Bye
Sunday, May 29, 2011
I've been using this blog for three years already and I think it's time to start something new. Well then, I have to direct you, my dear reader, to my new home...
Click here
Thank you for staying with me through all those years. And now, we move on...
Bye.
Click here
Thank you for staying with me through all those years. And now, we move on...
Bye.
Y Y Y
Shutter Island (film)
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Note: If you haven't seen the movie yet, do not read this entry. Don't tell me I didn't warn you.
Shutter Island is a film directed by Martin Scorsese with Leonardo DiCaprio as the lead actor. Of course, one would expect it to be good. It is The Scorsese-DiCaprio tandem after all.
The film was good and... Oh, who am I kidding?
It was a hell of an awesome film.
When I found out that it was an adaptation of Dennis Lehane's novel which was also entitled Shutter Island, I was beyond overwhelmed.
I mean, c'mon, it was The Dennis Lehane's book turned to a film. A Scorsese film, mind you.
Overwhelming.
Actually, even without knowing these names [though I doubt anyone would fail to recognize Leo DiCaprio], you watch the film, you get shaken right down to your bones.
Again, overwhelming.
I wouldn't even try to put some sort of a synopsis here since I assume that, whoever you could possibly be, you've already seen the film.
If you haven't, then that must mean either of two things: your eyesight's bad enough that you hadn't read the note at the start of this entry or you're too stubborn for your own sake that you refuse to not read this entry even though you haven't seen the film yet.
If it's the latter, then I'm sorry my dear reader but I am not going to put in a synopsis here just for you.
Google it or something. Or if you have the time, just watch it. It'll be worth it.
People have told me that I ought to watch it twice. I agree.
All the confusion and complexity that would leave you tugging at your hair and thinking what's real and what's not, it was all deliberately done.
You weren't supposed to get it. Not right away. Not until you're well past three quarters of the story, which by the way, would already be too late for you to notice all those blatant clues and foreshadowing that were present all throughout the film.
The book was designed with that intention in mind. But, of course, it was The Dennis Lehane. You can't expect anything less.
The genius of Martin Scorsese was that he managed to pull it off. Very few films can be considered at par with the original novels. Shutter Island is one of them.
Just on a sidenote, I haven't read the book yet but a friend, who is a literature geek as well, finds it "disturbingly awesome" and I am inclined to trust her words. Plus, it is Dennis Lehane's novel.
I really would have to get my hands on a copy of that book soon.
Back to the topic...
You recall how the movie started? I'm assuming you do.
Now, see this: two federal marshalls teamed up for a mission to a "federal mental facility for the criminally insane" just happened to meet each other aboard a ferry when they're almost near their destination. They seem to have never met before. You'd think that they would have been given a debriefing of some sort beforehand, but no, they were there almost already on the docks of Shutter Island.
How does that sound to you?
You know that something was amiss, but since you're all in this ride together with Teddy, you just charge it on Hollywood trying to play it mysterious. You might have forgotten that it was Scorsese who directed the film. Whatever it was, you go right along with it.
You recall when they reached the facility and they were supposed to give up their firearms? Chuck, Teddy's partner, also known now as the MIA Dr. Sheehan, fumbled in removing his gun holster. Why would he fumble in removing his gun holster anyway?
He is a Federal Marshall. He should be used to it.
Now, when you first watch the film, you may let it pass as some sort of a character quirk for Chuck. You know, something that would allow the Chuck character to be in-character when he starts fumbling his way during a full swing action that would, most probably, get them in deep shit. Allow me to say that this is what I thought it was.
When you reach the three-quarter mark of the film however, that proverbial lightbulb on top of your head would just light up in all its blinding glory and you're going to be asking yourself how come I didn't notice that before...?
Again, that's the genius of it all.
There are more foreshadowing and blatant clues all throughout the film but since the viewers weren't supposed to get it right then, no one did. Well, except for those who have already read the book, most probably.
This is why I agree that one has to watch this film twice.
The first viewing would be disturbing and entertaining and just downright overwhelming... but you just didn't have enough to go deep into it. The second viewing would provide that.
Past the third-quarter mark, the entire charade was revealed to Teddy, and consequently, to us. He is the mysterious 67th patient of Shutter Island. He is Laeddis and he killed his wife who has drowned their three children that one fateful day beside the lake.
It may be said that murder has no justifications but I've always believed that morality is in shades of gray. Personally, I say that killing his wife is justified. She was insane and she drowned their kids in cold blood and she was begging him to just let her go.
Teddy's inner demon wasn't Dolores' death per se but the idea that it all had to happen. Add in all his warshock and trauma and you get someone with a really damaged psyche.
I just can't help but put this in. You recall that military man who botched his own suicide? Teddy took the gun away from his reach. That would require a firm and twisted sense of justice.
That part was just salient to me. That man was supposed to shoot himself in the temple but he botched it. You could just imagine the pain he was in.
The word "euthanasia" crossed my mind but realization that the man, most probably, has been doing inhuman things to the slaves in the Dachau death camp rendered the word not appropriate for the situation.
It's in shades of gray, I've always believed.
Come to think of it, George Noyce already told Teddy the reality of it all. When they talked inside ward C, Noyce said that it was him who had beaten his face to a bloody pulp. Noyce said that Chuck is not what he seems to be and that he should let Dolores go and that they're going to cut his brain and that what he believes to be real is not real...
Noyce wasn't actually subtle about his announcement but did anyone get what he was really trying to say during the first viewing?
He told Teddy that this is not real. He told Teddy the secret of Shutter Island. He revealed it all in one breath but to Teddy [and the viewers] this is just confirmation that this is an elaborate ploy to convince himthat he is, in fact, insane. Plus, Chuck is part of the ploy.
Yes, the what-if-this-is-all-just-Teddy's-imagination may have crossed your mind at one point but were you ever absolutely certain on what you were thinking?
You see, you're all going along with Teddy in this ride. It was his perspective. His point of view. His decisions. His story. It was his ride all along. Yes, we were with him all along.
That was why Dr. Cawley's revelation in the lighthouse came to be such a shock. That time, it was Dr. Cawley's perspective. Dr. Cawley's point of view. Dr. Cawley's decisions.
You get to realize that Teddy was not the one driving the vehicle all along.
Now, what about the ending of the film, you would ask.
Teddy was sitting there on the steps and Chuck-slash-Dr. Sheehan came up to him and Teddy was all in his I-am-a-Federal-Marshall-and-we-have-to-get-out-of-here mode. That time, it seemed as if he had relapsed but was he truly insane or was he deliberately acting to be insane just so they would finally lobotomize him because he still couldn't accept the truth?
Just when you thought you had it nailed, they hurl something at you...
"Is it better to live as a monster or die as a good man?"
There are lots of interpretations for that final line. Some say that Teddy was not really insane and that Dr. Cawley and the rest of his crew just want to convince him otherwise and that he chose to die as a good man rather than live in a world where everyone's acting as if he is a monster. Others say that Teddy was, in fact, insane and was cured but he still couldn't accept reality so he fakes relapse just so they'll finally cut off his brain, or maybe, kill him. Some even say that Teddy, yes, was insane and they weren't able to cure him hence the relapse. His last line won't make sense though, if that were the case.
It is a Dennis Lehane novel. It is a Martin Scorsese film. It's open to interpretation. Take your pick. It doesn't matter because in the end, there are no truths, only perceptions.
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Bankrupt of Originality
Saturday, May 15, 2010
It has been way too long since I last posted something in this blog. It has been an entire sem already. No, this blog is not, in any way, abandoned. I just took an unexpected halfyear hiatus. But take a look, I'm here now.
Anyway, moving on to what I was supposed to post after that long hiatus...
Plagiarism.
It is a form of cowardice. It's as if you're trying to hide your own incompetence behind the works of other people. You claim as it your own, trying to delude yourself (and other people, for that matter) that you've created it. You feed on other people's intellectual property.
The compliments you receive are nothing but empty words.
I so detest plagiarists. Especially those who plagiarize fiction.
I mean, c'mon, fiction is a form of expression and you just can't copy someone else's form of expression.
Not only it's illegal. It's also a form of self-mockery.
What, you don't have the skills and imagination to write one for yourself?
Ooh yes. It is a form of self-mockery.
You may have taken down the plagiarized work from your site but the fact that you plagiarized still remains. You know who you are. And you know what you are. A plagiarist. A fraud.
What the original writer of that work wants is acknowledgment. All you had to do was to put a little byline or even a parenthetical citation to acknowledge who wrote the work. But no, when people asked you if you wrote that thing, you just had to say yes. When people complimented the work, you just had to say that you write these kinda things when "inspired, driven, and motivated."
Sheesh. Inspired, driven and motivated to what? To plagiarize, most probably.
Don't you feel pathetic?
I have said this before but I really think I ought to say it again.
Plagiarism is illegal.
The original work was submitted to an esteemed UP professor, mind you. The said professor could testify that it was one of her former Creative Writing students who wrote that work. Lots of people could testify against you. Me being one of them. I have read the original draft.
Oh, and just in case you're thinking that you weren't exactly plagiarizing because you paraphrased what was originally written, I have to say that plagiarism is not only copying someone else's work verbatim. When you closely imitate someone else's work by changing a few words here and there, that is still plagiarism. You cannot say otherwise.
Considering the fact that you're a member of a writing org in DLSU, this is really degrading. Shameful, even more so.
You cannot say that you are "more of an idea kind of guy". Everyone has ideas. All the time. What makes writers different from everyone else is the fact that they can actually put their ideas into words and create something tangible out of it.
Writers are called writers for a reason.
You cannot say that you are "not much into writing" either. That's just like a swordsman saying he has lots of ideas on how to become a damned good swordsman but he's just not into using swords...
*insert eye-rolling gesture here*
Not to mention that the swordsman really wants people to praise him so he just claims the fame of a REAL swordsman for himself...
Oh. Did that hit too close to home?
I'm sorry.
Not.
Here's a copy of the original work, by the way.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
BY: MIGUEL RICO SUBOSA
THINGS WITH A FUTILE BEAUTY
The reddest rose atop the tomb of a dead beloved.
A book you love all too well that you placed it far up some shelves -- its pages virgin, not one dog-eared. And it even still smells of plastic unwrapped.
The ever-changing moon, blessed with a borrowed luster yet accursed of appearing every night.
A melody sang but never heard.A grand idea left unspoken. Or that grand idea spoken in too many words.
INVIGORATING THINGS
Moss along the bark of a wilted tree in wintertime.
The returning caress of a winter breeze on Indian summer.
A light that flickers from a distance while one is alone and afloat the indigo vastness of an ocean at night.
