Listening to the powers of...twisted tongue twisters!!!

S.A.P. #6

Just before me and my fellow SAP classmates were dismissed, our miss gave us one more task before we go on our very merry (christmas) way: Tongue Twisters!
She made us read tongue twisters with themes concerning Christmas.

Such as:

'Bobby brings bright bells.'

And...I would love to share the other two but because of my poor and slowly degrading memory because the notion of Christmas-fever and 2011 nearing my head I could not remember the other two more twisters that twisted my delicate tongue whose ability is better off tasting Christmas Ham than being challenged about speaking random nonsense about bright bells in its impossible speed rate.

Anyway, since the start of the Holidays, I've been checking sites that specialized on tongue twisters and their significance:

In the bygone times, people pronounce spells and hexes in the form of tongue twisters, mainly because it sounds strange and is said to 'manipulate the mind'. Pretty paranormal, huh?

According to the Guiness World Records, the hardest tongue twister in the English language is this: 'The sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick.'

Tongue twisters uses alliteration and rhyme, unfamiliar constructs of loanwords or other ways of using language features to make the words more difficult to articulate once the speaker says it fast.

The following tongue twister had someone won a grand prize in Games Magazine during the year of 1979. It goes like this:
'Shep Schwab shopped at Scott's Schnapps shop;
One shot of Scott's Schnapps stooped Schwab's watch.'

Of course, our native tongue twisters are, hands down, still the best twisty twisters that can get our spittle flying just to pronounce the words clearly!

Palakang kabkab, kumakalabukab, kaka-kalabukab pa lamang, kumakalabukab na naman!

Pugong bukid, pugong gubat

Pitumput-pitong puting pating

Notebook at aklat, notebook at aklat, notebook at aklat...

Ang relo ni Leroy ay Rolex


Then, my ever-first Tongue Twister that I had happily succeeded in twisting in my tongue!

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper
Did Peter Piper pick a peck of pickled pepper?
A peck of pickled pepper Peter Piper picked
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper,
where's the peck of pickled pepper Peter Piper picked?

I was at least seven or eight when I accomplished in saying the tongue twister perfectly.

Anyway, a tongue twister's primary goal is to amuse everyone whenever we see someone struggle in pronouncing these words in their fastest possible.

I hope tongue twisters still survive even in the future, because it deserves a rightful place amongst golden shelves of entertainment and art, right there next to stand-up comedy, Glee and Limericks.

Now, since this blog is over, I'll just practice a new Twister here:

A flea and a fly in a flue
Were stuck so what could they do?
Said the Flea, 'let us fly!'
Said the Fly, 'Let us flee!'
So the Flea and the Fly flew from the flue...

In the Magickal World of Narnia

S.A.P.#5



Just recently watched Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader and, as expected, it did not disappoint! Ever since watching the first movie, I have persistently waited for the upcoming sequels and knew that the next would be better and more interesting.

The Chronicles of Narnia, written by C.S. Lewis, tells the many stories of children who come from our world and is magically transported to Narnia to help its land in battling evil forces that threaten it. In all the seven books in the series, it mostly has the Pevensie siblings as protagonists of the story, with the exception from his fifth book 'The Horse and his Boy', it features a different hero and one that does come from Narnia itself. Recurring elements include talking animals, magical phenomenon, numerous mystical places, the Good vs. Evil archetypal plot and, of course, the Lion Aslan.

So far, Walden Media has presented three films, 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe', 'Prince Caspian' and 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'. Hollywood, of course, has done some revisions but only for the sake of filling censored gaps C.S. Lewis failed to write in his book. You see, Lewis was writing for children and so he didn't depict any violent situations that should describe a certain event. For instance, in the 'Lion'; in the film, the directors were ever okay in showing the big, climactic battle of Peter and Aslan's Army versus the White Witch's, while in his book, he emphasized more on how Susan and Lucy went back to the Witch's castle to rescue the prisoners and didn't go into full detail of the battle.
There are more actually in all of the movies, but I think the scriptwriters of Nania films did a good job of making the Narnia plot more solid and intense and un-Fairy Tale-ish, making the audience (me included) feel the grand scale of the adventures of the Pevensie children.

Narnia, unlike traditional fairy tales, has taken different folklores ad myths to a whole new level of adventurous spirit, emphasizing that children, no matter the age, do have the abilities to do the most impossible possible. And perhaps Narnia would have another need of them when the time comes again...

Everyday Paranormal-Provoking ghosts by just talking to them (Spooky!)

S.A.P. #4

Ghost Lab is a documentary series showed in Discovery Channel, televising the different adventures of Brad and Barry Klinge, co-founders of their own Paranormal Investigating Team called Everyday Paranormal.

I have watched the first season of Ghost Lab last summer and is now waiting for the second season (well, actually we're watching some episodes on the Net now, hehe).

Anyway, one of the most interesting parts of their investigative styles is communicating (in Brad and Barry's cases, they provoke) with the still earth-bound spirits that haunt a certain location or building. And they didn't have to do Seances or any other traditional supernatural way of doing it.

Using technology to record data, the Klinge brothers and their paranormal investigative team communicate with them to prove, or disprove, if the place really is haunted or gather evidence of paranormal phenomenon.

If you want to see the Klinge Brothers and the rest of the Everyday paranormal team in action, search them on YouTube or follow this link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azY0Jezip-E.

Ghost Lab isn't that really scary to watch, and maybe that's why I can still stand watching it XD.

The difference between 'Pis' and 'Pis'

SAP #3

For people who had mastered the grammar and pronunciation of English(pipol op da Republic op da Pilipins, lisen ap!) by non-English-native speakers, people who are not trained by it tend to see this as a sort of 'ka-artehan'--for the elite, of for those who wanted to be seen highly. This is especially true to where I'm standing, as people who talk to a person always using the American slang and its informal speeches see this unappealing in a sense that they wished that this person should live in the States instead.
But I'm not going to blog about that. I'm going to talk about how important grammar and pronunciation can be when you ARE speaking in English.
I'm going to narrate a bunch of stories.

Friend: 'May pisbook ka?'
Me: (pisbook? Fish book?)'Fish book?'
Friend: 'Pisbook! Yung online!'
Me: 'Ah, Facebook! Sorry...'

Friend #1: 'Wanna me go with you to CR?'
Me: 'Sige.'
Friend #2: 'What did you say?'
Friend #1: 'I'm gonna, like, escort her to restroom for a while.'
Friend #2: 'Ah, okay...'

Mom: 'Gusto mo ng Hush Brown?'
Brother: 'Sapatos? (thnking of Hush Puppies)'
Mom: 'Ba't mo kakainin sapatos?'
Me: 'Baka Hash Browns ata yun.'
Brother: 'Ah, o sige...'

A joke I remember goes like this:

English - Visayan:
Peace - Pis
Fish - Pis
Face - Pis
Pace - Pis

For me, learning to pronounce the words correctly whenever we learn new languages is as important as learning how the language works. You never know if this could lead from misunderstanding to fights.

Hearing Balthier's voice--Magnetism through speaking

S.A.P. #2

Whenever my younger brother plays his video game, Final Fantasy XII, I would watch it and wait for how our two most favorite characters will react to their quest and crack up a wise nugget or so.
If you want to know who our favorite characters are, their names are Balthier and Fran, Sky Pirates in the fictional fantasy world of Ivalice, where most of their adventures are happening.

For a short description, Balthier and Fran are sky Pirates, Balthier being the suave, British-accented and cocky Human, while his partner, Fran, is a Viera, a tall and lithe creature who are mysterious and odd as their trademark rabbit-like ears.
What makes them my favorite characters is that the way they stand-out is because of how these two work together in a sense that they are reminiscent to Han Solo and Chewbacca's partnership.

But anyway, I'm not going to talk about how much of a fan I am and describe them. I'm here to talk about how Balthier wins fans by his sharp looks and even sharper witty lines.

Just hearing Balthier's voice (mind you, he's voiced by a Brit!) and how every line he says to any of the characters exudes confidence makes him every bit more interesting, therefore creating a sort of magnetizing charm. (Great. Just what a fan girl would EXACTLY say about her favorite). His masculinity also redefines it in a sense that he doesn't have to show muscles or brawn to be masculine.

