Pinoy Reader

Only 3 Books in 2010

2011-01-09T00:14:00.001+08:00

Twisted 8 1/2 by Jessica Zafra and Puppy Love by F. Sionil Jose

I was quite a failure in 2010 for not reading as much as I should. I finished reading only three books. The three I finished are Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain, Twisted 8 1/2 by Jessica Zafra and Puppy Love and Thirteen Love Stories by F. Sionil Jose.

The other books I started reading but haven't finished yet are the following:

Amarillo Slim's Biography In a World Full of Fat People
CS Lewis' The Silver Chair (The Chronicles of Narnia, Full-Color Collector's Edition), the only book in the series that I haven't finished reading yet
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown.

I'm hoping to finish the three books above plus Twisted 9 by Jessica Zafra (compliments of Melo), and this unexpected Christmas gift I received:

It's The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I listed this book in my wishlist in 2009 and after I watched the movie sometime in 2010, I wanted to have the book even more. I also have to start reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy which I promised I'd do since 2003.

I promise to be a better reader this year. Wish me luck!

A New Way to Read: Asus Eee Pads and Tablets

2010-09-01T22:03:00.000+08:00

For all you bibliophiles, here are new ways to enjoy your books:

These gadgets will definitely change the way I read books. :) I'm setting my sights on getting one of these soon! SOOOOOON!

The Asus EeePad 121

a 12.1 inch tablet with a keyboard dock
runs on a Core 2 Duo, ultra low voltage processor
Windows 7 operating system
has a web camera
at least one USB port
battery can last to as long as 10 hours
projected price: $499

The Asus EeePad 101TC

10.1 inch multi-touch screen
projected to run on an Android operating system
more lightweight
Asus Ph's suggested retail price: P26,900

The Asus Eee Tablet

8 inches tablet
an Ereader with a note taking feature
has a web camera
has a micro sd slot
projected price: $199 – $299

For more news and innovations from Asus, visit their website.

Currently Reading: Amarillo Slim: In a World Full of Fat People

2010-08-14T14:05:00.005+08:00

I have recently received a new book: Amarillo Slim's Biography entitled In a World Full of Fat People. I received it from Sir Gilbert Yap - Tan.

Amarillo Slim is one of the earliest's champions of the World Series of Poker and he lived most of his life gambling nd hustling. Smartly.

I am currently reading the book, and the introduction itself is already very entertaining.

"If there's anything worth arguing about, I'll either bet on it or shut up. And since it's not very becoming for a cowboy to be arguing, I've made a few wagers in my day. But, in my humble opinion, I'm no ordinary hustler. You see, neighbor, I never go looking for a sucker, I look for a champion and make a sucker out of him."

Amarillo talks frankly, in his distinct Texan cowboy nature, about his life, experiences and adventures as a poker player, hustler, and cowboy. And he does it in a straightforward way that makes me imagine I am actually talking to a real life cowboy.

I am looking forward to reading the rest of the book.

Thank you Sir Gilbert Yap - Tan for the book! :)

Looking Forward to Eat, Pray, Love

2010-08-03T20:54:00.001+08:00

People have been raving about Eat, Pray, Love and I have been initially turned off by the word "pray" in the title, but there is just sooo much buzz about the book, that I must read it. I asked some people and they say I won't be turned off by the "pray" part.

I usually buy a book, read it, and watch the movie adapted from the book. In this case, I watched the movie's trailer and got even more interested in the book.

I think it's one of those inspirational books that will inspire me to be a better person, live my life better, and such. I find it interesting. I love it when the main character says "This is my leave no carbs behind experiment." I can definitely relate to that.

Sir Gilbert Tan has been reading the book and he considers it one of his favorites, so I am even more encouraged to read it.

On to the bookstore to get myself a copy.

Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Official Trailer

2010-06-29T15:53:00.001+08:00

The time has come for the Harry Potter movie series to come to a close. It's both exciting and sad. Just like the way we felt when the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was released. The final movie of the same title, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be released in two parts. The first part will be shown on November 2010, while the final part will be shown on July 2011.

Here's the official trailer of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (in HD):

"Why do you live?"

"Because I have something worth living for!"

Exciting!

I think these two final movies will be one of the better ones in the movie series. Thrilling! Definitely a feast for the eyes. Hopefully, it won't disappoint the book readers and won't alienate those who didn't read.

The movie still stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson.

See you at the cinemas!

Get Help from Philosopher's Notes

2010-06-15T05:20:00.000+08:00

PhilosophersNotes - philosophersnotes.com

Helpful notes, summaries, and insights on self-help and new age books. :)

sponsored like

Maria Jose's profile on MyLikes

Currently Reading: F. Sionil Jose and Jessica Zafra

2010-05-18T21:08:00.009+08:00

Beside my pillow are books by two of my favorite Filipino writers: the nosebleed- inducing F. Sionil Jose and the sarcastic Jessica Zafra.

I am reading a compilation of Jose's short stories entitled "Puppy Love and Thirteen Short Stories." The stories are hardly romantic and never cheesy. Rather, they provide a raw and sometimes grim picture of love and the lives of the people who love. The first story, Puppy Love, is my favorite one so far.

I have only started reading Zafra's Twisted 8 1/2. I don't really know why the book is 8 1/2 rather than 8 or 9. I loved the other books in the Twisted series and I am loving this one. It's funny and her sarcasm really gets her point across. Most of the time.

I am reading the two books alternately depending on my mood. I am only able to read a couple of pages before I go to sleep. Busy time.

I'm happy that I'm almost halfway through my goal of reading five books for 2010. I hope to accomplish more.

Thanks to Melo Villareal for my free AUTOGRAPHED copy of Twisted 8 1/2. :)

Next on my reading list is The Silver Chair so I can finally complete the Chronicles of Narnia. Wish me luck!

Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential

2010-02-18T16:06:00.006+08:00

Given my current obsession with cooking and all things kitchen, I thought it necessary to read the Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential. And I wasn't wrong at all.

It is a good read. Definitely very entertaining. Not thought-provoking but eye-opening. A lot of people think being a chef is a fabulous, glamorous job. After all, Giada, Emeril, and Bobby seem to be living the life. But the hardcore truth is... it's a dirty, demanding job that requires talent, really strong back and legs, and the capacity to take everything in stride.

And Bourdain says it all with sooo much wit. True, I have not done sex and drugs in the kitchen. But man, my culinary friends and our chef instructors are some of the most alcoholic people I know. So, yes, I was able to relate to Bourdain's tales.

It also scared the hell out of me.

But I think this book is not just for us who love to live in the kitchen. It's a good, fun, and funny read for those who would like to live or are already living doing so passionately what they love most. Kitchen Confidential shows you the underbelly and ugly truths of being a chef and how only the strong and passionate will survive it.

True, not all of us will live the high life and succeed like Bourdain did. But we can all live vicariously through him and his tales. ;-)

And oh, I've seen the TV series. It's also fun to watch, but miles away from the book. :)

My Christmas Books Wish List 2009

2009-11-21T22:27:00.011+08:00

While waiting for my cousins at the National Bookstore at the Gaisano Mall of Davao, I fell in love... with certain books I'd like to have. Almost every year, I make a books wish list for Christmas. And this year I am doing the same thing again.

Here's my wishlist for 2009...

Since I am now engrossed with cooking and baking, here are some culinary books I'd like to have...

Larousse Gastronomique edited by Prosper Montagné, the greatest and biggest culinary encyclopedia.

My Life in France by Julia Child, a chronicle of her life and culinary adventures in France.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Louisette Berthole, Simone Beck, and Julia Child, one of the best and most useful cookbooks on French and Western cooking.

Of course I still want some non-fiction books such as...

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Of course, I would also like to receive other kinds of books but these are what I prefer. :)

Coming Soon: A New Dan Brown Novel

2009-04-26T22:45:00.006+08:00

Come September, Dan Brown will release his newest novel "The Solomon Key." What's even better is that the central character is once again the Robert Langdon of the Da Vinci Code and the Angels and Demons fame.

Formerly rumored to be entitled "The Solomon Key," there are yet no details as to the setting or topic that will be explored on "The Lost Symbol." Needless to say, it will be another interesting read. I hope. ;)

Meantime, the Angels and Demons film will be out really soon.

