The Coven

Too preoccupied with...

2008-03-26T15:46:00.001+08:00

...work and a new blog to update this one. So sorry to the two other people who read this blog! Catch up with me here

Something for writers and journalists to ponder on...

2007-10-19T19:40:00.001+08:00

"Every journalist (or writer, or editor...basta anyone in publishing. Additions, mine, obviously) who is not too stupid or too full of himself to know what is going on knows that what he does is morally indefensible. He is a kind of confidence man, preying on people's vanity, ignorance or loneliness, gaining their trust and betraying them without remorse." (NY reporter Janet Malcolm)

Good editors will...

2007-10-08T21:21:00.001+08:00

...work to sharpen a writer's voice
...bolster and streamline a piece's arguments
...save writers from themselves (hehe!)

--(source forgotten)

I actually mass emailed this to fellow editors sometime 2004 and forgot all about it. One of the editors I emailed it to, emailed it back to me to remind me about it. Good to remember now that I'm again in the middle of editing the second issue! I think I emailed this to the Coven as well. Girls, anyone remember where I got this from?

New mag: TraveLife!

2007-09-20T18:54:00.000+08:00

Gosh, kawawa naman The Coven blog, no one's posting in it no more! Everyone's busy, I guess. Or busy with their other blogs, haha!

Anyways, some news: new mag is out. Please buy and support starving editors, hehe...Maganda naman eh! Value for money, promise! There's also gonna be a launch soon. Will keep you posted when and where. In the meantime:

The premiere issue of TraveLife. Cover photography by Kai Huang. Styled by Liza Ilarde. Dress by Joel Escobar. Hair and makeup by Omar Ermita. Modeled by Kelly Misa. Shot on location at Putrajaya, Malaysia

Scary little girls

2007-08-03T18:01:00.000+08:00

Always liked horror stories/movies. Grew up on them, even if they scared the hell out of me. I used to cover my neck with a blanket for fear that a vampire will come to the window to suck my blood. And I couldn't sleep if doors and closets were open. They have to be shut. Well, up to now, open doors and closets still make me uncomfortable when I'm about to sleep. Anyways, I got off on this whole horror thing because I was trawling the Web instead of working—Sigh. I'm having a hard time writing about a place I haven't been!—and came across this quiz. Have fun!

Goodbye, Harry! It's been a blast...

2007-08-01T19:26:00.000+08:00

I haven't actually read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows yet. But I thought I should comment about the whole series coz of the fact that the last book's out already—and yes, I'm feeling kind of sentimental about the whole thing having to end. I kind of envy the kids who grew up on the series. Imagine having a pivotal, major work of literature come out while you were growing up! It's gotta mark them somehow, the same way that my generation has been irrevocably imprinted with Sesame Street, The Electric Company, The Muppet Show—and yes, Voltes V, Mazinger Z, and Daimos. In a way, these TV shows made me who I am today. I wonder what the kids who grew up with Harry will grow up to be like?

Sometimes we need to toot our own horn

2007-07-24T14:27:00.000+08:00

Finally, an article that actually talks about what exactly an editor does. This is for all writers—especially wannabes who think they're the next Salman Rushdie or [put name of favorite writer here] and thus don't need editing.

This is also for people who think that what we do is easy. A lot of people have a mistaken notion that editing is all about correcting grammar. Sometimes I wish it were, then I don't have to agonize about every little change I make in a manuscript—not to mention balancing the manuscript's intent with what the publication needs, making sure the writer's ego doesn't suffer, and most of all, pacifying managers who think they know better.

INSiDE

2007-03-20T18:09:00.001+08:00

First saw--or became aware of--Jeremy Sisto while marathon-watching DVDs of Six Feet Under recently. He plays psychotic artist Billy Chenowith who is faxated on or in love with (possibly both) with his sister Brenda. It's a compelling and difficult role and Jeremy pulls it off with aplomb.

Here he is again in an award-winning short film. Sometimes I feel like this character. Thanks to details_later for the heads up on the film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty8d_7GBx6k

Word!

2007-03-06T19:03:00.000+08:00

Book-drunk, adj.: State of being when one is in the middle of, in the throes of, or has just finished a good book; the feeling is headier than good liquor

Description mine. Picked up from an article in Salon on China Mieville's new children's book, Un Lun Dun. This book goes into my getting-longer-by-the-minute book list.

In the meantime, some books responsible for my dissipation these days, most of which I bought on a three-week book-binge recently:

The Lake of Dead Languages and The Drowning Tree by Carol Goodman. I really like this author. She has a good feel for atmosphere.
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
My Name is Red by Orham Pamuk
Baudolino by Umberto Eco. A year or so later after buying this book, I still haven't gotten to the middle!
Threads of Malice by Tamara Siler Jones. Forensic magic or magical forensics--whouldathunk?
The Closers by Michael Connelly. Series starring the most interestingly named detective in fiction, Heironymous "Harry" Bosch. With a handle like that, wouldn't you want to solve crimes too?

The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt. Bought because I liked his first book and at Galatea's urging: "Buy it for our trip to Venice someday." O ha?!

Salamander by Thomas Wharton. Booksale cold contact find about books--reading and publishing them. The castle in the story, Ostrov Castle, is kinda like a cross between Miyazaki's Howl's Moving Castle and Flying House.

The Tomb by F. Paul Wilson, largely on Stephen KIng's say-so. Word!

New issue of JetSet out!

2007-02-23T18:31:00.000+08:00

A first look at the March-April issue of JetSet. It'll be out on the stands starting next week. This issue is dear to my heart coz I worked freakin' hard on it--especially pulling off that Chiang Mai trip (check out the cover!) Anyway, hope you buy a copy--all you 10 people who read this blog, haha!

Some kind of wonderful

2007-02-06T15:10:00.000+08:00

This is why I love Jake Gyllenhaal. He's the best actor of his generation. Yummy!

http://www.dailymotion.com/visited/search/jake%2Bgyllenhaal%2Bsings/video/xzovb_jake-gyllenhaal-sings

Help! I'm running late this year!

2007-01-26T23:03:00.000+08:00

God, can't believe it's 2007 already! (I know, I know. It's like I was so busy, I only just realizes the world's another year older! Wait--it really did just hit me now...)

January isn't over, but I feel like the world is on fast forward. Everything's happening so fast that I can't even properly muster an honest reaction to one event when another claims my attention, and before I have time to process that, another new thing comes along!

I must be getting old. So what eventful things happened? Big news in the life of the coven, but one friend announced he's getting married (newly hitched friend, you know who you are! Wait, you did go through with it, right? :)). Not that it was really news coz that was the plan all along, but we didn't realize it was this soon! Anyway, we were all surprised, but we wish him all the best.

Elections are fast approaching and I haven't been able to register!! So, after May, I couldn't even gripe about our bad politicians coz I didn't do my duty! Calling Comelec: You will absolutely make my day if you announce that you'll have a late registration schedule (kinda like college) for laggards like me! Please?

Ely Buendia had a heart attack! Now, this news really shocked me! You can apparently get heart attack at 37! Scary! Good thing he seems to be on the mend. Not-so-good news: Rustan's scion Joel Tantoco's dead and so is EJ Litton. Only met Joel once or twice. He seemed like a nice guy. EJ I never met at all, but I have friends who were his friends.

Apple has joined the cellphone wars! It was only a matter of time, anyway. Also Prada, wouldja believe? Its phone, manufactured by LG, is a sleek black thing. Very nice and cool! I swear, the game's in who can outcool everyone!

Speaking of cool, just came back from Chiang Mai, Thailand, where it was freakin' cold! But it was worth it coz we stayed at the very elegant, tres sosyal Four Seasons Resort. We were billeted in a residence that wouldn't look out of place in Forbes, it was that huge! The house came with a maid, a heated plunge pool, an espresso machine, sitting rooms, balconies, and tubs in almost every room. And--get this!--a mac with a huge flat screen with free wi-fi internet access!! We didn't want to leave! Shopped at the Night Bazaar, made friends with an elephant, saw some rare white Bengal tigers, and pigged out on great Thai food--I loved khao soi, a meat noodle curry dish that you assemble yourself. Divine! But it's a regional delicacy so I doubt we'll see it in any of the Thai restos here and banana roti, sort of like thick crepe stuffed with bananas, which is then topped with chocolate or honey or other sweet topping. Great to eat when you're taking a break from wandering the stalls at the Night Bazaar! And had a fab body massage at the Palm Spa Village and a foot massage at another hotel called Nawa Chamber. Coven, I vote we go there next time! After KL!

What I'm listening to: Beck's new album. This is my new writing music. Thanks, Ka! Also, Prozac For Lovers. Rock and alternative hits bossafied. Imagine Nirvana's "Lithium" in bossa nova. Some kinda weird but it grew on me.

What I just watched in the theater: Apocalypto. Mel did good with this movie! I like! Now eagerly anticipating: 300, Zodiac, The Fountain--and just so you all don't think I'm a total bloodthirsty, er, _itch--the rom-com Music and Lyrics starring Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant. It should be heartwarmingly schmaltzy and mushy and funny. In short: It should be fun!

Another shameless plug: The third issue of Story Philippines is already out. If you love me, you'll buy a copy. No, I don't have a story in there (soon, people, soon!), but I did help--sorta--put the issue together, so let's encourage Filipino fictionists by buying this mag!

More kwents soon!

Ahem, again!

2007-01-09T17:08:00.000+08:00

JetSet Jan-Feb 2007 is already out in the stands. If you love me, you'll buy a copy!

You won't be disappointed, I promise. In this issue:

Tour Kathmandu
Eat out in Bangkok, Hanoi, and Pattaya
Explore Kathmandu
Take the train to Tibet...and more!

Pooh!

2006-12-17T19:05:00.000+08:00

Grabeh ito, watch this and I swear, makakalimutan mo lahat ng problema sa buhay :P

(also posted in Galatea)

A little baby queen for a Monday morning

2006-11-06T09:13:00.000+08:00

Baby Queen

Ahem!

2006-11-02T12:24:00.000+08:00

JetSet magazine. Premiere issue Nov/Dec2006 out in the stands now. Check it out!

A shout-out

2006-10-02T18:49:00.000+08:00

Another friend has succumbed to the urge to blog. Which makes me one of the few people in my groups of friends who doesn't have her own! One of these days... But if you've time, check out her blog: Details Later. Read about her review of Scorsese's The Departed. And yes, she's another of my friends who love Chinese movies. Full disclosure.

Aural fixations

2006-09-20T22:21:00.000+08:00

1. My week so far has been crammed with work that I can't believe that it's just Thursday tomorrow! You mean, there are two more days to get through before it's the weekend?! Aaaaah! Sigh. Sometimes you just have to let it out. (See, this post was supposed to be up Monday, but because of my manic sked, it got pushed to Wednesday. Sue me.)

2. And to top it all off, there was a coup in Thailand! This reminds me of what a Thai guide told me a month or so back: That in Thailand, changing leaders or governments is really no biggie. If the people aren't satisfied with the current leadership, the military with the king's blessing stages a coup and boots out the offending leaders. Fast and easy.

3. I was at Cubao X last Saturday evening for Pablo's first year anniversary and watched some really cool emerging bands play. I wanna get all their CDs! Unlike a lot of people who download most of their song selections, I actually like owning CDs, although they take up space in my tiny place.

4. I don't know why I'm numbering the paragraphs in this entry. It's not a list. I don't know. I just couldn't figure out how to tie all my thoughts together into one coherent entry.

(For those who don't know what Cubao X and Pablo are: Cubao X is an artist/entrepreneur enclave where the Marikina Shoe Expo used to be. There are still shoe shops there, but about half have been replaced by thrift and curio shops, quirky art galleries, and other un-categorized shops. You have to go check it out to find out exactly what I mean. Anyway...)

Some of the bands I watched last Saturday night:
1. Drip. This band's been around for some two years now, and it's only recently that they've been getting major buzz, largely because their sound's unique--I guess the most apt term for it would be trip-hop and also because of their lead vocalist Beng Calma, who is, as one male friend described it, "smokin'!". Add a killer voice and a rapper and mixer in Caliph8, and this is one band that I'm hoping will really make it big-time--as in Eat Bulaga big-time, hehe. They deserve it--although I'm not sure they'd want that level of fame...They did a killer version of Apo Hiking Society's "Kabilugan ng Buwan" which is part of the tribute album to the trio. It's out in the stores now and I'm planning to get a copy soon, along with Drip's album Far Side of the World which is also out in the stores now.
2. Bagetsaphonics. This band's name is apt, since it's composed of fairly young dudes still in the angsty throes of taking-themselves-a-bit-too seriously-without-trying to-be-obvious-about-it, rock newbies are prone to. You know what I mean--a little too earnest, a little too rock-y, a little too everything. And they sound a bit like all the other young garage bands out there. I did like their cover version of Heart's "What About Love," though. Ann Wilson's anthemic stadium rock classic got transmogrified into a racuous rock song. Way cool.
3. Juan Pablo Dream. This is one fun band! How to describe them...Well, from their look, which is very 60s Mod, you'd think they'd be playing mellow 60s sounding music like Orange and Lemons, but they don't. The best I can say is that they sound like the early 60s British bands (think early Rolling Stones). I don't know. You just have to watch them to know this band rocks. Their album Soul Up! is now out. It goes on my list. Of course.

Nike time

2006-09-10T22:55:00.000+08:00

Got an email a few days ago: "It never rains, but it pours." And does it ever! Articles to write and edit are coming thick and fast with the deadlines spaced just days apart. The pace is by turns stressful, exhilirating, challenging, and scary. There's no time to wonder if I'm up to snuff--because I have to be. There's no room to second-guess--because even if I doubt my abilities to do what I need to do (and who doesn't at some point?), I have no choice. There's no opportunity to pause--because in the business of words, it's almost always better to grab what comes floating on top, or else you run the risk of that thought bubble sinking forever. There's no way to postpone the inevitable, because no matter what, deadlines will invariably come. I'm it.

To deny the muse means to deny the compulsion that makes me who I am. It's going to be another long and sleepness night of writing. Do I wish it weren't so? Hell no. Sometimes you just have to take a deep breath and plunge into the maelstrom. Just do it.

On the way to the hideous skirt convention

2006-09-06T18:53:00.000+08:00

By now, practically everyone has watched The Devil Wears Prada (for those who haven't—yes, Isa, I'm talking to you!—I'm volunteering my services and Carrie to watch it with ya, haha!) and I must say, I loved the movie. Probably because it hits close to home.

