I want to blog like Jason

More than wanting his singing or guitar-playing or songwriting skills, which I would love to have any day, at this very moment (and the few minutes before this) I would love to have his other skill... his writing, particularly blogging, skills.

Really.

Click here and see for yourself.

He's just about the coolest guy I know, so far. Freshness epitomized.

Saturday Soliloquy 5: Poverty porn, fash speak and celebrity spawns

It's been a long while since I wrote on a Saturday night (last September to be exact), in reaction to the Saturday paper--The Philippine Star. In short, my Saturday Soliloquy. So to (sort of) start the 2010 right (meaning: informative) here goes my first Saturday Soliloquy for 2010, and my fifth overall, which centers on three key phrases that made noise/s last 2009:

1. "Poverty porn" Filmmaker/columnist Pepe Diokno (Engkwentro) wrote about "poverty porn", as defined to him by a filmmaker friend, being prevalent in Phillipine cinema, particularly the independent filmmaking industry. He says Adolf Alix's Adela, Ralston Jover's Bakal Boys, Jim Libiran's Tribu, and even his own film Engkwentro are a lot like, if not perfect examples of, poverty porn which, in a nutshell, are those films that make its audience "get off" on sad (and inspiring, maybe?) stories of poverty that leaves "that sinking feeling."

Well, if some (if not most) of the audiences "get off" on sad stories of poverty and plight, I think sappy love stories of unrequited/not-so-happy-ending love do the same thing for me. Think Sweet November, Prime, (500) Days of Summer and so on. So that would be called... Unrequited-Loves porn? Bleh. Basta.

I couldn't agree more with Mr. Diokno when he said, "Two centuries ago, it took Rizal's books to spark change. I have no doubt that motion pictures will do that for this age. Today, we read Rizal's books to remember what it was like then. In the future, people will watch films to remember what it is like now."


2. "fash speak" The so-called "fashion-forward people" were asked by Daryl Chang to name "their particular choice of fashion jargon" for 2009. Here are the interesting ones that I may use despite my not-so-fashion-forward status:

aura n. scene in the context of hooking up (Pam Quinones, stylist)

fresh adj. an alternative to fierce, extremely hot (Omar Ermita, makeup artist)

kabog adj. local vernacular that means it beats everything else. Winner. (Rajo Laurel, designer)

scurr v. derivative of scared. Something that's a bit too much to the point of being frightening

wisel adv. a response that expresses no, or I don't, or I can't

3. "Celebrity spawns" If you haven't noticed, today's news is dominated by the sons and daughters (biological, adopted or otherwise). From Jon and Kate Gosselin's (yes, I know they are not that famous but still) eight kids to Maddox and Pax of the Jolie-Pitt brood to Michael Jackson's kids (Paris, Prince Michael I and Prince Michael II) to Baby James to the likes of Frances Bean Cobain (the Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love's daughter), Mick Jagger's children and other Rolling Stones babies--what Gino De La Paz calls the "rock 'n roll offspring." All of them made the news last year, and will sure be making 2010's news as well. De La Paz says that the offspring to look out for is, drumroll please, Lourdes Leon, the Material Girl's mini-me. I say Tom Cruise's and Nicole Kidman's "kids" Isabella and Connor are also age-capable of becoming newsmakers for 2010.

There, done.

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You may want to read:

Saturday Soliloquy 1: Must Sees
Saturday Soliloquy 2: Tsk, tsk, tsk
Saturday Soliloquy 3: Quickie
Saturday Soliloquy 4: Meeting the Mother
Saturday Soliloquy 4 (Pahabol): Winners and Losers (Emmys 2009)

Tickling or Whatever-Verb-is-Appropriate That Hopeless Romantic In Me

There lies somewhere deep within us a hopeless romantic that deserves to be tickled or whatever-verb-is-appropriate once in a while for it not to vanish/die/disappear because we have to admit we need this hopeless romantic at least once (or twice?) in our lives.

I don't remember having tickled or whatever-verb-is-appropriate my hopeless romantic nature this 2009 and since it is about to end barring any global-warming-induced hitches, I was faced with the question, Which movie to tickle it or whatever-verb-is-appropriate with? Since 2008 left me exhausted when I chose to tickle it or whatever-verb-is-appropriate my hopeless romantic nature on someone, this year I figured... watching a movie would be a less taxing endeavor. 

So, (500) Days of Summer or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Both movies have long titles, and I've heard both are good ones. But since I believe that oldies are always better--in movies, music, arts, and even science, research, politics. Basically, you name it, chances are our predecessors are better at it--I watched Eternal Sunshine.

Again, as a testament, to my liking of the film, I quote here a random line said by Joel Barish (played by Jim Carrey) which stuck to my mind for some reason...

Sand is overrated. It's just tiny, little rocks.

Thanks (or maybe no thanks) to Jecy A. and Google for informing me how great the movie is. So, I was going into the movie, thinking... This has got to rock. This has got to knock my socks off.... Despite watching the movie "pre-briefed" (and in Dr. Sheldon Cooper's of The Big Bang Theory words: Once my mind is pre-bombed, it can never be re-bombed.), I still liked it. This decision sure ranks as one of the better decisions I've made this year--despite its seemingly shallow nature.

Like The Beach, Eternal Sunshine made me think--which is what I love about movies, they make me think of all things philosophical (and otherwise) that wouldn't come to mind if not for the movie itself--about the possibility of erasing someone or something from one's mind without affecting other unrelated memories? And can the mind, as what happened with Joel's, develop a resistance to the erasing process once it has started? Is the mind that powerful?

