Sunday, December 28, 2008

Xaymaca Bar's Last Hurrah

Well well, I just had to go without any acceptable reason not to be in Xaymaca Bar, Timog Ave yesterday night as it happens to be the last gig night. And on that very night, Brownman Revival (BMR) graces the faithful crowd.

At times like these, I can't be more sentimental and I think most of the people among the crowd last night are in the same bus as I am...going down to one's memory lane of Xaymaca as it was years back. So I went to Xaymaca with my friend Ayr from another party (at Bar42, Tomas Morato) and met up with long time BMR-faithful friends: sexynomad, adam mordo, koryn and michelle and needless to say, we had fun just like old times.

For posterity, I video-ed the last two songs the band played. I will upload it soon... but right now...I'm ready for shut-eye. If you like listening to BMR, then watch out for it because the band went crazy...even the seem to be timid Onard (Brownman Keyboardist)!

until then, x.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Movie: The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner Movie

I've seen the story of the two brothers, Amir and Hassan, on film a few days ago and I still find it as moving as the novel where the excerpts were taken.

Some people would say that the movie doesn't give justice to Khaled Hoesseini's best seller novel "The Kite Runner". I agree but on the other hand I never expected the movie experience to surpass the novel's charm. In fact, I never ever did have that expectation with past novel-based movies. They can never be more enchanting than the book where the stories were derived from. It would take longer than 3 hours to watch if every event in the book was to be put into film. I am not going to watch a film longer than 3 hours. But even so, this movie is a must see!

My eyes welled-up with tears during the entire length of the film, right on the first frame to the last, I, without exaggeration, did tear up. The director really took time in choosing excerpts to show from the novel. As I, having read the book and needless to say am very familiar with the story, connected with the portrayed scenes and even scenes omitted in between but I have to fill in the missing details for my sisters who haven't read the book yet.

The first hour of the film was generously allotted to depict events from the first page up until Hassan and Ali leaves the house then more scenes were left out after that event. I was hoping to see more of Sohrab's issues (losing all hope in the world) but most are conveniently left out. Leaving out, most especially, Sohrab's failed suicide attempt. Which I think is very important to express Sohrab's helplessness and weariness explaining his aloofness towards Soraya and Amir.

But I can never say it enough, I LOVE THE FILM. Go and see the movie, it is not to be missed.

Favorite Lines:

"For You, a thousand times over"

"...there is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft...when you kill a man, you steal a life, you steal his wife's right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone's right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness..."

"There is a way to be good again."

Stills taken from the movie:

1. Hassan knowing where the kite will land.





2. Hassan and Amir watching a western film.





3. Hassan-the kite runner saying "For you, a thousand times over."





4. Amir provoking Hassan to fight back.





5. Rahim Khan giving his birthday present to Amir.





6. Sohrab with his slingshot hits Assef on the eye.





7. Amir, Soraya and Hassan flying a kite together in a park.





8. Baba forgiving Hassan for stealing Amir's watch. Ali and Hassan decides to leave Wazik Akbar Khan.

Monday, December 08, 2008

The Devil and Miss Prym

For a limited time, Paulo Coelho; the author of many acclaimed novels such as The Alchemist, By The River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept, Eleven Minutes, Veronika Decides to Die (to name a few); has granted a 100% FREE reading of his best-seller novel "The Devil and Miss Prym".

This story of temptation is a thought-provoking parable of a community devoured by greed, cowardice, and fear—as it struggles with the choice between good and evil.


Browse Inside this book
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The Kite Runner



Khaled Hosseini has won me over with his first novel, "The Kite Runner". He is, in my books (pun intended), one of today's phenomenal story tellers and I say it without exaggeration. I couldn't put the book down and read it, from cover to cover (with minimal sleep) in 3 days because I was so eager to find out where the events would lead.

Reading the novel is like opening a door to Afghanistan's history and culture, that in itself is already a devastating story to start with. The novel tells the story of Amir's childhood in Kabul with Baba (his father), Ali (servant), Hassan (Ali's son) and Rahim Khan (Baba's friend who, to Amir's eyes, understands him more than Baba).

Amir recollects the painful events he has caused Hassan's (his kite runner) family; his desire for Baba's complete attention and approval; his jealousy over Baba's affection on Hassan; Hassan's courage, Rahim Khan's endearing presence and his search for redemption.

I don't really want to say more about the story as I might be revealing too much to spoil it (spoiler alert here).

There are numerous materials available online of and about the novel. I'm downloading the movie and the audiobook right now as these contents were not available at the time I've read the book. But if you haven't read the book yet, go get a copy. If you have, well then get Hosseini's second novel, "A Thousand Splendid Suns".

The story, "The Kite Runner", reminds me of my childhood -the '80s to '90s (yeah!!!) with my cousins. At that time, although we have gaming consoles like Nintendo Family Computer, Game n' Watches, joy sticks games, the games of choice are the really tiring 'It Games' like Tumbang Preso, Pepsi 7-Up, Touch the Color, Monkey Monkey, Langit Lupa, Pussy Cat Pussy Cat, and etc. I can go on on in this list of games. (I will, just you wait! LOL). We get repremanded to play around the time dinner is ready (yes, the time when the entire family eats together) and disobedience means a beating(LOL). Only when we are sent home do we really play with the gaming consoles.

