Friday, March 29, 2024
What's Up 3/29/2024 09:39:00 PM
It's been more than a decade since my last entry. A lot of things have happened. I got to travel some more, visited a couple of places that were on top of my priority list, so much that I thought I could live in peace and die in peace once I'd gone there. (What a joke. I'm still living, and I'm getting older and become more obsessed with money instead.)
I've gotten new family members. Technology has been changing rapidly, and virtually everyone has the internet in their pocket now. Google search results have gotten progressively worse, though.
And of course, there was a global pandemic. In late 2019, a mysterious, deadly virus started showing up in the city of Wuhan, China. People dropped dead left and right of lower respiratory tract inflammation. In short, they had trouble breathing and they died. The virus quickly spread to every corner of the world, and in an attempt to control the contagion, governments urged (or downright ordered) people to stay at home. Travel--international travel in particular--was almost impossible as borders were closed. And masks became ubiquitous. (I'm still masking every time I leave home, even now, even when the pandemic is technically over. Because COVID-19 doesn't disappear just because you're willing it to stop infecting people.)
I started swimming regularly. My form is terrible, but hey, at least I'm moving my body and not injuring it. And I walk a lot now, even more than when I was younger.
I don't know if I'm going to start writing regularly here again. The medium of choice for self-expression these days is video--via YouTube and TikTok, which didn't exist in 2013. And it's not like I have anything to say. But let's just see how it goes.
Monday, May 20, 2013
I Dreamed of Blur 5/20/2013 08:25:00 PM
Last Wednesday, I went to a "real" music gig for the first time in my life. It was an event called BigSound Festival, with four artists in its line-up, but I must admit, I came specifically for Blur. In that regard, it seemed I wasn't alone, though. Most festival goers were expecting Blur, not Van She, or Tegan and Sara, or The Temper Trap.
In a matter of hours after Blur wrapped up their performance in Jakarta, my whole experience at the gig had already seemed unreal. If it wasn't for my red, swollen hands from all the clapping, and for the ticket stub and concert ID that I still had, I might've concluded that it was, indeed, only a dream.
From the first number, their 1994 hit "Girls & Boys," I had sufficiently been pumped-up, but somewhere between "Country House" and "Parklife," I became completely mental. I was jumping around and screaming on top of my lungs, and when a girl who stood behind me said, "That person is very much carried away, don't you think?" to her friend, which he responded with, "Who?" for which she answered, "The person standing in front of us," do you think I cared? Did I care shit. That, I hasten to add, was out of character of me. I don't like attracting attention to myself, and in normal circumstances, I'd definitely try to keep a low profile in public places. But at that moment, I honestly didn't care what people thought about me. It helped that almost everyone went wild too, I suppose.
And you know what the weirdest thing was? I don't even like Blur that much. Don't get me wrong, I do like them and all, but they're not exactly on top of my favorite-bands-of-all-time list. (Back in the day, I actually preferred Oasis to Blur. These days, I'm saving my love for Radiohead and Manic Street Preachers.) But it didn't stop me from being "carried away" at the gig. It's like I was enchanted or something.
I also think it fascinating how a rock concert could simultaneously be a communal event and a very personal affair. I owed it to my fellow concert-attendants for being passionate and thus creating an intense, lively atmosphere, but at the same time, I was enjoying myself inside this little bubble where there's nobody but me and the musicians up there on stage. My point is, a concert could be a "blast" for all I know, but when you're not totally immersed in the music and the performance, it wouldn't mean anything.
As far as first concert went, it's not bad! Not bad all! I have Blur to thank to.
Note: Special mention goes to Dyandra Entertainment, for organizing everything smoothly. I'll be looking forward for their projects in the future. And I'd like to apologize to Van She, for being cold and not giving them the appreciation that they duly deserved.
In a matter of hours after Blur wrapped up their performance in Jakarta, my whole experience at the gig had already seemed unreal. If it wasn't for my red, swollen hands from all the clapping, and for the ticket stub and concert ID that I still had, I might've concluded that it was, indeed, only a dream.