In the end, what the Eternal Sunshine leaves in its viewers' minds is not the possibility and conveniablity (yes, I know that's not a legal word but it sort of means, for me, the state of being convenient) of having memories erased once these memories hurt us but the consequences and the emptiness it leaves. That no matter how bad/painful/[insert negative adjective here] these thoughts, these memories, these people make/made us feel, they still define who we are as a person.

That, everyone, is the moral "lesson"--if you may--of the movie, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Altered Eclecticism

"It is enough for a person to have to die once, don't make him have to die twice."

-Jose Saramago, The Gospel According to Jesus Christ

I'm not even halfway done reading this book and yet I'm already quoting it. Well, technically I lifted this quote from Bob Corbett (http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/personal/reading/saramago-gospel.html) who did a review of Saramago's "irreverent, profound, skeptical, funny, heretical, deeply philosophical, provocative and compelling" book.

First things first, I'm a Christian--a Born Again Christian, to be specific. But I don't let my faith, my religion interfere or hinder me from intellectual pursuit (yeah, right). As a UP student, I'm taught to be critical of things but I do not drop my faith altogether because this same faith helps me keep my feet on the ground and provide the answers, the solace I need in times of great distress and challenges. But still, I have questions.

And the answers to these unanswerable questions I try to find in other sources--a method in research called triangulation.

I have wanted to read this book by Saramago the first time I saw it at the bookstore. The title, book cover and the author's "Nobel Prize for Literature" made me want the book but the price (yes, that one thing) kept me from buying it. But as a Christmas gift for my blockmate, I picked this book thinking I'll read it first before giving it to him. But it turns out he preferred receiving a long-sleeved polo. So there, I was stuck, fortunately, with the book, which is, by far, the most expensive book I've bought with my own money, for myself.

Anyway, this book, aside from giving a bit different account (take note I'm at pg. 58 of the 341 pages) of Jesus' life, instills in me a rather fleeting doubt of the truth of what the Bible says. Add to this doubt, my UP professors' unsettling empirical facts that goes against what is in the Bible (ie, there were no tables in Jesus' time and yet the Bible says, in different accounts, that there were tables). Remember, lies are like cockroaches--if you see one, there are others. All these "additional" facts made me, yes, doubt the truth behind God and Jesus Christ etc. But I assure you, or anyone else who cares, that this doubt is not big enough to make me refute my faith in Jesus Christ.

Yes, I understand there may be alterations to what really transpired in those times thus, I shouldn't believe everything that is laid for me as facts. What I do is this, I become eclectic. Yes, I believe that Jesus Christ is my Savior, I believe that our faith (supproted by our actions) saves us, I believe that everyone should be treated equally--men, women, rich, poor, I believe that things--whether we like it or not, whether it seems good or bad--happen to us because God allows them to happen, and that He wouldn't let it happen if it's not good for us, in any way. I believe we have no right to judge others according to morality because the very idea of morality is a mere social construct. Thus, the central thesis of my so-called eclectic belief system is this: If what you're doing does not hurt others in any way, do it. Because chances are it makes you really happy. As a social science major (I don't want to call myself a social scientist just yet), I believe in this,

".... in a great history little truths can be altered so that the greater truth emerges."

-Umberto Eco, Baudolino, Chapter 40

Maybe, just maybe, Saramago altered the "truth" so that the greater truth emerges. Hmm get it?

"Men, forgive Him, for He knows not what He has done."

It's now about how long it is; it's how you use it.

I have said time and again that if I quote things, it only means I (to say the least) like them. Lines from movies, songs, books, etc. So here's the latest batch of words to live by. Or at least, listen to.

"If you want to find something, you have to stop looking." -Dr. Temperance Brennan, Bones

"Nothing in this world worth having comes easy." -Dr. Kelso, Scrubs

"I'm trying to get there, Turk, I'm just not there yet." -Carla, Scrubs

"Don't come here editing my life just 'cause you're not happy with yours." -Kenny, Last Kiss

"There's no Morocco. There's never been a Morocco." -William Miller, Almost Famous

"Let's get scared together." -Carl Allen, Yes Man

"He's like Gandhi, only better: He likes puppets." -Dwayne the Bartender, Forgetting Sarah Marshall

"Friends are like glasses. They make you look smart but get scratched and then bore you. Lucky for me, I got Sophie." -Julien, Jeux d'enfants

"Perversion is a matter of taste, like Chinese food. You like it or don't." (paraphrased from Jeux d'enfants)

So it's safe to say I like the movies (and/or the actors) where these lines came from. As with the movie, I especially like the line from Almost Famous because it shows the "secret" aka unique character/essence of the movie. You won't understand what the line means unless you've watched the movie--or Googled it. Haha

More than the movie's story, I like it's ending because it sort of gives you, us, the viewers, the chances to think of an ending of our own. Maybe, just maybe, (and I say this because I'm pro-William-and-Penny) William called Penny, just like what Russell suggested, and did what they failed to do the entire movie. Talk. Haha

Anyway, do you agree with my new list? Good. No? Go make your own list, and get back to me. I may like some of them.

The Birthday and Christmas Timeline

1st Birthday Party. You're too young to care and enjoy. People go to your party to eat amazing food (1st birthday party foods are usually better than good because it's the first the family tends to overdo the first one, really) and watch you drool over your mom's (or maybe your dad's or the yaya's) sleeve. And hey, no one's complaining because at age 1 everything is considered cute.

Christmas When You're One. Chances are you're probably asleep with your parents "oohhh-ing" and "awww-ing" about how great it is to spend their first Christmas with you--although you don't know what the hell is happening.

7th Birthday Party. You (or your parents) invite your "friends"--but you and I know they're the same people who bully you at school and at the playground--(and their guardians) to a party with prizes, clowns, cake, ice cream, spaghetti.... and if you're lucky, magic. Everybody's nice because hey, it's your party.