Here are some things that the movie gets right (and wrong), in my experience:

1. The Closet: OK, the movie's Closet may be patterned after the famous one of Vogue magazine, but I doubt it's that big (or maybe it is. I dunno. Anna Wintour hasn't gotten to touring me around, haha!). In the magazines I've worked for, we have closets, but they're nowhere near that big. It's true though that fashion/lifestyle magazines do get lots of clothes, either designer samples or stuff we pulled out and never returned, or promotional items that get stuck in the closet forever, but it's not true that we can get or wear whatever we want from the stash. I don't know, it could be different in the States.
2. Freebies: Yep. Perks of the rag trade. We do get a lot of freebies, from cosmetics to gadgets to trips (if we're lucky and senior enough) and we either use these or they end up as gifts for our nearest and dearest come Christmas. When I was at Manual, my brothers were the happiest bunch of dudes on the planet because they always get the free fragrances and grooming stuff that I'm given!
3. Clogs for stylish stilletos: There's a really short scene, part of a montage, of this girl who changed her clogs for more stylish shoes when Miranda (the Devil in the title) was due to arrive. Obviously, she felt her clogs weren't stylish enough to pass muster! In my former office, we had this unspoken rule in the editorial department that we dress up for press cons, on Mondays (simply because it's the start of the week), and on Wednesdays and Thursdays because those were the days that our bosses would be prowling around the office and they would comment if you're not dressed “like an editor.” Younger editors are told to dress stylishly or to fix themselves up so they look “like editors.”
4. The book: That's the term for the magazine. And at the layout stage, laid-out pages are gathered together and put in clearbooks just so editors get to see how the pages flow into each other. Our clearbooks are nowhere near as great looking as the bound pages of Runway magazine, though.
5. Size matters: In the mags I worked for, it's nowhere near as blatant as in the movie, where Emily, the first assistant, was starving herself just to look good. But the constant emphasis on thin models, and small clothes, and even lipo-ing images on Photoshop—all these combine to make any normal woman who's a size 8 and bigger feel downright fat. You either have to be thin or have great self-esteem to work in a fashion and lifestyle magazine.
6. It's a beautiful world: I laughed when Meryl Streep as Miranda was muttering to herself about why there are no real women who are beautiful. Not because it isn't true, but in the world of magazine publishing, beauty is not relative. So, if you're featuring women pilots who've been in the Iraqi War, say, you'll choose the one who's the most beautiful, but not necessarily the most brave. I remember one creative director who freaked out because the baby we featured was “ugly.”
7. Catty co-workers and designer clothes. Real-life local fashion assistants, and even editors don't wear head-to-toe designer clothing for the obvious reason that they're too expensive. We wish! We may feature them in our magazine, but we definitely do not wear them. To use a favorite term of an ex-boss, everything we write or feature is “aspirational.” Most local fashion&lifestyle editors and writers like to put together their own look—for one thing, it's more original, for another we can get away with wearing ukay so long as we look fab when everything's put together. And luckily, all the women I've worked with get along famously. We're all friends. So at least, that's where we differ from the movie.

Thankfully, though, I have yet to encounter an editor like Miranda (or her real-life counterpart Anna Wintour), although there are editors in the local biz who like to think they're as good as these two!

Anyway...On the way to the hideous skirt convention, I went to...
...A bazaar in New World, where I ended up splurging on a cute pair of purple flats. I'm breaking them in right now, and my feet are killing me! But as girls the world over knows, when it comes to shoes, a little pain is nothing.
...and the Philippine Bookfair at the World Trade Center where Carrie and I lost our heads for awhile in a building full of books.

I ended up buying six books:
Sandman: King of Dreams for only P388. It's a huge coffeetable book on Morpheus and The Endless. Now I have to get Neil Gaiman's whole graphic novel series!
Manila on Foot by Sylvia Manahan for a little less than P200. A great read for those who're tired of the malls and want to see something of old Manila and its environs. Of course, it would actually be better if you did go around touring the landmarks, instead of just reading about them. It's such a nice handy reference that methinks this should be a series of books on the metro's different cities.
Days of Disquiet, Nights of Rage Pete Lacaba's first-hand account on The First Quarter Storm. For me, this is still one of the best reportage books I've read. Wish we had more writers of Mr. Lacaba's caliber doing books like this.
Natural History by Justina Hobson a hard sci-fi novel. This is a first contact
State of the Art by Iain Banks. Again, a first contact. I've always been curious about Iain Banks and this seems like a good introduction, since it's a collection of short stories. I'm especially curious about his books on The Culture but couldn't decide which to buy first because I don't know which is the first book in the series. Hopefully, this book will clue me in.
Author, Author by David Lodge A novel on the last days of Henry James. I've always been curious of David Lodge's books but I don't know if this is a good introduction to his work, but what the hell, all three books were worth P199 so if they're all duds then at least, I can take comfort in the fact that I didn't shell out big bucks.

More pics from Ka's visit

2006-09-04T17:51:00.000+08:00

Ka has emailed the photos from The Coven's get together last August 29. Here they are:

Ka's visit

2006-08-30T11:33:00.000+08:00

It was great to have The Coven complete again, if only for a few hours, last night. Ka is home from Singapore so we had to take advantage of the fact.

Dinner was at Crustasia with Carrie, Ka, Meldy, and me...and oh, the GFH, Ben. We ordered way too much, but it was great food, and syempre great company. Too bad Terrie couldn't join us because she had to sit as panel in some thesis defense. :-D

Fortunately, dinner was followed by some drinks in 77 Cafe sa Hemady (which is not in Hemady at all anymore, but in Kamuning Road), but it was nice. Great kwento, Ka. :) Remember what we told you about you know (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).

Anyway, here are some futos from my phone (these are not complete; Ka, you have to post the ones you have in your camera), not very clear because the lighting weren't great at where we were, but enjoy nonetheless.

This really is a picture of Ben, but it's a game called Find Ben in the Picture

Hey, I just noticed...I'm not in any of the pics.

Let's not lose them

2006-08-29T08:04:00.000+08:00

Chin Wong has an interesting piece in today's issue of Manila StandardToday (Lost Arts).

While I find emails a convenient way to keeping in touch with family and friends, I miss receiving handwritten, air-mailed letters. I miss the real greeting cards too.

Isn't it sad to think that while we have all these technological advances and conveniences now, we're in danger of losing arts? A sad future is ahead of us if that's the case.

See you later, XC!

2006-08-27T15:36:00.000+08:00

This recent post (Teaching in America) by Butch Dalisay reminded me that XC lives in the US now and that, unlike Butch Dalisay, he won't be coming home after a semester or so. In all likelihood he'll probably stay on for good, and we'll all regret not being able to get together one last time to give him a proper send off. Kalungkot naman. Oh well. As the Aussies say, no goodbyes, just see you later...

Gently weeping ukulele

2006-08-17T19:31:00.000+08:00

I don't know if you guys have seen this. Apparently, it's been on YouTube for a while now. Kuya Toti told me about this guy, but I didn't believe him until I saw it. This guy is a great guitarist. Grabe, ang galeng galeng!!!

I wish I could do something like this. Why couldn't I be this talented?

Some people

2006-08-16T19:30:00.000+08:00

There are times when I really wonder about some people...

Why?

Literature map

2006-08-07T22:36:00.000+08:00

This is so fun :P You put in an author's name and the site will generate a “literature map”—the closer the names of two writers are, the more likely that someone will like both of them. I tried Martha Grimes (names closest: Minette Walters and Noah Gordon), Jasper Fforde (Tananarive Due and Lewis Carrol!) and Mary Doria Russell (Geoff Ryman, Jonathan Lethem). What an interesting way to get to know different authors! (Thanks to Adam and Elephant Still Missing for the link!)

It's a bird, it's a plane...it's Supermaid

2006-08-04T19:17:00.000+08:00

I was looking at the online versions of the newspapers today and came across an interesting article (Displaced domestic help to return as ‘supermaids’). Well, okay others may not find it interesting, but the idea of a 'supermaid' certainly piqued my interest. Some time back, I wrote in my other blog about the Arroyo administration's plan to encourage more of our nurses and teachers to go out of the country and join the millions of OFWs to be able to send dollars home (Who cares if they are separated from their families, so long as they are sending home greenbacks? Obviously not Shorty.) So I grant that not all of them are sad to leave the country (many probably couldn't wait to), but still it bothers me that our government is actually encouraging our people to leave and work abroad rather than find ways to give them good jobs here and keep them with their families. No, actually, I'm not just bothered...I'm pissed.

And now, here comes the news that Shorty has a new plan for the displaced domestic helpers coming home from Lebanon. Good ol' Tesda will train them to become 'supermaids' who will be "upgraded with a higher price,” said Tesda chief Augusto Syjuco (as quoted by the Manila Times). Uh, upgrade with a higher price??? What the hell does that mean? Okay, heading over to the Philippine Star, it appears that the returning DHs will be trained on first aid, evacuations from high-rises in case of a fire, and other skills to help them get higher pay when they once again apply for work in other countries.

Okay, so I've accepted the fact that the problems of this country is not likely to be solved in my lifetime, and maybe not even Ben's lifetime, but stuff like this is ridiculous. It would be okay I guess if there is some obvious efforts to improve the way things are going in the Philippines so that while there will still be OFWs, their number would stabillize and not keep going up. Which means that there will be jobs created in the country so that many of our fellow Filipinos will no longer feel the need to work abroad just so to keep their family afloat...okay, okay...wishful thinking on my part. Instead, what we have are bickering politicians who cannot relinquish their positions to those who are more deserving and more capable of maybe giving this country the fixing it needs. Aba, baka nga naman mawalan sila ng kickbacks at income sources. It always makes me wonder what the heck they're going to with all the money they accumulate. They are just so insatiable.

Reading stuff like this makes me really sad that I live in this country. Oh, I'm sure there are others in worse situation that we are, and to be honest, I'm still very thankful for the life I lead. But looking at the faces of the returning OFWs from Lebanon, and listening to them in the interviews (about their homesickness and worse, about the abuse some of them have received from their employers), I feel bad that they have to suffer so much just to be able to send money to their families here, and even worse when I realized that many of them are willing to go through it all over and over again. And I think, shouldn't we be focusing more on ways to give them jobs here and keep them from leaving rather than worrying about charter change and building international airports around the country?

Belated happy birthday, blog!

2006-07-31T20:52:00.000+08:00

I just realized that The Coven's blog is more than a year old. We started it on July 12, 2005.

May this blog last a long, long, long....time.

It's St. Ignatius' day

2006-07-31T19:00:00.000+08:00

Boy, has there been a dearth of entries in this blog. What's been happening to The Coven? Have we all lost the drive to write, like I seem to have the past few weeks.

As it is, I've been feeling restive (is that the right word?). I can't even get myself down to write entries in my blogs. So, here I am forcing myself to get something down, if only to update this blog a bit.

I had a craving for Behrouz food last Saturday, and thankfully, Terrie was around to head over there with me. It would've been a great meal, had there been hot sauce, C2, vegetable salad (they would've served us a salad of tomato and onion if we wanted it, but of course, I needed the cucumber). Still it was good to be with a great friend (o di ba, Te! :-D). Later on, we moved to Cafe Bréton for crepe (I'd almost forgotten how much I love Cafe Bréton's crepes) and coffee (for Te) and tea (for me). XC joined us later, and because he decided he didn't want crepe, but was craving something salthy, we moved again. We walked in the rain (Te and I under an umbrella, but XC was too macho to get under one...hmnn, he probably just didn't have one with him), and finally ended up in Cheesecake, etc. XC ordered nachos, which we later found out was not available. Instead of leaving though, Te and I had water, and XC had Sarsi (he thought the waitress was nice. Boy, I tell you, if I were a waitress, I would not want to wait on that guy. :-D) We talked about a lot of stuff before finally heading home.

I wasn't able to join Carrie and Te for their movie date yesterday (natuloy ba kayo, mga kapatid? Kwento naman.). As for my Sunday, it was pretty much just being with the family. We went to mass, and my darling son, during the giving of the peace, walked up to a lady and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Of course, we do not know who this woman is. But that's my Ben, friendly friendly friendly.

Well, it's nearly August (a few hours away), and that means in just a little over a week, I will be turning another year older. Do I feel older? Sometimes, I do feel more aches and pains than usual, but on the whole, I'm not bothered. When I'm playing with Ben I feel like a kid, and since he likes to play a lot, that means I get to feel like a kid a lot. Thank God for small mercies...so okay, he's more than just a small mercy. Still, at times, I sit and wonder how many more years I've got left...

Hay,hay,hay...for all you people that have any degree of separation to the Jesuits, Happy St. Ignatius' Day.

Blog ni Mar

2006-07-19T21:00:00.000+08:00

My nephew Jovin's blog just cracks me up so badly, I want to share it with you guys. So I've added a link to his blog in our links list. If only to laugh out loud, go visit.

Yahoo!ed

2006-07-09T22:41:00.000+08:00

Around a month or so ago, while I was waiting for a job to materialize and was thus, uhm, freelancing, I updated my Jobstreet account and started surfing online for work. Turned out that Yahoo! was looking for an editor, something that Jobstreet alerted me on a few days later. Thinking I had nothing to lose even if it was a longshot, I applied. To my surprise, I received an email a few days later from the recruitment department, telling me to answer two very short tests. The tests turned out to be tougher than I thought (see tests below) and I wasn't able to make the deadline.

A few days ago, to my surprise, the Yahoo! recruiter called me up and wanted me to take the test despite the fact that I didn't make the first deadline. So, pride on the line, I did. It was kinda flattering to be so singled out though I'm not really sure how fit I'd be for the company. But as Carrie said, "Hey, it's Yahoo!" and that's reason enough I guess.

Editor’s Test

Philippines

Task 1
For each of the following search queries, please find and rank five sites you would expect to see as the top five results of a Philippine search engine. For each web site, write a short title and description that will appear for that site.

Gerald Santos
Arroyo
Davao City

Task 2
Pick three fairly new or unheard-of web sites (at least one based in the Philippines) that you find fascinating, cool or cutting-edge and write a short description on why people should visit them and try them out. Use no more than 200 words to describe each web site.

Keep your style local, friendly and informal but grammatically acceptable. Write as if addressing the general public.

