My Being ME…

I have to do something before I go to sleep so I was thinking of posting another blog for the sake of having something new. I’ve been listening to a lot of new album lately, and unfortunately no local artists here. What has been my favorite so far?

Jason Mraz - We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things
I was a fan of The Remedy and Geek in the Pink, but I had never listened to any of his album. Then an officemate of mine kept playing I’m Yours in the office for a gazillionth times that I was able to read the lines and found out how lovely it was written. Then I listened to his latest album, which is unexpected of Mraz. The songs from start to finish is very poetic and the melody is lovely. My favorites would be Details in the Fabric, which has the wonderful James Morrison as a guest, Love For A Child, which is about a life after maybe his parents’ divorce, and Butterfly, which is a very very erotic and with a Marvin Gaye-vibe to it.

Alanis Morrissete - Flavors of Entanglement
I said to a friend of mine that Alanis makes beautiful music when she is heartbroken. The details are here in this album. You could almost here hear angry, lonely and happy. I always wonder how she makes a song out of those difficult sentences. This album also makes a very far distinction from her previous ones because there are fusions of electronica everywhere, and even a techno-inspired song. The words and the melody are good for the earbuds and made beautiful music.

N.E.R.D - Seeing Sounds
I not good with adjectives but the only word I can describe about this album is PERFECT! With catchy grooves and accompaniments, I can’t help myself but dance to it. A perfect party music.

I’m going to sleep and I’m out!

Ciao!

Here’s an anecdote from my high school days:

A classmate of mine was having a science report. I was seated 3 rows from the board. Our teacher was seated at the back to check on those who are not listening. As my classmate went on about her report, she scribbled phrases of words of the board, line by line. She was interrupted by my teacher on the middle of her long report. My teacher said, “Could you emphasize what you have written on the board?” My classmate then said, “What do you mean?” “Can you but bullets on what you have written on the board?” Then she looked at me and whispered, “I don’t have an idea what am I supposed to do.” I said, “Just put asterisks before each line of the phrases you’ve written in the board.”

Then she said, “How do you spell it?”

Last Monday, I was at my cousin’s house to attend the first birthday celebration of her 3rd daughter. Her second child, Tisay was having a good time dancing in front of the TV while watching Kat DeLuna’s Whine Up video.

Follow this: Tisay

Ciao!

Thursday - House cleaning in
the morning, and go home in the afternoon. But when I arrived at the
terminal, all the busses are full. So I went back home, left my bag in
my room and watched "Weeds"
episodes. This series is superb, from dialogues to plot twists and the
laughters. Then I did some groceries because all stores will be close
on Friday.

Friday - Since I wasn’t able to
go home, I cooked my first paella. I have been memorizing the recipe I
got in the internet so when it was about time to cook, I tried to
recall all that is on the recipe. A friend of mine paid me a visit in
the afternoon. Evening came, I went to a friend’s house because I was
alone at home at stayed at their place until saturday.

Saturday - I woke up late and
supposed to go home earlier. I was still at a friend’s house and
hurriedly went back to the apartment to get my things. I arrived at the
terminal at 2pm, got on the bus and arrived at my most unlikable place
on earth, my hometown. I don’t like the place but my parents are here.
In the evening, my father borrowed the trisikad of my brother so we
could roam around the poblacion. Then got stucked at my cousins place.
We ate balut, have a lot of catching up. Slept!

Sunday - Again I woke up late,
and told my parents that we should get together at the beach. I hand
out some cash to my father to buy some food for baon. When everything
was settled, we went to the beach, with my cousins and pamangkins. At
the beach, I only looked at the huge waves and dirty gulf. There must
have been some landslide somewhere because there where lots of logs and
leaves around the beach. We went home late in the afternoon with no one
got wet.

Monday - I woke up early, had a
cup of coffe and a cigarette. Prepared my things and headed for the
terminal. Unfortunately, I came late in the office and with a news that
my laptop is still unsuable. Darn!

I’m out!

Last saturday, my housemates and me watched 1 VS 100. Edu was about to
introduce the next player when I had to go to the kitchen to get myself
a glass of water. I heard one of my housemate exclaimed "She’s a
Christian!". My ears instantly stood up. I looked at the TV and saw Ms.
Chin-chin Guttierez. Ok, so she is. Being a conscious being, I look at
them and told them FYI that everyone in the Philippines is, except for
Muslims, we are predominantly Christians.