Christmas When You're Seven. Or when you're young. You and your family troop over some relatives' place for a big reunion--or maybe your family is the one hosting the ritualistic event. You (and your equally young and pissed) cousins are tasked and sometimes bullied into performing something that shows how cute and talented and fun kid all of you are. It's either belting out any Celine Dion song (to knock their socks off) or singing and dancing to the latest dance craze. For seven year olds this year, it would be "Nobody, Nobody But You."

16th Birthday Party. You're not quite sure what to do, who to invite and what the theme is gonan be (if there is gonna be one) so you just go with the "safe" choices of either just treating some friends out to dinner (or at home) or not having a party altogether.

Christmas When You're Sixteen. You spend most of the time, during the annual family reunion, locked up in the attic (or somewhere) telling the kids horror stories or watching cable in your uncle's and aunt's room.

18th Birthday Party. Finally, the day when you're allowed to do something you want. Either have a grand party complete with dresses, tuxes, ties and 18-somethings or you just treat all the cool people you know out for drinks. Yes, you're legally do buy what you want to drink so might as well exercise it.

Christmas When You're Eighteen. You're allowed to drink with the "adults." You're offered drinks and obliged to drink them. Yay! for some. And for some lucky ones, they're allowed to get drunk.

20th Birthday Party. You feel somewhat nostalgic for not being a teen-ager anymore although you know deep down you have done a lot of not-so-teen stuff when you're halfway through the last decade of your teen years. You definitely treat people out for drinks... and do some other stuff 20-somethings do--whatever that may be.

Christmas When You're Twenty. You actively participate in organizing your barkada's Christmas Party because you realized it is more fun to celebrate Christmas (even an early one) with your friends and/or classmates. You do "fun stuff twenty-somethings" do, and try to forget about these things the morning after.


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Although this is not a verbatim transcription (Hahaha, alam na) of what my Christmas and Birthdays are like, I can safely say this is an honest guess of what usually happens on Christmases and Birthdays during these "formative" (haha) years. And since I haven't gone past twenty I have yet to experience what Birthdays and Christmas are like when you're twenty-one and so on. So tune in for updates. Haha

Pre-LAE thoughts

I'm trying my best not to freak out about the UP LAE tomorrow at 7:30am but, just as I was about to sleep, I see a batchmate's (a PolSci student) Facebook status saying something about LAE and laing. Haha Now I'm freaking out.

But srsly, I think I'm going to flunk this one. 1) I haven't studied well enough (like the others); 2) people say it's like the UPCAT only tougher. Well, guess what I technically didn't pass the UPCAT. So.. and 3) I'm not so hell-bent on spending another four years of my life being shouted at (because from what I hear, that's what they are experiencing there--at Malcolm Hall).

Hay. Buti na lang I'm too tired to think too much.

Thank you my ever-loyal "companions" Scrubs, Bones, and Glee. :)

HELL YEAH

HELL YEAH

17 November 2009


No matter how hard I try to imagine winning over the would-be make-or-break moments of my life, and no matter how badly I wanted to react with instinct and irrationality (and everything else that is needed to do that one thing I wanted), I think it will all boil down to one thing: doing what is right.

I came this l l close to one of those make-or-break scenarios I've thought about... about a few weeks ago. To cut the long and controversial story short, when the opportunity presented itself in the most mundane and straightforward way than I could have imagined, I chose the right way.

In this post be reminded that:
Right = safe

In that crucial moment when I was asked in front of the most intimate friends to do that one thing I would have loved to try--no one else knew how badly I wanted to say "yes" easily but I had to act unfazed, of course--I said, "No." Well not a verbatim "no" but something to that effect. Why? Because during those crucial moments of hold-your-breath two-second silence, my mind fastforwarded to the next minute, the next day, and hell, even the next months if I did reply "Hell yeah" to that question. I thought of the consequences, all negative of course to convince myself it wasn't worth it, that a "yes" would have brought to everyone--considering the "haziness" of everything, of everyone.

To say more about that make-or-break moment would be close to revealing its nature and the circumstance/situation that happened--and I'd rather not do that. Because really, as I think of it, even if I blog/rant about "emotional" and non-emotional moments in my life, I still TRY to maintain a tinge or a hint of vagueness. (See the Headlights and Deer series.)

Now, of course, I feel that "Sayang" feeling everybody has after turning their back on something that they have wanted for so long yet has to say "no" to just because. But let me say this, if and when that moment presents itself in whatever manner possible/imaginable, I would definitely, without blinking, say, HELL YEAH. Just because.

Parallel Universe

The idea of the existence of a parallel universe somewhat appealed to me.

Parallel universe. For some, it's a destination. A location. A specific place. A latitude and longitude. A specific part on the face of the Earth. For some, it is simply a state of mind. Ironically, the latter thinking is not simpler per se, in fact, it's more complicated than finding the physical location of a parallel universe--if there is one--but when one is contented with his/her state of mind, if one attains the peace he/she has been looking for, everything becomes simpler.

Siddharta Gautama/Gautama Buddha was right when he posited that, to end suffering is to end one's desire. When one desires nothing/no one, suffering will not be attained. This may seem too much simplification, but really, think about it. No desire, no disappointment, no suffering.

I think Richard (from The Beach, played by Leonardo DiCarpio) was right when he said something like... "I still believe in Paradise. But now I know it's not someplace you look for. Because it's not where you go. It's how you feel in a moment in your life when you're part of something. And if you find that moment, it lasts forever."