The sidden silence of a mother to welcome the first cries of her infant. She chooses to sleep and quiet her cries of pain so that the little world of the delivery room hears nothing but her newborn child's cries. It is her hero's welcome for one she has long been awaiting.
A sour candy that stings the tongue -- STING! -- when one is half-asleep.Sex between lovers, though one or the other is infertile.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Things with a futile beauty" and you changed it to "Beauty in Vain"...
"A reddest rose atop the tomb of a dead beloved" and you changed it to "A crimson rose atop a lover's gravestone"...
Y'see, that's plagiarism. As a self-proclaimed writer, you should know that it is the lowest of all the lowest things that you could have done.
How much more pathetic a writer could you be?
My books need no one to accuse or judge you: the page which is yours stands up against you and says, "You are a thief."-Marcus Valerius Martial
Anyway, moving on to what I was supposed to post after that long hiatus...
Plagiarism.
It is a form of cowardice. It's as if you're trying to hide your own incompetence behind the works of other people. You claim as it your own, trying to delude yourself (and other people, for that matter) that you've created it. You feed on other people's intellectual property.
The compliments you receive are nothing but empty words.
I so detest plagiarists. Especially those who plagiarize fiction.
I mean, c'mon, fiction is a form of expression and you just can't copy someone else's form of expression.
Not only it's illegal. It's also a form of self-mockery.
What, you don't have the skills and imagination to write one for yourself?
Ooh yes. It is a form of self-mockery.
You may have taken down the plagiarized work from your site but the fact that you plagiarized still remains. You know who you are. And you know what you are. A plagiarist. A fraud.
What the original writer of that work wants is acknowledgment. All you had to do was to put a little byline or even a parenthetical citation to acknowledge who wrote the work. But no, when people asked you if you wrote that thing, you just had to say yes. When people complimented the work, you just had to say that you write these kinda things when "inspired, driven, and motivated."
Sheesh. Inspired, driven and motivated to what? To plagiarize, most probably.
Don't you feel pathetic?
I have said this before but I really think I ought to say it again.
Plagiarism is illegal.
The original work was submitted to an esteemed UP professor, mind you. The said professor could testify that it was one of her former Creative Writing students who wrote that work. Lots of people could testify against you. Me being one of them. I have read the original draft.
Oh, and just in case you're thinking that you weren't exactly plagiarizing because you paraphrased what was originally written, I have to say that plagiarism is not only copying someone else's work verbatim. When you closely imitate someone else's work by changing a few words here and there, that is still plagiarism. You cannot say otherwise.
Considering the fact that you're a member of a writing org in DLSU, this is really degrading. Shameful, even more so.
You cannot say that you are "more of an idea kind of guy". Everyone has ideas. All the time. What makes writers different from everyone else is the fact that they can actually put their ideas into words and create something tangible out of it.
Writers are called writers for a reason.
You cannot say that you are "not much into writing" either. That's just like a swordsman saying he has lots of ideas on how to become a damned good swordsman but he's just not into using swords...
*insert eye-rolling gesture here*
Not to mention that the swordsman really wants people to praise him so he just claims the fame of a REAL swordsman for himself...
Oh. Did that hit too close to home?
I'm sorry.
Here's a copy of the original work, by the way.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
BY: MIGUEL RICO SUBOSA
THINGS WITH A FUTILE BEAUTY
The reddest rose atop the tomb of a dead beloved.
A book you love all too well that you placed it far up some shelves -- its pages virgin, not one dog-eared. And it even still smells of plastic unwrapped.
The ever-changing moon, blessed with a borrowed luster yet accursed of appearing every night.
A melody sang but never heard.A grand idea left unspoken. Or that grand idea spoken in too many words.
INVIGORATING THINGS
Moss along the bark of a wilted tree in wintertime.
The returning caress of a winter breeze on Indian summer.
A light that flickers from a distance while one is alone and afloat the indigo vastness of an ocean at night.
The sidden silence of a mother to welcome the first cries of her infant. She chooses to sleep and quiet her cries of pain so that the little world of the delivery room hears nothing but her newborn child's cries. It is her hero's welcome for one she has long been awaiting.
A sour candy that stings the tongue -- STING! -- when one is half-asleep.Sex between lovers, though one or the other is infertile.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Things with a futile beauty" and you changed it to "Beauty in Vain"...
"A reddest rose atop the tomb of a dead beloved" and you changed it to "A crimson rose atop a lover's gravestone"...
Y'see, that's plagiarism. As a self-proclaimed writer, you should know that it is the lowest of all the lowest things that you could have done.
How much more pathetic a writer could you be?
My books need no one to accuse or judge you: the page which is yours stands up against you and says, "You are a thief."-Marcus Valerius Martial
Y Y Y
sem-ender
Friday, October 23, 2009
First semester for the year 09-10 has officially ended. whew.
and i'm happy that i got out of it very much alive and unscathed. well, quite unscathed. i did not bleed out. points for me. =) yay.
here are my subjects for the first semester that i've had in UP. all in a nutshell.
MATH17 under Prof. Edmond Sison.
The Subject: well, it's algebra and trigonometry. i don't think i have to say anything anymore.
The Prof: is plain cool. he teaches really well. he explains the concepts really well. granted, it felt boring during the first weeks since we were discussing all about sets [which is, in fact, a boring topic. yes.] but as math17 goes on, it became more interesting.
The Exams: prof sison's exams aren't THAT hard. i mean, they're not easy but they're not impossible. if you have a good grasp on the topic, getting high scores on his exams is not at all unlikely.
The Grades: prof sison gives partial points. and he gives quite generously at that. really. during the first long exam, i copied down the wrong equation. i thought i was going to lose all five points in that particular number. oh well, i thought wrong. the prof gave me a 4 out of 5. it struck me as peculiar, at the very least. i think i asked him about it and he told me that my solution and answer were actually correct, that is, if that was the equation that he gave. cool, right? i mean, who else gives a 4 out of 5 points for a number where the given equation was copied incorrectly? i don't know about you but my math17 prof surely does.
The Uno-ability: math17 is unoable. i think. oh, no, i won't get an uno for this subject. that's actually dreaming too much. hah. but any subject is unoable if you have the ability to get an UNO. unless your prof doesn't want you to.
CHEM16 under Prof Cherrie Pascual [lecture] and Sir Mark Cleofas [lab].
The Subject: it's general chemistry. the stuff you learned in highschool, basically. just tougher, yes.
The Profs: Prof Pascual can be an intimidating professor once you come to know her educational and professional background. she is a PhD degree holder who pursued higher education in australia. she's also one of those chosen people who have the power to vote who's going to be deemed as a nobel prize winner. yes, she is one of the chosen ones. oh, she's also from analytic chemistry. and she was the chem16 coordinator. need i say more?
Sir Cleofas is quite new since he just graduated last april 2009 and i think that was what made him a good instructor. he still has his student heart safely tucked within his ribcage, with competency to boot.
The Exams: all of the short quizzes are made by prof pascual and seeing how she wants her students to be the best in chem, the quizzes aren't as easy as those given to other chem16 students. but if you have a good grasp of the topic, you'd do quite well.
the three long exams are actually what you need to focus on. each exam is worth 150 points [160, actually, because of the ten-point bonus] and your grades for the three long exams would determine your prefinal grade. 2.00 above would exempt you from the finals. just practice on your chem problems and you won't have that much of a difficulty. and, don't forget what you learned in highschool. *wink*
KAS1 under Prof. Ruel Pagunsan.
The Subject: it's philippine history. what more do i have to say?
The Prof: my kas1 was a 4-5.30 subject. yes, that dreaded hour when the Sandman visits quite often. but prof pagunsan has this ability to shoo away Mr. Sandman. oh, he has a knack for discussing any topic in full 24-color-palette detail. yes, we discussed the significance of history and the prehispanic era for the entire sem [i'm not sure if that's an exaggeration or what.] which wasn't bad at all. all of his students know the twists and turns of the prehispanic era by now. and we know how important history is. he hammered the point home, after all. =)
i've heard highschool classmates how they dislike their kas1 subjects. i don't know but it seems that i was the only one who has a good kas1 experience. you won't find history boring under this professor. he is a living ilustrado after all.
The Exams: one written exam. essay-type. just brush up on your notes and you'll do just fine. there's another, btw. a sem-ender exam. oral. you pick two questions from a box and you have 6 minutes to answer it. scary, i know, but it really wasn't. that's just nerves.
The Grades: i don't know my kas1 grade yet but as far as i can see, based from the written exam, he gives grades that you deserve. plus points for complete attendance. plus more points if you joined the banahaw field trip. oh, don't forget to recite and let the prof know you by name. that'd make a huge difference on your grade.
ENGLISH11 under Prof. Isabela Mooney
The Subject: literature. and society. and literature. yes, and have i mentioned literature?
The Prof: makes you channel that hidden analyst in you. she gives out rhetorical questions that aren't so rhetorical after all. once the heavy symbolisms and literary weight start to drown you, she gives little hints just to prod your subconscious into letting all those insights rise up to the surface. and then, there's her knack for blurting out little sarcastic remarks that would make you chuckle a bit [the lightness of the chuckles depends on the person, say, if you're the brunt of the remark]
all in all, prof mooney is a very interesting and competent professor in her field. really.
The Exams: first exam was about poetry. we were given a poem and we had to make a critical essay on it. oh, our essays had to reach at least the centerfold mark of our bluebooks. yes. expect finger and wrist cramps.
second exam was about short fictions and Oedipus Rex. it was a takehome exam. oh, don't jump for joy just yet. i actually shuddered when prof mooney announced that the second exam was to be taken home. after all, takehome exams are never easy. oh, i wasn't disappointed. it was NOT easy. actually, when she dictated our exam, my mind was whirring.
she made us do the impossible ---- create our own novels in one day.
kidding. really, i was kidding, don't just scream your head off. what she made us do wasn't actually impossible. just a bit difficult. but hey, it was a takehome exam after all.
The Grades: i haven't seen my grades yet. but prof mooney once told us that if a student is physically and mentally present in class every meeting then that student will never fail. so, if you've got a complete attendance [and by that, i also mean to say that you're not just sleeping in the class] then you're already guaranteed the good ol' tres. if you want higher than that, then exert effort. i recall several CW majors who told me that prof mooney dislikes mediocrity. well, who does?
oh, if you're not outspoken, have no worries. you don't have to be a recitation freak in this class. prof mooney once said that you can talk as much as you want and not make any sense at all but you can also be the quietest yet the most brilliant student. talk seldomly but make sure that whatever comes out of your mouth makes perfect sense and she'll never forget your name. i mean it.
The Drawback: professor mooney is going to be out of the country for a year and half. so even if you see her name in the CRS, she wouldn't be the one teaching that section. she'll be somewhere in the west.
