corners and pages

2011-07-18T08:29:00.000-07:00

I will create a new article. Soon. haha

Writing: A New Beginning after an End

2009-09-11T06:11:00.000-07:00

Here I am, a graduate. I finally have a degree earned. I thought the day would never come. It wasn’t too long ago that I was cramming for exams and banging my head against the wall to come up with a conclusion for my thesis. And yet I survived. I really wanted to graduate. I wanted to earn money and help my family in financial matters. My mom was just diagnosed with breast cancer last year so it has been tough. But now that I am a graduate, I finally gained the opportunity to help. Then how come I don’t have the slightest clue as to what to do next? My school days have ended. Where do I start from here?
I am a graduate of Bachelor of Arts in English with a major in Literature. What do I with it? Honestly, I’m not quite sure even until now. All I know is that I love literature. My university had an on campus job fair. To get some direction in finding a job, I applied to several companies. I passed the initial exams and I survived several interviews. Although I was itching to get a job and provide for myself (supposedly like a grown up should), with the jobs I applied for, nothing seemed right. I just didn’t feel like it is what I’m supposed to do. I backed out when it came to the contract signing. A call center agent? A medical or sales representative? A flight attendant? A teacher? It suddenly hit me. How could I possibly fill in such positions when I was already scared of the thought of them? I didn’t want to take a job just to be called a professional either. Ahah! The P word finally came up - professional. Although I valued those learning experiences of job hunting, taking exams, and being grilled by interviewers (I even went to Cebu to find a job that would suit me), I felt utterly lost. I honestly had no idea what I was doing. I just thought it was what a graduate is supposed to do. Well, maybe it is, but it wasn’t for me. I was on uncharted waters.
And so time passed. I took part-time tutorial jobs which was really frustrating. I was tutoring some second language learners of English from different Asian countries, or so I thought. I found myself doing the homework for some of them instead of actually teaching them English. I claim to be no expert on the English language, but my tutees were absolutely bad at it. And it was because of their unwillingness to learn.
And there I was, on my PC, surfing the net, being a bum in my free time (lots of free time). Tell you what, I was good at it. Bumming should be a profession. I was just lying, eating, and watching TV. I also hang out with my friends, a couple of bums too. :lol: From my high school batch of friends, we, the non-nursing students are the ones with nothing to do. We had a lot of spare time. We had movie marathons, went shopping (I only mean window shopping), and slumber parties. Then my friend who just came home from Manila mentioned about how she applied as a freelance writer for Essays.ph. Sounds interesting, right? She said I should give it a try because it was a good way to earn some extra cash. My dad just had the internet installed at our new house, so I thought, “Why not? I had time.”
I applied for the position of home-based writer. And being the nervous wreck that I can be, it took me such a long time to fill out the questions. I was actually scared for some unknown reason. Maybe it was out of habit. I became a Gray Team writer. I couldn’t take an assignment for a couple of months because I had the flu and my tutees were demanding more than what they should have. When I attempted to accomplish my first assignment about relationships, I failed. I wasn’t able to meet the deadline. And I felt really awkward, not because it was my first topic, but because of the topic itself. I had to research how to win back an ex boyfriend.:P Anyway, I felt bad getting a warning. I had a week to think it through. But it was all cool.
For my second attempt, I took another assignment with the same general topic. I wrote about it and submitted it on time. It was posted that a writer could take another assignment even if his/her previous one hasn’t been reviewed. But I didn’t want to take another assignment until I found out what happened to the one I just submitted. I posted about it and it’s probably still there at the Gray Team chat room. And so I waited for days. One morning when I logged into my account, I could not access the Gray Team chat room or the entire Gray Team Section. It was 6 in the morning and I wasn’t really thinking clearly yet. I was just checking if maybe I had to rewrite the articles or something. I found myself at a new site. I was getting frustrated with the network. It took me some time to realize I was actually a red team member already. It really made my day. :P I explored all the forums I was originally not able to view. And then days after I receive 300 points! I was so excited.
Anyway, it has been over a month since I’ve been active as a writer. I don’t have much to share yet, but I hope and will try my best that there would be more to come. This whole thing with Essays.ph made me forget about my dilemmas. I don’t have to classify myself or belong to a select group of professionals. I’m finally doing something I want plus I’ve put to use some things I’ve learned in literature. I am overwhelmed with relief, and I owe it all to Essays.ph. You could call it a blessing. I never thought I’d be a writer of any sort. But here I am, and it’s a new chapter in my life. There would be more to unravel, and I think I’ll be fine sticking with Essays.ph for awhile. I may not have a blueprint for my future, but this is a good start.

Kinky Boots...