To be honest, I think the geography/physical aspect of Paradise/Parallel Universe is important--and for some people, an inevitable characteristic in the assumption/imagination of its existence. One has to be physically isolated from what he/she was used to in order to feel the freedom and be free from the "shackles" of his/her usual way of living. I do not want to sound philosophical here but one has to feel this freedom before embracing something new. 'Cause I think, no matter how much we think about it, Paradise/Parallel Universe is way better than we imagine it to be.

The opportunity and the actuality of being part of something special--"that moment" that "lasts forever"--is hard to find. Hell, maybe some people die without experiencing it. But I do hope I will be not one of those people who miss out on this life-changing, life-lasting moment.

If I was to look back to the closest I got to achieving that near-Paradise or near-Parallel Universe experience, I think it's the whole Batanes practicum experience. In the summer of May 2009, I and twelve other blockmates flew to the northernmost island/province of Luzon, Batanes. It was a heavenly place. Too beautiful for words. The place's beauty can only justified by being there. For two weeks, we laughed, learned and lived miles away from our families, our comfort zones. There were laughs, tears, shouts, whispers and whatnots, but I think what made the whole experience near-Paradise was this.. What happened there, no matter how much we try to capture and preserve the moments (on camera, and in words. hell, even in our memories), will always be in our hearts.

Yes, that sounds too romanticized. But really, when we all came back from Batanes, all thirteen of us--a diverse group of individuals--we brought something with us. Something we cannot point our fingers to, but something that binds us together. I'd like to think that the whole experience made us closer to each other. We may not have much to say to each other when we pass each other in the halls, because some of us were not really friends, but when worse comes to worse, we all can reminisce that experience and smile and say, "Hay, I miss Batanes."

But like what Richard said, "We adapt. We carry on." We all did--though nothing "tragic" happened there like in the movie. We had to face the sad fact that no matter how much we clicked in Batanes, we're not really buddies or pals or lunchmates in Manila. We had different priorities and cliques. That no matter how much we loved that experience, we had to go back to what/who we were before that experience.

Maybe that was my near-Paradise/Parallel Universe experience, in the nearly two decades of my life.



Or maybe not.

I really don't know what this near-Paradise/Parallel Universe moment is. Maybe it has happened already. Or maybe it hasn't. Or maybe, just maybe, it's currently happening. I just want to be aware when it does.

Scrubs: Yes I took the hit*

Here's a hint: If I like someone/something, I quote it. Books, authors, songs, TV shows, a famous/infamous personality, celebrity, politician, whatever. If I quote he/she/it, then there's a good chance that I like it/him/her/them.

The Big Bang Theory
How I Met Your Mother
Chuck
Dr. Thirteen (House)
Bones--but not too much because there's not much to quote anyway
Chuck Palahniuk--really, this guy is clever with lines
Jonathan Lethem
Chinua Achebe
Mohsin Hamid
J. P. Donleavy
Leonardo DiCaprio
Nelson DeMille--I quoted this guy and I won P1000worth of Globe load (The first time I really won at something that involved luck). I didn't claim the load though. Haha. The line: The problem with doing nothing is not knowing when you're finished. Clever, huh.
Barbie Almalbis-Honasan
Gino dela Paz
William Shakespeare
Colin Hay
Alexi Murdoch
Hootie & the Blowfish
Joshua Radin
Tristan Prettyman
Jason Mraz
Jason Mraz again
Snow Patrol
and so on...

I'm really into Scrubs now, since the abovementiond series/shows I'm into are either ongoing--which means I only get to see an episode a week--or are in hiatus/break. I am what some may call a late-bloomer when it comes to liking/loving Scrubs (hey it's already going on its 9th season when I picked it up) but you see, the saying/cliche "better late than never" not only applies to school/work stuff. Just to give you an idea how "late" of a bloomer I am in terms of series and TV shows, I haven't watched a single complete episode of Friends. Yes, in all its 10-season run, I haven't watched a full episode--though I am aware who the characters are, just not to be baduy or on the receiving end of the rhetorical yet degarding question, "What rock have you been hiding under?"

So anyway, back to quoting. Here's a good line from JD (aka Dr. John Michael Dorian) of Scrubs:

"Because even if it breaks your heart to be 'just friends',

if you really care about someone, you'll take the hit."

Okay.  So maybe one of the reasons why I like/love Scrubs is because I'm a romantic sap and all that. Maybe. But really. I like the show because:

1) It's less than 30mins an episode. I barely notice the time I spent just watching it. You see, I have a very short attention span. Where was I? Hahaha joke lang. But really, time constraints me to a particular show/series. Time--the same reason why I got hooked on The Big Bang Theory (and other "short-episoded" series) and not, say, Fringe (look, I've had a crush on Joshua Jackson ever since he was Pacey but really, that show's longgggggg), and just recently, House (which I hope to marathon-through once Season6 is finished :D).

2) It's funny. Not The-Big-Bang-Theory funny but the How-I-Met-Your-Mother-meets-House-meets-Chuck funny. Yeah. That's three of my favorite shows rolled into one. :)

3) The storyline/characters are great. Really. I don't particularly love/like anyone to separate themselves from the pack--like I do Barney or Marshall or Zack or Bones or Chuck or Raj or Sheldon... you get my point do you? I like it that I'm not liking a particular character to single him/her out--because sometimes that could be a bad thing because you're playing favorites and taking sides. I just love (and hate) them all! Hahaha

4) The guest stars are great! I'm watching Season2 (out of the eight that's already shown, season 9's coming up this December 2009) and they've already guested Tom Cavanaugh(!), Colin Hay (yeah, they even guested one of my favorite singers, see what I mean?) Brendan Fraser, David Copperfield, Sarah Lancaster (yeah, Ellie Bartowski!), Sean Hayes (Jack of Will & Grace, as a guy--as in not gay, sorry nasanay lang--medical intern), Heather Locklear, Ryan Reynolds, Richard Kind (you may not know the name but believe me you've seen the guy/that face in some movie/TV show from way back you can't remember exactly), and others you may have seen somewhere but I haven't. Haha

5) I love the music! Joshua Radin! Colin Hay! and a lot of other wonderful stuff I haven't heard of but am loving/will love. :) I realized I can't--since, uh, How I Met Your Mother--love a TV show/series without a good soundtrack. Well, The Big Bang Theory technically doesn't have a soundtrack but having Barenaked Ladies sing your opening theme just about makes up for it.

