52 Projects gives us tips on how to write your own novel while you're on the clock. Especially helpful if you're a bundy puncher, but perhaps most difficult when you have to stand in front of classroom and can't hide in your office all the time.
November is supposedly novel writing month once again. Either I do that. I have until March to finish a class project, but I'm starting to think that this is really an impossible thing to do. Reading about other writers, like Jeffrey Eugenides, who finished a novel in about nine years, isn't helping me much. And his novel won the Pulitzer, too. Argh!
Another solution comes to mind: abandon this thing altogether. But that will mean I'll be thrown one class back into my long hopscotch game towards finishing my grad studies. Oh well.
Sunday, October 15
Planet Google
The New Yorker has this amazing piece about the YouTube phenomenon, right after news got out that Google bought the video-sharing website.
Or, as this New York Times article suggests, are we all getting sucked into the Google worm hole?
Is this a sign of the apocalypse?
Or, as this New York Times article suggests, are we all getting sucked into the Google worm hole?
Is this a sign of the apocalypse?
Sunday, October 8
Betty La Fea Worldwide
The television show "Ugly Betty" is getting raves from critics and viewers alike. America is rather late catching on to the Betty La Fea craze. I watched the original show dubbed in Filipino by actress Chin Chin Gutierrez around four years ago.
But apparently, the one currently showing in the States is not the original but rather an American remake. The lead is played by America Ferrera, who starred in HBO's "Real Women Have Curves," previously discussed here. Also in the series is Eric Mabius, who played swim coach Tim in The L-Word, and Vanessa Williams.
There's also a LiveJournal community that has also posted photos of the various Ugly Betties worldwide. Apparently, the trend now is not just dubbing an entire series but remaking it. In Russia, their version of the 80s show "Perfect Strangers" also just debuted. I wonder if the Philippines would soon follow suit. I also want to see whether they made adjustments to the script to adapt to the show importer's home culture.
Public Service Announcement: Notes on Manila Crime
Manila Police District acting director Senior Supt. Danilo Abarzosa identifies petty crime hot spots around Manila. Just so you know where to hold tight to your bags and mobile phones in case you find yourselves in these areas:
"R-10 Road, España Street from Morayta to Lacson, Pedro Gil Street from Osmeña Highway to Plaza Hugo, and on Taft Avenue from Vito Cruz to Lawton, Recto Avenue from Abad Santos to Del Pan, Quezon Boulevard to Quezon Bridge, and from Quezon Boulevard to Legarda (University Belt area)."
According to Abarzosa, criminals usually strike in these crime-prone areas from 4 p.m. to 12 midnight when workers and transients travel home from work. I can personaly attest that the long stretch of Pedro Gil from Malate all the way to Sta. Ana is really dangerous. I had a new backpack slashed and had my phone stolen, and later while on a jeep, some guy with a knife snatched my bag. Another passenger tried to give chase but was almost stabbed by the snatcher's posse so we let it go.
"R-10 Road, España Street from Morayta to Lacson, Pedro Gil Street from Osmeña Highway to Plaza Hugo, and on Taft Avenue from Vito Cruz to Lawton, Recto Avenue from Abad Santos to Del Pan, Quezon Boulevard to Quezon Bridge, and from Quezon Boulevard to Legarda (University Belt area)."
According to Abarzosa, criminals usually strike in these crime-prone areas from 4 p.m. to 12 midnight when workers and transients travel home from work. I can personaly attest that the long stretch of Pedro Gil from Malate all the way to Sta. Ana is really dangerous. I had a new backpack slashed and had my phone stolen, and later while on a jeep, some guy with a knife snatched my bag. Another passenger tried to give chase but was almost stabbed by the snatcher's posse so we let it go.
Thursday, October 5
Green Crayons
So somebody's been making googling me and the link lead me to a student blog. She was ranting and it wasn't really clear what it was about. Then she said something like this:
"I'm spinning around and I don't really have a point. But it's okay. It's not like I'm submitting this to (kantogirl) and she's not going to mark this with green crayons."
