Monday, December 25, 2006

Hear "The Day the Saucers Came" and other short fiction and wonders

Neil Gaiman on ForaTv
Neil Gaiman on ForaTv

I bought "The Sandman Library"

, all 10 volumes of it, and Stardust, and Murder Mysteries, and the 1st (paperback) ed. Smoke and Mirrors, and you get the drift.

you do get some things that you have thought you want and have wanted to think about getting.

i wished my brain were on auto-save. but it isn't. so i will have to wait until all the bits of wisdom come together again if there are, indeed, any.

have you a merry christmas yet?

Monday, October 30, 2006

I read “The Day the Saucers Came”

and other Short fiction and Wonders

So then, I got out of bed and for the first time I found it strange to put on my jeans. In my haste, it was as if it was not the way I had always done it. But I wanted to get up right away. If you’ll read “The Day the Saucers came” you will not wonder and you will not wonder why.

You see, my collection of treasured books has grown in 2 months and I have realized that my favorite author is, indeed, Neil Gaiman, not Neil Gaiman and Jeannette Winterson (both happen to be British authors). I still can’t even spell her first name right. Does it come with two n’s or two t’s or both? It does seem logical that a favorite author of mine should have work I enjoy which isn’t limited to one book, the first few pages of another, and a few quotations. I thought I had begun seriously forming the collection by impulsively buying Winterson’s “Written on the Body,” the book I had claimed over the years as my most favorite, most sought-after novel and one that I would have brought with me if I were stranded on a desert island with three things. (That book, I thought, was a perfect addition to my autographed “Preludes and Nocturnes.” acquired only at the time when Neil Gaiman visited Manila 2 years ago.) But no! I gave it away as simply as I can say enough. Reading it again did not invoke the same emotions as it did or anything that might have come close. Of which, I am truly glad for.

The first set of books I had bought for myself is Nancy Drew Mysteries. Two are still in good condition and one perished in a termite attack. (I had the pleasure of reading them again last summer when I went home.) This was due to the waning number of books left to read at a book club I had a membership in. Yes, I was a member of a book club that requires a school ID, a small registration fee, and a few bucks for rental. I borrowed a lot of “Choose your own adventure,” Archie comic digests, and “Nancy Drew and the case of the missing…” (Fill in the blank). Of course they did not have all the volumes. I was forced to buy one, or two, or three. I promised myself that I’ll get all the Nancy Drew books when I am able to create my own library. I was only 9 then and not really sure how I wanted to have and to hold precious things.

Apparently, it took a long time for me to know better.

Now, I am 27 and I started putting it together in September. The salary I received was bigger than usual and I was itching for a splurge. I don’t remember why that was exactly but perhaps it was due to the fact that I had not granted myself anything as valuable as the Fossil watch I bought the previous year that came with three straps or perhaps I just wanted to have an excuse to stay longer at the mall (Please see the 2 prior entries) or perhaps I just didn’t have anything better to do. I didn’t. For that reason, I was sprawling at a corner in PowerBooks just when it opened after a few hours of hanging around the office which I had the pleasure of doing because I didn’t have to go to work the following day. I lounged on the carpeted floor in between shelves facing the second to the bottom row lined with Sandman Graphic Novels for about an hour. There were eight volumes available, out of ten, and I was bent on purchasing just one. (I do try, lately, to exercise self-control as much as I can, to restrain myself from giving in to all types of impulse which I still have plenty of.)

They were The Sandman Vol. 02: The Doll's House, The Sandman Vol. 03: Dream Country, The Sandman Vol. 04: Season of Mists, The Sandman Vol. 06: Fables and Reflections, The Sandman Vol. 07: Brief Lives, The Sandman Vol. 08: Worlds' End, The Sandman Vol. 09: The Kindly Ones, The Sandman Vol. 10: The Wake.

It was a bit difficult to choose when you’ve been a fan of these books for 14 years but it was also quite obvious what I should buy.


(cont'd. above)


Friday, May 19, 2006

effing shet

today's the day i discovered sheryl crow's new song. it's a duet. with sting. today's the day i shared blogs with chin. we've been friends. for two decades. today's the day she started and finished reading written on the body. and today's the day we had to sit down on the sidewalk. in between smokes she says that this is where the most profound coversations are made. always.

she was screaming, "i want to be with someone!"

chin, being my friend, is, as expected, smart and funny and crazy and independent. the kind of person you'll never have a dull moment with. oh, and did i mention she's crazy?

"what's not to like about chin?," one of her friends blurted out. she can be alone and have the time of her life, let someone in, then let it go, and be alone again to still have the time of her life.

the-finger-effing-words-and-a-flood-of-tears moment later (with hand movements), that friend revealed why she's scary.

