Just checking in to say that I'm back, and that I'm missing Bangkok already. I so enjoyed Bangkok, so loved the days I spent there. It's such a familiar place--very much like the Philippines--but much more laidback, much quieter, more diverse. And there are definitely less obnoxious people there. In fact, in the 6 days I was there, I encountered only 1 person who really got me annoyed and irritated. Hee. But there's really no time for all these stories right now, as I'm super tired and I really need to get some sleep.
Anyway, I'm leaving again soon--and this time, for home. Yay! Double yay! :D
16 December 2007
09 December 2007
One Week in Bangkok
In a few hours, I'll be flying to Bangkok. Wee! :) For fear of missing my flight, I decided to just keep awake and wait until it's time to go. I also thought I could write (yes, I'm still writing those effin papers!) while waiting, but that was, like, two hours ago. After an hour or so of re-writing a paragraph I must have re-written ten times already and not being able to finish a sentence I'd been trying to finish since last night, I gave up. I wasn't really accomplishing anything. Might as well do something else that I could actually finish.
So here I am. Hee!
My trip to Bangkok is not really for pleasure. Well, there will be pleasure, yes, and I hope lots of it (hehe), but what I'll really be there for is this conference on English in Southeast Asia. I'm proud to report that I'm done with my script (because it can hardly be called a paper--heh!) and my powerpoint presentation. My topic is on gender and call center discourse, which is basically what my research project is about. I'm not sure how it will be received, as I've been told that the conference is more concerned with pedagogical issues relating to the teaching of English in the region. But, whatever. I suppose I'll just do my thing. Then, I'll have fun, go shopping, and enjoy the night life. Haha.
Honestly though, I'm sort of looking forward to the conference and seeing some of the plenary speakers, especially Teun van Dijk. van Dijk is a big name in critical discourse analysis (cda), and one of those whom I read over and over while I was just getting introduced to the field. I have to admit though that I have lost track of his recent works, having moved out of cda to explore other (so-called) 'critical' frameworks, but still, it would be awesome to hear him talk, maybe even meet him--and if I muster enough courage, maybe ask him to have a picture taken with me. Haha.
But I suppose wanting to have a picture with a person who has had some influence on your work one way or other is not really a crazy idea. For instance, when I told a former teacher/mentor that van Dijk would be in the conference, he told me the exact same thing: Pa-picture ka with him. Hee! And I remember I had a classmate in Textual Construction of Knowledge (a primarily cda-oriented module in NUS), who when he reported on Fairclough's CDA (Fairclough's is CDA; the rest is cda--hay!) showed pictures of himself having lunch. With Fairclough! There were two other people in the pictures, yes, but still, I was like, 'OMG, he's with Fairclough. OMG!' Apparently, Fairclough was in his university for a conference at that time.
All I can say is, if van Dijk is major, Fairclough is major-er, probably the major-est in cda--thus, his CDA gets the all caps. Now that I think about it, there are other scholars I'd really just love to meet and, yeah, that picture thing again. Hehe. Oh well, I suppose, we'll see what happens in this conference first.
It's almost time to get ready now. And I'm beginning to get really excited! :)
So here I am. Hee!
My trip to Bangkok is not really for pleasure. Well, there will be pleasure, yes, and I hope lots of it (hehe), but what I'll really be there for is this conference on English in Southeast Asia. I'm proud to report that I'm done with my script (because it can hardly be called a paper--heh!) and my powerpoint presentation. My topic is on gender and call center discourse, which is basically what my research project is about. I'm not sure how it will be received, as I've been told that the conference is more concerned with pedagogical issues relating to the teaching of English in the region. But, whatever. I suppose I'll just do my thing. Then, I'll have fun, go shopping, and enjoy the night life. Haha.
Honestly though, I'm sort of looking forward to the conference and seeing some of the plenary speakers, especially Teun van Dijk. van Dijk is a big name in critical discourse analysis (cda), and one of those whom I read over and over while I was just getting introduced to the field. I have to admit though that I have lost track of his recent works, having moved out of cda to explore other (so-called) 'critical' frameworks, but still, it would be awesome to hear him talk, maybe even meet him--and if I muster enough courage, maybe ask him to have a picture taken with me. Haha.
But I suppose wanting to have a picture with a person who has had some influence on your work one way or other is not really a crazy idea. For instance, when I told a former teacher/mentor that van Dijk would be in the conference, he told me the exact same thing: Pa-picture ka with him. Hee! And I remember I had a classmate in Textual Construction of Knowledge (a primarily cda-oriented module in NUS), who when he reported on Fairclough's CDA (Fairclough's is CDA; the rest is cda--hay!) showed pictures of himself having lunch. With Fairclough! There were two other people in the pictures, yes, but still, I was like, 'OMG, he's with Fairclough. OMG!' Apparently, Fairclough was in his university for a conference at that time.
All I can say is, if van Dijk is major, Fairclough is major-er, probably the major-est in cda--thus, his CDA gets the all caps. Now that I think about it, there are other scholars I'd really just love to meet and, yeah, that picture thing again. Hehe. Oh well, I suppose, we'll see what happens in this conference first.
It's almost time to get ready now. And I'm beginning to get really excited! :)
06 December 2007
So NOT My Day
Today, well, yesterday actually, was one of the worst days I've ever had in this country. It rained all day, and it rained really, really hard. I suppose if I had stayed in, it would have been ok (I probably would have enjoyed it actually given it could be the perfect excuse to stay in bed and sleep all day), but I had to be out to meet my supervisor for lunch and do some express photocopying of stuff I just realized I would need for the papers that I couldn't seem to write. Sigh. Then, I also had to pick up something after my errands at NUS.
Anyway, I thought at first the rain would let up after a few hours, because that's how it rains here. 'Pabugso-bugso' is, I think, the perfect word to describe it. But it just went on and on, even gaining strength as the day wore on. I wouldn't have minded if I were to stay only in NUS, but as I said, I had to go somewhere else after NUS. It was just so uncomfortable, quite a balancing act actually, getting on the bus, then on the MRT with loads of photocopies, a bottle of water, an umbrella, and my big black bag with my big, fat notebooks. (I wish I could go digital on everything and not use notebooks, but I love notebooks, big, fat ones, and I love writing on them.)
So I finally reached my destination at exactly that time when everyone else was rushing to get into the train station. I swear I was swept by the current once or twice. At one point, I really had to fight my way against the crowd. Around this time too, I was already beginning to get a little dizzy. My hyperacidity was also beginning to act up. I told myself I shouldn't have had that third cup of coffee and that I should have eaten before I left the campus. But, well, too late for that.
Good thing the person I was meeting up with was there already, so getting the package was pretty easy and didn't give me any trouble. I suppose this would be the highlight of the day, too. Remember the perfect gift I was talking about last time? That was the thing I had to pick up. :) And remember I said I'd get one for myself? Well, I did. :) I got the small red one. Hee! Until now, I can't believe how small it is. And there's actually a part of me that can't believe I paid some good money for it. Oh well, we'll see if it's worth it in a month or two.
Getting back to the flat was definitely easier than all the trips I had to take earlier, but it was still very tiring. Plus, this time, I had two additional packages: the thing--and dinner. I had thought of eating at the restaurant, but I also wanted to just go home and be comfortable, so I decided on takeaway. I thought my arms were going to fall off as I walked to the flat from the MRT station. It was still raining at this point, though not as hard as earlier, and I had to walk real slow, because the roads were slippery. But still, I was inching closer and closer to home, and I could already see my building, so it wasn't so bad.
Finally, finally, I was at the flat. I changed into comfy 'pambahay' clothes and got the food out. I was so looking forward to enjoying my fried mozzarella, creamy mushroom pasta, and ribs. But I suppose it just wasn't my day. While the mozzarella and ribs were okay (note: 'okay,' not 'really good' or 'good'), the pasta was the sweetest creamy mushroom pasta I'd ever tasted. It was like eating some kind of weird dessert. To top it all off, a monster of a headache began to make its presence felt just when I gave up on the pasta.
Hay. I should sleep now.
Anyway, I thought at first the rain would let up after a few hours, because that's how it rains here. 'Pabugso-bugso' is, I think, the perfect word to describe it. But it just went on and on, even gaining strength as the day wore on. I wouldn't have minded if I were to stay only in NUS, but as I said, I had to go somewhere else after NUS. It was just so uncomfortable, quite a balancing act actually, getting on the bus, then on the MRT with loads of photocopies, a bottle of water, an umbrella, and my big black bag with my big, fat notebooks. (I wish I could go digital on everything and not use notebooks, but I love notebooks, big, fat ones, and I love writing on them.)
So I finally reached my destination at exactly that time when everyone else was rushing to get into the train station. I swear I was swept by the current once or twice. At one point, I really had to fight my way against the crowd. Around this time too, I was already beginning to get a little dizzy. My hyperacidity was also beginning to act up. I told myself I shouldn't have had that third cup of coffee and that I should have eaten before I left the campus. But, well, too late for that.
Good thing the person I was meeting up with was there already, so getting the package was pretty easy and didn't give me any trouble. I suppose this would be the highlight of the day, too. Remember the perfect gift I was talking about last time? That was the thing I had to pick up. :) And remember I said I'd get one for myself? Well, I did. :) I got the small red one. Hee! Until now, I can't believe how small it is. And there's actually a part of me that can't believe I paid some good money for it. Oh well, we'll see if it's worth it in a month or two.
Getting back to the flat was definitely easier than all the trips I had to take earlier, but it was still very tiring. Plus, this time, I had two additional packages: the thing--and dinner. I had thought of eating at the restaurant, but I also wanted to just go home and be comfortable, so I decided on takeaway. I thought my arms were going to fall off as I walked to the flat from the MRT station. It was still raining at this point, though not as hard as earlier, and I had to walk real slow, because the roads were slippery. But still, I was inching closer and closer to home, and I could already see my building, so it wasn't so bad.
Finally, finally, I was at the flat. I changed into comfy 'pambahay' clothes and got the food out. I was so looking forward to enjoying my fried mozzarella, creamy mushroom pasta, and ribs. But I suppose it just wasn't my day. While the mozzarella and ribs were okay (note: 'okay,' not 'really good' or 'good'), the pasta was the sweetest creamy mushroom pasta I'd ever tasted. It was like eating some kind of weird dessert. To top it all off, a monster of a headache began to make its presence felt just when I gave up on the pasta.
Hay. I should sleep now.
02 December 2007
Still
still unable to write. and it's not like i haven't tried. it's just that i feel as if all the stuff i have to do are closing in on me, and there's no way i'll be able to finish everything on time. all i really want to do now is sleep, but no: "the woods are lovely, dark, and deep/but i have promises to keep/and miles to go before i sleep/and miles to go before i sleep."
*****
in other news, i have found the perfect gift. i don't know if it will work, but i sure hope so. operative word: lomo. i'm actually very excited about it. i'm thinking of getting one for myself, too, but i'll get the 'baby' version, the 'pa-cute' version. in RED. hee!
*****
i played tour guide yesterday to my father's sister's family. they were here only for a day--they just hopped over from KL is why--so we had to move on a very tight schedule. it was very tiring walking around, but it had been quite fun, too. my achievement for the day was, i didn't get them lost. well, uhm, maybe once. hehe.
*****
i guess i have to go and try writing again. i know i just have to keep at it no matter how slow i go. as a friend said, "just don't let go. never let go." i suppose writing is, in a lot of ways, like being in a relationship. right now, it's a relationship i'm not really happy about having. sigh.
*****
in other news, i have found the perfect gift. i don't know if it will work, but i sure hope so. operative word: lomo. i'm actually very excited about it. i'm thinking of getting one for myself, too, but i'll get the 'baby' version, the 'pa-cute' version. in RED. hee!
*****
i played tour guide yesterday to my father's sister's family. they were here only for a day--they just hopped over from KL is why--so we had to move on a very tight schedule. it was very tiring walking around, but it had been quite fun, too. my achievement for the day was, i didn't get them lost. well, uhm, maybe once. hehe.
*****
i guess i have to go and try writing again. i know i just have to keep at it no matter how slow i go. as a friend said, "just don't let go. never let go." i suppose writing is, in a lot of ways, like being in a relationship. right now, it's a relationship i'm not really happy about having. sigh.
30 November 2007
Oh, by Dave Matthews
The world is blowing up
The world is caving in
The world has lost her way again
But you are here with me
But you are here with me
Makes it ok
I hear you still talk to me
As if you're sitting in that dusty chair
Makes the hours easier to bear
I know despite the years alone
I'll always listen to you sing your sweet song
And if it's all the same to you
I love you oh so well
Like a kid loves candy and fresh snow
I love you oh so well
Enough to fill up heaven, overflow, and fill hell
Love you oh so well
And it's cold and darkness falls
It's as if you're in the next room so alive
I could swear I hear you singing to me
I love you oh so well
Like a kid loves candy and fresh snow
I love you oh so well
Enough to fill up heaven, overflow, and fill hell
The world is blowing up
The world is caving in
The world has lost her way again
But you are here with me
But you are here with me
Makes it ok
Oh girl you're singing to me still
I love you oh so well
Like a kid loves candy and fresh snow
I love you oh so well
Enough to fill up heaven overflow and fill hell
Love you oh so well
_____
I love this song. I really love this song.
"The world is blowing up, the world is caving in, the world has lost her way again, but you are here with me, but you are here with me, makes it ok."
I can listen to this song over and over and not get tired of it.
"I love you oh so well, like a kid loves candy and fresh snow."
Apparently, Dave Matthews wrote this song for his grandmother. He must have really loved her.
"I love you oh so well, enough to fill up heaven, overflow, and fill hell."
Imagine someone loving you this way.
The world is caving in
The world has lost her way again
But you are here with me
But you are here with me
Makes it ok
I hear you still talk to me
As if you're sitting in that dusty chair
Makes the hours easier to bear
I know despite the years alone
I'll always listen to you sing your sweet song
And if it's all the same to you
I love you oh so well
Like a kid loves candy and fresh snow
I love you oh so well
Enough to fill up heaven, overflow, and fill hell
Love you oh so well
And it's cold and darkness falls
It's as if you're in the next room so alive
I could swear I hear you singing to me
I love you oh so well
Like a kid loves candy and fresh snow
I love you oh so well
Enough to fill up heaven, overflow, and fill hell
The world is blowing up
The world is caving in
The world has lost her way again
But you are here with me
But you are here with me
Makes it ok
Oh girl you're singing to me still
I love you oh so well
Like a kid loves candy and fresh snow
I love you oh so well
Enough to fill up heaven overflow and fill hell
Love you oh so well
_____
I love this song. I really love this song.
"The world is blowing up, the world is caving in, the world has lost her way again, but you are here with me, but you are here with me, makes it ok."
I can listen to this song over and over and not get tired of it.
"I love you oh so well, like a kid loves candy and fresh snow."
Apparently, Dave Matthews wrote this song for his grandmother. He must have really loved her.
"I love you oh so well, enough to fill up heaven, overflow, and fill hell."
Imagine someone loving you this way.
29 November 2007
My Daemon
Yup, that's my Daemon. Actually, it's my second daemon. The first one that I got, Klitus, a Gibbon, was a result of me cheating--that is, I didn't answer the questions truthfully--so I retook the exam, and now, I have Aradion, a Fox. I'm still not sure if Aradion is really my perfect match, but I don't think it reflects well on me to take the exam a third time. Hehe.
I've been excited about this movie for some time now, though I haven't read the book. I wish I could read the book before seeing the movie, but that is simply not possible. I have papers to write and paperwork to take care of and lots of packing to do. Hay. I guess I'll just have to see the movie first then read the book later. I'll make sure to read the next two books right after the first though, so I'm better prepared when their movie versions come along.
