Man of Steel, Boredom, and Classic Novels.THE MODERN HIDALGO: Entry_010
Written: Saturday. July 13, 2019.
Alright, mixing things up a bit for this entry.
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I’m now listening to MAN OF STEEL (HANS’S ORIGINAL SKETCHBOOK) musical score compilation. Which is available on Youtube, but of course, why would I directly listen to something on Youtube, if I’d probably need to listen to it even off-line? So I downloaded it, illegally, of course, but the FBI won’t bat an eye on me. That’s not the point. The point is that it took me awhile to find a way to download it.
I have a way to download youtube videos off the internet as easy as 123. But somehow, the on-line converter doesn't work, or keeps on crashing whenever I want to download the Man of Steel soundtrack. Though I think it’s only because of our shitty PLDT connection.
If I were to download this at a Computer Shop, it would've been easy. No doubt about that.
Anyway, today’s sort of a cheat day. I know that I laid down a proper schedule of what to talk about each day on this journal of mine, and that tomorrow won’t have an entry, because that’s my chill day.
The reason why today is a cheat day is because I didn't exercise…that’s it. I didn't exercise. Didn't do a morning walk. I just lived out a sedentary lifestyle. Which sucked. I hate it. I honestly would rather shoot myself in the head than lie all day in bed doing nothing if I had so much energy in me.
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It was also very hot once the day gets to 2–4PM. Those are the roughest hours to spend inside our bedroom. The climate just eats up all your strength, that you would just eventually sleep it through.
But I had enough sleep, and didn't want to do another nap, which would be my third for the day. So I ended up going to SM North Edsa and Trinoma.
I needed to chill. The climate was unbearable. I also needed to get out of the house, because my mind was getting bored.
No, not bored. Bored is not the word.
My mind wanted to EXPLODE! It wants to explode right now.
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I've been having problems with the book that I’m currently reading, which is The Three Musketeers.
I have the Richard Peaver translation; it’s not the best translation out there.
I’m seeing a pattern when it comes to Collins Classics.
I have their version of Dracula, Frankenstein & Three Musketeers.
So far, Frankenstein is the most decent to read out of the three.
I have the Richard Peaver translation; it’s not the best translation out there.
I’m seeing a pattern when it comes to Collins Classics.
I have their version of Dracula, Frankenstein & Three Musketeers.
So far, Frankenstein is the most decent to read out of the three.
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Dracula was by far the worst book I've ever tried to read. “TRIED”, because I didn't have the propensity to finish the goddamn book, because I knew that I was only gonna waste my time on that stupid book.
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Frankenstein was somehow different, because even for it’s complex grammar, I could understand and appreciate what I was reading. Which is good. That’s the only thing we really need to worry about here.
I’m a prolific reader. I read everyday. Most of my friends don’t read, at all. They are illiterate son’s of bitches — nah, just kidding. But still, you get the point.
I read more than most people. And by reading every day, I slowly started to go for more advanced reading. I started choosing books that were above what I was used to reading.
I used to always read Percy Jackson books, which is only because I didn't buy other books. But when I started to have the money to buy books, I went and bought books like The Bourne Identity, American Gods, Elantris, Speaker for the Dead, Lord of the Flies — you get what I mean.
My reading level is up there. It’s up there. No need to elaborate or argue about that.
I have the Richard Peaver translation, which is the Collins Classics version.
I should have bought the Lowell Bair translation, which is the Bantam Classics version of The Three Musketeers!
I found a copy of it on National Book Store, Trinoma.
I was at chapter 13, so I went and opened the Bantam Classics version on Chapter 13. And proceeded to read the goddamn chapter.
It became clear that it wasn't my capacity to read that was failing me, but the capacity of the translator to convey the original story.
Peaver writes in such a way that it seems as though it was being played in an Operatic Theater, back in Shakespeare’s time. It’s very poetic, and at times, it sort of just doesn't make any sense. The grammar is all over the place. It’s like he was translating it whilst jumping around in the room, trying to mimic the characters.
I’m still gonna finish reading it, Peaver’s version, I mean.
I've put down too many books this year, just because their writing styles annoyed me. I can’t keep doing that, especially with this one.
I’m going to try to finish reading Peaver’s version, and still buy a copy of Bair’s version. So that I could compare even further on what was better, and what really just didn't work at all.
Word of the Day: Juxtaposition.
See you on Monday.
The ability of the reader to understand what they are reading.That is the basis of my dilemma.
I’m a prolific reader. I read everyday. Most of my friends don’t read, at all. They are illiterate son’s of bitches — nah, just kidding. But still, you get the point.
I read more than most people. And by reading every day, I slowly started to go for more advanced reading. I started choosing books that were above what I was used to reading.
I used to always read Percy Jackson books, which is only because I didn't buy other books. But when I started to have the money to buy books, I went and bought books like The Bourne Identity, American Gods, Elantris, Speaker for the Dead, Lord of the Flies — you get what I mean.
My reading level is up there. It’s up there. No need to elaborate or argue about that.
So why, I asked myself, why can’t I understand The Three Musketeers?Is the book too complicated for me to read? Is the era to which it was set (1600’s) now too far of an era for a reader from the 21st Century (2019) to understand it?
Am I just not capable of understanding The Three Musketeers?But then I realized something. And this happened just awhile ago. Because I was questioning it, before it became clear that that was the reason behind my problem.
It’s not about the story, but how it’s presented.The Three Musketeers was not written in English! It was written in French, because Dumas is a French Author! So the problem is not with Dumas, it’s with the Translator!
I have the Richard Peaver translation, which is the Collins Classics version.
I should have bought the Lowell Bair translation, which is the Bantam Classics version of The Three Musketeers!
I found a copy of it on National Book Store, Trinoma.
I was at chapter 13, so I went and opened the Bantam Classics version on Chapter 13. And proceeded to read the goddamn chapter.
It became clear that it wasn't my capacity to read that was failing me, but the capacity of the translator to convey the original story.
Peaver writes in such a way that it seems as though it was being played in an Operatic Theater, back in Shakespeare’s time. It’s very poetic, and at times, it sort of just doesn't make any sense. The grammar is all over the place. It’s like he was translating it whilst jumping around in the room, trying to mimic the characters.
It’s too difficult to read, because it’s such an old-fashioned writing style. Or at least it feels like it.Bair’s writing style fits in more with the modern taste of reading. I understood the chapter in an instant. It didn't require me to think so hard, because how the words were laid out allowed me, the reader, to follow along with the storytelling. It’s easy to enjoy reading something if it’s easy to understand in the first place, not like how Peaver did it, which I think his intention was to sound smarter to the readers. To which, it ultimately did not help his cause.
I’m still gonna finish reading it, Peaver’s version, I mean.
I've put down too many books this year, just because their writing styles annoyed me. I can’t keep doing that, especially with this one.
I’m going to try to finish reading Peaver’s version, and still buy a copy of Bair’s version. So that I could compare even further on what was better, and what really just didn't work at all.
Word of the Day: Juxtaposition.
- the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side often to compare or contrast or to create an interesting effect.
See you on Monday.
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