SOCSCI3 under Prof. Soledad Dalisay.
The Subject: gender and sexuality. don't even ask me why i enlisted the subject. it was fun. you just watch documentaries and you discuss. really.
The Prof: knows how to keep her students intrigued. well, it IS an intriguing subject after all. you'll just laugh your head off when she starts bringing her magical bag of goodies.
The Exams: just one exam. half-objective, half-subjective. just read the notes that you copied from the board and those readings that she asked you to get and you'll ace the exam.
The Grades: divided into three. exam, paper, and presentation. the exam, mentioned above, is the only thing that's done individually in this class. you form groups of four or three and you pick your topic and you make a paper out of it. that's it. oh, you have to present it on class. be creative and fun. that's basically it. highschool stuff, really. and if you know your research format well, here's some cookies for you.
oh, there was one individual paper. you get to choose among all the documentaries and films that you've watched in class and you make a reaction paper. fairly easy.
PE WF under Prof. Edwin Barber.
The Subject: walking. for fitness. yeah. basically, you walk, as the name implies [or states].
The Prof: prof barber seriously wants his students to walk faster. and to lose weight and fat. he wants his students to become physically fit and walk faster.. and lose some fat. and have i mentioned how he so wants students to walk faster? oh, but he is a really nice professor. a comedian at heart. really.
The Exams: none. really. we were supposed to have a 4.4km walk [two acad oval rounds] but due to the storms it was postponed for a week. then, because it was drizzling that morning, he decided to just scrap it since it might disrupt our major subjects if he were to reschedule it some other time. haven't i told you how nice he is?
The Grades: people told me that this PE is unoable and easy. oh, fairly easy since you just need to walk. FAST. but the unoable part is certainly true. you get a shining uno and you lose weight as well. what more do you want?
so, there. those were my subjects for the first semester, all in a nutshell.
i'm fairly satisfied and happy with how things went. now, second sem is approaching and i have nothing to say except GOOD LUCK. =)
and i'm happy that i got out of it very much alive and unscathed. well, quite unscathed. i did not bleed out. points for me. =) yay.
here are my subjects for the first semester that i've had in UP. all in a nutshell.
MATH17 under Prof. Edmond Sison.
The Subject: well, it's algebra and trigonometry. i don't think i have to say anything anymore.
The Prof: is plain cool. he teaches really well. he explains the concepts really well. granted, it felt boring during the first weeks since we were discussing all about sets [which is, in fact, a boring topic. yes.] but as math17 goes on, it became more interesting.
The Exams: prof sison's exams aren't THAT hard. i mean, they're not easy but they're not impossible. if you have a good grasp on the topic, getting high scores on his exams is not at all unlikely.
The Grades: prof sison gives partial points. and he gives quite generously at that. really. during the first long exam, i copied down the wrong equation. i thought i was going to lose all five points in that particular number. oh well, i thought wrong. the prof gave me a 4 out of 5. it struck me as peculiar, at the very least. i think i asked him about it and he told me that my solution and answer were actually correct, that is, if that was the equation that he gave. cool, right? i mean, who else gives a 4 out of 5 points for a number where the given equation was copied incorrectly? i don't know about you but my math17 prof surely does.
The Uno-ability: math17 is unoable. i think. oh, no, i won't get an uno for this subject. that's actually dreaming too much. hah. but any subject is unoable if you have the ability to get an UNO. unless your prof doesn't want you to.
CHEM16 under Prof Cherrie Pascual [lecture] and Sir Mark Cleofas [lab].
The Subject: it's general chemistry. the stuff you learned in highschool, basically. just tougher, yes.
The Profs: Prof Pascual can be an intimidating professor once you come to know her educational and professional background. she is a PhD degree holder who pursued higher education in australia. she's also one of those chosen people who have the power to vote who's going to be deemed as a nobel prize winner. yes, she is one of the chosen ones. oh, she's also from analytic chemistry. and she was the chem16 coordinator. need i say more?
Sir Cleofas is quite new since he just graduated last april 2009 and i think that was what made him a good instructor. he still has his student heart safely tucked within his ribcage, with competency to boot.
The Exams: all of the short quizzes are made by prof pascual and seeing how she wants her students to be the best in chem, the quizzes aren't as easy as those given to other chem16 students. but if you have a good grasp of the topic, you'd do quite well.
the three long exams are actually what you need to focus on. each exam is worth 150 points [160, actually, because of the ten-point bonus] and your grades for the three long exams would determine your prefinal grade. 2.00 above would exempt you from the finals. just practice on your chem problems and you won't have that much of a difficulty. and, don't forget what you learned in highschool. *wink*
KAS1 under Prof. Ruel Pagunsan.
The Subject: it's philippine history. what more do i have to say?
The Prof: my kas1 was a 4-5.30 subject. yes, that dreaded hour when the Sandman visits quite often. but prof pagunsan has this ability to shoo away Mr. Sandman. oh, he has a knack for discussing any topic in full 24-color-palette detail. yes, we discussed the significance of history and the prehispanic era for the entire sem [i'm not sure if that's an exaggeration or what.] which wasn't bad at all. all of his students know the twists and turns of the prehispanic era by now. and we know how important history is. he hammered the point home, after all. =)
i've heard highschool classmates how they dislike their kas1 subjects. i don't know but it seems that i was the only one who has a good kas1 experience. you won't find history boring under this professor. he is a living ilustrado after all.
The Exams: one written exam. essay-type. just brush up on your notes and you'll do just fine. there's another, btw. a sem-ender exam. oral. you pick two questions from a box and you have 6 minutes to answer it. scary, i know, but it really wasn't. that's just nerves.
The Grades: i don't know my kas1 grade yet but as far as i can see, based from the written exam, he gives grades that you deserve. plus points for complete attendance. plus more points if you joined the banahaw field trip. oh, don't forget to recite and let the prof know you by name. that'd make a huge difference on your grade.
ENGLISH11 under Prof. Isabela Mooney
The Subject: literature. and society. and literature. yes, and have i mentioned literature?
The Prof: makes you channel that hidden analyst in you. she gives out rhetorical questions that aren't so rhetorical after all. once the heavy symbolisms and literary weight start to drown you, she gives little hints just to prod your subconscious into letting all those insights rise up to the surface. and then, there's her knack for blurting out little sarcastic remarks that would make you chuckle a bit [the lightness of the chuckles depends on the person, say, if you're the brunt of the remark]
all in all, prof mooney is a very interesting and competent professor in her field. really.
The Exams: first exam was about poetry. we were given a poem and we had to make a critical essay on it. oh, our essays had to reach at least the centerfold mark of our bluebooks. yes. expect finger and wrist cramps.
second exam was about short fictions and Oedipus Rex. it was a takehome exam. oh, don't jump for joy just yet. i actually shuddered when prof mooney announced that the second exam was to be taken home. after all, takehome exams are never easy. oh, i wasn't disappointed. it was NOT easy. actually, when she dictated our exam, my mind was whirring.
she made us do the impossible ---- create our own novels in one day.
kidding. really, i was kidding, don't just scream your head off. what she made us do wasn't actually impossible. just a bit difficult. but hey, it was a takehome exam after all.
The Grades: i haven't seen my grades yet. but prof mooney once told us that if a student is physically and mentally present in class every meeting then that student will never fail. so, if you've got a complete attendance [and by that, i also mean to say that you're not just sleeping in the class] then you're already guaranteed the good ol' tres. if you want higher than that, then exert effort. i recall several CW majors who told me that prof mooney dislikes mediocrity. well, who does?
oh, if you're not outspoken, have no worries. you don't have to be a recitation freak in this class. prof mooney once said that you can talk as much as you want and not make any sense at all but you can also be the quietest yet the most brilliant student. talk seldomly but make sure that whatever comes out of your mouth makes perfect sense and she'll never forget your name. i mean it.
The Drawback: professor mooney is going to be out of the country for a year and half. so even if you see her name in the CRS, she wouldn't be the one teaching that section. she'll be somewhere in the west.
SOCSCI3 under Prof. Soledad Dalisay.
The Subject: gender and sexuality. don't even ask me why i enlisted the subject. it was fun. you just watch documentaries and you discuss. really.
The Prof: knows how to keep her students intrigued. well, it IS an intriguing subject after all. you'll just laugh your head off when she starts bringing her magical bag of goodies.
The Exams: just one exam. half-objective, half-subjective. just read the notes that you copied from the board and those readings that she asked you to get and you'll ace the exam.
The Grades: divided into three. exam, paper, and presentation. the exam, mentioned above, is the only thing that's done individually in this class. you form groups of four or three and you pick your topic and you make a paper out of it. that's it. oh, you have to present it on class. be creative and fun. that's basically it. highschool stuff, really. and if you know your research format well, here's some cookies for you.
oh, there was one individual paper. you get to choose among all the documentaries and films that you've watched in class and you make a reaction paper. fairly easy.
PE WF under Prof. Edwin Barber.
The Subject: walking. for fitness. yeah. basically, you walk, as the name implies [or states].
The Prof: prof barber seriously wants his students to walk faster. and to lose weight and fat. he wants his students to become physically fit and walk faster.. and lose some fat. and have i mentioned how he so wants students to walk faster? oh, but he is a really nice professor. a comedian at heart. really.
The Exams: none. really. we were supposed to have a 4.4km walk [two acad oval rounds] but due to the storms it was postponed for a week. then, because it was drizzling that morning, he decided to just scrap it since it might disrupt our major subjects if he were to reschedule it some other time. haven't i told you how nice he is?
The Grades: people told me that this PE is unoable and easy. oh, fairly easy since you just need to walk. FAST. but the unoable part is certainly true. you get a shining uno and you lose weight as well. what more do you want?
so, there. those were my subjects for the first semester, all in a nutshell.
i'm fairly satisfied and happy with how things went. now, second sem is approaching and i have nothing to say except GOOD LUCK. =)
Y Y Y
JUST TO END THE HIATUS
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
it's been quite some time when i last posted an entry in this blog. oh well. been too busy and all that crap. just to "end" my hiatus, i'll post this cute joke.
It was the final examination for an introductory Biology course at the local university. Like many such freshman courses, it was designed to weed out new students, having over 500 students in the class! The examination was two hours long, and exam booklets were provided.
The professor was very strict and told the class that any exam that was not on his desk in exactly two hours would not be accepted and the student would fail.
Half of an hour into the exam, a student came rushing in and asked the professor for an exam booklet.
"You're not going to have time to finish this," the professor stated sarcastically as he handed the student a booklet.
"Yes I will," replied the student.
He then took a seat and began writing.
After two hours, the professor called for the exams, and the students filed up and handed them in. All except the late student, who continued writing.
An hour later, the last student came up to the professor who was sitting at his desk preparing for his next class. He attempted to put his exam on the stack of exam booklets already there.
