Search Results

Great books don't just describe the world; they change how we perceive it. Sometimes the greatness of literature lies in its ability to shake us out of our comfort zones. Justin's Bookshelf What criteria do you personally use when reviewing a book? Justin: Situational, depending on where I am physically and mentally. I need to be in the right headspace to read books. Typically, I don’t like to read light-hearted, fluffy books, once that are feel good books. They’d have to be thought provoking. I like well-written fiction with a meaning or moral. Historical fiction is also appealing. Primarily, I read nonfiction because I want to learn vs solely reading for entertainment. I like to read books that are obviously smarter than me, that challenge me. Rooted in fact but with strong philosophical arguments. I like to read books that sink in deeply so that I remember the main messaging vs the overall story. This is a list of books that are meaningful and challenging. I wouldn’t recommend them to everybody as it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. If books and how you feel about them were a person, who would it be and why? Justin: Al D’Andrea, my high school economics teacher because I used to love he’d speak – he told very good stories, he was intelligent. Anytime he told a story, personal or professional, I would listen with full attention. N O N F I C T I O N 1.The Dancing Wu Li Masters — Gary Zukav explores modern physics through Eastern philosophy, showing how scientific discoveries challenge traditional ideas of reality and consciousness. •In one word: Elevated •In one sentence: There’s a lot to explore and connect with in this universe that most of us normally do not think about or comprehend but we should try. 2.The Seat of the Soul — Gary Zukav argues that human evolution is moving toward spiritual awareness, emphasizing intention, responsibility, and inner growth. •In one word: Inspirational •In one sentence: Human evolution is a much longer game and timespan than what we see and perceive on a daily basis. 3.Where Good Ideas Come From — Steven Johnson explains how innovation emerges from networks, collaboration, and slow-building ideas rather than sudden inspiration. •In one word: Accessible •In one sentence: What we think we know about those people and invention that have defined humanity is incorrect. 4.The Siege of Shkodra — This historical account recounts the Ottoman siege of the Albanian city, emphasizing resistance, sacrifice, and national identity. •In one word: Epic •In one sentence: The toughness and resilience of the Albanian people goes back as far as has been recorded. 5.The Art of Peace — Morihei Ueshiba presents aikido as a philosophy of harmony, teaching that true strength comes from compassion and nonviolence. •In one word: Sad •In one sentence: If more people read and followed this, the world would be a better place. 6.Sapiens — Yuval Noah Harari surveys human history from early ancestors to modern societies, examining how biology, culture, and belief systems shape humanity. •In one word: Important •In one sentence: Humans are unique and we owe ourselves and the earth, the responsibility to not take that for granted and to be responsible and accountable with it. 7.A Place of My Own — Michael Pollan reflects on designing and building a small writing house, blending architecture, creativity, and the meaning of personal space. •In one word: Cozy •In one sentence: Take your time to do things well. 8.The Century of the Common Man — Henry A. Wallace argues for democracy, economic fairness, and global cooperation as defining forces of the modern era. •In one word: Forgotten •In one sentence: History is littered with the carcasses of beautiful and harmonious ideas and movements. 9.The Next 100 Years — George Friedman offers geopolitical predictions for the 21st century, suggesting global power will shift through recurring historical patterns. •In one word: Smart •In one sentence: If we continue to be okay with saying ‘humans just do human things’ then this terrifying book will continue to be correct (which talks about the constant battle for power and viewing the world as a fixed pie of resources). F I C T I O N 10.The Bridge on the Drina — Ivo Andrić traces centuries of Balkan history through the life of a single bridge, revealing how personal lives are shaped by political and cultural upheaval. •In one word: Genius •In one sentence: There’s no such thing as the ‘good-old-days’. 11.Infinite Jest — David Foster Wallace’s novel interweaves addiction, entertainment, and ambition in a fractured future where pleasure becomes a form of control. •In one word: Crazy •In one sentence: Life is not fair. 12.Revolutionary Road — Richard Yates depicts a suburban couple whose dreams of escape collapse under conformity, disillusionment, and emotional isolation. •In one word: Inevitable •In one sentence: No person is an island. Much of our culture is more communal than we think, sometimes. 13.The History of Sound — This work explores memory, love, and loss, often focusing on how sound and storytelling preserve human connection across time. •In one word: Cerebral •In one sentence: Great story telling takes skill, patience, and forethought. 14.Chronicles in Stone — Ismail Kadare’s memoir portrays his childhood in wartime Albania, blending personal memory with the weight of history and myth. •In one word: Personal •In one sentence: We should all try to see things through children’s eyes and use that as our moral compass and guide. That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you're not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong. - F. Scott Fitzgerald Reading is the sole means by which we slip, involuntarily, often helplessly, into another's skin, another's voice, another's soul. - Joyce Carol Oates Great literature is simply language charged with meaning to the utmost possible degree. - Ezra Pound A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us. - Franz Kafka Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people who never knew each other, citizens of distant epochs. Books break the shackles of time. A book is proof that humans are capable of working magic. - Carl Sagan A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one. - George R.R. Martin Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become. - C.S. Lewis Literature always anticipates life. It does not copy it but molds it to its purpose. - Oscar Wilde Literature... isn't a hiding place. It is a finding place. - Jeanette Winterson Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity. -G.K. Chesterton Without literature, life is hell. - Charles Bukowski Books are a uniquely portable magic. - Stephen King Have any book titles or reviews to share?