Fully Booked Rockwell Sale

2008-10-17T15:39:00.002+08:00

Fully Booked Rockwell will have a sale from October 17 - 19, 2008. All regular items will be sold with a 20% discount.

Local and consigned items are not included in the sale though.

Davao Reader's Circle

2008-06-17T15:12:00.002+08:00

Raine, a Davao blogger has spearheaded the creation of the Davao Readers' Circle (DRC). DRC is a group of book lovers who meet twice a month. During meetings, members bring books that they lend to each other. They, of course, also discuss these books, the authors, and other literary stuff.

Here's a short presentation that Raine prepared...

| View | Upload your own

Poetry and Politics

2008-05-16T20:19:00.004+08:00

Poetry... politics... can the two go together?

National artist Bienvenido Lumbera says yes. Tomorrow, Saturday, May 17, from 3 to 5PM at Ateneo de Davao University he will be delivering a lecture on "Poetry and Politics." The lecture will be at the Roxas Room, F513-G, at the College Campus of AdDU.

Everybody is invited to attend. See you there!

Thanks to Dom for the heads up.

Florante at Laura: Mga Tauhan

2008-02-10T04:07:00.002+08:00

Florante - tagapagtanggol ng Albanya

Laura - anak ni Haring Linceus ng Albanya; iniibig ni Florante

Aladdin - anak ni Sultan Ali-Adab ng Persya

Flerida - magandang dalaga na taga-Persya; iniibig ni Aladdin

Haring Linceus - Hari ng Albania

Sultan Ali-Adab - Sultan ng Persya

Reyna Floresca - ina ni Florante

Duke Briseo - ama Florante; tagapagpayo ng Hari ng Albanya

Hari ng Krotona - lolo ni Florante

Conde Adolfo - karibal ni Florante

Conde Sileno - ama ni Adolfo

Menalipo - pinsan ni Florante

Menandro - matalik na kaibigan ni Florante

Antenor - guro ni Florante sa Gresya

Heneral Osmalik - heneral ng Persya na sumalakay sa Krotona

Heneral Miramolin - Turkong heneral

GoodReads.com's Best of 2007

2008-01-23T15:25:00.001+08:00

GoodReads.com has released their Best of 2007 Lists and here they are...

Goodreads 2007 Most-Read Fiction Books
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
2. The Kite Runner
3. A Thousand Splendid Suns
4. To Kill a Mockingbird
5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
6. The Catcher in the Rye
7. Middlesex
8. The Da Vinci Code
9. Water for Elephants
10. The Great Gatsby

Goodreads 2007 most-read non-fiction books
1. Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
2. The Glass Castle: A Memoir
3. Me Talk Pretty One Day
4. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
5. Running with Scissors: A Memoir
6. Freakonomics Rev Ed: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
7. Into the Wild
8. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
9. The Omnivore's Dilemma
10. The Year of Magical Thinking

Florante at Laura: Sa Babasa Nito

2008-01-13T19:54:00.002+08:00

Salamat sa iyo, O nnasang irog,
kung halagahan mo itong aking pagod,
ang tula ma'y bukal ng abit na kapos,
pakikinabangan ng ibig tumarok.

Kung sa bigalng tingi'y bubot at masaklap
palibhasa'y hilaw at mura ang balat,
ngunit kung namnamin ang sa lamang lasap
masasarapan din ang babasang pantas.

Di ko hinihinging pakamahalin mo,
tawana't dustain ang abang tula ko;
gawin ang ibigi't alpa'y nasa iyo,
ay huwag mo lamang baguhin ang berso.

Kung sa pagbasa mo'y may tulang malabo,
bago mo hatulang katkatin at liko,
pasuriin muna ang luwasa't hulo
at makikilalang malinaw at wasto.

Ang may tandang letra alinmang talata
di mo mawatasa't malalim na wika,
ang mata'y itingin sa dakong ibaba
buong kahuluga'y mapag-uunawa.

Hanggang dito ako O nanasang pantas,
sa akay Sigesmundo'y huwag ding matulad,
sa gayong katamis wikang masasarap
ay sa kababgo ng tula'y umalat.

TaleCraft Story-Creation Contest in Davao City

2008-01-07T19:49:00.001+08:00

TaleCraft, a unique card game invented by Davaoeña Ria Lu, is holdingStory-Creation Contest in Davao City on Saturday, January 12, 2008 at the Gaisano Mall of Davao.

There are two competition categories:
(A)For players 12-16 years old
(B)For players 17 and up

Exciting prizes await the competition winners.

See you this Saturday! :)

Privacy Policy Statement

2008-01-01T17:43:00.000+08:00

Privacy Policy Statement
This is the web site of Maria A. Jose.

Our postal address is
CVA Building, CM Recto Street
Davao City 8000

We can be reached via e-mail at riajose@gmail.com or you can reach us by telephone at 6382-2278131.

For each visitor to our Web page, our Web server automatically recognizes IP Address.

We collect the e-mail addresses of those who post messages to our bulletin board, aggregate information on what pages consumers access or visit.

The information we collect is used for internal review and is then discarded, used to improve the content of our Web page.

With respect to cookies: We use cookies to store visitors preferences, record user-specific information on what pages users access or visit, alert visitors to new areas that we think might be of interest to them when they return to our site, record past activity at a site in order to provide better service when visitors return to our site , ensure that visitors are not repeatedly sent the same banner ads.

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With respect to Ad Servers: To try and bring you offers that are of interest to you, we have relationships with other companies that we allow to place ads on our Web pages. As a result of your visit to our site, ad server companies may collect information such as your domain type, your IP address and clickstream information. For further information, consult the privacy policies of: http://www.google.com/privacy.html .

From time to time, we may use customer information for new, unanticipated uses not previously disclosed in our privacy notice. If our information practices change at some time in the future we will post the policy changes to our Web site to notify you of these changes and we will use for these new purposes only data collected from the time of the policy change forward. If you are concerned about how your information is used, you should check back at our Web site periodically.

Upon request we provide site visitors with access to no information that we have collected and that we maintain about them.

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If you feel that this site is not following its stated information policy, you may contact The DMA's Committee on Ethical Business Practices at mgoldberger@the-dma.org.

Florante at Laura: Kay Celia

2007-12-26T17:23:00.002+08:00

Kay Celia

Kung pagsaulan kong basahin sa isip
ang nakaraan araw ng pag-ibig,
may mahahagilap kayang natititik
liban na kay Celian namugad sa dibdib?

Yaong Celiang laging pinanganganibang
baka makalimot sa pag-iibigan,
ang ikinalubog niring kapalaran
sa lubhang malalim na karalitaan.

Makaligtaan ko kayang di basahin
nagdaang panahon ng suyuan namin?
Kaniyang pagsintang ginugol sa akin
at pinuhunan kong pagod at hilahil?

Lumipas ang araw na lubhang matamis
at walang natira kundi ang pag-ibig,
tapat na pagsuying lalagi sa dibdib
hanggang sa libingan bangkay koy maidlip.

Ngayong namamanglaw na pangungulila,
ang ginagawa kong pag-aliw sa dusa:
nagdaang panaho’y inaalaala,
sa iyong larawa’y ninitang ginhawa.

Sa larawang guhit ng sa sintal pinsel
kusang knilimbag sa puso’t panimdim,
nag-iisang sanglang naiwan sa akin
at di mananakaw magpahanggang libing.

Ang kaluluwa ko’y kusang dumadalaw
sa lansanga’t nayong iyong niyapakan;
sa ilog Beata’t Hilom na mababaw
yaring aking puso’y laging lumiligaw.

Di mamakailang mupo ang panimdim
sa puno ng manggang naraanan natin,
sa nagbiting bungang ibig mong pitasin
ang ulilang sint’y aking inaaliw.

Ang katauhan ko’y kusang nagtatalik
sa buntonghininga nang ika’y may sakit;
himutok ko noo’y inaaring langit,
Paraiso naman ang may tulong silid.

Nililigawan ko ang iyong larawan
sa Makating ilog na kinalagian;
binabakas ko rin sa masayang dongan,
yapak ng paa mo sa batong tuntungan.

Nagbabalik mandi’t parang hinaharap
dito ang panahong masayang lumipas
na kung maliligo’y sa tubig aagap,
nang hindi abutin ng tabsing sa dagat.
Parang narinig ang lagi mong wika:
Tatlong araw na di natatanaw-tama.
At sinasagot ko ng sabing may tuwa:
Sa isa katao’y marami ang handa.