2008-08-27T05:28:00.000-07:00

The most obvious aspect of popular culture that can be seen in the movie is fashion. The statement was all about footwear especially the boots, the “kinky” boots. Basically, the entire plot of the movie revolved around it. It was the source of conflict at the beginning of the story regarding the Price Shoe Company. In the end, the change in fashion was also the solution. Charlie’s idea of making kinky boots for men who are women was both a luxury and a necessity.
Performance art could also be seen in the movie which is represented by Lola. Lola was a night club performer, a drag queen. She sang and danced in front of a live audience who were allowed some limited interaction with the performers. Along with his/her performance, is the music aspect of popular culture in the movie. His/her kind of music involved were…
Kinky Boots definitely show how advertising is involved with all the names of brands of footwear. It mentioned names like Jimmy Choo shoes. In a way, it also advertises Milan implying that it is a very high class place where it is an authority of fashion. And lastly, an important tool in popular culture which is not quite emphasized in the movie is, television. It is the main instrument for spreading fashion trends to the people.
An aspect of the movie that might be unpopular to the general public is the idea of working in a shoe factory. It isn’t exactly appealing to many people these days. I guess that is what Nicola felt too. But also, it’s probably because the profession of a shoemaker isn’t what most people would aspire for. And also, having an overall happy ending maybe a little too cheesy and predictable. When Charlie fell flat on the runway, you could tell that Lola and her Angels were coming to the rescue. And also, the moment I saw Lauren, I instantly knew that she’d end up with Charlie because both of them are the ones “perfect” for each other. She knew how to stand by her man at all times.
While Charlie had his happy ending, Lola didn’t exactly have a happy ending with his/her father. The issue of not being accepted by the family for being a homosexual is a painful one and maybe be very unpopular to the community. But I liked it in a way that the movie did not try to answer or give solution to those kinds of problems, because in the first place, it honestly can’t. In the end, Lola’s father died without them being reconciled as a family.
Another unpopular subject matter in the movie may be the part dealing with financial problems. People watch movies to be entertained and not to be faced with reality again regarding money issues. It’s a way of forgetting reality for even just a while. Money is an issue of day to day life which a source of a lot of problems. In the movie, just like people in real life, Charlie also faced the same issue.
And lastly, this may be unpopular but quite common in drama movies, is the cheating lover. Charlie’s fiancée cheated on him. Of course, Charlie was a protagonist in the whole story. It made Nicola very unpopular and so is the act of cheating itself.
I don’t think the movie has the makings of a classic. It is a good movie though. The fashion aspect of the movie which implies that change in trends will be constant in all generations in society, will of course be present in all times, but that’s probably it. Trends in fashion are always apt to change. Other than that, the issue on how a community accepts homosexuals won’t probably be such a big deal in the future. It might be even viewed as “natural” and common. This certain issue presented in the movie would probably still exist, but to a lesser degree. The movie doesn't really have a heavy impact on society and the issues.
Overall, I really enjoyed the movie. I enjoyed it because it was a light-hearted comedy. It was really amusing to watch Lola. I did not know that Chiwetel Ejiofor was capable of playing such a role. The last movie I’ve seen him in was in Four Brothers where he played the role as the head of a gangster – the cap. To see him as a drag queen, was really surprising. And so, for the men and women, and for those who are yet to decide, this is a good movie to watch.

Blog Entry #3

2008-08-10T18:11:00.000-07:00

Papa Don’t Preach
by Madonna
Papa I know you’re going to be upset
cause I was always your little girl
But you should know by now
I’m not a baby

You always taught me right from wrong
I need your help, daddy please be strong
I may be young at heart
But I know what I’m saying

The one you warned me all about
The one you said I could do without
Were in an awful mess, and I don’t mean maybe - please

Chorus:

Papa don’t preach, I’m in trouble deep
Papa don’t preach, I’ve been losing sleep
But I made up my mind, I’m keeping my baby, oh
I’m gonna keep my baby, mmm...

He says that he’s going to marry me
We can raise a little family
Maybe well be all right
Its a sacrifice

But my friends keep telling me to give it up
Saying I’m too young, I ought to live it up
What I need right now is some good advice, please

(chorus)

Daddy, daddy if you could only see
Just how good he’s been treating me
You’d give us your blessing right now
cause we are in love, we are in love, so please

(chorus)

Papa don’t preach, I’m in trouble deep
Papa don’t preach, I’ve been losing sleep
(repeat)

Oh, I’m gonna keep my baby, ooh
Don’t you stop loving me daddy
I know, I’m keeping my baby

I’ve already heard this song since way back when…

During the time this video was created, Madonna was already a pop icon despite the many people who disliked her. Her influence was apparent especially among the youth at that time. She had the image of a rebel who practically went against the traditions and norms of the society at that time. Her image advocated change. Her impact among the young, especially her fashion style, was disseminated through television. Through television, everything about her was advertised including the principles she stood (or still stands) for. And also, with the advent of the Music Television or more popularly known as MTV, her songs including her dance moves were imitated internationally. She became a pop (referring to the music genre) sensation.