"your eyes may fiercely say i love you but you can easily say goodbye."

so i am scary. the bad news is, i'm also scared.

flood of tears! flood of tears!

Saturday, April 15, 2006

is there wisdom lost in a pulled tooth?

and other things needing catching up.

have i told you my single, favorite holiday is the holy week?

for as long as i can remember, and i don't remember well anymore, it's the only holiday i truly enjoy. when almost everyone's supposed to reflect and repent, i have fun. but not this year, no.

i have been looking forward to the type of rest that involves a lot of food and a lot of time spent in front of the cable tv meaninglessly and simultaneously after 2 weeks of hell at work, the only solace, of which, is a lot of overtime pay. but i never imagined it would be this hectic when i got home to the province for the holiday.

they got me an early flight last saturday (actually, they just got me tickets regardless of whether i can really go home or not) and then an early appointment with the dentist, which was easy given that she's my 2nd cousin. my older sister was set to try on new dentures she needed to ensure before going to australia.

did i tell you my sister's going to australia? for good.

she's bringing the whole family including my nephew most of my friends know about because he's one of the best ways to measure how long we've graduated from high school.

he just turned 11.

so there i was in the dental chair, fresh from the airport and the first breakfast at home (my favorite: sapsap and spinach) having my wisdom tooth, clinicaly known as the 3rd molar, pulled out. apparently, there was a really big hole in it and nerves were exposed so bad that the mere flick of my tongue makes me want to jump off a cliff. i thought i was done with that.

it still hurts.

five injections, nine ponstan 500s, a trip to bacolod, brunch in maricor at manokan country, going to silay to visit my lola, my only living grandparent (whose size i take after) and to visit my lolo's grave (the reason she's eager to go), the 1st season of House watched in about 24 hours, boiled corn, grilled corn, my favorite ilonggo delicacy, fruits, etc. eaten one by one, another trip to the dentist, four more injections & four more teeth rotting, and 2 house parties later i finally lay down in front of the tv, eating myself away.

did i tell you i'm a house addict?

gregory house, m.d. is abrasive and sarcastic, a briliant mind but a relationship moron. when i grow up, i want to be just like him.

it's been a long time since i've heard my yahoo! launchcast station. for some reason, it doesn't work in netopia greenbelt. but it does sound great in netopia robinsons place iloilo and netopia sm city iloilo.

honestly, i really wish i were in bora instead.

for some weird reason, and i have a lot in mind, something tells me i'm going to have a great christmas holiday this year.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

3 na lang, 30 na!

I just turned 27 a few days ago.

I must admit, it's one of the nicest birthdays I've had considering I can only remember a few. I planned to spend the day at home, cooking my mom's spaghetti and waiting for my family to come home, eat, and then, sleep. Nothing fancy. Unexpectedly, one of my friends called and he asked what to do. It was decided in a few seconds to do a sing-all-u-can at Io. Couldn't say no they will need only to come and get me hehe

The videoke trip was filled with guilty pleasures. The highlight of which was an Air Supply marathon. There were four of us and we had to sing 2 songs by Air Supply, without help and without everyone bursting into song. Ang hirap! Syet!

It's one of the Top 5 Io videoke sessions I've ever had. Probably No. 3 or No.4. The top 2 being a dem videoke with 3 of us singing "Boys don't cry" on top of our lungs & dancing a very 80's dance step and a trio singing opm songs. The lower 2 are early videoke days in Encore at Megamall & Sm City.

I thought of starting my own top 5's soon. Ala-High Fidelity of John Cusack.

I think it's a good thing to start with birthday celebrations... (to be cont'd. nawiwiwi na ko)

Friday, January 06, 2006

thread/s

To: "PISAY"
From: "Benri cadiz" Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
Yahoo! DomainKeys has confirmed that this message was sent by yahoogroups.com. Learnmore Date: Thu, 5 Jan 2006 20:36:45 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [pisay95] Does it feel like 11 years?

Hey...

Yung ibang batchmates natin, kinasal na. Yung ibang couples, wala pa akong idea na magiging sila, wala na talaga ako sa balita. Parang kelan lang tayo nasa Pisay, no?

Pero what's wonderful with us, I guess, is that every time we get together, by physical or whatever means of contact, we turn 16 again (not literally of course, yes), we reminisce and act like those high-spirited, high-energy, giggling, bustling teenagers like everything's fine with the world, like we could do and talk our way out of any situation, and the world is for the taking.