Ang pa nga’t walang di nasisiyasat
ang pag-iisip ko sa tuwang kumupas;
sa kagugunita, luha'y lagaslas
sabay ang taghoy kong O, nasawing palad!

Nasaan si Celiang ligaya dibdib?
Ang suyuan nami'y bakit di lumawig?
Nahan ang panahong isa niyang titig
ang siyang buhay ko, kaluluwa't langit?

Bakit baga niyong kami'y maghiwalay
ay di pa nakitil yaring buhay?
Kung gunitain ka'y aking kamatayan,
sa puso ko Celia'y di ka mapaparam.

Itong di matiis na pagdaralita
nang dahil sa iyo, O nalayong tuwa,
ang siyang umakay na ako'y tumula,
awitin ang buhay ng isang naaba.

Celia, talastas ko't malabis na umid,
mangmang ang musa ko't malumbay ang tinig
palaring dinggin mo ang talinga't isip.

Ito'y unang bukal ng bait kong kutad
na inihahandog sa mahal mong yapak:
tanggapin mo nawa kahit walang lasap,
nagbuhat sa puso ng lingkod na tapat.

Kung kasadlakan man ng pula't pag-ayop,
tubo ko'y dakila sa puhunang pagod,
kung binabasa mo'y isa mang himutok
ay alalahanin yaring naghahandog.

Masasayang nimpa sa lawa ng Bai,
Sirenas, ang tinig ay kawili-wili,
kayo ngayo'y siyang pinipintakasi
ng lubhang mapanglaw na musa kong imbi.

Ahon sa dalata't pampang na nagligid,
tonohan ng lira yaring abang awit
na nagsaaslitang buhay ma'y mapatid,
tapat na pagsinta'y hangad na lumawig.

Ikaw na bulaklak niring dili-dili,
Celiang sagisag mo'y ang eMe A eRe;
sa birheng mag-ina'y ipamintakasi
ang tapat mong lingkod nsa si eFe Be.

Notes
This is a dedication to Balagtas' beloved Celia to whom he offers the awit Florante at Laura. In this dedication, Balagtas laments his loss of Celia, and how his sorrow and longing for Celia has inspired him to write Florante at Laura.

Florante at Laura

2007-12-22T14:23:00.001+08:00

Florante at Laura (Florante and Laura) is one of the most popular pieces of Filipino literature written by Francisco Balagtas (Baltazar)i the 1830s. It is a lyrical poem with 399 categorized as an "awit" in Philippine Literature.

This is the first post in Pinoy Reader's Florante at Laura series.

The Bibliophile Stalker's Neil Gaiman in the Philippines' Compendium

2007-11-25T17:51:00.001+08:00

Charles Tan aka the Bibliophile Stalker is providing a compendium of everything related to Neil Gaiman's recent trip to the Philippines.

Included in the compendium are:
Neil Gaiman's Philippine Advertising Congress talk: Imagination and Creativity in the Contemporary World - link
and
A Gathering of Dreamlings and Nightmares - link

Charles also has links to his accounts of Neil Gaiman's 2005 trip:
Writer's Forum
Jam 88.3 Interview
MTV Hanging Out
NU 107

Have fun Neil Gaiman fans! :D

Order of the Chronicles of Narnia Books

2007-11-23T19:34:00.002+08:00

Earlier today, Kuya Andrew was asking me for the order of CS Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia books. I found it hard to remember the order of the books because I didn't read the books in order. And quite honestly, the series' events are quite confusing.

The books were published in the following order:
1) The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - 1950
2) Prince Caspian - 1951
3) The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - 1952
4) The Silver Chair - 1953
5) The Horse and His Boy - 1954
6) The Magician's Nephew - 1955
7) The Last Battle - 1956

Officially, the books' chronological order is as follows:
1) The Magician's Nephew
2) The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
3) The Horse and His Boy
4) Prince Caspian
5) The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
6) The Silver Chair
7) The Last Battle

Harry Potter Fans Get a Chance to Win a Part in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2007-11-23T16:21:00.001+08:00

In a unique promo, a website is offering the chance of a lifetime for a Harry Potter fan to have a walk in role in the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince movie. The bad news... you can only join if you live in UK. :(

For UK residents, you can find the contest here.

Discovering Mathematics: The Art of Investigation

2007-11-10T00:21:00.003+08:00

I admit it... I ♥ Math. It might not love me that much, but I absolutely love it. So when I heard about the Discovering Mathematics: The Art of Investigation (Dover Books on Mathematical & Word Recreations), I was intrigued and sieged with want.

According to the Queena Lee-Chua it is a classic book that presents a different view of Math. It presents intriguing and challenging problems that may be solved by use of "high school math, plus a little courage and lots of patience."

This book is now on my list of must-haves. I am looking forward to immersing myself in its geekiness.

I am Joining the Mindanao Bloggers Summit

2007-10-20T23:36:00.000+08:00

This Saturday, expect me to be busy as a bee (as if that's not my usual state), because I am attending the First Mindanao Bloggers Summit (MBS1). MBS1 is going to be held as part of the 6th Mindanao ICT Congress and 1st BIMP-EAGA ICT Conference.

It is going to be held at the NCCC Mall of Davao (located along McArthur Highway in Davao City) on October 27, 2007 from 9 am to 6 pm. Registration and participation is totally free for all bloggers. Just register HERE.

The tentative Program of MBS1 is as follows (may change):

Opening Remarks: Building a Bloggers Community by Blogie Robillo
Keynote Speech: Blogging & Participatory Governance by Hon. Pete Laviña
Blogging in Mindanao: Travel & Technology by Bob Martin
Socio-Cultural Mindset of the Mindanaoan by Fr. Albert Alejo, SJ
LUNCH
Transition from “Emo” to Niche Blogging by Kim Castillo
Blogging as a Way of Life: Problogging & New Media by Jayvee Fernandez
How to Optimize Your Wordpress Blog for Top Search Rankings by Marc Macalua
Presentation of Summit Resolutions: The Role of Bloggers in Fostering Understanding & Peace in Mindanao
Pick Their Brains Session with A-List Bloggers: Abe Olandres, Aileen Apolo, Andrew dela Serna, Bob Martin, Jayvee Fernandez

And to make things more interesting, we also have three Side Events:
Mindanao Bloggers Fellowship Night
Venue: 2/F Casa Habana, Habana Compound, Rizal St., Davao City
Time: 9:00 PM
No entrance fee!

You Got Blogged! DigitalFilipino.com / MindanaoBloggers.com Review-a-Blog Competition
Review a Mindanao blog and win cash prizes! Are you a Mindanaoan? Make sure your blog is included in the Mindanao Blog Directory.
Here's how to join. View the entries here.

Mindanao Blog Awards
Not your usual blog contest: categories include Best Advocacy Blog, Best Travel Blog, Best Bisaya Blog, Best Blog of Mindanao, and more! To be nominated, submit your blog to the Mindanao Blog Directory.
This contest will be launched during the Summit.

MBS1 is proudly organized by Davao's The Usual Suspects: Pete, Andrew, Blogie, Dom, Jun, Kim, Marc, Migs, and Ria (me).

The MBS1 is made possible through the support of the following:
Special Event Sponsors
Join the DigitalFilipino.com Club!
Dimsum Diner
Swiss Deli

Major Sponsors
Councilor Peter Laviña
NoKiAHOST.COM P5/day webhosting
Globe Broadband
ACT for Peace Programme

Minor Sponsors
Davao’s Food Huntress
Web Design Philippines
Orange County Real Estate
Web Developer Philippines
BisayaBloggers.com
Fwendz Diner
Artcom Printing Services
Cubepixels Design Studio

Donors
Lane Systems
Snap Graphic & Sign
Motorcycle Davao
Eric Clark Su

Want to be an MBS1 Sponsor? CLICK HERE.

Want to join? REGISTER NOW!!!

Poetry by Pablo Neruda

2007-10-08T15:26:00.002+08:00

Recording by Miranda Richardson for the Lyrics and Poetry Soundtrack of Il Postino.

Poetry
by Pablo Neruda

And it was at that age ... Poetry arrived
in search of me. I don't know, I don't know where
it came from, from winter or a river.
I don't know how or when,
no they were not voices, they were not
words, nor silence,
but from a street I was summoned,
from the branches of night,
abruptly from the others,
among violent fires
or returning alone,
there I was without a face
and it touched me.