Snaps for Singer

2006-06-29T09:34:00.000+08:00

Superman na! And from all reports (or at least those that matter--both Zafra and Zacharek are happy with the movie, heavens!) Singer has acquitted himself nicely. The only question that remains, then, is when are we watching???

(Thanks to www.salon.com btw for this smashing shot ;)

Lookie lookie!

2006-06-25T18:54:00.000+08:00

First time in nearly 10 years that Te is sporting short hair again. Thought it deserved a blog mention ;P

Hard habit to break

2006-05-26T18:29:00.000+08:00

I wish I had a digital camera right now so I can post a picture of me sitting in my old chair in my old cube in MANUAL I passed by to get some stuff from the office and by chance, my replacement was out for the day. I wanted to hang out, which is why I'm here.

It's sort of frightening, really, how familiar everything still is. I can feel the old habits and usual routine kicking in, even though I haven't really occupied this desk for a month now. Even my ex-officemates have been commenting that it feels so right that I'm here. It's like I never left, they said. I don't know how that makes me feel. On the one hand, I'm glad that I'm so much a part of a community of creative and supportive people that my loss has been so marked, and that sitting here still feels...right, somehow; but at the same time it makes me feel strange. Because I already left. Shouldn't that have marked me, made me different? Apparently not.

But then again, I occupied this chair and this position for close to five years and being here still feels natural. I obviously haven't gotten this office out of my system. And I don't think I ever will. But that's OK. As hokey as it sounds, this office and this post have taught me a lot--about being a better writer, a more intuitive editor--and made me a better person. (Just dealing with all sorts of crazy people and situations over the past five years has done much to improve my people skills, believe me!) and I guess for that, this office and MANUAL will always be part of what I am and what I will be.

What I'm reading now: Step Across This Line: Collected Nonfiction, 1992-2002, Salman Rushdie. Some choice quotes:

"Beware the writer who sets himself or herself up as the voice of a nation. this includes the nations of race, gender, sexual orientation, elective affinity. This is the New Behalfism. Beware behalfies!"

"History has become debatable. In the aftermath of Empire, in the age of super-power, under the "footprint" of the partisan simplifications beamed down to us from satellites, we can no longer easily agree on what is the case, let alone what it might mean. Literature steps into this ring. Historians, media moguls, politicians do not care for the intruder, but the intruder is a stubborn sort. In this ambiguous atmosphere, upon this trampled earth, in these muddy waters, there is work for him to do."

--Both quotes from the essay "Notes on Writing and the Nation"

One is the loneliest number

2006-05-05T19:03:00.000+08:00

No, I'm not angsting...well, maybe a bit. Last Friday was my last day at MMPI and the editorial people threw a surprise party for me. I was so touched! Didn't expect a send-off because I've been pretty vocal all week about preferring not to have one. I hate goodbyes and didn't want anyone to know I'm such a crybaby, I guess. But of course, they went ahead and planned one anyway at the local dive on Emerald (90proof). Turned out to be a great party. They made me a scrapbook with all their good-luck messages and letters and pictures. I have to admit that I cried. Kasi naman eh! My friends started crying and it's been scientifically proven that crying can be contagious. Really. Well, I'm sticking to that story, anyway.

My last day couldn't have come at a worse time, actually. It seems that the lives of my nearest and dearest are all in flux. Carrie was in Oz, Ka was leaving for Singapore, Isa was in CDO, another friend just relocated to Cebu for a job, one was in London and other friends were either not in the country or shortly about to leave for somewhere. I was getting abandonment issues!

So what will I be doing with my life now that I've shaken the dust of Manual off my feet? Well, on to the next job, of course. Although not for several weeks, I guess. Much still needs to be discussed and I'm waiting for word on this. Wish I could make a living writing part-time. A friend once mentioned a travel magazine she wants me to have a role in. Now, that would be an ideal job! Writing for a travel magazine. You get the best of both worlds--traveling at somebody else's expense and the pleasure of coming home. That's the best part, I think.

What I'm watching right now: NUMB3RS. "Math is nature's language. Its method of communicating with us. Everything is numbers."--Dr. Charles Eppes. What an eye-opener! This is a series about an FBI special agent (Rob Morrow--the neurotic Dr. Fleishmann in Northern Exposure, hands down one of the best TV series for me) who gets his genius math professor younger brother, Charlie (David Krumholtz--Mr. Universe in Serenity, and Heath Ledger's sidekick in 10 Things I Hate About You) help him solve crimes. (BTW, as a digression: I also loved these two movies. Serenity is from Joss Whedon the guy who gave us Buffy the Vampire Slayer and 10 Things was I think a pretty decent adaptation of The Bard's Taming of the Shrew.) I particularly like it when the math genius in the show, Dr. Charlie Eppes, explains complicated mathematical concepts even a numbers-challenged moron like me can understand. This show brings out my very well-hidden inner math nerd. And one thing? For eye-candy, I can do worse than Rob Morrow and David Krumholtz. Apparently fans of the show feel the same. In some for this show, the jeans that Rob wears when the FBI goes on a raid even has a name: The Jeans of Justice!

What I'm reading now: The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. Carrie's been raving about this book so when I saw it at a Booksale in Megamall for P50, I grabbed it. I'm just in the first chapter but it seems like a suck-you-in read. Just what I like.

Pardon my obsession...

2006-04-22T09:58:00.000+08:00

From msn.com:

The derivation of Suri's oddball moniker: Cruise told Sawyer that he and Holmes cracked open a baby book given to them by friends "and instantly came up with the name." It must have been "The Big Book of Totally Obscure Foreign Baby Names," 'cause the appellation is rare, to say the least. In a statement, the megastar said the name meant "red rose" in Persian, which is true, but his assertion that it means "princess" in Hebrew? Not so much (that would be the name Sarah). "We seem to have learned a new Hebrew word -- and from Tom Cruise, no less," quipped an Israeli newscaster (via the AP). Unfortunately, the tyke's tag does mean "pickpocket" in Japanese and "pointy nose" in Todas, the language of a tribe in Southern India (per a "baby name guru"). Some theories being floated for the unusual label: It's a geographic homage to Cruise's hometown of Syracuse (Suri Cruise -- get it?); it's a reference to Surrey, England, where Hubbard once lived and where the church has a headquarters; or it's an anagram of "Cruise," just without the first and last letters.

I'm sure you don't need to know this. I actually had a minor conversation with Terrie about this. I know I hate Tom Cruise these days, but I have to admit: I have this morbid fascination reading about him and Katie, and now Suri.

Big brother is watching

2006-04-19T15:46:00.000+08:00

Talk about paranoid! There's chismis going around the office that management has installed surveillance cams in the premises! Apparently, there's been a lot of theft of magazines (among other things) in marketing and advertising that the bosses felt the need to install cams. It's so surreal, I feel like I'm in Pinoy Big Brother without the P4 million prize! But can you imagine the ramifications of what my office did, if it's true? And I'm leaning toward believing that it really is true. Lord knows, I wouldn't put it past them to do something this crazy! At the very least, it's a violation of basic human rights. They should have informed us that they were putting in surveillance cams. Not informing us is a violation of our rights. And even if they did tell us, it's somehow still wrong!

Anyway, I'm sad/glad I'll be out of here end of next week!

Brad Pitt...the singer???

2006-04-19T09:17:00.000+08:00

As you all know, I'm a die-hard Brad Pitt fan. So when I came across this ditty in the gossip site www.justjared.com (which was gotten from someone else), I just had to share it.

It's supposed to be Brad's singing debut (song is called MidTown) on a new celebrity charity album called Hollywood Goes Wild, which is suppposed to raise money for an animal rescue group in LA. Russell Crowe, Bruce Willis, Keanu Reeves, Billy Bob Thornton, Jeff Goldblum and Johnny Depp are also supposed to appear in the album, so I'm interested. Anyway, you can click the link to hear Brad's song, which is a kinda catchy. By the way, this album was released way back in 2001.

Hollywood Goes Wild: MidTown by Brad Pitt

Hey, he sounds really nice, I think (ok,ok I'm biased) but hey, even if he sounded like Donald Duck, I'll still have him serenade me.

Virtual censorship

2006-04-14T23:46:00.000+08:00

Q: What do chewing gum, podcasts, and blogging have in common?
A: They’re all banned in Singapore.

In the case of podcasts and blogging, only during election time and only in connection with “political content.” They can call it “regulation” all they want, it's still censorship. And political censorship? That’s the worst there is—or for me, at least. This GlobalVoices post by Connie Veneracion talks about the ban a bit more level-headedly...

I wonder if there's any truth...

2006-04-06T19:19:00.000+08:00

...to the talk the Katie Holmes' pregnancy is fake. This photo has been posted in several sites (copied it off one myself):

From this angle, it does look like a strange belly. I've been pregnant, and many people told me that I had a bigger tummy than most, but I don't think it ever looked like this (correct me if I'm wrong, girls). And also, I've never really seen a pregnant woman whose tummy bulged out the way Katie's does (at least in this picture). In the past, I've seen some collage of how her tummy has grown over the past few months, and there are some shots where her tummy looked huge one time, and then small the next.

Oh well, why do I care, right? I think I've become skeptical of anything that's related to Tom Cruise. The recent story about his father being a bully and a bad dad couldn't have come at a better time (MI:3 promotion). Now he's sure to get a lot of publicity.

Going bananas

2006-04-05T22:39:00.000+08:00

"Bananas are great, as I believe them to be the only known cure for existential dread."--Anne Lamott

I love Anne Lamott. She's so...wry and deadpan and funny and insightful and...everything else I admire in a writer! Anyway, here's the rest of the article from which the above quote came. Speaking of Lamott, anybody seen a copy of Bird by Bird locally? I lost mine. Dunno who I lent it to!

Bora babes

2006-04-05T17:56:00.000+08:00

Photo above was taken last Saturday after all our shoots. Don't we look tanned and happy? Sorry it's a bit dark. It was already dusk and it didn't help that we were all so tanned after being under the sun all day. With me in the pic are (from left): Hazel Santos (EIC, MyHome mag), Dawn Jalandoni (assistant editor, Appetite), Janis Gopez (assistant editor, meg), Mabel David (managing editor, meg), Karla Rey (assistant editor, MyHome), me, Mela de Luna (style editor, manual)

Just realized it's been awhile since I've posted an entry. And I've also noticed that everyone in my universe seems to be on posting hiatus as well. What's up, people? We're obviously so busy we can't write about our lives no more. Well, same here. Got too much stuff going on for a longer entry. But here's whatI've been up to these days, aside from relentless work, of course (and who wants to write about that?):

1. Prison Break Apart from the fact that the lead (Wentwoth Miller) is freakin' H-O-T, this is another proof that American TV is really outstripping Hollywood in terms of the quality of the shows that they produce. To wit: I'm not just talking about this show, but shows like Lost and Grey's Anatomy. Of course, reality shows are still lording it over prime time, but what the heck, we need to take our shots of optimism where we find them.

2. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Match Point As if to refute my first point, there are these two movies. KKBB is a helluva good movie! Robert Downey Jr. may be a druggie, but he's a genius! Val Kilmer provides a good counterpoint as the tough private detective who happens to be gay. Good acting by these two, although I think that Val Kilmer could do with a little more swish to portray the gay role convincingly.

Woody Allen's Match Point may be his darkest movie yet--darker even than Crimes and Misdemeanors. And one of the few not set in New York (Hmmm...come to think of it, does he have another movie set elsewhere other than this? Parang wala.) Features one of those climaxes that, although you know it's coming, you still can't help being shocked that it did.

3. Boracay It's crowded, noisy, there's way too much construction going on--and the beach is full of algae. Went there for work and while it's still probably one the prettiest beaches in the world, it won't maintain that status for long, the way things are going. True, we had fun (check out the pic) but still, it makes me sad that its local government doesn't seem to care enough to impose zoning laws. (More Bora stories, as well as Sumilon and Donsol stories when I find time...)

By the way, to add to my book backlog, I ordered three books from Avalon. (I couldn't help myself. Argh!) I'll be getting them from Jasper on Saturday noon--so if you (you know who you are!) want to meet up, tell me. Check out the titles (they're all anthologies, by the way): Murder and Other Acts of Literature, Mammoth Treasury of Thrilling Tales (includes stories by Michael Chabon, Stephen King, and Neil Gaiman), Drinking, Smoking, and Screwing: Great Writers on Good Times. Interesting, what?

Test post

2006-03-28T19:53:00.000+08:00

Ey guys, am just testing my firefox browser. For some reason, whenever I use it to visit our blog, the page that opens only shows up to the entry on Madfadyen. I wonder why.

Final take on the South Park-Chef/Scientology controversy

2006-03-25T11:41:00.000+08:00

Well, its not actually my take, but someone else's. Anyway, you are probably tired of my South Park fixation over the last few entries, but the whole thing has been a good food for thought for me. Anyway, the show said goodbye to Chef (who was voiced by Isaac Hayes, who started all this controversy when he left), and while I haven't seen the whole show, this post-mortem was a good read, as well as the take on the Trapped in the Closet episode and the one on Isaac Hayes's departure (there are links in the article, I think). I'm looking for the entire episode still.

TV Review: South Park "The Return of Chef"

Reason # 5261 why the Internet is a distraction--and why it's my day's only saving grace

2006-03-22T19:47:00.000+08:00

This blog made today bearable. Didn't get much done, but what the hell! It's funny! Then again, this blog always is. :)

Come out of the closet, Tom

2006-03-22T10:18:00.000+08:00

In the light of the current South Park-Scientology/Tom Cruise controversy, here's the famous come-out-of-the-closet-tom-cruise episode courtesy of YouTube.

Trapped in the Closet

It's a great episode. I'm now a true South Park fan.

Go South Park

2006-03-19T18:53:00.000+08:00

Hey, I'm not a big fan of South Park, but with all the Scientology/Tom Cruise controversy, I think I'm going to pay more attention.

South Park declares war on Tom Cruise.

Tom Cruise is really creeping me out. Ok, so there's no proof that he really was behind the pull-out of the episode, but with the way that guy has been acting of late, it seems probable that he just might to something like this. And Paramount does have a lot to lose if were to refuse marketing MI:3. I think I'm going to pass on MI:3. Maybe he should've taken that dictator role in V for Vendetta.

Go Trey and Matt!

Whoa! Keanu's deep!