From the first number, their 1994 hit "Girls & Boys," I had sufficiently been pumped-up, but somewhere between "Country House" and "Parklife," I became completely mental. I was jumping around and screaming on top of my lungs, and when a girl who stood behind me said, "That person is very much carried away, don't you think?" to her friend, which he responded with, "Who?" for which she answered, "The person standing in front of us," do you think I cared? Did I care shit. That, I hasten to add, was out of character of me. I don't like attracting attention to myself, and in normal circumstances, I'd definitely try to keep a low profile in public places. But at that moment, I honestly didn't care what people thought about me. It helped that almost everyone went wild too, I suppose.
And you know what the weirdest thing was? I don't even like Blur that much. Don't get me wrong, I do like them and all, but they're not exactly on top of my favorite-bands-of-all-time list. (Back in the day, I actually preferred Oasis to Blur. These days, I'm saving my love for Radiohead and Manic Street Preachers.) But it didn't stop me from being "carried away" at the gig. It's like I was enchanted or something.
I also think it fascinating how a rock concert could simultaneously be a communal event and a very personal affair. I owed it to my fellow concert-attendants for being passionate and thus creating an intense, lively atmosphere, but at the same time, I was enjoying myself inside this little bubble where there's nobody but me and the musicians up there on stage. My point is, a concert could be a "blast" for all I know, but when you're not totally immersed in the music and the performance, it wouldn't mean anything.
As far as first concert went, it's not bad! Not bad all! I have Blur to thank to.
Note: Special mention goes to Dyandra Entertainment, for organizing everything smoothly. I'll be looking forward for their projects in the future. And I'd like to apologize to Van She, for being cold and not giving them the appreciation that they duly deserved.
Thursday, May 09, 2013
Thank You, Sir Alex! 5/09/2013 05:42:00 PM
Rumors about Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement as Manchester United manager started flying around on Tuesday. I paid no heed to them. But then, came the official announcement, published on the club's website.
Those who are uninterested in football might wonder what the fuss is all about. After all, what's so unusual about a seventy-one year old man stepping down from his job?
Sir Alex's achievement as manager, the titles he won with Manchester United and Aberdeen, has been well documented (I'll let Wikipedia do the talking), a testament to his ability. But United supporters don't love him just because he's been around for twenty-six seasons and has granted us numerous titles over the years. It's more than that: without Sir Alex, it's debatable whether United would enjoy the success they have today. (I guess we also need to thank United directors, past and present, for their business acumen, but that's a story for another day.)
To put things into perspective, when Alex Ferguson took over United from Ron Atkinson in November 1986, the club was second to bottom of the table in the old English First Division. The last time they won the league was in 1967, in the time of legendary manager Sir Matt Busby. It took Ferguson three and a half years to win his first title for United, the 1989-1990 FA Cup (and if rumor is to believed, he was this close to being sacked for failing to deliver.) There's a whole lot of song and dance about how Arsene Wenger single-handedly changed the British football culture, but way before the Frenchman worked his magic at Arsenal (I'm not being facetious here, in case you Arsenal fans take offense), Ferguson had put a stop to the drinking culture at United and worked on improving players' fitness.
For younger United supporters, including me, Sir Alex Ferguson is a permanent fixture to Manchester United. We never knew the time when he's not at the club, when United had to struggle just to get to the upper quarter of the table by the end of the season. Not seeing him on the sideline next season is going to be very hard for me. Uncertain times await, but for now, let us show Sir Alex Ferguson our gratitude, for all the happiness he has brought us, the supporters. Thank you, Sir Alex.
Recommended read:
Those who are uninterested in football might wonder what the fuss is all about. After all, what's so unusual about a seventy-one year old man stepping down from his job?
Sir Alex's achievement as manager, the titles he won with Manchester United and Aberdeen, has been well documented (I'll let Wikipedia do the talking), a testament to his ability. But United supporters don't love him just because he's been around for twenty-six seasons and has granted us numerous titles over the years. It's more than that: without Sir Alex, it's debatable whether United would enjoy the success they have today. (I guess we also need to thank United directors, past and present, for their business acumen, but that's a story for another day.)