I did not know what to say, my mouth
had no way
with names,
my eyes were blind,
and something started in my soul,
fever or forgotten wings,
and I made my own way,
deciphering
that fire,
and I wrote the first faint line,
faint, without substance, pure
nonsense,
pure wisdom
of someone who knows nothing,
and suddenly I saw
the heavens
unfastened
and open,
planets,
palpitating plantations,
shadow perforated,
riddled
with arrows, fire and flowers,
the winding night, the universe.

And I, infinitesimal being,
drunk with the great starry
void,
likeness, image of
mystery,
felt myself a pure part
of the abyss,
I wheeled with the stars,
my heart broke loose on the wind.

This poem is a simple but very powerful description of how poetry captures a poet, how it suddenly arrives without warning, and gives meaning and beauty to everything.

Long Walk to Forever by Kurt Vonnegut

2007-10-03T23:56:00.002+08:00

Long Walk to Forever
by Kurt Vonnegut

They had grown up next door to each other, on the fringe of a city, near fields and woods and orchards, within sight of a lovely bell tower that belonged to a school for the blind.

Now they were twenty, had not seen each other for nearly a year. There had always ben playful, comfortable warmth between them, but never any talk of love.

His name was Newt. Her name was Catharine. In the early afternoon, Newt knocked on
Catharine's front door.

Catharine came to the door. She was carrying a fat, glossy magazine she had been reading. The magazine was devoted entirely to brides. "Newt!" she said. She was surprised to see him.

"Could you come for a walk?" he said. He was a shy person, even with Catharine. He
covered his shyness by speaking absently as though what really concerned him were far
away--as though he were a secret agent pausing briefly on a mission between beautiful, distant, and sinister points. This manner of speaking had always been Newt's style, even in matters that concerned him desperately.

"A walk?" said Catharine.
"One foot in front of the other," said Newt, "through leaves, over bridges---"
"I had no idea you were in town," she said.
"Just this minute got in," he said.
"Still in the Army, I see," she said.
"Seven months more to go," he said. He was a private first class in the Artillery. His uniform was rumpled. His shoes were dusty. He needed a shave. He held out his hand for the magazine. "Let's see the pretty book," he said.
She gave it to him. "I'm getting married, Newt," she said.
"I know," he said. "Let's go for a walk."
"I'm awfully busy, Newt," she said. "The wedding is only a week away."
"If we go for a walk," he said, "it will make you rosy. It will make you a rosy bride." He turned the pages of the magazine. "A rosy bride like her--like her--like her," he said, showing her rosy brides.

Catharine turned rosy, thinking about rosy brides.
"That will be my present to Henry Stewart Chasens," said Newt. "By taking you for a walk,
I'll be giving him a rosy bride."
"You know his name?" she said.
"Mother wrote," he said. "From Pittsburgh?"
"Yes," she said. "You'd like him."
"Maybe," he said.
"Can--can you come to the wedding, Newt?" she said.
"That I doubt," he said.
"Your furlough isn't for long enough?" she said.
"Furlough?" said Newt. He was studying a two page ad for flat silver. "I'm not on furlough," he said.
"Oh?" she said.
"I'm what they call A.W.O.L.," said Newt.
"Oh, Newt! You're not!" she said.
"Sure I am," he said, still looking at the magazine.
"Why, Newt?" she said.
"I had to find out what your silver pattern is," he said. He read names of silver patterns from the magazine. Albemarle? Heather?" he said. "Legend? Rambler Rose?" He looked up, smiled. "I plan to give you and your husband a spoon," he said.

"Newt, Newt--tell me really," she said.
"I want to go for a walk," he said.
She wrung her hands in sisterly anguish. "Oh, Newt--you're fooling me about being A.W.O.L.," she said.
Newt imitated a police siren softly, and raised his eyebrows.
"Where--where from?"
"Fort Bragg," he said.
"North Carolina?" she said.
"That's right," he said. "Near Fayetteville--where Scarlet O'Hara went to school."
"How did you get here, Newt?" she said.
He raised his thumb, jerked it in a hitchhike gesture. "Two days," he said.
"Does your mother know?" she said.
"I didn't come to see my mother," he told her.
"Who did you come to see?" she said.
"You," he said.
"Why me?" she said.
"Because I love you," he said. "Now can we take a walk?" he said. "One foot in front of the other--through leaves, over bridges--"

They were taking the walk now, were in a woods with a brown-leaf floor.
Catharine was angry and rattled, close to tears. "Newt," she said, "this is absolutely crazy."
"How so?" said Newt.
"What a crazy time to tell me you love me," she said. "You never talked that way before." She stopped walking.
"Let's keep walking," he said.
"No," she said. "So far, no farther. I shouldn't have come out with you at all," she said.
"You did," he said.
"To get you out of the house," she said. "If somebody walked in and heard you talking to me that way, a week before the wedding--"
"What would they think?" he said.
"They'd think you were crazy," she said.
"Why?" he said
Catharine took a deep breath, made a speech. "Let me say that I'm deeply honored by this crazy thing you've done," she said. "I can't believe you're really A.W.O.L., but maybe you are. I can't believe you really love me, but maybe you do. But--"
"I do," said Newt.
"Well, I'm deeply honored," said Catharine, "and I'm very fond of you as a friend, Newt, extremely fond--but it's just too late." She took a step away from him. "You've never even kissed me," she said, and she protected herself with her hands. "I don't mean you should do it now. I just mean that this is all so unexpected. I haven't got the remotest idea of how to respond."
"Just walk some more," he said. "Have a nice time."
They started walking again.
"How did you expect me to react?" she said.
"How would I know what to expect?" he said. "I've never done anything like this before."
Did you think I would throw myself into your arms?" she said.
"Maybe," he said.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you," she said.
"I'm not disappointed," he said. "I wasn't counting on it. This is very nice, just walking."
Catharine stopped again. "You know what happens next?" she said.
"Nope," he said.
"We shake hands," she said. "We shake hands and part friends," she said. "That's what happens next."
Newt nodded. "All right," he said. "Remember me from time to time. Remember how much I loved you."
Involuntarily, Catharine burst into tears. She turned her back to Newt, looked into the infinite colonnade of the woods.
"What does that mean?" said Newt.
"Rage!" said Catharine. She clenched her hands. "You have no right--"
"I had to find out," he said.
"If I'd loved you," she said, "I would have let you know before now."
"You would?" he said.
"Yes," she said. She faced him, looked up at him, her face quite red. "You would have known," she said.
"How?" he said.
"You would have seen it," she said. "Women aren't very clever at hiding it."
Newt looked closely at Catharine's face now. To her consternation, she realized that what she had said was true, that a woman couldn't hide love.
Newt was seeing love now.
And he did what he had to do. He kissed her.

"You're hell to get along with!" she said when Newt let her go.
"I am?" said Newt.
"You shouldn't have done that," she said.
"You didn't like it?" he said.
"What did you expect," she said--"wild, adandoned passion?"
"I keep telling you," he said," I never know what's going to happen next."
"We say good-by," she said.
He frowned slightly. "All right," he said.
She made another speech. "I'm not sorry we kissed," she said. "That was sweet. We should have kissed, we've been so close. I'll always remember you , Newt, and good luck."
"You too," he said.
"Thirty days," he said.
"What?" she said.
"Thirty days in the stockade," he said--"that's what one kiss will cost me."
"I--I'm sorry," she said, "but I didn't ask you to go A.W.O.L."
"I know," he said.
"You certainly don't deserve any hero's reward for doing something as foolish as that," she said.
"Must be nice to be a hero," said Newt. "Is Henry Stewart Chasens a hero?"
"He might be, if he got the chance," said Catharine. She noted uneasily that they had begun to walk again. The farewell had been forgotten.
"You really love him?" he said.
"Certainly I love him!" she said hotly. "I wouldn't marry him if I didn't love him!"
"What's good about him?" said Newt.
"Honestly!" she cried, stopping again. "Do you have any idea how offensive you're being? Many, many, many things are good about Henry! Yes," she said, "and many, many, many things are probably bad, too. But that isn't any of your business. I love Henry, and I don't have to argue his merits with you!"
"Sorry," said Newt.
"Honestly!" said Catharine.
Newt kissed her again. He kissed her again because she wanted him to.