2006-03-18T14:29:00.000+08:00

"We look for some magic solution to fix ourselves but none of us really know what we're doing. And why is that so bad? That's all we humans can do. Guess, try, hope...Just pray you don't find yourself thinking you've got the answer. Because that's bullshit. The trick is living without an answer...I think."--Dr. Perry Lyman (Keanu Reeves), Thumbsucker

I watched the DVD last night. Released in the US last year, Thumbsucker probably won't be shown here because it's not a blockbuster or event movie. It's one of those quiet funny movies that packs a wallop. I loved Keanu's character, even though he's not the lead. He plays a hippie orthodontist in the movie, complete with weird hair, sitjar music whafting into his clinic, and the requisite psychobabble. The Buddha, Neo, Constantine, Ted...for some reason, Keanu fits these mystical otherworldly characters (OK, maybe Ted as an otherworldly character is stretching it a bit). Up to now, I still can't decide if he's a fantastic actor disguised as a doofus or the other way around. He's hard to figure out. One thing's for sure though--he's cute! ;)

A little cyber-appreciation

2006-03-14T12:31:00.000+08:00

You've probably come across this, but just in case...

A little cyberspace appreciation.

Brownie high

2006-03-14T09:19:00.000+08:00

Talk about a delicious high.

I came across an interesting article in PDI today titled "Hashish oil used in cakes" Here's an excerpt:

IF that piece of brownie you’re eating is giving you an unusual high, one of its ingredients might just be hashish oil, according to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Operatives of the NBI National Capital Region (NCR) have received information that marijuana farmers in Benguet, Ifugao and Mountain Province have been mixing the plant extract, also called hashish oil, with baked goods like cakes and cookies.

"These farmers reportedly bake the brownies and cakes at the plantations and sell them in Subic, Olongapo, and other areas in the lowlands," Special Investigator Federico Criste said during a press conference at the NBI yesterday.

Before the farmers learned to extract hashish oil, they used dried marijuana leaves as one of the ingredients in baking the "special cakes and brownies," Criste explained.

NBI forensic chemist Aida Magsipoc said consumers of baked goods with hashish oil could experience "more potent effects because of the products’ more concentrated drug content."

Magsipoc said they tried to extract oil from the marijuana plant several years ago. "We discovered that it took a lot of plants to extract 100 ml of hashish oil," the forensic chemist said.

[She] explained that 5-10 kilos of marijuana were needed to extract 100 ml of the oil.

Geez, what will they think of next.

More Chinese takeout

2006-03-13T18:55:00.000+08:00

I'm taking a break from editing articles that all have to do--in one way our the other--with guilty pleasures, MANUAL's theme for April. Which is, of course, a good segue for the second half of my list of Chinese movies. (Hmmm...didn't even realize that it would provoke comment. As usual, when writing here, I'm just really being self-indulgent. Anyway...) Before I get on with it, I'm not saying that the Chinese movie industry doesn't produce duds. It does--and really, when they do? They're really cringe-worthy affairs. I mean, I'm the type who can't leave a movie unfinished, no matter how stupid, corny, or banal it is. But really bad Chinese movies have more than tested my mettle. But still, I keep coming back for more. What can I say, I love movies, in general. (BTW, when I say "Chinese movies" I mean HK movies.)

Another thing I like about Chinese movies are the titles. They're really cooky. I'm sure it has something to do with imperfect translation, but wouldn't you be intrigued by movies with titles such as these: The Beauty and the Breast; Over the Rainbow, Under the Skirt; Yesterme, Yeteryou, Yesterday--which I think are all rom-coms, by the way? I know I would.

Anyway, some more Chinese movies that rock:

A World Without Thieves (starring Andy Lau and Rene Liu). This is not a HK film. It's produced by mainland Chinese and with the exception of Lau is mostly a mainland production. It's included here because it's a damn good movie. One thing Chinese movies (HK and mainland) have as an advantage: China makes a great backdrop. In this film about two thieves who initiate a clever train robbery on a trip into the heart of Mainland China, the passing scenery are...well, scene-stealers and are as much a part of the story--indeed, it's like another character--as the actors themselves. Based on a novel, the film is about Wang Bo (Lau) and Wang Li (Liu), a pair of grifters whose success is nearly legendary in the underworld. Wang Li's specialty is swindling horny old men (Wang Li is a girl. Yes, I know the names make it hard to tell) while Wang Bo is a very gifted pickpocket. After extorting a BMW from a married man in HK who has the hots for Wang Li, the two head for China. There they meet Dumbo, an itinerant worker on his way home to his village to get married and is carrying 60,000 RMB in life earnings. Dumbo is so dumb (OK, naive) that he loudly challenges any thief to steal his money. His assumption is that people are ultimately good and won't steal from him. The three end up riding the same train and of course undue complication ensue as Dumbo's declaration alerts all the swindlers and grifters that there's money on board. Wang Li takes a liking to Dumbo and is determined to protect him. Wang Bo, on the other hand, wants to fleece him for all he's worth, to teach him a lesson--that there are thieves. To make things more interesting, there's also a legendary thief on the train, Uncle Li and his gang. The money is slim pickings to him, but he can't resist the challenge of beating Wang Bo at his own game. Part romance, part action-adventure, this film effectively suspends your disbelief and makes for an engrossing two-hour spectacle of convoluted cat-and-mouse action, thrilling knife sequences, and interesting characters. A must-see, if only for the scenery.

One Nite in Mongkok (starring Daniel Wu and Cecilia Cheung). A gritty crime drama, ONIM is about a group of cops attempting to stop a gangland hit about to go down in 36 hours in Mongkok, probably one of the most crowded places in HK. It's also about an assassin with issues and a hooker with a heart of gold. Carl and Tim, two rival gang leaders, are at each others' throats after Carl's henchman kills Tim's son. Tim puts out a hit on Carl who goes into hiding. Enter Lai Fu (Daniel Wu), a newbie assassin from the mainland who's hired by Tim's broker to do the job. The police, through the broker, discover the existence of the Lai but not where he is. In a series of plausible plot twists, luck, and coincidence, the assassin eludes the police and runs to ground, meeting up with Dan-Dan, Cecilia Cheung's character, the hooker with the heart of gold. A viajera of sorts, who sells her body in HK in exchange for money she takes home to the mainland, Dan-Dan becomes Fu's guide through the bowels of Mongkok, not knowing that the unwitting tourist is a hired killer, only that he's carrying a gun and a bagful of cash. At its simplest it's a "hitman and hooker on the run" storyline, but it's more than that. The film never degenerates into stock characters, with the actors delivering nuanced performances with believable motivations and backstories. Subplots and plot twists (including the coincidences) don't feel contrived. Also has one of the most vicious beatings I've seen on film--maybe second only to Vincent Cassel beating a guy to pulp in Irreversible.

Love on a Diet (starring Andy Lau, Sammi Cheng). Mini-mo (Sammi Cheng), an expat living in Japan, gains a lot of weight (as in!) pining for her ex-boyfriend Kurokawa who leaves her and become an internationally famous pianist. She then meets Fatso (Andy Lau), an itinerant utensil salesman who takes pity on her and helps her lose weight by putting her on a grueling exercise program. She loses the weight and reunites with her boyfriend, but finds out he's not the one she wants pala. Though the fat jokes (I mean, hello? Check out names of the lead characters!) will make the PC police cringe, this is a very entertaining romantic comedy, not the least because Andy Lau and Sammi Cheng have good chemistry--even if they had to wear fat suits for most of the movie. It's sentimental and sweet and hilarious. Fun!

Sound of Colors (starring Tony Leung and Miriam Yeung) Based on the illustrated novel by Jimmy Liao and produced by Wong Kar-Wai, the best thing about SOC is the seamless blend of animated storybook elements with live action. Tony Leung, fantastic here as always, plays Keung, who has a dating service that's going nowhere fast, and Hoi-Yuek, a blind girl who enlists his services to find her a date. Of course, you know these two will end up together. But how? With the help of guardian angels, of course! (Suspend your disbelief. This movie is so well-made, you'll forgive any leapfrog into fantasy territory). One day, Keung finds himself blind and has to ask Yuek to cope. Needless to say, they fall in love. This is actually two stories in one, so a second completely unrelated story of two young couple who meet and fall in love in Shanghai (great scenery, btw) after one of the angels messes with their correspondence. Fun, too. Should be watched with Love on a Diet.

*A note on Chinese actresses: I don't know what it is about HK audiences now, but they seem to like actresses who are spoiled petulant bratty princesses--at least, this is my observation of the current crop of young female artistas--Ziyi Ziang, included. In fact, Ziang almost always plays the same bratty princess role in most of her movies--from Crouching Tiger... to 2046, with the possible exception of Memoirs of a Geisha. Would-be Ziyis like Miriam Yeung, Sammi Cheng, and even Shu Qi all have the same shtick. The possible exception is Cecilia Cheung, although I've only seen two of her movies so far. I guess they don't make actresses in the same mold as Maggie Cheung, Carina Lau, Faye Wong, and Gong Li no more.

Happy Together (starring Tony Leung and Leslie Cheung) Before there was Brokeback Mountain, there was this movie. It's written and directed by Wong Kar-Wai, set in Argentina, and starring two of master Wong's actor-muses, what more can you ask? Tony and Leslie are troubled lovers who attempt to salvage theit teetering relationship by moving to Argentina, of all places. Of course, their already troubled relationship fizzles out in a new land, as the two cope with changes, conflicting attitudes, and reactions the new place engenders. As with most, if not all, Wong Kar-Wai movies, this one has a wide streak of sadness running down the center, with Tony and Leslie delivering sterling performances. BTW, after watching this, and Brokeback, I wonder, do gay couples really make out/love like they're going to kill each other first? Is it all the raging testosterone? Just wondering.

I'll stop with these. For those who haven't watched any Chinese movies, this list is a good starting point. Of course, this is by no means complete. I'll probably add more to this when the mood strikes me. I just don't want to overwhelm you guys, hehe. So if you're at your dibidi suki, check out his stash of Chinese movies. You just might find these. (I know for a fact that Infernal Affairs I, II, and III, A World Without Thieves, and Shanghai Grand is available as a bootleg omnibus CD entitled The Andy Lau Collection. I think One Nite in Mongkok is also available). And for those who have neighborhood Tower Records with a good selection of Asian movies (Hey, Mark!), you migh want to check these out. check out also: Divergence; Running Out of Time; Running on Karma; and Turn Left, Turn Right.

A note on Memoirs of a Geisha: By rights, it shouldn't be in this list, but because it stars some of the best Asian actors, I think it's worth a shout out. I watched it and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, from the way critics were harping about the movie. Granted, I don't like Ziyi Ziang so she wouldn't be my first choice for the lead role, and yes, there are problems with getting Chinese actors to play Japanese characters. I'm sure there are Japanese actors who are just as good if not better, but I think it was more of a business decision. These were, after all, some of the most bankable Asian actresses in the world. From a business perspective, it made sense to use them. But overall, I liked the movie. Hats off to Gong Li! For someone who had to learn English to play the role, she was perfect as Hatsumomo, the bitchy geisha. And that little girl who played the young Sayuri--perfect! She more than made up for Ziyi Ziang being in the movie (is it obvious that I don't like her?) :)

So, anyone care for some Chinese? ;p

Librarything

2006-03-13T10:30:00.000+08:00

Hi girls, care to check out my online bookshelf? Followed a link to LibraryThing from Mark's blog and got hooked right away! It's so fun but--beware--very addicting! I've only added oh I think less than 20 books so far, but I'll be putting in more. It's my new instant stress-reliever ;P

Classic Cory

2006-03-12T15:28:00.000+08:00

What a treat, Cory Doctorow's latest novel Someone Comes To Town, Someone Leaves Town is indeed available online--free! Naturally I still intend to get the 'dead-tree' version for my collection, but it's terrific to be able to download a free electronic copy. Thank God for Creative Commons, and thank you Mr D! You are one classy dude.

Clooney rocks!

2006-03-09T13:49:00.003+08:00

"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusation is not proof and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law. We will not walk in fear of one another, we will not be driven by fear to an age of ureason if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine. And remember, we are not descended from fearful men, not from men who feared to write, to associate, and to defend the causes that for the moment are unpopular..."--Edward Murrow (David Straithairn), Good Night and Good Luck

I thought it's a good quote given what's going on in the country right now. We should give GMA a pirated copy of the movie. Baka matauhan, hahaha! Just saw Good Night and Good Luck on dvd last night. It's great! I've liked George Clooney ever since he played pediatrician Doug Ross on ER. And even then, one can see he was more than just a pretty face. Syriana and Good Night and Good Luck should do more than give him credibility as far as acting and directing are concerned. Galing!

That brooding Mr Darcy...

2006-03-07T13:14:00.000+08:00

...has gotten on my nerves. Here's an article I read online Macfadyen on Darcy.

I agree with the writer that "Macfadyen's Darcy is wounded, boyish, broken. Stiff with inhibition, his face misshapen, his eyes eerie distant chips of light blue, he is magnificent. His sexuality is far more understated than Firth’s, but no less powerful." So now I want to see the Colin Firth version (after all, I like Mr Firth too). I also want to read the book (which I confess I've never read).

By the way, the photo of Mr Macfadyen in the article is really nice.

Playing @ Google

2006-03-03T19:48:00.000+08:00

Check this out!

http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/2006/inside_google/

Wish I could get a job at Google -- or at least marry Sergei or Larry. :-)

Walking in Beijing

2006-03-03T18:10:00.000+08:00

Speaking of things Chinese...

The government of China has published A General Textbook on Civility and Propriety, which is intended to teach proper decorum to the citizens in preparation for the 2008 Olympics.

These tidbits from the handbook made my day. (I copied them from a local newspaper.)

* "When you walk, raise your head and keep the point of gravity slightly in front."

* "After you wash your hands, don't shake them while walking away from the toilet."

* "While at work, only send out work-related emails."

Let's visit Beijing in '08 for a live demo of walking with "the point of gravity slightly in front"! :)

Chinese takeout

2006-03-02T21:48:00.000+08:00

Yesterday I was talking to my friend Karen in the office about one of our favorite topics, contemporary Chinese movies, when another officemate butts in on the conversation with an exasperated, "Oh, dear God! Are you two yakking about Chinese movies again?! I just don't understand why you like them so much!" Or words to that effect. I think there was even some cussing at some point. Various friends and acquaintances have wondered about my penchant for Chinese movies. One smart-aleck friend even ascribed it to F4 mania, which was how some officemates became hooked on Cantopop. Well, I have never watched a single episode of the cheesy Meteor Garden, although judging from the Chinese movies I've seen, I might as well be guilty of screaming for F4.