That's mostly it. Yes, I had this phase when I corrected papers using dermatographs--blue, green, orange, but never red. They're not really crayons. Better that than angry red ink. These days I just use pencils. Hey, at least I got off easy.
Unlike some other colleagues who got called names like bitch or fag, mostly because the kid got low grades in their subjects. The Bitch found out about this student blog entry about her on a really good day (like the night of a big literary award) and her husband googled her name and they found the blog. The supposed bitch is usually very nice and so she was surprised that somebody would call her names. She couldn't really remember the kid, but good thing because the blog had photos. When she ran into this kid in a busy hallway, she accosted him and said, "Would you like me to also blog about you?" Poor kid.
Meanwhile, the colleague who got called a fag wasn't offended at all. It's stating the obvious daw.
Anyway, it's paper checking season. Sooner or later, some disgruntled student would post something about a low grade they got in that subject and rant about it in their blogs. I'm pretty sure a bunch of kids are calling me a bitch somewhere. Let them. Then I'll do a google search later and do a Bitch/Fag combo. I'll stalk them right back. Or maybe I'll post excerpts from student papers this semester if I've got the time. Students aren't the only ones with blogs, you know. Hehehe.
"I'm spinning around and I don't really have a point. But it's okay. It's not like I'm submitting this to (kantogirl) and she's not going to mark this with green crayons."
That's mostly it. Yes, I had this phase when I corrected papers using dermatographs--blue, green, orange, but never red. They're not really crayons. Better that than angry red ink. These days I just use pencils. Hey, at least I got off easy.
Unlike some other colleagues who got called names like bitch or fag, mostly because the kid got low grades in their subjects. The Bitch found out about this student blog entry about her on a really good day (like the night of a big literary award) and her husband googled her name and they found the blog. The supposed bitch is usually very nice and so she was surprised that somebody would call her names. She couldn't really remember the kid, but good thing because the blog had photos. When she ran into this kid in a busy hallway, she accosted him and said, "Would you like me to also blog about you?" Poor kid.
Meanwhile, the colleague who got called a fag wasn't offended at all. It's stating the obvious daw.
Anyway, it's paper checking season. Sooner or later, some disgruntled student would post something about a low grade they got in that subject and rant about it in their blogs. I'm pretty sure a bunch of kids are calling me a bitch somewhere. Let them. Then I'll do a google search later and do a Bitch/Fag combo. I'll stalk them right back. Or maybe I'll post excerpts from student papers this semester if I've got the time. Students aren't the only ones with blogs, you know. Hehehe.
Random Wisdom from Girl Goddess #9
I had probably done this before, but since I saw it off The Sandwich Maker's blog, might as well post it again:
1. Grab the nearest book
2. Open book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post text of sentence on your blog. Please include book and author along with these instructions.
5. No digging about for the "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! (I know you were thinking about it!) Just pick up whatever is closest.
My sentence is this:
"If there was going to be beauty she would have to make it herself."
That's from the story "The Canyon," found in Francesca Lia Block's Girl Goddess #9, which I just finished reading. The weirdest story in that collection was "Dragons in Manhattan." It's about a girl who runs away from her two moms, Izzy and Anastacia, to look for her father. One of the women is her birth mother, but the bizarre thing is that one of them turns out to be her father as well. When I got to that part, I was already going like, "You've got to be kidding me."
Anyway, I used to like reading Block when I was in college. She writes about kids talking to blue creatures from their closets because their mom just died, a groupie who followed and slept with rock stars, girls who know Cocteau and fall in love with boys because he can name all the rose varieties in the garden. All her characters have weird names like Lady Ivory or Tuck Budd or Pony and Pixie. Probably why I had characters named Ludovico. Weh. I wasn't able to read this book the first time it came out because it probably was too expensive at the time. But I got this particular book for 20 pesos in this small bookstore near Morato. Not bad.