They were now in a large orchard.
"How did we get so far from home, Newt?" said Catharine.
"One foot in front of the other--through leaves, over bridges," said Newt.
"They add up--the steps," she said.
Bells rang in the tower of the school for the blind nearby.
"School for the blind," said Newt.
"School for the blind," said Catharine. She shook her head in drowsy wonder. "I've got to go back now," she said.
"Say good-by," said Newt.
"Every time I do," said Catharine, "I seem to get kissed."
Newt sat down on the close-cropped grass under an apple tree. "Sit down," he said.
"No," she said.
"I won't touch you," he said.
"I don't believe you," she said.
She sat down under another tree, twenty feet away from him. She closed her eyes.
"Dream of Henry Stewart Chasens," he said.
"What?" she said.
"Dream of your wonderful husband-to-be," he said.
"All right, I will," she said. She closed her eyes tighter, caught glimpses of her husband-to-be.
Newt yawned.
The bees were humming in the trees, and Catharine almost fell asleep. When she opened her eyes she saw that Newt really was asleep.
He began to snore softly.
Catharine let him sleep for an hour, and while he slept she adored him with all her heart.
The shadows of the apple trees grew to the east. The bells in the tower of the school for the blind rang again.
"*chick-a-dee-dee-dee*," went a chickadee.
Somewhere far away an automobile started nagged and failed, nagged and failed, fell still.
Catharine came out from under her tree, knelt by Newt.
"Newt?" she said.
"H'm?" he said. He opened his eyes.
"Late," she said.
"Hello, Catharine," he said.
"Hello, Newt," she said.
"I love you," he said.
"I know," she said.
"Too late," he said.
"Too late," she said.
He stood, stretched groaningly. "A very nice walk," he said.
"I thought so," she said.
"Part company here?" he said.
"Where will you go?" she said.
"Hitch into town, turn myself in," he said.
"Good luck," she said.
"You too," he said. "Marry me, Catharine?"
"No," she said.
He smiled, stared at her hard for a moment, then walked away quickly.
Catharine watched him grow smaller in the long perspective of shadows and trees, knew that if he stopped and turned now, if he called to her, she would run to him. She would have no choice.
Newt did stop. He did turn. He did call. "Catharine," he called.
She ran to him, put her arms aroud him, could not speak.

Mikael de Lara Co: Don Carlos Palanca Awardee for Poetry

2007-10-01T01:00:00.002+08:00

The horizon, my ancestors say,
is an eye. When it shuts
its lashes sift the sea for rafts

and turn fishermen and divers to stone,
their hands still clenched around pearls,
their blood turning crystalline and cold.

The gods were in love with the horizon.
They hung their jewels
on the night-sky and ebbed into the eye
while my people stared
at the orphaned trinkets.

The poem above is an excerpt from the the poem Archipelago by Mikael "Kael" de Lara Co. It is part of his award-winning collection "Hands for a Fistful of Sand." Other poems in the collection are Silence and Cryptic.

Hands for a Fistful of Sand won for Kael the First Prize for Poetry for this year's Don Carlos Palance Memorial Awards for Literature.

Kael was my classmate at AdMU. He was a BS Environmental Science major, but everybody knew his heart was in literature, in creatively tying up simple words and making them mean so much more.

This award is proof of his infinite genius. I believe he is going to be one of the poets of our generation who will define for us what Filipino poetry is in the second millennium.

Congratulations Kael!!!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Spoilers

2007-07-18T17:20:00.003+08:00

STOP!!!!!

SPOILERS

AHEAD!!!

From this site:

More spoilers soon... :D

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Movie

2007-07-17T16:08:00.001+08:00

So how was the movie? It was good... in fact it was just ok. It didn't really live up to the other Harry Potter movies, much less to the book it was based on. It was a good cinematic experience in itself.

There's not much that can be said about the movie. It had an ok storyline, the direction was good, and the special effects were great. Characterizations lacked depth. And all in all the acting of the cast was good, save for Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) who seemed to overact at times.

So do I recommend it? It's definitely a movie everybody must watch, but only for the sake of watching it.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix Movie Opens Today

2007-07-11T15:29:00.001+08:00

This is it. Today is the day when millions (and I actually mean hundreds of millions) of Harry Potter fans troop to the cinema to suffer in long lines, and painfully full theatres just so they could see and experience what they have already seen and experienced through their imagination. Today, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix opens in thousands of cinemas worldwide. And I will be one of many who will be watching it (hopefully).

I expect to leave the movie house filled with awe and excitement. My advice to all you Harry Potter fans who have read the book, enjoy the movie as it is. Don't compare it to the book. Don't look for things that aren't there or that are not supposed to be there. Just watch and savor the wonder of it all. Look at it with fresh eyes. That's what I'm going to do.

RAWR!!!

27th Manila International Bookfair

2006-07-22T22:44:00.001+08:00

What: 27th Manila International Bookfair
When: August 30 - September 3, 2006, 10 am - 8pm
Where: World Trade Center Metro Manila

Visit the event's website for more details.

Unmasked: Awarding of the 1st Philippine Graphic/Fiction

2006-07-13T23:29:00.001+08:00

Award-winning author Neil Gaiman and Fully Booked present the winners to the 1st Philippine Graphic/Fiction Awards on July 15, 2006 at the Rockwell Tent.

Gates to the fantasy multi-media exhibit open at 10 AM. Works of the finalists in both the comics/graphic novel and short story categories will be displayed. The Alex Nino Award (comics/graphic novel genre) and the Gregorio Brillantes Award (short story genre) will be announced at 7 PM along with the other winners.

Everyone is encouraged to wear an originally created mask in line with the filipino fantasy theme as we will be awarding the best original masks of the night.

Article taken from Fully Booked Online.

Harry Potter Six Update

2006-07-07T23:10:00.001+08:00

Harry Potter author, JK Rowling, has announced that two beloved characters in the series will die before the series come to a close. Who will it be??? That's the question bugging the minds of Harry Potter fans everywhere.

Some of the popular guesses include Harry Potter himself, his bestfriends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, and Harry's girlfriend Ginny Weasley. Some people also guess that it might be one of the Weasleys and a lot hope that it's Percy.

Personally, I think it might be Snape but not after he has redeemed himself and revealed that Dumbledore's "murder" was part of a greater plan.

Pablo Neruda's TO WASH A CHILD

2006-07-07T22:53:00.002+08:00

TO WASH A CHILD
by Pablo Neruda

Only the most ancient love on earth
will wash and comb the statue of the children,
straighten the feet and knees.
The water rises, the soap slithers,
and the pure body comes up to breathe
the air of flowers and motherhood.

Oh, the sharp watchfulness,
the sweet deception,
the lukewarm struggle!

Now the hair is a tangled
pelt criscrossed by charcoal,
by sawdust and oil,
soot, wiring, crabs,
until love, in its patience,
sets up buckets and sponges,
combs and towels,
and, out of scrubbing and combing, amber,
primal scrupulousness, jasmines,
has emerged the child, newer still,
running from the mother's arms
to clamber again on its cyclone,
go looking for mud, oil, urine and ink,
hurt itself, roll about on the stones.
Thurs, newly washed, the child springs into life,
for later, it will have time for nothing more
than keeping clean, but with the life lacking.

ANALYSIS:

MADONNA AND CHILD
A child is often described as innocent, care free and worry-free. He doesn’t care about appearances; he is not pretentious; and he tells everything as it is. He is perhaps the most delightful creature on earth, always smiling, facing the world without any fear and always full of wonder and astonishment. To him the world is full of surprises, full of places to explore, people to meet and things to do. The dictionary describes him as a young person or someone that is strongly influenced by something, a person, place, event or thing.

The same dictionary describes a mother as a female parent, someone who cares for and protects someone or something. Society describes her as the “light of the home.” She guides her child into the right path; someone who nurtures, cares, loves and understands. She is patient, tender and always protective of her child. She is the most important person in a child’s life; she is the one who determines what the child will be. She will instill values and teach her child lessons.

Pablo Neruda’s poem, To Wash a Child, tells us the story of a mother and child. How a mother nurtures and cares for her child and how the child is carefree and innocent.

