Unreal Blog

This column, published about a year ago in a Singaporean newspaper, is my favorite, my pride and joy. For that reason, I may have sent it to some of my readers before. Here is hoping that you would enjoy a repeat read…

Read the rest of "La Sophistication"

This is going to be my last post of a personal kind, I promise. This French eulogy was an email I received from my friend Stephane, talking about my father who was quite fond of him. Some day I will translate it and append the English version as well. It is hard to translate it right now, but the difficulty is not quite linguistic.

Read the rest of "A French Eulogy"

The last of my French redactions to be blogged, this one wasn’t such a hit with the class. They expected a joke, but what they got was, well, this. It was written the day after I watched an air show on TV where the French were proudly showcasing their fighter technology. This one talks about how logical conclusions can be illogical.

Read the rest of "La logique"

Another of my French “redactions,” this piece is a translation of a joke, which perhaps didn’t translate too well. I was told that the French version was in poor taste. Now, reading it again, I feel that the English version doesn’t fare much better. You be the judge!

Read the rest of "La chienne"

Another one of my early “redactions” describing a rich girl’s perspective of what poverty is all about. Enjoy!

Read the rest of "La pauvre famille"

One of my “redactions” for my French courses. My fellow students and teacher loved it, hope you will too.

Les fermiers aux Etats Unis ont de la chance – ils ont de grandes fermes. Ce n’est pas le cas en Mexique. Mais, le Mexicain de qui je vais vous parler, etait assez content de sa ferme. Une fois, un fermier texan est venu chez notre Mexicain.[...]

Read the rest of "Les fermier"

Another one of my “redactions” for my French courses. My fellow students and teacher loved it, hope you will too.

En Inde, on mange ce qui s’appelle des “chapatis”. C’est un peu comme les baguettes en France.[...]

Read the rest of "Les chapatis"

How to market sophistication, a la francaise! Newspaper column in Today on 5 Jan 2008.

Sophistication is a French invention. The French are masters when it comes to nurturing, and more importantly, selling sophistication. Think of some expensive (and therefore classy) brands. Chances are that more than half of the ones that spring to mind would be French. And the other half would be distinctly French sounding wannabes. [...]

Read the rest of "Sophistication"