1. Grab the nearest book
2. Open book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post text of sentence on your blog. Please include book and author along with these instructions.
5. No digging about for the "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! (I know you were thinking about it!) Just pick up whatever is closest.
My sentence is this:
"If there was going to be beauty she would have to make it herself."
That's from the story "The Canyon," found in Francesca Lia Block's Girl Goddess #9, which I just finished reading. The weirdest story in that collection was "Dragons in Manhattan." It's about a girl who runs away from her two moms, Izzy and Anastacia, to look for her father. One of the women is her birth mother, but the bizarre thing is that one of them turns out to be her father as well. When I got to that part, I was already going like, "You've got to be kidding me."
Anyway, I used to like reading Block when I was in college. She writes about kids talking to blue creatures from their closets because their mom just died, a groupie who followed and slept with rock stars, girls who know Cocteau and fall in love with boys because he can name all the rose varieties in the garden. All her characters have weird names like Lady Ivory or Tuck Budd or Pony and Pixie. Probably why I had characters named Ludovico. Weh. I wasn't able to read this book the first time it came out because it probably was too expensive at the time. But I got this particular book for 20 pesos in this small bookstore near Morato. Not bad.
Monday, October 2
Sad Bastards Wanted
Francey Russell longs for the nearly extinct sad bastards in American cinema: "Whatever happened to real men in cinema, and when?" She presents a screen history of the angry, sometimes inarticulate men typified by Nicholson and Brando (and even later, Patrick Swayze--yes, that one) and how these men have all but disappeared and replaced by Valium-popping guys like the one played by Zach Braff in Garden State.
Which then reminds me that you can get a copy of Rick Moody's novel Garden State --which doesn't really have anything to do with the Braff's film with the same title, I think--from the newly-opened Fully Booked in The Block in SM North. But sadly, you can also get from there a copy of Mitch Albom's new novel that basically tells you that you should live a full life. As if that's not bad enough, "For One More Day" sounds like a diva song title, the kind that will have revved up motorbikes, thunderclap and lightning incorporated in the song and goes "Oh, baby baby baby." Sure, it makes for great videoke entertainment really. But then again, who buys books for their potential videoke entertainment value? So you can console yourself about this last thought by sitting in their cafe and get warm. That cafe must be the only place above freezing in that area.
Which then reminds me that you can get a copy of Rick Moody's novel Garden State --which doesn't really have anything to do with the Braff's film with the same title, I think--from the newly-opened Fully Booked in The Block in SM North. But sadly, you can also get from there a copy of Mitch Albom's new novel that basically tells you that you should live a full life. As if that's not bad enough, "For One More Day" sounds like a diva song title, the kind that will have revved up motorbikes, thunderclap and lightning incorporated in the song and goes "Oh, baby baby baby." Sure, it makes for great videoke entertainment really. But then again, who buys books for their potential videoke entertainment value? So you can console yourself about this last thought by sitting in their cafe and get warm. That cafe must be the only place above freezing in that area.
Wednesday, September 27
Second World Daw
I was checking the weather advisory over at Inq7.net: classes in all levels including post-graduate are suspended tomorrow, lots of passengers stranded in the various sea ports, Taal is "acting up" like a brat. We're in for some blanket weather, I thought. Until I came across this report which totally bowled me over:
President Arroyo now claims that the Philippines is now "Second World."
Right.
All because this year the country's per capita income will supposedly reach 1,400 dollars. But wait, here's more:school strong country spirit what can I say.
President Arroyo now claims that the Philippines is now "Second World."
Right.
All because this year the country's per capita income will supposedly reach 1,400 dollars. But wait, here's more:
[I]f we are able to continue the trajectory of (a) one percent decline in the poverty level, we can reach hopefully the First World status by the year 2020. If what has been happening during the early years of our administration, that the poverty level has been going down by one percentage point every year, that means that by 2015, we will be able to reduce our poverty level by one half to what it was in 2000.I mean, sure, the peso's going strong and all that blah. But somehow, I'm really not convinced. Maybe I just lack
Saturday, July 15
Save the Last Bell Jar
The Independent reports that Hollywood actress Julia Stiles is involved in adapting Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar for the screen. She has found both a producer and a writer, and the first draft of the script will be ready next month.