Only the most ancient love on earth
will wash and comb the statue of the children,
straighten the feet and knees.The first line of the poem mentions “the most ancient love on earth.” This pertains to a mother’s love which existed even before the human beings did. No matter which one is true, the bible creation story or the theory of evolution, I can safely that other forms of animals existed before human beings did. Other animals such as monkeys, gorillas, even dogs and birds, are parental creatures. Their system of living includes the mother nurturing the offspring until the offspring is old enough to take care of itself. This love, maternal love, is the only love which will “wash and comb the statue of the children, / straighten the feet and knees.” The washing and the combing gives us a picture of the mother cleaning the child, freeing him of impurities and other things that pollute or destroy the child’s physical body. This may also be interpreted as the mother teaching his child the right values and filtering and ridding his mind of impurities. The image of straightening may also connote instilling the child with the values of being upright and honest.

The water rises, the soap slithers,
and the pure body comes up to breathe
the air of flowers and motherhood.The image of the water rising gives us the scene that the child is being emerged in water and the soap slithering gives us the feeling of being cleansed. The line “and the pure body comes up to breathe / the air of flowers and motherhood,” shows us the effort of the child to rise above the water to breathe, to live. The pure body signifies a clean body, free of dirt. It denotes free of moral fault, chastity and innocence. Flowers are the part of a plant which blooms and shows the plant’s maturity. In the poem, flower means the state of blooming, maturing or gaining wisdom. As mentioned motherhood is a state of nurturing a child, which also suggests the molding of a child by the mother.

Oh, the sharp watchfulness,
the sweet deception,
the lukewarm struggle!The “sharp watchfulness” means a distinct attentiveness. It expresses the mother’s protection over her child. While the “sweet deception” is juxtaposition with sweet meaning pleasing which is positive and deception meaning the act of causing belief in an untruth which is negative. What this paragraph probably suggests is the half-hearted sternness of the mother to discipline her child for love of her child. The “lukewarm struggle” is another juxtaposition with lukewarm meaning unenthusiastic and struggle being a violent or vigorous effort or exertion. The adjective lukewarm gives as a feeling of half-heartedness, where the child, in response to the “sweet deception,” half-heartedly fights or resists his mother. The usual conflict between a mother and her child is highlighted.

Now the hair is tangled
pelt crisscrossed by the charcoal
by sawdust and oil,
soot, wiring, crabs,The first four lines of the third stanza show us the image of the child being dirty and in a mess. The imagery suggests a child’s situation of being confused, of being exposed to the violence, greed and other impurities of the world.

until love, in its patience,
sets up buckets and sponges,
combs and towels,Until his mother patiently cleans him up again. This refers to the mother’s love nourishing him, comforting him, helping him sort out his confusion, absorbing his pain.

and, out of scrubbing and combing, amber
primal scrupulousness, jasmines,
has emerged the child, newer still
running from the mother’s arms
to clamber again on its cyclone,
go looking for mud, oil, urine, and ink,
hurt itself, roll about on the stones.
Thus, newly washed, the child springs to life,And after the cleansing, the child will come out unscathed and clean, ready to run from his mother to go out and play again. The image of the child going away from his mother expresses the child’s want for freedom. His clambering on a cyclone and looking for mud, oil, urine, and in, hurting himself and rolling about on stones gives us a picture of the child playing and frolicking. This is the child’s enjoyment of life, looking at life with innocence and wonder. Wanting to go out and experience more.

for, later, it will have time for nothing more
than keeping clean, but with the life lacking.The child is enjoying all his time because later, he will do nothing but clean himself. This shows a change in the child. In the second stanza and the first few lines of the third stanza, the child does not care at all with being clean and just wants to go out and play. But in the last two lines of the poem, the child will no longer have time to play; instead he will keep himself clean all the time. This reveals to us the child’s eventual maturity where he loses his innocence and carefree attitude. He will just be concerned with keeping himself clean, acceptable to society and will no longer enjoy himself. This last two lines also doesn’t show the image of the mother anymore suggesting that the child’s loss of innocence and carefree attitude may happen when he will have to care for himself.

The poem does not only speak to us the boundless love of a mother to her child. Her love being unconditional and patient. And the child being carefree and innocent. But there comes a time when a mother has to leave her child. When the child has to care for himself and no longer be carefree but careful of what he does, no matter how much he doesn’t enjoy doing so.

Jose Garcia Villa's I CAN NO MORE HEAR LOVE'S

2006-07-07T22:39:00.001+08:00

I can no more hear Love's
Voice. No more moves
The mouth of her. Birds
No more sing. Words
I speak return lonely.
Flowers I pick turn ghostly.
Fire that I burn glows
Pale. No more blows
The wind. Time tells
No more truth. Bells
Ring no more in me.
I am all alone singly.
Lonely rests my head.
—— O my God! I am dead.

Harry Potter 7 Theory {SPOILERS ALERT}

2006-04-20T04:33:00.001+08:00

For those who haven't read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, STOP READING!!!

for those who have read HPHBP, or those who doesn't care about spoilers:

I think that D is not really dead. S might have had a previous or more powerful "Unbreakable Vow" with D with precedes or supercedes S's Unbreakable Vow with N.

OEDIPUS REX Plot

2006-03-18T22:14:00.001+08:00

Exposition:
The city of Thebes is beset by a plague that is killing all the plants in the fields and the babies in their mothers’ womb. It is threatening Thebes' existence. The Delphic Oracle advises that in order to get rid of the plague, the murderer of its past king, Laius, be cast out of Thebes.

Conflict:
Teiresias, the blind prophet called to reveal the identity of Laius’ murderer names the king, Oedipus, as Laius’ murderer. This angers Oedipus and he becomes determined to inquire and know the identity of Laius’ murderer. There is man versus man conflict between Oedipus and Teiresias. When Oedipus also accuses Creon of conspiring with Teiresias to bring him down as king of Thebes, another man versus man conflict arises.

However, the more prominent conflicts in the story are Oedipus’ battle against his fate and his own pride. The man versus nature conflict between Oedipus and his fate is played out from his birth, running away from Corinth to “escape” his fate only to be lead to killing Laius and marrying Jocasta. Oedipus also plays out a man versus himself conflict when his pride causes him to irrationally accuse Teiresias and Creon of conspiring against him. More importantly, his pride and belief that he can save Thebes again leads him to self-destruction when his careful and exhaustive inquiry reveals his parentage and his crimes of parricide and incest.

Climax:
The messenger from Corinth reveals Oedipus’ true identity. The herdsman further reveals Oedipus’ parentage. The truth that the twice prophesized Oedipus’ murder of his own father and marriage to his own mother has indeed come to pass. As a result of these revelations, Jocasta kills herself and Oedipus blinds himself.

Dénouement:
Oedipus asks Creon to exile him from Thebes and to take care of his daughters. Oedipus leaves Thebes.

RENE LIZADA's Papa's Table

2006-03-18T20:07:00.001+08:00

Rene Lizada spent most of his adult life sharing knowledge and wisdom as an English teacher at a local high school. But after years of teaching, he is now living the corporate life. He also conducts workshops and seminars for budding writers and is an active member to Toastmasters.

Lizada writes a column entitled "Papa's Table" for the Sunstar Davao. In his column, he shares serious and funny life experiences, anecdotes, lessons and other musings. He often narrates stories about his wife and his kids. His eldest, Miguel Lizada, also has a column at the same newspaper, entitled "Kuya's Table."

The older Lizada's topics vary, but his entries are always hearfelt and well-written. His column should be read, not only for the sake of reading, but to learn, as well. Not only the lessons his explicitly shares but also his impeccable command of the English language. Although he rarely uses highfalutin words, he always manages to capture through his words, his experiences, reactions and emotions.

Papa's Table is usually published in the Sunstar Davao Newspaper and Website every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Jerusha C. Asprec: THE NUTTY PROFESSOR!

2006-02-26T01:37:00.001+08:00

Nope, this is not about the movie. This Nutty Professor is Jerusha C. Asprec. Jerusha is a writer, a professor and blogger.

She prefers to define herself as a...

"Middle child, only girl * Young face, old soul * Outsider, looking in * Adventurer * Weirdo * Caffeine addict * An insomniac who can sleep like a log * Popcorn devourer * Knuckle cracker * Lyrics expert * Soup and pasta cook * Occasional klutz * Part-time professor, part-time grad student, FULL-TIME NUT CASE * Extreme thinker * Big-time dreamer * Crazy over childhood candies * Lover of the rain * Forever nostalgic * In the world, but not of the world * A certified radical for JESUS."