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*This is not originally a QNBS post but it can, sort of, be considered as such. Except for the possibility of me choosing it as the best since I've finished watching all of it.

**Btw, one of the reasons (who knows, maybe it's the only one) I liked that JD line was because... once a upon a time, in the Kingdom of Nowhereland, during the Time That I'd Rather Push Into The Dark Crevice Known As My Memory, I did took the hit... for a friend. Actually, I did it twice. 

The Joys of Reading Rediscovered

When asked to tell a story of my formative years, I recount this one story that I recently just realized to be weirdly--some may say "cutesy"--funny.

I have three siblings--an older sister and two younger brothers. But my youngest brother James was born much later (three or four years later than Jay) so he wasn't that much included in most of my adventures as a young girl.

With that said, let me go on. Our mom's sister, Auntie Marlyn, gave us presents--I cannot remember what for; I can't even remember who gave use the gifts but I was told later that the gifts were from her. These presents were a set books. Story books to be exact. These story books came in sets of threes so Ate Jing, Jay and I got one each. Each book I later believed to be a hint to our personalities. "Later" meaning college. Haha

Ate Jing being the demure, prim and proper little lady that she was got Little Red Riding Hood. Jay being the rowdy and michievous boy that he is got Puss in Boots. I, lo and behold, got Three Little Pigs. I wonder why. Really. Haha

Anyway, despite the "hidden meaning"--if there really was meaning--of the book, it didn't stop me from liking it. In fact, whenever a TV/cartoon adaptation of Three Little Pigs was shown on TV I would proudly turn to Jay--whose Puss in Boots rarely got adapted--and say, "Oy book ko 'yan." Thus started my (and Jay's) love-hate affair with books. Sometimes he does the loving and I do the hating. But most of the time it's the other way around.

One, if not the only, of the books that we both loved was The Science Library. It was some sort of illustrated encyclopaedia (six slim volumes) on science and experiments for kids. My mom said we used to read it all the time. Sometimes, while in the middle of playing with our other toys, Jay and I would remember The Science Library, and we'd "make halungkat" wherever it is Ate Nita stored it. Then, we'd lose interest and leave it lying around for her to store away again, and for us to remember again. Making her extremely irritated. This interest/disinterest cycle seemed to be window to the future for neither Jay nor I turned into science geeks. In fact, we turned out to be not-so-good with science--especially physics.

The Science Library was the only book (actually it was a set of books) we both loved. I was hooked into reading mostly "serious" stuff that involved story lines like The Fern Gully while he was hooked to informational fascinating stuff like The 1993 Guiness Book of World Records and some science picture books that were given to him as Christmas presents.  

We went on separate ways, so to speak. I read more and more novels. Each more serious (aka classic) than the first. He regarded books as sleep-inducers. He borrows one of mine just to put himself to sleep. And the only published things he laid eyes on, and that captured this attention for more than an hour was.. I hate to admit, porn magazines. Boys.

But like any other journey, recently, our paths crossed--reading-wise. He willingly read--out of boredom--My Imaginary Ex by Mina Esguerra (published by Summit Books), one of my chick lit books. Ha. I didn't expect that of all my books this is the one he would read. And guess what, he liked it too. I guess his secret longing for reading and his deep-down romantic nature drew him to read this slim volume lying on our unused TV set.

I didn't love or even liked this particular book, but hey, at least he read it. And liked it.

He may not like, or even try to read, the books, the novels and the stories I read and love now but it makes me smile to know that somehow he has not forgotten--or has found again--the joys of reading. One of the many things we shared in childhood, and I hope we'll continue to share to adulthood and beyond.

This is my something

To quote a friend's blog:


It's 'that' something that's screaming in your head that you cant say nor can you keep to yourself. it's 'that' something thats not meant for the world to see but neither is it for your eyes only.. it's 'that' something you wanna shout to the world but just cant find the voice to do so. well... this is my something. go find yours^^

Well, this is mine.



(Wala munang Saturday Soliloquy para sa week na 'to. English: No more Saturday Soliloquys for this week.)

(Pahabol/Dagdag) Saturday Soliloquy 4: Winners and Losers (Emmys 2009)

2009 Primetime Emmy Awards Winners and Losers

Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) edged out Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series


Toni Collette--who is she???--(United States of Tara) won over Tina Fey (30 Rock) for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series


Bryan Cranston--who is this guy?!--(Breaking Bad) won over Hugh Laurie (House) for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series


Glenn Close (Damages) won over Holly Hunter (Saving Grace), Mariska Hargitay (Law and Order: Special Victims Unit), Sally Field (Brothers and Sisters), Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer), and Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series


30 Rock won over How I Met Your Mother, Entourage, Family Guy, Weeds, and Flight of the Concords for Outstanding Comedy Series


Mad Men won over House, Damages, Big Love, Breaking Bad, Dexter and Lost as Outstanding Drama Series


The Amazing Race won over Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, Top Chef, and Project Runway as Outstanding Reality Competition Program


Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men) won over Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