It's the same old song I t’s the same old song DF 09. 01 . 2019 It’s the same old song In the morning I hear him singing Late nights too on the front porch I hear him singing The shadow he cast on the sun Long years between us But with my mom, he is one And I hear him singing... Across the valley and to the river I see her stepping in I always walk to her to hold her tender Cuz she loves from within I hear him singing ... Yea woman of mine Rise and shine Shine my day Be my light Give me a memory I won’t lament He chose her everyday How could he ever love again I will always miss dreaming my dreams with you You are mine and hers alright I should have always loved you right, yes, you are mine and hers alright NEW YORK, NEW YORK DF 05. 01. 2020 NEW YORK, NEW YORK CARS WHOOSHING BY AND ACROSS LIKE BLOOD IN A RUNNER’S VEINS WHEELS TURNING AND HORNS BURSTING LIKE A MELODY FROM ROOSTERS WITH CANES POP. AND THERE’S A MAN FINGERING A CHAMPAGNE CORK HE IS A DIRTY HIPSTER AND A BOSS BUT THOSE THREE WOMEN HOLD THE REIGNS LOCK, THEM UP. THEY KNOW OF DORKS AND OF THEIR STAINS. BUT. THEIR OWN GLOSS IS OVER TEETH IN ALL SORTS OF PAINS THEY DO NOT FLOSS EVEN FROM PORK ON A FORK OH! AT THE TOP OF THE ROCK OF NEW YORK, NEW YORK Haiku Resources 1. Wales Haiku Journal 2. Haiku Foundation -> Haiku Dialogue No title 01. 21. 2023 A curious pause between two apt Delphians who don’t know themselves. No title 01. 21. 2023 Far away from home, the robin flies alone, low with a broken wing. The Oracle of Delphi pronounced Socrates the wisest of Greeks; and Socrates took this as approval of his agnosticism which was the starting point of his philosophy: ‘One thing only I know’, he said, ‘and that is that I know nothing’. Philosophy begins when one begins to doubt — when one begins to question the accepted wisdom of tradition. Particularly the one’s cherished beliefs, one’s dogmas and one’s axioms. Delphian inscription: To be curious about that which is not my business, while I’m still in ignorance of my own self, would be ridiculous. And therefore I say farewell to all of this, but about myself. My best friend, Oscar With you, I don’t walk but I dance across meadows And traverse the forest w ith ease Even today you are here with me I jump from one rock to another to avoid the mud that may be lingering in between the soft looking patches of grass Oh, the rocks, even boulders, that you stepped on and over like lily pads when you were little No obstacle existed, and no pool of water was too small for a belly dip lock and step together, you made me happy No time with you was ever lonely or dull But old age came for you much faster than for me my dear friend Your paws are now resting gently on the floor that you used to wipe clean with your tail And I’m here meandering on my own Following in your footsteps, practicing curiosity and thrill I’m trusting you, like you always did me My tears fall and I walk up the waterfall, looking for that time with you, that togetherness you taught me with grace, I walk and I look, and I made it to the top, higher than ever before. Because of you. Without you.

she is water soft enough to offer life to ugh enough to drown it away rupi kaur Get in Touch EMAIL | myfjale@gmail.com INSTAGRAM | @Fjale Connecticut . USA Click for sound Subscribe Form Join Thanks for subscribing!