Anyway, if you don't believe me, just watch this short video of him
(Great! Just how a fan girl WOULD show it)

Miscommunication in our everyday lives...

S.A.P #1

Miscommunication happens when the speaker's message did not fully reach the listener's ear, and there fore might send a wrong message back, or the listener will decode the message in a wrong way, therefore will result in an argument or so...

Miscommunication happens to me more often than not because most of the time we don't speak clearly or we heard it wrong. I live with grandparents actually, and miscommunication happens a lot and I have to be patient.

There was one time yesterday when I was asking my grandmother what type of hair product is she using, but she only answered back by saying that I spray the hair product now on her hair. I never repeated the question anymore since I saw what the hair product is.
Another time happened when I was talking to my grandfather on his office. I asked him if he was going to pay for my tuition fee next semester, but he answered me by saying that my dad can't afford to pay big money again for my brother. The unconnected answer I got from him made me repeat the question again until he did answer me rightly, although he wasn't aware that he had misheard me. But of course, it's understandable when it comes to your grandparents when you talk to them, since they are somewhat impaired in hearing now and you have to be patient about it.

But it sometimes gets into your nerves when the one you're talking to is almost as old as you and still can't hear you, or perhaps isn't even listening to you.
One example was when I was asking my brother, who was in the living room while I was in the kitchen, about a part on the newest video we saw on YouTube that was so funny. But then I was surprised he answered me back by saying the we can watch the new funny video again on YouTube...

Even though I try my best in clearing my throat to speak clearly (and loudly) to the people in the house I live in, sometimes I wished they could hear or speak as clearly as possible, or else a wrongly heard message can lead to disastrous results.

The Final Fantasy Mania! Can't get off my head, even!

Ever since the start of Semestral break, I couldn't stop exercising the thoughts of making a Fan Comic about Final Fantasy! And now that Sem break is over and with X-mas vacation only a few wishful weeks away, I finally said to myself, 'Why not?'




I chose to make a Fan Comic about Final Fantasy XII since this is the nearest Final Fantasy reference I have (my brother's playing it in his PS2 and I can't miss a single story episode of it!). Furthermore, FF-XII is actually, according to most die-hard players and videogame reviewers, the least popular FF franchise because it was a bit tad different compared from its predecessors, emphasizing on how very different the style of the storyline is and the characters having not enough ounce of Super 'oompf' factor in them--except the two Sky Piratical characters, Balthier and Fran, who are the only real stand-out characters in the FF-XII plot.

Anyhoo, even though it was deemed not the most popular game, the gameplay won over me and my brother. But these are not enough reasons for why I want to make a different story about FF-XII.
Since fans of the FF franchise thought FF-XII was not the greatest, I thought maybe a different story would make it the greatest! And also a very different heroic character would make the themes of FF-XII more promising than the young too-archetypal and static Vaan of the FF-XII!




the protagonist Vann of Final Fantasy XII




Princess Ashe (center); The ever-handy and clever duo Sky Pirates Balthier(left)and Fran(right) - major characters of Final Fantasy XII.


Final Fantasy isn't the first kind of Fan Comic I wanted to do since I was introduced to the world of gaming.

There was Devil May Cry



My plans for DMC were that I make two different stories: one is about Dante's untold teenage years (with Dante sporting the white hair-do, not from the latest DmC plot!) and about the mysterious woman named Bea and her connections to his father's death. The second would be about a mysterious man named Anthony Villert, whose duty is to rescue Dante (from a little after DMC 2 storyline) and escape from the depths of Hell when Dante went there to duke it out with Argosax the Chaos. Anthony is paired with the help from a new hero named Sigmund Cassius, an Immortal man with extensive knowledge of the Demon World, and together they travel to locate the long-lost portal that was used by Mundus himself when he plunged the world into a hellish nightmare to rule it 2xxx or so years ago.

Another work I've been doing is an original fiction entitled 'Bloody Klutzy'. This was influenced because of Twilight, but I'm not a fan of the juvenile fiction that many claim to be a number one work of literature today!
I made the idea of 'Bloody Klutzy' because I wanted to take paranormal, blood and teen-thriller themes in a more wackier, slanderous and upbeat way, make it more 'natural' and 'unnatural' all at the same time! (Good luck with that, though!)

Oh well, as for the makings of my Final Fantasy Fan Comic, I'm still designing the characters, the settings (a lot of research must be conducted!), the title and the story lines to make it totally superb than the last one.
Hope there's still some time to finish all of my Fan Comics and original fiction novel!

Think the New Emo Dante sucks like eggs? For me, it could've been worse...

Note: Sorry for not being able to blog for three FIR's now. Other academics won over my time management I could not even blog. Today is the final blog entry for my FIR, but that would not stop me for using this account for further blogging of the different reading materials I have already read. Although it would not be graded anymore, blogging is more than just grades...
You, dear blog reader, are always welcome to read my entries. Just don't blame me for when I'm about the spill any beans about a certain book/article/magazine, etc. that you're going to read.

FIR#17

Title of the article: "Think emo Dante sucks in new Devil May Cry game? He could have been shirtless with suspenders!"
Author: Dave Meikleham, GamesRadar UK
Status: Finished
Date read: Oct. 2, 2010
Date finished: the same

Since when I was a kid, I have been into games, really. I understand it runs in the family a little--my dad, along with my other cousins who were high school students back then, would always play with the Family Computer with retro games such as 'Street Fighter', 'Mario Bros.', etc. When my mom got home from Taiwan years ago and brought home the very first Play Station, that was when I understood the mechanics of gaming.
Along with my brother, we perceived gaming like reading a novel or even writing one! Especially since our dad bought the Play Station 2 when I hit high school, gaming evolved from not just the usual pixel-ated characters that jump around every platform to save Princess Peach from a cute green but menacing dragon, but now it was about creating a character out of your own imagination, or even creating worlds to create a new grandiose of a story! From console gaming to PC RPG's, gaming and story merged together for the new generation to enjoy...
Anyway, let's get to the article I read the last time.

The Article
The article I read talks about the 'reboot'/remake of the nine-year old console game called Devil May Cry, with the reboot more apparent in the changed look of the game's protagonist, Dante.



Yes, not a pretty sight at all!
According to GamesRadar, the idea to make a new, grittier, punky, smoking but younger Dante came from the new team of developers who had been assigned by the head company, Capcom Japan, to make this project. The ones who are in this project are Capcom U.S.A. and Ninja Theory, another gaming company.
And the funny thing was that the new team assigned for this project actually had five designs for the new Dante, one of which had him wearing only suspenders! LOL!
With that said, Inafune, one of the producers in Capcom Japan, didn't approve most of the previous designs and went to the one above...



Trying to explain to interviewers about this so-called reboot, Alex Jones, from the Western Capcom, cites Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight film as the inspiration. "Look at the Dark Knight! That went from Gothic fun house of the earlier Batman movies to a fairly dark look at Chicago crime today! We want to update and mature the tone of Devil May Cry."
So for the fans who had dearly loved the previous four installments of Devil May Cry, blame Chris Nolan's The Dark Knight! LOL! Just kidding!

As for Ninja Theory's game designer Tameem Antoniade who wants to give his opinions on the old Dante, he states, "If Dante, dressed as he was before, walked around outside a bar in a city, he'll get laughed at!"
He continues to say that Devil May Cry needed to have the same impact as it had had before by drawing on to new things, new fashion, new music, etc.



From left to right: the old Dante (his appearance from Devil May Cry 3) and the new Dante.

Fans, and even Hideki Kamiya--the original creator of the previous Dante--had out poured their deepest hatred and disgust for the new look and storyline, stating that they (Capcom) had destroyed the game by changing Dante, since Dante is the iconic foundation of how the game became popular.

Despite this, the developers are now pushing through the project and will set to release in 2011.
Oh well, at least Dante doesn't have to wear ridiculous suspenders and shirtless.

Insights
For me, personally, I think the change will be alright since this new Dante might/will be a new protagonist to a very different storyline from the previous games' plot. Also, based from the trailer that Capcom has released in YouTube, I think Ninja Theory had made a good job on emphasizing on the gritty parts of the game and, most especially, on the new Dante.
What I'm worrying now is how exactly will this game be a reboot, since I am just making guesses that the new Dante would be different from the old Dante I had liked and known so well already. I can only cross my fingers on how it will turn out, and hope that Capcom had not made any bad moves in taking risks to make Devil May Cry better than ever.

