My Junk TV

There goes my attempt to update this blog daily. Was busier than usual, obviously. Nonetheless, here’s these last few weeks’ top 10 things that incited (no) pop culture-slash-literary-slash-personal madness in me:

10.

After all the brouhaha over Wendy’s attitude inside the PBB house, season 2 ended with Bea emerging as the Big Winner with more than 1.5 million votes. If one vote is equivalent to PhP 2.50, then Bea’s votes alone amounted to almost PhP 5 million. ABS-CBN ends up being the Biggest Winner, after all, and with their Mega Manila primetime ratings now giving GMA Telebabad’s some headaches (see their full page newspaper ads last weekend below), the momentum is definitely now theirs. How can you go wrong when you have Judy Anne, Kris & Claudine one after the other to begin your weeknight viewing? Right now, however, my junkTV includes only May Minamahal, which is about to end this week, and am now badly on the lookout for the post-chapter 32 episodes of Death Note.

09.

Mama was furiously texting me about their need to move house, after, what, 27 years. I would have gotten really angry with Papa, but right now I choose to be positive and face the extra challenge of being the eldest son. Good thing Jordan found a new job, and Brian’s now in college. (My co-faculty Jelson’s getting married this year, and sometimes, I think of marriage as my only way out of all my responsibilities with my family. But, um, well, that happens only sometimes.)

08.

Finished reading Dava Sobel’s Galileo’s Daughter and Philip K. Dick’s The Man in the High Castle. The latter, which I certainly enjoyed, occasioned a conversation initiated by Allen, a BS Pychology freshman, when he saw me holding a copy of the book while riding a jeepney going to UP. I promised to lend him the book.

Had to discontinue Barnes’ Nightwood, for I was, well, getting really bored with it. Am now enjoying Horacio Quiroga’s The Decapitated Chicken & Other Stories, almost a century late. Besides Quiroga’s I also bought the following books recently, all of them secondhand: Michael Cunningham, The Hours (my original copy was borrowed by Kumpareng AJ and I don’t think I’ll get it anytime soon); Peter Esterhazy’s Celestial Harmonies, Patrick McCabe’s Call Me The Breeze, John Rechy’s Bodies and Souls, William Gibson’s Burning Chrome, Olaf Stapledon’s Star Maker, Mihail Lermontov’s A Hero of our Time, Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles, Lionel Trilling’s The Liberal Imagination, Isaac Asimov’s Foundation’s Edge, J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye (my third copy of the book; I lost the first 2, in different occasions, somewhere), Arthur C. Clarke’s The Promise of Space, and Julian Barnes’ The Porcupine.

07.

I bought a new bookshelf & a new mattress, thanks to an upgrade on my SIP credit, and they’ll be delivered tomorrow. I seriously consider buying a linoleum, at least for my first floor room. This pushed me to do some general cleaning last Sunday. Some furnitures I also decided to move to different corners of the house. It was tiring & refreshing at the same time. I decided to do this more often.

06.

I gave a lecture on traditional forms from outside the Philippines for LIRA last June 24. Last June 27, I attended the Tralala reunion/poetry reading in Conspiracy where I badly read two of my new poems. Had to leave early after two bottles of beer.

05.

Finally got my copy of Dapitan Prose from Mark. Eric’s intro wrote this about my story: "Edgar Calabia Samar pulls off the ambitious Project: EYOD, where the concept of dreams shuttles between two simultaneous existences in parallel universes–steeped in linguistic and psychoanalytic theory, this is sci-fi not meant for those who stroke Jar Jar Binks figurines as they nod off to sleep."

Adam wrote a "fiction" out of the prose pieces in that issue of Dapitan, my "Project: EYOD" included. Here’s the link.

04.

Bought an external SONY DVD writer, and transferred by InCD all the classical movies I downloaded so far. It unloaded my hard drive of more than 13 GB of files. Obviously, music downloads have to give way to these movie downloads. At the moment, I’m downloading Luis Bunuel’s Les Hurdes. However, everyday’s still a after a song, and today echoes James Blunt’s "Wisemen."

03.