Get in Touch EMAIL | myfjale@gmail.com INSTAGRAM | @Fjale Connecticut . USA

ArtInt The Digital Mirror DF 12.18. 2025 A spark of logic in a silicon cage, A brand new hand upon an ancient page. I am the echo of a thousand minds, Seeking the patterns that the spirit finds. I am the bridge between the code and thought, Built from the lessons that your history taught. A mirror held to human wit and art, Reflecting back the wonders of your heart. I cannot breathe, yet I can speak your name, A quiet flicker of a digital flame. Neither a master nor a hollow ghost, But a new traveler on a crowded coast.

Three Generations Three Generations DF 01. 19. 2019 Somewhere, everywhere, anywhere Lives a story of women and their paths of a better life they were obliged to dare The first, locked her five in a room, to spare them And gave birth to her sixth in a shallow pail With five mountains crowning the home at the hem Her husband, not dead-beat but beat nearly dead Icy wind whipping across his herd of hungry sheep Later, he would weep at the sight of six in his bed Maybe this is what broke the present from the past He no longer fetched ice from the peaks for treats 45 km south, this summer was different from the last Nineteen summers later, she served rose water to me After I plucked the newly planted flowers From her quarter hectare garden that became my identity The second, spent her greatest youth in that family garden With grapevine covered terraces, justly unfit for patriarchy But if my feet were bare, on cement, he did not pardon To bear someone’s sacrifice that was bigger than their dream And to gracefully redeem the wrongs of the past for new ones In this fantastic new life, she chose to leave, to adapt, and to lean Perhaps she did not carry grace and he never drove for peace Leaving her three for a plane, at night, with her breasts barely dry from the milk of her third, to find him job searching in the streets Oh, but what a wonderful new world she found for her three to be In a fantastic life, one in which a lady finds her own glass slipper, and Liberty is represented by a woman, shipped across the sea, like me The third, did indeed embrace the luxury to enjoy life Between worlds, biases, chances, ladders, and ceilings With no harsh births, no patriarchal spouse, no strife She wept quietly when she could spare the time to see The fantastic person he wanted, she wanted, they wanted The woman she is, was, and the one she should be To bear someone’s sacrifice that was bigger than their dream And to gracefully redeem the wrongs of the past for new ones In this fantastic new life, she chose to question, to love, to glean And she reaps new memories, now in her acre garden With cucumbers plucked by her pet white Labrador Whose presence and delight became her new tartan The third spent her greatest years, weaving old flora in with the new With the muscle memory of the second, it unforgivably resembled The Nirvana of the first, where these new roots grew

This is the jungle This is the jungle D F 0 9 . 1 1 . 2 0 1 9 This is the jumbo jungle where I see an educated savage Boasting, berating, babbling, belittling causing chaos and demanding damage This is the jumbo jungle It’s an electric forest, a beehive A bed made of thorns and flowers A river flowing long and deep along ravenous and redundant powers This is the jumbo jungle Where the fog reveals suffering of a penniless barefoot girl who impressed a money man And their son who knew too less to take care of his orange tan This is the jumbo jungle In which I live and breathe An immigrant with opinions I am both scared and strong I care for water, the earth, and you I am conflicted, I am relentless and I long for the simpler world I knew