Goodbye Tsugumi, Hello World.

FIR# 13
Title of Novel: Goodbye Tsugumi
Author: Bana Yoshimoto
Status: Finished
Date read: Sept. 5, 2010
Date finished: Sept. 10, 2010

I had read this novel before when I was a first year student, and when I was able to finally finish the book, I was like, 'No, that can't be the ending!'
Goodbye Tsugumi was much more than appealing the senses; it as relating to us when it comes to relating to family members whom you have a love/hate relationship with. And on top of that, the one you're having that kind of relationship happens to have the possibility that he/she can die any time because he/she is very sick, and you probably will blame yourself if anything happens to that someone you know you love anyway despite their flaws...

Summary
The novel tells the story of the relationship between the love/hate relationship of two cousins: Mary--the narrator and protagonist of the story--and Tsugumi, who, despite being stricken with an unmentioned sickness, manages to be the nightmare of the household with her clever childishness, sarcasm and spitefulness.
The story is set in a flashback style, as Mary recounts her relationship with her cousin Tsugumi--from their childhood up until their last meeting the previous summer--and the wonders of the place they left behind.
Mary also recounts the last time she and Tsugumi spent their summer together one last time in the Summer Inn where Tsugumi's family works before they will move away to another location, which is when the whole story is centralized.
Along with the many experiences Mary has with her cousin, Tsugumi also experiences 'true love' where she meets a boy named Kenji, whom she is smitten with at first sight.
Together, Mary, Tsugumi and Kenji discover the many trials of life through the places they visit, the people they will never forget and, for Mary's part, experiencing as a witness to Tsugumi's near-death experience as she struggles in keeping herself alive from her illness. In the last part of the story, Mary comes to the revelation why Tsugumi is spiteful in all the years that has come: Tsugumi wanted to express herself that even in the verge of death, Tsugumi appreciates life and wants to do everything even in the cost of her health. Her personality, too, is an opposition she wants to project to everyone that she is not frail in spirit despite her fragility of health. In the end, Mary, Tsugumi and Kenji go there separate ways, as Kenji works to help his father at a new hotel, Tsugumi goes to a new town and Mary goes back to Tokyo with a wish that it will all happen again...

Insights
The story is very unique as it not only relates to us because the characters in the story are realistic, but because it is detailed more on the the places and the minor characters the protagonists go to and meet. I especially liked the relationship amongst the three stand-out characters: Mary, Tsugumi and Kenji as they represent what youth has always been. In Mary's part, she is the type of youth who is typical yet a character who develops intrinsically as she experiences and learns more of who Tsugumi is and how important life really is. Tsugumi, in turn, represents the rebellious youth, always unexpected and unabashed. She unconsciously breaks down the norm, whether with her peers or within the household, but fails and also falls for Kenji, who represents a new but rare youth. He is mysterious, kind, understanding and open-minded to both Mary and Tsugumi. He immediately sees what's around him, sparking a wisdom that he both naturally has and gained through experience.
In conclusion, reading the novel was a new experience, as its simplicity, its sensual appeal, witty dialogue(from Mary's and Tsugumi's) and characters won me over and its open-ending left me, not hanging, but floating amongst the clouds...

Wolf Guy - Not your average Werewolf.

FIR# 12
Title: Wolf Guy-Wolfen Crest(comic book/manga)
Author/Artist: Tabata Yoshiaki
Date read: Sept. 1
Chapters read: 15 chapters

You know them as half-men/women, half-wolves, right? Whether they are the bad furry, overly-muscular guys(or seducers in the women's part!)in the whole story, or the anti-heroes/heroines who are almost always ruining the fun of the real front-lining protagonists, or just teenage werewolves(just like this one that I just read)who just wants some peace of mind, a normal and danger-free life--which is improbable, since we know werewolves attract trouble or have someone else getting them trouble--we love them and/or hate them...
Or at least the media is always coming up with new ideas to revive old-school horror and, in this time and age, angsty, love-triangle romance to give them the attention they used to have.

Summary of the chapters read.
The comic book that I read online is titled as Wolf Guy-Wolfen Crest. The whole story revolves around the (wolf)life of the teenage tragic hero, Akira Inugami, and his constant search of who he really is(why was he a werewolf in the first place, why is misfortune coming at him all the time, etc.)while trying to make normalcy out of his already misfortunate, bizarre life(e.g., he constantly changes schools just so he can avoid school gangsters whom he somehow gets into a scuffle with. Now how can he ever have a 'normal' life if he gets into fights more often than not?).
The whole comic starts off with an under-appreciated middle-school teacher, Ms. Aoshika, who tries to go home drunk one late night and becomes the witness of a street gang killing of a middle-school student--who happens to be Inugami! Fainting from what she saw, she didn't witness, though, the transformation of the supposedly dead Inugami into a giant, hulking werewolf, thrashing about the same street and killing the street gang in one bloody go!
The following day, Ms. Aoshika--escorted by the police who are investigating the massacre in the same street she fainted yesterday--comes to school on time only to see the 'dead' middle-schooler--Inugami--alive! And as her new transfer student!
Unable to comprehend that this was the same middle-schooler who got killed last night by a gang and is still alive, Ms. Aoshika becomes curious to Inugami, whilst he, in turn, tries not to provoke the bullies in the new school he's in to avoid himself transferring to another school again.
As the days went by, numerous secondary characters realizes the mysterious past of Inugami. At one point-of-view of the principal of the school, he says that Inugami keeps changing schools because every previous schools he's ever been had one incident involving him and a few getting killed in the process, usually from intimidating or fighting Inugami. Though the police could not get him to court because no evidence can ever testify him ever killing those students who are threatening him, as there are usually eye-witnesses to the situations he's in and using video cameras or cellphones to estify that he's innocent. Another is that Ms. Aoshika meets a man whom he introduces himself to be a journalist and seems to know about Inugami(and the mystery of the Werewolf clan and there sudden disappearance)and why misfortune is always tailing him behind.
In the latest chapter, Ms. Aoshika--so curious and(somewhat)infatuated with Inugami--goes so far as to break inside Inugami's apartment room, just to find out why he doesn't have any parents and perhaps know more about who he is.

Insights
This is clearly actually a very psycholoical comic book, as it deals with the angsty, ever-so arrogant Inugami and his pride on being a werewolf while constantly trying to hide it to 'the inferior humans', as he would say.
Although I actually feel more for the secondary characters(especially Ms. Aoshika) as they try to unmask Inugami, I can see that Inugami is just very lonely, and his views of mankind have become narrow, to the point that he sees mankind as cruel, inferior and savage beasts, monsters in their own way, while failing to admit that there are exceptions to the perspective he has made on mankind.
Perhaps if I read on, there would development in his character...
Maybe he should start by avoiding conflicts with classmates and shutting his egotistical, clever mouth!

Mitsukazu Mihara's The Embalmer

FIR# 11
Title of Comic book/manga: The Embalmer
Author/Artist: Mitsukazu Mihara
Genre: Tragedy, Romance
Volumes Read: 1-4
Date read and finished: August 13-August 28, 2010

Every time I wait for the Manga Website to finally show the next volume, I was always like, "Finally! I can read it!"
The Embalmer was more than I thought it would be. I thought it was going to be some Sci-Fi thing about the Dead, but I never expected there would be heartfelt-drama on it. It's like Grey's Anatomy meets Six-feet under.

The Summary
Shinjurou Mamiya is an embalmer in Japan--a rarity and also looked down upon by the general public. Despite this, Shin--along with his friend and undertaker, Renji, and a few others--does their job to reunite loved ones with the ones who had died and make them understand the importance of grief and acceptance.
For Shinjurou's part, it's just a job, but with it, he comes to an understanding of what it truly means to live.

Insights
I really love reading this, actually. Not only does it make you want to sympathize the characters because they are realistically made by the author/artist, but because it makes you realize how blessed you are to live and that you live the most of it.
In this manga, they not only talk about how inevitable death is, but also how it affects a person's daily life is--especially to the protagonist, Shin, who has to deal with the dead all the time and has to deal with issues regarding embalming in his country.
'Death is a funny noun,' as Shin once said, as everyday he and his fellow morticians try to make the ones who has lost a loved one understand the true meaning of death, as they say death is just a physical state but the spirit lives on, and the ones they embalm are still people and should be respected even after burying them.

