never assume

That is the cardinal rule.

When I was in senior year of high school, one of my guy friends suddenly pulled me over and started talking to me about this girl he had a crush on. I didn't like him, not romantically, but for some reason, my heart skipped the moment he started talking about that, about how great she was, how fantastic she was, how he knew there was no one else for him but her. Vanity. Maybe even pride. Those probably explain my heart-thumping moment then.

He talked about how he would go to the place where I ate lunch just to see her. He talked about how beautiful her voice was, how bright her personality was. And silly me - silly stupid me - I thought I knew what he was talking about. I thought that was his prelude.

And then he said he had nursed a crush on her since freshman year. And I thought, we didn't know each other in freshman year. I turned to look at him, heat creeping up my neck out of embarrassment, probably even anger. But he was staring off, that proverbial faraway look in his eyes. I had just been the confidante after all. She had bested me again.

Guess who turned twenty today?

Here's Sebas-chan with my cake:

Or, well, whatever that dessert is. ::P

No Strings Attached

No Strings Attached

by Mina V. Esguerra

My blurb would go,

Carla Alejandro has no business turning thirty. Not only does she not look like she's entering her third decade, she's also [still!] constantly being offered unsolicited advice by her family - not to mention her incorrigible friends. Worse, everyone keeps rooting for her to settle with a stable banker-type ASAP. A few months before her birthday, however, she meets the Dante del Rosario, who does wushu, lectures college kids on Rizal, and happens to be stubbornly attracted to the very confused Carla. Prince Charming, true, only he happens to be almost five years younger than her. What's Carla to do when everyone tells her she and Dante aren't a good fit? Will she recognize her relationship with him as the fling everybody tells her it is, or will she push their connection to the next level?

I haven't read anything remotely romantic in recent months - aside from that reskim of Anna Ishikawa's epic Glamour Games. I told myself I'd start reading "smarter stuff" that dealt with facts of the head rather than imaginings of the heart. Although I'd sworn off romcom paperbacks though, this book called out to me. I kept willing myself to walk past its displayed copies on the NBS SMNorth shelf - and actually succeeded for a coupla months - before I caved in. And gawd, was it worth the surrender.

The funny thing is you'd think I wouldn't be able to relate to the heroine at all. The novel ends with her turning thirty, and well, I just turned 'the big two-oh' today. But what bridges the decade-long age gap is her main issue with her friends and her family, which I share. She's always been told what to do, and although I can't argue the same for myself, we both feel a sense of being caged into a restricted life, caged in because there are too many people looking after us, too many people telling us what not to do. So yeah, I can relate to Carla Alejandro. And for the record, I still think she's immature.

I love Dante though - oh, wait, the Dante del Rosario. [It's funny how my favorite leading men have names like Dante and Lucas. Is this Filipino machismo on full throttle or something?] If he were real, and I were a woman in his mother's company, I'd skip coffee break to spy on him, too. Like the blurb says, however, he's seemingly 'too good to be true'. Although he attempts to explain himself, I never fully understood what first attracted him to Carla. That little loophole there could be because the novel's written in first-person POV, but anyway, irrelevant. He's still hot.

Mary and Tonio I love dearly - although I refuse to comment on the latter's name. I love how NSA's in medias res, and I love the pace, the plot movement, the character development. I love how Carla's issues with one person leads to a conflict with another person, and I love how she bottles all her problems up - one surefire way of having a sparks-filled climax. I love how you root for the protagonist despite her obvious need for anger management, and I love how there's no "bad wolf". In the end the antagonists are all just really nice people, who, in their efforts to make other people's lives better, mess up the status quo. I love that.

To close, here are some of my favorite bits from No Strings Attached:

Tonio's thoughts on relationships:

Relationships, he learned, would just end and he wasn't sure how it happened. If he stayed with one person long enough, she would either want more or want out. He couldn't predict when this would take place, so he just made sure to keep his "relationships" short. (p.54)

Carla's thoughts on dating:

Dating wasn't so scary after all; it just needed to be done right. Do things that you'll enjoy, and if you're lucky you'll find a person who'll enjoy them too, if only because you were together. (p.57)

Dante to Carla:

"Carla, did I tell you that sometimes I think I made you up?" (p.93)

"You don't see why you're perfect," Dante said, taking my face in his hands and quickly kissing my forehead. "It's okay. It's probably part of your charm." (p.94)

Carla's AH-moments:

Apparently, it was possible to walk around, just be me, and be wanted. I had spent most of my twenties wondering when I'd be comfortable in my own skin, and it just happened, right then - two weeks before my thirtieth birthday. (p.96)

Suddenly, I understood what Tonio meant now. The power was in being reading to walk away. Those guys who threw me looks but didn't say anything, I didn't have to pay them any attention. I didn't have to be nice and personable so a thirty-something guy would find me marriage-worthy. I didn't have to break out the fancy outfits to attract someone like Dante. I didn't have to do anything but be myself. (p.96)

Works Cited:

Esguerra, Mina V. No Strings Attached. Mandaluyong: Summit Books, 2010.