This music video “Papa Don’t Preach” is just one of her many controversial songs. The song is basically a plea of help to her father. The first lines in the song already indicate or serve as a clue that she has a problem. She got herself in a “mess” which required her father’s help. There may be some other interpretation, but the most probable one is that the mess she referred to is that she got pregnant. She wants to keep the baby and be with the guy that she supposedly loves. She’s telling her father not to haul over the coals, but just be there for her as a father who still loves her. She asks for her father’s advice because her friends keep telling her she’s “too young” and that she ought to give up the baby. The following lines succeeding the chorus show how she convinces her father that the father of her child is actually “good” and that they are in love. The word please repeated a couple of times indicate that she’s practically begging for her father’s approval as if it would make everything alright.

[The song does make use of a cliché – falling for the good bad boy (Alex McArthur). A lot of movies have this storyline and so do many of the TV series until today.]

The song and its implications are still relevant today. Maybe even more relevant, because of the continuing debates and arguments about abortion by young mothers. This song is a kind of song that gave way for other topics that are taboo to be boldly shown on television screens.

Even though I highly doubt that the fashion during the time of this music video will ever be revived, it sure had an impact and gave way to other experiments on fashion. Madonna as a pop icon, was also a trendsetter. I’m not a fan of her eyebrows, her hair, or of her black leather jacket, but I’ve seen traces of its influence… Evidence of its relevance today, is the revival of the song by the controversial and scandalous singer-actress, Kelly Osbourne. She definitely represents many of the kids in this generation.

blog entry # 2

2008-07-06T01:58:00.000-07:00

Literature 37: Pop Culture

BUSES AND TRAINS
By Bachelor Girl

Hey Mom
Why didn't you tell me
Why didn't you teach me a thing or two
You just let me go
Out into the World
You never thought to share what you knew

So I walked under a bus
I got hit by a train
Keep falling in love
Which is kinda the same
I've sunk out at sea
Crashed my car, gone insane
And it felt so good
I want to do it again
Hey Mom
Why didn't you warn me
Coz about boys is something i should have known
They’re like chocolate cake
Like cigarettes
I know they're bad for me
But I just can't leave 'em alone

So I walked under a bus
I got hit by a train
Keep falling in love
Which is kinda the same
I've sunk out at sea
Crashed my car, gone insane
And it felt so good
I want to do it again

(AND I WALKED)UNDER A BUS
I GOT HIT BY A TRAIN
AND IT FEELT SO GOOD
AND I WANNA DO IT AGAIN
WANNA DO IT AGAIN
*HEY EY IEEY*
(WANNA DO IT)
Oh, felt so good

Hey Mom
Since we're talking
What was it like when you were young
Has the world changed
Or is it still the same
A man can kill and still be the sweetest thing.

So I walked under a bus
I got hit by a train
Keep falling in love
Which is kinda the same
I've sunk out at sea
Crashed my car, gone insane
And it felt so good

So I walked under a bus
I got hit by a train
Keep falling in love
Which is kinda the same
I've sunk out at sea
Crashed my car, gone insane
And it felt so good
I want to do it again
I want to do it again