My excitement for the movie is at its peak tonight, because I just saw the full trailer. I went out to see 'Enchanted,' which was okay--hilarious in parts and nicely reminiscent of the Disney movies of my childhood, but not as entertaining as I thought it would be--so it was really the preview of 'The Golden Compass' that made the whole movie experience for me. Plus: I had one of those yummy Lindt Lindor Balls just before the movie. Hee!
Anyhoo, I've been very distracted these past few days. There are just so many things that need to be taken care of. As already mentioned above: Papers. Paperwork. Packing. And in addition: Gifts. Visiting Relatives. My Slayer, Werewolf, Vampire, and Zombie Armies. Grrrowlerrr and other Fluffs that are now in danger of being eaten by one CONFUSED and very HUNGRY Fluff (hahaha). And 1001 more Apps. Indeed, there is no rest for the wicked. :D
On top of all these, I'm always getting sleepy these days. Must be hibernation season again. Hehe. Thing is when I get sleepy, I have to give in and sleep, because if not, I won't be able to function properly and work anyway. I'd like to to think of these moments when I give in as powernapping--you know taking those little naps that stretch up to 3 to 4 hours. Hehe. Sometimes, I wonder how I can ever go back to work after this stint. It'll be quite an adjustment to have a schedule again and to not be able to powernap whenever I feel like it. Oh well. I'll cross the bridge, la, la, la.
Ok, got to go. I'm so sleepy right now I can hardly think straight.
26 November 2007
On Being An Adult (Then Again, Maybe Not)
There. I just emailed my supervisor to let her now I'm not taking it. 'It' means an opportunity to be in Canada early next year (beginning in either January or March) for 4 to 6 months to connect with scholars in the University of Toronto and do my work from there. It means a sizable stipend, on top of what I'm getting now. It means a chance to get to know another culture, meet other kinds of people, and experience, at least 2 of the seasons again.
Why am I not taking it? I'd like to think it's because I'm being an adult about the whole thing. Taking this opportunity will take a lot from me. There's paperwork, making arrangements for my stuff here, setting up a new place there--all of which should be accomplished within a short period of time. Then, there are the other specific concerns: which books do I pack, which clothes, what kind of clothes, would I have friends there, would it be easy to go around town, how does the library work, etc, etc. I suppose it's just too much for a rather short stay, and it may not be worth it.
I also don't want to get distracted at this point in my life. As it is, I'm already distracted--by the Bangkok conference, Christmas, buying gifts, thoughts of going home, the little everyday things--and this is going to be a major distraction. My fear is that, I won't be able to do any work at all, because there would always be something needing my attention. Moreover, I'm already between countries. I suppose I don't want to add a third one and make things even more complicated.
But these are just, well, inconveniences, right? There has to be an academic reason. Well, I also did a bit of research on the University of Toronto, and while it has good academic programs, the scholars I want and need to meet and talk to are not there. But even if they were there, I'm also at that stage in my work where I need to figure things out on my own and for myself first, so connecting with other scholars is not really a priority right now. I suppose I just don't want to go out there with half-baked ideas and poorly constructed arguments.
So a new country and a sizable stipend and seasons notwithstanding, I have decided to pass this one up. There will be other opportunities later on. Preferably, in the UK and in the fall. :)
Why am I not taking it? I'd like to think it's because I'm being an adult about the whole thing. Taking this opportunity will take a lot from me. There's paperwork, making arrangements for my stuff here, setting up a new place there--all of which should be accomplished within a short period of time. Then, there are the other specific concerns: which books do I pack, which clothes, what kind of clothes, would I have friends there, would it be easy to go around town, how does the library work, etc, etc. I suppose it's just too much for a rather short stay, and it may not be worth it.
I also don't want to get distracted at this point in my life. As it is, I'm already distracted--by the Bangkok conference, Christmas, buying gifts, thoughts of going home, the little everyday things--and this is going to be a major distraction. My fear is that, I won't be able to do any work at all, because there would always be something needing my attention. Moreover, I'm already between countries. I suppose I don't want to add a third one and make things even more complicated.
But these are just, well, inconveniences, right? There has to be an academic reason. Well, I also did a bit of research on the University of Toronto, and while it has good academic programs, the scholars I want and need to meet and talk to are not there. But even if they were there, I'm also at that stage in my work where I need to figure things out on my own and for myself first, so connecting with other scholars is not really a priority right now. I suppose I just don't want to go out there with half-baked ideas and poorly constructed arguments.
So a new country and a sizable stipend and seasons notwithstanding, I have decided to pass this one up. There will be other opportunities later on. Preferably, in the UK and in the fall. :)
25 November 2007
Weekend Updates
ONE: Saturday's invigilation for a level 4000 Theater class--which I'm pleased to announce took place without any disruptions. Final exams in NUS usually go smooth and undisturbed, despite all the horror stories and warnings during the invigilators' briefing, but sometimes, things do happen. For instance, during Thea's invigilation last semester, one student got sick and had to to be pulled out of the room, so she could lie down. Thankfully, the student got well enough to resume the exam and did not have to be brought to the hospital, so that Thea only had to stay a bit longer to wait for the student to finish and didn't have to accompany her to the hospital. While I wasn't really worried that something like that was going to happen, I couldn't rule it out, so I was just happy the exam went as it should be: smooth and undisturbed.
There was one noteworthy thing about this final exam though. When I checked the venue of the exam, I saw that it was in one of the LTs (Lecture Theatre). Seeing that it was a big venue--an LT could seat about 165 people--I thought there would be a lot of students--at least half of the total number of seats if the space between students was factored in. When I saw the module though, it was a level 4000 class, which would generally mean a small class, so I thought that there'd probably be another 4000 level module in the venue, and one other invigilator.
When I got to the exam venue, I found out it was indeed a small class, 10 students, and it was the only module in that room. The reason the module was assigned to an LT was that they needed a video wall, because part of the exam was a clip that would be shown for the students to analyze. Can you believe it--10 students in an LT with 165 seats because the class needed a video wall?! I suppose this is another indication of how important final exams are in NUS.
Oh, and another thing: there are special desks for the chairs in the LTs during final exams. The everyday desks are small--the movable type ones that you can use as a desk or move/fold over to the side if you don't want one--which I suppose are ok for taking down notes. For final exams, however, they have these brown desks the size of children's writing desks which can be attached to the existing structure. My thought when I saw the desks and the whole process of bringing them out and fixing them was explained to me: "Ok, this is serious!"
TWO: The Annual Christmas Tree at Takashimaya, which is awesome, because it's a giant tree. Look!
Top of the tree
Base of the tree
The tree
THREE: Kinokuniya, which over the weekend, was having a 20% discount for its Privilege Card members. I'm not a member but Fama is, so YAY! :) Finally got Books 4, 5, and 6 of 'Strangers in Paradise.' I also learned there's a new Winterson novel, 'The Stone Gods,' which, according to reviews is "Winterson at her finest." I shall see. I also got another book, and reading parts of it last night, I thought I might have discovered a new favorite writer. But I shall see about that, too, as I'm not done with the book yet. So far though, brilliant prose. :) And also, Stargirl is back with 'Love, Stargirl,' but this one will probably have to wait until January--that is, if I myself am able to wait until then. Hehe.
FOUR: This:
I didn't realize I had missed Tracy Chapman until I heard this song playing somewhere yesterday. 'The Promise' is one of my favorite songs. It's simple and sweet, and, I don't know, it just seems so right that it's Tracy Chapman singing it. I've been playing this song since this morning. Hee!
That's about it for the weekend, I suppose. I'm kind of dreading this coming week, as it only means I'm getting ever closer to all the deadlines I've been trying not think about. Well, at least, I have a few hours more of Sunday, and I can (and will) spend them any way I want. :)
There was one noteworthy thing about this final exam though. When I checked the venue of the exam, I saw that it was in one of the LTs (Lecture Theatre). Seeing that it was a big venue--an LT could seat about 165 people--I thought there would be a lot of students--at least half of the total number of seats if the space between students was factored in. When I saw the module though, it was a level 4000 class, which would generally mean a small class, so I thought that there'd probably be another 4000 level module in the venue, and one other invigilator.
When I got to the exam venue, I found out it was indeed a small class, 10 students, and it was the only module in that room. The reason the module was assigned to an LT was that they needed a video wall, because part of the exam was a clip that would be shown for the students to analyze. Can you believe it--10 students in an LT with 165 seats because the class needed a video wall?! I suppose this is another indication of how important final exams are in NUS.
Oh, and another thing: there are special desks for the chairs in the LTs during final exams. The everyday desks are small--the movable type ones that you can use as a desk or move/fold over to the side if you don't want one--which I suppose are ok for taking down notes. For final exams, however, they have these brown desks the size of children's writing desks which can be attached to the existing structure. My thought when I saw the desks and the whole process of bringing them out and fixing them was explained to me: "Ok, this is serious!"
TWO: The Annual Christmas Tree at Takashimaya, which is awesome, because it's a giant tree. Look!
Top of the tree
Base of the tree
The tree
THREE: Kinokuniya, which over the weekend, was having a 20% discount for its Privilege Card members. I'm not a member but Fama is, so YAY! :) Finally got Books 4, 5, and 6 of 'Strangers in Paradise.' I also learned there's a new Winterson novel, 'The Stone Gods,' which, according to reviews is "Winterson at her finest." I shall see. I also got another book, and reading parts of it last night, I thought I might have discovered a new favorite writer. But I shall see about that, too, as I'm not done with the book yet. So far though, brilliant prose. :) And also, Stargirl is back with 'Love, Stargirl,' but this one will probably have to wait until January--that is, if I myself am able to wait until then. Hehe.
FOUR: This:
I didn't realize I had missed Tracy Chapman until I heard this song playing somewhere yesterday. 'The Promise' is one of my favorite songs. It's simple and sweet, and, I don't know, it just seems so right that it's Tracy Chapman singing it. I've been playing this song since this morning. Hee!
That's about it for the weekend, I suppose. I'm kind of dreading this coming week, as it only means I'm getting ever closer to all the deadlines I've been trying not think about. Well, at least, I have a few hours more of Sunday, and I can (and will) spend them any way I want. :)
22 November 2007
Happy Thanksgiving
I know we don't really celebrate Thanksgiving in our part of the world, but I thought it'd be nice to go out and have a nice dinner anyway. After all, there are many things to be thankful for, and, well, I'd grab any excuse for a nice dinner out. Hehe. :) So, anyway, I asked Fama very nicely if she would go accompany me to dinner, and she also very nicely said yes. Hee! :)
We went to Ikea, because they have the gravy and cranberry thingy there, which was the closest to Thanksgiving food that we could think of--you know, the gravy and cranberry sauce that go with the turkey. Hahaha. But seriously, the gravy and cranberry combination plus, of course, the Swedish meatballs, made it feel like Thanksgiving dinner. :) I just wish they had some pumpkin pie. I kind of miss that one, especially since it's all over Facebook. :(
The best thing I got from Ikea though was this:
You may ask what that is. That is Squee's Christmas gift. It's a dog bed. Hee! :) I'm so excited to give it to him when I go home this Dec. Now he has a bed where he can eat his pastillas de leche. Hehe.
We went to Ikea, because they have the gravy and cranberry thingy there, which was the closest to Thanksgiving food that we could think of--you know, the gravy and cranberry sauce that go with the turkey. Hahaha. But seriously, the gravy and cranberry combination plus, of course, the Swedish meatballs, made it feel like Thanksgiving dinner. :) I just wish they had some pumpkin pie. I kind of miss that one, especially since it's all over Facebook. :(
The best thing I got from Ikea though was this:
You may ask what that is. That is Squee's Christmas gift. It's a dog bed. Hee! :) I'm so excited to give it to him when I go home this Dec. Now he has a bed where he can eat his pastillas de leche. Hehe.
Blacksburg On My Mind
Around this time of year, my thoughts usually wander off to Blacksburg, Virginia, that small town where Virginia Tech (VT) is located. (For locals, the distinction between town and school need not be made, because Blacksburg and VT are so much a part of each other that they can be considered one and the same.) Many months back, people probably wouldn't know where or what VT was, more so Blacksburg. Of course now, because of the tragic April shooting that happened there, most people know about the school and the town in which it is located. Sad to say, most people know Blacksburg and VT only for this reason.
I can't honestly say I know the place and its community very well. After all, I stayed there for only two years, and there were months within those years when I was actually somewhere else. I also can't say I was able to explore the town's every nook and cranny, every little pathway, every secret. I was, at that time, too young and too self-absorbed, preferring to look inward and deal with imagined anguish, to really see the new world opening up before me. And while I did hang out lot, I can't claim of having established deep and lasting relationships with any of the people whom I met when I was there. This was probably due to my inability at that time to open up to people, my fear of disappointing them or being disappointed by them.
Despite all these, my time in Blacksburg is probably one of the most magical periods of my life. I had lived away from home for the most part of my life, so the idea of being alone and independent was not new to me. But my time in Blacksburg was the first time that I was THAT far away from home--from my best and closest friends, from everything that was clear and familiar, from everything I held dear. It was the first time I was ever completely alone, completely independent. It was totally scary, and there was a huge part of me then that didn't want to do it. But common sense won out, so I packed my bags, and I was there. And in spite of all my years in Manila, I was once again this 'promdi' who was unsure and uncertain, utterly naive.
Thinking back now, perhaps, that's what made it all so delightful. It was as if everything I'd seen on TV and in the movies was coming true, and I, I was the star. I remember sitting on this big rattan chair at the balcony of our apartment one chilly morning just a few days after I arrived. Still in my pajamas and holding a mug of steaming coffee in one hand and a cigarette in another, I gazed at the already big, old trees at the back of our apartment, dreamt of barbecue parties and football and kegs of beer, and sighed. At that moment, I believed, with all my heart, everything was exactly as it should be.
I remember getting ready for my first football game. I remember being in the stands and grinning stupidly as I posed for pictures. I remember dancing to the 'Hokie Pokie' in a sea of orange and maroon, under the blazing sun. I did not understand a single thing that was going on in the field, but I was perfectly content. "I am a Hokie," I told myself, "and this is what school spirit means." There was so much excitement in that first game it could not be replicated. Thus, it was also the last and only football game I was to see, whether live or on TV, but I sure was around for the pre- and post-game merrymaking.
I remember jumping, giddily, happily, without a care in the world, into a stack of leaves piled high near Williams Hall, at that time the English Department building. I didn't know autumn leaves could stack up so high and feel so soft. I remember walking round and round VT at dusk those days of autumn, my first one, eternally fascinated by the burning colors of so many big and old trees, forever marveling at the sound my feet made on the scattered leaves, and wondering, just for a moment, how I could have lived without such beauty in my life. I knew then what it meant to fall in love--in the most basic of ways, without complications.
I remember bringing to school a peanut butter sandwich and an apple, carefully tucked in a little brown bag. At lunchtime, I would sit underneath a tree, unpack my lunch, bring out my book for the day, and start eating as I read. Other times I would find myself carrying a bagel, with either cream cheese or peanut butter, a banana, and a thermos of coffee. Soon enough, I would realize how pretentious it all was and how it wasn't really filling--this brown bag and sandwich and fruit thing--so I laughed a little bit at myself, then went back to rice and whatever Filipino dish I could concoct out of the available supplies in the 24-hour supermarket close to my apartment.
