Love to Love

i love to run

and meet the sun

i love to swim

in grass so green

i love to love

the skies above

and fly so high

just like a dove

i guess i love to love

Any Fancier Gift

My friend asked me today what I would give myself this Christmas. I feel so blessed this year I'm not actually buying anything super fancy this Christmas (okay, if I had the money I'd go to France in a heartbeat!). Anyway, I'm thankful for the special, priceless everyday things. I created this poem tonight while I thought of the incident.

The air that I breathe

The food that I eat

I guess I don't need

Any fancier gift

The hope I've received

The child that has lived

I don't really need

Any fancier gift

How about you? What are you gonna buy yourself this Christmas?

We Are Who We Are!

Listening to Ke$ha's 'We Are Who We Are' really makes me wonder who we really are. Are we defined by our thoughts and ideas or does society mold us to become what we are now? Sometimes, I envy people who have a certain passion and focus in life. But since this privilege is not bestowed upon me and to millions, possibly billions of people who are confused of what their real purpose in life is, I guess it is better to just trust our hearts. No wait, heart, brain and guts.

Last night, I even told my brother that I want to try everything and not just focus on one profession for in these economically appalling times, having multiple skills and income sources truly saves you from headache and some depression. But while others are working on getting smart and diplomas on their chosen careers, I attend tons of seminars not directly connected to my core career. Often times, failing to keep up and understand a new career path seems inconsolable, but I have heard multitude of stories about successful people not in their chosen career. In this context, I mean what they have studied in college, but in other seemingly unexpected career springing from passion or just revivification of life, a.k.a. to kill boredom and find new meaning in life.

This holds true for Eleni and Jonathan in a very ‘inventive’ and shall I say ‘honest’ segment in Yahoo videos entitled ‘Yahoo Originals.’ At 46, Eleni is an owner of a cookie store in New York that specializes on highly-decorative cookies. She said that she left the corporate world and decided to enter the cookie business, something that she never really expected. Nevertheless, she reiterates that she does not have regrets and is even happy with this creative and playful industry of making baked goods. Eleni’s story echoes the sentiments of Jonathan’s. At 38, Jonathan was pushing himself to the rigors of the music industry that he did not keep track of his weight – of the ‘bear’ that he has become of. So he began looking for things until a trapeze class caught his attention. This unusual type of exercise regimen made him slimmer and vibrant and he decided to make it a business. In the first year of the operation of his trapeze school in New York, the business was already profitable. Thus, he branched out to other cities and the rest is history. He told Yahoo when he looks back on what he has been through, he’s just thankful about landing in the circus arts business. ‘It truly changed my life,’ he adds.

At this point in time, I haven’t decided what to do in life. But I put off torturing and telling myself “you have to work on a goal; to focus on one profession to be immediately rich and successful.” Maybe I really don’t want to be filthy rich but sometimes our family and society directly or indirectly dictates it. Or maybe ‘seeks’ it; seeks to find rich and talented people that will give back the blessings of success. And this is why I believe that great and rich people want to be rich or successful. They are doing it for something greater than satisfying their wants. After all, money is really paper. What else can you buy if you’ve already got the material things you want in life? I still believe that not everything has a price tag.

I am 25 and I really don’t know what to do. But who knows, I’d have some direction like Eleni and Jonathan when I become older. Who are we to say that it’s over when we reach 30 or 40? Who are we to say that change is impossible? Who are WE? I guess we are who we are. Even if we do not have an accessible definition for this right now.

Desperation Inspiration

Flesh of the Art

Everyday, I lust for the flesh of art,


Can the world ever satisfy the emptiness of my heart?

THE ROCKY HORROR WHAT?

People in the society tend to lambast new ideas and thoughts sometimes. I would not totally criticize this since I believe that even if we try our best to understand the world we are living today, we are still influenced by our upbringing, the society, and of course the media today. No matter what we do or say, no matter how we try to preserve the culture that we either consider "near perfect" or "forever flawed", we still have conflicting ideas and notions due to the said influences. Believe me or not but the biggest war we have today is not in the realm of the tangible but of the opposite, the so-called "Culture Wars."

