won’t feel bad, hn.” “How lovely Barbie…” You rolled your eyes at him as he chuckled and ran off to yell at another kid.

Madara

You were once again, at your favorite sushi shop, like you usually always were. It was late and the shop was about to close, therefore it was only you and a few other customers in the shop. You felt his presence before you even saw him, the man from before. You turned as the door opened to see the man, with the same annoyed face as before. You were sitting at the bar area, which was exactly where he headed. He sat down a few seats away from you and ordered inarizushi, which was something you were not aware the shop even had.

“Hello again.” You kindly told the man, looking at him.

“Hello.” Was all he said. You sighed to yourself. You couldn’t help but wonder if he thought the people of your village knew nothing of him. However, you were a ninja of the Mist village and had friends in the Leaf, meaning when they got word Madara Uchiha had miraculously came back to life, you were made aware by your friends. You had been given a description of him, which was exactly what this man looked like.

“So, how’s it like, living once again? Huh, Madara Uchiha?” You asked with a smirk. His eyes, with sharingan activated shot to you. You turned to him, unafraid. “I mean you no harm, to be honest I’ve heard stories about you for all my life and I have been wanting to meet you. I had no clue you’d show up in my village though. This was interesting.”

“I see. Well, you know my name. What is your name?” Madara asked, calmly.

“_____.” You simply responded. The two of you then ate your meals in silence and once he was done, he simply got up and turned to leave.

“You are an odd person. I’ll let you live for now.” Madara said before disappearing out the door.

#madara #deidara #tobi #obito uchiha #kakuzu #hidan #kisame #itachi #sasori #zetsu #pei #akatsuk #boyfrie #scenarios