The Tokyo Zodiac Murders: A delectable read for Who-Dunnit fans!

FIR# 10
Title of the book read: The Tokyo Zodiac Murders
Author: Soji Shimada
Genre: Mystery(Who-Dunnit), Comedy
Dates: August 16(start of reading the book) to August 19(finished the book), 2010

Finally finishing the book, I had that odd feeling that the case shouldn't have ended like that(for full details, read the book). Although the whole mystery was finally solved after 40 years and that nagging feeling you get whenever you're trying to solve something is finally lifted, the ending of the dynamic would-be detective duo are sort-of unsatisfactory, especially to Kiyoshi Mitarai, the protagonist of the story.
Oh well, we can't be the readers the writer always expects...

The Summary
On a snowy night in 1936, an artist--Heikichi Umezawa--is battered to death behind the locked door of his Tokyo studio. The police find a bizarre testament describing his plan to create Azoth--the ideal woman--from various body parts from his young female relatives. Shortly after, his eldest daughter, Kazue, is raped and murdered. And then all his daughters and nieces all suddenly disappear. Gradually their dismembered bodies are found, all buried according to astrological details expounded by the artist.
The mysterious genocide grips the nation, baffling authorities and amateur detectives alike, but it remains unsolved for more than 40 years. Then one day, in the year of 1979, a document is brought to Kiyoshi Mitarai--astrologer, fortune-teller and self-styled detective. With his own version of Dr. Watson in tow--the illustrator and detective story aficionado Kazumi Ishioka--he sets out on the trail of the invisible perpetrator of the Tokyo Zodiac Murders and the supposed creator of the Azoth in this elaborate whodunit detective story as the hero--Kiyoshi Mitarai--only has one week to solve this.
Do you have what it takes to solve the mystery before he does?

Insights
In most(of what I read so far)detective stories, it is really a gripping, frustrating and, for my case, slow pace when it comes to the first and middle part, where the protagonist/s are still examining the clues, are still making speculations, etc about the crime scenes. But when I read the Tokyo Zodiac Murders, the same elements are still there--as the two argue(with a sense of witty wackiness and almost to the point that they lead themselves almost nowhere), debated what kind of killer would do such a thing and how the crime was done. But what made those parts more interesting is that this is not the usual crime investigation setting that happens in most detective stories. For instance, the crime itself has happened 40 years ago and the characters had never been present in that time yet.
I give praise for Soji Shimada for uniquely interweaving the usual themes of investigation, logic and wit with unprecedented humor of the two main characters, making the pace of the story very different and truly entertaining.

Who-Dunnit, darn it?!

FIR RB# 9
Title of Book being read: The Tokyo Zodiac Murders
Author: Soji Shimada
Genre: Mystery (Who-Dunnit), Comedy
Date that I started reading book: August 16, 2010
Chapters read: Prologue to Chapter one
Pages read: 33 pages

When I first read the title of the book a year ago, The Tokyo Zodiac Murders sent a chill down my spine. And it wasn't a scared sort-of chill; it was that of excitement. Although I admit I had some doubts. This was the second book that I read that was written by a Japanese writer, with the first one (although not totally an utter disappointment) being a bit bitterly mediocre.
But now, I'm back into reading this book with the purpose to blog about this to the world.

The Case Unsolved for 40 years
Before the prologue starts, a short note from one of the leading characters--Kazumi Ishioka--challenges the readers to solve the case ahead of him and the protagonist of the story, Detective Kiyoshi Mitarai. The clues are presented in the beginning of the book, with the two protagonists not far behind on discussing their theories and wishes the reader good luck.
In the prologue in the year 1936, the point-of-view switches that to the writer of his own testament and will: Heikichi Umezawa. Heikichi explains elaborately on what's been going on in his mind; that he is being possessed by the Devil and is hallucinating and had become completely delirious. He states that the only way that he can be saved is that he create Azoth: the perfect woman. In specific astrological detail, he also states that Azoth must be created from different female body parts with the females being astrologically different from one another and they have to be virgins so that Azoth will be truly perfect. Explaining further that he needed to chop up the bodies before they decompose, he also explains his past on how he had come up with the idea that Azoth will be his masterpiece as well as his and his country's salvation, and that Azoth--along with the will and testament that he had written--shall be put in the 'Center of Japan' while the bodies of the females he plan to chop up will be buried in different places in Japan, with an associated metal element buried alongside with their bodies.

The Japanese versions of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson
In the start of the first chapter, the readers are met with the heroic duo: self-styled detective Kiyoshi Mitarai who plays as the Sherlock Holmes in the duo and his best friend and artist, Kazumi Ishioka, who is actually serving as the narrator of the story(except in the prologue and epilogue) and the one who plays as the Dr. Watson in the two.
Kazumi first describes himself as an addict in reading mystery novels, crimes, news, issues, etc. and was one of the people of Japan trying to solve the Azoth murders that had taken place 40 years ago. Now, in the year 1970, it seems not even police today--with all the technical advancements and better task forces and investigators--are able to figure out the mystery behind the Azoth murders.
Kazumi then switches his views to his friend, Kiyoshi, who--in unknown reasons--appears to be in a depressive state and decides to share to him instead the Azoth murders to cheer him up, as he seem to know that Kiyoshi has a fond for mysteries, despite that he is more of an astrologer and not a true licensed detective.
As the first chapter progressed, the two would-be detectives talked, argued, lectured and discussed their theories together as one-by-one they piece together the three different scenes of the crime: 1.) The murder of the writer of the will and testament, Heikichi Umezawa, 2.) the raped and murdered Kazue, Heikichi Umezawa's eldest daughter and 3.) the disappearances and murder of his six daughters and nieces, whose specific body parts appeared to have been cut up, probably used to create Azoth.
Now the big question mark now is that where is Azoth? Was she even created? If she was, who created her? And who would even go to the trouble of killing these people to create Azoth?

Insights
I was literally thinking when I read the book. I mean, it was obvious the author was also challenging the readers on this whole thing.
But for those who aren't used to this kind of mystery, I guess they won't be able to have a mind to really solve along with the characters, especially since the clues that had been presented in the book was not shown in an orderly manner and seems the whole investigation favored more to the fictional would-be detectives than the readers.
But still, the story is totally unique and wacky, as the two characters are very witty and also flawed, in the sense that they are handed with the difficulty that they are reacting to like any person would in the world, unlike their more intense, sexier Western counterparts where protagonists are unstoppable forces in the modern jungle, which is unrealistic.
Read this yourself, I dare you, and I'm sure you'll laugh and solve along the wacky and bumbling Japanese sleuths!

Fashionable IS uncool (exclamation point)

FIR RB# 8
Author of the article read: Colin Goh
Page nos.: 2
Read from: Reader's Digest
Date read: August 9, 2010

The article Colin Goh wrote made me realize that the youth hasn't changed its ways of being trendy and 'fashion-forward' for their sake of proving a statement...whatever the obscured statement could be. But in his article, he makes us realize also how different the youth was and the youth is today, and the difference couldn't be made any clearer.

The Article
The article starts off with him remembering how he was in his teenage years, especially when his vice-principal had told them, 'Fashion is ephemeral, but style is forever,' in which he and his friends snickers at this remark. But looking back to their old photos, they realized how tacky they had looked before: with all the big, puffy hair, mismatched shirts, torn jeans with colorful socks and leg warmers in the middle of the day! And at school!
He makes it a point that in his years the youth dress up so radically because they wanted to make a 'statement', and the statement is usually that of rebelliousness against adults, law or the social norms. To him, it still bothered him why he didn't listen to his parents when they had kept him from dressing up like a...you-know-what, but also bothered him why their folks overreact so much. Perhaps parents, too, had fought their own parents about what they should wear and what not to wear.
Fighting over fashion is an age-old rituals all families re-enact every generation, according to him. He also states that he expects his own daughter to argue him about what she wears someday, given that 'trendy' fashion today emphasizes on sexualization, and hopes that he has enough wisdom not to overeact as his parents had before him, because arguing at your parents are a necessary part of growing up, as he states in his article. He also makes it a point that the Youth culture should not be look down upon, as it is a way for the youth to seek their identities amidst the seething mass and creative experimentation should be encouraged.
But the irony today is that the youth no longer see fashion as their way of being a unique individual and is instead a way for the youth to blend into a specific group, creating stereotypes. The youth nowadays only care how 'important' a certain label is, or to be more precise, how high a price a certain label is. Instead of making a loud, individualistic statement that says: 'See me as who I really am', it rather says: 'Hopefully, you think I'm rich'.
He states that kids today also see fashion as a sort of arms race, as every kid races on who gets to be really fashion-forward, all the while they let their parents suffer for wasting money on clothes the marketing department puts on the rack, which isn't just pathetic but also it lacks personal expression.
In his last sentence, he says that kids can still fool around with fashion, but make sure that creativity is used and not their parents credit cards, other wise the only label that they'll be able to acquire reads: 'sucker'.