Photo Credits:

from Lee Mejia's bookblog, From Page One

http://frompageone.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/no-strings-attached.jpg

today's regrets

There are many things I wish I had done today.

I wish I had gotten up early, to bid my cousins a proper farewell as they flew back to CDO... I wish I had attended the Univ Grad, nevermind my lack of a laude, just so I could hear a Philippine president speak at my graduation, helicopters roaring overhead... I wish I had kept myself posted on reviews about the latest Detective Conan movie - the 16th, Quarter of Silence. [But maybe that's not such a good idea, given I hate spoilers.]

At the least, I wish I had packed all my stuff, because my dorm's kicking the alumna me out tomorrow. But I didn't do any of these.

My sole accomplishment today is half-tinkering with my blog - so now it has color. My 'tinkering' isn't done yet though. Apologies for the half-assed web designing exercise.

Good night, world. I graduated - figuratively - today.

Grad 2011

[A guy slipped a note with this into the jeep my father and I were in, me ditching Univ Grad 2011. Just for the record, I am not affiliated with UP Kilos Na.]

TO THE GRADUATING ISKOLAR NG BAYAN:

IN SERVING THE PEOPLE, WE SHALL TRIUMPH!

UP Kilos Na

April 17, 2011

Today we begin from the beginning, as we reckon how we arrived at this moment of triumph. To be sure, the way was fraught with uncertainties and hardships shared by the graduates, parents, faculty, and all who make UP education possible. Today we look back with the promise of marching forward - we reaffirm the promise of the youth as a potent force of social transformation.

As we recognize our collective triumph, we must reflect on the contingencies that brought us here. Our people have been perennially pushed to survive extreme conditions of economic and moral destitution. The youth, who embody the promise of change, realize too soon that grand dreams and aspirations are dwarfed by very limited life chances. In fact you, our graduates, are part of the miniscule number of Filipino youth who manage to reach and complete their tertiary education!

Our nation's stifling realities were temporarily suspended during last year's elections and the rhetoric of change that came with it. The nation was hopeful. After all, our ability to survive perennial crisis is proof that we understand how sacrifice and heroism can lead to better conditions. Yet our people's sacrifices have only lead to sustain a system fuelled by human suffering. The mythologizing function of Hope and Change under the P-NOY administration swiftly revealed itself as predatory and exploitative, siphoning our strength to buffer one ruling clique's illusory promises.

Such is the plight of a people who have to endure the economic, political, and cultural impositions of a powerful yet crisis-ridden nation like imperialist America, whose interest in every region in the globe necessitates violations of national sovereignty and human rights. And P-Noy, who earlier called the people his masters, can only pledge allegiance to his real imperialist Master.

No amount of institutional esteem granted by any university, nor an honoris causa from UP can hide the truth that we are watching the march of a naked emperor.

As we march forward to transform society through our collective strength, we, at the same time, reject the travesty of illusory promises. Best wishes from a leader whose idea of change consists in budget cuts on higher education, among other slashes on social services, are hypocritical. Best wishes from a leader who has remained obstinate in his refusal to distribute land to the Hda. Luisita farmers and who has allowed private corporations such as oil companies to reap huge profits from a series of oil price hikes while depriving Filipino workers relief through wage increase are nothing but insults.

We maintain that true leaders understand that UP's code of honor and excellence is a means to a noble end of service to the people, the Filipino workers and farmers who are the real heroes of our nation. Beyond the classrooms of the University of the Philippines is a struggle where we have more to learn and more strength to gain.

Today, let this be our closing statement: In serving the people, we keep faith with the spirit of the Oblation! In serving the people, we shall keep the promise of being the "pag-asa ng bayan". And in serving the people, we shall triumph!

Congratulations Batch 2011!