As in the case of the Rocky Horror Glee Show, Glee’s tribute to the famous Rocky Horror musical and film, critics are somewhat divided and others are saying it’s Glee’s “worst episode.” I myself have doubts in watching it, thus, downloading it a few more days than the usual. But I was stunned by the actual episode and to counter-critique people who think it sucked, I actually think it is one of their best episodes yet.

See, the remarkable thing about the episode is that it’s somewhat giving a critique on the arts and social issues related to the Glee storyline while still managing to be entertaining. I love the musical numbers but I specifically like Amber's rendition of “Sweet Transvestite”. She definitely killed the part. I also love the interjection of the Will and Emma storyline, giving Will all the reason to strip and of course, we were not disappointed.

Imagine a musical show hinting on gender equality, tackling homosexual issues and undertones, and discussing on art limitations and purposes. This is why I really love Glee amidst its flaws and problems in storyline and pacing. Also, I believe that the whole tribute is self-referential as both Glee and the Rocky Horror Show are all about introducing rebellious notions to the society and of course, about outcasts. But most of all these two great shows are all about self-expression-perhaps the art's greatest purpose.

I would say that the society is widening its horizons and is struggling to better. There’s a famous quotation by someone that states “I can’t accept people saying things were better back in Egypt.” You could interpret this as a.) No new factor or technology has made us worse and b.) The society has not really gotten better. Nevertheless, I still think that it is pivotal to believe we have gotten better and with enough plan and action, we will still get better.

In the middle of the culture war today filled with opposing opinions on whether open gays should be accepted in the military, McDonald’s should be sued for their genetically-altered fries, or whether the Glee Rocky Horror tribute was good or not, lies an impeccable truth of self-doubt—the kind that actually pushes us to innovate and be better. And these things are more important than most issues we have today.

A Cerebral Lullaby (Inception Review)

The fact that I was smiling all throughout the two-hour plus sci-fi actioner “Inception” must be good feedback from my subconscious. Subconscious, I say because once I consciously analyze the movie, it seems all too hazy and exhausting. I needed to peel that extra layer of consciousness as I pay solid attention in grasping the movie’s secrets. The one thing I do consciously remember while watching the first 45 minutes was “How the hell did Nolan sell this to Warner Brothers?” Where do I begin? This seems like a cliché but it is ultimately the question of anyone who even starts to talk about the film. Losing edginess has been a primal fear of mine but in this case I have to use a typical outline in attempting to criticize the film. The plot revolves on a very simple premise with a superfluity of entanglements. It is basically about a skilled thief trying to do a job for someone in order for him to get something very important in return. This is all you need to know although this kind of movie is really hard to spoil because its secrets are intelligently well-guarded. This means if somebody spoils the movie, he or she should at least construct a well-written and edited paragraph to spoil you mad-crazy. It’s not like the-policeman-was-actually-the-killer kind of twists. I must admit that there are certain scenes that are almost hard to follow but this was done to up the ante. Nolan does not allow his audience the liberty of enjoying a 30-minute action sequences without donning a thinking cap on. Brutal much? Mentally laborious. But why do I love it so much?

Archetypal but strangely unique, the characters are fully fleshed out. If you followed the movie’s marketing, you will see some familiar elements in the movie that were in the promotion. This film exhibits the typical safe typecasting which I think is a good thing. Leonardo Di Caprio plays Cobb, the “Extractor” or if euphemisms reduced, the “Thief” in the team. Di Caprio has been known to play very acid-tripy roles as subversion to his boy-next-door, Titanic-hunk aura. He is one of the very few defining actors of our generation. And then he nailed it again in this film. Juno’s Ellen Page shows versatility to her acting prowess as she plays Ariadne, the so-called “Architect” in this film. Another coming-of-age actor of the next generation impresses with fine acting and raw emotions, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the very important “Point man” in the bunch. His previous movies “The Lookout” and “500 Days of Summer” had positively honed his skills in acting. Alas, a comic relief in action, Tom Hardy plays the “Forger” who I thought was really entertaining. Missing in Nolan’s other works; this character is really a breath of freshness. Other casts include Cillian Murphy as the “Mark,” Marion Cottilard as the intriguing “Shade” and Ken Watanabe as the “Tourist.” As far as acting goes the cast is mad: mad enough to even believe this alternate reality.