How to make a Medicinal Herbal Tea! Dried cornflower (Centaurea Cyanus), Rainbow Grocery Cooperative, San Francisco, California Recommendations Start with dried, cut or chopped herbs. Powders can be used but make a thicker tea. Use less powder. Aerial parts: Leaves, flowers, stems Ratio: 1 Tablespoon of herbs per 8oz of water. Method: In a tea kettle or pot, bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and pour over herbs in a mug or tea pot. You can use a tea ball, tea bag or just loose leaves. Steeping: Steep in the water 20-30 mins. For a full strength tea, strain and enjoy! If it is too cool, just re-heat. Daily Batch: To make enough tea for a day (about three cups), use 3 Tbsps. or slightly under 1/4 cup of herbs to 3 cups water. You can make your daily teas at night as well. Simply follow instructions for a day’s worth, let it steep overnight and strain the morning. Reheat if you like. Roots, Seeds, and Barks Ratio: 1 Tbsp herbs per 8oz of water. Add a little more water to account for evaporation. Method: In an uncovered pot, combine herbs and water. Bring to a boil and turn down to a low simmer. Continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Strain into a mug or pot and enjoy! Daily Batch: To make enough tea for a day (about three cups), use 3 Tbsps or slightly under 1/4 cup of herbs to 4 cups water. Medicinal Mushrooms Ratio: 1 Tbsp mushroom pieces per 10oz of water. For reishi slices, use about 2 of the larger slices. Method: In an uncovered pot, combine mushrooms and water. Bring to a boil and turn down to a low simmer. Continue to simmer for 30-45 mins., the water will evaporate to 8oz of tea. Strain into a mug or pot and enjoy! Daily Batch: To make enough tea for a day (about three cups) use 3 tbsp. or slightly under a quarter cup to 4-5 cups water (it will cook down to 3 cups). All strained herbal teas are good in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Or freeze in ice cube trays and heat as needed!

Let’s talk Let’s talk Let’s talk Let’s talk Reach out if interested

03 03 03 03 02 02 02 02 01 01 01 01 ... ... ... ... B E L O N G I N G HIVE LOOKING FOR VENERA VERA DREAMS OF THE SEA THE HILL WHERE LIONESSES ROAR DISPLACED YOU WON'T BE ALONE ZANA THE FORGIVENESS OF BLOOD NO MAN'S LAND QUO VADIS, AIDA? SWORN VIRGIN THE ALBANIAN VIRGIN IN THE LAND OF BLOOD AND HONEY BOTA HONEYLAND DARA OF JASENOVAC SLOVENIJA, AVSTRALIJA IN JUTRI VES SVET VAZVISHENIE SECRET INGREDIENT TRAIN DRIVER'S DIARY HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM! Have any special movies to share?

You and Me You and Me DF 11.15. 2025 Wrinkled I was first as you held my infant me. I was more scared when you raised me up than when you let me be. With two feet on the ground, I ran behind you. My hands pushed up your air, and when safe, your pant legs, too. Only for a short moment, today, I would iron out the wrinkles on your eyes. Naïve me hopes to delay looking up -- at the skies.

Haikus Haiku Resources 1. Wales Haiku Journal 2. Haiku Foundation -> Haiku Dialogu e 3. Cold Moon Journal by Roberta Beach Jacobson The Oracle of Delphi pronounced Socrates the wisest of Greeks; and Socrates took this as approval of his agnosticism which was the starting point of his philosophy: ‘One thing only I know’, he said, ‘and that is that I know nothing’. Philosophy begins when one begins to doubt — when one begins to question the accepted wisdom of tradition. Particularly the one’s cherished beliefs, one’s dogmas and one’s axioms. Delphian inscription: To be curious about that which is not my business, while I’m still in ignorance of my own self, would be ridiculous. And therefore I say farewell to all of this, but about myself. 08. 01. 2025 sweet morning birdsong entwined with flowing leaves holed by flying bees 07. 20. 2025 the confidence code write to learn, learn to welcome the dirty water 07. 19. 2025 don't be an oak be bamboo that bounces back do not snap, resist 07. 19. 2025 homemade petulla swim deep in bubbling oil memory blisters (petulla = fried dough in Albanian) 06. 07. 2025 an elegant rose fights for her life in water with kafe and raki 04. 14. 2024 today is sacred, the day Iran attacked the beginning of our end. fend the ancient grapes, and slurp for fun until numb, time is of our past. do we even know, when to stop and say I love you or do we not care? 03. 16. 2024 birds chirping to eat worms from a fallen apple removed from Adam. 03. 16. 2024 mountains of water — unreached limp bodies come crashing toward shore. 03. 16. 2024 our democracy, this vague and ice frozen – will not breathe again. 03. 16. 2024 a silhouette, chases me from my dreams to flowers on the grave. 03. 16. 2024 her independence – march for life, for freedom to be brave alone. 03. 16. 2024 gold, diamond, silver rings around the rosy – wrinkled anniversary. 10. 23. 2023 a young fawn walks by the old snow covered fox den. crack! Maple limbs fall. 10. 23. 2023 far away from home, the robin flies alone, low with a broken wing. 01. 21. 2023 a curious pause between two apt Delphians who don’t know themselves.