2009 Daytime Emmy Awards Winners and Losers

Good Morning America (ABC) won over NBC’s Today and CBS’ The Early Show for Best Morning Show

Rachel Ray--who are these people?--won over The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Live with Regis and Kelly for Best Talk Show (Entertainment)

Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Whoopi Goldberg and Barbara Walters (The View) edged out Ellen DeGeneres (The Ellen DeGeneres Show) and Rachel Ray (Rachel Ray) as Best Talk Show Host

Cash Cab--what is this show?!?--won over Jeopardy! and Who Wants to be a Millionaire? as Best Game Show

Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Sesame Street




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You may want to read:



Saturday Soliloquy 1: Must Sees 
Saturday Soliloquy 2: Tsk, tsk, tsk 
Saturday Soliloquy 3: Quickie 
Saturday Soliloquy 4: Meeting the Mother

Saturday Soliloquy 4: Meeting the Mother

Together, we can fight Feelings. -Barney Stinson's blog

Just finished How I Met Your Mother Seasons 1 to 4. Yes, that is my week's greatest, biggest, most fulfulling highlight.

It beats that fact that (oops, sorry Strunk and White) last week was my hell week;

It beats finishing that as 122 (History, Politics and Culture of South Asia) paper;

It beats reporting about Gender and Development for BehSci 121 (Gender and Behavior);

It beats the PI100 fieldtrip in Dolores, Quezon (and that was greaaatt ha);

Actually it beats just about everything else. I love that show. It's my F.r.i.e.n.d.s--because I didn't watch that show.

Let's go Season 5! Barney and Robin! and the Mother!


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You may want to read:

Saturday Soliloquy 1: Must Sees 
Saturday Soliloquy 2: Tsk, tsk, tsk  
Saturday Soliloquy 3: Quickie 

Saturday Soliloquy 3: Quickie*

"It's not a cover; it's his life."

Today I just finished watching Season 2 of Chuck. Err, technically it's not all of it but since what I have was just up to Episode 15, then I guess that can be considered as finished.

Anyway. Chuck's a good entertaining series. Watching it makes me miss Thieves more. That's the series that stars Melissa George as Rita and John Stamos as, well, John and, as you may have guessed by now, they are thieves. When I ask people about this series, no one seemed to have watched it--but me. No wonder it only lasted a season. But, going back to my earlier point, the John-Rita chemistry is very much a resemblance of the Chuck-Sarah chemistry.

Now, where can I get Episodes 16 to 22?!?!?!?!?!?

Quaipo, here I come!

*Quickie because, unlike my other Saturday Soliloquys, this is relatively shorter and therefore quick to make. :) (Glad we cleared that up. Ha ha)

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You may want to read:

Saturday Soliloquy 1: Must Sees 
Saturday Soliloquy 2: Tsk, tsk, tsk  

Saturday Soliloquy 2: Tsk, tsk, tsk.

A few days ago I said (in my Multiply blog) that I was getting my mojo back, I didn't know that aside from having it, I am it. Why? Because, it turns out, as I've read from Tim Yap's Supremo column that mojo can actually refer to people.

"...mojos (that's mobile journalists like you and me)..."

Anyway, as a recently-self-realized mojo, I bring you this week's Saturday Soliloquy, hot off the.. er, Madarang residence's narra table (Note: that's where I read the Saturday paper).

1. What would actually happen if I texted/called the number, 0908-893-3333? Yes, that's the number on billboards, print ads and TV ads that begs AXE men to call her, or it? I don't quite get what the logic behind this whole campaign is. Is it just a scam to get people..uh, no, scratch that, AXE men texting and calling that number? Because at the bottom of the ad, it says: *Standard telecom rates apply ...and so on and so forth. Tsk, tsk.

2. CamSur, the new tourist destination spot? "Boo ya, Boracay" is what Camarines Sur, or more fab-ly called 'CamSur', seems to say to that place that is becoming to be a thing of the past. CamSur, aside from hosting six Survivor series (French, Israeli, Bulgarian etc versions), "may soon be the Ironman capital of the Philippines" said writer, Tanya T. Lara. I'm not into triathlons but I think this is a good thing. Promoting the place as more than a tourist destination is certainly a refreshing idea (a la Batanes' brand of tourism).

3. I've heard of, and seen the effects of different types, kinds and classes of racial discriminations--from Burma to Africa to America--but I haven't heard of gypsy discrimination until today.

"Roma, or gypsies, are a nomadic ethnic group believed to have their roots in the Indian subcontinent. They live mostly in southern and eastern Europe, but hundreds of thousands have migrated west over the past few decades in search of jobs and better living conditions."

Thanks to Madonna (who condemned widespread discrimination against Roma at her concert in Bucharest) I learned of such prejudice against gypsies that is continuing to exist across Eastern Europe. The Associated Press article further said:

"...Roma probably suffer more humiliation and endure more discrimination than any other people group in the continent. Sometimes it can be deadly..."

Radu Montoc, an official with the Soros Foundation Romania, said, "There is generally widespread resentment against gypsies in Eastern Europe. They have historically been an underdog." Hmm, smells like a historical-Oscar-winning film plot. If a film brings the issue out into the open, to enlighten more minds about this gypsy prejudice, why not? I'm sure the Roma will appreciate all the help and support they can get considering Eastern Europe is not actually small.

4. A girl going to school (or maybe, going home from school) gets abducted, vanishes for years--sometimes decades--resurfaces as a grown woman with kids--usually with the abductor as the father, and claims to live a perfectly normal life. If you've read Alice Sebold's wonderfully-crafted, and heart-warming novel, Lovely Bones, you're familiar with this plot. But, truth be told, this "plot" actually happens in real life--in the US mostly.