"No you don't, I'm not going to accept that. It's late."
The student looked incredulous and angry. "Do you know who I am?"
"No, as a matter of fact I don't," replied the professor with an air of sarcasm in his voice.
"Do you know who I am?" the student asked again in a louder voice.
"No, and I don't care." replied the professor with an air of superiority.
"Good," replied the student, who quickly lifted the stack of completed exams, stuffed his in the middle, and walked out of the room.
There you have it. it made me think, actually. sounds good enough to try. HAHAHA.
anyway, i think i'll be posting some other time soon.
i'm still quite upset with the CRS. you suck CRS! haha. if only cursing it would enlist me on my subjects.. LOL.
It was the final examination for an introductory Biology course at the local university. Like many such freshman courses, it was designed to weed out new students, having over 500 students in the class! The examination was two hours long, and exam booklets were provided.
The professor was very strict and told the class that any exam that was not on his desk in exactly two hours would not be accepted and the student would fail.
Half of an hour into the exam, a student came rushing in and asked the professor for an exam booklet.
"You're not going to have time to finish this," the professor stated sarcastically as he handed the student a booklet.
"Yes I will," replied the student.
He then took a seat and began writing.
After two hours, the professor called for the exams, and the students filed up and handed them in. All except the late student, who continued writing.
An hour later, the last student came up to the professor who was sitting at his desk preparing for his next class. He attempted to put his exam on the stack of exam booklets already there.
"No you don't, I'm not going to accept that. It's late."
The student looked incredulous and angry. "Do you know who I am?"
"No, as a matter of fact I don't," replied the professor with an air of sarcasm in his voice.
"Do you know who I am?" the student asked again in a louder voice.
"No, and I don't care." replied the professor with an air of superiority.
"Good," replied the student, who quickly lifted the stack of completed exams, stuffed his in the middle, and walked out of the room.
There you have it. it made me think, actually. sounds good enough to try. HAHAHA.
anyway, i think i'll be posting some other time soon.
i'm still quite upset with the CRS. you suck CRS! haha. if only cursing it would enlist me on my subjects.. LOL.
Y Y Y
I'd like to buy the world a Kimberly
Monday, August 3, 2009
Tagged by Aura and Mico.
THE SLOGAN GENERATOR: ADVERTISE YOURSELF.
-Go to: http://thesurrealist.co.uk/slogan.cgi
-Put your name in, and generate slogan after each question.
1. What do you say to yourself every morning?
Sometimes you feel like a Kimberly. Sometimes you don't.
2. What do you want other people say about you?
The Kimberly that smiles back. [haha. cute.]
3. Someone asked you out, your answer is...
The Man from Kimberly, he says "Yes". [yes lang ang dami pang sinabi. haha.]
4. How would you answer a booty call?
Tastes great, less Kimberly. [wth..]
5. How would you introduce yourself to someone you really like?
The loudest noise comes from the electric Kimberly. [i'm not hot. i'm electric! haha.]
6. to someone you dislike?
We don't make Kimberly. We make Kimberly better. [???]
7. You're in a conversation and you suddenly feel the need to pee, how would you excuse yourself?
Your flexible Kimberly. [huh?]
8. Your parents ask you why you got home late, you say...
Super Kimberly is almost here. [i'm ALMOST here so don't get me grounded.]
9. You're failing a subject, you say...
Obey your Kimberly. *to prof*
10. The love of your life asks you to marry him/her, what do you say?
Try Kimberly, you'll like it. [hahaha..]
11. Your bf/gf is breaking up with you, you tell him/her...
Discover the Kimberly Difference. [yes. your life would suck without Kimberly. haha.]
12. Someone told you you're an asshole, you tell them...
Good, honest Kimberly since 1896. [translation: i'm an asshole ever since so don't mess up with me. LOL.]
13. What are the best words to describe you?
With a name like Kimberly, it has to be good. [woohoo! =D]
14. If you're going to have a movie about your life, the title is...
An army of Kimberly. [wow. a war flick, probably?]
15. Your last words before you die..
Kimberly not included. [haha.. of course, i'll be gone by then.]
16. Your message to a special someone..
Happiness is Kimberly-shaped. [so be with me, BE WITH ME!! hahaha.]
17. Title of this post will be...
I'd like to buy the world a Kimberly. [cooool.]
------------------------------------------
There are other cool slogans like...
I think, therefore Kimberly. [aura and mico will surely love this one.]
Do you, uh, Kimberly? [what does that mean? hmm.]
Because I'm worth Kimberly. [damned good thing to say. haha.]
Make room for the Kimberly. [the heiress to the royal crown is coming..]
Maybe she's born with it, maybe it's Kimberly. [innate talents, huh.]
The Kimberly for all ages. [what is Kimberly? a movie?]
I want my Kimberly. [then come and get it. lol.]
I can't believe it's not Kimberly. [yes. it should be Kimberly. only Kimberly.]
All you add is Kimberly. [that is, if you want a bit of color in your life. lol.]
We all adore a Kimberly. [but of course. how can you not?]
Something special in the Kimberly. [everything's special in the Kimberly. =D]
The Kimberly goes straight to your head. [and knocks the lights out of you. a hard liquor, huh??]
There ain't no party like a Kimberly party. [woohoo. bring it on.]
Out of the strong came forth Kimberly. [spartans, what is your profession?!]
THE SLOGAN GENERATOR: ADVERTISE YOURSELF.
-Go to: http://thesurrealist.co.uk/slogan.cgi
-Put your name in, and generate slogan after each question.
1. What do you say to yourself every morning?
Sometimes you feel like a Kimberly. Sometimes you don't.
2. What do you want other people say about you?
The Kimberly that smiles back. [haha. cute.]
3. Someone asked you out, your answer is...
The Man from Kimberly, he says "Yes". [yes lang ang dami pang sinabi. haha.]
4. How would you answer a booty call?
Tastes great, less Kimberly. [wth..]
5. How would you introduce yourself to someone you really like?
The loudest noise comes from the electric Kimberly. [i'm not hot. i'm electric! haha.]
6. to someone you dislike?
We don't make Kimberly. We make Kimberly better. [???]
7. You're in a conversation and you suddenly feel the need to pee, how would you excuse yourself?
Your flexible Kimberly. [huh?]
8. Your parents ask you why you got home late, you say...
Super Kimberly is almost here. [i'm ALMOST here so don't get me grounded.]
9. You're failing a subject, you say...
Obey your Kimberly. *to prof*
10. The love of your life asks you to marry him/her, what do you say?
Try Kimberly, you'll like it. [hahaha..]
11. Your bf/gf is breaking up with you, you tell him/her...
Discover the Kimberly Difference. [yes. your life would suck without Kimberly. haha.]
12. Someone told you you're an asshole, you tell them...
Good, honest Kimberly since 1896. [translation: i'm an asshole ever since so don't mess up with me. LOL.]
13. What are the best words to describe you?
With a name like Kimberly, it has to be good. [woohoo! =D]
14. If you're going to have a movie about your life, the title is...
An army of Kimberly. [wow. a war flick, probably?]
15. Your last words before you die..
Kimberly not included. [haha.. of course, i'll be gone by then.]
16. Your message to a special someone..
Happiness is Kimberly-shaped. [so be with me, BE WITH ME!! hahaha.]
17. Title of this post will be...
I'd like to buy the world a Kimberly. [cooool.]
------------------------------------------
There are other cool slogans like...
I think, therefore Kimberly. [aura and mico will surely love this one.]
Do you, uh, Kimberly? [what does that mean? hmm.]
Because I'm worth Kimberly. [damned good thing to say. haha.]
Make room for the Kimberly. [the heiress to the royal crown is coming..]
Maybe she's born with it, maybe it's Kimberly. [innate talents, huh.]
The Kimberly for all ages. [what is Kimberly? a movie?]
I want my Kimberly. [then come and get it. lol.]
I can't believe it's not Kimberly. [yes. it should be Kimberly. only Kimberly.]
All you add is Kimberly. [that is, if you want a bit of color in your life. lol.]
We all adore a Kimberly. [but of course. how can you not?]
Something special in the Kimberly. [everything's special in the Kimberly. =D]
The Kimberly goes straight to your head. [and knocks the lights out of you. a hard liquor, huh??]
There ain't no party like a Kimberly party. [woohoo. bring it on.]
Out of the strong came forth Kimberly. [spartans, what is your profession?!]
Y Y Y
entry to the adult society
Saturday, July 18, 2009
a bonafide member of the adult society...
since thursday, july 16.
sweet.
well, i don't actually feel like of legal age already. young, young, young at heart. lol. i can now be put to jail so i guess i better behave myself.
oh, and i can drink alcohol by now. [not that i didn't do that back in argentina]
i'm just curious as to how they can attest that 18 should be the legal age. i mean, why 18 anyway? why not 20? why not 16?
why 18?
thursday night, the real day of my entry to the adult society, was not actually good.
i was scolded. yes, you heard [or read] me right.
the thing was that i was applying for an acad org so i had to stay for the required "tambay hours".
well, i arrived home at 8.
yes. i was scolded, of course. and they didn't want me joining any orgs from then on.
i was like o_0.
i mean, there i was, giddy with the fact that i'd be applying for an acad org... happy because my first tambay went well... and there they were, ruining the night.
crap. i know.
and that was my birthday.
even more crap.
and so, let's not go to this topic, shall we?
friday.
my first class is 8.30.
math17.
so around 7 i was already on my way to UP.
inside the UP campus jeep, i received an announcement.
classes were suspended.
and no, i didn't jump for joy. not even a little squeak.
i was irritated. imagine, i woke up really early for nothing. the jeep and mrt fares were all for nothing.
and mrt was a freaking wormhole.
we didn't ride the first train since it was already jampacked. people were rushing and pushing.
but the second train was no less different.
we were the ones standing just behind the yellow platform but when the train finally came to a halt in front of us and the doors opened, it felt as if a wormhole sucked us in.
no, not vortex.
a wormhole.
once you get in, you can't get out.
actually, we were able to ride that train because people have pushed us inside. crap. what an amaaaazing adventure. [hear the sarcasm drip...]
when i got home, i was drenched.
yes, drenched. dripping-all-over-the-floor drenched.
why can't they just notify the students earlier that classes are going to suspended? i mean, if they haven't noticed it yet, some students have early classes and some of them live quite a distance from campus.
announcing that there'd be no classes at 7.30 is futile.
the students are going to be at the campus by that time.
futile.
but afternoon was fun, fun, FUN.
ugh. my spanish is starting to be crappy. i'm forgetting some basic words and all that. i hate it.
well, you know about this colombian guy who's currently here in the philippines with AFS. he's a freshman in ateneo and i'm his liaison officer. basically, his native language is spanish [duh.] and so AFS-Philippines asked me to be the one explaining to him and all that.
i was eager, apparently so. i mean, i've been missing spanish for more than a year and now here's someone with whom i can practice my spanish. yay.
well, yeah. he understands me and i understand him [aside from the fact that there are words that really differ in meaning... i mean, REALLY.]
but, it seems to me that he speaks waaaay too fast and i speak waaaay too slow. i dunno. and i effin hate it when i forget words...
before i left argentina, i was told that i should not forget my spanish. that i should keep on practicing spanish. that i should preserve my spanish.
effin hell. i practice written spanish but my oral spanish is starting to go downhill.
i put accents in wrong syllables, i pronounce badly, and for effin's sake, i forget words!
well, i'm exaggerating everything, of course. but still, my spanish is starting to go downhill and i'm hating that.
i was talking to the colombian guy over the phone just a while ago and there was a conversation about flights and all that and i just couldn't remember the spanish of "RISK".
the hell.
i wanted to hit my head against the wall. i mean, yeah it's been over a year but STILL, i spoke spanish for almost a year so i just can't start forgetting words like that. and it's not even one of the profound, archaic, literary spanish words...
it's just RISK. and i couldn't recall it.
well, i explained it to him and he told me the word in spanish.