So back to the original question: Why do I like Chinese movies so much that I even ask friends who go to HK to buy me DVDs? The short and easy answer is: The movies can be addicting. And even the worst of the movies, and believe me, the worst can make a bad Tito, Vic, and Joey pelikula look like an Oscar contender, there's always a quirk or a twist in the plot that elevates it from the humdrum. And that's why I like Chinese movies.

In my humble opinion, there are only four major film industries in Asia: the Bollywood machinery, Pinoy showbiz, the Japanese entertainment juggernaut, and the Chinese Cantopop conglomerate. Now, with Pinoy showbiz going the way of the dogs, it makes sense to look at what our neighbors have been doing in terms of movies. Right now, Korea also has a very vibrant movie industry. And I think that's a good thing. We shouldn't always be looking toward Hollywood for direction, especially since Hollywood these days is importing its story ideas and its actors from Asia.

In college, I remember being blown away by Wong Kar-Wai's Chungking Express, which is still for me one of the best movies I've seen. I saw it in a film criticism class and until then, I've always thought in my little insular world view that Asian film, with the exception of Pinoy cinema, couldn't compete with Hollywood. I was wrong. My officemate Karen, on the other hand, got a crash course of Chinese film, after watching Infernal Affairs. There was no going back for her after that.

So. Here, some Chinese films, in no particular order, that I think are standouts. Try them out and bask in the quirkiness:

Chungking Express directed by Wong Kar-Wai Three stories are woven seamlessly into one narrative. A good intro to Chinese movies, purely for its kinetic pacing and kaleidoscope portrayal of life in Chungking. There's everything in this movie: an action segment about a drug deal gone wrong; romance--a lovelorn cop pining for his ex-girlfriend while searching for and then eating canned pineapple that expires on May 1 because that was their anniversary, a food attendant who secretely loves another cop who is in turn abandoned by his flight-attendant girlfriend; even an open-ended (sort of) happy ending. Characters move in and out of each others' lives and affect each others' stories, much like how it happens in real life.

Days of Being Wild, In the Mood for Love, and 2046 directed by Wong Kar-Wai. The thing about Wong Kar-Wai is, he gets obsessed about a particular story or mood. I've grouped these three movies together because they seem connected somehow. Aside from the obvious time period (all three movies are set--or partly set, as in the case of 2046--in the 1960s), the characters seem to be the same people. It's as if WKW is obsessed with telling and re-telling the same story again and again. The baffling thing is: it all works! I don't know how he does it.

Infernal Affairs I, II, III The first movie revitalized the Hong Kong film industry in 2002. Starring two of the best actors of HK cinema, IF is a taut thriller that will have you hanging on to the edge of your seat. Unlike Hollywood thrillers, there's virtually no car chases or explosions in this movie. This is one movie that I really feel we could do, if we were inventive enough and not rely of formula. The premise is deceptively simple: A cop goes undercover to infiltrate the Chinese Triad while the Triad plants a mole in the police force. It's a cat and mouse game as both try to find out each others' identities. The success of the first movie, inspired two sequels, which considering that there were no plans for sequels, are seamless continuations of the original movie, and as stylishly made. In fact, IF is so stylishly made that Hollywood has taken notice. Martin Scorsese is currently in post-production right now with a remake of IF entitled The Departed, starring Leonardo di Caprio and Matt Damon as the two leads. Word has it that Scorsese did not deign to watch the original movie before making the remake. From a lesser director, such a move would be considered pure hubris. But this is Scorsese, after all. If there's anyone who can be trusted to make a superior remake, it'll be him.

To be continued...

Excerpts

2006-02-28T15:14:00.000+08:00

I'm taking a page from Carrie and putting down excerpts of books I've been reading for the past month or so. Yeah, yeah, I know I should be writing a real blog entry but I'm just too busy right now. I promise I'll write about what's been going on in my universe soon. I can't believe it's only the third month of '06! I feel like I aged a year...Oh, right. I did, haha! Anyway, here, the books that gave me sleepless nights:

Times are bad when witches or whatever they are, exchange their cauldron for a library, filing cabinets, and a place in the bestseller list.--The Dumas Club, Arturo Perez-Reverte. I was sorely disappointed in this book. Or maybe the translation wasn't that good? Nah, I don't think that's it. The ending sucks. But--SPOILER ALERT!!--I did like the fact that the beautiful mysterious young girl in the book, who ended up being the protagonist's sidekick, may in fact be the Devil and that she's been wandering all this time on Earth pining for heaven. Sad, what?

Every now and then, you'll see a tattered piece of 1950s signage, something exuberant that harks back to flash bulbs and frozen glamor. Most have been torn down now, replaced by brutal information boards stamped out in Helvetica, the official typeface of purgatory. Helvetica isn't designed to make you feel anything good, to promise adventure or gladden the heart. Helvetica is for telling you that profits are down. that the photocopier needs servicing, and by the way, you're fired.--The Straw Men, Michael Marshall. Got this cold contact at NBS in Ali Mall when I was rushing to get to the bus station for Donsol. I realized that I didn't have anything to read with me so I grabbed the first promising novel off the shelf. The book gods must love me. This is a fantastic debut novel. I have since found out that he has two more novels out. Needless to say, I'll be on the lookout for them. Review to follow soon. And isn't the observation about Helvetica on-point? It's like Arial, the official font of bureaucracy. Ok, ok. Only publishing nerds will get me.

Civilization slipped into its second dark age on an unsurprising track of blood, but with a speed that could not have been foreseen by even the most pessimistic futurist. It was as if it had been waiting to go. On October 1, God was in his heaven, the stock market stood at 10,140, and most of the planes were one time (except those landing and taking off in Chicago, and that was to be expected.) Two weeks later, the skies belonged to the birds again, and the stock market was a memory. By Halloween, every major city from New York to Moscow stank to high heavens and the world as it has been was a memory.--Cell, Stephen King. It's by King so what else can I say? It kicks ass.

His heart skipped and a thousand suns flashed up in novas...All will be well and all manner of things will be well. Only believe; be true; stand; do not falter now.--The Talisman, Stephen King. I had a tattered copy of The Talisman that I bought at a booksale. Unfortunately, I don't know who borrowed it. I have felt the loss keenly. Good thing the good people at King's publishing house saw fit to release a new edition. Those who aren't King fans won't believe this, but King can write with an elegance approaching genius.

For she's a jolly good fella

2006-02-26T00:47:00.001+08:00

Happy Birthday Te!

Morons and evil people

2006-02-10T14:59:00.000+08:00

"People are evil."
"Not evil," Fermin objected. "Moronic, which isn't quite the same thing. Evil presupposes a moral decision, intention, and some forethought. A moron or lout, however, doesn't stop to think or reason. He acts on instinct, like an animal, convinced that he's doing good, that he's always right, and sanctimoniously proud to go around fucking up, if you'll excuse the French, anyone he perceives to be different from himself, be it because of skin color, creed, language, nationality, or in the case of Don Federico, leisure pursuits. What the world really needs are more thoroughly evil people and fewer borderline pigheads."

--The Shadow of the Wind, CARLOS RUIZ ZAFON

Charmed

2006-02-09T23:30:00.000+08:00

Girls, you just gotta read about Jessica Zafra's Philip Seymour Hoffman sighting. Grabe, I want this woman's life!

Don't fondle your food--10 food rules to live by

2006-02-08T19:46:00.000+08:00

Been thinking about health stuff recently, first because it's MANUAL's health issue so I've been assigning, editing, and basically breathing in health and fitness articles for the past several weeks now. (Note that just because I've been thinking about it, doesn't mean I'm doing it. I have a gym membership that I don't use, my butt is as wide as [fill in whatever image you think appropriate], and I get winded going up two flights of stairs.) Second, there's an upcoming trip to Cebu two weeks from now and well, you can't actually be in the beach without wearing a swimsuit, although I just might forgo swimming (torture!) for fear of being mistaken for a beached whale, especially since I'm with my officemates who are all thin model-like women! Sigh. If only for this, I miss college, when I ate whatever wanted and diet was a dirty four-letter word! Then again, that's probably the reason I'm this big now. It's all those midnight snacks catching up on me!

Anyway, enough griping. Reality is reality. I am what I am--as Maricel Soriano used to say. Going back to the title of this piece, I'm copying part of an article that'll come out in our March issue. These are actually pretty good advice. I think I'll keep 'em in mind--after I scarf down this Big Mac, that is.

Don't Fondle Your Food--10 food rules to live by
[By Hoze Arando, coming out Manual March 2006 issue]

1. Try to keep meals on a regular schedule, but if you do not feel hungry at mealtime, fast until the next meal.
2. Eat slowly and savor your food. Chew it thoroughly, remembering that digestion begins at the mouth.
3. Eat only four or five different foods at one meal. Complex mixtures are difficult to digest. Don't snack between meals.
4. Don't overload your system. Fill half the stomach with food, one quarter with liquid, and leave the rest empty. (It takes 20 minutes for the brain to get the message you are full.)
5. Maintain a peaceful attitude during the meal. Try to eat in silence and don't let unsavory thoughts enter your mind and gut.
6. Change your diet gradually.
7. Before you eat, remember God or the Universal Life Force that dwells in all food.
8. Try to fast once a week.
9. Eat at least one raw salad every day.
10. Eat to live, don't live to eat.

Nice 'no?

Fearless forecasts: Check out this article on Oscar predictions. Hilarious!

Whatever happened to personal responsibility

2006-02-03T09:19:00.000+08:00

I just read in the Inquirer about a man filing a suit against Apple claiming that using his IPod caused hearing damage, quite reminiscent of the person who sued McDonald's because the hot coffee bought from a McDonald's outlet spilled on that person while driving. There are other similar suits, I know. It just made me wonder: Why is it that it seems to me more people are blaming something else for something that went wrong, but which they had control over anyway. More and more people seems to be passing the buck to someone else or something else, and neglecting to take responsibility for their actions. I don't know. I've always thought that when you do something, and it results on something negative, you ultimately have to take responsibility for it. Isn't that how things are supposed to be? I'm not saying I'm perfect, and that I never pass the blame on to someone. But something like this Apple incident (and even the things going on in this country) make me stop and think...sadly...how accountability has been shot. It's like in the words of Howard Jones, no one ever is to blame.
I think if more people just take more responsibility for their actions, things would be much better in this world.

Talking head sense

2006-01-26T19:39:00.000+08:00

I don't know why that is, but whenever a foreigner talks about the Philippines, we immediately become interested in whatever he has to say. This certainly was how I felt when my boss forwarded me David Byrne's account of his long visit to the Philippines. I found myself comparing what he knows with what I know of my history. And getting interested despite myself of what a foreign pop musician has to say about my country. It certainly seemed incogrious to say the least. I mean, David Byrne (of the freakin' Talking Heads!) has been biking around Manila, taking in the sights, riding tricycles, jeepneys, and buses in the provinces. Can this country get any more surreal? I guess not. And he apparently agrees. Anyway, do I have a point in this entry? Maybe nothing. Then again, maybe everything.

Ey K, you'll love this one

2006-01-21T20:51:00.000+08:00

Ka, been wanting to tell you about this book I was reading before school started. The Lecturer’s Tale by James Hynes. It’s about this down and out literature professor who, on the day that he’s fired from his job, has a freak accident that causes his finger to be severed. When it’s sewn back, he discovers that he can make people do his bidding if he touches them with his re-attached finger… oooh! ;P He uses his new powers to get ahead in the perfidious, backbiting world of the English Department, and here the fun begins. The characters are so wacky and pathetic, it makes me wonder if Mr Hynes really just made them up. They certainly sound crazy enough to be real people! If I were tasked to find a den of dementeds, surely an English department is one of the first places I'd look. Eheheh ;P

Last time out

2006-01-21T20:18:00.000+08:00

Hello World! I'm back from exile--or temporarily at least since it's the weekend ;P Am taking this chance to post some funny shots taken the last time we had dindin at the mall. As usual, Ben was out to make life difficult for nanay and his ninangs. But never mind, we luv him pa rin!

Music, part 2

2006-01-19T22:11:00.000+08:00

Like Isa, been thinking a lot about music lately. Mostly because I'm in the process of putting together a music issue of the magazine. It's a long hard slog, lemme tell you, folks. It's almost done and I'm just waiting for the final pages to be colorproofed before I put it to bedie-bye.

Anyway, that's the reason I have music on my mind for the past month or so. In any case, it should prove to be an exciting February issue for MANUAL. Lots of great stories--the 10 movers and shakers in the local music scene is guaranteed to provide contentious debate among people, we have a short piece on the 10 most influential Pinoy albums, how to be a music snob, books by or about musicians, cindy kurleto, the singer Sheree etc. It promises to be a most interesting issue. Lots of hardwork, though. Especially booking the personalities for the 10 movers and shakers for a shoot. Most of the personalities were really nice once you get them in the shoot, but getting them there is where the nightmare starts. One thing's for sure, it's a good thing this only comes around once a year. I don't think I can deal with it if we did this once a month!

What got me through the whole process were really great CDs that I'm now listing down for you. Not that I'm trying to get you to listen to them, but hey, why not? I was basically chained to my desk day in, and day out and these were my sanity savers, in no particular order:

1. Killer Tracks, various artists. Twenty songs that will remind you of how New Wave by way of England sounded back in the day, by artists as diverse as Morrissey, Stereophonics, The Libertines, Bloc Party, The Prodigy, Feeder, our very own Orange and Lemons (whose contribution, "Strike Whilst The Iron is Hot" fits right at home in this motley collection), and other artists. I play this for times when I'm madly writing an article that ought to have been written eons ago. The perfect accompaniment to a pounding keyboard.

2. Strike Whilst the Iron is Hot, Orange and Lemons. Very Brit-pop sounding Pinoy band with a totally infectious sound. I didn't like them at first; I thought they were pretentious. They may still be, but what the hell, the music grows on you and in the end, that's what matters. Perfect for after-dinner lattes at your computer trolling the blogs while waiting for the proofs to come in.

3. Get Behind Me, Satan, The White Stripes. The WS is not for everyone. They're not very accessible musically, methinks. This is not relaxing music. But I remember a college professor once told my class, "There are books you read for the language, and books you read for the story." I think it's the same with music. There's music you listen to because it's relaxing, and there's music you listen to because it makes you think. This is music that makes you think.