I remember walking in the snow in a pea coat and with a beret carelessly placed on my head. I remember gazing up at the swirling flakes and hugging my books tightly to my chest. And then, in my head, I was singing 'On My Own,' I was Eponine, and I was lost and alone and in love with someone I couldn't have. I laughed so hard after that. It was so silly. And one very cold Friday night, walking back to the apartment and trying to be cute and funny, I lost my balance, slipped, and fell. I still remember that painful thud--heard it as I felt it--the sound of butt hitting hard ice. It was painful, but I soon found myself laughing, perhaps to cover my embarrassment or maybe in realization of how silly I was behaving; and then, I just continued to lie there, amazed at seeing, from that angle, all that whiteness shimmering in the dark.
I remember that moment when I knew, finally, what 'spring' really meant: it was rows upon rows of yellow and pink tulips in full bloom where yesterday there was only a dry, brown plot of land. It was people smiling again and asking you how you were doing that fine, fine day. It was students shedding off their sweaters, their tops, and sunbathing all over campus, whether on cement or grass or sand, it did not matter. I remember wondering why they would want to stay outside and soak in the sun, when I, on the rare occasions I would venture out, would walk fast to any form of structure that could shield me from the sun and the heat.
I suppose the magic of Blacksburg for me is tied, first and foremost, to the seasons and all the beauty and silliness that each season brings, as it was the first time I was ever in a country with four seasons, and second, to certain activities that I had never experienced before. The fact, too, that Blacksburg is a small town, with all the quaint charm associated with small towns, added to the magic of the whole experience. Imagine a town where the main road is called Main St, and on a Friday night, while out to party, you only have to walk from North Main St to South Main St and already, you will be able to do a round of all the bars. Imagine a town where people say 'good morning' and 'how do you do' to and wave and smile at strangers they encounter in their morning walk. But also part of the magic comes from being introduced to a different educational system, one that is definitely more rigid and structured, but also more laid-back and open and accepting, one that teaches exacting discipline, but also offers endless possibilities, one that is classical in orientation, and yet very modern and technologically advanced.
I remember being in a two-week orientation for Teaching Assistants (TAs), before everything started, where we, as TAs, were introduced to the English Department, the classes that we were going to teach (English 1105 and English 1106, the freshman composition sequence), the grading system, the syllabi that we had to follow and the ones that we had to make on our own. I remember being very impressed with and quite terrified about how it was all very structured and guided. The reading assignments and writing deadlines should be given to students way in advance--on the first day of class, in fact, when you handed out the syllabus, because your syllabus should already include all these assignments and due dates. Besides these, your syllabus should also reflect your own philosophy of writing, which would then guide your grading criteria, which should also be in the syllabus.
I remember being totally anxious about the whole syllabus thing, so imagine my fright when they told us we were to choose a reading from the assigned textbook and demo-teach a particular lesson using that reading. At this time, I'd been teaching for almost 3 years, so the idea of a demo teaching shouldn't be so scary. But it was nevertheless. I remember thinking how ironic it was to teach English to native English speakers when I, myself, was a not a native speaker. I know there were about a hundred things wrong in that thought theoretically, but at that time, it was the only thing I could think of. I have a vague memory of the demo teaching itself, but I remember getting unexpectedly glowing comments from fellow TAs and the faculty advisors assigned to our group. I thought then that, perhaps, I could actually do this TA-ing thing, and maybe, even do it well.
Then classes came. I remember entering the classroom and being blinded. They were all white, my students. I suppose I never thought of that--of how a class composed only of white kids would look and make me feel--given all my other concerns. There were one African-American and three Asian TAs (me included) in my batch, so I wasn't exactly expecting an all-white class. And my thought, at that moment, "God, they all look the same. I'll never be able to tell them apart." Again, there were about a hundred wrong things in that thought, but there it was, my one thought. Oh, there was also the urge to run outside and never come back. I might have done that, too, if not for the kindly senior professor in the room across the hall, who upon seeing me and perhaps noticing how frantic I looked, waved and smiled, as if to say, "Carry on!" And carry on I did. To this day, I thank him for that moment, for giving me what I didn't think I needed at that time: a wave and a smile from a stranger.
In the days to come, I would begin to make distinctions: there was Ethan who was blonde, and there was Ethan with the red hair and freckles. There was Matthew who looked a little bit like Josh, except that Josh would smile and talk more in class. There was Jenny, a brunette, who always wore sweats to class, and the other Jenny, who was also brunette, but never wore sweats. And still another Jenny, who had short blond hair and a giggly personality, and who introduced me to Dave Matthews. In the next semesters, I would have one or two African-American and Asian students, making the classroom a little bit more dynamic. I remember thinking that these kids were so different from my UP students in their dreams and hopes and struggles, and yet they were the same in their attempts at finding 'a writing voice,' in finding a place for themselves on campus, and as I laughed to myself, sometimes even in their split infinitives. I still remember that one moment when a student, commenting on a remark I made in class, said, "Sweet, Ms. Salonga. Really sweet." I was confused at first, then I figured out what he meant. It was sweet indeed.
But there was another classroom, too: one where I wasn't the teacher but the student. I remember the daunting task of reading Milton for an ultra-conservative professor, while at the same time reading 'Representations of the Body' for a feminist professor. I remember trying to stay awake in a Twain/Crane class at the same time that I tried to refrain from being over-enthusiastic in my Austen/Byron class. Because of the Anglo-American literary tradition underlying the MA English curriculum in VT at that time, (which is not the case now), we had to take courses from both the English and American literary tradition, one from pre-1800 and one from 1800 onwards. There were theory courses as well and genre studies courses. Then there were the composition and research methods courses, which we had to do as TAs.
And these were the courses I loved best. I remember being (and allowing myself to be) seduced by postmodernism in my theory class. I remember falling in love with the essay form and nourishing dreams of being an essayist one day in my genre studies class. I remember going backwards and forwards through Winterson's canon in my research methods class and loving every moment of it. I remember the very first time I opened my mouth in class to speak, not to introduce myself or ask something about the syllabus, but to contribute to the discussion, the fear of being dismissed, not listened to, or worse, not being understood at all, and the relief of having been told I had a valid point--in fact, a point worth reconsidering in light of recent developments in contemporary theory--and the joy of having generated a discussion afterwards.
Outside of Williams Hall and over to the other side of the campus, I remember how my eyes went wide with shock when I found out that the library was open until midnight and that I could eat there while I read or worked, that I could borrow 100 books at a time and keep them for three months unless they were urgently needed by someone else, which never happened anyway, and that the books were actually on the shelves. I remember my disbelief when I was told I could have a book the VT library did not have borrowed from whichever part of the world (or the US, at least in my case) by simply filling up an online request form, and the sheer wonder of that moment when the books started pouring in--one from Hawaii, the other from California, still another from Washington DC.
It was another shock to see all the available computers at the library, in every department building. Then I found out about the Math Emporium, which housed about 500 computers available for use by any VT student, was open 24/7, and was about a 10-minute walk from my apartment. I remember entering that place for the first time. Seeing all the monitors spread out nicely in the huge floor area, my mouth almost watered, and I thought: "If UP only had 1/4 of this." There was one unwelcome surprise though: learning that I had to photocopy everything myself. Used to the convenience of dropping photocopying jobs at the Shopping Center in UP and picking them up the next day, I was not prepared for the hours I had to spend photocopying. Looking back now, though, I suppose it has prepared me for all the photocopying that I'm doing now.
All of these, and yet, there's still so much I remember: running, always running to catch my bus, charmingly called 'Tom's Creek' ('Tom's Creek B' to school, 'Tom's Creek A' back to the apartment); a bar called 'Top of the Stairs,' because it was literally on top of the stairs, where I first heard bluegrass; talking to a war veteran about American foreign policy in the The Underground, where I met a bartender named Todd; the University Bookstore where I spent hours and hours browsing books and where I got all the journals I kept during that time; the Lyric Theater on South Main St where I saw a movie that defined who I was, slept through a Shakespearean drama by a theater company who would 'do it with the lights on' through no fault of their own, and got 'devirginized' in a Rocky Horror Picture Show production; running to Kroger, the 24-hour supermarket close to our apartment, at midnight, to get cigarettes, or just before 2am, so I could get white zinfandel as well; Honeysuckle Road, and that one summer I spent there almost every day--running, briskwalking, running--trying to achieve a goal just to spite someone; and that one miserable afternoon where I just decided to sit under a tree somewhere downtown, because I was tired from all the walking and was feeling wretched, and on top of all that, I didn't know where I was or where to go.
Of course, there are dark pictures, twisted ones even. But they don't really have a place in this memory, and if truth be told, I hardly remember them anymore. And really, all the unpleasantness doesn't have anything to do with Blacksburg or VT at all. The place itself remains untouched, and holds for me a certain wonder, to which I come back again and again. Today, it's Thanksgiving over there, and right now, I'm remembering my very first Thanksgiving dinner.
I can't honestly say I know the place and its community very well. After all, I stayed there for only two years, and there were months within those years when I was actually somewhere else. I also can't say I was able to explore the town's every nook and cranny, every little pathway, every secret. I was, at that time, too young and too self-absorbed, preferring to look inward and deal with imagined anguish, to really see the new world opening up before me. And while I did hang out lot, I can't claim of having established deep and lasting relationships with any of the people whom I met when I was there. This was probably due to my inability at that time to open up to people, my fear of disappointing them or being disappointed by them.
Despite all these, my time in Blacksburg is probably one of the most magical periods of my life. I had lived away from home for the most part of my life, so the idea of being alone and independent was not new to me. But my time in Blacksburg was the first time that I was THAT far away from home--from my best and closest friends, from everything that was clear and familiar, from everything I held dear. It was the first time I was ever completely alone, completely independent. It was totally scary, and there was a huge part of me then that didn't want to do it. But common sense won out, so I packed my bags, and I was there. And in spite of all my years in Manila, I was once again this 'promdi' who was unsure and uncertain, utterly naive.
Thinking back now, perhaps, that's what made it all so delightful. It was as if everything I'd seen on TV and in the movies was coming true, and I, I was the star. I remember sitting on this big rattan chair at the balcony of our apartment one chilly morning just a few days after I arrived. Still in my pajamas and holding a mug of steaming coffee in one hand and a cigarette in another, I gazed at the already big, old trees at the back of our apartment, dreamt of barbecue parties and football and kegs of beer, and sighed. At that moment, I believed, with all my heart, everything was exactly as it should be.
I remember getting ready for my first football game. I remember being in the stands and grinning stupidly as I posed for pictures. I remember dancing to the 'Hokie Pokie' in a sea of orange and maroon, under the blazing sun. I did not understand a single thing that was going on in the field, but I was perfectly content. "I am a Hokie," I told myself, "and this is what school spirit means." There was so much excitement in that first game it could not be replicated. Thus, it was also the last and only football game I was to see, whether live or on TV, but I sure was around for the pre- and post-game merrymaking.
I remember jumping, giddily, happily, without a care in the world, into a stack of leaves piled high near Williams Hall, at that time the English Department building. I didn't know autumn leaves could stack up so high and feel so soft. I remember walking round and round VT at dusk those days of autumn, my first one, eternally fascinated by the burning colors of so many big and old trees, forever marveling at the sound my feet made on the scattered leaves, and wondering, just for a moment, how I could have lived without such beauty in my life. I knew then what it meant to fall in love--in the most basic of ways, without complications.
I remember bringing to school a peanut butter sandwich and an apple, carefully tucked in a little brown bag. At lunchtime, I would sit underneath a tree, unpack my lunch, bring out my book for the day, and start eating as I read. Other times I would find myself carrying a bagel, with either cream cheese or peanut butter, a banana, and a thermos of coffee. Soon enough, I would realize how pretentious it all was and how it wasn't really filling--this brown bag and sandwich and fruit thing--so I laughed a little bit at myself, then went back to rice and whatever Filipino dish I could concoct out of the available supplies in the 24-hour supermarket close to my apartment.
I remember walking in the snow in a pea coat and with a beret carelessly placed on my head. I remember gazing up at the swirling flakes and hugging my books tightly to my chest. And then, in my head, I was singing 'On My Own,' I was Eponine, and I was lost and alone and in love with someone I couldn't have. I laughed so hard after that. It was so silly. And one very cold Friday night, walking back to the apartment and trying to be cute and funny, I lost my balance, slipped, and fell. I still remember that painful thud--heard it as I felt it--the sound of butt hitting hard ice. It was painful, but I soon found myself laughing, perhaps to cover my embarrassment or maybe in realization of how silly I was behaving; and then, I just continued to lie there, amazed at seeing, from that angle, all that whiteness shimmering in the dark.
I remember that moment when I knew, finally, what 'spring' really meant: it was rows upon rows of yellow and pink tulips in full bloom where yesterday there was only a dry, brown plot of land. It was people smiling again and asking you how you were doing that fine, fine day. It was students shedding off their sweaters, their tops, and sunbathing all over campus, whether on cement or grass or sand, it did not matter. I remember wondering why they would want to stay outside and soak in the sun, when I, on the rare occasions I would venture out, would walk fast to any form of structure that could shield me from the sun and the heat.
I suppose the magic of Blacksburg for me is tied, first and foremost, to the seasons and all the beauty and silliness that each season brings, as it was the first time I was ever in a country with four seasons, and second, to certain activities that I had never experienced before. The fact, too, that Blacksburg is a small town, with all the quaint charm associated with small towns, added to the magic of the whole experience. Imagine a town where the main road is called Main St, and on a Friday night, while out to party, you only have to walk from North Main St to South Main St and already, you will be able to do a round of all the bars. Imagine a town where people say 'good morning' and 'how do you do' to and wave and smile at strangers they encounter in their morning walk. But also part of the magic comes from being introduced to a different educational system, one that is definitely more rigid and structured, but also more laid-back and open and accepting, one that teaches exacting discipline, but also offers endless possibilities, one that is classical in orientation, and yet very modern and technologically advanced.
I remember being in a two-week orientation for Teaching Assistants (TAs), before everything started, where we, as TAs, were introduced to the English Department, the classes that we were going to teach (English 1105 and English 1106, the freshman composition sequence), the grading system, the syllabi that we had to follow and the ones that we had to make on our own. I remember being very impressed with and quite terrified about how it was all very structured and guided. The reading assignments and writing deadlines should be given to students way in advance--on the first day of class, in fact, when you handed out the syllabus, because your syllabus should already include all these assignments and due dates. Besides these, your syllabus should also reflect your own philosophy of writing, which would then guide your grading criteria, which should also be in the syllabus.
I remember being totally anxious about the whole syllabus thing, so imagine my fright when they told us we were to choose a reading from the assigned textbook and demo-teach a particular lesson using that reading. At this time, I'd been teaching for almost 3 years, so the idea of a demo teaching shouldn't be so scary. But it was nevertheless. I remember thinking how ironic it was to teach English to native English speakers when I, myself, was a not a native speaker. I know there were about a hundred things wrong in that thought theoretically, but at that time, it was the only thing I could think of. I have a vague memory of the demo teaching itself, but I remember getting unexpectedly glowing comments from fellow TAs and the faculty advisors assigned to our group. I thought then that, perhaps, I could actually do this TA-ing thing, and maybe, even do it well.
Then classes came. I remember entering the classroom and being blinded. They were all white, my students. I suppose I never thought of that--of how a class composed only of white kids would look and make me feel--given all my other concerns. There were one African-American and three Asian TAs (me included) in my batch, so I wasn't exactly expecting an all-white class. And my thought, at that moment, "God, they all look the same. I'll never be able to tell them apart." Again, there were about a hundred wrong things in that thought, but there it was, my one thought. Oh, there was also the urge to run outside and never come back. I might have done that, too, if not for the kindly senior professor in the room across the hall, who upon seeing me and perhaps noticing how frantic I looked, waved and smiled, as if to say, "Carry on!" And carry on I did. To this day, I thank him for that moment, for giving me what I didn't think I needed at that time: a wave and a smile from a stranger.