Recently, Jaycee Lee Dugard, who was abducted 18 years ago when she was 11 by Phillip Garrido (now 58) on her way to school in South Lake Tahoe California, was reunited with her family--her mother, her sister and another relative. Garrido was said to have kept Dugard and their two kids (she became a mother at the tender age of 14) in tents in the backyars of this Antioch (also ni California) home.

Bakit uso ang kinikidnap sa US? Kidnappings in the US differ from those that happen here in the Philippines in terms of motive. Kidnappers in the Philippines aim for the ransom while kidnappers in the US aim for.. uh, the sexual gratification. Tsk, tsk. I hate to say this but.. maybe my professor was right when he said "malilibog ang mga Amerikano." Yes, sir, I'm starting to think you're right.

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You may want to check:


Saturday Soliloquy 1: Must Sees

Saturday Soliloquy 1: Must-Sees

News Flash--if you, dear reader, don't know it yet--one of the reasons I love Saturdays is because I get to read the paper (The Philippine Star, to be exact) without any disturbances, unless I allow myself to be disturbed.

So in relation to that, and in reaction to this Saturday's paper (22 August 2009), here's the first edition (hehe) of Saturday Soliloquies :)

Saturday Soliloquy 1: Must-Sees

Paolo Lorenzana, my second- or third- best column writer wrote in his article "The Geek Gods": There's enough evidence to point out that the freaks and geeks are getting a lot more action...

I say, it's true. Mr Lorenzana gives many examples like Seth Rogen (who I think started it all with him knocking up a hottie in Katherine Heigl, albeit not in real life), Michael Cera, rising geek god Christopher Mintz-Plasse and emerging "louche dork" James Franco. My own example, Dr. Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki). He's a geek and sometimes a freak--but I think of all the Big Bang Theory guys, he's the normalest--and yet he still gets the girl (Penny, who lives across the hall). Well, they're not in a literal relationship but hey, Penny hasn't dated anyone permanently. ;-) Another one, Dr. Stu Price (Ed Helms) marries a hottie/hippie Jade (Heather Graham) after a forgettable (pun intended) night in Vegas in the barkada movie of the year, Hangover. Last example, Roger (Jon Heder) who was too much of a dork that he needed to take an Un-Dork-Yourself class just to get the girl (again, she lives across the hall) Amanda (Jacinta Barrett).


Because of Makati mayor Jejomar Binay's insistence that Cinemanila (different from Cinemalaya) be changed to Cine Makati if the festival wants to continue being held in Makati and supported by the city government. Cinemanila founder Tikoy Aguiluz VI firmly stood his ground, and refused. Quoting Maridol Rañoa-Bismark's article, "So four years after its love affair with Makati, Cinemanila decided to cut and cut clean. It has found a new partner in Taguig City, where an initially incedulous Freddie Tinga welcomed the 11-day (Oct 15 to 25) festival with open arms." Open arms meaning Tinga didn't imposed on changing the festival's name to Cine Taguig. Add to this good news, Mexican actor Diego Luna (Y Tu Mama Tambien, Milk) will grace the event along with Paul Schrader, writer of Raging Bull and Taxi.



The world-famous dance group from the reality/talent show America's Best Dance Crew, Jabbawockeez will be in Manila from September 4 to 6, 2009. September 4-TriNoMa, Friday, 7pm, Activity Center; September 5-Alabang Town Center, Saturday, 6pm, Activity Center; September 6-Glorietta, Sunday, 6pm, Glorietta 5 Atrium. For tickets call: 901-3000 (TriNoMa), 842-2782/772-1860 (ATC), and 752-7272 (Glorietta). Free plug! :)



Speaking of reality shows, this whole.. er, genre... has gone where I think it wouldn't go: the world of horseracing. I was thinking, how could Jerry Bruckheimer and his buds reality-ze that kind of setting? Make horses talk? I guess not. But. Animal Planet beat them to it by launching a documentary series aptly-titled Jockeys where "competitors get rich or die trying." Jockeys started airing on Discovery Channel's Animal Planet last August 10 at 11pm. Encores will be aired on Tuesdays at 4am, Friday at 2pm and 8pm, Saturday at 1pm and Monday at 5pm. (Another free plug!)


Asia's Titanic, as National Geographic calls its documentary on the fate of the sunken MV Doña Paz that fateful night of 20 December 1987, airs on Aug 25 2009, 8pm on National Geographic Channel. This documentary re-enacts that fateful night when the overloaded Doña Paz--with a capacity of 1,018 but was carrying over 4,000 souls--sailed and later on collided with MT Vector--an oil tanker carrying 8,000 barrels of gasoline and kerosene--with the help of tales and even portrayals by actual survivors of the tragedy. Quoting Scott Garceau, "Asia's Titanic revisits the details and the resulting investigation, shedding new light on what went wrong, and why the disaster could have been avoided--even with the overcrowded conditions of Doña Paz and incomplete crew aboard the Vector." (and the plugging never ends, Ha ha)


:))

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You may want to read:


Saturday Soliloquy 2: Tsk, tsk, tsk

Where an E.coli wants to live

I was answering this one silly Facebook quiz (What species of pathogenic bacteria are you?) when I had a hard time answering or figuring out what my final answer was to the question:

What kind of environment do you like to live in?

The choices were:

A. Someplace with a ot of history

B. Someplace exotic and tropical

C. Someplace airy, with lots of space.

D. A bustling city.

E. It doesn't matter much, I'll just adapt my environment to suit me.

F. I can thrive just about anywhere.

I know this is very much obviously-related (haha, adjective mix-up?) to what kind of bacteria I'm going to be (or what I am actually) but I did had a hard time figuring what I wanted between choice C (Someplace airy with lots of space) or choice D (A bustling city).

