the cutting floor
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The 2022 Guide of West LA’s Top 5 Burgers
I’m only one stomach in the sea of many. But having built my palette resume over San Francisco and New York, I’m excited to share with you my Los Angeles faves. For my sanity, I’ve focused mainly on the West…
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The Odyssey of Watching STALKER (1979) and Dreams
Director Andrei Tarkovsky’s sci-fi epic had been sitting on my to-watch for some time. By sheer chance, I read the Strugatsky brothers’ Roadside Picnic, which Stalker is based on. There are SPOILERS ahead for both Stalker and Picnic. Both works…
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The Best Chess Moments In Queen’s Gambit
“My tranquility needs to be refurbished.” Alma Wheatley When you play a lot of chess, you start recognizing what “Hollywood” dresses up in films to increase drama or exaggerate details to cue the audience what is happening in a game.…
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Once Upon a Time Dream
Writer’s note: Something I wrote up during a 45-minute free-writing session. The prompt was “grasping.” Mechanical watches are useless in this dream because time moves faster for only you when you’re aware of the time. Emotions play a big part…
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“The Herd is On the Move”
Maybe because I’m going back on the warpath that I’m noticing an interesting trend among my Valley peers that have been “in the game” since the 2010s: we’re building again. This part is choked with anecdotes, but hear me out.…
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Bookshelf
Last updated: May 2023 Sure, I could be other blogs where they throw 1,000+ titles to show breadth. Instead, I’d rather lightly pitch why each piece is time well spent, and share my core reading culture. These are all worth…
Abel Lin 