In the days to come, I would begin to make distinctions: there was Ethan who was blonde, and there was Ethan with the red hair and freckles. There was Matthew who looked a little bit like Josh, except that Josh would smile and talk more in class. There was Jenny, a brunette, who always wore sweats to class, and the other Jenny, who was also brunette, but never wore sweats. And still another Jenny, who had short blond hair and a giggly personality, and who introduced me to Dave Matthews. In the next semesters, I would have one or two African-American and Asian students, making the classroom a little bit more dynamic. I remember thinking that these kids were so different from my UP students in their dreams and hopes and struggles, and yet they were the same in their attempts at finding 'a writing voice,' in finding a place for themselves on campus, and as I laughed to myself, sometimes even in their split infinitives. I still remember that one moment when a student, commenting on a remark I made in class, said, "Sweet, Ms. Salonga. Really sweet." I was confused at first, then I figured out what he meant. It was sweet indeed.
But there was another classroom, too: one where I wasn't the teacher but the student. I remember the daunting task of reading Milton for an ultra-conservative professor, while at the same time reading 'Representations of the Body' for a feminist professor. I remember trying to stay awake in a Twain/Crane class at the same time that I tried to refrain from being over-enthusiastic in my Austen/Byron class. Because of the Anglo-American literary tradition underlying the MA English curriculum in VT at that time, (which is not the case now), we had to take courses from both the English and American literary tradition, one from pre-1800 and one from 1800 onwards. There were theory courses as well and genre studies courses. Then there were the composition and research methods courses, which we had to do as TAs.
And these were the courses I loved best. I remember being (and allowing myself to be) seduced by postmodernism in my theory class. I remember falling in love with the essay form and nourishing dreams of being an essayist one day in my genre studies class. I remember going backwards and forwards through Winterson's canon in my research methods class and loving every moment of it. I remember the very first time I opened my mouth in class to speak, not to introduce myself or ask something about the syllabus, but to contribute to the discussion, the fear of being dismissed, not listened to, or worse, not being understood at all, and the relief of having been told I had a valid point--in fact, a point worth reconsidering in light of recent developments in contemporary theory--and the joy of having generated a discussion afterwards.
Outside of Williams Hall and over to the other side of the campus, I remember how my eyes went wide with shock when I found out that the library was open until midnight and that I could eat there while I read or worked, that I could borrow 100 books at a time and keep them for three months unless they were urgently needed by someone else, which never happened anyway, and that the books were actually on the shelves. I remember my disbelief when I was told I could have a book the VT library did not have borrowed from whichever part of the world (or the US, at least in my case) by simply filling up an online request form, and the sheer wonder of that moment when the books started pouring in--one from Hawaii, the other from California, still another from Washington DC.
It was another shock to see all the available computers at the library, in every department building. Then I found out about the Math Emporium, which housed about 500 computers available for use by any VT student, was open 24/7, and was about a 10-minute walk from my apartment. I remember entering that place for the first time. Seeing all the monitors spread out nicely in the huge floor area, my mouth almost watered, and I thought: "If UP only had 1/4 of this." There was one unwelcome surprise though: learning that I had to photocopy everything myself. Used to the convenience of dropping photocopying jobs at the Shopping Center in UP and picking them up the next day, I was not prepared for the hours I had to spend photocopying. Looking back now, though, I suppose it has prepared me for all the photocopying that I'm doing now.
All of these, and yet, there's still so much I remember: running, always running to catch my bus, charmingly called 'Tom's Creek' ('Tom's Creek B' to school, 'Tom's Creek A' back to the apartment); a bar called 'Top of the Stairs,' because it was literally on top of the stairs, where I first heard bluegrass; talking to a war veteran about American foreign policy in the The Underground, where I met a bartender named Todd; the University Bookstore where I spent hours and hours browsing books and where I got all the journals I kept during that time; the Lyric Theater on South Main St where I saw a movie that defined who I was, slept through a Shakespearean drama by a theater company who would 'do it with the lights on' through no fault of their own, and got 'devirginized' in a Rocky Horror Picture Show production; running to Kroger, the 24-hour supermarket close to our apartment, at midnight, to get cigarettes, or just before 2am, so I could get white zinfandel as well; Honeysuckle Road, and that one summer I spent there almost every day--running, briskwalking, running--trying to achieve a goal just to spite someone; and that one miserable afternoon where I just decided to sit under a tree somewhere downtown, because I was tired from all the walking and was feeling wretched, and on top of all that, I didn't know where I was or where to go.
Of course, there are dark pictures, twisted ones even. But they don't really have a place in this memory, and if truth be told, I hardly remember them anymore. And really, all the unpleasantness doesn't have anything to do with Blacksburg or VT at all. The place itself remains untouched, and holds for me a certain wonder, to which I come back again and again. Today, it's Thanksgiving over there, and right now, I'm remembering my very first Thanksgiving dinner.
21 November 2007
On Invigilating
I'm so glad things are back to normal today--that is, I didn't have to wake up at 7am to get to a 9am Invigilators' Briefing. What is an Invigilators' Briefing, you may ask. To start off, the word 'Invigilator' needs to be defined. Towards the end of my first sem here in NUS, I got an email from the Department's AO (admin officer) asking me when I could invigilate. My first reaction was panic (my usual reaction actually in most cases, hehe), because I didn't know what the word meant, and being in a super-strict context (and being paranoid, hehe), I thought I did something wrong such that I needed to invigilate. Also, the word didn't sound like a happy word; it sounded like a bad, ominous word.
I suppose I should have consulted the dictionary then, but no. I emailed someone who was also a graduate of the program and was also an RS (research scholar--because only those with scholarships are asked to invigilate; not that it's a privilege, it's actually an obligation), and asked him what it meant. Probably detecting my anxiety, he emailed back right away and assured me that everything was ok, that 'to invigilate' only meant 'to proctor.' Turned out I didn't do anything wrong, but that I was right about the word being 'bad' or 'ominous.' Proctoring, or in this case, invigilating, is probably one of the most tedious activities in the world. (If you've ever done proctoring for the UPCAT, you'll know what I mean.)
My thought at this point though: Oh, ok, but why make it difficult? Just call it 'proctoring,' instead of 'invigilating.' Then I thought: 'Different country, different terms.' There are other terms here that are a bit different from the ones I'm used to. For instance, review (e.g., to 'review' for an exam) is called revision (e.g., most teachers would devote the last day of class to 'revision'); modules for subjects; 'a paper' instead of 'a final exam' (e.g., a classmate once asked me a few minutes before a final exam, "Is this your last paper?" to which I said "Yeah," which is my standard answer for questions I don't understand, hehe); and Uni for campus--all these, of course, are nothing compared to the 'invigilate' vs 'proctor' example.
So, an invigilator is a proctor. :) Having clarified that, an Invigilators' Briefing is an orientation of sorts for those RSs who have been assigned invigilation duties. For the most part, I really don't mind attending the briefing, even if I have done so several times, even if the same things are said and the same jokes are made every time, because I look forward to the chocolate eclairs that are usually served after the briefing. Those chocolate eclairs are good, and they come in minis, so they also look rather cute. :) When they scheduled the briefing this semester at 9am though, I wasn't sure the eclairs would be a good enough incentive to wake up that early (especially since I just had them about a week ago in a couple of lectures I attended, hee!). But since I didn't have a choice and I had to go anyway, I thought, "Oh, ok, at least, I'd have a treat after the briefing."
Spotting the refreshment table as I made my way to the the lecture hall, I saw that there were indeed eclairs. Nice! When I finally got to the eclairs plate after the briefing though, they were all gone. Actually, as I was nearing the plate, I saw the last person ever to have eclairs that morning, and she was getting two, she was getting the last two, of those little delights. And I was so close, and I couldn't stop her. Grrr! As I looked around later, I saw that some people had three or four! Hmph. It took all of my willpower not to grab those eclairs off their plates. I suppose the others come for the eclairs, too. Sigh. My realization: I better be faster in queuing up for the food next time.
P.S. I just realized I still haven't looked up the meaning of 'invigilate' after all this time. So I'll do it now. Done. And here it is:
invigilate
Main Entry:
in·vig·i·late
Pronunciation:
\in-ˈvi-jə-ˌlāt\
Function:
verb
Inflected Form(s):
in·vig·i·lat·ed; in·vig·i·lat·ing
Etymology:
Latin invigilatus, past participle of invigilare to stay awake, be watchful, from in- + vigilare to stay awake — more at vigilant
Date:
1553
intransitive verb: to keep watch; especially British : to supervise students at an examinationtransitive verb: supervise, monitor
— in·vig·i·la·tion \-ˌvi-jə-ˈlā-shən\ noun
— in·vig·i·la·tor \-ˈvi-jə-ˌlā-tər\ noun
-from Merriam-Webster Online
I suppose I should have consulted the dictionary then, but no. I emailed someone who was also a graduate of the program and was also an RS (research scholar--because only those with scholarships are asked to invigilate; not that it's a privilege, it's actually an obligation), and asked him what it meant. Probably detecting my anxiety, he emailed back right away and assured me that everything was ok, that 'to invigilate' only meant 'to proctor.' Turned out I didn't do anything wrong, but that I was right about the word being 'bad' or 'ominous.' Proctoring, or in this case, invigilating, is probably one of the most tedious activities in the world. (If you've ever done proctoring for the UPCAT, you'll know what I mean.)
My thought at this point though: Oh, ok, but why make it difficult? Just call it 'proctoring,' instead of 'invigilating.' Then I thought: 'Different country, different terms.' There are other terms here that are a bit different from the ones I'm used to. For instance, review (e.g., to 'review' for an exam) is called revision (e.g., most teachers would devote the last day of class to 'revision'); modules for subjects; 'a paper' instead of 'a final exam' (e.g., a classmate once asked me a few minutes before a final exam, "Is this your last paper?" to which I said "Yeah," which is my standard answer for questions I don't understand, hehe); and Uni for campus--all these, of course, are nothing compared to the 'invigilate' vs 'proctor' example.
So, an invigilator is a proctor. :) Having clarified that, an Invigilators' Briefing is an orientation of sorts for those RSs who have been assigned invigilation duties. For the most part, I really don't mind attending the briefing, even if I have done so several times, even if the same things are said and the same jokes are made every time, because I look forward to the chocolate eclairs that are usually served after the briefing. Those chocolate eclairs are good, and they come in minis, so they also look rather cute. :) When they scheduled the briefing this semester at 9am though, I wasn't sure the eclairs would be a good enough incentive to wake up that early (especially since I just had them about a week ago in a couple of lectures I attended, hee!). But since I didn't have a choice and I had to go anyway, I thought, "Oh, ok, at least, I'd have a treat after the briefing."
Spotting the refreshment table as I made my way to the the lecture hall, I saw that there were indeed eclairs. Nice! When I finally got to the eclairs plate after the briefing though, they were all gone. Actually, as I was nearing the plate, I saw the last person ever to have eclairs that morning, and she was getting two, she was getting the last two, of those little delights. And I was so close, and I couldn't stop her. Grrr! As I looked around later, I saw that some people had three or four! Hmph. It took all of my willpower not to grab those eclairs off their plates. I suppose the others come for the eclairs, too. Sigh. My realization: I better be faster in queuing up for the food next time.
P.S. I just realized I still haven't looked up the meaning of 'invigilate' after all this time. So I'll do it now. Done. And here it is:
invigilate
Main Entry:
in·vig·i·late
Pronunciation:
\in-ˈvi-jə-ˌlāt\
Function:
verb
Inflected Form(s):
in·vig·i·lat·ed; in·vig·i·lat·ing
Etymology:
Latin invigilatus, past participle of invigilare to stay awake, be watchful, from in- + vigilare to stay awake — more at vigilant
Date:
1553
intransitive verb: to keep watch; especially British : to supervise students at an examinationtransitive verb: supervise, monitor
— in·vig·i·la·tion \-ˌvi-jə-ˈlā-shən\ noun
— in·vig·i·la·tor \-ˈvi-jə-ˌlā-tər\ noun
-from Merriam-Webster Online
20 November 2007
Yipee!
I finally got the copy of the book in which my article appears. Hee! :)
It actually arrived last Wednesday, but I was not around to receive it, so I had to have it sent to the post office closest to our place (just across the street from our flat, hehe) and pick it up there. So I got the book this afternoon, and it was just so awesome seeing my name on there that I had to allow myself a foolish smile first, before I could move on to my next errand for the day.
Please note that among the contributors to the anthology, I’m the only one who doesn’t have a PhD, so if you find something problematic in my essay, or if you think it’s the worst essay in the bunch, that’s all I have to say to you. Hehe.
Anyhoo, here's the promised table of contents. I am second to the last on this list. :-) (The articles are actually quite interesting, if you care to browse. :))
P.S. I haven’t really done any writing today (yet again!), but for some reason, I’m not so worried about it. I’m feeling rather fine. :)
It actually arrived last Wednesday, but I was not around to receive it, so I had to have it sent to the post office closest to our place (just across the street from our flat, hehe) and pick it up there. So I got the book this afternoon, and it was just so awesome seeing my name on there that I had to allow myself a foolish smile first, before I could move on to my next errand for the day.
Please note that among the contributors to the anthology, I’m the only one who doesn’t have a PhD, so if you find something problematic in my essay, or if you think it’s the worst essay in the bunch, that’s all I have to say to you. Hehe.
Anyhoo, here's the promised table of contents. I am second to the last on this list. :-) (The articles are actually quite interesting, if you care to browse. :))
P.S. I haven’t really done any writing today (yet again!), but for some reason, I’m not so worried about it. I’m feeling rather fine. :)
18 November 2007
On Not Being Able to Write and the Sound of Doom
I'm getting really frustrated with myself right now. I'm just finding it so difficult to write. I've set aside a number of days already--that is, I made no plans to eat out or watch a movie or shop--just so I can start writing and, hopefully, come up with, at the very least, five pages of solid writing. After four days, I still haven't come up with anything. Okay, I did go out last night for McDonald's (hoping that an apple pie and/or a chocolate sundae would cheer me up enough to write) and some Christmas shopping (because there was this store right in front of me with some really nice stuff), and yes, I've been spending more time on Facebook and particular addictions (aka applications) than I should, but that's only because it's become quite annoying staring at a blank page, especially since I've been doing it for hours. (I suppose the recent savagery--meaning, increased frequency--of my Slayer, Werewolf, Vampire, and Zombie attacks can be attributed to this frustration as well.)
I have to admit that last week and early this week, I wasn't really trying very hard to write. What hurts is that, in the past few days, I've been trying really hard, and yet, I just can't seem to make myself write. I'll start with one sentence, read it, delete it, start all over again. At one point, I got to write one full paragraph. It took me about three hours to write it. Right now though, that paragraph is in my Deleted file, because it doesn't sound academic enough (whatever that means!). My hope is that, with some choice of word upgrade, it'll find its way in the text somehow, so I won't feel so bad about it. I've always known that I find it difficult to start writing. It takes me hours, sometimes even days, to warm up, but it's been especially hard this time around.
I'm writing two papers: one for a conference presentation (and I hope, for the conference proceedings) and another for a journal. This means that I have an abstract for both, which means that I do know what it is I need to do and write. As I have laid out the arguments and specified the data and methodology in the abstracts, and as I have gone over my ideas in my head again and again, I shouldn't have such a hard time coming up with something. But there you go.
Both papers aren't due until the end of the year. (My presentation for the conference is actually on 13 Dec, but I'm not too worried about it. I mean, the presentation won't need the coherence and tightness that a paper entails.) I suppose this means I have time. But, see, if I'm not able to write right now, what more when the holiday season begins in full swing?! I'll be too busy, too distracted, too full, and too inebriated by then, so I really have to start coming up with something soon.
