Sunday, May 16, 2004

Rave for Raybon

I didn't get around to reading Raybon Kan's new book, which I bought yesterday, because we spent most of last night on Buffy-related activities. This means that we watched about six episodes from the first series, followed by an attempt to play the Buffy board game which my boy bought yesterday. He's a game freak and I'm almost allergic to them, so no surprises that his Evil (represented by the Master) won against my Scooby gang by turning Buffy into a vamp.

But I did get to start reading 'An Asian at my table' over toast this morning, and ... its a rave. I so wish I could write like him.

Memorable quote #1:
On the Dalai Lama's visit to NZ,
"His main message seeems to be that anger and fear should be rejected. 'Fear leads to anger; anger leads to hate - hate leads to the Dark Side.' No, that was Yoda. But is he just Yoda without the light sabre? Perhaps Kundun should have been called Dalai Lama Episode 14: Attack of the Chinese."

Memorable quote #2:
On the public's perception that there are too many Asian immigrants in NZ, and one writer's view that Asian immigrants don't try to assimilate,
"...nobody ever went to another person's country aiming to assimilate. I think anyone with any kind of dignity holds things dear: language, cultural rituals, photographs. Would you ask Kiwis who live abroad to stop supporting the All Blacks?"

Memorable quote #3:
On asthma,
"How can you possibly be at one with the universe when you're incompatible with air? When I see a green meadow, I don't see a place for lovers to run. I see a meadow of mass destruction."

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