Now I get what she
meant, it’s their way of saying that she is a Protestant. I can’t
understand why they label someone as Christian to identify the person
as not Catholic? Do they mean that being Catholic is being not a
Christian? Is this a kind of discrimination to Catholics?

I’m not sure but I’m out!

Juno, a comedy film about teenage pregnancy, stars Ellen Page (Hard
Candy, X-Men 3) as a smart kid who deals with her pregnancy gracefully.
Juno is a junior high school student, met a guy who’s a runner, had sex
and impregnated. So what’s so funny about it?

Ellen Page’s Juno is an acerbic wit, she’s a cheerleader or a campus
crush, she’s just a simple girl who knows how to handle her problems.
Every line she delivers is perfect, always hits the right spot. There
is also Micheal Cera (Superbad) who’s perfect for the role of Juno’s
boyfriend. She has a supporting parents who trusts her every decision.
She once tried to abort the baby but couldn’t handle it, so she decided
to opt for adoption. She found the adoptive parents and loved them. In
the end, Juno did the right thing.

The movie is funny in every part but there are moments that you get to
feel sorry for the lead. But you will know that she is going to do what
is best for her. The other actors, like Peter Parker’s boss (I forgot
his name) and Jennifer Garner act their part well. The soundtrack is
also lovely, I keep playing Sonic Youth’s Superstar (originally done by
The Carpenters).

It’s a great watch.

I’m out!

A week ago I received a text message from a cousin of mine, she needed help. As an ever helpful cousin, I asked her what it is and she said her menstruation is delayed for 7 days. And she is scared, she should be.

She gave birth last April of 2007 to a not-so-healthy baby girl. The baby was delivered normally but has a heart problem, something about a blocked vessel, and no opening on her rectum. She and her partner consented to have the operations needed for the baby. They spent almost about half a million pesos. Luckily, her partner is wealthy and is eager to have a son or a daughter (he’s married and her wife couldn’t concieve, not sure either if they have separated) and gave all of his fortune for the baby. Currently, the baby is healthy. My cousin have two kids on her previous relationship and both are healthy and have no defects. So it must be the guy who has a genetic problem.

So why did she texted me? Apparently she remembered I told her about ECP. Emergency contraceptive pills is an available contraceptive pill is the US that will stop the conception three days after intercourse, if the woman knew she is fertile during the action. It’s 3 days, not seven days, I told her. She asked me for alternatives, I said I have to ask a friend.

After texting a friend, I told my cousin about a contraceptive pill to be taken at an unusual dosage so that she will have a miscarriage. But before she do it, I told her to asked her ob-gyn if the pill will suit her. A couple of days later, she rang me and said that it didn’t work. She and her partner have decided to go to the extreme and optioned for abortion.

I am pro-life and I’m against it but I’m also liberal and I don’t want to control people. I told her about the risks and did not said a word about my being against it. It would be their decision, not mine. I told her to see her ob-gyn again if it won’t risk her life.

A day has passed then she gave me a ring again and asked me where could she get abortion. I’ve texted a friend, my hands are uncontrollably shaking. I’ve forwarded the reply to my cousin and told her to take care of herself. She told me that they had she and her partner had decided to do it for they are not yet ready for another child. I kept thinking, it’s a fetus not a baby (from watching too much of House). She said she will call me once her predicament is over.

I’m pro-life and anti-abortion advocate but I’m not in control of other people’s lives. And I’m not a divine person either. The best that I can do is educate them and leave them to decide.

Am I right?

I’m out!

Lyra was abducted by her mother, Mrs. Coulter, to protect her from the
Church. Mrs. Coulter found out that the Church was going to kill her
daughter so as not to fulfill the witches’ prophecy. Will found them
and help Lyra escape, but when they are about to escape, the legions of
the Church and of Lord Asriel also arrived and had a battle. Lord
Asriel won but Will and Lyra escaped with Lord Asriel spies, the
Gallivespians, small people the size of a hand.