PINAKAMASAYA ANG HIGH SCHOOL, adolescence is the most exciting stage. A period of experimentation with the world that cannot be replicated at any other time of our life. We had the energy, the guts, the enthusiasm.

I dunno with you guys, pero I'm happy to have shared it with you. I haven't seen much of you for... 11 years? Every time I see a pic of any batchmate, it makes me smile. Mag-deteriorate man yung school o ang buong Pilipinas, yung moment dun, hindi.

Does it feel like 11 years? Para sakin, oo. I could only imagine my sheer delight if we were given an opportunity to get together again. IN PISAY.



To: dembuds@yahoogroups.com
From:"Ruby Davo" Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert Yahoo! DomainKeys has confirmed that this message was sent by yahoogroups.com. Learnmore
Date:Fri, 6 Jan 2006 19:15:48 -0800 (PST)
Subject:RE: [dembuds] weddings, lunch on Jan15, etc

Antagal ko dingnag-isip.....................................LAY-UP!!!

PENG, oil ka pa rin. hahaha

gosh, where to start?15 hours a day ako nagwowork and these threads are the only thing i'm excited about everyday. sa mcdo sm north nga yung bet. may weird guy pa ata na nag-oorigami ng dinosaurs. and yes, mau & k's kids will marry. dunno about 28 pero kaya si mau kasi sya yung pinakagitna nating siyam. we thought it was just fair. i think francia has the tissue. we got hold of it again kasi nakay mau(ata) pala yung logbook at nandun yung tissue. hiniram ni francia ang logbook. i therefore conclude nakay francia ang tissue.

hehedi ko rin magets ang landslide thing sa 7-bouquet toss...

PENG, mukhang papunta na dun si tita lita after we talked. but we actually didn't talk about you. funny. ewan ko sa layout caption mo peng pero ganun nga ang na-feel ko. basketball ulit. i was actually shouting to chu na i-ba-bounce pass ko kay mau yung bouquet kasi baka ayaw nyang kunin. as if!

lud ang nickname ni ludwig ni ais. it took me 3 days to find that out. kapagod kasi sabihin buti narinig kosi ais

MAITS, photo opp nga tayo forever pagdating nyo :)

si randi yung girl na ka-duet ko. nasa tabi ko sya. hindi sa likod. pls. refer to k's email :)

K, it is one of da best pics! mau catching the bouquet, i mean hahaha kung father of the bride yun K eh di, father of the bride 2 na yon? si gabrielle anwar? shit! baka this isa totally diff person and i'm making it up hahaha

pls re-upload pleeeeeeeaaase

LENG is not available on 15. may ibang araw pa raw ba?

antanda na nga natin. biro mo 27 na kami ni francia! hahaha guess, we have something more to toast about: to 2nd generation dembuds! all for dem, more for life! heehee grabe may pinauso ka peng :)

so anong tawag sa 2nd generation dembuds? kung tayo dembuds ano sila, dembudlings? youngbuds? litterbuds?

natatawa tuloy ako sa thought na pag dumating na yungtime na ako naman ang may papakilala di ko siguro matiis..."and this is dax and chu dizon" , "si peng mcfeeters" ......

tulog na ko nakangiti. rubs

--- Lorenz Ponce wrote:
re:lay out

i was looking for a basketball term baka mali. tunraround shot? ah ewan.napansin ko kasi na yung bouquet toss ay parangreunion ng PSHS women'sbasketball team. nice catch talaga, mau.

re: kylie

talgang napapanuod ako nung section ni kylie dahilgrabve ang luminous nya dunsa selected footage. may isa don na nakasuot sya ngparang flowwing white thingat mukha syang modern goddess. pinakita din nila yungwax figure nya sa madametoussaud's museum na naka red and black corset, and onall fours. ang kinis nikylie. sana pagtanda natin ganon din tayo kasexy. osige wag na lang sexy,ganon ka-luminous at least.

re: tissue

hahaha. oo nga maui will marry karen's son! sonakanino ang tissue?

re: ludwig

ooooh mala-viking na pangalan yon di ba?

peng

--- Karen Roman wrote:

> maui, peng di ko pa rin gets ang caption na "papasok

> kaya ang lay-out ni chu".

> regarding bouquet toss, FAVORITE ko ang pic na

> RoseDax1320.

> nice catch maui ;)

> > about the tissue and the bet:

> alam ko nanuod tayo ng movie na may wedding, tapos

> kumain tayo mcdo. baka "father of the bride". then

> napagusapan ang weddings

> then nagestimate ng age when ideal to get married,

> then nagdecide ng bet. pahabol sa bet: Maui's son

> will

> marry Karen's daughter o

> Maui will marry karen's son? basta may ganun.

