Eh-hum # 149

While still a newbie, I am officially a fan of Neil Gaiman, and I look forward to read his other works, may they be novels, short stories or poems. And for your viewing/listening pleasure, here's a video I got from YouTube wherein Mr Gaiman is reading a "free" poem from his book Fragile Things. He reads his work very well (it helps that he's British, hehehe). Enjoy!

This is just an excerpt; to view the whole thing (yes, almost 2 hours of reading and answering questions), click this link. If you decide to watch it, you won't be disappointed...I wasn't. ;)

Eh-hum # 148

I woke up late today, because I slept early...early the same day I mean (like 2:00 AM). And this time, it was not because of the Internet.

This is to blame:

Bought it yesterday at the Foreign Bookstore in Motomachi. Its one seriously humorous and entertainingly scary novel. And the great thing about it is that the story dwells on the familiar yet complex subject that is family relations. The main character, Fat Charlie, works and lives in London and is engaged to be married. All is normal, until he gets word that his father, whom he hasn't seen in 20 years, died and that he has a brother he never knew. The moment he made "arrangements" to meet his brother, Spider, Fat Charlie's life has never been the same.

But that's not all. Neil Gaiman successfully combines a family story with comedy (funny/sarcastic dialogues, slapstick), romance (meeting the girl/boy of his/her dreams), crime fiction (a financial scam, murder), the supernatural (a ghost out for revenge, the birds) and ancient African mythology (gods in "the beginning of time") in one book. And if you think the presence of a variety of themes makes the novel messy, think again. His witty and matter of fact writing style makes Anansi Boys a very coherent piece of work, and the transition from one scene to the next is as smooth as silk. The characters, may they be mere mortals or divine beings, have depth; they become more interesting as the story progress.

To reiterate, the book is funny, wickedly funny. I find myself laughing out loud while reading it. Its scary also, but not a thriller. The highlight, I think, was the lime. Hmmm, doesn't make sense? Well you have to read it. And believe me, you won't be disappointed. :)

Bookcover from Wikipedia.

Eh-hum # 147

GRAHHHHH! I have yet to receive my allowance, and I need (and want) to buy more books for my Nihongo (self-study na ito) and thesis research. It seems I would have to starve myself for the next few weeks...or worse, find a baito. Haaayyyy.

***

Speaking of books, this book I want (and need, sort of), and for good reason: it was written by esteemed university professor and legendary author of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, J.R.R. Tolkien. Hopefully, it will be soon part of my small collection of books on the vast history and legends of Middle-Earth. Not your usual fantasy stories, Tolkien's fictional universe consists of tales overflowing with adventure, otherwordliness and characters with depth, whether brave, flawed and powerful heroes or terrifying and cunning villains. Like so many fans, I am amazed by Tolkien's narrative style and his unrivalled imagination that brought these stories to life. Aside from the trilogy, I also have copies of the Hobbit, the Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales. And yes, I have watched the film adaptation of the trilogy as well. As I have said, The Children of Hurin will be a lovely addition to my collection. And most likely, I will scour the shelves of bookstores in Sannomiya or Motomachi for it. And most likely, I will be able to do that once I get my allowance. Double Haaayyy.

***

Nothing to do with books or Tolkien for that matter, are zombie movies. I am not a fan of horror flicks, simply because after watching one, my imagination tends to go hyperdrive and its not good. Especially zombie movies, where people get eaten by the living dead (who recently, can run as fast as normal people, and can sense their presence...YIKES!). However, there are a few exceptions, like the movie Shaun of the Dead. Actually, its not just a horror movie, its a romantic comedy (tagline: A romantic comedy. With zombies). Adding humor to a disturbing movie genre gives it a twist. It also helps that this is a British film, so prepare yourself for a dose of quirky and witty British comedy...while hacking and shooting some zombies. A must see, believe me.

Poster from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaun_of_the_Dead

And because Shaun of the Dead was a success (at the box office and by critics), I now want to watch Hot Fuzz, which also starred and directed by the team that brought us the former (Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright respectively). Read this article about Hot Fuzz from Time.com. Its a killer. ;)

Eh-hum # 146

The shooting incident at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University was indeed gruesome to say the least. It is only proper that the promising students and esteemed professors who have died be remembered for the lives they have lived outside and inside the University campus. They deserve no less.

