TH1RTEEN R3ASONS WHY

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Books
Genre:	Teens
Author:	Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why. Huh? What? Aren't you curious what these reasons are all about? Intriguing title, isn't it? I never knew that such a novel exists, and I never expected that I would invest my precious time reading a masterpice of an author I've never even heard before. But I simply just wanna satisfy the GG (xoxo, haha) side of me, that's why I checked on the first page just to know what it is all about, and then the second page, and then the next one, until I realized that the time I finished a chapter, the more I was interested on proceeding to the next.

What's the novel all about? Say hello to Clay Jensen, the ninth reason why. Tadahhhh! Clay received a box addressed to him one afternoon, with seven CASSETTE tapes inside it. These audiotapes were recorded by Hannah Baker (Clay's classmate) before she comitted a suicide. (So you might have guessed by now that the complete title of the book should be THE THIRTEEN REASONS WHY HANNAH BAKER KILLED HERSELF. Haha) The audiotapes said it all about the life of Hannah before she ended her life, and how these thirteen person somehow affected her decision. Each of the thirteen had a side of a cassette tape dedicated to him/her. Sent to the first person that started it all, Hannah gave only two rules to the LUCKY 13. Rule number one: Listen to tapes. Rule number two: Pass it to the next person involved.

Who are the other twelve persons?
Why are they on Hannah Baker's list?
What happened to Clay after listening to the tapes?
So I think that's the rest of the things you'll know after you read the novel.

I am contented on how the novel is written. Though centered on Clay Jensen's point-of-view, I love the idea of putting Hannah Baker's point-of-view through the cassette tapes. The story? Interesting enough. Not only that the whole book is a mystery, but each chapter is fascinating. And of course, I love the meaning beyond the words. The ideas and lessons presented by the novel, I don't know if intentionally or unintentionally, that were applicable to the real world. My favorite is the idea of snowball effect. I just think that I didn't know some characters that much. I don't know. But I think something is incomplete on how the characters are presented. But overall, I think the novel is good. A must-read!

--some of my favorite quotes from the novel-- (apparently all said by Hannah Baker)
* Because it may seem like a small role now, but it matters. In the end, everything matters.
* Things get better, or worse, depending on your point of view.
* Stupid? Yes. But did it make sense? Yes...at the time.
* I guess that's the point of it all. No one knows for certain how much impact they have on the lives of other people. Oftentimes, we have no clue. Yet we push it just the same.
* Sometimes we have thoughts that even we don't understand. Thoughts that aren't even true--that aren't really how we feel--but they're running through our heads anyway because they're interesting to think about.
* If you could hear other people's thoughts, you'd overhear things that are true as well as things that are completely random. And you wouldn't know one from the other. It'd drive you insane. What's true? What's not? A million ideas, but what do they mean?
* If you hear a song that makes you cry and you don't want to cry anymore, you don't listen to that song anymore.
* You don't know what goes on in anyone's life but your own.
* And when you mess with one part of a person's life, you're not messing with just that part. Unfortunately, you can't be that precise and selective. When you mess with one part of a person's life, you're messing with their entire life.
* Everything...affects everything.
* You can't go back to how things were. How you thought they were. All you really have...is now.
* I could have stopped it--end of story. But to stop it, I felt like I'd have to stop the entire world from spinning. Like things had been out of control for so long that whatever I did hardly mattered anymore.
* The signs were all there, all over, for anyone willing to notice.

Huling El Bimbo - Mcdo Commercial

Art Studies 2 Midterms Exam Bonus Question: What is your favorite work of art--it may be visual, musical, a play, a film, etc.--and why? 

Here's my answer:

            First love. A boy meets girl. Boy fell inlove for the  first time with a girl. The girl felt likewise. Years passed by. Boy and girl saw each other again. Boy and girl ended up together. A very familiar topic. A subject of many forms. A same-old story.

            My favorite work of art also have first love as its main topic. But it does not go like what is mentioned above. A boy meets girl in the fast food. Boy fell inlove for the  first time with a girl. The girl felt likewise. Years passed by. Boy and girl saw each other again at the same fast food where they first met. Boy and girl ended up together. Yes, the boy and girl did not end up together. The girl was already married, with a kid. Hmmm, having some guesses now?