Reaction
I agree with Colin Goh in so many ways. First of, it isn't hard to see how the youth are such copy-cats when it comes to what's the latest.
Sure it is fun to copy what the celebrities are now in, or what the designers and markets now have in store, as they are the ones who start on the choices we make when we shop. We also learn from the media what kind of clothes are best for us.
I, too, wear for what I am, as I believe there is no other style than what I already wear. Unfortunately, peers are into social pressure, even though they don't notice it, and I admit I have been pressured as well for being so different.
I guess it can't be helped because this is who we are, whether we do find a label that says 'Sucker!' or not.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard - Reread!

FIR RB# 7
Author: J.K. Rowling
Genre: Fairy tale/ Fiction
Pages read: 20-34 (15 pages)
Chapter read: Chapter 2 only
Date read: August 1, 2010

I got the book of The Tales of the Beedle the Bard for my birthday present and, since opening it, I couldn't put down the book. Well, eventually, I did put down the book after finishing it in one sitting (including the Introduction, a footnote from J.K. Rowling herself about the book, the commentaries of Dumbledore, as if he himself had read the book [well, the stories are from Harry Potter!], the Afterword and a brief background of the ones who published the book).
But then again, what got me reading again about this book wasn't that I wanted to pleasure myself and just be engrossed at the pages of the stories. No, the thing is, I wanted to convince my brother to read it for himself! I wanted him to be interested in a real book! (And not get himself be stuck on the PC [so I can have my turn, hehehe] and train himself to read and understand what he reads! He couldn't even understand the easy words that are printed in his own favorite books about the Disney shows he watches that had been turned into books themselves!)
Anyway, I read to him a story from the Tales of the Beedle of the Bard, and it's actually my favorite: 'The Fountain of Fair Fortune.'

The Fountain of Fair Fortune.
The story goes that in the ancient times, there was known to many lands about the Fountain of Fair Fortune. They say it has magical properties and that the only one who can bathe in its waters will be given eternal Fortune forevermore.
Enter the three witches, Asha, Altheda and Amata, each has her own problems and wants to bathe in the waters of the Fountain to erase their misfortunes. Asha, whose problem concerns of the incurable sickness no Potion can cure, wishes to be cured by the waters. Altheda, who was robbed of her home, her money and wand, wants to have those that had been stolen from her returned. Finally, there is Amata, who wanted her heart to be cured because her former lover had broken her heart. Each witch pity each other for their misfortunes, and promises to stick together to get to their goal.
When at last the wall that was protecting the area of the Fountain opens, a vine from that area had twirled around Asha to pull her inside the land where the Fountain was. But along her came her two friends, which Amata had accidentally pulled along with her a Muggle Knight and together, the four of them were inside the mystical land. The two witches were angry at Amata for pulling along a stranger, for it was already difficult for the three of them to decide which one can only bathe in the Fountain. The Forlorn Knight, however--knowing that he is not a brave Knight at all and cannot fight the magic of the Witches--proposes that he leaves, which made Amata angry, for she expected the Knight to be manly.
And so, this strange group of four people struggled with the three tasks that lay ahead of them as they journeyed through the mystical Forest surrounding the Fountain of Fair Fortune. When at last they have reached the top of the hill, where the Fountain resided, Asha, who was already gravely ill, fell down in agony. Her three friends tried to make her get up, but she only refused and got worse. The resourceful Altheda quickly gathered around her the herbs and flowers and shrubs that she knew might be helpful to ease Ashe's pain. Mixing the Potion to the Knight's water gourd, Asha drinks the potion Altheda made and was instantly cured! With Asha's malady resolved, she tells Altheda to bathe in the waters of the Fountain for she no longer needs the power of the Fountain. But Altheda, who was busy picking herbs in the forest, tells them she no longer needs the Fountain as well, for she can make a fortune out of the curing potion she made for Asha. This leaves Amata, where the Knight himself gentlemanly lets Amata be bathe in the Fountain. But she, too, refuses to bathe for she realizes that her former lover had been unfaithful, and that had been made clear to her when she put her memories in the river in one of the tasks they had faced before so that they can get to the Fountain.
Alas, the once Forlorn Knight, who had proved to the Witches how very chivalrous he was, bathed himself in the Fountain, coming out feeling the powers of the Fountain in him. Kneeling in one knee in front of Amata, he truthfully tells her that he had fallen in love with her and asks her hand in marriage, which delighted Amata very well, for she knew she had finally found the man worthy of her.
Leaving the Mystical forest of the Fountain of Fair Fortune, the four friends led happy lives, not knowing that the Fountain held no magical power whatsoever...

The moral message of the fable
As the saying goes, 'It's not the destination that counts; it's the journey'. I guess it is quite clear what the fable was trying to tell, as the forest where the Fountain was was already filled with answers for the three witches (not sure what exactly was for the Knight because it is implied that he wanted to be brave by bathing in the 'mystical' Fountain. But instead he finds true love in Amata instead, which is itself rewarding and a great fortune indeed).
According to Dumbledore's commentary though, he likes the fable so much not just that it has a great moral story and that it is very popular, but also it didn't objectify with interbreeding between a Witch (one with magical power, that is to say the one with Pureblood) and a Muggle(the one with no magical powers).
To put it into a more, 'not-so-Harry-Potter' scenario, an example of this is our society today. Today, globalization is breaking boundaries among the cultures that was once so foreign to us. National Geographic, Discovery channel, etc. are great and educational examples of TV media where people go around the world to document different places and such. Newspapers, magazines, Internet, etc. are also big contributors for globalization, for understanding of each ones cultures, personalities, etc.
In the Story's case, it was interbreeding. Globalization also agrees for the interbreeding from many different cultures, making no boundaries, discrimination and no Xenophobia...
Okay, that's a lot of moral messages for one short fable...

A Trip down memory lane-The Five Snapshots

FIR RB# 6
Title of story read: The Five Snapshots
Author: Lina Flor
Page nos. read: 5
Date read: July 23, 2010

Lina Flor is actually one of the most neglected Filipino writers in her generation, which is unfair because, even though she has a unique way of writing short stories(for instance, a personal favorite of mine is her short story called the Five Snapshots, which will be my topic in this blog), the public has failed to notice her works, whether because she was a female writer(back then, women aren't that much noticed as good writers), or the critics aren't reading hard enough.
But in the twenty-first century, new Filipino critics and writers look back from the past to see that no talented writer gets left behind and actually shares Lina Flor's short story through a collection of short stories from other writers from the old to the new, together with other notable writers, such as Nick Joaquin, Cristina Pandoja Hidalgo(another favorite), Jessica Zafra, among others.

