Exodus by Leon Uris

Fantastic. Amazing. This is the first review I am writing well, because "Exodus" by Leon Uris is well-worth writing a review for.

The book is a work of fiction based on the establishment of a Israel, some World War II Era and after. Actually it's hard to distinguish the fact from fiction. It has many characters, that to mention all of them would not leave me space for a review, but they are handled in such a way that they don't become annoying. It focuses more on the plight of the Jews, and I guess a lot of us know something about that. But it discusses more of it, somethings we might not even know.

We have Ari Ben Canaan as the main character - a hard, strong character that works for the (re)establishment of Israel. He goes around many places to immigrate people to Palestine to go to the "Promised Land." But on the way, he also faces some of his own issues on love, friendship, loyalty, etc. He is surrounded by other characters that complement each other well with the same goal - to have a Jewish State. But obviously, there are many roadblocks to this. We have the British (who at that times held some of the Middle East), the Arab nations literally surrounding the very small area of Israel (get a map and you'll see what I mean), and many other political and religious factors.

While the story mainly revolves on events during the late 1940s, there are also many recounts of events that took place like almost a century before. These could be actually be very long, and for my taste, a little bit dragging, that's why I gave 4 stars. Well actually, 4.75 stars because, later I realized the importance of these flashbacks on the establishment of the characters, which is a very good aspect of the book. You get to know more of the characters, the more you get hooked! I realized that, without the necessary foundation, the characters would actually seem bland, and have no "motives."

How I love the book. First, I am particularly interested in war themes on any type of medium. Why? Maybe because I want to understand why they have to go to war, why they have to fight, what drives them. Well, as many people know me, I am far from aggressive, so I am fascinated at why people resort to aggression. Second, I like love stories (well, for a HR like me LOL). The story has its own dash of it and it was quite interesting and different. Third, I am interested in religious or "faith" themes. Thought the story doesn't dive into it so much, it still held on to the basic principles that a Christian like me would know, as well as issues with other religions. The book is pretty heavy, as you will really get a lot from it.

I myself knew quite some general things about what the Jews have gone through in the past millenniums - the Bible, Hitler, Auschwitz, Arab-Israeli Conflicts, blah-blah - but I did know what I got from the book! There were so many things that astounded me that made me think, "Wow, they sure are a bunch of people." I can't believe (or rather lost hope) that people can be what the Jews have been as described in the book. I believe many events in the book are based on real events, but there I face my problem - separating fact from fiction. It was so goodly written that it made me wonder which was true from what's not. So I really made it a point to search in the internet so many things in the book.

Now that I finished the 1.5" thick book with 9-sized Times New Roman and more than 600 pages, I have a new dream - to visit Israel. I really want to see first hand if how they are faring right now. I understand there are still wars, but with how the book (published 1958 mind you LOL) described the Jews determination, I want to see if they still have that passion in them. It's like I want to visit those places described in the book (though I really don't know if some places mentioned there still exist). I also want to understand more of Judaism. I even thought of giving my child, if ever, a Hebrew or Hebrew-related name. Maybe Dov or Ein. Dunno yet. Hehe.

Dang, you must read it. It's the first of its kind that I have had read. It was worth my while. I look up to Ari, and to also many other characters, like David, and to the Jews as well. Get a copy if you can.

I can't wait to get my hand to the movie adaptation. But based on the summary, the story is quite on a different road, but to the same goal. And it is over 3 hours long (?). But, heck ,who cares?

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Birth Verse

I got this from Birthverse.com. I don't know what it's supposed to mean, but the verse somehow explains one of my beliefs.

Matthew 7:26 NIV
But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

what's your birth verse?

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3 am

It was 3 am. I woke up. I couldn't go back to sleep.

I just lay there on my bed, under my blanket, tucking my head. For 1 hour, I tried to sleep, to no avail. I listened to some music from my mp3 player. Still I couldn't.

So I decided on something weird. Change my friendster profile. Change it into something "different." Haha.

It was fun. Though, I must say I am kind of like what I put there, but, duh. I can be attention-deficient (local: KSP) so I'd do stupid things. But it's funny to think of myself as the one in my profile in friendster. I guess I'll have a good laugh if someone falls for it. hehehe...

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Word for the Day: Hot

It's like thios word has been mentioned many times throughout the day. Well, I guess that's what you get for hanging out with two girls who watch series in tv, which would usually have that sex (read: gender) factor.

Well, I'm hot.

hot /hɒt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[hot] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation adjective, hot·ter, hot·test, adverb, verb, hot·ted, hot·ting, noun

–adjective

1.	having or giving off heat; having a high temperature: a hot fire; hot coffee.

2.	having or causing a sensation of great bodily heat; attended with or producing such a sensation: He was hot with fever.

3.	creating a burning sensation, as on the skin or in the throat: This ointment is hot, so apply it sparingly.

4.	sharply peppery or pungent: Is this mustard hot?

5.	having or showing intense or violent feeling; ardent; fervent; vehement; excited: a hot temper.