Iskolar ng Bayan, Paglingkuran ang Sambayanan!

Tuloy and Laban para sa Tunay na Pagbabago!

Singing Nodame Style

Tonight, M came over just as I was watching the Proposal Daisakusen SP. Given she sings, I thought I'd show her bits of my favorite JDorama, Nodame Cantabile, just to get an idea of what she genuinely thinks of classical music. Imagine the giddiness I felt when she got hooked to the show almost immediately, and when what I originally planned would be a ten-minute preview turned into a three-hour marathon. Nodame is addictive. Seriously. I mean, the only JDorama M ever enjoyed before it was Absolute Boyfriend, and I've a feeling she only liked that because of Night's abs. Because, well, if I had gotten hooked to that thing, those monay would have been my reason.

Nodame Cantabile is narrated by Chiaki Shinichi, a gifted senior at Momogaoka Music College with a widely-fawned over prince complex. Due to childhood trauma, he is unable to travel to Europe, and improve his skills in the heartland of classical music. Moreover, he is at a rocky point in his studies, as he is putting up with the piano when he really wants to be a conductor. Given he knows he is underperforming in terms of his full potential, Chiaki becomes bitter and miserable whenever he is reminded that he's not moving forward.

After one particularly depressing-wasted evening, he becomes friends with his next-door-neighbor and kouhai in the piano department, Nodame Megumi - or Nodame, as even she calls herself. He takes an interest in Nodame, who has excellent playing technique but little drive to become a professional musician. As he takes it upon himself to tutor her - cooking dinners and cleaning her perpetually trash-packed apartment on the side - he finds more doors opening for him, more opportunities coming his way, orchestrated by no less than Nodame herself.

Originally a bestselling manga by Ninomiya Tomoko, Nodame Cantabile now has an 11-episode live action series (2006) starring Ueno Juri and Tamaki Hiroshi, complete with a 2-part SP filmed in Europe, as well as a 2-part blockbuster movie franchise. It also has an anime spanning 3 seasons, done by one of my favorite anime production houses, JC Staff (Ghost Hunt). Aside from Oricon-topping albums and a special Nodame orchestra, I've heard it's also inspired an actual cafe in Japan. And because of the manga's popularity, Ninomiya-sensei has expanded theNodame universe to include an Opera Hen single volume manga. Last I checked, it wasn't fully uploaded on mangatraders yet, but it should be soon.

If I knew anyone reading this could share my appreciation for Nodame, I'd write down everything I love - and hate - about it. But since I'm not even sure anyone reads this blog regularly - more so reads it for the reviews, which are almost always raves - I'll have to resort to the gasgas advice, "Watch it and judge it for yourself." I can't recommend any good subbing groups for this because my personal copies are only soft subs, and I don't even know who worked on them. But, should you come to love the show - and I highly doubt you won't - you might consider reading Garnet's per-episode recaps and reviews of Nodame Cantabile (Google: Memento, Garnet, Nodame Cantabile). She's also got excellent screenshots, which are now part of my random pictures collection.

Do yourself a favor and watch Nodame Cantabile, live action. Japanese slapstick romcom minus the gag-worthy cheesiness so common in love stories (ehem, Koreanovelas) these days.

NB: Photos not mine. Don't know who owns them.

insomniacs unite

and here's me signing off - check out my cute paw ::P

good morning, world! i'm off to dream of doppelgangers again ::P

FYI sebastian michaelis of black butler, hugging some random cat just to prove how much he hates dogs XXXX photos from monsterlittle.com

Spring 2011

This Spring 2011 - HA, to the idea of having a season as gentle as spring in my country - I plan to watch the ff anime for the ff reasons:

Ao no Exorcist

because I've been watching a lot of occult-oriented anime lately, and none have failed to keep me glued yet

Steins;Gate

because the art looks good, and the premise is interesting

[C] The Money of Soul and Possibility Control

because despite my abysmal GWA, I am still - will be - an Economics graduate

Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai

because it sounds nice, and easy, and it's got an interesting title ::P

and I will continue watching

Gosick

because it's kickass, and Victorique has wonderful hair

Kimi ni Todoke

because the anime's even better than the manga... imho

Imma dreamer, aren't I?

Househunting

I couldn't sleep tonight. And no, not because I had a dream two nights ago - dawns, to be specific - involving an older me in a devilish white dress staring back at myself, knowing full well dreaming me was watching. Sounds complicated, but it's simple, actually. I had a nightmare where I saw my doppelganger. But again, no, despite the frightful nature of that dream, it is not the reason I'm awake now, two nights - dawns - later.