However, I hope that this incident will not result in hatred towards South Koreans, who also are shocked to realize that one of their own have unleased this monstrosity. We condemn the senseless killings. Nonetheless, the gunman was also a victim, and his parents and relatives will have to bear the feeling of guilt and remorse for his actions whenever they remember him. Nobody wanted this to happen.

Prayers go to all the families and friends, and I do mean all.

Eh-hum # 145

It has been a while since I last expressed my thoughts on Philippine politics, particularly the 2007 Elections. And why? Well, for one, if I had to write something about the said topic, I would have to read the local dailies, which I am afraid of (Hmmm, I think I mentioned this in an earlier post). I am afraid of reading online versions of the Philippine Daily Inquirer and/or the Philippine Star because I know I won't be too happy about the country's politics, especially when the elections is more or less a month away. Prior to me coming to Japan, I was used to with all the bad news (no biggie). But since I have been away and exposed to a more efficient way of life, news from home makes me cringe.

Truth be told, I voted for PGMA in the 2004 National Elections. I am not a fan, but among the presidentiables during that time, she was the practical choice. Also, the race was really about her and the late actor Fernando Poe, Jr. While I think the platform of the PGMA and her party made more sense (and it had been expressed from day one of the campaign period), my choice was also based on the fact while embodying a maka-masa personality, Mr. Poe is still ill-equipped to serve as a leader of the Philippines. He has the heart, but I fear we need brains as well (read: knowledge), or else he will be extremely dependable on his staff of TraPos (who definitely take advantage of the situation). In short, if his drinking ways did not kill him, politics will. And Loren would be so happy.

Nowadays, things aren't looking good for PGMA and her administration due to allegations of cheating in the 2004 elections, the murder/deaths of Filipino journalists, human rights violations and the communist insurgency. The economy is said to be performing well, but that is not enough to please the majority of the Filipinos, who want results...like, since 2001. What will then happen to the Administration bets this coming elections? Team Unity (TU) was built on this premise that we need to get our acts together, regardless of our past alliances, for the benefit of the country. Sounds good, but since we are talking about politics wherein authority and power are involved, it also smells fishy. Also, the number of former politicians (and serial balimbings) in TU wanting to make a comeback makes the line-up vulnerable to criticism, especially from the Opposition.

The Genuine Opposition (GO) is composed of mostly younger politicians, who uses charisma rather than experience to win favor (also included in the roster are TraPos). It would also made sense that they would be using the Administration's shortcomings to their advantage. In my opinion, this makes them no better than the people they are against. From what I have observed, instead of highlighting on their professional merits and their platform, the GO emphasizes more on the faults of the Administration. In short, they will win not because they are better, but because of anti-PGMA sentiments of the people. Also, I can imagine that once the GO dominates the Congress, they will spend most of their time (and taxpayers' money) on trying to impeach PGMA. So much for being genuine.

I am given the impression that regardless of who will win this May, the country will still be plagued with the same problems. The candidates are so busy with discrediting their rivals, it is unclear what they intend to do (or not to do) when given the opportunity to lead. In this part of the world, popularity gets the votes, and candidates who are unknown and yet are more willing and able to serve will be shunned.

Sadly, our leaders have the tendency to blame others when a problem arises, like Pontius Pilate washing his hands clean of any responsibility. Most of the candidates campaigning to have a seat in the Senate are still members of the House of Representatives. Hence, from the time they announced their candidacy and until now, have they been performing the tasks we, who previously voted for them, want them to do? If not, then we will have to brace ourselves for the things to come.

Every Filipino has an obligation to make the country better, especially those who have been granted the authority to do so. Let us all pray for a peaceful elections. *sigh*

Eh-hum # 144

Last week, I turned:

Sounds scary, since I'll be 30 in three years time. But no worries, really. I'm all up for aging, its something we cannot stop (actually, if I had superpowers, it'll be to control time...hweheheh), so we better make the most of it. I guess, the trick is not to look your age; and yes, I have been quite successful in that area; people still I am in my early twenties! Hmmm...baby fat have some use afterall.

Or it could be my easy-going attitude. Nonetheless, I always thought of myself to be serious, being the eldest child and all. I (sort of) fancied myself to be third in command in our household (after my dad). Therefore, in my thinking, I should be the strong, trustworthy, responsible ate, capable of upholding the peace and enforcing the law (my mother's). I also enjoy being the leader, particularly in school. Though it meant more work, but I like the idea that people look up to me for guidance and decision-making. It feeds the ego, most definitely, but I always remembered not to overdo it, or less I will make myself worry about the smallest things.

