Author Archives: Topher Ong

Year of the Ape

Posted on August 14, 2022 by Topher Ong

I remember this story that my mum told me. As a child, she visited this family friend’s abode. The house per se was unremarkable, save for one difference maker. The family had a pet monkey. Not just for beautification purposes; … Continue reading →

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Midwinter (2022) reads

Posted on August 5, 2022 by Topher Ong

Around July of each year, the temps absolutely plummet in Sydney. At the turn of winter, it was already freezing but July is traditionally the coldest month. It’s the perfect time to catch up on your reading. I begin this … Continue reading →

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‘Into the Wild’

Posted on July 24, 2022 by Topher Ong

If you’re going on a solo adventure, what would you bring? A few months ago, I streamed Into The Wild on Netflix. Sean Penn directed the film, which was based on Jon Krakauer’s bestselling book. The read per se is … Continue reading →

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‘Time enough at last’

Posted on July 15, 2022 by Topher Ong

Last year, prior to the months-long COVID lockdown, I recall having a conversation with a ‘kindred spirit’. He asked me if I knew about this TV series, The Twilight Zone. He said that it was ‘a really old series’. When … Continue reading →

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Made in Wimbledon c. 2022

Posted on July 10, 2022 by Topher Ong

Over almost the past fortnight, the action unfolded at tennis’s most prestigious tourney. Only a mere two years ago, the event was cancelled due to COVID concerns. The shadow of the pandemic still lingered on in last year’s edition, with … Continue reading →

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More early winter (2022) reads

Posted on July 3, 2022 by Topher Ong

For this month’s inventory, two nonfiction bestsellers and Grisham’s latest are up. I started off with Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer’s gripping account of the 1996 Everest disaster. The author is a recent find and I look forward to perusing … Continue reading →

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My all-time NBA five

Posted on June 25, 2022 by Topher Ong

The NBA Finals have just concluded and it turned out as I had predicted. Golden State had been down 2-1, with Game Four in Beantown. I prophesied that the Dubs would win in six. Chef Curry would be crowned Finals … Continue reading →

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The Lettuce Crunch

Posted on June 18, 2022 by Topher Ong

In recent days, the lowly iceberg lettuce has been caught in a storm. Previously, shoppers paid little attention to this sandwich staple, which sat meekly at $1.99 per piece. In many years of buying groceries, I could say that people … Continue reading →

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Early winter (2022) reads

Posted on June 12, 2022 by Topher Ong

Following on from my last reading list, this time we tackle two bestsellers and one classic. As usual, two fiction reads and one nonfiction book comprise my reading list. I start off with David Baldacci’s latest. Dream Town is the … Continue reading →

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‘The Cold, Cold Ground’

Posted on June 2, 2022 by Topher Ong

The past week or so has seen a cold snap hitting our city. Snow in Thredbo and country NSW. Daily showers across the state. Gale force winds making people duck for cover. Plummeting temps the new norm. The last weekend … Continue reading →

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