In her blog, The Nutty Professor!, she writes about her fulfilling, but frustrating and sometimes funny experiences as a professor.

Pablo Neruda's TONIGHT I CAN WRITE

2006-02-22T22:06:00.002+08:00

TONIGHT I CAN WRITE
by Pablo Neruda

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
Write, for example, "The night is shattered
And blue stars shiver in the distance."

The night wind revolves in the sky and sings.
Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.
Through the nights like this one I held her in my arms.
I kissed her over and over again under the endless sky.

She loved me, sometimes I did love her too.
How could I not have loved her great eyes.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines.
To think that I do not have her. To feel that I have lost her.
To hear the immense night, still more immense without her.
And the verse falls to the soul like dew to the pasture.

What does it matter if my love could not keep her.
The night is shattered and she is not with me.

This is all. In the distance someone is singing. In the distance.
My soul is not satisfied because it has lost her.

My sight searches for her as though to go to her.
My heart looks for her, and she is no longer with me.

The same night whitening the same trees.
We both of that time are no longer the same.
I no longer love her, that's true, but how much I have loved her.
My voice tried to find the wind to touch her hearing.
Another’s. She will be another’s. Like my kisses before.
Her voice, her bright body. Her infinite eyes.
I no longer love her, that’s true, but maybe I do love her.
Love is so short and forgetting is so long.

Because through nights like this one I held her in my arms
My soul is not satisfied because it has lost her.

Though this is the last pain that she makes me suffer
And these the last verses I write for her.

Robert Frost's Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening

2006-02-20T21:48:00.001+08:00

Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening
Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Oedipus Rex Characters

2006-02-20T21:01:00.003+08:00

Characters in Sophocles' Greek Drama OEDIPUS REX:

1.) Oedipus is the king of Thebes. He is the tragic hero in the drama. He is actually the ill-fated son of Laius and Jocasta who was predicted to kill Laius and marry Jocasta. Because of these prophecies, he ends up believing that Polybus and Meropé, the king and queen of Corinth, are his real parents. He leaves Corinth after an oracle makes a similar prophecy about him. He ends up killing a man at a place where three highways meet and answering the Sphinx’s riddle to become the king of Thebes and marry Jocasta as reward. In the drama, he is seeking the murderer of Laius to get rid of the plague in Thebes. He is a man admired by the Thebans because of his great intellect. But in the end, he falls from grace after his true identity is revealed. Oedipus is often described as the perfect example of a tragic hero whose hubris or pride and hammartia or error in judgment lead to his downfall.

2.) Jocasta is Laius’ widow and Oedipus’ mother. She later married Oedipus after Oedipus saved Thebes from the Sphinx. She believed in the prophecy that said her and Laius’ son would kill Laius. Thus, she gave her infant son to a herdsman to be left at the mountain of Cithaeron to die. Later on, she ceases to believe in human oracles after she is misled to believe that a band of foreign robbers killed Laius. As soon as she realizes Oedipus’ real identity, she discourages Oedipus to continue his inquiry. When Oedipus refuses to stop the search for Laius’ murderer, Jocasta hangs herself to death.

3.) Creon is Jocasta’s brother. He is the ascendant to Oedipus’ throne. He was sent to ask the Delphic Oracle how to stop the blight. He was also sent to get Teiresias, the blind prophet. Oedipus accuses him of plotting treachery. Creon defends himself by saying that he does not wish to reign over a plagued Thebes and that has never desired anything he does not deserve. Towards the end, he graciously helps Oedipus to be with his daughters and be exiled from Thebes. In the end, he becomes Thebes’ king.

4.) Teiresias is the blind prophet called upon by Oedipus to reveal Laius’ murderer. At the beginning, he refuses to name Laius’ murderer knowing that it would distress Oedipus and Jocasta. But when angered by Oedipus’ accusations, he names Oedipus as Laius’ killer. He knows the truth about Oedipus’ parentage and fate. Before he leaves, he tells Oedipus that Oedipus killed his own father, married his own mother and is fated to be exiled from Thebes because of the shame of his unspeakable deeds. Oedipus accuses him of conspiring with Creon to overthrow Oedipus.

5.) The Messenger from Corinth arrives at Thebes to tell Oedipus that Polybus is dead and the people of Corinth have elected Oedipus to be their king. He assures Oedipus’ that the prophecy about his marriage to his marriage will not come true by revealing that Polybus and Meropé are not his real parents. He reveals that he got the infant Oedipus from a herdsman from Thebes and that he gave the infant Oedipus to the childless Polybus and Meropé.

6.) The Herdsman is summoned by Oedipus to reveal the truth about Laius’ death and the identity of the infant Oedipus’ parents. He is hesitant to tell the truth knowing the consequences of its revelation. But ends up telling the truth after Oedipus threaten him.

7.) The Priest, with his followers, is in front of the palace at the start of the drama. He is praying that the plague that is killing all the vegetation and the babies in their mothers’ wombs would be lifted from Thebes. He asks Oedipus to save Thebes once again.

8.) The Second Messenger is also the attendant or servant of Oedipus and Jocasta. He narrates what happened at the palace after Jocasta and Oedipus realizes the truth.

9.) Ismene and Antigone are Oedipus’ young daughters who Oedipus calls for at the end of the drama. Oedipus is dismayed that they will never be married because of their cursed parents. Oedipus begs Creon to take care of them.

10.) The Chorus of Theban Elders is used as an exposition device in the drama. They narrate the dire situation in plague-stricken Thebes. They also reflect and speculate on the events during the Stasimons.

Da Vinci Code

2006-01-28T00:21:00.002+08:00

I admit that I read Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code out of curiosity. I wanted to know what all the hullaballoo was really all about. And my curiosity was indeed satsfied after reading the book.

Dan Brown has a subtle way of revealing factoids and myths which simply grabs the reader's attention. And sometimes, it does make the reader think and reflect. After reading the book, one does not really know which is fact and which is fiction. The intrigue and the so-called "greatest" conspiracy in history of man is carefully unraveled bit by bit.

The only flaw of the book, I guess, is Brown's propensity to be distracted by romance. As in Deception Point, Brown does not apply his special kind of subtlety when it comes to the romantic storyline. The romantic parts, in my opinion, only irritate and slow down the page-turning pace of the story.

Brown's website summarizes the book:

"While in Paris on business, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon receives an urgent late-night phone call: the elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum. Near the body, police have found a baffling cipher. Solving the enigmatic riddle, Langdon is stunned to discover it leads to a trail of clues hidden in the works of Da Vinci…clues visible for all to see…and yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

Langdon joins forces with a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, and learns the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion—an actual secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci, among others. The Louvre curator has sacrificed his life to protect the Priory's most sacred trust: the location of a vastly important religious relic, hidden for centuries.

In a breathless race through Paris, London, and beyond, Langdon and Neveu match wits with a faceless powerbroker who appears to work for Opus Dei—a clandestine, Vatican-sanctioned Catholic sect believed to have long plotted to seize the Priory's secret. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle in time, the Priory's secret—and a stunning historical truth—will be lost forever.

In an exhilarating blend of relentless adventure, scholarly intrigue, and cutting wit, symbologist Robert Langdon (first introduced in Dan Brown's bestselling Angels & Demons) is the most original character to appear in years. THE DA VINCI CODE heralds the arrival of a new breed of lightening-paced, intelligent thriller…surprising at every twist, absorbing at every turn, and in the end, utterly unpredictable…right up to its astonishing conclusion."

The book is currently being made into a movie with my favorite actor, Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon. Although I would have loved Langdon to be played by Denzel Washington, I think Hanks will do a good job. The person I am wary about is director Ron Howard. Howard, though a good director, has a tendency to be overly sentimental and dramatic. I do not think that his style suits the fast-paced pseudo-adventure genre of Da Vinci Code. The movie is due to be released this June 2006.

Although I have the read book twice, I am currently coveting this special illustrated edition:

My Rating: 8 out of 10

Abo Sa Dila

2006-01-24T02:34:00.002+08:00

Abo Sa Dila (Ash on the Tongue) is the title of Mikael Co's blog. Who, you ask, is Mikael Co? Mikael or Kael is a graduate of Ateneo de Manila University, a former writer for Heights (AdMU's Literary Publication). He is a wonderful creative writer in both Filipino and English. Kael is the only person I know who can get away with speaking and reciting in Tagalog in an English or Philosophy (in English) class. He is that brilliant.