Now, not so. I like to keep myself busy, have some responsibility. That's cool, but I don't want stress. When the going gets tough, the tough gets going...with a sense of humor, of course. Being relaxed, or having an optimistic attitude keeps your brain from exploding during times of constraint. Of course, it would help that you have some preparation (or contingency plan) before pursuing any task so that you can easily avert any potential mishap. But still, I believe attitude has a role. Also, I would rather have wrinkles from smiling/laughing than from being stressed-out.

I guess, all I want to say is...life is not all work.

And at this age, I still stop and admire the cherry blossoms.

Eh-hum # 143

Hehehehehe. I received a forwarded email from a friend. Basically, its about how a gay person would react/describe the movie 300. Its so hilarious that I just had to share it (sorry, Pinoys only). Enjoy!

Aahaaay chorva! Di kinaya ng powers ko ang kahotness ng movieness na itetch! It's raining men! (haleluya)! like go go go mga anik anik at ang mga mudra mega taray ang haba ng hair production number clothing designer eklavu powerness! kaboom!

It's like go papa spartans! go delisyus fighting karne! i get so weak on the knees i can't hardly breath go go go! spapartans make bugbog the evil persia ! make warla the queen xerxes.

At antaray naman ng lolaaaaaa xerxes mooooooo! nagmamaasim ang fingerlets ng hinawakan si spapartan head papa! ang entrance pang vilma with matching solid gold dancers itetch! with diamente ala maricel! wiiinnneeeeeer! ang eye brows ha! mega shoot to the stratosphere sa katarayan!

Ang warlahan ditetch daig pa ang rineregla sa dami ng vlood! at ang nacut neck na cutie spartan...nag cryola aketch! di kinaya ng emoticons ko ang death by tamponess ng cutie spartan. huhuhu. I'm sure proud si mother ricky dahil ang ganduuuuuuuuh talaga ng movieng itetch. like super mega walang halong chorva!

PERO LIAR SILA! binilang ko ang mga papa...di umabot ng 300. 127 lang ang mga spapartans! etchos!

Eh-hum # 142

Wala lang...

I took the "handwriting personality" quiz ongURL.com
		my handwriting style is... jocular jotter Your handwriting bears the mark of someone with a fab sense of humor who loves being around friends.Read more... What does your handwriting say about you?

Eh-hum # 141

I was in deep thought on my way home from my Wednesday Bible Study...well, not really. But it was enough to ruin my evening (wasn't able to catch enough ZZzzz's...crap).

Then from the back of my mind, I heard myself say (or shout): STOP IT! AREN'T YOU a little OLD TO BE INSECURE OF OTHER PEOPLE!?

A note to myself...(REPEAT AFTER ME) You are not competing with other people, but with yourself. Sometimes, you can't help but compare yourself to others; and in doing so, you realized that you're not as smart, pretty, rich, talented, popular, friendly as the other person. You weaknesses are magnified ten times more and whatever achievements you have in the past doesn't seem to matter. In short, you are not FREE.

A couple of weeks back, a friend said that one must know oneself before he/she can be considered free. Makes sense: knowing your strengths, not chained down by your flaws, being true to yourself, and not giving a rat's ass what other people might think. You are your own master and you control your own destiny. Sweeeet.

An appreciation of oneself is hard, especially if you are constantly reminded by your surroundings that people are imperfect beings. HUH?! You realize that the supposedly picture perfect individuals are human beings too; ergo, they have their own problems as well. And yeah, they will be too busy facing these to even notice your shortcomings.

Take a leap of faith. Grow up. Don't be afraid to make decisions or to make mistakes (The only man who makes no mistakes is the man who never does anything. - Theodore Roosevelt). Get to know yourself more and you might be surprised how strong you really are, how interesting a person you can be. Bring out whatever talents God has given you, He has definitely blessed you with grace. Others have more, but you cares? Your worth cannot be measured by material things, your integrity cannot be bought by money. You are a human being who has yet to unlock his God-given abilities, loved by a supportive family and trusted by friends. No one in this world is the same as you. You are you and only you can make the decisions that will lead you to your goals.

Be FREE.

Oh yeah, advance happy birthday!