To put things into perspective, when Alex Ferguson took over United from Ron Atkinson in November 1986, the club was second to bottom of the table in the old English First Division. The last time they won the league was in 1967, in the time of legendary manager Sir Matt Busby. It took Ferguson three and a half years to win his first title for United, the 1989-1990 FA Cup (and if rumor is to believed, he was this close to being sacked for failing to deliver.) There's a whole lot of song and dance about how Arsene Wenger single-handedly changed the British football culture, but way before the Frenchman worked his magic at Arsenal (I'm not being facetious here, in case you Arsenal fans take offense), Ferguson had put a stop to the drinking culture at United and worked on improving players' fitness.
For younger United supporters, including me, Sir Alex Ferguson is a permanent fixture to Manchester United. We never knew the time when he's not at the club, when United had to struggle just to get to the upper quarter of the table by the end of the season. Not seeing him on the sideline next season is going to be very hard for me. Uncertain times await, but for now, let us show Sir Alex Ferguson our gratitude, for all the happiness he has brought us, the supporters. Thank you, Sir Alex.
Recommended read:
- Football - Bloody Hell!: The Biography of Alex Ferguson, Patrick Barclay
- Managing My Life: My Biography, Alex Ferguson
Thursday, May 02, 2013
New Blog 5/02/2013 10:42:00 AM
I'm making a new blog at BookLikes. From now on, I'll be posting reviews, notes and other book-related stuff there.
I have had nothing but positive experience since joining BookLikes a couple of weeks ago. The staff is very responsive to your requests and inquiries. Since I joined, they have made several improvements to the site--adding new features like multishelving, more online vendors to choose books from--and I'm optimistic that they would continue to do so.
I have had nothing but positive experience since joining BookLikes a couple of weeks ago. The staff is very responsive to your requests and inquiries. Since I joined, they have made several improvements to the site--adding new features like multishelving, more online vendors to choose books from--and I'm optimistic that they would continue to do so.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
The Dead Shall (Not) Rise Again part 1 4/30/2013 02:28:00 PM
Last year, I witnessed something that shook me to the core.
It was early afternoon, and I was casually strolling down the boulevard of Necropolis in Pamukkale. (Well, I was trying to be casual, but truth to be told, I was still reeling from shock, mingled with relief, after what had transpired some time before. I was this close to being accosted by a police. No kidding! It seemed that he suspected I had entered without a ticket. That incident was unrelated to my aha! moment--to quote Oprah Winfrey--afterwards, but perhaps it could help explain my reaction towards what would happen shortly.) The place was surprisingly quiet; maybe tourists preferred to come and visit in the morning? Anyway, if there were more people, I might not notice this young couple taking pictures.
There's nothing out of ordinary about them--Caucasian, early twenties, definitely not Turks. (After a few days in the country, I had learned to discern what Turkish sounded like, at the very least.) The girl posed for a photograph in front of an arch, part of what's left of an ancient tomb, smiling brightly. Seeing her smile like that, an irrational dread came over me. You shouldn't act so cheerfully in a cemetery, even one that's a thousand years old. Show some respect, for God's sake! Or so I thought at that time.
It took time to realize that I wasn't disturbed for the sake of all those people who were buried there. My motive was entirely selfish: I was disturbed simply for my own sake.
----to be continued----
It was early afternoon, and I was casually strolling down the boulevard of Necropolis in Pamukkale. (Well, I was trying to be casual, but truth to be told, I was still reeling from shock, mingled with relief, after what had transpired some time before. I was this close to being accosted by a police. No kidding! It seemed that he suspected I had entered without a ticket. That incident was unrelated to my aha! moment--to quote Oprah Winfrey--afterwards, but perhaps it could help explain my reaction towards what would happen shortly.) The place was surprisingly quiet; maybe tourists preferred to come and visit in the morning? Anyway, if there were more people, I might not notice this young couple taking pictures.