4. Eraserheads Anthology, Eraserheads. Because. Two discs of the quartet's best songs, written when the band was at the peak of its fame. Great for crunch times when tempers are frayed and blood threatens to spill at any moment. Play "Maselang Bahaghari" and watch everyone calm down and start humming. My only beef: This should be a four-disc set, at least.

5. Ultraelectromagneticjam, various artists. A laudable effort by various musicians to interpret the best of the Eraserheads. Not as effective as #4 at calming the waters, but still pretty damn good. My only beef: This should be a two-disc set, at least.

6. Halina sa Parokya, Parokya ni Edgar. These guys are a riot! What can you expect from a band that used to perform in their moms' old dresses and had album titles like Kangkhungkerrnitz (their first), Buruguduystungstugudunstuy, Gulong Itlog Gulong? They kinda remind me of neighborhood tambays, with a bottle of lapad, a guitar, and an old tattered copy of a Jingle songhits regaling the neighborhood with their singing. This latest album is a concept album with the songs sequenced a la Sesame Street or Batibot and the band members having alter-egos--e.g., Chito Miranda (the vocalist) is Chito Matsing, Buwi Meneses is Pedro the Basura Man, Gabriel Chee Kee is Uncle Gab and His Lucky Seven Club, Vinci Montaner is Mr. Suave, and Dindin Moreno as The Ordertaker. Totally hilarious. There's a song here, "Telepono" that tells the reaction of a guy who gets a dawn phone call from his girlfriend who just found out she's pregnant and is now breaking the news to him. The arrangement is like any sentimental love song, but listen to the lyrics. It will crack you up, guaranteed. Basically, I love Parokya. And this album is vindication that these guys are geniuses. Play when you need people to laugh out loud simply because there are worse ways to spend your time and sometimes laughter makes everything bearable.

Music

2006-01-16T10:38:00.000+08:00

Thanks to Terrie's odd question of the night two posts ago, I've now been listening to Fool's Garden's Dish of the Day album for two days in a row. It wasn't a hit when it came out a decade ago (yes, it's been that long), but Lemon Tree did get quite a bit of airplay. My personal opinion is that it is a nice album, not great, but nice to listen to.

I just realized that I've been so out of touch with the current music scene. I remember the time when I would just be listening to the radio and current CDs a lot. These days, I listen to the radio for a bit and realize that I don't know what the song are and who are singing. I wonder if it's a sign of aging that I no longer am tempted to listen to newer bands. Or it may be because of the songs that I hear on the radio, I don't hear any that hits me the way the older songs used to. Oh, there are still some nice ones, but not as much as before. Nah, I think I'm just getting older (I still like loud music, though!).

I think I'm going to get an Audioslave album...

Deadline blues

2006-01-15T15:00:00.000+08:00

"Hanging out with my friends on a sunny Sunday afternoon..."--"Hanging Out" in Luha by Kapatid

That's what I want to do right now. Instead, I'm in the office--on a sunny Sunday afternoon, no less--attempting to get all my proofs in so my February issue can be printed. I hate my life!

Feeling Lost

2006-01-13T01:37:00.000+08:00

I'm suffering from Lost withdrawal. It's been 6 days and 3 hours since I finished the last episode (including the special featurette) of the first season and I can't wait to watch the second season. This is all Carrie's fault for luring me to the island! I've even began to seriously consider getting cable just so I can watch the second season as it unfolds, instead of waiting for the discs from our friendly neighborhood fake dibidi suki. The fact that I'm not at home most of the time except to sleep, indicates how desperate I'm becoming. It's embarrassing to admit but sometimes I'd even find myself running over plot points and possible scenarios in my head at odd moments. It's ridiculous! I haven't been this obsessed with a TV series since The X-Files' first two seasons more than half a decade ago (has it been that long since Mulder and Scully got the whole world tripping on aliens and conspiracy theories? Good Lord!) when Monday night was sacrosanct because I had to get home in time for the show! I now understand why Adel, my former boss, was so eager for us at the office to watch the series when it first came out so he'd have someone to discuss it with. He'd even volunteer to download episodes off the Net! Where is he when I need him? I lent my DVDs to an officemate and now she's getting ensnared by the series as well. This is good. Now I have someone to discuss theories with...

Odd question of the night: Heard a song on the radio on the way to work this morning that goes: "I wonder why/I wonder how...(something, something)...blue, blue sky and all that I can see is just another lemon tree..." I swear I know this song. I've been humming it for the whole day but for the life of me, I can't seem to remember the title! Anyone know the title and who sang it? Put me out of my misery and email me! And no, I don't want to google it. More fun this way...

For the birds (a rant)

2006-01-11T23:30:00.000+08:00

Now that the MMFF is over, I'd like to get this off my chest. I watched Mulawin over the Christmas break and let me tell you, it's...well, it's...let's just say it's baaad! Yeah, yeah. I know. My friends (including the three who share this blog) will no doubt be wondering why I even bothered to spend hard-earned pesos on a local flick. Well, it made a lot of sense at that time.

For one thing, movies in Davao (where I went on Christmas break) only cost P55! And that's in the good seats already. Secondly, my nephew wanted to see it, so he dragged his poor tita (that's moi) to watch it with him. And third, I'm an optimist, and hence, I was hopeful that the movie would turn out to be worth watching. I'm not a snob. I'll always give Pinoy movies a fair chance. But at instances like this, I always end up wondering if I should give up on local cinema for good.

The concept wasn't bad, really. Engkantadas, bird-men, lost stones of power, a power struggle, a love story...ideas that'll make a good movie--if done right. But Mulawin wasn't. First off, there was a lot of subplots that it was hard to untangle them to understand the basic story. Two, Richard Gutierrez can't act to save his life. His version of acting is opening his eyes really wide! Three, Angel Locsin, supposedly a sugo (savior, I suppose) as well as Richard Gutierrez's love interest, doesn't know how to move. She's supposed to be a warrior but she can't even manage a straight kick! And fighting with a sword? Good lord! I wanted to take the stuntpeople aside and give them a good scolding. Why didn't they give her more lessons to make her more believable? And four, they're supposed to be bird-people, right? So why was the big battle scene taking place on the ground? It doesn't make sense! Then it occured to me that they couldn't do an airborne battle scene because our special effects suck. So why make an effects-laden movie in the first place? Good question. Wish I had an answer.

I don't even know why it got an "A" or why Annabelle Rama was ranting about why her son Richard (who plays the lead, Aguiluz, one of the sugo of the Mulawin) didn't get the Best Actor nod in the festival. It's really simple, ma'am--he can't act! This movie really makes me fear for local cinema. I know we have great filmmakers but we're not making the movies we ought to be making. Oh well, I know my snob-friends-who-refuse-to-watch-Pinoy-cinema are wondering why I'm even wasting space on this. At this point, I don't even know myself. Perhaps I'm just sleep deprived. Or maybe it's an attempt to get something out of my P55! Or maybe, it beats writing about Ako Legal Wife: Mano Po 4? You want a review of that? Thought so.

Fingered

2006-01-10T19:24:00.000+08:00

There's a new gadget in the office. In an attempt to curb theft and unauthorized persons from going into our offices as well as to digitally record our time-ins and -outs, the company administration installed a fingerprint-scanning whatsit at our lobby. Now, you can't get into the offices if your thumbprint (or whichever of your fingerprints are recorded) is not recognized by the scanner. Pretty cool, huh? Then again, someone pointed out that the money used to install the gadgets could've been used to give us new PCs (or my dream, a Mac!). Oo nga naman! But my office is made up of 90% women who have a sly way of making their disapproval known. A lot of them used the middle finger as their identifying fingerprint. Up yours, indeed!

CDs I'm listening to: Demon Days Gorillaz and All About the Funk Brand New Heavies. Not new albums, but they're fun to listen to on hectic days like this. They sort of set the pace to my day. Sweet!

Book I'm reading: Heavy Water by Martin Amis. A collection of short stories. One of them, "Career Move" is this amusing tale in which screenwriters are struggling with their "art" in small coffeeshops and get published in obscure little magazines while poets live it up in Hollywood doing prequels and sequels of their poems. Haven't gotten to reading the title story, which I'll dutifully report once I've read it. But so far, this book is quirkily fun!

Social dilemmas

2006-01-07T12:57:00.000+08:00

"Wala na nga tayong social life, hindi pa tayo kakain ng maayos!"--My acerbic comment last night to officemates, which got all of us giggling, although it wasn't really funny. Or maybe, because it was so true, it made it funny, I don't know.

Anyway, there we were last night at the office--a bunch of editors, all holding down supposedly glamorous jobs (we're in lifestyle magazines, after all!), when the truth is, it's a lot of hard work. I was emailing all my contributors to remind them that deadline for the March issue was fast approaching, while correcting a stack of proofs, and checking pages that have been colorproofed. A few feet away from me, our style editor just got in from a full day's pull out and was busy organizing the clothes she'll be using for her shoot tomorrow. Next, she'll be putting on masking tape on the soles of the shoes that the models will wear. Another editor, over at another cubicle, was frantically editing articles while ranting about a memo she recieved that morning.

Welcome to the glamorous life! How come it's not the same in TV and movies? Just for once I wish they'd portray editors realistically. I never see Carrie Bradshaw do anything but hang out with her friends while typing the occasional column and reflecting on her and her friends sexual and relationship (mis)adventures. Jennifer Garner in 13 Going on 30 had time to dance to "Thriller" while overhauling a whole magazine and getting rid of her conniving best friend, not to mention traveling through time, in less than a week!

Which is why, feeling bad that we were in the office Friday night, we ended up eating at Old Spaghetti House in Libis for pasta, melt-in-your mouth porkchops and onion rings. After which we headed to Starbucks for macchiattos and cheesecake. Bliss! We may not have a life, but we can certainly treat ourselves to great food!

Book I'm (re)reading now: Rosie Dunn by Cecilia Ahern. Recommended to me by another editor. People who know me would laugh because the book lies squarely in the category of chick lit. The cover is pink, good Lord! I took a chance on it because I needed some light bedside reading. Surprisingly, this turned out to be a really good read. Funny, poignant, and given the genre, romantic. But not nauseatingly so.

CDs on rotation: The Libertines The Libertines, You Could Have It So Much Better Franz Ferdinand, Highly Evolved The Vines. Visceral. Lethal...Magic!

Galatea

2005-12-31T10:17:00.000+08:00

Happy 2006 girls! Let's make this year count. My new year's resolution: Get a blog of my own. And I've already started! I'm calling it Galatea. Hope you can check it out soon!

Christmas with Ben

2005-12-31T09:59:00.000+08:00

Some Bentot shots from our Christmas dinner at Sentro. The boy really loves the camera--here he's goofing off with Nanay and showing off his new The Incredibles wristwatch. Watch out, Nanay, you've created a superstar ;P

The New Yorker on the economics and politics of literature

2005-12-21T21:06:00.000+08:00

ALL THAT GLITTERS
Literature’s global economy.
by LOUIS MENAND

Issue of 2005-12-26 and 2006-01-02Posted 2005-12-19

In 1987, “Paco’s Story,” by Larry Heinemann, won the National Book Award for Fiction. The acclaim that greeted this selection was less than universal, and the reason—no fault of Heinemann’s—is that 1987 was also the year of Toni Morrison’s “Beloved.” Morrison’s novel was a finalist for the award, and it had been widely regarded as the favorite. We can assume that she was disappointed, and we know that her friends were, because, after “Beloved” also failed to win the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction (which went to Philip Roth’s “The Counterlife”), forty-eight of them published a statement in the Times Book Review. “Despite the international stature of Toni Morrison,” they complained, “she has yet to receive the national recognition that her five major works of fiction entirely deserve: she has yet to receive the keystone honors of the National Book Award or the Pulitzer Prize. We, the undersigned black critics and black writers, here assert ourselves against such oversight and harmful whimsy. The legitimate need for our own critical voice in relation to our own literature can no longer be denied.” A few months later, “Beloved” won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Five years after that, Morrison was awarded the Nobel Prize.

James English has a lot to say about this episode in “The Economy of Prestige” (Harvard; $29.95), his ingenious analysis of the history and social function of cultural prizes and awards. He thinks that Morrison’s champions crossed a tacitly accepted and well-established line when they printed their protest in the Times. The transgression was not the complaint that the award had been given to the wrong writer. That criticism is as old as literary prizes themselves. When the first Nobel Prize in Literature went to Sully Prudhomme, in 1901, the choice was regarded as a scandal, since Leo Tolstoy happened to be alive. The Swedish Academy was so unnerved by the public criticism it received that its members made a point of passing over Tolstoy for the rest of his life—just to show, apparently, that they knew what they were doing the first time around—honoring instead such immortals as Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, José Echegaray, Henryk Sienkiewicz, Giosuè Carducci, Rudolf Eucken, and Selma Lagerlöf. When you have prizes for art, you will always have people complaining that prizes are just politics, or that they reward in-group popularity or commercial success, or that they are pointless and offensive because art is not a competition. English believes that contempt for prizes is not harmful to the prize system; that, on the contrary, contempt for prizes is what the system is all about. “This threat of scandal,” as he puts it, “is constitutive of the cultural prize.” His theory is that when people make these objections to the nature of prizes they are helping to sustain a collective belief that true art has nothing to do with things like politics, money, in-group tastes, and beating out the other guy. As long as we want to believe that creative achievement is special, that a work of art is not just one more commodity seeking to aggrandize itself in the marketplace at the expense of other works of art, we need prizes so that we can complain about how stupid they are. In this respect, it is at least as important that the prize go to the wrong person as that it go to the right one. No one thinks that Tolstoy was less than a great writer because he failed to win the Nobel. The failure to win the Nobel has become, in the end, a mark of his greatness.