The story covered the journey of Will and Lyra to the world of the
dead, where Lyra wanted to seek his dear friend, Roger, who was killed
by Lord Asriel on the first book. In the world of the dead, Lyra was
separated, for the first time, with his daemon, and soon Will also
found out that he also left his. The book describes the world of the
dead as a place, like a ruined city, where harpies, some winged
creatures, feed on peoples misery. It also noted that there was no
heaven or hell. Soon, Will was able to help the dead people escape the
city by making a window to another world. When the soul came out of the
window, their soul dissipates into the air and join the atoms of the
universe to be renewed, either as another human being or any matter.

The book ended with Will and Lyra found their lost daemons and the two
of them fell in love with each other. There came a conflict when the
witch Serafina Pekkala came with a news that the two of them should go
back to their own worlds, they cannot live together for the stranger to
the other world will not die young. A heart breaking scene ended it all
with Lyra sending Will and Dr. Malone to their own world and with the
gyptians, Lyra was back to her world.

Will also found out from the angel Balthamos that the subtle knife is
the reason why the Specters existed. That everytime Will cuts a window,
a Specter is brought to life. So Will taught the angel how to close all
the windows and Will broke the knife.

This book is the reflection of what are the beliefs of the author. Through Dr. Malone’s words, the author clearly points out his
notion on the Church’s role in the civilization and how the Church
limits the free will of every individual. Also, the author points our
the idea of heaven and hell, that they are invented to instill fear to
keep everyone from sin.

I believe it is a good read!

I’m out!

I would call The Golden Compass the softest of all three books. Soft in terms of handling the actual theme of the book. There was not much said on the book, it was more on the girl on a secret mission.

The end of the book, which was not shown on the film version, is about Lord Asriel having finally able to move to the different world. All three books deals talks a lot about parallel universe, that there are people and animals of different kinds on a world that may be like ours and are moving around but not touching each other. Not like the Jet Li movie the one, because it was about multiverse. Lord Asriel used Roger’s daemon as his vessel to open the gateway to another universe. Lyra was left in her world.

The second book introduces a new main character by the name of Will, who lives on our world and who found a window to another world. In the other world, Will found out that the place was ruled by children because the those who are old where afraid of beings called Specters. The Specters are not visible to the children. The Specters consume human lives by sucking the soul or the consciousness of the person. Here in this world, the Subtle Knife was created. The bearer of the knife would be able to use the other side to cut any objects, and the other side could create a window to another world. Will was able to possess this and he became the bearer.

Another character was introduced, a scientist of our world named Mary Malone. Dr. Malone is an ex-nun who is researching on the scientific explanation of the human consciousness. She is believed to play a bigger part in the third book, which I am currently reading.

Here, the Church’s role was vividly described and their plans were being laid out. They don’t want anyone to know the real meaning behind their tradition.

Lord Asriel has built his army to fight the Authority, who was described on the book as not the Creator but rather an angel who assumes the role of the creator.

Will found his father, who was mentioned on the first book, but was later killed by a witch out of love. What a kind of love!

The book ends with Lyra being kidnapped by Mrs. Coulter, who was able to pass through different worlds and Will left with his dead father and able to figure out what the knife can do.

When I watched the movie, I liked it. If ever I have read the book before watching the movie, I would be disappointed.

An officemate of mine, you know who you are, lend me her book, the first of the trilogy. The European version is entitled The Northern Lights, which is the dancing golden light shown by Lord Asriel to the member of Jordan College. Although the alethiometer doesn’t look like a common compass, I think it is a better description of it.

There are a lot of differences that I’ve read on the book than I’ve seen, really, a lot. They’ve made a huge change. Unlike the Harry Potter or Lord of The Rings films, where scenes not related to the main focus of the film were cut, but you could really tell that the movie is loyal to the book. The Golden Compass is not. The director said that he did so to stay away from the anti-organized religion theme but still, for me, it doesn’t make sense. It was the main theme of the book, written in a fantasy genre. So to take that away means to create an entirely different kind of movie.

I would love to list down the differences but I won’t. One review about the film I’ve read online said that after viewing, his son cried, not because the movie was touchy but the kid thinks that he was cheated.

I was cheated, I don’t have to cry.

I’m out!