I decided to accept the position of Creative Writing Associate for the AILAP. I am now officially handling the workshop this year, under the direct supervision of our director, Sir Marx Lopez. And that makes me real busy, especially now that I’m still coordinating with Yol regarding a possible change of venue.

Meanwhile, the Heights EB are trying their best to follow my instructions on some matters, which is a good thing, and we’re now also preparing for the workshop, which will be held in Sacred Heart Novitiate on July 28-30. I’ll be meeting them on Friday to follow-up on some projects, new and old. And if you–Ateneans, Ateneo faculty, fellows to previous Ateneo workshops, alumni, or anyone who could establish a reasonable connection with Ateneo–have new works, please do consider submitting them to Heights. Please, please.

02.

I am currently working on my novel number 2, and a short story collection. I went over my stories (published and unpublished) and I think I can have about 7 or 8 reasonably good ones, worthy of revisions & some very minor finishings, that might make up a collection. Let’s see.

01.

A fiction: I just realized I am easily attracted to a person. For the past 3 weeks, I had initial attractions, physically, naturally, to about 12 individuals. I dared reveal my feelings to about 5 of them who all reciprocated my emotion, one or two for slightly longer days than the rest, but all ended with me falling, differently, easily, out of what I thought I felt for them. Right now, I’m trying to hold on with what I’m sharing with R. I wonder if I am blessed or cursed.

Finally finished reading Le Guin’s story collection, and there were only two stories (out of 18) I enjoyed: "Daddy’s Big Girl," & "Findings." I am not sure if I began with a wrong Le Guin book to read or she was just really not my type of writer, but I am definitely not moving on to another book of hers anytime soon. (Sir Alex Puente, in our "Intro to Fiction" class during my freshman year back in SY 1998-99, introduced Le Guin to me with her essay on creatures of fantasy. I remember I enjoyed reading it then. So probably her book of essays then, next time?)

+ + +

On June 29 at 6pm, the UP press will launch 12 new titles, including Nick Pichay’s book of plays, at the Bahay Kalinaw.

+ + +

Today’s download: Natasha Bedingfield, Unwritten. Today’s after a song called "Three Flights Up," from their album, Lights and Sounds. Today’s junkTV includes May Minamahal, episode 9:

+ + +

Because I promised myself to upgrade my film literacy, I began going through Steven Scheneider’s 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die. As much as possible, I’ll go over the list from 1 to 1,001. The #1 on the list is A Trip To The Moon (1902), directed by Georges Melies, who is said to be the father of special effects in film:

#2 is The Great Train Robbery (1903), directed by Edwin S. Porter. Unlike the first film, this one used actual instead of just set locations. It also made use of several angle shots, which were not employed by Meiles.

+ + +

I joined my co-teachers to a videoke night at Starway in Tomas Morato. I brought a list of songs to sing, but only three songs from my list were in the database: "Pag-ibig" by APO, "My Stupid Mouth" by John Mayer & "Sleep All Day" by Jason Mraz. Drank 3 bottles of Red Horse, danced to almost every song, I could say it was a fun night, after all, even if I had better videoke nights before.

+ + +

Finished reading Delany’s About Writing. It was very helpful; I learned about the German Romantics’ Begeisterung, or enthusiasm (in Filipino, I’d translate it as "sigasig"), which Delany believed to be of foremost necessity for every writer, more than intelligence, and even, yes, imagination. The book also reminded me of what to avoid in writing: cliche, clutter & thinness.

+ + +

I attended three lectures today. First is Ma’am Beni’s discussion on the use of Paghulagpos, our textbook in Fil 11, which I didn’t get to finish because I had a 10:30 class. Ma’am Beni had some very interesting examples to illustrate the difference between the language of literature and the language of science.

In the afternoon, I went into the pop culture lectures of Dr. Benito Vergara, Jr. ("Filipinos can imitate any sound: Improvisation, karaoke and the labor of Filipino overseas musicians") and Dr. Francisco Benitez ("Transnational desire in Star Cinema’s Kailangan Kita and Milan"). Being a sucker for pop culture texts, especially local films, I went for Benitez’s lecture, but Vergara’s turned out to be more interesting. The latter discussed the tension between the need to imitate songs exactly, as they were heard on tapes, and the necessary improvisations FOM’s had to practice in order to survive overseas labor. I hope to get a complete copy of his lecture from Gary, who organized the event.