Stiles has this to say about the project: "I'm trying to keep the book separate from Plath's biography," Stiles says. "That's one thing I really want to be careful of with the film version... I actually feel that it's a very triumphant story. I wouldn't want to lose her tenacity and spark. I think that will be as important to portray as her depression."
The Bell Jar isn't really Plath's best work, but it has a very huge following especially among adolescent girls--I think I have two copies of this somewhere around the house. Also, it's right up there with Susanna Kaysen's Girl, Interrupted in the Angry Young Girl canon. Christina Patterson acknowledges this: "How could such a book not appeal to young women grappling with their sexuality, their ambitions, their warring desires for security and freedom? Plath's gaze is ferocious and irresistible." It tries to concretize the turmoil of the girl's inner life.
Stiles was described in the article as the star of the Bourne series and the Omen remake--and that's the pinnacle, baby. Eversince she appeared in Shakespearean films, like O and Ten Things I Hate About You, she seemed to be under the impression that she was her generation's most gifted actor. They didn't even do close ups of her dancing in Save the Last Dance. The most interesting girl in Mona Lisa Smile was Maggie Gyllenhaal. Hell, when she fell to her death in that Omen movie, the people in the theater cheered. Cheered!
It's not that I have an ax to grind about Ms. Stiles, but I just can't see Julia Stiles as Esther Greenwood. I can't see how this movie will work--unless they can manage to squeeze in Angelina Jolie in there.
Stiles has this to say about the project: "I'm trying to keep the book separate from Plath's biography," Stiles says. "That's one thing I really want to be careful of with the film version... I actually feel that it's a very triumphant story. I wouldn't want to lose her tenacity and spark. I think that will be as important to portray as her depression."
The Bell Jar isn't really Plath's best work, but it has a very huge following especially among adolescent girls--I think I have two copies of this somewhere around the house. Also, it's right up there with Susanna Kaysen's Girl, Interrupted in the Angry Young Girl canon. Christina Patterson acknowledges this: "How could such a book not appeal to young women grappling with their sexuality, their ambitions, their warring desires for security and freedom? Plath's gaze is ferocious and irresistible." It tries to concretize the turmoil of the girl's inner life.
Stiles was described in the article as the star of the Bourne series and the Omen remake--and that's the pinnacle, baby. Eversince she appeared in Shakespearean films, like O and Ten Things I Hate About You, she seemed to be under the impression that she was her generation's most gifted actor. They didn't even do close ups of her dancing in Save the Last Dance. The most interesting girl in Mona Lisa Smile was Maggie Gyllenhaal. Hell, when she fell to her death in that Omen movie, the people in the theater cheered. Cheered!
It's not that I have an ax to grind about Ms. Stiles, but I just can't see Julia Stiles as Esther Greenwood. I can't see how this movie will work--unless they can manage to squeeze in Angelina Jolie in there.
Tuesday, July 11
On Happiness
New York Magazine takes on the study of happiness. Harvard's most popular class is one on the positive psychology of happiness. It pushes the idea of self-help as one of the paths to a truly enjoyed smile. Seems like people now apparently need a guide on how to be happy.
Some of the more interesting bits of advice: don't go into law school (and I know some people who wouldn't be too thrilled by this), asking for other people's opinion is good, shop and then throw the receipts--all very sound, and we've heard this before.
And oh: Money can buy you happiness, and pursuing your personal dream may only make you miserable.
Something to think about, hey?
Some of the more interesting bits of advice: don't go into law school (and I know some people who wouldn't be too thrilled by this), asking for other people's opinion is good, shop and then throw the receipts--all very sound, and we've heard this before.
And oh: Money can buy you happiness, and pursuing your personal dream may only make you miserable.
Something to think about, hey?
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