I remember the advice of my research methods lecturer: "Don't ever submit an abstract for a paper which you still haven't written." I don't really agree, but it totally applies in this case. It doesn't help that booming sounds of thunder can be heard right now. Ahhh, the sound of doom!
I have to admit that last week and early this week, I wasn't really trying very hard to write. What hurts is that, in the past few days, I've been trying really hard, and yet, I just can't seem to make myself write. I'll start with one sentence, read it, delete it, start all over again. At one point, I got to write one full paragraph. It took me about three hours to write it. Right now though, that paragraph is in my Deleted file, because it doesn't sound academic enough (whatever that means!). My hope is that, with some choice of word upgrade, it'll find its way in the text somehow, so I won't feel so bad about it. I've always known that I find it difficult to start writing. It takes me hours, sometimes even days, to warm up, but it's been especially hard this time around.
I'm writing two papers: one for a conference presentation (and I hope, for the conference proceedings) and another for a journal. This means that I have an abstract for both, which means that I do know what it is I need to do and write. As I have laid out the arguments and specified the data and methodology in the abstracts, and as I have gone over my ideas in my head again and again, I shouldn't have such a hard time coming up with something. But there you go.
Both papers aren't due until the end of the year. (My presentation for the conference is actually on 13 Dec, but I'm not too worried about it. I mean, the presentation won't need the coherence and tightness that a paper entails.) I suppose this means I have time. But, see, if I'm not able to write right now, what more when the holiday season begins in full swing?! I'll be too busy, too distracted, too full, and too inebriated by then, so I really have to start coming up with something soon.
I remember the advice of my research methods lecturer: "Don't ever submit an abstract for a paper which you still haven't written." I don't really agree, but it totally applies in this case. It doesn't help that booming sounds of thunder can be heard right now. Ahhh, the sound of doom!
13 November 2007
The NUS Exam Wellness Pack
Since I started my grad work here in NUS in 2005, I'd been receiving notifications for the NUS Exam Wellness Pack (when and where it'd be distributed, a rough description of what the pack included, etc) a week or two before final exams season, but it was only this morning that I was able to get one. I didn't even intentionally get one. I was walking to the Central Library, when I saw a group of students handing out red paper bags to students. As I wallked closer to them, someone approached me and handed me a bag. Though I didn't know what was inside it, but because it was obviously a freebie, well, I took it. Hehe. What can I say? I love freebies--and swag, all kinds! (Hee, been wanting to use that word 'swag' for a long time.)
It was only when I looked in the bag that I realized it was the NUS Exam Wellness Pack. At first I thought it was some Singtel (a huge Singapore telecoms company) promotional merchandise, because the bag had Singtel written all over it. Singtel was probably a sponsor, because there were a number of things inside that had the Singtel logo as well. Oh, well, anyway, you can see for yourself. Behold the NUS Exam Wellness Pack:
So, there's a plastic folder, a notebook, a notepad, a pen (not in the pic though, because I couldn't find it), a can of coffee, a pack of teh tarik, a pack of nuts, some cheese crackers, gum, a travel size facial wash for men (I wonder why it's specifically for men), and a travel size neck and shoulder rub. While the tag line 'Exercise Your Right to Free Speech' may sound really exciting and revolutionary vis-a-vis the local context, please do not think it has any real critical edge to it. If you look more closely, you'll actually find it's tied to 'With Free Campus Calls.' I mentioned earlier that Singtel is probably one of the sponsors for this pack, right? So, there you go. Then again, it ('Exercise Your Right to Free Speech With Free Campus Calls') is a really good copy, I think, and the copy's sentiment--without the free campus calls bit, that is--seems to work very well with the color of the material, which is also Singtel's color.
Overall, I think the exam wellness pack is quite useful, though I have to admit, I don't have anything to compare it to. This is the first time I've ever gotten one. Actually, when I first received a notification for it way back, I was surprised. Can you imagine a UP Exam Wellness Pack?! I think not. Hehe. I don't know if Virginia Tech, the other school I went to for my MA, has something like this, as I never took final exams there. Come to think of it, it was also kind of surprising at first when I found out I had to take final exams for my grad work here. Then again, I'd been warned that exams were a major deal in Singaporean schools. I suppose the wellness pack is one indication of that. Plus the reading week, plus hours devoted to revision, plus emails of best wishes from deans and lecturers, plus the all-around anxiety that seems to hover on campus during this time, and most of all, plus the fact that some modules assign a full 100% on the final exam, making it the sole basis for one's mark. I suppose, in light of all these, the exam wellness pack is indeed much needed.
It was only when I looked in the bag that I realized it was the NUS Exam Wellness Pack. At first I thought it was some Singtel (a huge Singapore telecoms company) promotional merchandise, because the bag had Singtel written all over it. Singtel was probably a sponsor, because there were a number of things inside that had the Singtel logo as well. Oh, well, anyway, you can see for yourself. Behold the NUS Exam Wellness Pack:
So, there's a plastic folder, a notebook, a notepad, a pen (not in the pic though, because I couldn't find it), a can of coffee, a pack of teh tarik, a pack of nuts, some cheese crackers, gum, a travel size facial wash for men (I wonder why it's specifically for men), and a travel size neck and shoulder rub. While the tag line 'Exercise Your Right to Free Speech' may sound really exciting and revolutionary vis-a-vis the local context, please do not think it has any real critical edge to it. If you look more closely, you'll actually find it's tied to 'With Free Campus Calls.' I mentioned earlier that Singtel is probably one of the sponsors for this pack, right? So, there you go. Then again, it ('Exercise Your Right to Free Speech With Free Campus Calls') is a really good copy, I think, and the copy's sentiment--without the free campus calls bit, that is--seems to work very well with the color of the material, which is also Singtel's color.
Overall, I think the exam wellness pack is quite useful, though I have to admit, I don't have anything to compare it to. This is the first time I've ever gotten one. Actually, when I first received a notification for it way back, I was surprised. Can you imagine a UP Exam Wellness Pack?! I think not. Hehe. I don't know if Virginia Tech, the other school I went to for my MA, has something like this, as I never took final exams there. Come to think of it, it was also kind of surprising at first when I found out I had to take final exams for my grad work here. Then again, I'd been warned that exams were a major deal in Singaporean schools. I suppose the wellness pack is one indication of that. Plus the reading week, plus hours devoted to revision, plus emails of best wishes from deans and lecturers, plus the all-around anxiety that seems to hover on campus during this time, and most of all, plus the fact that some modules assign a full 100% on the final exam, making it the sole basis for one's mark. I suppose, in light of all these, the exam wellness pack is indeed much needed.
12 November 2007
The Promise of the World Wide Web
Got this from a friend over at Facebook. It's really cool, very interesting stuff. You really want to check it out. :)
Overall, I'm very impressed with the presentation. In fact, I'm still reeling from the incredible, amazing experience of watching it unfold the way it did. I really think the Internet, the age of digital information, information technology, or whatever other name it goes by has changed how we process texts and information, how we create and consume knowledge, how we order and make categories--or quite simply, how we read and write. It has indeed the potential to break down hierarchies, topple powerful knowledge regimes, and maybe, even change the world. And I totally believe it has that potential.
But I suppose, at the end of the day, this promise is tied to the issue of access--that is, the promise of the World Wide Web becomes a reality only for those who have access to it. What about thousands of school children in the Philippines who don't even have access to computers, to basic word processing software? How can they possibly hope for the promise of the Internet? What about those poor UP students who can only scrape enough for an hour of Internet use each day, maybe, each week? I suppose, like in all promises, this one comes with certain strings attached, so it cannot be taken at face value. How about you? What do you think?
Overall, I'm very impressed with the presentation. In fact, I'm still reeling from the incredible, amazing experience of watching it unfold the way it did. I really think the Internet, the age of digital information, information technology, or whatever other name it goes by has changed how we process texts and information, how we create and consume knowledge, how we order and make categories--or quite simply, how we read and write. It has indeed the potential to break down hierarchies, topple powerful knowledge regimes, and maybe, even change the world. And I totally believe it has that potential.
But I suppose, at the end of the day, this promise is tied to the issue of access--that is, the promise of the World Wide Web becomes a reality only for those who have access to it. What about thousands of school children in the Philippines who don't even have access to computers, to basic word processing software? How can they possibly hope for the promise of the Internet? What about those poor UP students who can only scrape enough for an hour of Internet use each day, maybe, each week? I suppose, like in all promises, this one comes with certain strings attached, so it cannot be taken at face value. How about you? What do you think?
10 November 2007
First Christmas Tree
Something special today: I bought a christmas tree. I wasn't planning on getting one today--though I did think about getting one at some point--but there was a christmas tree sale at the Takashimaya Square, and when I looked around, I found one, well, two actually of the same kind but with different colors, that I really liked the moment I laid eyes on it/them. It was a choice between the traditional, green with shimmering gold highlights and little gold balls, and the diva, gold with shimmering gold highlights and little red balls. I suppose you know what I chose.
Yes, I have a little DIVA christmas tree. It's nothing fancy. It's actually very short, about a foot long, and quite slim, but it's perfect for me and for the space that I have, and it's bright and shiny, which is important for me. Hehe. :-) Here it is:
It's cute, right? And right here is the star (which is really a shiny red snowflake) on top of the tree. It wasn't really part of the tree I bought, so I had to stick it in. It blends quite nicely with the tree it's as if the tree actually came with it. :-)
And there are other red stars now shimmering all over the room. Here's one:
I can't wait for the gifts that will soon appear by my tree. Wink, wink! :-)
Yes, I have a little DIVA christmas tree. It's nothing fancy. It's actually very short, about a foot long, and quite slim, but it's perfect for me and for the space that I have, and it's bright and shiny, which is important for me. Hehe. :-) Here it is:
It's cute, right? And right here is the star (which is really a shiny red snowflake) on top of the tree. It wasn't really part of the tree I bought, so I had to stick it in. It blends quite nicely with the tree it's as if the tree actually came with it. :-)
And there are other red stars now shimmering all over the room. Here's one:
I can't wait for the gifts that will soon appear by my tree. Wink, wink! :-)
08 November 2007
Lazy Day and Some Good News
Today is Deepavali, the Festival of Lights, here in Singapore, and it's a holiday. Since I don't have classes anymore and pretty much have my own work schedule, holidays don't really affect me. (It can be a holiday every day, as far as I'm concerned--hee!--until, of course, the guilt finally hits and I start working frantically. Sometimes, I wonder how I can ever go back to work, with its crazy schedule and deadlines and everyday stresses, after experiencing this much freedom and time on my hands. I suppose I'll cross the bridge when I get there.) Still, it's nice when it's a holiday here. For some reason, the streets are just a lot more quiet, and there's none, or at least less of, the morning noise and rush, which, if you're a (super) late sleeper like me, can be quite annoying.
So in celebration of the holiday, I pretty much lazed around the whole day, which wasn't such a good idea, given how work has been piling up on me. It can't be helped though. I suppose holiday or not (it's kinda nice to have the holiday for an excuse though, hehe), I would have spent the day lazing around. I just didn't have the energy to do much of anything. Well, I did have the energy to go on Facebook and pet my Ty-grrr and check out my Multiply and respond to this and that. I also went to the grocery close to our place and got shrimps. Then I made buttered shrimps for dinner (which, ahm, I have to say, was simply yummy.) More than these everyday things though, I just couldn't find the energy. Well, I'm just hoping I'll be productive tomorrow.
Anyhoo, some good news today. The Amazing Race returns to Channel 5, Singapore's local English channel. Yay! Double yay! :-) I was feeling bad the other day, because I thought they weren't going to show it. TAR 12 already started running in the US last Sunday, and there was nothing about it at all on Channel 5. Then, as I was complaining about it over lunch earlier, what should suddenly appear on my tv screen?! A promo bit for TAR 12. :) A two-hour special begins the show Wed next week. I know it'll be a few days behind, but I'll take what I can get. Hehe. I'm such a TAR fan, despite the really bad (not)All-Star season. It's like my guide to the world's cities and cultures or something, and Phil is my tour guide. Haha.
Another wonderful tv news for me is the return of Project Runway for its fourth season on 14 Nov. I know I'll catch the episodes days after they show, but still, it's wonderful to know that I'll be hearing Tim Gunn say "Carry on" and "Make it work" again while looking absolutely stylish in his black and gray suits. I've also missed Heidi Klum, her gorgeous phrasing of English idioms, and her auf Wiedersehens. I think the reason I love this show is that I see so much of the creative process that goes into the creation of a piece of clothing. I also like the challenges and how they force the contestants to work within the limits of these challenges and still come up with something that's, at the very least, well constructed. I can't wait! :-)
Lest you think I do nothing but laze around and watch tv every day, hehe, I actually have some news related to school and/or work. The anthology on language, discourse, and identity in which an essay of mine is included finally came out. It took two full years, a bit more even, for it to come out. I remember submitting the essay in late 2004 and doing the revisions in early 2005. Here is the book cover:
Once I get the copy of the book, I will scan the table of contents with my article and my name (hee!) and upload it here. It's for those of you who think I got the scan above from some random book. Hehe. Seriously, just please indulge me for announcing this publication to the whole world. It's just that I'm mighty proud of being included in this anthology, and this is my first refereed publication. My essay's nothing great, especially when compared to the groundbreaking essays in the collection, but I worked really hard on it, and so I patted my back a little and did a little dance when I heard from the editor (thank you, thank you, thank you--for your patience with me and your guidance) that the book was out. And now, I spread my joy to you. :-)
So in celebration of the holiday, I pretty much lazed around the whole day, which wasn't such a good idea, given how work has been piling up on me. It can't be helped though. I suppose holiday or not (it's kinda nice to have the holiday for an excuse though, hehe), I would have spent the day lazing around. I just didn't have the energy to do much of anything. Well, I did have the energy to go on Facebook and pet my Ty-grrr and check out my Multiply and respond to this and that. I also went to the grocery close to our place and got shrimps. Then I made buttered shrimps for dinner (which, ahm, I have to say, was simply yummy.) More than these everyday things though, I just couldn't find the energy. Well, I'm just hoping I'll be productive tomorrow.
Anyhoo, some good news today. The Amazing Race returns to Channel 5, Singapore's local English channel. Yay! Double yay! :-) I was feeling bad the other day, because I thought they weren't going to show it. TAR 12 already started running in the US last Sunday, and there was nothing about it at all on Channel 5. Then, as I was complaining about it over lunch earlier, what should suddenly appear on my tv screen?! A promo bit for TAR 12. :) A two-hour special begins the show Wed next week. I know it'll be a few days behind, but I'll take what I can get. Hehe. I'm such a TAR fan, despite the really bad (not)All-Star season. It's like my guide to the world's cities and cultures or something, and Phil is my tour guide. Haha.