The (unique) story
The story is all about the lives of five best friends: Mina, Letty, Jo, Lydia and Teeny, and their stories are written in a mini-biography style, with the narrator of the story being actually one of them. The time and setting of the story first takes from their graduation day from High School to college to their careers.
The first mini-biography tells about Mina, the leader of the group and the most beautiful, although the narrator points out that Jo was actually the biggest(which it is sometimes the advantage for a fearsome leader)in the group and Lydia being the oldest(meaning she has more experience). But the narrator continues to point out that Mina was destined to be the group's leader because she was very intelligent and every action she makes is done fairly and without prejudice. Her beauty, another factor for her leadership, is not actually the envy of others but is the very thing that inspires everyone.
Mina is an only child of a rich widower and was the apple of his eye, though Mina knows this and does not take advantage of it to become spoiled. During the end of the graduation, Mina--who was overseas--had sent each letter from her friends to ask what their plans will be after college. Jo's letter came first and it said she has plans to got to medicine school and become a doctor, which was delightful news. Next was Lydia's, who was the oldest in the group. Her letter simply said that she isn't going to college anymore and had actually decided to marry her long-time boyfriend and would be busy to make the things for her future child with him. Then there was Letty's, and her letter simply said that she wasn't sure if she will continue her studies because her family doesn't have enough money to get her to a college. The last was from Teeny, who's letter said that she was going to a Normal School to become a teacher, though she didn't want to be one for her interest was on painting. Her parents told her that if she wanted to become an artist, she will just need to make a salary of her own so she could afford it herself. Wishing them all luck, Mina goes back to the Philippines only to realize that she will not be able to continue her own studies herself because she had fallen in love with a man she met overseas. Deciding to elope, being approved from her father herself, she got married, lived with him and lived happily ever after. When her baby was born, her best friend Lydia gave her a present for her baby, which are clothes she made herself.
Next was Lydia's story. Being the oldest and most ambitious, she was in love with her boyfriend and had decided to elope with him, as he is already a working man. After the graduation, she immediately set on to work on being a housewife and was talented in making clothes, especially to her soon-to-be made baby. Unfortunately, just after getting married, things didn't work out for Lydia as she got into a quarrel with her husband(the details were never made clear in the story itself). After separating with him, she gave away all that she made--the clothes for her baby, recipes, etc.--with most of them to her best friend, Mina, who has her own child now.
Soon enough, Lydia joined a convent instead and was a Postulant. In later years, her friends Mina, Jo and Letty(their other friend, Teeny, couldn't make it as she was sick), waved goodbye to her as she took her steps to the aisle and into the church, to become one of the sisters.
The third story is from Teeny, a shy, timid girl who is often teased to be a cry-baby. Despite her fragile personality and physicality(as the nickname implies, since she is actually very small), she was gifted in drawing. She often told her friends that someday she would become a painter, but when college came, she instead went to Normal School to become a teacher and never realized her dreams. Being so serious about her studies, she forgot to take care of herself and became more sickly. When Lydia entered the convent, she offered prayers to Teeny so that she may be better. But fate became unfair as Teeny dies unexpectedly.
The fourth story goes to Letty, a girl of immense popularity. In school, she was very active in all the extra-curricular activities, especially in singing. Although her parents had no money, talent scouts and some from her music teachers as well knew she had talent, and soon enough, this became an opportunity to her to hone her talent. Letty herself never dreamed that she could actually use her voice to become a new star from inside and outside the country. But despite all the glamour that she now has, according to her friends, she once had a romance with a man. They both love each other, and the man proposed to her to marry him. But unfortunately, she declined and went to Italy instead to study her music and eventually marries an Italian guy. It is often said by Letty's friends' letters that the man is still in love with her and refuses to not miss any of her concerts, while his new wife never accompanies him.
The last is Jo's. She was the biggest among the five and is actually playing the role of 'mother' in the group. Being a compassionate person, she realized that the best way to share that was being a doctor, which she had told to one of her letters to Mina. Little is known about her love life as she was too down-to earth and too practical to see men. After she graduates from medicine school, she immediately opened a small clinic that she facilitates herself.
It is revealed in the end of the story that she was the narrator, as she owned the five snapshots of their High School graduation and wrote short stories in her free time...

My Insights
I very appreciate the story so much because the story is very related on how each and everyone of us plans our future and meets the most unexpected twists and obstacles along the way.
For Mina, it was such a disappointment that she never continued her studies(she, too, wanted to be a doctor, just like Jo) as she married her lover, but I can see that she was actually the luckiest character, even though she didn't continue college.
As for Lydia, I found her to be typical and naive to fall in 'love' immediately with her boyfriend and never thought about anything at what she does. When she went to the convent, I thought that she might have given up marrying men and went to the church instead, but this might not have any holy reasons for joining said group. Although she might have them now as she was committed to stay in the convent.
For Teeny, I was very sympathetic about her because she dies without even given a chance to make her dreams come true as an artist, though I also find her slightly pathetic as she cannot overcome her frailty.
For Letty, I think she was the luckiest character, besides Mina, to become a sensational star across the seas. I see her to be an opportunist as well as she had chosen her dreams instead of marrying a man who is obsessed with her.
Then lastly is Jo. I think she is the most mysterious as the story never reveals too much about her personal quest of how she became a doctor(well, she was the narrator of the story, a big twist!). But I had also found her to be heartwarming, as she writes stories about her friends, which I can relate to her, because writers express their works through their experiences and I find Jo's story as a reflection of how she never forgets her past.

A break from the Sandman, now a bowl of Chicken Soup!

FIR RB#5
Book read: Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul
Author/s: Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Bud Gardner
Story/ies read: 'Ronny's Book' by Judith A. Chance
Date read: July 15, 2010

Picking up a different book was actually a relieving experience. Finally taking a break from reading too many dark contemporary/fantasy fictions (that's a mouthful!), it is a relief to find a book that understands: Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul.
This book talks about the experiences of writers or people who appreciate writing as it is a way for them to cope hardships of life and, finally, overcome them by simply reading or writing. An example of this is the first short story that was shared by Judith A. Chance.

'Ronny's Book.'
Ronny is an eight-year-old first grader who seems to lack the basic knowledge of reading, even though he was older than his seven-year-old classmates. In the teacher's perspective, she is both sad--as she sees that Ronny is lugging behind his classmates and seem to be also a product of a low-class family, as it is evident in his grimy clothes and grungy exterior--and proud, as Ronny, despite the obstacle that he couldn't pronounce words as properly as his classmates could, tries his best and wants to improve very much.
Before the year ends, however, the teacher wanted to award Ronny's motivation to learn, as it is tradition in the class to award the pupils. When Ronny receives the award--'Most Improved Reader'--and also takes the book from her as part of the award, Ronny is filled with joy as he realizes that he had at least gradually improved from his predicament and can move on. The teacher is also moved to tears of joy as she knows she had done her part to help Ronny in learning from her.
Finally a Second-grader, Ronny--who was reading the book the teacher had awarded him from his previous grade while sitting in a school bench--was once again seen by his previous teacher and was told by his new teacher 'that Ronny never puts down that book and wears it like a shirt!', she smiles.
In her conclusion, the teacher states that she is thankful that there are writers who make books for children and had not given up on them, and finally states that she wants to be like that kind of writer as well.

My Insights
I was moved as well as how the teacher was very dedicated in teaching Ronny how to read and had not given up. Unlike Ronny, though, there are still children around who aren't as blessed as he was, being surrounded with caring people, even outside his home.
It is indeed an inspirational read and should also be read by many, especially to parents as they are the sole influences and role models to how a child develops learning.

Dreaming of London - A new Hellblazer-Constatine episode!

FIR RB# 4
Book Read: The Sandman, vol. 1, Preludes and Nocturnes
Chapter/s read: Chapter 3
Pages: 24
Date read: July 7, 2010
Author: Neil Gaiman

I am truly determined to finish this graphic novel, really. I don't know, maybe it has been my habit to finish something interesting once I started it. Anyway, this is already the third chapter to the story.