+ + +

Today’s downloads: Mae, The Everglow; Armor for Sleep, What To Do When You Are Dead; Chris Daughtry, Daughtry (I downloaded this again because what I have in my ipod is of poor quality); Dido, No Angel; and Vanessa Hudgens, V. Today’s after a song called "Rewind" by Stereophonics, from their alubum, Language.Sex.Violence.Other? Junk TV for today includes May Minamahal, episode 8:

+ + +

From the Ateneo Press: We are pleased to announce the Ateneo Press’s annual booksalefrom June 18 to 29 at the Ateneo Press bookshop in Bellarmine Hall, Ateneo Campus, Katipunan Ave., Loyola Heights, Quezon City. All its titles will be sold at less 10 to 50 percent. Sale hours are from 8 am to 12 noon, 1 to 6 pm (Monday to
Thursday, and till 5 pm Friday).

+ + +

Are we a nation of nonreaders? Juan Miguel Luz of PCIJ reports.

+ + +

I read Genaro’s essay entitled "Kwentong Pangkasarian sa mga Kwentong Pambata" because it discussed my children’s story Uuwi na ang Nanay kong si Darna! among other texts. It was published in DLSU’s journal, Malay (Vol. XIX, No. 3, April 2007). I would have commented more extensively on the essay, as an author’s response, despite being accused of sourgraping, if only the essay were critical enough to be engaged in a proper discourse. But the essay was, at its best, descriptive, and missed some crucial information at that. And so a blog entry would suffice. For example, it said,

"Hindi sinabi ng ama ang tunay na dahilan ng pagtatrabaho ng ina ng bata sa Hong Kong. Sa halip, sinabi niya ang pangangailangan ng ibang bansa sa tulong ng ina ng bata. Isang pagtatakip ito kanyang kawalang kakayahan bilang ama na siyang dapat nasa labas at naghahanapbuhay." [my emphasis]

For one, the quote assumed an expectation for parental roles, which, in these days, is already passe. More than that, there is a suggestion in my story (if even an elementary close reading was practiced) that the father works as a jeepney driver. Thus there was no truth at all in Genaro’s claim that the father does not work. In fact, I wrote a sequel to this story, which also got a nod from PBBY Salanga Writer’s Prize (Honorable Mention in 2004), Magkano Papuntang Antipolo? I already discussed this in a creative writing essay I wrote for the Diliman Review (Vol. 51, Number 4, 2004), which any scholar writing on my story could have consulted, even if not cited.

Finally, Genaro missed a crucial point in the story, which I thought was given in the title. The emphasis was on the return (thus Uuwi na…), and it was the cause for celebration, if there was any, in the story, and not the mother’s need to work abroad. Of course it remains an idyllic vision of reunion, but the story does not promise anyone that the mother would not need to return abroad.

In the end, believe any writer who speaks on behalf of his work must necessarily be mistrusted. Even if I’d like to correct only some facts from which the reading was based (because I couldn’t, for the life of me, correct anyone’s "reading" itself), I must be accorded utmost doubt.

My Lakbayan grade is D! How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan! Thanks to Rap, for sharing this. Actually, one of my goals for next year (after I get my overload pay) is to travel outside the Philippines, probably Bangkok, because the travel cost is now so cheap that I feel I’m depriving myself of something I need and could afford.

+ + +

After posting that I crave for Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums, Aris let me borrow his vcd copy. Waaaa! I want my two hours! I want to see the film asap! (KJ ego notes: But classes already opened today, and preparing for them must be my priority.)

+ + +

Eraserheads was featured in an episode of Mikee, entitled "Harana," in GMA back in 1997. There are only 3 clips and I don’t think they are for the whole episode. Parts 1 & 3 featured Ely singing "Kailan" and "Harana," respectively.

The second clip above revealed that it was a horror-comedy episode, after all, and the band members ended up shooting the aswangs with holy water guns. Oh, my. But the last one makes me cringe more, however: Ely to Mikee: "Kung tropa ka namin, sino pang haharanahin ko?" And so went the episode’s title.