One of the things why I love Saturdays is because of The Philippine Star's Saturday spread. Every Saturdays they have the Supreme fold which I think gathers the best witty and relatable (in other words, madaling maka-relate to) writers in town. Tara FT Sering, Paolo Lorenzana, Gino de la Paz, Pepe Diokno, Tim Yap, J Vincent Sarabia Ong (whose name btw sounds like a lawyer or even a law firm) and so on... But one of the plus factor of the Saturday ish of the Star is that it also features Home & Lifestyle. Yes, I do go over that article on some fabulous person's (or a couple's) house.

I look at the designs, the paint, the artworks, the staircases, the sofas (which I realized are my obsession, haha, I have more than three chairs/sofas in my now-inexistent Yoville apartment O_o), the wall pieces, and I even notice the vases (if the house has one), and I conceptualize... yes, this may sound dramatic, but please bear with me... my house. I want an spacious one with big windows, and blinds with modern furniture, Cobonpue chairs, a modern kitchen (although I don't cook except for breakfast, hehe).. everything. I imagine everything. Even the lawn. And lanai.

But--and this is a bit "but"--I want to live in the city. Oh, wait scratch that. Now I know. (Note: Wow, blogging is amazing. It makes you realize the things you were thinking all along.) I want to live somewhere close to the city but not in the city. Like Laguna, pershaps? Yes, I know I'm biased. I see the place where I grew up in very ideal. :D

So there, thanks to a Facebook quiz (which was entirely about something else) and this blog post, I realized, and conceptualized the first details of my dream house. Well, the location that is. :)



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Oh if you're wondering what kind of pathogenic bacteria I was, the answer: Escherichia coli. That's E.coli, dear reader. Hahaha.

Escherichia coli

Dependable, calm, helpful...you are E. coli! Ok, so you're not really that pathogenic...most of the time. But given the right circumstances, say some poorly cooked meat or just a really bad day, you can really knock some heads. Or bowels. You're very patient with people and we've learned a lot from you about how bacteria work.

Wednesday is my new Saturday?

In all the years I have stayed in UP (nearly four) I had only three semesters when I had Wednesday classes. First was the LRC classes I took for Math and Physics and Chem. Second was NSTP 2 under Sir Ong--which rarely met so parang wala rin. And last was History 116 under Prof. M. D. Jose. Oh. I also had my Badminton and Advance Badminton classes on Wednesdays, different semesters.

Well, anyway, last semester I rarely spent my Wednesdays here in Laguna because I was working kuno as a Student Assistant at the CAS Library. But this semester (hopefully my second to the last) since I quit my SA gig for the OrgASM presidency (HAHA, akala sosyal) I spend all my Wednesdays (or at least I try to) at Laguna. No, not because walang gagawin for OrgASM but because AS 132 (Seminar on Philippine Urban Issues) is so demanding in terms of requirements that I had to go to Binyan weekly.

Anyway. I was supposed to go to the Municipal Hall today but the bum in me prevailed (as it always does whenever I'm in Laguna) and I just called the offices.:) Talk about working the phones. Instead of going, I watched DVDs, as always.

Well, The Hangover starring Justin Bartha and Bradley Cooper of Failure to Launch, and some other unknown dudes (Haha, ang sama ko) was uneventful except for the witty ending. With Roofies you end up on the ground, not on the roof, right? HAHAHAHA


So. I watched Gray Matters today. Again. For the nth time. Why? Well because I saw Heather Graham in The Hangover and kinda miss her. HAHA, close pala? Haha. I watched it because I missed watching the movie. Although, I admit, I know its every twists and turns, every scene and almost every line. But still, every time I watch it, Heather Graham, Tom Cavanaugh and Alan Cumming never fail to amaze, amuse and touch my little cold heart (haha) with their good acting.

At syempre, I feel like....

Sana I have a Tom Cavanaugh for a brother and Alan Cumming for a friend. Promise talaga, if the Lord gives me that it would easier to do a Kathleen Espejo. Hahaha, gets? :D (You, dear reader, probably won't)

"Don't expect to end up with your first crush. It's like marrying at age 12."

-Sam (Tom Cavanaugh) to Gray (Heather Graham)

I don't mind marrying at age 12. Hehe. But as I've read once, "We all have feelings. But we need not act on them."

"Like"

One of the many reasons that I think makes Facebook click (like Friendster did) is its "like" option. Yes that simple, unassuming and common-looking option beside the "comment." This "like" option gives Facebook users the right to..uh, react without being obliged to leave a verbal aka readable comment like "Hahaha" or an emoticon "=)" "O_o" and others. It's like showing appreciation yet being not-so pa-close.


When to use the "like" option?

1) When you completely agree or, uh, like a friend's post to a level higher than just by merely showing a nonsensical comment like "HAHA" (Aside from liking his/her post you also leave a comment)
2) When you agree but don't feel like commenting.
3) When you agree but don't have something worth saying/typing
4) When you're feeling tamad
5) When you just feel like liking
6) When you want your crush/someone you like (even non-romantically speaking) to notice that you liked their post
7) Kapag feel mo magparamdam
and...
8) When you just... like it. For some reason you cannot point out to.


My fearless (maybe hopeful) forecast is that Facebook will soon be adding the "like" option under one's profile picture. It's, I guess, for showing one's liking of another. This means, you not only like that person's posts but himself or herself :P And I guess, this will become a hit with couples, MUs or It's-Complicateds. Hahaha

So, do you "like" this post? Haha. It's okay if you don't, just don't "unlike" it HAHA