The Summary of the chapter read:
The last chapter had talked about how Morpheus--the Sandman--realizes that he must find his three possessions to recreate his Dream Realm and goes back to the Human World once more to locate the first object: The Pouch of Infinite Sand.
The story starts in John Constantine's room, waking up in the morning with the usual blue mood. Doing his morning routines, he reflects that his dreams are becoming more and more despondent that the last time, knowing that he should be used to it by now since ever since he was a child, he had always had nightmares.
Going out in the town, he meets a friend named Mad Hettie, who, in greetings, warns Constantine that the Sandman is back and is around the streets of London. Constantine, however, brushes it off, even though he himself is acquainted with the supernatural forces and walks off from her. Contemplating about the warning, he eventually searched his files about the Sandman. Then, lo and behold, Morpheus appears right in front of him in the doorway when Constantine opens the door.
Morpheus immediately tells him who he is and asks about the pouch, which, according to Morpheus, Constantine bought in a yard sale. Constantine explains that he had bought a certain pouch years ago and that he knew what it contained, knowing it would be dangerous for the pouch to stay in inexperienced hands. Unfortunately, he had lost the pouch and knows nothing of its whereabouts. Speculating it might have ended in his friend Chas's garage, they go there together.
Looking through all the drawers and file cabinets, Morpheus grows tired and tells him that it is not in the place, when Constantine, rummaging through the papers and photos for clues, finds an old photo. In the photo, Constantine was able to remember that he had once went out with a girl named Rachel, who had been with him when he had bought the pouch full of Sand. Deducing that she must know where it is, they go to her place as soon as possible.
Finally getting to her house, Morpheus unlocks the once-locked front door and goes in, and instantly feels the power of the Sand and informs Constantine to be careful. Creeping in through the first door upstairs, Constantine goes in first as he didn't heed Morpheus' warning that something is not right in the room, and instantly hallucinates that he is falling from the sky. Immediately, Morpheus decimates the magic of the Sand in that room and quickly goes to the next one. Sensing the power of the Sand ever more in the next room, they go in--to find Rachel in her room, with her using the Sand's powers as a sort of 'happy drug' to her as she hallucinates in wonderful memories, while her life slowly ebbs away as the Sand uses her life to become real.
Knowing that she will die soon, Morpheus tells Constantine that there is nothing more he could do to the woman, but being stubborn, Constantine tells him to do something, which Morpheus grants. Making him leave the room, Morpheus sprinkles the Sand over her once more, giving her happy thoughts and memories of when she used to be with Constantine, and then Morpheus covers her body with the blanket, dead.
Telling him that Rachel died peacefully, Constantine asks Morpheus one more thing before he leaves. He asks if Morpheus could, at least, help him in making his dreams more bearable as he has been dreaming more awful things than before, in which Morpheus grants. Disappearing in a puff of smoke, Constantine starts to walk back home, singing and humming about a song called The Sandman...

My Insights:
In the story, there has been some change of how Morpheus interacts with a human, who is Constantine. Morpheus, The Sandman, the King of Dreams, is more known to be merciless and with a biased thought of humans to be impudent and a lesser kind than him. But seeing as the author was able to change his personality one notch a bit, Morpheus had appeared almost empathetic to humans, especially to Constantine.
And even though Morpheus was supposed to be someone who hates change, he himself had changed...well, almost.
Anyway, since I still have to read the next chapters, perhaps the Graphic novel can still prove me wrong whether or not Morpheus is a round character or not.

The Story continues in the Sandman series

FIR RB#: 3
Date read: June 29, 2010.
Title of the book read: The Sandman - Preludes and Nocturnes
Chapter/s read: Chapter 2
Pages covered: 24
Author of the book: Neil Gaiman

I started taking interests in Neil Gaiman when I saw the book on the college library. Though I had known him and his works since I heard his name(I can't recall when that was), it was on that day only when I saw it on the library shelf did I take a curiosity to read it myself and determined to finish it.
I had wondered at that time why would a Graphic novel be in an exclusive Catholic school for women in the first place?
Anyway, it's cool. Now let me go to the summary of what I read on that chapter.

The summary of Chapter 2
Previously on the first chapter, Morpheus (The Sandman) had escaped his imprisonment in the Human Realm and had cursed the last of the descendants of the Burgess family, forever sleeping in nightmares.
Finally out, Morpheus immediately sets out to go back home--to his Dream Realm, despite that the three of his things when he had been summoned and imprisoned had long been gone from him. But since he had been imprisoned for so long a time (it had been 70 years), the Dream King is weak and was only able to make it to Cain and Abel's house.
Now, Cain and Abel are the two brothers in the Genesis story, right? Since their deaths, they had resided on a part of the Dream Realm ever since, with Cain still the antagonistic brother and Abel now being this masochistic and bumbling sort, as he is always the subject of Cain's sadistic character and torture.
When Morpheus was inside the brothers' house, they immediately helped him as Morpheus reflects on the previous events of his imprisonment. When some of his strength was back, Morpheus immediately sets to get back at his Realm, but only to find that his Realm was now in disarray. Lucien, one of his servants, had told him that without the Dream King around to 'nurture' the Realm--as the Realm itself was made by Morpheus--the place slowly changed, until it deteriorated. Morpheus, who had not thought of this to happen, realizes that he must locate his three possessions that was stolen from him 70 years ago by the Burgess family to attain back his powers to re-create his Realm. Asking help from the three Fates, he understands that finding three strange objects in the Human world would be no easy task. The first object, the Pouch of Infinite Sand, had been bought by John Contstantine(he has a movie in 2004, if you could remember); the second is the Helm, which was actually traded to a demon by a museum curator, and last but not the least is the Ruby Moonstone, where almost all his powers are kept hidden. The Ruby was last seen by the Justice League and no one knows where it is.
Deciding to look for the Pouch because it is easy, the Dream King once again ascends from his Realm to look for his possessions.
Meanwhile, Abel, beaten up by his brother again, cries outside the house's porch as he narrates to a hatchling gargoyle how Cain and Abel used to be really close...

Now for my Insights...
It's weird with this one, as Cain and Abel are in the chapter and are living in Morpheus' realm. Although the story of the chapter got really interesting as Morpheus realizes that a heavy new journey must be done to organize his realm once again, the brothers Cain and Abel were really the ones who set out the dark horror of the story. Abel is depicted in the chapter to be the victim, whether by verbal or physical abuse by his brother Cain, who in turn is depicted to have no actual control of his sadism when he is annoyed at his brother Abel, leading him to 'kill' Abel.
The lesson? Well, the lesson I caught at once in the story came from the brothers themselves. It goes to show that there are people who are psychotically evil and there are those who are victims of these sociopathic mercilessness, especially to those close to them.
Hopefully, the third chapter shouldn't be as weird as the first.

A New Kid on my Fandom Block: Neil Gaiman.

FIR RB# 2
Title: A New Kid on my Fandom Block: Neil Gaiman.
Book read: The Sandman vol. 1 Preludes and Nocturnes
Author: Neil Gaiman
Volume 1, Chapter 1
Name: Audreleine Tanya
Section: 203B
Subject: Foundations in reading

For as long as I lived, I never considered Neil Gaiman's works before to even tickle my taste for fiction. Even though he won an award for his works in The Sandman series, I wasn't into him so. Perhaps it was my ignorance that prevailed over me to not even lift a book or article about him as I somehow find him to be nerdy--physically and mentally (no offense, Neil Gaiman). But ever since reading the first chapter of the first volume, I was immediately a fan.
If you don't know who Neil Gaiman is, I'll tell a summary of who he is.

Neil Gaiman is an English author of numerous Sci-Fi and Fantasy novels and short stories, comics and other forms of fictional read. He once worked as a journalist, though it was just his way of getting connections to different writers and authors and getting recognized as a writer. He actually wrote a biography of the Duran Duran, his first book. When he finally made friends with Alan Moore--a DC comics artist--he eventually started working on writing for comic books in numerous DC titles, which would morph his idea of his trademark work, The Sandman. Up until now, he still works for the DC company, helping on writing new volumes of comics from other titles like The Swamp Thing, Marvelman and many more. He also made a children's book entitled Coraline, published in 2002 and adapted as a stop-motion film in the year 2009.

Now, we shine on The Sandman series.
The Sandman series is about Morpheus, the King of Dreams (also called the Sandman as well, but he goes on many names in the series), and his adventures as he tries to reestablish his Dream realm after being imprisoned for 70 years and also trying to find redemption in his past injustices.
So far on what I read (Chapter One), it tells the story of the Burgess family and their ritual in trying in vainly to bring Death (yes, Death!) to their realm. They wanted Death's powers--bringing people back to life, no more deaths, no more ends, you get the picture--and had planned to seal her inside a Glass Bubble to imprison Death and make her grant their vain wishes. Unfortunately, they got Death's little brother instead--Dream. Dream--Morpheus--knew he had been forced to be teleported to the Human's realm but couldn't do anything as he was trapped. For 70 years, Morpheus waited and spied on the lives of the Burgess family to plot his escape, but at the same time trouble seeps in to those who sleep as their usual unreal dreams became nightmares and they couldn't wake up. Without Morpheus in the Dream realm, Humanities' dreams become erratic and despondent, making them sleep more and wake less.
When the Head Burgess had finally died and a new one had been assigned to watch over the imprisoned Morpheus, Morpheus faked his death so that the ones who are watching over him would open the Glass cage to check on him, which was a mistake. Once they had opened the cage he immediately blew upon them Sand and fell asleep at once.
With Morpheus finally out, he hunted down the last remaining Burgess and cursed him to forever sleep in nightmares because he had to pay the price of imprisoning the Dream King...