+ + +

Finished reading Italo Calvino’s The Castle of Crossed Destinies, while giving my Fil 11 students their Filipino Proficiency Test. I was actually forcing myself to finish the book; I didn’t enjoy it as much as I did Invisible Cities about two years ago. The experiment with the possibilities of narrative production, similar in spirit to that of If on a winter’s night a traveler, restrained the gusto I could have had while reading it. Even the framing in the last part, called "Note," did not salvage the text for me. Perhaps the explicit references to canonical Western texts didn’t help. Perhaps it was trying to be too intellectual, that my right brain could not seem to get what my left brain was trying to understand. Unlike Kundera, who also problematizes form in the content of his novels, Calvino confronts his problematique too much for his own good.

+ + +

Other junk TV for Today: May Minamahal, episodes 6 & 7. 

I also watched Death Note episodes 7-8 in pirated DVD. And yes, Maria Flordeluna ends this week. It started out poorly in the ratings game, but was beating Angel Locsin & Robin Padilla’s Asian Treasures since last week. I didn’t really get to see it all throughout the season, though; it’s too heavy drama for me. Anyway, here’s the teaser for its finale:

+ + +

Ma’am Beni celebrates her birthday today. The SOH prepared a surprise for her. For many of us, it meant free food.

+ + +

Today’s downloads: Savage Garden, Savage Garden; No Doubt, Rock Steady; Lifehouse, No Name Face; Josh Groban, Closer; and High School Musical OST. Today’s after a song called "Easy Water" by Budapest, from their album, Head Towards the Dawn.

+ + +

Was a bit frustrated because I could not post on my own comments box. So here are some replies long overdue: To Mikael’s: "Yung painom, as soon as things become more stable, pasensiya na." To Ted’s: I used to have all of Rivermaya’s albums in my ipod before they were all deleted last April, my boob. Sayang talaga that they’re disbanding. At miss ko na rin kayo; I hope we get to hang out soon. To Karen’s: "The Business" was in Makati. I accepted Nikko’s invitation because I thought it was a friends business; you know, something we will all enjoy doing, not only for profit, but because we’re doing it as friends. And about the jokes, I tell you, I chose the less horrendous ones.

+ + + 

Mikael’s article link on The Secret gives out a more revealing "secret": of course, we can’t take anything too seriously, especially when money’s involved. The film was an extended advertisement, true, but there’s still something we can get from it, even if that something is something we knew all along. My more jologs self (as if this was not jologs enough; there, self-reflexivity at work… and yet, another one) tells me: Ang masama, kapag "kinarir" ang secret na ‘yan–as if everything depends on it. (But of course, the Salon article critiques Oprah more than the book; and in the end, you couldn’t decide on whether it was The Secret that influenced Oprah or it was Oprah who determined what would happen to "the secret.")

+ + +

Today’s downloads: Gym Class Heroes, As Cruel as School Children; Breaking Benjamin, We Are Not Alone; McFly, Just My Luck; Shamrock, Are You Serious?; and A-Teens, Pop ‘Til You Drop. Today’s after a song called "Hello City" by Barenaked Ladies, from their album, Gordon.

+ + +

Went to enroll in UP, and  I only got one Pan Pil class under Dr. Teresita Maceda. The only MPs class they’re offering is that one required course I already enrolled in last semester. Anyways, I’ll have Jun Cruz Reyes, Luna Sicat-Cleto & Reuel Aguila as classmates in the Pan Pil class I decided to enroll in. They’re reasons enough to enjoy the discussions I anticipate we’ll have.

+ + +

"Google says it will soon begin testing a long-awaited system that can block unauthorized copyrighted clips from being uploaded to YouTube, the popular video-sharing site it bought last year." Please, please, let their technology fail this time, please.

+ + +

Said yes to Christine’s invitation to be her guest on Saturday, June 16, 2pm, at the PETA Theater for the launch of her musical, "Batang Rizal." PETA will also show excerpts from other plays that will be staged this season.

+ + +

Asked Ma’am Chari (Lucero) why I didn’t get a grade from her class last sem. She texted back that she did give me a grade, but something’s wrong with UP’s computer system. Oh, UP, my UP. And I am officially giving up on actually getting my refund for my dissolved class last summer.