Another wonderful tv news for me is the return of Project Runway for its fourth season on 14 Nov. I know I'll catch the episodes days after they show, but still, it's wonderful to know that I'll be hearing Tim Gunn say "Carry on" and "Make it work" again while looking absolutely stylish in his black and gray suits. I've also missed Heidi Klum, her gorgeous phrasing of English idioms, and her auf Wiedersehens. I think the reason I love this show is that I see so much of the creative process that goes into the creation of a piece of clothing. I also like the challenges and how they force the contestants to work within the limits of these challenges and still come up with something that's, at the very least, well constructed. I can't wait! :-)
Lest you think I do nothing but laze around and watch tv every day, hehe, I actually have some news related to school and/or work. The anthology on language, discourse, and identity in which an essay of mine is included finally came out. It took two full years, a bit more even, for it to come out. I remember submitting the essay in late 2004 and doing the revisions in early 2005. Here is the book cover:
Once I get the copy of the book, I will scan the table of contents with my article and my name (hee!) and upload it here. It's for those of you who think I got the scan above from some random book. Hehe. Seriously, just please indulge me for announcing this publication to the whole world. It's just that I'm mighty proud of being included in this anthology, and this is my first refereed publication. My essay's nothing great, especially when compared to the groundbreaking essays in the collection, but I worked really hard on it, and so I patted my back a little and did a little dance when I heard from the editor (thank you, thank you, thank you--for your patience with me and your guidance) that the book was out. And now, I spread my joy to you. :-)
Memory/ies of Space
This is just a little after reading parts of Gretel Ehrlich's 'The Solace of Open Spaces.' Please indulge me this moment of abandon. I just need to do something else, something other than what I've been doing for what already seems like forever.
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I remember entering that house and looking around, and not knowing where to look. Almost every space on the wall had some kind of ornament, or painting, or picture, or a hanging plant, or a mirror of some sort. I felt like there was no place where my eyes could look, move, breathe. In the living room, I remember not knowing where to sit, because there were just too many chairs, sofas, couches, stools, big and small tables, each one elaborately designed, magnificently solid. Remembering the floor, I know I had been overwhelmed by the richness of the carpet's red, but barely seen, because its every inch was covered. I remember feeling, rather urgently, despite my confusion, the need to sit, and to choose fast where to sit. Because if not, the things in that house would all close down on me. Or standing there, I would become another piece of furniture, another thing.
*****
I need some blank wall in a house to fix my gaze on, meet with my eyes as I think blank thoughts, paint with my own's imagination's creations. It's hard to do that when everywhere you turn, there is a pair of eyes looking, the head of a stuffed animal that seemingly mocks, the green of some indoor plant, an obscure water painting, or worse, your startled self staring back at you. I need space to move my feet. I cannot compete with the heaviness of objects. Clumsy and awkward, I need the freedom to walk around without worrying about crashing a crystal vase, a stand-up antique ashtray, or a sculpture worth more than all my possessions put together, perhaps even my life.
*****
What is it about filling up space? Some say that every space in the house should be occupied to show that you are blessed with material abundance, which would then attract more--more things, more wealth, more successes. It is also to guarantee that there are no empty nooks and crannies where evil spirits could lurk. It is to make sure no bad things are hiding in the shadows wide spaces make.
*****
With a picture on the wall beside you, an object that stands right beside where you sit, an ornament that hangs right before your very eyes, there is always something solid to look at, to fasten to, when the world gets soft and squishy, and you are uncomfortable. It seems that it's better to stare at an object and say something commonplace about it than comment on an emptiness in the wall when the conversation starts to die.
*****
Perhaps, there is a need to surround ourselves with all these objects, so that when our body starts to break, tear to pieces, fall apart, there are things around us that can hold us in, keep us together. Sometimes, inside my body, there is a certain kind of hollowness. A wide space engulfs me, and I cease to be. So I eat, drink, indulge, wanting to be solid, seeking matter, needing to be body. But the heaviness doesn't last. Space invades me again.
-----
I remember entering that house and looking around, and not knowing where to look. Almost every space on the wall had some kind of ornament, or painting, or picture, or a hanging plant, or a mirror of some sort. I felt like there was no place where my eyes could look, move, breathe. In the living room, I remember not knowing where to sit, because there were just too many chairs, sofas, couches, stools, big and small tables, each one elaborately designed, magnificently solid. Remembering the floor, I know I had been overwhelmed by the richness of the carpet's red, but barely seen, because its every inch was covered. I remember feeling, rather urgently, despite my confusion, the need to sit, and to choose fast where to sit. Because if not, the things in that house would all close down on me. Or standing there, I would become another piece of furniture, another thing.
*****
I need some blank wall in a house to fix my gaze on, meet with my eyes as I think blank thoughts, paint with my own's imagination's creations. It's hard to do that when everywhere you turn, there is a pair of eyes looking, the head of a stuffed animal that seemingly mocks, the green of some indoor plant, an obscure water painting, or worse, your startled self staring back at you. I need space to move my feet. I cannot compete with the heaviness of objects. Clumsy and awkward, I need the freedom to walk around without worrying about crashing a crystal vase, a stand-up antique ashtray, or a sculpture worth more than all my possessions put together, perhaps even my life.
*****
What is it about filling up space? Some say that every space in the house should be occupied to show that you are blessed with material abundance, which would then attract more--more things, more wealth, more successes. It is also to guarantee that there are no empty nooks and crannies where evil spirits could lurk. It is to make sure no bad things are hiding in the shadows wide spaces make.
*****
With a picture on the wall beside you, an object that stands right beside where you sit, an ornament that hangs right before your very eyes, there is always something solid to look at, to fasten to, when the world gets soft and squishy, and you are uncomfortable. It seems that it's better to stare at an object and say something commonplace about it than comment on an emptiness in the wall when the conversation starts to die.
*****
Perhaps, there is a need to surround ourselves with all these objects, so that when our body starts to break, tear to pieces, fall apart, there are things around us that can hold us in, keep us together. Sometimes, inside my body, there is a certain kind of hollowness. A wide space engulfs me, and I cease to be. So I eat, drink, indulge, wanting to be solid, seeking matter, needing to be body. But the heaviness doesn't last. Space invades me again.
05 November 2007
When Things Don't Work Out As Planned
I'm feeling really bad right now. Sometimes, I don't understand myself at all. I should be working, working non-stop actually with some major deadlines coming up, but instead, I've been gallivanting around the city, getting addicted to Facebook, and blogging. Sigh. I really am in big trouble, or at least, I will be, real soon. Sigh. Sigh. Anyhoo, might as well just continue with this post, because, well, I already started it anyway. I will just have to start with my work after this. (Like, seriously.)
So, first, my trips around the city. Honestly, I made a conscious effort not to make any plans for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, so I could stay in and work. But I guess I was destined for something else last weekend. Let's go over the details, shall we? :-)
Thursday night, Fama told me she was going to Orchard on Friday to get her groceries at the Cold Storage in Takashimaya. Thinking it wouldn't take a long time and because I'd been missing Filipino food, I decided to go with her. We made plans to meet up after her class first, then go to Lucky Plaza to get the adobo I'd been craving, and then get her groceries. Things could have gone according to schedule, really, if not for the Big Brands Sale at the Takashimaya Square. (Ok, prior to this, we also spent a bit of time browsing and buying some books at a book sale, but that didn't really take a long time.) We were supposed to look only at the bags, but for some reason, we ended up looking at everything else. Fama actually began her Christmas shopping right there and then, and I got a little crazy, too, over some stuff.
So what was supposed to be a two-hour lunch and grocery shopping turned into a five-, six-, seven-hour and counting mad dash for sale items. Good thing I got to snag this:
And some presents for people back home, which cannot be shown here just yet. I also got a present. Yay! I wonder what it is. Ahem. :-)
You can probably imagine the state I was in when I got home. Yes, I was simply unfit to work. :-( But being the good girl that I am (hahaha), I put in about an hour's effort, which, sadly, was just not enough. I told myself Saturday would be so much better, as I didn't have any plans, and I really wouldn't go out no matter what food I was missing and wanted to have.
I did stay home all Saturday, but while taking a break (after about 30 minutes of organizing stuff on my desktop, not even real work, sigh), I decided to open a Facebook account. I didn't have any idea how Facebook worked. I was just curious, I suppose, because I'd already received a few invitations to sign up. Also, I didn't think it would take a long time. I thought I would just sign up, check out some of the features, maybe add a profile photo, then log out. Let's just say that I didn't know what I was getting into. A few hours after I signed up and a thousand apps later, I was still on Facebook.
Again, because I'm a good girl, I did manage to put in about two hours worth of work, but again, that wasn't really enough. Now, I told myself, "Sunday would be better. By tomorrow, the novelty of Facebook would have worn off, and I can begin concentrating on my work." My guilt appeased, I went back on Facebook to add more apps and send more growing gifts. Hehe. Then I heard Fama call out from the kitchen. I went out of the room, and there I found her by the washing machine, holding out a green sorry-looking piece of cloth to me and looking confused. Earlier in the evening, because she was getting OC, she washed the placemats, table runner, and table cloth. The placemats and table runner came out ok, but apparently, the table cloth just unraveled in the wash. I was confused, too, as I didn't know how something like that could have happened. It was cloth, and it looked washable. At least, before it got into the wash.
We found out later from our other flatmate, Thea, who bought the table cloth, that it was actually disposable. She bought it even if it was disposable, because at the time she was getting our tableware, she couldn't find a table cloth long enough for our table. Since we didn't know this, Fama and I were worried that Thea would get angry, pissed, and/or irritated with us-- should it turn out that the material was so delicate it had to be handwashed or that it had some sentimental value--because we didn't ask her first before it was washed. Thea was out for the weekend and was due to be back Monday. (Yes, I know, good intentions. But what is the road to hell paved with again?!)
Obviously, the solution here was to replace the table cloth right away, because we didn't want Thea to go home to a bare table. That was Saturday night, right? Which meant the next day was when we should get the table cloth. Which happened to be the Sunday I was supposed to stay in and work all day. But it couldn't be helped. So on Sunday, we were at the Giant Hypermarket in VivoCity first, then Ikea. The table cloth quest took the whole afternoon and part of the evening. Well, not really, but we also had to buy other stuff. We also just had to have this:
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God, that was one smooth, rich chocolate ice cream. Actually, I couldn't quite decide if it was really ice cream. It tasted and felt like chocolate, but unlike chocolate, it was cold and creamy. Oh, well. The important thing was, it was really good, that chocolate ice cream, ice cream chocolate thingy. :-) (I suppose it better be given how much it cost. Heh.)
And we also had to eat. At this point, I was not anymore concerned about work, as I was already at Ikea and happily enjoying my cream of mushroom soup and swedish meatballs at the Ikea restaurant. (I don't know what's in the air or in the food in Ikea, but I'm glad it's there. It just makes me really happy and makes me forget stuff that worries me.)
Unlike the last two days, when I got home last night, I didn't get to put in any work at all. I console myself now by saying I did get to do some paperwork anyway, so that should count as work, yes? Ok, paperwork and more Facebook. Sigh.
So how's today looking? Well, I ran lots of errands in the afternoon and early evening, and now, I'm quite tired. But I promise, I promise I'll really put in lots of work hours tonight. Wish me luck. :-)
P.S. Here's the afritada I cooked a few days ago. I think it looked good, but it didn't taste as good as the previous one. Hmph.
So, first, my trips around the city. Honestly, I made a conscious effort not to make any plans for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, so I could stay in and work. But I guess I was destined for something else last weekend. Let's go over the details, shall we? :-)
Thursday night, Fama told me she was going to Orchard on Friday to get her groceries at the Cold Storage in Takashimaya. Thinking it wouldn't take a long time and because I'd been missing Filipino food, I decided to go with her. We made plans to meet up after her class first, then go to Lucky Plaza to get the adobo I'd been craving, and then get her groceries. Things could have gone according to schedule, really, if not for the Big Brands Sale at the Takashimaya Square. (Ok, prior to this, we also spent a bit of time browsing and buying some books at a book sale, but that didn't really take a long time.) We were supposed to look only at the bags, but for some reason, we ended up looking at everything else. Fama actually began her Christmas shopping right there and then, and I got a little crazy, too, over some stuff.
So what was supposed to be a two-hour lunch and grocery shopping turned into a five-, six-, seven-hour and counting mad dash for sale items. Good thing I got to snag this:
And some presents for people back home, which cannot be shown here just yet. I also got a present. Yay! I wonder what it is. Ahem. :-)
You can probably imagine the state I was in when I got home. Yes, I was simply unfit to work. :-( But being the good girl that I am (hahaha), I put in about an hour's effort, which, sadly, was just not enough. I told myself Saturday would be so much better, as I didn't have any plans, and I really wouldn't go out no matter what food I was missing and wanted to have.
I did stay home all Saturday, but while taking a break (after about 30 minutes of organizing stuff on my desktop, not even real work, sigh), I decided to open a Facebook account. I didn't have any idea how Facebook worked. I was just curious, I suppose, because I'd already received a few invitations to sign up. Also, I didn't think it would take a long time. I thought I would just sign up, check out some of the features, maybe add a profile photo, then log out. Let's just say that I didn't know what I was getting into. A few hours after I signed up and a thousand apps later, I was still on Facebook.
Again, because I'm a good girl, I did manage to put in about two hours worth of work, but again, that wasn't really enough. Now, I told myself, "Sunday would be better. By tomorrow, the novelty of Facebook would have worn off, and I can begin concentrating on my work." My guilt appeased, I went back on Facebook to add more apps and send more growing gifts. Hehe. Then I heard Fama call out from the kitchen. I went out of the room, and there I found her by the washing machine, holding out a green sorry-looking piece of cloth to me and looking confused. Earlier in the evening, because she was getting OC, she washed the placemats, table runner, and table cloth. The placemats and table runner came out ok, but apparently, the table cloth just unraveled in the wash. I was confused, too, as I didn't know how something like that could have happened. It was cloth, and it looked washable. At least, before it got into the wash.
We found out later from our other flatmate, Thea, who bought the table cloth, that it was actually disposable. She bought it even if it was disposable, because at the time she was getting our tableware, she couldn't find a table cloth long enough for our table. Since we didn't know this, Fama and I were worried that Thea would get angry, pissed, and/or irritated with us-- should it turn out that the material was so delicate it had to be handwashed or that it had some sentimental value--because we didn't ask her first before it was washed. Thea was out for the weekend and was due to be back Monday. (Yes, I know, good intentions. But what is the road to hell paved with again?!)
Obviously, the solution here was to replace the table cloth right away, because we didn't want Thea to go home to a bare table. That was Saturday night, right? Which meant the next day was when we should get the table cloth. Which happened to be the Sunday I was supposed to stay in and work all day. But it couldn't be helped. So on Sunday, we were at the Giant Hypermarket in VivoCity first, then Ikea. The table cloth quest took the whole afternoon and part of the evening. Well, not really, but we also had to buy other stuff. We also just had to have this:
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God, that was one smooth, rich chocolate ice cream. Actually, I couldn't quite decide if it was really ice cream. It tasted and felt like chocolate, but unlike chocolate, it was cold and creamy. Oh, well. The important thing was, it was really good, that chocolate ice cream, ice cream chocolate thingy. :-) (I suppose it better be given how much it cost. Heh.)
And we also had to eat. At this point, I was not anymore concerned about work, as I was already at Ikea and happily enjoying my cream of mushroom soup and swedish meatballs at the Ikea restaurant. (I don't know what's in the air or in the food in Ikea, but I'm glad it's there. It just makes me really happy and makes me forget stuff that worries me.)
Unlike the last two days, when I got home last night, I didn't get to put in any work at all. I console myself now by saying I did get to do some paperwork anyway, so that should count as work, yes? Ok, paperwork and more Facebook. Sigh.
So how's today looking? Well, I ran lots of errands in the afternoon and early evening, and now, I'm quite tired. But I promise, I promise I'll really put in lots of work hours tonight. Wish me luck. :-)
P.S. Here's the afritada I cooked a few days ago. I think it looked good, but it didn't taste as good as the previous one. Hmph.