The Nobel Prize in Literature was the first of the major modern cultural prizes. It was soon followed by the Prix Goncourt (first awarded in 1903) and the Pulitzer Prizes (conceived in 1904, first awarded in 1917). The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences started handing out its prizes in 1929; the Emmys began in 1949, the Grammys in 1959. Since the nineteen-seventies, English says, there has been an explosion of new cultural prizes and awards. There are now more movie awards given out every year—about nine thousand—than there are new movies, and the number of literary prizes is climbing much faster than the number of books published. When a prominent figure in the cultural world—a benefactor or a distinguished critic or professor—dies, the friends and family often establish a memorial prize in his or her name. (As English points out, the friends and family often have no conception of how much even a minor award costs to administer. The price of administration, in fact, usually far outstrips the value of the prize itself. The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition costs more than three million dollars a year to run; the winners receive twenty thousand dollars.) This doesn’t mean that everyone gets a ribbon. In the awards economy, the rich tend to get richer. Michael Jackson has been given more than two hundred and forty awards in his career. Steven Spielberg has ninety. “The Return of the King,” the third movie in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, won seventy-nine prizes. English estimates that among poets John Ashbery is the leader, with at least forty-five prizes and awards. John Updike sets the pace for novelists, with thirty-nine.
English interprets the rise of the prize as part of the “struggle for power to produce value, which means power to confer value on that which does not intrinsically possess it.” In an information, or “symbolic,” economy, in other words, the goods themselves are physically worthless: they are mere print on a page or code on a disk. What makes them valuable is the recognition that they are valuable. This recognition is not automatic and intuitive; it has to be constructed. A work of art has to circulate through a sub-economy of exchange operated by a large and growing class of middlemen: publishers, curators, producers, publicists, philanthropists, foundation officers, critics, professors, and so on. The prize system, with its own cadre of career administrators and judges, is one of the ways in which value gets “added on” to a work. Of course, we like to think that the recognition of artistic excellence is intuitive. We don’t like to think of cultural value as something that requires middlemen—people who are not artists themselves—in order to emerge. We prefer to believe that truly good literature or music or film announces itself. Which is another reason that we need prizes: so that we can insist that we don’t really need them.
In English’s view, therefore, Morrison’s friends and admirers violated the protocols of prize-bashing not because they publicly criticized the choice of the National Book Award judges but because they acknowledged that the award really matters, that it is (in their words) a “keystone honor” that helps to validate a book and establish its author. Their statement pointed out, in the frankest terms, that there is a literary marketplace, and that power and authority—“cultural capital,” to use the term that English borrows from the sociologist Pierre Bourdieu—accrue to those who succeed in it. Art does not receive its reward in Heaven; it is one of the things that belong to Caesar.

English speculates that this willingness to speak without embarrassment about the significance of prizes and awards, and about the whole economy of cultural production and consumption, may, paradoxically, signal the demise of the prize system. “As we lose our ability or our willingness to see the prize as a fundamentally scandalous institution”—scandalous because art ought to have nothing to do with winning and losing—“there is bound to be a period of painful contraction in the awards industry,” he says. “Faced with the withdrawal of what has been by far their richest and most reliable source of publicity, prizes may after so many years of uncontainable expansion at last show some signs of fatigue.”

Another indication that the prize system may not be working as it once did, English suggests, is that it is no longer cool to refuse an award. Once, Jean-Paul Sartre could turn down the Nobel Prize (which he did in 1964) and see a nice jump in the price of his stock as a result. Marlon Brando and Woody Allen enhanced their reputations as artists by their disrespect for the Oscars. (Of course, they had to win the thing first for the disrespect to have any value.) Today, the principled refusal of an award looks not just ungracious; it looks phony. Hollywood movies are a business—no kidding. If you’re not above accepting money for acting in them, how can you pretend to be above participating in the awards ceremonies that the industry uses to sell them? According to English’s theory, though, someone has to refuse to participate—someone has to insist that moviemaking is its own reward, that it is not about competition or material gain—for movies to retain their value in the symbolic economy.

One of the richest of the stories that English tells about the circulation of cultural goods is the saga of “The Bone People.” The book was published in New Zealand in February, 1984, by Spiral Collective, a nonprofit feminist press run by three women in Wellington. Its author, Keri Hulme, had published poems and short stories, but “The Bone People” was her first novel. It had been rejected by every major publishing house to which it was submitted; English describes it as “a long and somewhat perverse mixture of genres, styles, and languages, sloppily edited and riddled with typographic errors—by no means an obvious winner in the marketplace.” Still, two print runs of two thousand copies both sold out. Then, in the summer of 1984, “The Bone People” won two awards. The first was the New Zealand Book Award for Fiction, a leading book prize in New Zealand but of little note internationally. The jury, English says, was impressed by the novel’s “fusion of Anglo (‘Pakeha’) and indigenous (Maori) elements within a dreamlike narrative of trauma and recovery as a kind of national allegory.” Though Hulme herself is only one-eighth Maori, and was reared and educated in Anglophone society, “The Bone People” was consequently branded as “Maori fiction.” And it was under this description that it won its second prize of 1984, the Pegasus Prize for Maori Literature.

The Pegasus is an instrument of ExxonMobil. It was founded, in 1977, in order to promote international awareness of marginalized literary cultures, and it circulates among countries in which ExxonMobil has subsidiaries—a neat example, as English says, of “glocalization,” the official respect for (or colonization of) local cultural ecologies that is one of the contemporary features of international business. In 1984, New Zealand was the lucky host of the Pegasus, and “The Bone People” was the beneficiary. On cue, the choice was attacked on the ground that Hulme was not a real Maori. This was exactly the scandal needed to get the book onto the international stage, and, in 1985, after it was published in Britain, by Hodder & Stoughton, it won the most prestigious literary prize in England, the Booker. It was thus elevated to the canon of what is now called world literature. It is the “Maori novel,” and, English says,

it is taught as such in contemporary world literature and postcolonial survey classes; it is discussed by journalists and scholars of world literature in articles and at conferences (one bibliography lists more than a hundred articles); most tellingly, perhaps, it remains in print in the United States and the United Kingdom some twenty years after its original publication, while other novels from the same period, including virtually all of the others that won the New Zealand Book Award, have long since disappeared from the international marketplace. It is not as a New Zealand novel that “The Bone People” has become a classic, but, as declared on or inside the cover of every paperback edition since the late 1980s, as a world-certified, globally consecrated Maori novel.

English’s point is not that “The Bone People” is inauthentic. In his scheme, after all, accusations of inauthenticity are crucial to the successful functioning of the cultural economy: they shore up our faith that there is such a thing as authenticity. When people complained that “The Bone People” was not a genuine Maori novel, they were saying, in effect, that there is, or could be, a genuine Maori novel, and that they, and not functionaries in some multinational corporation’s public-relations apparat, were the ones in the proper position to recognize it as such. What the story of “The Bone People” reveals is that, whether or not a work of “indigenous” literature is the product of pure indigenes, if it is to achieve international recognition as world literature it must carry certain markers. For one thing, it cannot be identified as national literature. A book by a New Zealand writer would be unlikely to make it into the world-literature canon. The Pegasus Prize was for a work of Maori literature. Once, nationality was something that an ambitious writer hoped to transcend. A novelist aspired to recognition not as a New Zealand writer or a Nigerian writer but as, simply, a writer. Now nationality is transcended downward. Recognition comes from having one’s work identified with a marginalized or “endangered” community within the larger national or global polity—with Ibo culture (rather than Nigerian), or Maori (rather than New Zealand).

Although there are some minor differences, English’s discussion of this development parallels Pascale Casanova’s in her rather brilliant book “The World Republic of Letters” (translated from the French by M. B. DeBevoise; Harvard; $35). Casanova is also writing about the system in which books circulate in the competition for recognition. The standard practice is to understand works of literature as products of a national tradition, as examples of French literature or American literature; Casanova’s argument is that, on the contrary, the system has always been global. As she puts it, literatures are “not a pure emanation of national identity; they are constructed through literary rivalries, which are always denied, and struggles, which are always international.”

Casanova thinks that every ambitious writer aspires to be recognized for meeting the standards of the metropole. In her book, the metropole is Paris, the eternal center of the literary universe (she is, after all, French); but it might be London or New York as well. “Paris” is the place where art and literature are always truly modern and up to date, and the rest of the world measures its lateness by that meridian. For centuries, meeting the standard of Paris meant escaping the provincialism of one’s own culture—the constraints imposed by the Church, or the state, or the Party, which all want literature to serve their interests—and making art for the sake of art. James Joyce and Samuel Beckett, Gertrude Stein and Richard Wright, Milan Kundera and Danilo Kiš all went to Paris in order to escape the fate of being national writers. They assimilated, not to Frenchness (as Casanova points out, Joyce and Beckett, although they lived in Paris for much of their lives, had no interest in French literary life) but to the universal modern idea of the artist. Now, she thinks, the strategy for acceptance has shifted from assimilation to differentiation, and differentiation means not being modern.

The challenge now is to combine elements of non-metropolitan indigenousness with elements that metropolitan readers recognize as “literary.” A subnational novel, such as “The Bone People,” must be what English calls “world-readable.” The judges of the Booker Prize probably didn’t know the difference between Maoris and Mallomars, but they knew, instinctively, how a work of “Maori fiction” should look. It should be a hybrid of postmodernist heteroglossia (multiple and high-low discursive registers, mixed genres, stories within stories) and pre-modernist narrative (conventional morality, the simulation of an oral story-telling tradition). Between them, English and Casanova list the features of the world-literature prototype: a trauma-and-recovery story, with magic-realist elements, involving abuse and family dysfunction, that arrives at resolution by the invocation of spiritual or holistic verities. If you add in a high level of technical and intellectual sophistication, this is a pretty accurate generic description of a novel by Toni Morrison.

“The Economy of Prestige” and “The World Republic of Letters” are not debunking exercises. They are simply efforts to understand literature sociologically. “Caxtons are mechanical birds with many wings,” says the Martian, about books, in Craig Raine’s famous poem, “and some are treasured for their markings.” The Martian doesn’t know why the markings between the covers labelled “Beloved” are more treasured, or represent more cultural capital, than the markings inside the covers labelled “Paco’s Story.” The Martian sees only that human beings attach high value to some of these otherwise identical and interchangeable objects and low value to others, and he/she attempts, by analyzing the system in which the objects are produced, circulated, and consumed, to figure out how this happens. From the Martian point of view, it certainly looks like a competition, because the value of “Beloved” is determined by all the things that make it different from “Paco’s Story.” It’s a relational system: the value of a cultural good is relative to the value of every other cultural good. That most of us on planet Earth deny that competition has anything to do with the esteem that we, as individuals, confer on a particular book or painting or song or movie does not mean that the Martian is wrong. Our denial is just one more thing that needs to be explained. The Martian is experiencing literature from the other side of the looking glass.

Of course, as English and Casanova would agree, books are read on this side of the looking glass. We are ourselves products of the culture whose products we consume, and we can’t help taking it, for the most part, on its own terms. Still, their very strong books belong to a general challenge to the usual practices of literary pedagogy. Literature departments are almost always organized by language and country, but Casanova’s book gives us many reasons to doubt whether this captures the way literature really works. She has an excellent account, for example, of the international influence of Faulkner—once his novels had been translated into French. He was, as she describes him, the first of the glocal writers, an acknowledged model for the Colombian Gabriel García Márquez, the Peruvian Mario Vargas Llosa, the Algerian Rachid Boudjedra, and the Spaniard Juan Benet, not to mention the African-American Toni Morrison. Faulkner was the novelist of the American South who demonstrated to novelists of the global South how to represent a marginal community in an advanced literary style, a style that could gain the respect of “Paris.” English’s and Casanova’s books also challenge the conventional “shock of recognition” idea of influence, which imagines literary history as one soul speaking to another across time and space. The soul may speak, but the international context is the reason it is heard. The appeal that Faulkner had for García Márquez had everything to do with the place that Faulkner occupied in the global literary system, and with the place that García Márquez occupied as well.

Literature is conventionally taught as a person-to-person aesthetic experience: the writer (or the poem) addressing the reader. Teachers cut out English’s middlemen, the people who got the poem from the writer to us, apparently confirming his point that we have to deny the economics of cultural value in order to preserve the aesthetics. But, once we’re outside the classroom, how rigidly are these conventions adhered to? How many people today really imagine “art” as a privileged category, exempt from the machinations of the marketplace? The literary marketplace has always been a theme of literature: “Tristram Shandy” reflects on its own status as a cultural good; Aristophanes’ “The Clouds” is a satire on literary competition. Since the nineteen-sixties, the constructed nature of the art experience has been one of advanced art’s principal preoccupations. Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s-soup-can paintings are all about art as commodity. The frenzy of prize-creation in the nineteen-seventies and eighties that English describes may have been a panicky middlebrow reaction against the demystification of culture that was already well under way, or it may have been a symptom and agent of that demystification. It is difficult to see it as a reinforcement of the ideal of autonomous art. That ideal disappeared a long time ago. The Martians have already landed.

Resolution tips...

2005-12-18T19:15:00.000+08:00

Here's something I picked up from MSNBC/Newsweek. Some simple advice on New Year's resolutions. I know a number of them probably don't apply to us, but what the heck:

Tip Sheet's Guide to New Year's Resolutions

1) Pucker up. Once people are in long-term relationships, it’s 'as if they forget how to make out,' says sex and relationship therapist Dr. Laura Berman of Chicago’s Berman Center. 'Couples come into my office and say their relationship is failing, and I ask them, ‘When is the last time you kissed, really kissed?’ People will say, ‘Well, we don’t kiss, except when we used to have sex’.' Her Rx: smooch every day-and hold the kiss for at least 15 seconds.

2) Take up the tango. Staying active and learning new skills can help prevent dementia. In a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that people who ballroom-dance, an activity that provides a lot of intellectual stimulation (keeping in rhythm, memorizing steps, not mashing your partners’ toes), have a lower risk of dementia.

3) Skip the face-lift. If you want to look younger, plastic surgeon Dr. Norman Leaf doesn’t want to see you. 'Too many people flock to plastic surgery because they want instant gratification,' says Leaf. 'Most people don’t need us.' Leaf’s message: take the money you would 'throw at a surgeon' and for six months to a year hire a trainer, a nutritionist or anyone who can motivate you to eat better, sleep longer and move around more. Once you’re in shape, consult a surgeon for trouble spots.

4) Hang up. 'If cell phones could be amputated from people’s ears, everything would be nicer,' says Cindy Post Senning, codirector of the Emily Post Institute. Limit public cell-phone use to quick conversations-not for real-estate deals or divorce settlements.

5) Change trains. Hoping to meet Mr. or Ms. Right? Try varying your morning commute. If you drive to work, take the train. If you take the train, get on a bus. New surroundings equal new opportunities to see and be seen, says Kimberly Williams, author of 'The Basics: Tantalizing Tips and Techniques for Attracting Good Men.'