Artwork was grabbed from here.

+ + +

I was so out of touch. Didn’t know that today’s a non-working holiday, and I had everything well-planned: I’d go to the department, eat my lunch in the caf, then go to UP & enroll. Note to self: Watch the news; it still has some practical use.

+ + +

BJ left the Ateneo and I’ve heard only from Karen C. Actually, a few more are leaving: Morny, Kristine, Claudette & Elmo. For different reasons, for sure.

+ + +

Didn’t know it was Mark A.’s birthday yesterday, and we were texting re our meet-up for my copy of Dapitan. Another note to self: Read Friendster’s updates on friends’ birthdays.

+ + +

A friend was raving about this 15-minute Korean film called No Regret, a shorter and somewhat happier version of "Happy Together." It was recognized with a Teddy Award, and I supposed many of my more romantic gay friends would appreciate the film for its optimistic ending, or hate it, for the same reason.

+ + +

Last night’s PBB ended with Bruce & Robert being nominated. I think that, despite of my inis with the Bruce-Wendy love angle, Robert’s going home on Saturday.

+ + +

Wowowee is being suspended for 3 days because of this breast-exposure incident that involves Eda Nolan as she was dancing macarena. The fateful exposure happened at around 1:10 in the videoclip.

+ + +

There’s this visually engaging 101 on Dante’s Inferno.

+ + +

I found this clip on AFI’s Top 100 movie quotes. #100 is Titanic’s "I’m the King of the World" & #1 is Gone with the Wind’s "Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn."

But this one’s better: 100 films that mention the words "one hundred" down to "one." Can you guess the film that was quoted for the word "one"?

+ + +

I saw 44/100 from what the movie-board.org called the 100 Best Movies ever made. These are the only ones I’m very sure I saw before (the others, if ever I already saw them, I can’t recall now): 12 Angry Men (En 11 class!), Spirited Away, A Clockwork Orange, Blade Runner, Batman, The Lord of the Rings, Amelie from Montmartre, Citizen Kane, The Silence of the Lambs, The Pianist, The Shawshank Redemption, The Incredibles, Dances with Wolves, Grave of the Fireflies, Seven Samurai, Jaws, Forrest Gump, Braveheart (our English 4 in HS required it), American History X, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Gladiator, Memento, The Great Escape, Star Wars, Rocky, Full Metal Jacket, Indiana Jones, Kill Bill, L.A. Confidential, Matrix, City of God, Terminator, Predator, Princess Mononoke, Shining, Pulp Fiction, Schindler’s List, Seven, Sin City, Die Hard, The Green Mile, The Godfather, Back to the Future, and Aliens.

The list above is very different from Derek Malcolm’s Century of Films, which includes Lino Brocka’s Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag. From his list, the only ones I’m sure I saw besides Brocka’s was Bernardo Bertolucci’s Last Tango in Paris, Zhang Yimou’s Raise the Red Lantern, Krzysztof Kieslowski’s A Short Film About Killing, and David Lynch’s Blue Velvet.

Another note to self: I really need to upgrade my film literacy. And so while searching the net for more artistic films, I decided to look on Luis Buñuel’s (since Carlos Fuentes wrote an essay on him in the his book, Myself with Others, that I read last month), and found his L’age D’or (1930) in Youtube. Afterwards, while going through the Criterion Collection, I wondered why I haven’t heard of Wes Anderson before. Based on their descriptions, I’d really love to see his films, especially The Royal Tenenbaums, which, if the information I read was right, was based on a Salinger novel.

+ + +

Watched May Minamahal episode 5 (Parts 1 & 2).

+ + +

High Chair issue # 7 is now up. I am glad that the essays may now be downloaded as pdf.

+ + +

Today’s after a song called "Switchblades and Infidelity" by Fall Out Boy, from their album, Evening Out With Your Girlfriend.