Review of the Sandman vol. 1 Preludes and Nocturnes, Chapter 1
I have always been into Contemporary Dark Fantasy fictions, especially on books and on Japanese comics, or manga. I never really expressed great amazement on Western comics because of my stereotypical mindset that all, if not most, of the Western comic books would be all about Superheroes, which is getting a bit mediocre for me. Although there are films nowadays about superheroes, you have to admit, to those who aren't that geeky on Superhero comics would only find the appeal of the Superheroes because they're on film! And they're moving! In 3-D!
But that somehow changed my mind when I saw Neil Gaiman. I have already seen his Graphic Novels before on other bookstores, most notably on Power Books and Fully Booked, and never picked it up. Only when I saw it on the College Library's shelves that I became interested to see what's inside. Upon opening it, I wasn't that engrossed much on the artwork of the comic book, for although the artist did draw the characters facial features and the settings correctly, the coloring was on par with mediocrity. But being still interested as can be, I read the words on the vain and greedy Burgesses characters' speech bubbles as they plotted on how to get Death's powers, Dream's thought bubbles on how he perceives Humankind today and the steady objective monologue bubbles of the narrator and, voila! A fan is born! The appeal of the dark drama and the tragic characters of the first chapter are indescribable. Besides telling the story of the Dream King, minor Human characters set the darkness and the atmospheric gloom of the story, realistically telling the readers how evil can be trumped by something that is bigger that them.
In other words, I just can't wait to read the second chapter! Who knows what has happened to Morpheus?

A Virgin to Feminist books

FIR RB#1
Date (of revision): June 29, 2010
Title of Fiction read: The Virgin - a short story (from the book called Feminist readings of Philippine Fiction)
Author of read fiction: Kerima Polotan
Subject: Foundations in Reading

Note from the Blogger: I apologize for not following the instructions for this blog. I'll make sure every blog posted with an FIR will be for my subject in Foundations in Reading. Thanks for understanding. Again, I apologize.

About the fiction read.
The short story I read on June 18, a Friday, is one of Kerima POlotan's short stories entitled the Virgin. It was curiosity that led me to this fiction, actually, and after reading it, I actually found the story very heartwarming.
The short story revolves around a 34-year old single woman named Ms. Mijares, a head executive in a construction company, who is looking for new employees to help with building a project. In the story, though, a nameless unmarried man is looking for a job as a new carpenter in her company, and when she hired him, she couldn't shake off the feeling that he can see right through her harsh and indifferent exterior. When the nameless man is hired, he wasn't present in the construction, though, which went on for three days. Ms. Mijares, although appearing utterly disappointed and annoyed at the man, partly worries for him. When he finally shows up and explains his absence, it was because his son had died, even though he had stated before to her he isn't married at all. Ms. Mijares argued with him as she demanded why he had lied that he wasn't married and he had a son; but it turns out that the man isn't married to his son's mother, which affected Ms. Mijares, though she tells him to tell her his reasons for his absence the next time he isn't at work again and shows no remorse. Later that day, a heavy rain poured down the city and the jeep both Ms. Mijares and the man were riding had to stop because of the possibility of flood. Getting off the jeep and under the cover of the boarded store, the nameless man approaches her and apologizes that she thought he had lied to her, with no reply to Ms. Mijares. But deep inside her, she had accepted his apology. As the rain poured down heavier than usual, with the two of them just under the boarded store, Ms. Mijares finally turned to him. It is unknown what the two had finally did or told to each other, but Polotan's story implies that the nameless man might have finally changed the once-indifferent woman that is Ms. Mijares.

My insights
I just read a book today, and you know what? It's a Feminist book, yey! Well, actually I was being sarcastic there and the truth is I have never read a Feminist book before, let alone a short story about feminity! And you know what, Kerima Polotan, a feminist writer and a female herself (of course, you can't be a feminist writer if you're not a female, duh! Although there can be an exception to male feminists, if they're out there), has to be one the most fascinating writers to date, and I just read about her work/s in a short space of time of, let's say, three hours in my school library? Heheheh.
Well, one of the reasons why I don't read a Feminist book is because I expect it to be, well, feminist and/or girly! Don't get me wrong, but I guess I had never really considered on reading any Feminist novel before as my type of genre is more on adventure and mystery novels. But I don't hate this kind of genre. It's nice to know such women are empowering other women as well as educating men that equality and a non-discrimination world makes the world more peaceful and have that equal standing...
Anyway, I'm a bit off the subject matter right now. This post is for Kerima Polotan and her short story work entitled, 'The Virgin'. Kudos to you!

What makes an awesome fiction novel awesome?

What makes an awesome fiction novel awesome? Well, as how one of my recent new favorite authors, history-geek and action-thriller-mystery writer Matthew Reilly puts it, it's research.
Sounds boring! Even I get eye crusts when I open a historical book about how Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Antarctica...or something...(I have my facts wrong, right? Right.)
Well, to me, this is how I imagine him doing an awesome novel:

Matthew: "oh Honey? Are we still going to Hawaii for our Honeymoon? I was kinda thinking we should go to Egypt, see some dead mummies, try to pretend we're Anthropologists as we decipher Hieroglyphs, get lost in the Tomb of Tutankhamen and feel like we're in an Indiana Jones movie and survive deathly traps?"

(No reply)

Matthew: "Honey?"

(Matthew walks to the hallway and into another room, which is supposed to be the room for their baby. but when he sees a note that says, 'Went to Egypt to see dead mummies. Be back in a jiff if I survive a death trap in one of the tombs of Hatschepsut. Love you!' Matthew puts on a sour look.)

Matthew: "Oh, great..."

Note: The above stated story of how Matthew Reilly make his books, it is just a parody. really, matthew Reilly's books are awesome.
See my next post so I can prove it, or search it in Wiki or Google.
That's it for now. Peace out!

...

Matthew's wife: "Next stop: the lost city of Atlantis!"

Speaking in Riddles.

I had always had this knack of reading and solving riddles back in my old school. It's fun, especially since I could see the frustrated faces of some old friends putting on those mad looks when you can't solve a riddle, which then turns out that it had the simplest and cleverest answer/solution in the riddle.
There's many types of riddles, but the most awesome and complicated sort is the sort that doesn't even speak in rhymes or poems. A riddle can be a long statement (sometimes when it's really tricky, like you have to solve a detective case like which killed the victim, yaddi-yadda...), and believe me, that's the hardest sort of riddle ever.
But I'm exaggerating things. Let's see if you can solve some...in three seconds!

Ready!
Okay!

What walks in four in the morning, two in the noon and three at night?

3, 2, 1..

Still no answer?




Man...

Next!

I have many corners, have many heights,
I am solid and dark if there're no lights,
I live in the room, I am the room and contain spaces.
What am i?

3, 2, 1...


Ahem, ahem...


A wall...

Last one!

I talk, but I don't speak my mind,
I hear words, but not listen to other's thoughts,
When I wake, all see me,
When I sleep, all hear me,
Many heads are on my shoulders,
Many hands are at my feet,
The strongest steel cannot break my visage,
But the softest whisper can destroy my soul.
What am I?


3, 2, 1...


Okaaay...


Answer?

An actor/actress.



Well, that's it for me. I hope you now have a new found respect for Riddles! (Curse these complicated conundrums!)

A new Blog

I guess it's obvious why i'm posting this. This blog is for school but it's also going to be useful as I am about to record some things here that I should have posted in my other Blog here in Blogger.Com. A friend had also told me to use this blog to post my Fan-Fiction, but I'm posting them now on Facebook instead. You might be wondering why I use the Social Networking account's powers of being able to post things as everyone of my friends can see it simultaneously while playing a mafia game or two? Well, for one thing, it's easier for me to post it and it's readily accessible, unlike the Fan fiction website being a bit complicated. Anyway, i might post one or two fan fictions here...Anyway, the Fan Fictions are just some added conundrums, while some real records will be posted here! Anyway, God Bless and pray that this new blog will succeed!