I'm looking for a house. [Online, yes.] More accurately, a place to stay in. I'll be graduating a couple of days from now, and as I intend to stay in MManila, I need somewhere. I've ruled out staying in a univ dorm, as I doubt overstaying for a second degree makes me an actual dependent of the UP system. I'll have to admit though, that the clincher was the kitchen. I really want a kitchen. I've already been imagining all the dishes I'd burn, all the wine I'd stock, if I had my own kitchen. God, please send me a house with enough space for a kalan at least? And maybe, a mini Coleman?

And haha, don't even ask for my budget. Truth is I've actually enough money for one of those one-bedroom flats that are ubiquitous in the student world, but again - the kitchen, it calls. Good thing my friend Ate I wants a place with a kitchen, too. We can split the bill, and share the happy moments that I'm praying, honest to goodness, we'll have. Because I'll be staying in MManila for what seems like yeeeears. And she has her MS - and likely, PhD - to finish.

Housey, housey, housey.

Heree come, housey.

The Quezon City Sampler - for Idiots

Because of my twin graduation ceremonies - which are honestly more trouble than they're worth - I've been wracking my brain recently for convenient places to bring my CDO-based relatives to. Venues that are wholesome enough - because my father and my uncle are going to be there, never mind the fact that I don't much fancy partay partay places - without being boring. And I've realized, after showing a big guy from high school around the city just yesterday, that I don't know a lot of these 'entertaining' places. Hence, this crazy attempt at making boring places more interesting to normal people.

To clarify, I am not from Quezon City. Just in case you, dear non-existent reader, didn't get that from the previous paragraph. [I am in no way undermining your intelligence. It's just that I have a natural talent for making myself difficult to understand.]

Touring Tactic #1

Pretend that you want to buy 20peso veggie noodle packs from Cubao Ex. Admittedly, the place isn't as glamorous as it used to be some years ago, but it's still got that old-world - albeit non-dilapidated - feel that you don't get from most Manila spots. (And yes, I will refer to Metro Manila as Manila, so suck it, irrationally OC editing freaks.) For girls, you've got Heima, an interior decorating center. It's all bright and all neon-colored, plus conveniently cute AND practical. For guys, well, you've got lots of drinking hubs. And for me, you've got that shop with lots of cat figurines. Pure bliss. Meow.

Touring Tactic #2

Offer to take guest to Star City or Enchanted Kingdom, and later retract your offer by saying both places are too far for your geographically-challenged brain. Propose a night trip to the Circle of Fun at QC Memorial Circle instead - hint that you've heard the haunted house is convincing, depending on who's manning the ghost props. If you're lucky, you might catch the dancing fountain actually dancing - to the tune of whichever local band or pseudo-orchestra is playing in the plaza. And then, maybe you can walk around. Just don't stay there too late.

Touring Tactic #3

Admit that you haven't explored Vargas Museum as much as you should have, being from the area, after all. Try to time your visit with the free-entrance days, but even if you can't be bothered to do so, the fees aren't all that high anyway. After your dose of artsy-fartsy goodness, sit down in the Sunken Garden and - on weekday mornings when people are too busy to play - contemplate your existence amidst the presence of carabao grass, or - during afternoons or weekends - look for your personal epitome of attractiveness, preferably someone who can actually handle a frisbee or a soccer ball.

Touring Tactic #4

Slyly slip in the little detail that Trinoma's supermarket won an international award for - er - floor design. Fool your guest into thinking that the grocery section is actually worth taking a peek at, because they have a wide range of food stocks, and their seedless oranges cost half the price of the oranges at a certain rival mall. After that, say that you want to visit Comic Alley, only you can't remember where it is, so you might have to walk around in search of it. Pretend the concierge, the guards, and the cleaning personnel don't exist. Stroll leisurely around the chaotic, supposedly post-modern corridors of Trinoma, and point out boutiques you're positive don't exist in most malls. Like, "OOOH, look, they have a shop where you can make your own stuffed animal, how cute is that?"

And blargh. I'm afraid those are all the mediocre happy zones I can rant off right now. And no, those aren't suited just for guests who are crazy like me. I mean, if I were to write to myself about places in Quezon City I actually wish to be taken to, I'd write SM Fairview first, hands down. [Fairview is in Quezon City, right?]