31st August

31^st August

“If you cannot change the kings, then change yourself”

A Sufi proverb

A rather empowering message I thought.

First day of school today, although, there are no lessons as there is a “20^th year of Kazakhstan’s independence” event. Which is convenient, as we don’t yet have a timetable of lessons sorted! I was warned it could take up to 3 weeks to do, so what happens regarding lessons until then, I don’t know. Jason’s school across the train tracks has theirs sorted, so this isn’t a nationwide problem. It is certainly annoying though!

In the last two days, I read the graphic novel “Watchmen” as it was highly recommended, and I needed a break from Islamic history. While the plot is interesting, basically how in the 1930’s, after the success of Superman, Batman and other ‘masked’ superheroes, members of society started to fight crime dressed up in their own costumes. And as a ‘real’ novel, I think I could really have enjoyed it, but I have some major complains against the genre of “graphic novels”. Mainly, that their role as intermediary between book and film, makes them a “jack of all trades, and a master of none”. I prefer either having to imagine the book myself, or having it dramatically acted out in front of me, and simply having it drawn just doesn’t work, as it removes the need to imagine it, and isn’t as good as a film. Indeed, the Watchmen movie was great! And I guess I am still rather a snob when it comes to comics, which is basically what this is, albeit just a very long one. Comics are for kids! I cannot understand their allure for anyone past teenage hood, and ill always remember the first time I saw a retiree reading one on the train in Japan.