> > ney guys, ok na maui's pics? about the virus thing?

> kelangan ko pa ba i-re-upload and "virus-free"

> version> ng photos ni maui?

> > peng, that's great #23 for kylie is not so bad,

> considering ala siyang hair at the moment because of

> chemo. watch out for her comeback sa 2006.

> > and fyi, "ludwig" pangalan ng s.o. ni ais (ala> beethoven).

> siya din ang official DEM photographer, next to King

> and Funji.

> si "randee" is the girl the ka-duet ni rubs sa

> reception, hehe.

> if you remember my pics, napasama din siya sa DEM

> pictures nung bridal shower kasi lasing na kami

> lahat...

> > btw, i love the thought of 2nd generation DEMBUDS.

> hehehe.

> binyag photos naman chu, sa boracay din please!!!

> > lalala,

> > k

> > > > > > --- "Ansula, Easter" > wrote:

> > > Peng, ang tagal kong iniisip kung ano ang "layout

> ni

> > chu"?

> > > > > > > > k! alam ko na ang caption mo sa rose bouquet

> toss...

> > "papasok kaya ang

> > layout ni chu...hmmm".

> > > > > > > > pgkaalala ko nasa mcdo tayo nung ginawa ang bet.

> > Nagstart ata sa

> > conversation sa what-if maging isang Dem and anak

> ng

> > isa pang DEM...

> > tama ba?

> > > From: dembuds@yahoogroups.com> > [mailto:dembuds@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf> > Of Lorenz Ponce> > Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2006 1:05 PM> > To: dembuds@yahoogroups.com> > Subject: RE: [dembuds] weddings, lunch on Jan15,> etc

> > > > > > > > hmmm... pwede ko pa i-move yung date actually...

> > hahaha. not likely tho

> > dahil yon talaga ang gusto naming date at

> convenient

> > para sa mga out of

> > state friends (hoy francia, ikaw yon) dahil

> holiday> > sa monday. so yan

> > di ako nageescape. magkitakits tayo sa december.

> > s.o.'s welcome but 2nd

> > generation dembuds should be left home. hahaha.

> 2nd> > generation dembuds!

> > ako nakaisip non ah.

> > > > > > > > does this mean i get to keep the tissue? nakanino

> na

> > nga ba ito?

> > actually, ok lang sa kin na manalo sa tissue bet.

> > aside from the fact

> > na i really do want to get married, who would have

> > thought na ang girl

> > na parating walang base ang mauuna? naaalala ko

> > nung ginawa natin yung

> > bet (lasing ba tayo non? bakit natin bigla naisip?

> > sa dorm ba ito?) ang

> > isip natin 28 is so so so old na. ngayon, 29 na

> ako

> > at magtu-28 na si

> > maui. ang tagal na nating magfe-frends!

> nakakasenti

> > lalu na iniisip ko

> > lahat ng pinagdaanan natin kalokohan man o hindi.

> i

> > guess ngayon

> > landslide na sa lahat ng mga marriageable buds...

> > siguro dapat 7 na

> > bouquet ang ito-toss ko.

> > > > > > > > rick is actually looking forward to meeting you

> all

> > (sabi kasi ni rubs

> > gigisahin nyo sya pagdating namin haha). san tayo

> > kakain?

> > > > ang da best na nangyari sa kin ngayong pasko ay ok

> > na finally kami ng

> > nanay ko. after the engagement sobrang di na

> namin> > pinagusapan na

> > ikakasal na ako. tapos dahil sa intervention ng> mga

> > kapatid ko, ngayon

> > naghahanap na din sya ng simbahan :) siguro

> > na-accept na nya finally na> > wala na syang magagawa hehe.

> > > > > > > > k! alam ko na ang caption mo sa rose bouquet> toss...

> > "papasok kaya ang

> > layout ni chu...hmmm". off topic: nanuod ako ng E!

> > tonight at si kylie

> > ay #23 sa 101 sexiest celeb bodies. lalala. >

> > > > > > > ais! ano pangalan ni s.o.? inaassume ko na lang na

> > sya yon. wink wink.

> > > > > > > > maits! wag kalimutan pictures during lunch.

> > > > > > > > rubs! sino si randy? yon ba yung musikero nasa

> > background mo? yung may

> > striped cap? uy pwede ba one of these days tawagan

> > ka ng sister ko para

> > maituro mo sya in the direction of the russian

> > buttons lady sa fairview?

> > > > > > > > > > chu! wag masyado busy making 2nd generation

> dembuds.

> > paramdam ka naman

> > :)

> > > > > > > > lablats,

> > > > peng