“Your mind is the scene of the crime,” echoes the tag-line. Indeed, it is, as vital scenes take place in the world of dreams and the setting and time goes along with it. In Nolan’s dream world, limitations do not exist and time moves slightly different as well. As in any science fiction film, terminologies and gizmos are presented in the film and they are just awesome. In fact, they play a very pivotal role in understanding the totality of the film.

In a cinematic world filled with CGI trickery, “Inception” succeeds in being organic and affluent in ideas and concepts. When you see a marvelous image in the film, you are given an even more marvelous concept that aids you in imagining beyond what you see with your eyes. Spectacular computer-generated effects take the back seat as philosophies on dreams, ideas, and memories take control. If I am lucky enough someday, I will handshake Nolan for tossing the extra 40 from the 200 million dollar initial budget to the studio. In that brave act I believe he was saying “Why waste 200 when I can pull it off in 160 million dollars?” Again he brings the focus on the story not the "theatricks" of movie-making.

The film might be focused on dreams but as an audience, we are required to be awake to keep focused. It is easy to get lost and quit in appreciating in movies like this but I tell you do not grow tire of it. Unlike film-director surrealists, his movies are always designed to be “crackable.” Perhaps, this is the single most incredible element I have discovered in Nolan’s films. There is a certain marriage of vagueness and veracity in his works. Compare it to a Rubik’s cube, difficult but with a certain guideline or outline of procedures, you may be able to crack it. So if you don’t understand the film in one or a few viewings, don’t think you are stupid. The film is designed to be viewed multiple times in the first place.

In a film that focuses heavily on ideas, dreams, literature, and architecture, I would like to quote a sentence from literary genius Oscar Wilde's masterpiece “Dorian Gray”: Genius lasts longer than beauty. I believe that Inception's ingenuity will be more perpetual than its aesthetics. Now my last concern is: with this kind of highly-complex plot, where does Nolan dare to dream next?


By Kenneth Marc B. Gimpayan

"ME AND MY MOHAWK"

Crying over "TIME"

"On one fine day, a guy time travels and lands on the meadow, sees his daughter and daughter tells her friends to go fetch mommy and tell her daddy's here. Cut to scene: a girl running as fast as she can, through the forest, through the meadow, excited to see her husband again. They finally run towards each other. They hugged and talked. Husband says "I can't stay" and wife replies in glee, but actually with a pang of pain, "I know." They kiss just in time for the husband to ebb away..." And then I cry. This is my feeble attempt to describe through words the scene in the film "The Time Traveler's Wife" that made me cry a tear or two or more...

The movie is just so beautiful and painful, heart-wrenching and heart-warming. Though generically a "time travel" movie, it struck a cord in the core emotions that we humans posses.

"I can't stay," says the husband.
"I know," says the wife.

We wait for something magical or good in our lives. Some people say it is futile. Sooner, we tell ourselves it is of no use, too. But we still wait, don't we?

Cheers for the undying human spirit!

- Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 1:37pm

Mr. Pang (Puhnnng)!

We had a blast early morning today as two Vietnamese students joined us for a sumptuous breakfast at our house. We were laughing our hearts out while eating a hearty meal and joking about Vietnamese intonation and speaking patterns. Linh, one of the students matched an action to an utterance of a Vietnamese person's name. I suddenly, theatrically, acted out a short skit about what happens if all names had a matching action and it was hysterical. We laughed our hearts out! It dawned then upon me that it was probably one of the best times of my life. And it didn’t involve buying anything or spending money. And so I thought of my ambivalent attitude towards material things. I attempted to say that the best things in life are free. You don’t need to have much money to be happy. But then Samuel L. Jackson popped in my mind saying “Those people who said money can’t buy happiness never had any.” I wish I could really be filthy rich someday and say the exact opposite.

- Sometime in December 2009