6.	Informal. having a strong enthusiasm; eager: a hot baseball fan.

7.	Slang. a. sexually aroused; lustful. b. sexy; attractive.

8.	violent, furious, or intense: the hottest battle of the war.

9.	strong or fresh, as a scent or trail.

10.	absolutely new; fresh: a dozen new mystery stories hot from the press.

11.	requiring immediate delivery or correspondence; demanding priority: The hot freight must be delivered by 10:00 a.m. tomorrow, or we'll lose the contract.

12.	Slang. skillful in a reckless or daring way: a hot pilot.

13.	following very closely; close: to be hot on the trail of a thief.

14.	(of colors) extremely intense: hot pink.

15.	Informal. popular and commercially successful; in demand; marketable: The Beatles were a hot group in the 1960s.

16.	Slang. extremely lucky, good, or favorable: A poker player has to have a hot hand to win the pot.

17.	Slang. (in sports and games) playing well or winningly; scoring effectively: a hot pitcher.

18.	Slang. funny; absurd: That's a hot one!

19.	Games. close to the object or answer that is being sought.

20.	Informal. extremely exciting or interesting; sensational or scandalous: a hot news story.

21.	Jazz. a. (of music) emotionally intense, propulsive, and marked by aggressive attack and warm, full tone. b. (of a musician) skilled in playing hot jazz.

22.	Informal. (of a vehicle) capable of attaining extremely high speeds: a hot new jet plane.

23.	Slang. a. stolen recently or otherwise illegal and dangerous to possess: a hot diamond necklace. b. wanted by the police. c. dangerous.

24.	Informal. in the mood to perform exceedingly well, or rapidly, as during a burst of creative work: Finish writing that story while you're still hot.

25.	actively conducting an electric current or containing a high voltage: a hot wire.

26.	of, pertaining to, or noting radioactivity.

27.	Metalworking. noting any process involving plastic deformation of a metal at a temperature high enough to permit recrystallization due to the strain: hot working.

–adverb

28.	in a hot manner; hotly.

29.	while hot: Garnish the potatoes with parsley and serve hot.

30.	Metalworking. at a temperature high enough to permit recrystallization: The wire was drawn hot.

–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)

31.	Chiefly British Informal. to heat; warm (usually fol. by up).

–noun

32.	the hots, Slang. intense sexual desire or attraction.

—Idioms

33.	get hot, Slang. (in sports and games) to become very effective or successful; score or win repeatedly or easily.

34.	hot and bothered, Informal. excited, aroused, or flustered: This mistake isn't worth getting hot and bothered about. Also, all hot and bothered.

35.	hot and heavy, Informal. in an intense, vehement, or passionate manner: They argued hot and heavy for 20 minutes.

36.	hot under the collar. collar (def. 23).

37.	make it hot for, Informal. to make something unpleasant for; cause trouble for: Ever since their argument the principal has been making it hot for the new teacher.

---

[Origin: bef. 1000; 1920–25 for def. 23; ME ho(o)t, OE hāt; c. D heet, ON heitr, Sw het, Dan hed, G heiss]

—Related forms

hotly, adverb

hotness, noun

—Synonyms 1. heated; fiery, burning, scorching; scalding, boiling; torrid, sultry. 4. biting, piquant, sharp, spicy. 5. fervid; fiery, passionate, intense, excitable, impetuous; angry, furious, irate, violent.

—Antonyms 1. cold.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Smallville

No, not the party place. How I wish...

It's so frustrating that my download was almost finished when I left home, so I just left the computer on to let it continue. But then, the inevitable happens...

Blackout.

Dang, now the episodes of "Smallville" will now have to wait for a 48-hour recovery period for our PC to turn on. For some reason, the monitor won't turn on immediately. You have to listen to a "sound" and when it has become louder, you have to press the power button with a certain combination of presses and proper timing so that it will turn on. Dang. We won't bother buying a new monitor because in just more than a month, I'll be leaving anyway, and my brother has his own PC. Dang, I wish I can buy an external HD...

Speaking of saving, austerity measures have already started. I had to live with pancit molo for lunch and some pepsi. I walked from outside the subdivision to our house. I'm not given allowance, so I have to spend my own money. But my own money is just enough for transportation for the next few days! So tomorrow, the extreme will happen. Bike to school, bring a liter of drinking water, and have pancit canton and egg for lunch.

Talk of saving. College is nearing, so I have to learn.
----------------

Well, while I can't watch Smallville yet, I guess I just have to be satisfied with these...

Erica Durance as Lois Lane. I find her more beautiful than the one on Superman Returns, but I don't have anything against Kate Bosworth. They're on different roads anyway.

Kristen Kreuk as Lana Lang. She portrays her role well. I like her better with Clark rather than with Lex, but I guess Clark is just a bit too pushy.

Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor. So-so. He plays a good villain.


Justin Hartley as Oliver Queen (A.K.A. The Green Arrow). One of my favorite characters. Shooting arrows and stuff.

Tom Welling as Clark Kent. He's alright. It's just sometimes his character in the series is quite stupid. Especially with Lana. X-RAY VISION!!! hehe, joke. Super hearing na lang eh.

Images from cwtv.com and yahoo

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