RIESGO.
i was like, yeah i forgot such an easy word. sweet.
now, i'm determined to bring back my spanish skill. the colombian guy's staying in the country for one year so i have one year to practice my spanish.
before i start learning german and japanese, i swear i am going to master spanish first.
ooookaaaay. i have to go. have to do my kas1 papers.
chau.
since thursday, july 16.
sweet.
well, i don't actually feel like of legal age already. young, young, young at heart. lol. i can now be put to jail so i guess i better behave myself.
oh, and i can drink alcohol by now. [not that i didn't do that back in argentina]
i'm just curious as to how they can attest that 18 should be the legal age. i mean, why 18 anyway? why not 20? why not 16?
why 18?
thursday night, the real day of my entry to the adult society, was not actually good.
i was scolded. yes, you heard [or read] me right.
the thing was that i was applying for an acad org so i had to stay for the required "tambay hours".
well, i arrived home at 8.
yes. i was scolded, of course. and they didn't want me joining any orgs from then on.
i was like o_0.
i mean, there i was, giddy with the fact that i'd be applying for an acad org... happy because my first tambay went well... and there they were, ruining the night.
crap. i know.
and that was my birthday.
even more crap.
and so, let's not go to this topic, shall we?
friday.
my first class is 8.30.
math17.
so around 7 i was already on my way to UP.
inside the UP campus jeep, i received an announcement.
classes were suspended.
and no, i didn't jump for joy. not even a little squeak.
i was irritated. imagine, i woke up really early for nothing. the jeep and mrt fares were all for nothing.
and mrt was a freaking wormhole.
we didn't ride the first train since it was already jampacked. people were rushing and pushing.
but the second train was no less different.
we were the ones standing just behind the yellow platform but when the train finally came to a halt in front of us and the doors opened, it felt as if a wormhole sucked us in.
no, not vortex.
a wormhole.
once you get in, you can't get out.
actually, we were able to ride that train because people have pushed us inside. crap. what an amaaaazing adventure. [hear the sarcasm drip...]
when i got home, i was drenched.
yes, drenched. dripping-all-over-the-floor drenched.
why can't they just notify the students earlier that classes are going to suspended? i mean, if they haven't noticed it yet, some students have early classes and some of them live quite a distance from campus.
announcing that there'd be no classes at 7.30 is futile.
the students are going to be at the campus by that time.
futile.
but afternoon was fun, fun, FUN.
ugh. my spanish is starting to be crappy. i'm forgetting some basic words and all that. i hate it.
well, you know about this colombian guy who's currently here in the philippines with AFS. he's a freshman in ateneo and i'm his liaison officer. basically, his native language is spanish [duh.] and so AFS-Philippines asked me to be the one explaining to him and all that.
i was eager, apparently so. i mean, i've been missing spanish for more than a year and now here's someone with whom i can practice my spanish. yay.
well, yeah. he understands me and i understand him [aside from the fact that there are words that really differ in meaning... i mean, REALLY.]
but, it seems to me that he speaks waaaay too fast and i speak waaaay too slow. i dunno. and i effin hate it when i forget words...
before i left argentina, i was told that i should not forget my spanish. that i should keep on practicing spanish. that i should preserve my spanish.
effin hell. i practice written spanish but my oral spanish is starting to go downhill.
i put accents in wrong syllables, i pronounce badly, and for effin's sake, i forget words!
well, i'm exaggerating everything, of course. but still, my spanish is starting to go downhill and i'm hating that.
i was talking to the colombian guy over the phone just a while ago and there was a conversation about flights and all that and i just couldn't remember the spanish of "RISK".
the hell.
i wanted to hit my head against the wall. i mean, yeah it's been over a year but STILL, i spoke spanish for almost a year so i just can't start forgetting words like that. and it's not even one of the profound, archaic, literary spanish words...
it's just RISK. and i couldn't recall it.
well, i explained it to him and he told me the word in spanish.
RIESGO.
i was like, yeah i forgot such an easy word. sweet.
now, i'm determined to bring back my spanish skill. the colombian guy's staying in the country for one year so i have one year to practice my spanish.
before i start learning german and japanese, i swear i am going to master spanish first.
ooookaaaay. i have to go. have to do my kas1 papers.
chau.
Y Y Y
drabbles and beliefs
Sunday, June 28, 2009
It has already been two weeks when i entered the University of the Philippines as a BS Chemical Engineering freshman.
Well, what can i say?
I'm enjoying it.
Math17. [college algebra and trigonometry]
Chem16. [general chemistry]
Kas1. [kasaysayan ng pilipinas]
Eng11. [literature and society]
Socsci3. [exploring gender and sexuality]
These are my subjects for this semester. And yes, i am enjoying every single one of them.
Including my math17.
BS Chem eng'g was my first choice but i really didn't have any idea as to what this field is all about. when i filled out the UPCAT form [that was before i went to argentina for a year] i was having a difficulty in choosing a course.
i did not know what to take up.
i thought that since i'm inclined to science, it would be best to take up something related to science.
but i also love english. and literature. and communication.
science and lit don't actually go hand in hand.
i was browsing through the net, hoping that something would just appear... something that would help me in choosing what course to take up.
then the field of engineering caught my attention.
oh, i know about engineering and its strong link with mathematics.
it is an intimidating field after all.
among the subjects that i've known from elementary and highschool, mathematics is my waterloo. [well, actually, Filipino is my weakest subject but since it doesn't have anything to do with what i'm trying to say, let's just not consider it for now.]
not that i'm THAT bad at it. it's just that i'm not THAT good at it either.
i'm pretty average. i can say that.
but the thing is that i really like excelling. when i don't excel, i feel bad about myself.
a friend once told me that excelling is not everything. well, yes, i know that. failure, after all, is not falling down but staying down.
well, let's get back to mathematics, shall we?
anyway, math is my waterloo. i admit that.
not that i hate math. i actually like it.
let's just say that it's a sort of a love-hatred on-off relationship. LOL.
if i fear math, it would have been better since it would be like facing my fears. but i don't fear math. it's just not my strongest point.
and that is what actually pushed me to write "BS Chemical Engineering" on the space for my first choice. [aside from the fact that i love chemistry]
math is my waterloo. but i don't hate my waterloo. so i thought, why not make use of that waterloo and turn it into a fortress?
crazy me, i know.
speaking of waterloo, i mentioned that Filipino is actually my weakness, right? but take a look at my subjects...
i have KAS1.
kasaysayan ng pilipinas.
wondering why i enlisted in that subject?
ever since my elementary days i disliked HeKaSi [heograpiya, kasaysayan at sining]... i dislike anything that has to do with memorizing all those dates. i mean, what am i going to do with this katipunero's birthdate after all??
i enlisted for KAS1 because i just want to change my notion regarding kasaysayan.
history has always been stigmatized. it has always been deemed as boring.
but history is not boring.
it is like a novel of the adventures of the past. a long, long novel, yes. but a novel nonetheless. filled with symbolisms and figures of speech and developed characters and intricate plotlines...
i know all that but i haven't confirmed it yet.
and now, i am going to.
i can't help but think of the next ten years to come. the thing is that i don't know what i want to do with my life. i don't even know if i really want to be a chemical engineer.
well, yes. i want to try being a chemical engineer. but for the rest of my life?
i don't know.
i just know that i want adventure. i want spontaneity.
it just came to me that choosing what course to take up is one of the most difficult decisions to make.
i quite envy those people who already know what to do with their lives. those people who don't waver in their belief that what they want is what they really want. those people who already know where their hearts are...
i don't know where my heart is.
well, maybe i don't have to know. maybe i just have to put my heart where i want it to be.
after all, when you're lost, you just have to make the place you're lost in feel like home.
you are the captain after all.
Well, what can i say?
I'm enjoying it.
Math17. [college algebra and trigonometry]
Chem16. [general chemistry]
Kas1. [kasaysayan ng pilipinas]
Eng11. [literature and society]
Socsci3. [exploring gender and sexuality]
These are my subjects for this semester. And yes, i am enjoying every single one of them.
Including my math17.