6) Have a latte. Nutritionist Keith Ayoob, author of “The Uncle Sam Diet,” based on the 2005 U.S. dietary guidelines, believes deprivation is a recipe for failure. Instead of simply avoiding your favorite foods, add more calcium and protein to your diet. Aside from the obvious choices of low-fat milk or yogurt, indulge in an afternoon latte, which can provide about 400mg of calcium.

7) Want something more substantive? Try these calcium- and protein-rich recipes from Massachusetts-based Peter Davis, chef for Song Airlines and the executive chef at Henrietta's Table, the Charles Hotel, Harvard Square.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Applewood Smoked Bacon

Serves 4

12 oz cleaned brussel sprouts
8oz applewood smoked bacon
Fresh cracked pepper

Slightly score the bottoms of the brussel sprouts by making a 1/8 inch deep X cut in the stem.

Blanch the brussel sprouts in lightly salted boiling water until tender. Drain well and cool.

Dice the bacon in ? inch pieces. Saute the bacon in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until transparent. Add the brussel sprouts to the bacon and stir together.

Place the pan in a preheated 350 degree oven and roast for 20 minutes.

Remove and serve with fresh cracked pepper

Creamed Spinach with shallots

Serves 4

1 pound of spinach, with stems removed
4 oz Shallots diced finely
4 oz heavy cream
2 oz butter
? cup water or chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Wash the spinach thoroughly. Saute the shallot in the butter until transparent. Add the spinach and water/stock and cook until tender. Add the cream and simmer until the cream is ? reduced. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

7) Loaf more. Bill Doherty, professor of family social science at the University of Minnesota, wants families to hang out together on a Sunday with absolutely nothing planned. 'People equate being busy with being worthwhile,' he says. Better to spend unstructured time with the kids.

8) Digitize your doggie. First, if you have a pet, you’re smart enough to spay or neuter. Once that’s done, forget the fou-fou sweaters and toys. They don’t care. The nicest thing you next year is cough up about $50 for a microchip, a tiny device injected into the shoulder that contains owner and vet contact information and the animal’s health history, says Jo Sullivan of the ASPCA. Almost all vets and shelters in the U.S. have hand-held scanning devices to read the chip.

9) It’s easy being green. If you want to do something nice for the planet, turn off the lights when you leave the room. 'Reducing energy consumption is the single most important thing anyone can do,' says Erik Olsen, senior attorney for the National Resources Defense Council.Consider updating a furnace to a more energy-efficient model, look for fuel-efficient vehicles and appliances and energy-saving light bulbs.

10) Forgive someone. A growing body of evidence shows that nursing a grudge can make you sick. Similar to the stress response, harboring negative thoughts about someone restricts blood flow, decreases oxygen consumption and throws your immune and gastrointestinal system out of whack. You may never forget how your ex dumped you, but 'you will sleep better, be more energetic and be happier' if you can put it behind you, says Boston psychiatrist Dr. Ned Hallowell.

And, oh yeah, don’t feel bad if you fail at any of these resolutions. 'It’s all a process,' says Hallowell. 'Every day can be Jan. 1.'

I'm still working on my list...oh, and while I'm not so sure about the brussel sprouts, I think the spinach will do. And I knew there's something good about lattes...

It's Christmas and it's the end of the world

2005-12-15T17:02:00.000+08:00

Finally managed to reach the office at 1pm. Traffic was horrendous, there was a mob at the mall, and contrary to the spirit of the season, people are rude and snarky. Needless to say, I. am. pissed.

Oh well, it's not really unexpected. The Christmas rush is upon us and well, people lose their heads, what can I say. The office was actually an oasis of calm and quiet. Almost no one at their desks. Either off to shoots or whatever it is they do to fill in the day. On the way up, I was in the elevator with Rafael Rosel. Gorgeous kid. I liked his attitude right away, not knowing anything about him. He only had one alalay and he was carrying his own bag—and apparently parked his own car. For a showbiz personality, that’s definitely low-key. Another really unassuming guy was Raimund Marasigan, late of the Eraserheads, now of Sandwich, Cambio, and Pedicab, who came to the shoot a few days back all by his lonesome, no posse or alalay in sight. It’s quite ironic that I was in college with this guy and only managed to meet him now. I’m glad to say that success hasn’t changed him. And he seemed like the same guy he was then.

Some random thoughts while waiting for the traffic to move:

1. I should have done my Christmas shopping early. Every year, at around this time, I always tell myself that next year, I’d do my shopping early. I have friends including my own sister-in-law who are so organized that they’re done with the major shopping by the time December rolls around. It makes sense to do it early. No rush, you get to think about what to give, you get to take advantage of sales or have time to go to Divi for great finds (girls, we should have gone on a excursion to Mall 168!), and really, less hassle and pressure. But no! Ten days before the 25th, I am still struggling with my Christmas list and trying to navigate crowded malls just to give my nearest and dearest something. I’m getting stressed just thinking about it. And wanna bet come Christmas, I end up forgetting someone! I still haven’t even ventured into Toy Kingdom. Just thinking about it is giving me a major headache. Bah, humbug, indeed!

2. Literature as cool movie reference/device. It just occurred to me that the movies I’ve seen lately all referenced some past author’ works. It’s like, it’s not enough to actually adapt a work for the big screen, there has to be a name-drop, if you will, of another author’s work within the movie. And the pairing could sometimes be unlikely, too. Take In Her Shoes, itself based on a chic-lit novel that actually turned out to be a more than a decent screen adaptation, references the poet e.e. cummings. In King Kong, it’s Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness—for the obvious parallelisms of the hero going into an unknown jungle. (Spoiler Alert! Brief King Kong review: It's a cross between the old King Kong movie, spliced with Jurassic Park, and further spliced with Lost World. And why does Naomi Watts still look fantastic even when she was supposedly running through a jungle and getting chased by a giant ape, dinosaurs, and other huge scary creatures? Just asking.)

3. Winds of Change, Winter House, and Monkeewrench. I love clever thrillers. And these three top my list this year. Yes, Martha Grimes has done it again! Her new Jury/Plant/Macalvie novel Winds of Change has a great plot (which for fear of spoilers, I won’t divulge here. Let’s just say it’s grittier than the other novels in the series), memorable characters, and yes, name-drops Henry James! I see a pattern in the stuff I’ve been reading and/or watching. Maybe I should really start reading the classics instead of popular fiction, like I’ve been doing lately. Carol O’Connel’s latest offering Winter House, is the best in the series yet. Mallory, Charles Butler, and Ryker solve a long-cold case of a family massacre, mistaken identities, and old money. I first stumbled on P.J. Tracy’s debut novel, Monkeewrench (Or, in some editions, the title of this novel is changed to Wanna Play?) while trolling Powerbooks sale bins one afternoon. I liked the premise of a serial killer targeting a group of computer geniuses by copying the murders in their bestselling videogame, Monkeewrench. In the course of the story, it turns out the group of techies are not all that they seem, and there’s more to the plot than a killer offing the characters one at a time. Definite page-turner. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Monkeewrench gets adapted to the screen one of these days. P.J. Tracy’s sophomore offering in the series, Live Bait, is now out. I’m tempted to get it, but just don’t have time to go to Fully Booked, where I found it. I know it’s only a matter of time before I give in. I’m such a pushover, I swear.

4. Tribute albums. Got lots of well-made compilations this year. There’s the Rockstar INXS album, which I think is a great intro for people who don’t know the music of this Aussie band. Too bad INXS had to resort to the reality-TV formula to get some buzz for the band, but hey, whatever works, right? Ultralelectromagneticjam is a well-thought-out tribute album to the Eraserheads, and despite the fact that the band members weren’t in on the conceptualization and the choice of bands to play which song, it’s a fairly well-made album. With the exception of Cueshe (Which I hate!), all the other artists interpreted the songs well—even Paolo bloody Santos! But the best tribute album for me this year? Hands down, Killer Queen!

5. 2006. Well, I couldn’t help it. Much as I’m trying to avoid thinking about next year, my mind’s drawn to it at odd moments. Maybe because I’m not that young anymore that I can afford to be blasé about what the coming year brings. It didn’t help that Carrie had to post those very introspective and on-point questions, which up to now, supposedly mature person that I am, I still can’t answer. Depressing, right? But then again, maybe the point is not to know where you’re headed. After all, where’s the fun in all of this if the destination is a foregone conclusion? That’s what I think, anyway.

dinner

2005-12-12T22:43:00.000+08:00

Hello girls

Would you hate me very much if I ask to have our dinner moved earlier or later than Saturday, the 16th? This is because I accepted Meldy's invite to that weekend retreat from Friday to Sunday. She had invited me many times before, but I kept using work as an excuse not to go. This time, though, I felt so guilty I said yes.

Three days of meditation would be good for me -- to prepare for Christmas and think about life, my future, and "all that shit", as our friend XC so eloquently put it. Also, I haven't been very good to other people lately, and my own mother says I should try to restore my old "loving and kind" self. I believe the retreat will help me regain my bearings and give me the inspiration to fulfill this daunting task of writing an MA thesis. A part of me wants to give up on the whole thing, but there's a tiny voice inside my head that says, "Go girl!"

This sounds very serious, doesn't it? But since we've all been rethinking the direction of our individual lives -- blame Carrie for sending those questions (kidding!) -- I figured I might as well spend some quiet time to enrich my spirit. I hate talking like this, but you know... I'm 32, can't help getting serious about Life.

So what do you think? Is next week still OK? Sorry about this. Didn't mean to disrupt your schedules.

The answer...

2005-12-12T20:45:00.000+08:00

So what should I do with my life. I think I have a fairly good idea of what I should do, only I don't know if I have the guts to do it. But perhaps I should give that book a read too. I don't think I'll be able to buy it, so will you lend it to me when you're finished? Or after the last one in line?

Am looking forward to dinner this Saturday. By the way, Ben's school presentation is on at 5 pm on Saturday so we probably won't be able to go to wherever it is we're going to meet until around 630pm. By the way, where are we meeting?

The ultimate question

2005-12-11T22:27:00.000+08:00

I gotta tell you about this book I'm reading now--just couldn't resist buying it when I saw it in Different last weekend (I was with Te, before we went to see Emily Rose). Reading it is helping me think seriously about how best to balance work and school. I'd like to either cut down on my load at work, perhaps opt for a demotion, or quit and just find a less demanding job. There's a lot I still need to think about but that's the general idea... Anyway, it's a really great book and you guys should read it after me. Or better yet, get your own copy! (Check out other interesting tidbits at www.pobronson.com too :)

More party pics

2005-12-11T21:31:00.000+08:00

More photos from our cozy Christmas party at Genie's. Hope we've started a tradition!

hello!

2005-12-11T17:20:00.000+08:00

Hi covenmates! I'm finally in the loop. The truth is that I've signed up to Blogger many times before, but since I haven't had time to write anything on my blog(s), I've already forgotten my user names, passwords, etc. Oh well... =p

I love our tagline: "Not all who wander are lost." It's simply brilliant. Reminds me of that quote (from "Stewart Little", sent through SMS by Carrie, I think) -- "One who is searching for something doesn't travel fast", or something to that effect. Very true indeed.

Hey Isa, I can't see the pictures you posted. I don't know why, maybe I'm just dumb. =p

Let's hope Te signs up soon. I'm looking forward to reading her posts.

See you,
Ka

Food trip and couplings

2005-12-11T11:28:00.000+08:00

That was a fun, fun night! The food was great, the company was great, the dvds were great!

Love the coffee and the CD.

Well, we should be doing that more often, don't you think, my covenmates. I so look forward to our Baguio trip.

Here's some photos. Unfortunately, several of them are kind of blurry, but the good ones follow...

Sorry for the red-eyes. I'll see if I can get that fixed before burning you all a CD with the photos.

I've also finally gotten over my Ebenezer episode and has started my Christmas shopping. Horror of horrors...why were there so many people in the mall yesterday. As Te said, it was kind of surprising. Oh well, I only managed to get a few little things, so those who may not get their presents on Saturday may have to wait until January. Forgive me.

Bah humbug

2005-12-06T23:04:00.000+08:00

I'm really sorry to admit this but there's just no denying it anymore... It's Christmas! It's official. I bought my first xmas present today! Now it's all downhill from here :-}

What are your plans?

2005-12-04T02:36:00.000+08:00

Hey it's my first post! Cutie, I hope you don't mind that I meddled with the design a bit--picked a new template, as you may have noticed :)

Have been online a while actually, since I got home from our dinner. Downloaded some stuff for school and just found myself clicking the hours away... Bad gurl, I should be in bed asleep! Esp since I have some cramming to do tomorrow--need to finish my 'career and life plan' for business ethics class. According to my prof, in order to make sense of my life and career directions, here are the issues I need to address--

1. What are your long term life/career goals?
2. How do you want people to remember you after you die?
3. Make a 24hr pie-chart of how you spend your time during a typical workday
4. Is there enough balance between time for yourself, time for your family, and time for your work?
5. Is there enough balance for economic, physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual growth?
6. How will your 24hr day be spent after you retire?
7. Depict your lifeline with significant milestones, such as birth, first job, marriage, parenthood, retirement, death
8. In what way will you make an impact on society, your community, your church, your government?
9. How will you ensure financial stability for yourself and those who depend on you?

It should be an interesting exercise so I'm actually looking forward to writing the paper. Question is, can I finish it in time to make it to our 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose' date tomorrow? :P If I needed any more motivation (other than the last minute), that would be it!

If I'm happy with what I've written when I'm done with the paper, maybe I'll post my answers here. Feel free to work on the questions too, so we can all share our life plans =)

Toodles!

(PS: The title of this post, I'm sure you recall, is a question that a certain fomer boss is so fond of asking... ;)

Great time

2005-07-17T15:06:00.000+08:00

Finally, after several weeks of not getting together, the coven had a great time last night. Dinner and chika. The stories: Cayie's trip to Oz,Ka's stalking future, and Te's cancelled date with David Beckham (YES, the DAVID BECKHAM with the gorgeous face and the let down voice), and my little bully of a baby...he he he, fun fun fun.
It's never more obvious to me how much I miss getting together with these three other witches than when we are actually together, which is why such get togethers are very important to me. Good to spend quality time with you girls...let's make the next one sooner than later.

A welcome

2005-07-12T19:05:00.000+08:00

The Coven has joined the blogging world.