01 November 2007
Nov 1 Blues
I just had breakfast, or more accurately brunch, I suppose, as it's already noon. I had a belgian waffle, a toast, and pichi-pichi topped off with my favorite Ikea coffee. Lots of carbo-loading for me today. Not really because I have lots to do. It's more of me having such a physically-taxing and busy day yesterday that I ate up today the food and pounds I missed out on and lost yesterday. I know that doesn't make sense, but well, indulge me. :-)
So it's Nov 1. Here in Singapore, it's just really another ordinary day, not the big holiday it is back home. If I were home, I'd be in my hometown by now, in the cemetery--to visit and stay for a little bit with my dad and my grandparents. I'd also be catching up with relatives and childhood friends I didn't see or talk to on a regular basis. And there'd be lots of food to be had. My mom would always cook up a storm for our Nov 1 cemetery visits, lots of it to be brought to the cemetery (baon, hehe), others to be eaten at home after the tiring day. I know it all sounds like one big picnic, but isn't that the whole point?! I mean, Nov 1 does seem like, more than anything, a picnic and a sort of mini-reunion for Filipinos. At least, I find this especially true in the province--with the feasting and drinking and singing and all manner of merrymaking activities during the day visits and late-night vigils. It also seems every family has their own Nov 1 activities.
I suppose I'm just missing home. I was talking to my mom and my brother yesterday. As usual, I was asking my mom about the food she prepared. She said with a laugh, "Alam mo ikaw lang ang nagtatanong kung ano ang pagkain," to which I replied, "Eh kasi naman wala ako jan. Syempre di ko makikita mga handa mo." "Eh bakit di mo tanungin kung may flowers na," she persisted, still with laughter in her voice. Yes, she was teasing me. Eventually, she gave me a rundown of the food offerings, and I groaned as I heard each one, especially when she mentioned 'turbong liempo,' her specialty and my favorite among her many creations. Then I talked to my brother who then gave me a rundown of the goodies he got from Manila for pasalubong: GoNuts cupcakes and Krispy Kreme. Sigh. That's all I can say.
More than the food, of course, and the point of the matter really is that I'm missing a family thing again, because I'm away. It doesn't even have to be Nov 1. I suppose I just miss hanging out with my mom and my brother, gossiping about this and that relative, rehashing family stories and scandals, laughing at the most inane things, talking about what's going on sa Bahay ni Kuya (one of my mom's favorite shows), and just simply being there, in the presence of each other--all these while we feed Squee his favorite pastillas de leche. (He can have one whole bag in, like, minutes. Hehe. He is a fat pastillas de leche monster. I swear!)
Good thing I'll be going home this December. I'm just happy and thankful that I have that to look forward to.
So it's Nov 1. Here in Singapore, it's just really another ordinary day, not the big holiday it is back home. If I were home, I'd be in my hometown by now, in the cemetery--to visit and stay for a little bit with my dad and my grandparents. I'd also be catching up with relatives and childhood friends I didn't see or talk to on a regular basis. And there'd be lots of food to be had. My mom would always cook up a storm for our Nov 1 cemetery visits, lots of it to be brought to the cemetery (baon, hehe), others to be eaten at home after the tiring day. I know it all sounds like one big picnic, but isn't that the whole point?! I mean, Nov 1 does seem like, more than anything, a picnic and a sort of mini-reunion for Filipinos. At least, I find this especially true in the province--with the feasting and drinking and singing and all manner of merrymaking activities during the day visits and late-night vigils. It also seems every family has their own Nov 1 activities.
I suppose I'm just missing home. I was talking to my mom and my brother yesterday. As usual, I was asking my mom about the food she prepared. She said with a laugh, "Alam mo ikaw lang ang nagtatanong kung ano ang pagkain," to which I replied, "Eh kasi naman wala ako jan. Syempre di ko makikita mga handa mo." "Eh bakit di mo tanungin kung may flowers na," she persisted, still with laughter in her voice. Yes, she was teasing me. Eventually, she gave me a rundown of the food offerings, and I groaned as I heard each one, especially when she mentioned 'turbong liempo,' her specialty and my favorite among her many creations. Then I talked to my brother who then gave me a rundown of the goodies he got from Manila for pasalubong: GoNuts cupcakes and Krispy Kreme. Sigh. That's all I can say.
More than the food, of course, and the point of the matter really is that I'm missing a family thing again, because I'm away. It doesn't even have to be Nov 1. I suppose I just miss hanging out with my mom and my brother, gossiping about this and that relative, rehashing family stories and scandals, laughing at the most inane things, talking about what's going on sa Bahay ni Kuya (one of my mom's favorite shows), and just simply being there, in the presence of each other--all these while we feed Squee his favorite pastillas de leche. (He can have one whole bag in, like, minutes. Hehe. He is a fat pastillas de leche monster. I swear!)
Good thing I'll be going home this December. I'm just happy and thankful that I have that to look forward to.
31 October 2007
Waiting for the Meat to Thaw
That's exactly what I'm doing right now. I have some cooking to do today, and I'm right now waiting for the meat to thaw. I'm cooking pork afritada and chicken adobo. The last time I cooked afritada, it was really good, so I'm hoping to achieve the same result today. I cook adobo regularly, because it's one of those dishes that are just really easy to do, but I haven't tried chicken adobo yet. It's because, well, I'm allergic to chicken.
I know. It's sad, especially since I love chicken and actually grew up eating a lot of it. Para kong si Niknok, ang batang napakahilig sa manok. Hehe. Anyone who remembers Niknok? Well, if you didn't read Funny Komiks as a kid, then I don't think you'd know of him, in the first place. Anyway, going back to my chicken allergy, it was actually a recent development. Some ten years ago, to be exact. I know that doesn't sound recent, hehe, but what I meant by recent was, I didn't have it when I was a kid.
I blame this allergy on Chicken Bacolod. You see there was that period, two weeks to be exact, some ten years ago when all I ate for lunch and dinner--and I swear, breakfast too(!), if the resto only opened that early--was chicken from Chicken Bacolod. I'd have the chicken inasal (breast part), garlic rice, and chicken skin. I think ultimately, it was the chicken skin that caused the allergy. But god, it tasted so good!
Anyway, when the allergic reaction first appeared, it was in the form of an extremely itchy rash all over my fingers and toes. The itchiness soon gave way to a burning sensation, and my fingers and toes started swelling and became really red. I can still remember what my brother told me when he saw the rash: 'Wag kang mag-alala, Ate, dadalawin ka naman namin sa Tala.' Panicked and afraid, I rushed to see a derma, who then asked me about my recent activities and the food I'd been eating in the last few weeks. That visit to the derma signaled the end of my happy days at Chicken Bacolod. Sigh.
Well, maybe, I still go to Chicken Bacolod from time to time and still eat chicken from time to time. Hehe. I just make sure I have my antihistamines with me. Also, the key phrases are 'in moderation' and 'from time to time' as I can't definitely eat a lot of chicken now or eat chicken for days in a row. Sometimes, when I forget myself though, there is still some allergic reaction, but now, it appears in the form of a redness around my mouth, pretty much like a windburn. So if you see me sporting a windburn, you know someone's been eating what she's not supposed to. Hehe.
Okay, I have to check on the meat now. Happy day, all.
I know. It's sad, especially since I love chicken and actually grew up eating a lot of it. Para kong si Niknok, ang batang napakahilig sa manok. Hehe. Anyone who remembers Niknok? Well, if you didn't read Funny Komiks as a kid, then I don't think you'd know of him, in the first place. Anyway, going back to my chicken allergy, it was actually a recent development. Some ten years ago, to be exact. I know that doesn't sound recent, hehe, but what I meant by recent was, I didn't have it when I was a kid.
I blame this allergy on Chicken Bacolod. You see there was that period, two weeks to be exact, some ten years ago when all I ate for lunch and dinner--and I swear, breakfast too(!), if the resto only opened that early--was chicken from Chicken Bacolod. I'd have the chicken inasal (breast part), garlic rice, and chicken skin. I think ultimately, it was the chicken skin that caused the allergy. But god, it tasted so good!
Anyway, when the allergic reaction first appeared, it was in the form of an extremely itchy rash all over my fingers and toes. The itchiness soon gave way to a burning sensation, and my fingers and toes started swelling and became really red. I can still remember what my brother told me when he saw the rash: 'Wag kang mag-alala, Ate, dadalawin ka naman namin sa Tala.' Panicked and afraid, I rushed to see a derma, who then asked me about my recent activities and the food I'd been eating in the last few weeks. That visit to the derma signaled the end of my happy days at Chicken Bacolod. Sigh.
Well, maybe, I still go to Chicken Bacolod from time to time and still eat chicken from time to time. Hehe. I just make sure I have my antihistamines with me. Also, the key phrases are 'in moderation' and 'from time to time' as I can't definitely eat a lot of chicken now or eat chicken for days in a row. Sometimes, when I forget myself though, there is still some allergic reaction, but now, it appears in the form of a redness around my mouth, pretty much like a windburn. So if you see me sporting a windburn, you know someone's been eating what she's not supposed to. Hehe.
Okay, I have to check on the meat now. Happy day, all.
Done with Reposting
I found out that Blogger does not have an 'export' function. There is something about RSS feeds, but I just couldn't understand the effin thing. So what did I do? I copy-pasted my blog posts from the other sites I maintain. Good thing I didn't have that many posts. Hehe.
So I suppose that'll be for now. I'll be back real soon. :-)
So I suppose that'll be for now. I'll be back real soon. :-)
A Little Bit Thai, A Little Bit Indian
Originally posted 29 October 2007.
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Because we were getting tired of our own cooking, we decided to go to Joe's Kitchen for dinner tonight. Joe's is a Thai restaurant, but for some reason, many of its dishes taste like Filipino food to me, at least after the chili is put aside. Hehe. I think what I really want to say here is that food at Joe's tastes like the way Thai food is cooked in the Philippines. Which means I really like it. :-) Then again, I basically order the same thing every time I go there anyway, so I don't have any means of judging the dishes I haven't tried. Whatever! Joe's is just really good food. And quite affordable too! :-)
We had crispy seafoood tofu, pineapple rice, fried chili fish (chili definitely on the side), and, for dessert, the yummy sticky rice with mango.
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I know the food could have used more color, but that means mixing in the chili, which is a no-no for me. So, I'm sorry if the food in these pics looks a little bland.
Anyhoo, after dinner, we went to Little India to see the lights and do some chocolate-shopping at Mustafa. Here are some pics of the lights and me. No pics of the chocolates, because chocolates are private. Hahaha.
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Because we were getting tired of our own cooking, we decided to go to Joe's Kitchen for dinner tonight. Joe's is a Thai restaurant, but for some reason, many of its dishes taste like Filipino food to me, at least after the chili is put aside. Hehe. I think what I really want to say here is that food at Joe's tastes like the way Thai food is cooked in the Philippines. Which means I really like it. :-) Then again, I basically order the same thing every time I go there anyway, so I don't have any means of judging the dishes I haven't tried. Whatever! Joe's is just really good food. And quite affordable too! :-)
We had crispy seafoood tofu, pineapple rice, fried chili fish (chili definitely on the side), and, for dessert, the yummy sticky rice with mango.
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I know the food could have used more color, but that means mixing in the chili, which is a no-no for me. So, I'm sorry if the food in these pics looks a little bland.
Anyhoo, after dinner, we went to Little India to see the lights and do some chocolate-shopping at Mustafa. Here are some pics of the lights and me. No pics of the chocolates, because chocolates are private. Hahaha.
Just Fine
Originally posted on 26 October 2007.
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Just wanted to share the song and vid below. Got it from a site where I usually lurk. Hehe. Anyway, it's such a fun, joyful song, and the vid is hawt. Mary J Blige totally rocks it. Enjoy! :-)
By the way, I love how they made those streaks of gold/fire swirl and spiral around her at the beginning. Parang pwede na din sa 'Heroes' si Mary J Blige. Hehe.
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Just wanted to share the song and vid below. Got it from a site where I usually lurk. Hehe. Anyway, it's such a fun, joyful song, and the vid is hawt. Mary J Blige totally rocks it. Enjoy! :-)
By the way, I love how they made those streaks of gold/fire swirl and spiral around her at the beginning. Parang pwede na din sa 'Heroes' si Mary J Blige. Hehe.
TMI?
Originally posted on 24 October 2007.
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Okay, I did say I was going back to work, but just one more thing. I'm sure you have your own reaction/s to and/or position on the recent outing of Albus Dumbledore by his creator, JK. I will not discuss mine here, because it's not really the point of this link. But I really do want to say that I think it's wonderful that Dumbledore is gay, and such a shame that I chose not to pick up on it--I did think there might have been something a bit more in his thing with Grindelwald--primarily because I didn't think JK would dare. Turns out she did, and even announced it, in no uncertain terms, to the whole world. (Well, pretty much, right?) Despite certain misgivings about the business side of the franchise and how JK has been handling it, I have to say, props to JK for this one. I acknowledge what this pronouncement can mean, what it can do, and I'll give JK credit for that.
Okay, so I did end up talking A LITTLE BIT about what I thought. To the article now, what I find interesting in it is the shift of the discussion from JK's pronouncement of Dumbledore's sexuality to what JK does to the notion of authorship every time she announces some piece of information or 'past' or 'future' story about a character in a series that is supposedly concluded. Indeed, in JK's case, it seems the author is definitely alive.
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Okay, I did say I was going back to work, but just one more thing. I'm sure you have your own reaction/s to and/or position on the recent outing of Albus Dumbledore by his creator, JK. I will not discuss mine here, because it's not really the point of this link. But I really do want to say that I think it's wonderful that Dumbledore is gay, and such a shame that I chose not to pick up on it--I did think there might have been something a bit more in his thing with Grindelwald--primarily because I didn't think JK would dare. Turns out she did, and even announced it, in no uncertain terms, to the whole world. (Well, pretty much, right?) Despite certain misgivings about the business side of the franchise and how JK has been handling it, I have to say, props to JK for this one. I acknowledge what this pronouncement can mean, what it can do, and I'll give JK credit for that.
Okay, so I did end up talking A LITTLE BIT about what I thought. To the article now, what I find interesting in it is the shift of the discussion from JK's pronouncement of Dumbledore's sexuality to what JK does to the notion of authorship every time she announces some piece of information or 'past' or 'future' story about a character in a series that is supposedly concluded. Indeed, in JK's case, it seems the author is definitely alive.
What's Cookin in My Kitchen
Originally posted on 24 October 2007.
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I just realized I haven't written about food in a while (hehe), so I figured, while taking a break from school work (t e d i o u s) and house work (CRAZY!), I might as well write about food--and have some fun in the process. As I said before, I'm not really what you'd consider a great cook, heck, I'm not even a good cook, but I've some recipes I've sort of mastered, so suffice it to say, I can cook. Or more accurately, there are certain dishes I can cook, and they actually taste like they're supposed to taste. If not better. Hehe. :-)
One of these is cheesy tuna and mushroom pasta. I make the sauce from scratch--that is, I put cream and cheese together in a pan and I stir and stir until the cheese is one with the cream--that is, all melted--and the color turns into a pale golden yellow. The tricky part is making sure that the sauce is smooth, and there are no cheesy bits. So to get the right texture, I keep stirring. (The problem with the cheesy bits is that they stick in the roof of your mouth, in your teeth, and/or even under your tongue, and it's annoying when that happens. If the cheesy bits cannot be avoided though, say, I got tired of stirring halfway through, I just say it's supposed to be like that, as the cheesy bits bring out the delightful cheese flavor even more. Hehe.)
For the tuna and mushroom mix, I saute some garlic first, then some onion--both minced, by the way--then I throw in the tuna, then the mushrooms. Then I do a bit of stir-frying. I usually use a combination of Century Tuna Hot and Spicy and Century Tuna in Vegetable Oil, so that the tuna is not so spicy, yet, it has a certain zing, which, from experience, I can say goes really well with the cheese and cream sauce. The mushrooms I use come straight from the can, usually Narcissus. I don't know why, but I've always used that brand.