BS Chem eng'g was my first choice but i really didn't have any idea as to what this field is all about. when i filled out the UPCAT form [that was before i went to argentina for a year] i was having a difficulty in choosing a course.
i did not know what to take up.
i thought that since i'm inclined to science, it would be best to take up something related to science.
but i also love english. and literature. and communication.
science and lit don't actually go hand in hand.
i was browsing through the net, hoping that something would just appear... something that would help me in choosing what course to take up.
then the field of engineering caught my attention.
oh, i know about engineering and its strong link with mathematics.
it is an intimidating field after all.
among the subjects that i've known from elementary and highschool, mathematics is my waterloo. [well, actually, Filipino is my weakest subject but since it doesn't have anything to do with what i'm trying to say, let's just not consider it for now.]
not that i'm THAT bad at it. it's just that i'm not THAT good at it either.
i'm pretty average. i can say that.
but the thing is that i really like excelling. when i don't excel, i feel bad about myself.
a friend once told me that excelling is not everything. well, yes, i know that. failure, after all, is not falling down but staying down.
well, let's get back to mathematics, shall we?
anyway, math is my waterloo. i admit that.
not that i hate math. i actually like it.
let's just say that it's a sort of a love-hatred on-off relationship. LOL.
if i fear math, it would have been better since it would be like facing my fears. but i don't fear math. it's just not my strongest point.
and that is what actually pushed me to write "BS Chemical Engineering" on the space for my first choice. [aside from the fact that i love chemistry]
math is my waterloo. but i don't hate my waterloo. so i thought, why not make use of that waterloo and turn it into a fortress?
crazy me, i know.
speaking of waterloo, i mentioned that Filipino is actually my weakness, right? but take a look at my subjects...
i have KAS1.
kasaysayan ng pilipinas.
wondering why i enlisted in that subject?
ever since my elementary days i disliked HeKaSi [heograpiya, kasaysayan at sining]... i dislike anything that has to do with memorizing all those dates. i mean, what am i going to do with this katipunero's birthdate after all??
i enlisted for KAS1 because i just want to change my notion regarding kasaysayan.
history has always been stigmatized. it has always been deemed as boring.
but history is not boring.
it is like a novel of the adventures of the past. a long, long novel, yes. but a novel nonetheless. filled with symbolisms and figures of speech and developed characters and intricate plotlines...
i know all that but i haven't confirmed it yet.
and now, i am going to.
i can't help but think of the next ten years to come. the thing is that i don't know what i want to do with my life. i don't even know if i really want to be a chemical engineer.
well, yes. i want to try being a chemical engineer. but for the rest of my life?
i don't know.
i just know that i want adventure. i want spontaneity.
it just came to me that choosing what course to take up is one of the most difficult decisions to make.
i quite envy those people who already know what to do with their lives. those people who don't waver in their belief that what they want is what they really want. those people who already know where their hearts are...
i don't know where my heart is.
well, maybe i don't have to know. maybe i just have to put my heart where i want it to be.
after all, when you're lost, you just have to make the place you're lost in feel like home.
you are the captain after all.
Y Y Y
i've always loved the vast blue sky
Monday, June 1, 2009
i can't believe i still cry too easily.
i watched this japanese movie, Koizora [Sky of Love] yesterday. i wasn't really supposed to watch it since it was under the "drama" genre. but one of my favorite japanese actors played a lead role so... well... i thought that nothing can go wrong by watching drama once in a while.
well. nothing can go wrong, actually.
you just sort of... cry while watching.
the plot itself wasn't anything complicated. it was fairly simple, actually. it was about two young lovers trying to stay together with all the hardships thrown to them by the world. or by fate. or, well, you get the point.
that, in itself, wasn't anything to cry for. i know.
but it wasn't the plot itself that made this movie a "tearjerker".
it was those peculiar, trivial, tiny, seemingly unimportant little twists along the way that just grips your heart a teeny bit.
well, as for me, anything that has to do with sacrifices and all that makes me cry.
my mom's expression when she saw me sitting in front of my pc, brushing off the tears flowing from my eyes was just priceless.
she was like, "what did that massive pile of electronic system and metals do to my daughter?"
if it was any other time, i would have laughed out loud.
but, no. i looked at my mom and i went, "mama... nakakainis. nauubos na yung luha ko dito. kainis naman."
i know you're laughing, whoever you are. well, come to think of it, it was sort of funny. really. when my sister came home that evening, she said something about my eyes being a bit swollen.
oh wow. how uncool.
so i told her what happened. i told her the story. with full details.
and, yeah, she sort of cried as well.
actually, while i'm typing this entry, she's watching Koizora.
and i reckon that the smudge of water on her cheek isn't just sweat.
geez. after reading so many dark and disturbing manga, now i'm watching japanese drama?
well, what can i say? it's basically the same as listening to japanese pop songs everyday for the entire fortnight and then suddenly switching to german punk rock without even a hint of transition.
or it's like having a really long hair ever since your childhood days and then suddenly chopping it all off just for the sake of chopping it all off.
or maybe it's like hating vegetables your entire life and then suddenly wanting to be a vegetarian.
or probably something like having phobia with high places and then suddenly wanting to go skydive...
or something like that. you get the point, don't you?
most people wouldn't even dream of doing something out of their routine... something out of the ordinary... something risky and impulsive... something that screams "WAY OUT OF YOUR LEAGUE!"...
well, what can i say?
i'm not most people anyway.
xoxo
i watched this japanese movie, Koizora [Sky of Love] yesterday. i wasn't really supposed to watch it since it was under the "drama" genre. but one of my favorite japanese actors played a lead role so... well... i thought that nothing can go wrong by watching drama once in a while.
well. nothing can go wrong, actually.
you just sort of... cry while watching.
the plot itself wasn't anything complicated. it was fairly simple, actually. it was about two young lovers trying to stay together with all the hardships thrown to them by the world. or by fate. or, well, you get the point.
that, in itself, wasn't anything to cry for. i know.
but it wasn't the plot itself that made this movie a "tearjerker".
it was those peculiar, trivial, tiny, seemingly unimportant little twists along the way that just grips your heart a teeny bit.
well, as for me, anything that has to do with sacrifices and all that makes me cry.
my mom's expression when she saw me sitting in front of my pc, brushing off the tears flowing from my eyes was just priceless.
she was like, "what did that massive pile of electronic system and metals do to my daughter?"
if it was any other time, i would have laughed out loud.
but, no. i looked at my mom and i went, "mama... nakakainis. nauubos na yung luha ko dito. kainis naman."
i know you're laughing, whoever you are. well, come to think of it, it was sort of funny. really. when my sister came home that evening, she said something about my eyes being a bit swollen.
oh wow. how uncool.
so i told her what happened. i told her the story. with full details.
and, yeah, she sort of cried as well.
actually, while i'm typing this entry, she's watching Koizora.
and i reckon that the smudge of water on her cheek isn't just sweat.
geez. after reading so many dark and disturbing manga, now i'm watching japanese drama?
well, what can i say? it's basically the same as listening to japanese pop songs everyday for the entire fortnight and then suddenly switching to german punk rock without even a hint of transition.
or it's like having a really long hair ever since your childhood days and then suddenly chopping it all off just for the sake of chopping it all off.
or maybe it's like hating vegetables your entire life and then suddenly wanting to be a vegetarian.
or probably something like having phobia with high places and then suddenly wanting to go skydive...
or something like that. you get the point, don't you?
most people wouldn't even dream of doing something out of their routine... something out of the ordinary... something risky and impulsive... something that screams "WAY OUT OF YOUR LEAGUE!"...
well, what can i say?
i'm not most people anyway.
xoxo
Y Y Y
an unsteady stream of consciousness
Saturday, May 30, 2009
NOTE TO READERS:
you wouldn't be able to understand what i'm talking about unless you read thefirst part of this entire "story". click on the link and see the may 30, 2009 entry entitled THE BEAUTIFUL END OF CHAPTER 3.
There was a flash of lightning, like some terrible sky serpent prepared to strike whoever is unlucky enough to look at it in the eyes.
3, 2, 1...
I heard the rolling thunder, sounding so much like a guttural growl of an enormous creature from underground.
A glance to the partly-opened window caused me to thank my own laziness for preventing me from trying to go somewhere today. Sitting in a comfortable chair in front of my beloved computer with studio-sized headphones on my ears [not to mention an ample supply of snacks] must be way better than being out there under the pouring rain with that terrible sky serpent and the growling underground creature running rampant.
Just so you know, today's weather is saturated with betrayal and resentment.
Have you seen that pretty little butterfly fluttering over the flowers just before the rain drenched everything?
Well, it's gone now. Just like that.
Big drops of rain pummeled the butterfly to death.
Yes, just like that.
Poof, and it's gone.
There are fragile things in this world. Beautiful, wonderful, breathtaking things in the world.
Beautiful, wonderful, breathtaking things in the world that are just plain fragile.
Like, probably, trust.
Such a beautiful word. How ironic that such a beautiful word that holds so many meanings, so many deep-seated values and concepts can be so weak... so fragile...
Just like the pretty little butterfly fluttering over the flowers, unaware of its impending doom, trust can be destroyed by one big drop of rain saturated with betrayal and resentment...
Yes, just like that.
Poof, it's gone.
Then, there was another flash of lightning and a peal of rolling thunder...
Let the terrible sky serpent and the enormous creature with the guttural growl fight each other to death.
Just so you know, today's weather is filled with thunderstorms of anger and vengeance...
Indifference is the strongest force. It makes everything it touches meaningless. Love and hate don't stand a chance against it. It is the most powerful weapon that one can have.
It's like silence. Silence is an irrefutable argument. Stronger than any ad misericordiam argument, more logical than any ad rem premise, more powerful than any ad hominem statement...
Silence is irrefutable.
It can be wielded as a weapon but the real weapon, the true call for destruction, is what silence hides --- indifference.
Indifference is the real weapon. And like any other weapon, it is double-edged. It can backfire if wielded wrongly or if wielded by a weak soul.
This is a weapon that needs sheer will to be handled.
Halfhearted attempts in wielding it would destroy the wielder.
Another flash of lightning and a roll of thunder...
The two celestial creatures, locked in a deathmatch...
Yes, vengeance is bittersweet. Yes, vengeance destroys the avenger. Yes, Lestat of Anne Rice's novels said so himself "I have never had a deep interest in revenge. Revenge is the concern of those who are, at one point or another, beaten. I am not beaten. And victory is far more interesting to contemplate than revenge."
But then, hey. It's not revenge that i'm looking for, after all.
I just believe in equivalent trade. I pay my debts. I collect my debts.
Especially, if the debt i'll be collecting is for a close friend.
Measure for measure, as Shakespeare named one of his plays.
And then, I was wrong.
I wasn't looking carefully. The two creatures weren't locked in a deathmatch! they weren't even engaged in any battle...
the terrible sky serpent was streaking across the darkened skies, its blazing tail illuminating the shrouding black...
the creature with the guttural growl, invisible to the naked eye, was screaming with all its might to alleviate the heavy silence of the darkness...
I heard it, alright.
My friend has heard it as well.
Thank you, celestial creatures of the thunderstorm. A good show, that was. Spectacular.
A glance at the swiftly dissipating darkness caused me to thank the sweetest gods of the heavens and the earths and the underworlds for bestowing such laziness unto me that i didn't try to leave the house today. Well, if i had, it would have been a different story then.
[apologies!! highly unstable, unsteady entry. read mico's may 30 entry to understand what the hell i'm talking about]
you wouldn't be able to understand what i'm talking about unless you read thefirst part of this entire "story". click on the link and see the may 30, 2009 entry entitled THE BEAUTIFUL END OF CHAPTER 3.
There was a flash of lightning, like some terrible sky serpent prepared to strike whoever is unlucky enough to look at it in the eyes.
3, 2, 1...
I heard the rolling thunder, sounding so much like a guttural growl of an enormous creature from underground.
