I Dream a Dream

I.

I dreamt of being stranded in an airport.  I was with Ivan, Zan, and Yshio. Too realistic to be a dream, since just last month, we were indeed stranded in Busuanga airport. Maybe my brain is rehashing memories. I have no idea where we were - where we were headed, or what airport it is exactly - all I knew was we were waiting for a flight that would never come. There are details I've forgotten already.

II.

The next night I dreamt of being in an old cafe in Bacolod. Ivy grew on the walls of the cafe and the windows were made of Capiz shells. There was indecipherable music in the background. I was certain we were in Bacolod, even if there were no physical clues as to where we were. I was with Ivan, Zan, and Yshio again. Ivan had a big album with him that he was showing us. It was full of pictures of our years and years of friendship...

III.

Took a nap and dreamt of zigzags and realized we were in Baguio. Only it was just us two. We were being chased. I don't recall what or who was chasing us. Probably zombies (since I've watched World War Z just the night before). I saw rain clouds on the horizon, grey and plump. We slumped on the floor and slept.

Late Reaction

On the day na umusok ang isyung ito, binalak ko na mag-post, kaso na-delay e. So kahit late na ang reaction ko, wala kayong magagawa bilang blog ko ito at ipopost ko and gusto ko. Lol.

Homophobia?  I don’t think that's the issue here. It’s more of protecting St. Scholastica's credibility as a Catholic institution– that yes, in reality, lesbianism happens inside their school walls but as a Catholic school they wouldn't want to be associated with condoning same sex relationships. Guys, Catholic school sila they have an ‘image’, a 'morality’ to uphold. I think their response to the comic strip is understandable.

The comic strip is not offensive per se – except, probably, for the nuns and administrators of St Scho. As a plain civilian, na hindi nag-aral or nagtrabaho sa St. Scho, kebs lang, di ba? Pero, syempre, if you're part of the Sister community at St. Scho, ibang usapan na nga 'yun.

I do agree that Pol Medina shouldn’t have been suspended – he shouldn’t even have resigned, nag-apologize na lang sana (Did he apologize na nga ba?). Di ko sure ha pero before they publish there are approvers of the content right? It’s usually the editorial team who decides on what the newspaper publishes for that day. And I personally think it’s bullcrap that PDI is saying that there was a ‘mix-up’ kaya na-publish yung already unapproved comic strip of Pol Medina. Human error? Fine, but people should be held liable –hindi lang si PMJ. 

Sound byte (hehe, pume-Professional Heckler ang peg):

"I believe that no one should write as a journalist what he would not say as a gentleman." - Journalist creed

Sure, sure comic strip ito at hindi editorial or straight news pero ang kasong ito ay parang katulad lang din ng joke ni Vice Ganda kay Jessica Soho.

Independence Day

My heart skipped a beat at the sight of...the pool. I didn't know it was possible to feel so at home in the water. Before taking up swimming lessons, I was afraid of it. But now, after only one session, there's a certain sense of calm that washes over me (pun unintended) once I'm in the pool. I want to stay in the water for as long as possible, until my skin is gnarled and I'm too tired to even just glide on the surface. Plus, I like the way I look after a good swim - skin golden brown, nose as red as Rudolph's, my hair sticking out every which way. And my eyes - though tinged with red - reflect joy, contentment, and a realization that I want to be here - in the water. I feel so carefree. My heart continues to skip a beat.

We swam for an hour and a half. I know I could use some more practice. Nahihirapan pa din ako sa breathing when doing freestyle. It's all about timing and I have to work on that. Yesterday, the Pius pool was closed so we swam at the YMCA instead. It's harder to breathe there - the water's too thick with chlorine, it tends to burn your throat when you happen to swallow even just a teeny bit.

**

American Psycho update: I'm almost done, probably down to the last 30 pages of the book. I couldn't contain the events to myself any longer that I tried to entice my brother to listen to me rant about this madman's misadventures. Well, my brother just shook his head, waved me away, and continued watching the Heat-Spurs rerun on TV. Oh well. 

I wonder how Mr. Ellis wrote the book. Did he do a lot of research on serial killers - real life and fictional ones? Ted Bundy? Hannibal? Did he had nightmares after writing this particular book? It's so graphic I shut my eyes every time Bateman strikes. Great writing: I believe every single thing Ellis wrote, even if I know that the chance of him writing this from personal experience is close to nil.

Patrick Bateman makes Hannibal look like an amateur. But at least, Hannibal's "classy". But Bateman....he's out of his fucking mind. I want to place this book next to my DI Rebus series, half hoping that John Rebus springs to life, enters the American Psycho world, and nails the bastard. That'd be nice.

***

Midnight gave birth yesterday - four kittens, two pure black and two black ones spotted with white.

****

I wanted to kiss you on the cheek when we said goodbye but I guess, I was shy. Awkward. One of these days, I'll finally succeed in doing it and then it...really...is...over. Done. Just like when Popoy kissed Basha on the cheek in One More Chance post break up, the first time they saw each other after a year. Sooner or later, I'll be able to do it. Just you wait.

Shameless Plug: Books for Sale

> The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky
> The Bad Girl - Mario Vargas Llosa
> The Widows of East Wick - John Updike
> Pandora - Anne Rice
> The Hundred Secret Senses - Amy Tan
> The Story of Edgar Sawtelle - David Wroblewski
> No Country for Old Men - Cormac McCarthy
> The Mummy - Anne Rice
> The Friday Night Knitting Club - Kate Jacobs
> What do you do all day? - Amy Scheibe

 More books here!

Psyched Up

On American Psycho...

Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it. Last time I was getting bored with the pace of the story. Couple of pages ahead and I'm surprised with all the gory, Rated-R details. I was on page 180 this morning and I felt like vomiting my entire breakfast inside the train.

Pat Bateman kills. He kills because he's annoyed. He kills because he's too high on drugs. He kills because he doesn't like what you're wearing. He kills just because. And then he shouts like a banshee.

I wonder, though, how it all started. If Hannibal had Mischa, then who/what is Pat's Mischa?

Psych me up

Currently reading: American Psycho, published 1991, written by Bret Easton Ellis (author of The Informers)

I'm on page 73 and...I'm bored. I know it is necessary to go through Patrick Bateman's state of mind - his vanity, his attention to details no matter how trivial, his friends and how they treat him, basically, the way he lives his life. Mr. Ellis I get it already, okay? This is how a psychopath's mind works - well, specific to Pat Bateman. So can we move on with the story now? On to the manifestations please, the actual doing.  

If the next 10 pages continue to describe what everyone is wearing I might just go and grab another book. 

Anthimeria

"Grammar play is like free verse, splatter painting or low-fi music. The first to get to the idea grabs attention just by virtue of daring. But the hordes who follow have to have something to say, some real content, not to mention a real product to sell. Just playing around with the medium won’t do. It takes more than unconventional to generate memorable." 

Read more: Think Similar

"Real content is king" should be our mantra.

Negative Space

Negative space is the space around and between the subject(s) of an image. The use of negative space is a key element of artistic composition.

I learned something new today! :) I thought negative space was, literally, an environment you considered charged with negative energy and is therefore subjective.

Read more about negative space here.