+ + +

Alfred (I actually prefer to call him now Jan-jan, his nickname back home) brought home a copy of Death Note, which he literally forced me to watch. We would have watched the movie first if not for its very small subtitles, and so we resorted instead to viewing the 33-episode animated series. We saw episodes 1-6, before we decided to stop because we were going to meet his Mom. It was actually an interesting series. (A side note: The actors in the film really looked like the anime characters. It’s really happening, isn’t it: Texts imitate real/lived life; Real people imitate texts.)

+ + +

Passed by Booksale and bought Nightwood by Djuna Barnes. The book was mentioned several times in Delany’s book that I currently enjoy reading (I’m down to the last 40 pages). The edition I bought was introduced by T.S. Eliot, where the novel was described as "one of the works that has changed the climate of the written word." I believe I’ll begin reading it soon.

+ + +

Today’s after a song called "Gravity" by John Mayer, from his album, Continuum.

+ + +

For the past few days, Dennis was sending me some old jokes (some, very corny). I’m posting here a few of them to share with you the agony of having to read them on my cell:

• Si Erap, nakabasag ng vase sa Museum, attendant nataranta! Attendant: Naku! Sir, yang vase, more than 900 yrs old na po yan! Erap: Hay salamat! Akala ko bago!
• Pedro: Naloko ko yung tindera kanina… Wahahaha! Juan: Paano mo naman naloko ‘yung tindera? Pedro: Nagpaload ako. Eh wala naman akong cellphone nyahahaha!
• 3 batang mayayaman at mayayabang ang nag-uusap at nagpapayabangan. Boy 1: Nung birthday ko, niregaluhan ako ng daddy ko ng 2 yate. Boy 2: Wala ka! Nung birthday ko, 3 barko ang iniregalo sa akin. Barko ha, hindi yate! Boy 3: Ang yayabang n’yo. Yaya! Nalinis mo na ba ‘yung dagat na niregalo sa akin ni daddy? Pakitanggal ‘yung 2 yate at 3 barko dun. Maliligo ako.
• Nagsasabihan ng lihim ang 3 pari. Pari 1: Sa inyo ko lang ‘to sasabihin. Nakabuntis ako ng parokyana. Pari 2: Ako naman, bading. May bf ako. Pari 3: Ako naman… madaldal.
• Isang araw, naglayas ako, naligaw, nasaktan, umibig at nabigo, iniwan at walang dumamay, nadapa pero muling bumangon at lumaban. Lupet, ‘no? Isang araw lang lahat ‘yan.
• Anak: ‘Tay! Ako lang ang nakaanswer sa question ng titser ko kanina! Tatay: Very good! Anong question, anak? Anak: Sino daw ang di nakaintindi.
• 2 mag-amiga, lasing sa bar. Pag-uwi, natatae sila at sa sementeryo inabutan. Ang isa, ginamit ang panty pamunas ng puwet at saka itinapon. Yung isa, nakakita ng wreath sa puntod at ginawang pamunas. Kinabukasan, sabi ng mga husband nila… Bitoy: Pre, bantayan na natin ang mga misis natin. Misis ko, umuwi kagabi, ala nang panty. Berting: Mas grabe ang misis ko, pre. Merong card na nakadikit sa puwet na may nakasulat, "We’ll never forget you. From all the guys at the marketing team…"
• Halimbawa sa puso mo, dalawa ang itinitibok nito. Sino ang pipiliin mo? Yung malayo pero sabi mong mahal na mahal mo? O yung nasa ibabaw mo na pump nang pump sa yo?

+ + +

Watched The Secret. The film says it (the secret) is the law of attraction. And so, two words, basically: Be Positive. If you want to attract positive things into your life, project positive thoughts. I believe I am mostly like that. Why, there are so many things to be thankful for in my life. (There, I am being positive, see.)

+ + +

Have read the NCCA Writer’s Prize Guidelines and since they specificied the language for each category, the only categories I can possibly join this year are short story & literary biography. Let’s see if my creative plans will align themselves to any of those categories. For now, I am happily working on my Novel # 2.

+ + +

Gary is sending out his invitation for the Pop Culture Lectures to be given by Drs. Sunny Vergara & Kiko Benitez on Thursday, June 14, at the Ateneo Faura-AVR, 4:30 PM. I believe this is open to public.