A glance to the partly-opened window caused me to thank my own laziness for preventing me from trying to go somewhere today. Sitting in a comfortable chair in front of my beloved computer with studio-sized headphones on my ears [not to mention an ample supply of snacks] must be way better than being out there under the pouring rain with that terrible sky serpent and the growling underground creature running rampant.
Just so you know, today's weather is saturated with betrayal and resentment.
Have you seen that pretty little butterfly fluttering over the flowers just before the rain drenched everything?
Well, it's gone now. Just like that.
Big drops of rain pummeled the butterfly to death.
Yes, just like that.
Poof, and it's gone.
There are fragile things in this world. Beautiful, wonderful, breathtaking things in the world.
Beautiful, wonderful, breathtaking things in the world that are just plain fragile.
Like, probably, trust.
Such a beautiful word. How ironic that such a beautiful word that holds so many meanings, so many deep-seated values and concepts can be so weak... so fragile...
Just like the pretty little butterfly fluttering over the flowers, unaware of its impending doom, trust can be destroyed by one big drop of rain saturated with betrayal and resentment...
Yes, just like that.
Poof, it's gone.
Then, there was another flash of lightning and a peal of rolling thunder...
Let the terrible sky serpent and the enormous creature with the guttural growl fight each other to death.
Just so you know, today's weather is filled with thunderstorms of anger and vengeance...
Indifference is the strongest force. It makes everything it touches meaningless. Love and hate don't stand a chance against it. It is the most powerful weapon that one can have.
It's like silence. Silence is an irrefutable argument. Stronger than any ad misericordiam argument, more logical than any ad rem premise, more powerful than any ad hominem statement...
Silence is irrefutable.
It can be wielded as a weapon but the real weapon, the true call for destruction, is what silence hides --- indifference.
Indifference is the real weapon. And like any other weapon, it is double-edged. It can backfire if wielded wrongly or if wielded by a weak soul.
This is a weapon that needs sheer will to be handled.
Halfhearted attempts in wielding it would destroy the wielder.
Another flash of lightning and a roll of thunder...
The two celestial creatures, locked in a deathmatch...
Yes, vengeance is bittersweet. Yes, vengeance destroys the avenger. Yes, Lestat of Anne Rice's novels said so himself "I have never had a deep interest in revenge. Revenge is the concern of those who are, at one point or another, beaten. I am not beaten. And victory is far more interesting to contemplate than revenge."
But then, hey. It's not revenge that i'm looking for, after all.
I just believe in equivalent trade. I pay my debts. I collect my debts.
Especially, if the debt i'll be collecting is for a close friend.
Measure for measure, as Shakespeare named one of his plays.
And then, I was wrong.
I wasn't looking carefully. The two creatures weren't locked in a deathmatch! they weren't even engaged in any battle...
the terrible sky serpent was streaking across the darkened skies, its blazing tail illuminating the shrouding black...
the creature with the guttural growl, invisible to the naked eye, was screaming with all its might to alleviate the heavy silence of the darkness...
I heard it, alright.
My friend has heard it as well.
Thank you, celestial creatures of the thunderstorm. A good show, that was. Spectacular.
A glance at the swiftly dissipating darkness caused me to thank the sweetest gods of the heavens and the earths and the underworlds for bestowing such laziness unto me that i didn't try to leave the house today. Well, if i had, it would have been a different story then.
[apologies!! highly unstable, unsteady entry. read mico's may 30 entry to understand what the hell i'm talking about]
Y Y Y
deadman wonderland
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
"...if you're weak, then don't show your fangs..."
"...I just want to be strong... I want to become so strong that i could blow away what i am now..."
Dark, deeply philosophical, twisted stories have this irresistible charm that can captivate you from the start right down to the end.
Ganta Igarashi has been convicted of a crime that he hasn't committed, and sent to a new, privately owned and operated prison, where the inmates are the main attraction in a modern day twist to the gladiatorial coliseums of ancient times. Throw in a healthy dose of weird little girl, some new-found super powers, and a little conspiracy theory, and you have Deadman Wonderland. [from onemanga.com]
Ten years have passed since the 'Great Tokyo Earthquake', a massive natural distaster that sank over 70 percent of Tokyo into the ocean. Ganta Igarashi is an unassuming 14-year old middle school student in Nagano Prefecture. Ganta is an 'escapee', a Tokyo survivor of the earthquake, but he has no memories of the disaster and simply wishes to play soccer and live a normal life. All that changes one day when a mysterious man covered in blood appears outside his classroom window. The 'Red Man' slaughters Ganta's classmates, but strangely leaves him alive after imbedding a crimson crystal in his chest. Ganta's life goes from bad to worse when he is blamed for the grisly murders and sentenced to life imprisonment in 'Deadman Wonderland'.
Deadman Wonderland is Japan's only privately operated prison, built after the earthquake as a tourist attraction to help revive Tokyo. The prisoners serve as staff and 'entertainment' for visitors. Due to the heinous nature of Ganta's crime, he is given DW's 'death sentence'. A metal collar placed around his neck slowly injects poison into his body. The only way to delay his 'execution' is by consuming a special candy-like antidote every three days. Shortly after arriving at the prison, Ganta meets a mysterious girl named Shiro, who seems to know Ganta from the past. He also befriends a prisoner named Yoh, a kleptomaniac with a talent for locating things.
Continuing to profess his innocence, Ganta becomes obsessed with finding the 'Red Man', who may be somewhere within the prison, and clearing his name. In the course of his search, Ganta begins to develop a strange ability to control his blood. He soon discovers a secret level below the prison that contains DW's 'Deadmen'. These deadmen, like Ganta, can control their blood and use it as a weapon. Ganta is forced to participate in secret gladiatorial deathmatches called the Carnival Corpse against other deadmen, in which anonymous people pay large sums of money to watch. The winner receives a large sum of prison credits (cast points) and a piece of antidote candy. The loser, if they survive the match, has a part of their body, selected by a macabre slot machine, removed for research.
[from wikipedia]
Comments for this manga:
well, the series is not yet done but as far as i've read, this is a hell of a manga. eerie settings with a highly disturbing plot.. with a variety of creepy characters to boot.
neck to neck in the dark-n-disturbing-o-meter with Battle Royale.
i suggest this manga. but recall that it's under "Seinen" genre, meaning that it is actually meant for mature audiences. not really adults since not all adults are matured enough...
this is not for the faint-hearted though. xoxo
Y Y Y
liar game
Thursday, May 21, 2009
when i first saw the manga Liar Game, i didn't want to read it at all.
the drawings were not cute. not at all.
but the genre listed below its title intrigued me.
PSYCHOLOGICAL.
hmm... so, i decided to check out the first chapter.
and that was when i got hooked in it.
Liar Game has 73 chapters and running... [make the new chapters FASTER please.]
see wikipedia for details about the plot. oh, but i'm warning you. wikipedia's article on this manga is so detailed.
so detailed and so many spoilers.
basically, Liar Game is about an honest girl, Kanzaki Nao, who was inevitably chosen to join in this Liar Game. she was given 100 million yen right in the beginning. after 30 days, the Liar Game Tournament Corporation or the LGT will come to get the 100 million yen that they gave you at the start of the game.
you see, you have an opponent who also has 100 million yen.
and both of you has to return that starting money back to LGT after 30 days.
so, how are you going to gain money?
by stealing your opponent's money, of course.
if you manage to get your opponent's 100 million yen, then you'll have 200m yen. you give back your starting 100m to LGT and you get to keep the other 100m.
BUT. your opponent will have a 100 million yen debt.
that was Round 1 of the Liar Game.
anyway, Kanzaki Nao managed to acquire the help of genius swindler Akiyama Shinichi. he has just gotten out of prison for swindling a large multicorporation to its apparent ruin.
blah blah... he's not that simple though. his past is really interesting. not to mention he has a masters degree in psychology. he is downright skilled. really.
currently, chapter 73 is about Liar Game Round 3 Revival Round.
the manga tackles game theories, logic patterns, basic human psychology and all that.
basically, game theory is a branch of applied mathematics...
there. it's not so interesting anymore?
naah. it makes it all the more interesting. really. trust me.
all of the stuff they shove on to you will, sometimes, make your head ache. i mean, all those strategic plots and game theories and calculations and logic stuff are quite something to handle.
but you'll realize how interesting it is to mess up people's minds.
i strongly suggest that you read the manga.
you'll encounter several game theories and actual games that would, undoubtedly, perk up your curiosity.
you'll see several really messed up games like a 24-round Russian Roulette, a 17-card Poker game, a really intricate Contraband Game, Confession Game, Minority Game...
oh, and the game theories behind these games are all for real.
i was hooked. totally.
behind all those stuff, you'll see that one, if not the most, important theme of the story is trust.
trust and doubt.
trust and human instinct.
trust and self-preservation.
trust and self-sacrifice.
read on guys!
the drawings were not cute. not at all.
but the genre listed below its title intrigued me.
PSYCHOLOGICAL.
hmm... so, i decided to check out the first chapter.
and that was when i got hooked in it.
Liar Game has 73 chapters and running... [make the new chapters FASTER please.]
see wikipedia for details about the plot. oh, but i'm warning you. wikipedia's article on this manga is so detailed.
so detailed and so many spoilers.
basically, Liar Game is about an honest girl, Kanzaki Nao, who was inevitably chosen to join in this Liar Game. she was given 100 million yen right in the beginning. after 30 days, the Liar Game Tournament Corporation or the LGT will come to get the 100 million yen that they gave you at the start of the game.
you see, you have an opponent who also has 100 million yen.
and both of you has to return that starting money back to LGT after 30 days.
so, how are you going to gain money?
by stealing your opponent's money, of course.
if you manage to get your opponent's 100 million yen, then you'll have 200m yen. you give back your starting 100m to LGT and you get to keep the other 100m.
BUT. your opponent will have a 100 million yen debt.
that was Round 1 of the Liar Game.
anyway, Kanzaki Nao managed to acquire the help of genius swindler Akiyama Shinichi. he has just gotten out of prison for swindling a large multicorporation to its apparent ruin.
blah blah... he's not that simple though. his past is really interesting. not to mention he has a masters degree in psychology. he is downright skilled. really.
currently, chapter 73 is about Liar Game Round 3 Revival Round.
the manga tackles game theories, logic patterns, basic human psychology and all that.
basically, game theory is a branch of applied mathematics...
there. it's not so interesting anymore?
naah. it makes it all the more interesting. really. trust me.
all of the stuff they shove on to you will, sometimes, make your head ache. i mean, all those strategic plots and game theories and calculations and logic stuff are quite something to handle.
but you'll realize how interesting it is to mess up people's minds.
i strongly suggest that you read the manga.
you'll encounter several game theories and actual games that would, undoubtedly, perk up your curiosity.
you'll see several really messed up games like a 24-round Russian Roulette, a 17-card Poker game, a really intricate Contraband Game, Confession Game, Minority Game...
oh, and the game theories behind these games are all for real.
i was hooked. totally.
behind all those stuff, you'll see that one, if not the most, important theme of the story is trust.
trust and doubt.
trust and human instinct.
trust and self-preservation.
trust and self-sacrifice.
read on guys!