I've always preferred spaghetti, and for the almost 5 years I've been cooking and serving this dish, I've used spaghetti. When I cooked it the last time though, I think about two weeks ago, I used macaroni. I wanted to give this old recipe something new. I wanted to bake it, and when I thought of that, I thought "Baked Mac, yum!" So I used macaroni. (I know, I know. I'm as logical in my cooking as I am in almost all other aspects of my life. :-)) The result was actually pretty successful. It was actually very good. And that's why I don't have pictures. We kept eating and talking about how good the pasta--now called baked cheesy tuna and mushroom macaroni, hee--was that we forgot to take pictures. Ahem. It's up to you if you want to believe that. :-)
But I have to say this pasta dish is not exactly the most healthy of meals, even with the tuna and the mushrooms, simply because of the cheese and the cream, which I use lots of. And, in the baked version, there's also the additional mozzarella on top, because, well, I love mozzarella. Hehe. Seriously though, the gooey texture and the mild and delicate milky taste of mozzarella make it the perfect topping for this pasta dish.:-) But, as I always say, I don't eat it every day (there are other more sinful fares to feast on, hahaha), so when I eat it, I will not be deterred by thoughts of what's healthy or not.
I wonder why I've never thought of baking this dish before. Oh, well, whatever, time to go back to work. Sigh. And, oh, I promise to take pictures next time I make this dish again, baked or not. :-)
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I just realized I haven't written about food in a while (hehe), so I figured, while taking a break from school work (t e d i o u s) and house work (CRAZY!), I might as well write about food--and have some fun in the process. As I said before, I'm not really what you'd consider a great cook, heck, I'm not even a good cook, but I've some recipes I've sort of mastered, so suffice it to say, I can cook. Or more accurately, there are certain dishes I can cook, and they actually taste like they're supposed to taste. If not better. Hehe. :-)
One of these is cheesy tuna and mushroom pasta. I make the sauce from scratch--that is, I put cream and cheese together in a pan and I stir and stir until the cheese is one with the cream--that is, all melted--and the color turns into a pale golden yellow. The tricky part is making sure that the sauce is smooth, and there are no cheesy bits. So to get the right texture, I keep stirring. (The problem with the cheesy bits is that they stick in the roof of your mouth, in your teeth, and/or even under your tongue, and it's annoying when that happens. If the cheesy bits cannot be avoided though, say, I got tired of stirring halfway through, I just say it's supposed to be like that, as the cheesy bits bring out the delightful cheese flavor even more. Hehe.)
For the tuna and mushroom mix, I saute some garlic first, then some onion--both minced, by the way--then I throw in the tuna, then the mushrooms. Then I do a bit of stir-frying. I usually use a combination of Century Tuna Hot and Spicy and Century Tuna in Vegetable Oil, so that the tuna is not so spicy, yet, it has a certain zing, which, from experience, I can say goes really well with the cheese and cream sauce. The mushrooms I use come straight from the can, usually Narcissus. I don't know why, but I've always used that brand.
I've always preferred spaghetti, and for the almost 5 years I've been cooking and serving this dish, I've used spaghetti. When I cooked it the last time though, I think about two weeks ago, I used macaroni. I wanted to give this old recipe something new. I wanted to bake it, and when I thought of that, I thought "Baked Mac, yum!" So I used macaroni. (I know, I know. I'm as logical in my cooking as I am in almost all other aspects of my life. :-)) The result was actually pretty successful. It was actually very good. And that's why I don't have pictures. We kept eating and talking about how good the pasta--now called baked cheesy tuna and mushroom macaroni, hee--was that we forgot to take pictures. Ahem. It's up to you if you want to believe that. :-)
But I have to say this pasta dish is not exactly the most healthy of meals, even with the tuna and the mushrooms, simply because of the cheese and the cream, which I use lots of. And, in the baked version, there's also the additional mozzarella on top, because, well, I love mozzarella. Hehe. Seriously though, the gooey texture and the mild and delicate milky taste of mozzarella make it the perfect topping for this pasta dish.:-) But, as I always say, I don't eat it every day (there are other more sinful fares to feast on, hahaha), so when I eat it, I will not be deterred by thoughts of what's healthy or not.
I wonder why I've never thought of baking this dish before. Oh, well, whatever, time to go back to work. Sigh. And, oh, I promise to take pictures next time I make this dish again, baked or not. :-)
All Set!
Originally posted on 22 October 2007.
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After much planning and lots of careful attention to details (translation: stressful stuff), I finally got to book tickets for home this December, and I'm proud to announce it's reasonably priced, given the peak rates of the holiday season, the rather late hour in which I booked them, and my flight dates.:-) I'm flying with PAL en route to the Philippines and Cebu Pacific when I return back here. Would you believe this deal is actually 50sgd cheaper than if I had flown Cebu Pacific both ways?! I know it's just 50sgd, but still, I feel as if I've done a bit of good strategizing here and won something.
I mean, you couldn't possibly imagine the sick, miserable feeling I had when I went to the Cebu Pacific website early last week and saw that there were no more available flights beginning 17 Dec. It turned out that it was a glitch--there were available flights actually--but at that time, I didn't know that, so I was all panicky. Tiger Airways had sold out all their flights for the period in question weeks and weeks ago. I had vowed never to fly Jetstar again unless my destination was not the Philippines and only for a really unbelievably cheap ticket price. (The reason for this, as they say, is another story, and in this case, a long one, which I really don't want to recall.)
So, at that time, it was a very real possibility that I would have to fly PAL both ways. That would have cost me 200sgd more than the deal I got, and it would have been simply heartbreaking to pay that much after having experienced traveling for so much less before. I know it's Christmas anyway, but still, all the more reason to try to get affordable tickets, right? I mean, gifts need to be bought and parties attended and people to be made happy, after all. And that doesn't come cheap. :-) But I also told myself that if PAL was the last resort, then so be it. I should just resign myself to not being able to buy some things I wanted for myself this Christmas.
Good thing though I checked at Kabayan, a Pinoy-run (not sure if it's also Pinoy-owned) travel agency at Lucky Plaza, the Pinoy hangout/mall/destination in Singapore, before purchasing any tickets. Thanks to Dayen for the tip-off on the PAL one-way fare, which cost less than Cebu Pacific's, the further 10sgd deduction, and the interesting conversation. :-) If I had gone the other way and taken a two-way ticket with Cebu Pacific, you know, after I had found out about the glitch, I would have paid 50sgd more and missed airplane food (hehe) and lost Miles, which could help, if only a little bit, the sorry state of my mileage account. Plus, the PAL flight departs at a better, more convenient time.
In the end, I really think it's a good deal all around, and the best one I could have gotten under the circumstances. Sometimes, I really think I'm kind of a winner. Hahaha.
Manila, here I come! Well, not quite yet, but you get my drift. :-)
P.S. Please forgive me if I sound too self-congratulatory. It's very seldom that things of this nature, you know, successful execution after careful deliberation of details and such like, work out for me. Hee.
-----
After much planning and lots of careful attention to details (translation: stressful stuff), I finally got to book tickets for home this December, and I'm proud to announce it's reasonably priced, given the peak rates of the holiday season, the rather late hour in which I booked them, and my flight dates.:-) I'm flying with PAL en route to the Philippines and Cebu Pacific when I return back here. Would you believe this deal is actually 50sgd cheaper than if I had flown Cebu Pacific both ways?! I know it's just 50sgd, but still, I feel as if I've done a bit of good strategizing here and won something.
I mean, you couldn't possibly imagine the sick, miserable feeling I had when I went to the Cebu Pacific website early last week and saw that there were no more available flights beginning 17 Dec. It turned out that it was a glitch--there were available flights actually--but at that time, I didn't know that, so I was all panicky. Tiger Airways had sold out all their flights for the period in question weeks and weeks ago. I had vowed never to fly Jetstar again unless my destination was not the Philippines and only for a really unbelievably cheap ticket price. (The reason for this, as they say, is another story, and in this case, a long one, which I really don't want to recall.)
So, at that time, it was a very real possibility that I would have to fly PAL both ways. That would have cost me 200sgd more than the deal I got, and it would have been simply heartbreaking to pay that much after having experienced traveling for so much less before. I know it's Christmas anyway, but still, all the more reason to try to get affordable tickets, right? I mean, gifts need to be bought and parties attended and people to be made happy, after all. And that doesn't come cheap. :-) But I also told myself that if PAL was the last resort, then so be it. I should just resign myself to not being able to buy some things I wanted for myself this Christmas.
Good thing though I checked at Kabayan, a Pinoy-run (not sure if it's also Pinoy-owned) travel agency at Lucky Plaza, the Pinoy hangout/mall/destination in Singapore, before purchasing any tickets. Thanks to Dayen for the tip-off on the PAL one-way fare, which cost less than Cebu Pacific's, the further 10sgd deduction, and the interesting conversation. :-) If I had gone the other way and taken a two-way ticket with Cebu Pacific, you know, after I had found out about the glitch, I would have paid 50sgd more and missed airplane food (hehe) and lost Miles, which could help, if only a little bit, the sorry state of my mileage account. Plus, the PAL flight departs at a better, more convenient time.
In the end, I really think it's a good deal all around, and the best one I could have gotten under the circumstances. Sometimes, I really think I'm kind of a winner. Hahaha.
Manila, here I come! Well, not quite yet, but you get my drift. :-)
P.S. Please forgive me if I sound too self-congratulatory. It's very seldom that things of this nature, you know, successful execution after careful deliberation of details and such like, work out for me. Hee.
TV Tidbits
Originally posted on 14 October 2007.
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Thinking about 'Grey's Anatomy' a while back, which was occasioned by a blog post and a reply, got me thinking about the shows that I really miss and want to see and watch. One is 'Ugly Betty." I read somewhere that this season, they will have one episode that is a musical (yipee!), and that Mark's character will get a boyfriend. This boyfriend is supposedly not Mark's type. He's chubby and not exactly fashionable, but Mark will be drawn to him. This should be good to see. :-) But before I actually start watching this season of 'Ugly Betty,' I should finish the first season. Due to the unfortunate fact that my 'Complete Season 1' of 'Ugly Betty' was only up to episode 17 and no matter how many times I brought it back to exchange it with some new copy, I still got the same (in)'Complete Season 1,' I unhappily missed a lot from the last season.
The other show is 'Heroes.' Haven't seen a single episode since the new season began airing, and I really don't have any idea what's been going on. I try to avoid the recaps and the forums, because, well, I want to be surprised when I finally get to see the new episodes. (I really don't mind being spoiled in most cases; in fact, I prefer it. But this time around, surprisingly, I want to be surprised.) I miss Hiro and Nathan and Nikki/Jessica and Mr. Bennet and, ok, ok, even Mohinder and his rather superfluous voiceovers (hehe). I also miss Peter Petrelli. So, in the meantime, to address my missing Peter Petrelli, I view this vid at least once a day:
I know he doesn't have superpowers here, but methinks Peter Petrelli with tattoos and a guitar and acting like a thug is good enough at the moment. At least, until I get to see the show again. Interesting that I end up with only Peter Petrelli to get my 'Heroes' fix. Oh, well, some things can't be helped. :-) Then again, I also really like Fergie, despite her rather extremely high-waisted pants in this vid. Hehe.
Other shows I'm looking forward to are 'Bionic Woman' (I suppose I would have been more excited about this, if Burke weren't there, but I do hope he wouldn't have to stay all throughout the season) and 'Cashmere Mafia,' a 'Sex and the City' kind of show, I was told, but with a different set of women, which begins airing in November. A friend of mine also told me to start watching 'Weeds' and 'Brothers and Sisters' and 'Gossip Girl.' Sigh. So many shows, so little time. Or more accurately, so many shows that I can't watch as they air, because we don't have cable. Then again, even if we had cable, I don't think the cable channels here would have aired them the same time they come out in the US anyway. I guess I'll just have to catch up when I go home in December. All I can say is thanks to all those venues (ahem) in the Phils that allow me to see all these shows.
So what am I watching these days? Not much tv actually, but it pleases me to say that one channel here is airing cycle 8 of 'America's Next Top Model.' As in every cycle, the wannabe top models are looking fierce, there is always drama (and bitchiness) happening in the house, and Tyra is, well, looking every inch like the Tyra I've come to know and love (and hate) in this show. It's just so hard to describe her. :-) So that makes my Thursday night. The rest of the time, I'm working. Bwahahaha.
Enjoy your Sunday, all!
P.S. If any one's got episodes of 'Ugly Betty' and 'Heroes' and you have a way of lending them to me, I will be forever grateful and will be your friend forever. :-)
-----
Thinking about 'Grey's Anatomy' a while back, which was occasioned by a blog post and a reply, got me thinking about the shows that I really miss and want to see and watch. One is 'Ugly Betty." I read somewhere that this season, they will have one episode that is a musical (yipee!), and that Mark's character will get a boyfriend. This boyfriend is supposedly not Mark's type. He's chubby and not exactly fashionable, but Mark will be drawn to him. This should be good to see. :-) But before I actually start watching this season of 'Ugly Betty,' I should finish the first season. Due to the unfortunate fact that my 'Complete Season 1' of 'Ugly Betty' was only up to episode 17 and no matter how many times I brought it back to exchange it with some new copy, I still got the same (in)'Complete Season 1,' I unhappily missed a lot from the last season.
The other show is 'Heroes.' Haven't seen a single episode since the new season began airing, and I really don't have any idea what's been going on. I try to avoid the recaps and the forums, because, well, I want to be surprised when I finally get to see the new episodes. (I really don't mind being spoiled in most cases; in fact, I prefer it. But this time around, surprisingly, I want to be surprised.) I miss Hiro and Nathan and Nikki/Jessica and Mr. Bennet and, ok, ok, even Mohinder and his rather superfluous voiceovers (hehe). I also miss Peter Petrelli. So, in the meantime, to address my missing Peter Petrelli, I view this vid at least once a day:
I know he doesn't have superpowers here, but methinks Peter Petrelli with tattoos and a guitar and acting like a thug is good enough at the moment. At least, until I get to see the show again. Interesting that I end up with only Peter Petrelli to get my 'Heroes' fix. Oh, well, some things can't be helped. :-) Then again, I also really like Fergie, despite her rather extremely high-waisted pants in this vid. Hehe.
Other shows I'm looking forward to are 'Bionic Woman' (I suppose I would have been more excited about this, if Burke weren't there, but I do hope he wouldn't have to stay all throughout the season) and 'Cashmere Mafia,' a 'Sex and the City' kind of show, I was told, but with a different set of women, which begins airing in November. A friend of mine also told me to start watching 'Weeds' and 'Brothers and Sisters' and 'Gossip Girl.' Sigh. So many shows, so little time. Or more accurately, so many shows that I can't watch as they air, because we don't have cable. Then again, even if we had cable, I don't think the cable channels here would have aired them the same time they come out in the US anyway. I guess I'll just have to catch up when I go home in December. All I can say is thanks to all those venues (ahem) in the Phils that allow me to see all these shows.
So what am I watching these days? Not much tv actually, but it pleases me to say that one channel here is airing cycle 8 of 'America's Next Top Model.' As in every cycle, the wannabe top models are looking fierce, there is always drama (and bitchiness) happening in the house, and Tyra is, well, looking every inch like the Tyra I've come to know and love (and hate) in this show. It's just so hard to describe her. :-) So that makes my Thursday night. The rest of the time, I'm working. Bwahahaha.
Enjoy your Sunday, all!
P.S. If any one's got episodes of 'Ugly Betty' and 'Heroes' and you have a way of lending them to me, I will be forever grateful and will be your friend forever. :-)
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