Games back then were more DIY. We used to make and fly our own kites in our backyard with walis ting-ting, pastic grocerybags and our lola's sewing thread (hahahahaha). We make our own bubble fun in numerous fashion depending on the availability of the materials needed and where the modus operandi will take place. If we were out in the garden, we would crush gumamela leaves and flowers to a slimy paste and add water sometimes adding manang's detergent for maximum effect and a looped walis ting ting or hallow papaya leaf stalk, when in the bathroom with cousins, we just dab a tiny amount of Johnson's Baby Shampoo on our lips and start blowing and then weeeeEEE! We do get in trouble a lot and get a scolding from Manang because sometimes we use too much detergent for our bubble fun and the mysterious thinning of the walis ting ting.

Friday, December 05, 2008

What's Your Favorite Color?


Dear Paris Hilton,

You're no longer in preschool where teachers would think it cute that toddlers wear their favorite color all over. Are you doing this as a motion to convince Crayola to rename Pink to Paris?

Were they bought on sale? Wait, that's not right... did you just shop at your own store?

Esthero - Everyday Is A Holiday With You


Title: Everyday Is A Holiday With You (see video on youtube)
Artist: Esthero
Album:2006?

Met him on Sunday
Loved him by Tuesday afternoon
Woke up on Friday
Changed my whole life
to make some room

Around a quarter to two
I have remembered all of my lines
I say when I think of you

Your'e like a favorite song to
That melody, that melody I love
And it goes

La da da da da da da da da da
La da da da da
La da da da da
La da da da

Hopped on the Metro
And I'm on my way home
But I can't get him out of my mind
No matter just how hard I try

And if the rumors were true
I could look forward to some
[ Find more Lyrics at www.mp3lyrics.org/RZq ]

Better days and get aways
Are so nice 'cause when I am with you
You're the cresendo to
that melody, that melody
I love

La da da da da da da da da da

Better days and get aways
'Cause every day is a holiday with you

La da da da da..

Better days and get aways
'Cause every day is a holiday with you

Gotta let them know
Gotta know for sure
Dont leave me I'm in the cold
Gotta know for sure

La la la la..

When I think of you
Better days and get aways
'Cause every day is a holida with you

La da da da da da da da da da

Better days and get aways
'Cause every day is a holiday with you

La da da da da..

Maria Mena - Just A Little Bit


Title: Just A Little Bit (see video on youtube)
Artist: Maria Mena (read interview)
Album: 2004

just a little bit stronger
just a little bit wiser
just a little less needy
and maybe i'd get there

just a little bit pretty
just a little more aware
just a little bit thinner
and maybe i'd get there

clearly, clearly i remember
hiking up my skirt
and asking for your time

clearly, clearly i remember
nervous if ever confronted
and questioning myself

oh perhaps, perhaps if i got better
perhaps if i challenged myself
perhaps if i was...

just a little bit stronger
just a little bit wiser
just a little less needy
and maybe i'd get there

just a little bit pretty
just a little more aware
just a little bit thinner
and maybe i'd get there

clearly, clearly i remember
pulling up my shirt
and staring blank ahead

clearly, clearly i remember
days of useless crying
and almost feeling dead

oh perhaps, perhaps if i was smaller
perhaps i could control myself
perhaps if i was...

just a little bit stronger
just a little bit wiser
just a little less needy
and maybe i'd get there

just a little bit pretty
just a little more aware
just a little bit thinner
and maybe i'd get there

just a little bit stronger
just a little bit wiser
just a little less needy
and maybe i'd get there

just a little bit pretty
just a little more aware
just a little bit thinner
and maybe i'd get there

oooahhhh oooahhhh oooahhhh oooahhhh
just a little bit pretty
just a little more aware
just a little bit thinner
and maybe i'd get there

Lenka - The Show



Title: The Show (see official video on youtube)
Artist: Lenka
Album: Lenka (2008)

I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don't know where to go I can't do it alone I've tried
And I don't know why

Slow it down
Make it stop
Or else my heart is going to pop
'Cause it's too much
Yeah, it's a lot
To be something I'm not

I'm a fool
Out of love
'Cause I just can't get enough

I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I don't know where to go I can't do it alone I've tried
And I don't know why

I'm just a little girl lost in the moment
I'm so scared but I don't show it
I can't figure it out
It's bringing me down I know
I've got to let it go
And just enjoy the show

The sun is hot
In the sky
Just like a giant spotlight
The people follow the sign
And synchronize in time
It's a joke
Nobody knows
They've got a ticket to that show
Yeah

I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I dont know where to go I can't do it alone I've tried
And I don't know why

I'm just a little girl lost in the moment
I'm so scared but I don't show it
I can't figure it out
It's bringing me down I know
I've got to let it go
And just enjoy the show

Just enjoy the show

I'm just a little bit caught in the middle
Life is a maze and love is a riddle
I dont know where to go I can't do it alone I've tried
And I don't know why

I'm just a little girl lost in the moment
I'm so scared but I don't show it
I can't figure it out
It's bringing me down I know
I've got to let it go
And just enjoy the show

dum de dum
dudum de dum

Just enjoy the show

dum de dum
dudum de dum

Just enjoy the show

I want my money back
I want my money back
I want my money back
Just enjoy the show

I want my money back
I want my money back
I want my money back
Just enjoy the show