Y Y Y
cuddly rabbits for execution
Saturday, May 16, 2009
these are the first three pages of that horror manga "Doubt"...
look how cute the rabbits were! uh.. i mean to say, are.
look how cute the rabbits were! uh.. i mean to say, are.
Y Y Y
RABBIT DOUBT
Thursday, May 14, 2009
since i haven't bought Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange and/or Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being yet, i spent my oh-so-much free time reading whatever manga i can see...
we-ell. the manga Codebreaker wasn't completed yet and i would have to wait for a week for the next chapter. it just so happened that i came across this particular manga with this intriguing title.
DOUBT. or sometimes called, RABBIT DOUBT.
yes. that's the title.
and the first cover was intriguing as hell.
there were rabbits. cute, cuddly, little rabbits. i thought it was one of those oh-so-lovely shoujo mangas out there.
click.
next page: the rabbits were all bloody.
it was intriguing as hell. told you so.
Doubt revolves around a fictional cell phone game called "Rabbit Doubt". The players are rabbits in a colony; one of these players is randomly chosen to act as a wolf infiltrating the group. Each round, the rabbits guess which is the wolf as the rabbits are eaten one-by-one until none are left.
[courtesy of wikipedia.com]
uh-huh.
and, of course, since the genre of this manga is horror/thriller/psychology, it was already a given that there would be blood...
yes. there was blood.
that fictional cell phone game turned out real.
horribly real.
i was reminded of this slasher movie SAW. really.
there were decapitated heads, hacked off arms, poisoned thumbtacks, chainsaws...
and that seemingly central death execution method: HANGING.
the thing that disturbed me wasn't the gore. not the blood. not the carnage. not the decapitation and all that crap.
the thing that disturbed me was that the manga characters looked really cute!
i mean, the characters were CLAMP-ish, cardcaptor sakura-ish... and they were being hacked to death.
it was disturbing. imagine sakura chopping off tomoyo's arms in a killing frenzy...
told you. 'twas disturbing.
since i'm a great fan of nonconformity, let me hail this manga for catering to my unusual tastes.
i am proud to say that the ending was not what i expected.
it was unpredictable [unless you googled it before reading].
if you want some wicked sense of revenge, hypnotisms, bloody deaths, cuddly and frightening rabbits, sneaky wolves... with cute manga drawings to boot... i recommend this manga.
20 chapters. completed. it IS short.
not that complicated though. but it is dark, let me remind you.
one regret though. it left me with this odd sense of emptiness...
hmm...
off topic: "someone" suggested that i make a forum about that "shades of gray morality" stuff...
maybe i would. i'm not yet over it anyway. and it is a good topic after all.
signing off for now.
we-ell. the manga Codebreaker wasn't completed yet and i would have to wait for a week for the next chapter. it just so happened that i came across this particular manga with this intriguing title.
DOUBT. or sometimes called, RABBIT DOUBT.
yes. that's the title.
and the first cover was intriguing as hell.
there were rabbits. cute, cuddly, little rabbits. i thought it was one of those oh-so-lovely shoujo mangas out there.
click.
next page: the rabbits were all bloody.
it was intriguing as hell. told you so.
Doubt revolves around a fictional cell phone game called "Rabbit Doubt". The players are rabbits in a colony; one of these players is randomly chosen to act as a wolf infiltrating the group. Each round, the rabbits guess which is the wolf as the rabbits are eaten one-by-one until none are left.
[courtesy of wikipedia.com]
uh-huh.
and, of course, since the genre of this manga is horror/thriller/psychology, it was already a given that there would be blood...
yes. there was blood.
that fictional cell phone game turned out real.
horribly real.
i was reminded of this slasher movie SAW. really.
there were decapitated heads, hacked off arms, poisoned thumbtacks, chainsaws...
and that seemingly central death execution method: HANGING.
the thing that disturbed me wasn't the gore. not the blood. not the carnage. not the decapitation and all that crap.
the thing that disturbed me was that the manga characters looked really cute!
i mean, the characters were CLAMP-ish, cardcaptor sakura-ish... and they were being hacked to death.
it was disturbing. imagine sakura chopping off tomoyo's arms in a killing frenzy...
told you. 'twas disturbing.
since i'm a great fan of nonconformity, let me hail this manga for catering to my unusual tastes.
i am proud to say that the ending was not what i expected.
it was unpredictable [unless you googled it before reading].
if you want some wicked sense of revenge, hypnotisms, bloody deaths, cuddly and frightening rabbits, sneaky wolves... with cute manga drawings to boot... i recommend this manga.
20 chapters. completed. it IS short.
not that complicated though. but it is dark, let me remind you.
one regret though. it left me with this odd sense of emptiness...
hmm...
off topic: "someone" suggested that i make a forum about that "shades of gray morality" stuff...
maybe i would. i'm not yet over it anyway. and it is a good topic after all.
signing off for now.
Y Y Y
codebreaker
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
an eye for an eye...
a tooth for a tooth...
and evil for evil...
would you kill a murderer?
that is the theme of this manga i'm currently reading. i was just browsing onemanga.com when i came upon this particular manga with such an interesting plot.
it's about this guy, Code Breaker number 06, whose part-time job is to kill murderers and all those "evil pests" of the world using his superhuman "blue flame" power.
together with a certain martial-arts-expert, justice-for-all, thou-shalt-not-kill, straightforward girl, they go on various life-and-death [yet really intriguing] adventures.
and the story begins...
would you kill a murderer?
i, for one thing, do not believe that morality is black or white.
it is in shades of gray.
life is important. very much, indeed.
but if you would be killing someone who caused so much suffering and pains to so many people, would that be wrong?
if you would be getting rid of vile creatures who leeches on others' lives, would that be considered evil?
"What constitutes evil, real evil, is the taking of a single human life. Whether a man would die tomorrow or the day after or eventually... it doesn't matter. Because if God does not exist, then life, every second of it, is all we have..."
-Anne Rice, Interview with a Vampire
all of those comic book heroes that we've idolized during our childhood...
they kill bad people, right?
they get rid of the world's trashes to make the world a safer place to live...
right?
superman, batman, spiderman...
the justice league...
all of them.
they get rid of bad people.
and that's why they're called Heroes of Justice.
now, thinking about that in a different perspective...
would killing a murderer make you a murderer as well?
there's this one case in the manga wherein the target was a filthy rich politician who uses human trafficking to get organs.
they cut up the bodies and all that.
there was even a man in there, already dying, telling our main characters to just kill off the f*cking politician for cutting up his daughter.
believe me, i was sooo in the mood of killing him right then and there.
if only his sick little daughter in a wheelchair hadn't showed up.
turned out that the politician was obtaining organs of rare blood types to find an organ that would match his daughter's.
tough luck.
and i was in for a battle of morality.
the politician realized that what he had done was utterly, terribly, horribly wrong. and in front of his superhero-comics-fan daughter, he confessed that he is a villain and that our Codebreaker 06 is a hero of justice who came to destroy him.
of course, codebreaker06 burned the politician to ashes.
there were tears in his eyes, mind you, but there's no point being emotional during such crucial times.
and then the little daughter threw her comic book to him, screaming, "even if he is a villain, he is still papa! you killed papa, you monster! i hate you! even if you're the hero, i hate you!"
now, again..
would you kill a murderer?
would you, even if it might make you a murderer as well?
humans all have the capacity to kill.
it's a primal instinct after all.
survival.
it's just that in this civilized order of life, we don't have the willingness to destroy another of our species.
as said in a movie once, "when pushed, killing is as easy as breathing."
told you, i was in for a tough morality battle.
read the manga. i'm not yet done with the chapters but i can tell that it'd be worth it.
a tooth for a tooth...
and evil for evil...
would you kill a murderer?
that is the theme of this manga i'm currently reading. i was just browsing onemanga.com when i came upon this particular manga with such an interesting plot.
it's about this guy, Code Breaker number 06, whose part-time job is to kill murderers and all those "evil pests" of the world using his superhuman "blue flame" power.
together with a certain martial-arts-expert, justice-for-all, thou-shalt-not-kill, straightforward girl, they go on various life-and-death [yet really intriguing] adventures.
and the story begins...
would you kill a murderer?
i, for one thing, do not believe that morality is black or white.
it is in shades of gray.
life is important. very much, indeed.
but if you would be killing someone who caused so much suffering and pains to so many people, would that be wrong?
if you would be getting rid of vile creatures who leeches on others' lives, would that be considered evil?
"What constitutes evil, real evil, is the taking of a single human life. Whether a man would die tomorrow or the day after or eventually... it doesn't matter. Because if God does not exist, then life, every second of it, is all we have..."
-Anne Rice, Interview with a Vampire
all of those comic book heroes that we've idolized during our childhood...
they kill bad people, right?
they get rid of the world's trashes to make the world a safer place to live...
right?
superman, batman, spiderman...
the justice league...
all of them.
they get rid of bad people.
and that's why they're called Heroes of Justice.
now, thinking about that in a different perspective...
would killing a murderer make you a murderer as well?
there's this one case in the manga wherein the target was a filthy rich politician who uses human trafficking to get organs.
they cut up the bodies and all that.
there was even a man in there, already dying, telling our main characters to just kill off the f*cking politician for cutting up his daughter.
believe me, i was sooo in the mood of killing him right then and there.
if only his sick little daughter in a wheelchair hadn't showed up.
turned out that the politician was obtaining organs of rare blood types to find an organ that would match his daughter's.
tough luck.
and i was in for a battle of morality.
the politician realized that what he had done was utterly, terribly, horribly wrong. and in front of his superhero-comics-fan daughter, he confessed that he is a villain and that our Codebreaker 06 is a hero of justice who came to destroy him.
of course, codebreaker06 burned the politician to ashes.
there were tears in his eyes, mind you, but there's no point being emotional during such crucial times.
and then the little daughter threw her comic book to him, screaming, "even if he is a villain, he is still papa! you killed papa, you monster! i hate you! even if you're the hero, i hate you!"
now, again..
would you kill a murderer?
would you, even if it might make you a murderer as well?
humans all have the capacity to kill.
it's a primal instinct after all.
survival.
it's just that in this civilized order of life, we don't have the willingness to destroy another of our species.
as said in a movie once, "when pushed, killing is as easy as breathing."
told you, i was in for a tough morality battle.
read the manga. i'm not yet done with the chapters but i can tell that it'd be worth it.
Y Y Y