There's nothing out of ordinary about them--Caucasian, early twenties, definitely not Turks. (After a few days in the country, I had learned to discern what Turkish sounded like, at the very least.) The girl posed for a photograph in front of an arch, part of what's left of an ancient tomb, smiling brightly. Seeing her smile like that, an irrational dread came over me. You shouldn't act so cheerfully in a cemetery, even one that's a thousand years old. Show some respect, for God's sake! Or so I thought at that time.
It took time to realize that I wasn't disturbed for the sake of all those people who were buried there. My motive was entirely selfish: I was disturbed simply for my own sake.
----to be continued----
Tuesday, November 06, 2012
Damn Dog Got Rabies in Its Teeth 11/06/2012 09:54:00 PM
Listening to this song, a snippet of lyrics caught my attention. "My teeth got rabies. I'm gonna give it to you." Wait a second! Rabies virus isn't found in the teeth, is it? When a rabies-infected dog bites a person, wounding him, its saliva enters his body by way of the injured tissue. The virus is in the dog's saliva, not in its teeth. But of course, "My drool got rabies" is hardly rock 'n roll, is it?
Well, at least the rumination above shows that five years I spent in college studying pharmaceutical sciences wasn't a complete waste of time.
Well, at least the rumination above shows that five years I spent in college studying pharmaceutical sciences wasn't a complete waste of time.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
The Temple of Dawn (Yukio Mishima) 10/31/2012 04:43:00 PM
----The Sea of Fertility #1: Spring Snow----
----The Sea of Fertility #2: Runaway Horses----
SUMMARY
Honda became a dirty old man. The latest Kiyoaki/Isao incarnation was a Thai princess (who ended up dead, again).
WHAT HAPPENED
After Isao's death, Honda went through a transformation: from the idealistic, righteous judge into the pragmatic lawyer who only took clients that could actually afford his service. A job took him to Thailand, and it was here that he met little Princess Chantrapa (nicknamed Ying Chan), whom her family thought was crazy because she claimed to be a Japanese youth--Isao. (And she recognized Honda, too.)
Next, Honda went to India on a paid trip courtesy of his current employer. Watching a funeral party and a cow by the Ganges, he achieved some sort of clarity about life.
A couple of years after World War II, Honda had developed a habit of secretly watching illicit coupling in public parks. It was also around this time that he met Ying Chan again, now a young woman who remembered nothing about her past life. He became obsessed with her, wanting to see her naked to establish her identity (both Kiyoaki and Isao had three moles in the exact same place).
KEY POINTS (or HOW HONDA SAW THINGS, maybe)
The ultimate personification of beauty = Ying Chan
The ultimate observer = A voyeur
The ultimate, godlike act in life = Sexual act
----The Sea of Fertility #2: Runaway Horses----
SUMMARY
Honda became a dirty old man. The latest Kiyoaki/Isao incarnation was a Thai princess (who ended up dead, again).
WHAT HAPPENED
After Isao's death, Honda went through a transformation: from the idealistic, righteous judge into the pragmatic lawyer who only took clients that could actually afford his service. A job took him to Thailand, and it was here that he met little Princess Chantrapa (nicknamed Ying Chan), whom her family thought was crazy because she claimed to be a Japanese youth--Isao. (And she recognized Honda, too.)
Next, Honda went to India on a paid trip courtesy of his current employer. Watching a funeral party and a cow by the Ganges, he achieved some sort of clarity about life.
A couple of years after World War II, Honda had developed a habit of secretly watching illicit coupling in public parks. It was also around this time that he met Ying Chan again, now a young woman who remembered nothing about her past life. He became obsessed with her, wanting to see her naked to establish her identity (both Kiyoaki and Isao had three moles in the exact same place).
KEY POINTS (or HOW HONDA SAW THINGS, maybe)
The ultimate personification of beauty = Ying Chan
The ultimate observer = A voyeur
The ultimate, godlike act in life = Sexual act