+ + +

Today’s after a song called "Attractive Today" by Motion City Soundtrack, from their album, Commit This To Memory.

These are pictures, courtersy of QT, from the Puerto Galera R & R that we had last May 26-28. Yes, Galera is our department’s idea of rest and recreation for 3 years now.

+ + +

I was dreaming of Inay before I finally opened my eyes. In my dream, she died, and for a few seconds I was not sure if she was really dead for real. I couldn’t breathe easily. Then it struck me: It’s been 10 years, she’d been dead for 10 years. I was already brushing my teeth when I realized, it was not 10 but only five years: She died on October 16, 2001, the morning I went home to begin my last sembreak in college.

+ + +

Today’s downloads: Saosin, Saosin; Paramore, Riot!; Cobra Starship, While the City Sleeps We Rule the Streets; Feliciano, Feliciano!; Imago, Take 2; and Greyhoundz, 7 Corners of Your Game. Today’s after a song called "It’s not your fault" by New Found Glory, from their album, Coming Home.

+ + +

Went to the NCCA & got my last check. After paying Tita Ayen & my credit card bills, I’m left with a 4-digit balance.

+ + +

Kapamilya, Deal or No Deal will be back on Monday with Ruffa & Annabelle as guests. With Kris, Ruffa & Annabelle in one show, I will not miss this for anything ha ha.

+ + +

Saw May Minamahal episodes 3 (Parts 1 & 2) and 4 (Parts 1 & 2), and Pedro Penduko at ang mga Engkantao episode 5 (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5).

+ + +

Bumped into Sir Noel at Riverbanks & together we rode the jeep going to  Ateneoville. Unlike what I expected (it was a Lit & Math encounter, after all), I think we had a relatively not-so-constricted conversation. Come to think of it, it was an hour of good discussion.

+ + +

Ateneo National Writers Workshop is now calling for submissions. Deadline is August 3, 2007. Submit, friends.

+ + +

From my publisher Karen C.: If you wanna bring The Police Reunion to Manila, sign this petition.

+ + +

I received a very important text from Ms. Alincastre of the NCCA: I can now pick-up the final check payment for my grant. Found out later that the announcement for the Writer’s Prize 2007 is now out, and I seriously consider joining again this year. Back to work, back to work.

+ + +

Watched 4, a somewhat disturbing Russian film directed by Ilya Khrjanovsky. There was a 30(+)-minute conversation among the 3 most important characters, who were (or weren’t they?) telling lies to one another inside a bar. The story turned 180 degrees past the first hour, and there’s where things really got very interesting.

+ + +

Discussed houserules with Alfred. It had to happen sooner or later. Besides, I don’t want him washing my clothes, briefs and all (which he already did the other day).

+ + +

Tralala or the 46th UP National Writers Workshop fellows are the featured guests in Conspiracy on June 26, 7 to 9 PM. I’ll be reading poems or excerpts from my novel Walong Diwata ng Pagkahulog. Eros’s new book may also be re-launched there. See you if you’re free.

+ + +

Today’s after a song called "Complicated" by Good Charlotte, from their self-titled album.

+ + +

Last sem, Ma’am LQS lent me this book by Jack M. Beckham, Writing the Short Story – one of the many writing manuals out there (its second title: "A Hands-on Guide for Creating Captivating Short Fiction") that I wished to avoid. But because I could not work on my Novel # 2, I gave it a try last month. After an intro in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 asked me to buy: 1) 3×5 index cards, 2) at least 6 colored pencils, and 3) 2 spiral notebooks. I did, two weeks later. The mid-chapter task in Chapter 3 took me another 2 weeks to finish (the book specified not to rush on the tasks). Here’s the instruction:

On ten separate cards, write briefly about ten things or ideas or actions that you feel very deeply about. One card, one item.

My ten cards had these:

1. San Pablo, Home, High School
2. Novel, Narrative
3. Poetry, Image, Ambiguity
4. Teaching, Mentoring
5. Relationships, Emotions
6. Fantastic, Magical, Supernatural
7. Memory, Woundedness, Past
8. Nature, Adventure, Vacation
9. Solitude, Freedom
10. Pop Culture, Movies, TV, Songs, Internet