I chose this song because it’s just so amusing and light-hearted. I instantly liked the beat and the melody. After hearing it for the first time, I could no longer forget it because it kept me laughing in my mind for hours.
The song is entitled “Buses and Trains” by the band Bachelor Girl. It is about a girl talking or rather airing out her dilemmas to her mother. The first stanza tells how she is complaining why she never got a warning on what the world would be like. She nags why her mother never shared any knowledge on how painful it could be. She never even got any tips on how to run her life. She wasn’t really upset or angry but it is what she wished her mother should have done.
The girl then had no choice but to be in charge of her own life. As a result she walked under a bus, got hit by a train, kept falling in love, sunk out at sea, crashed her car, and had gone insane. These experiences she talks of don’t exactly tell the details but they imply that she has been through the extremes. But the irony of the song is that all of her supposedly bad experiences felt good and that she wants to do them again. Basically she wants to go through all of it over and over like some kind of fun ride.
In the second stanza, she centers her attention on boys. She again asks her mother why she didn’t give a warning when this was really a necessity, something she should have known about. “They’re (boys) like chocolate cake, Like cigarettes.” She knows that boys are “dangerous to her health” and that they’re addictive. But she goes ahead anyway because she can’t keep her hands of them. In the third stanza, she asks her mother to share to what life was like during her days. But just the same as the second stanza, it still is centered on men and how they affect women’s lives. Over all this song shows how a woman’s or girl’s life can wholly revolve around man despite the pain and despair it causes.
When I first saw the video, it thought it was just ok-just another typical pop rock music video. What really captivated was the song itself and not the video, but I did like the way the girl (Tania Doko) bit the cake in front of the camera.
Of all the 122 comments on the music video, only one actually thought that the whole thing, including the lyrics, was stupid. Some thought that the video could be improved. Some even thought it was just a piece of crap and that the artists looked awful. But still they loved the song. One thought that the whole song was sadistic and mean but still appreciated the song. Most of those who wrote the comments were daughters who were reminded of their mothers. It’s a smart and funny song that’s why a lot of girls love it unlike other mother and daughter songs that are so EMO. One actually commented that this song was what she exactly wanted to say to her mother who had already passed away but the comment was not in an emotive way. Another girl made the exact comment saying she wanted to say the same thing before she moved out of the house.
Another admirer of the song commented that she was so proud of Aussie women for having the most brilliant voices in the music industry. She even mentioned names like Tina Arena and Kylie Minogue. I have to say I disagree with her sentiment but I was too lazy to post a reply on YouTube. Most of the admirers said that this song will not fade in time because it reflects most of the teenage girls in the world.
As mentioned earlier, the artists of this song are Australians. They are Tania Doko and James Roche. Roche is also the writer of most of their songs. I’m not really crazy or fanatical about the band but I just enjoy this particularly song. I’m really into it because of the way the song made use of humor but in a clever way, unlike others that seem vulgar. And also, the subject matter of the song is very unique. Over all, the band has pulled it off. I think this is why this song made it to the singles sales charts for 33 weeks in Australia.

understanding the voice

2008-06-29T03:16:00.000-07:00

Especially for a song that has spawned numerous versions in different generation, You’re the Voice is one veritable piece. Written by Andy Qunta, Mitchel Reid, Maggie Ryder and Chris Thompson 80’s, this single is a hit in some countries such as Australia and even European nations, but not forceful enough that it gains the attention of the Americans. Such accountability of this can be recalled in one episode of American Idol on Fox. “I didn’t know the song but I like it,” said Randy Jackson, one of the three-panel judges of the show. But what is more appalling in the talent show, of which the song is performed by David Archuleta, is Simon Cowell’s comment: “[This is] reminiscent of a theme park performance… The song is not for you.” Though it is believable enough to say that Archuleta was not able to pull it off and he ended up looking so artificial on that glossy concert stage, Cowell’s remark is not right. It is downright nasty. Everyone is entitled to sing a song the same as everyone has the right to eat ice cream.

Nothing beats the original but other versions of You’re the Voice can stand on their own. David Archuleta’s is one passable edition, in our opinion. With the Heart band, the spunk and energy of John Farnham is still present, except that it was presented by a woman. Shown in the video, though, differs because it focuses on poverty and war issues, unlike Farnham’s which presented dysfunctional parents ranting off right in front of their child.

With the Heart’s rendition, the song shows how versatile it is as being androgynous. This flexibility also proves that the song is not only limited to the masculine mindset because another singer, Rebecca St. James, rendered it with her very own semi-rock style of singing. Though she’s not much of an original, with her antics closely resembling Fiona Apple’s subtlety and Avril Lavigne’s angst, her other songs are nevertheless good.

The song is a classic—especially the one by John Farnham. As a literary piece, You’re the Voice is very mundanely austere but realistic. It is encouraging its audience (or listeners) to make the world a better place. It may fall as a cliché but its message is encompassing and full of truth that being trite is not an issue. It doesn’t make use of any complex words yet it effectively delivers the message across with such unexplainable uniqueness. If this were to be a poem, the persona is just expressing the urgency to fight against what’s wrong in society.

The song can fit in any generation. It has been proven by the many versions of the song by various artists in different periods in time. There aren’t just four versions of the song, but among the four, the music video by Heart was the loudest. It showed the suffering of people due to war and poverty. It evokes pity from its viewers. We appreciate the song because, aside from its catchy tune, its message is simple and clear. It is universal. It has the voice of everyone.

a new corner

2008-06-26T05:50:00.000-07:00

For the sake of getting along with others online, this page is created. A page that is never linear, never specific. For in this new leaf, everything goes. In this humble corner are ideas of all sorts. Well, this may be the only present post here as of the moment but in every turn of the calendar, just like when the tree has to brush off its aging leaves and gives birth to new buds, ideas bloom and promulgate in this undertaking.

- from BLFRG, for Ayla