His latest post, Senti-naryo is his 100th blog entry. In the entry, he writes his sentiments about a number of random things.

Abo sa Dila is basically a peek into Kael's mind: his musings, reflections, and other things that are sometimes deep and sometimes mundane. He is always witty and sharp. He also posts his poems and other products of his bursts of creativity. Most of his blog's entries are in Tagalog.

Conrado de Quiros

2006-01-03T00:21:00.001+08:00

Conrado de Quiros is one of the opinion colmunists of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. His column entitled "There's the Rub" appears in the aforementioned daily from Monday to Thursday. His is witty, straight to the point appears to follow a strict code of ethics and morality. He is not a moralist but he does have a good sense of right and wrong which is apparent in his opinions. De Quiros does not simply admonish the appaling but also praises the whatever requires praise. He also has a readable style of writing which is witty but simple.

His columns also appear on INQ7.net and a reader also compiles it on the De Quiros Blog.

My Fair Maladies

2006-01-01T23:38:00.002+08:00

I received a new book this New Year and so far I am loving it. The book is "My Fair Maladies" a compilation of "Funny Essays and Poems on Various Ailments and Afflictions". The book is edited by Cristina Pantoja-HIdalgo and published by Milflores Publishing Inc.

So far, I have read the first three essays and I am LOVE IT! The first essay is "Ock Ock" a witty essay on Obssessive Compulsiveness (OC) by Vicente Garcia Groyon. It is followed by an essay on Anal-retentivenes, "My Name is Susan, and I am Anal-Retentive" by Susan S. Lara. Then, a weird but mildly amusing take on knuckle cracking, "When I Get Cracking," by Jerusha Asprec follows.

50 more essays and poems await my eyes to be read. Other contributors include Pol Medina of the Pugad Baboy fame, Danton Remoto, Ruel S. De Vera and Rebecca T. Añonuevo.

;)

The Magician's Nephew

2005-11-24T11:30:00.002+08:00

The Magician's Nephew (TMN) is the first book in CS Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. But it was the second book to be written (the first one was The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe). So you can say that TMN is a sort of prequel.

The nephew that the title refers to is Digory, the nephew of Uncle Andrew Ketterly, a demented recluse who thinks he is a magician. Although his parents are still alive, Digory is forced to live with his old maid aunt and bachelor uncle, Ms and Mr. Ketterly. While with the Ketterlys he befriends their neighbor's daughter, Polly Plummer. Together, Digory and Polly are sent into different worlds commencing with the brand-new world of Narnia. Along the way they experience various adventures, and meet Jadis the White Witch, who, unlike other white witches, is evil. They also meet Aslan, the majestic leader of the Narnians.

TMN gives a breath-taking preview of the world of Narnia and the adventures that await every child who ventures into its world. The story-telling is detailed but fast-paced and the book is just the right length for children. While it is categorized as a children's book, TMN (and the rest of the Narnia Chronicles) is for everybody. Older readers might read more into the book and give it a different appreciation, but the experience for both young and old is the same: one of wonder and fantasy. Reading TMN makes the reader anticipate and be excited about the 6 next books.

Rating: 10 ;)

Tw7sted

2005-11-14T11:51:00.002+08:00

The first-ever Jessica Zafra book I read was the second installment of Twisted. I was a senior in high school back then. And I got the book because my cousin gave it to me as a gift for Christmas. And I loved it. I read it over and over again. I eventually got to read the first installment and the four others in the series. I remember reading the entire fifth book in Powerbooks in SM Megamall. I was standing the entire time.

The Twisted series is actually compilations of her column entries on a national daily.

After reading seven books of bitching, whining and gushing, you'd think that I'd be bored with it. But, NO. This seventh book (eighth if you count the Twisted Flicks book) is proof that Jessica Zafra just continues to get better each time. And after I read it, my mind just screamed for more.

Jessica Zafra is not only witty, she is interesting. She makes the mundane interesting. And she does not simply bitch and whine. She substantiates her every emotion. And as I read about it, I too become convinced that her words are wisdom that should not be questioned. And what's even more attractive is her impeccable manner of writing and her use of language is simply flawless.

For this seventh book, her essays are categorized into seven categories. Journal is obviously about her personal experiences including tidbits about her cats, a house burning down and defrosting the refrigerator. Meanwhile, Current Events are all about politics and other news-worthy events. In Exercising Your Brain, Zafra suggests ways to prevent brain atrophy such as learning to be ambidextrous, writing backwards and learning a new language. Whacking is all about tennis and her tennis gods. Essays under Hearing are about music, Eminem and Kurt Cobain. Reading is about books and Watching about movies.

This book is certainly a ten. ;)

Deception Point

2005-11-13T22:31:00.002+08:00

I first read DECEPTION POINT months ago. And I liked it. Although the topic was a far departure from those in Dan Brown's earlier and more popular books--Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, it basically had the same elements: deception, twists, turns and a good dash of trivia and knowledge here and there.

This novel, however, deals more with politics and science. Instead of the Catholic Church, the institution in question is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The book reminds me of Michael Crichton's writing. Except of course, for the obvious pending romance between two of the main characters. Dan Brown kinda gives me the impression that he secretly wants to be a romance novel writer. Anyhow, the romance is kept to a minimum (although it is distracting and annoying at times).

The story revolves around the upcoming presidential elections and the bizarre events that can make or break the two contenders for the presidency. Senator Sedgewick Sexton is aspiring for the presidency. He criticizes NASA's overspending and the president's (Zach Herney) tendency to bail out NASA from their blunders. Sexton’s campaign is gaining steam from the public's surprising positive reaction to his hard stance against NASA. NASA, however has a discovery of meteoric proportions which could easily rob the momentum from Sexton. In a wise, political maneuver, Pres. Herney calls upon intelligence analyst Rachel Sexton to be one of select civilians to verify NASA's discovery. Not so coincidentally, Rachel is Sen. Sexton's somewhat estranged daughter who harbors hatred and bitterness towards her ruthless father.

The book's back cover has the following summary:

"When a new NASA satellite spots evidence of an astonishingly rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice, the floundering space agency proclaims a much-needed victory--a victory that has profound implications for NASA policy and the impending presidential election. To verify the authenticity of the find, the White House calls upon the skills of intelligence analyst Rachel Sexton. Accompanied by a team of experts, including the charismatic scholar, Michael Tolland, Rachel travels to the Arctic and uncovers the unthinkable: evidence of scientific trickery--a bold deception that threatens to plunge the world into controversy. But she can warn the President, Rachel and Michael are ambushed by a deadly team of assassins. Fleeing for their lives across a desolate and lethal landscape, their only hope for survival is to discover who is behind this masterful plot. The truth, they will learn, is the most shocking deception of all."

Pulse-pounding? Not quite. But it is a good read. Very intriguing. And yet, dull at times. Nonetheless, if you're a Dan Brown fan, or simply want to read something good, do read Deception Point.

In a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest, DUH!), I think this deserves an 8. Good plot and pacing but points off for being boring at certain parts and even more points off for the icky, cheesy and not so subtle romantic angle.

NOTE: This was originally posted in my other blog: Random Ria.

Struggling with Sophie's World

2005-11-13T21:44:00.002+08:00

I am reading Jostein Gaarder's SOPHIE'S WORLD right now. I've been reading it for almost 10 months. No, I am not a sloooow reader. It's just that after reading the first few chapters, I got bored. But I've wanted to read it for the longest time, that I think I owe it to myself and the person who gave it to me (after I asked for it), to simply finish it.

I do like Sophie Amudsen's story, but I find the Philosophy lectures boring. I loved Philosophy when I was in AdMU but I think the way Gaarder presented it was cumbersome. I thought that she subtly put it in Philosophy tidbits within the main story. But that is not the case. Somebody has mentioned that it might be the fault of the translator. But I think not. It has something to do with the format, the flow of the novel itself It was structured in such a way that I think I am reading two books, a fiction novel and a Philosophy textbook.

My disappointment might also stem from my total love for Gaarder’s Solitaire Mystery.

I don't think I already have the right to pass final judgment on this book. I have to finish the book to justifiably do that. So for the mean time, bear with me if I rant more about it.

For more about Sophie's World, read these reviews here, here and here. You may also join this discussion project. And the latest blog posts about Sophie's World are here and here.