            The “First Love” commercial of McDonald's is one of my favorites. Released only this year, it used the song “Ang Huling El Bimbo” by Eraserheads that perfectly fit the subject of the commercial. I am not a fan of the fast food, I honestly prefer its greatest rival, but I fell inlove with this commercial the very first time I saw it. The advertisement is made by DDB Philippines ad agency, and directed by Stephen Ngo.

            I love how this advertisement presented the concept of first love in a non-conventional way, preserving the heartwarming message of the ad. The advertisement is fast-paced, yet you can clearly understand what it is all about. As mentioned earlier, it uses a popular song that depicted the same message, and thus, easy to sing with, giving the advertisement a “familiar” touch.

            Other art device that I love most in this advertisement is the way that the main characters are on the same spot they used to sit on when they were young, yet you can see that there are changes on the location from the 1980s to the present. Another common art device used in this ad is the instant transformation of the characters from being children to adults. I also love how this commercial uses narration instead of conversations between characters, which I think is a perfect device for this commercial.

            Can't find any other words to best describe why I love this work of art. Basta, I just so love everything about this commercial-- the story, the background music, the artistic devices, and ofcourse, that cute lead actor. ☺☺☺

Nanonood ka ba ng Family Feud?

Nanonood ka ba ng Family Feud?

Hindi 'yung original version ha. 'Yung Family Feud sa GMA 7. Hosted by Richard Gomez. Yeah right, nabili na pala ng GMA 7 ang rights para gawan ng local version ang isa sa longest-running game show sa America. Nagsimula sa pag-iimport ng mga foreign programs, hanggang sa nagsimula ang Tagalized Mexican series, Tagalized cartoons, hanggang sa Meteor Garden at iba pang telenovela from Korea, Taiwan at Japan na hit na hit pa rin hanggang ngayon. But lo and behold, hello sa mga dumaraming Pinoy 'version' ng mga shows na nanggaling sa iba pang bansa na parte na yata talaga ngaun ng Philippine television. Meaning, hindi lang sila basta di-nub using the Tagalog language (na kagaya ng ginagawa ng TV 5 sa paborito kong Spongebob Squarepants at Legends of the Hidden Temple), but si-net na talaga sila using actors/contestants/production staff/production set-up in the Philippines.

Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
Pinoy Big Brother
Pinoy Fear Factor
Pinoy Idol
Pinoy Dream Academy
Survivor Philippines
Deal or No Deal
Wheel of Fortune
Marimar
My Girl
I Love Betty La Fea
LaLola
Kakasa Ka Ba sa Grade 5? (Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?)
... to name a few. And hindi ba lahat ay nagulat ng ma-tsismis ang Pinoy version 'daw' ng Gossip Girl at Twilight? (hahaha. hahaha. hahaha. tawa nalang ako.)

True enough, pinapalibas din ang ibang TV shows ng Pilipinas sa ibang bansa, specifically, Asian countries. Dinu-dub din nila sa sarili nilang language. Pangako Sa 'Yo in Malaysia and Sana Maulit Muli in Taiwan. According to my English 1 professor (way back 1st year 1st sem haha), na-enjoy daw ng maraming Amerikano ang Gagamboy. Gagamboy? Yeah right. Gagamboy starring Vhong Navarro. Even Americans buy the rights for some movies. See, American versions naman – our very own Sigaw, and Korea's My Sassy Girl. Bottomline, hindi tayo nag-iisa.

Hindi ako ganoon ka-supportive sa mga palabas na may 'Pinoy version' sa title. Naiintindihan ko kung bakit kailangang i-Tagalized ang ilang mga programs – dahil kokonti lang sa Pilipinas ang nakakintindi ng mga languages na Korean, Chinese Mandarin, Japanese, o Spanish.  Pero bakit kailangan pa ng mga shows na 'Pinoy version'? Isa lang ang naiisip kong dahilan. Para mas pumatok sa panlasa ng mas maraming Pilipino. Parang kung paano i-fi-nit ng McDo (love ko 'to) ang McSpaghetti nila sa panlasa ng mga Pilipino. Bottomline, ayaw ko nang mag-elaborate. Mahaba-habang discussion 'yun eh. At least they bought the rights para mapalabas ang mga program na 'yun, at hindi 'yung magkakaroon nalang bigla ng mga Filipino TV Shows na obvious na obvious namang adapted sa foreign shows. Hello TV 5's Lipgloss.

Back to Family Feud. Uulitin ko lang. Nanonood ka ba ng Family Feud sa GMA 7? Or kahit isang episode, nakapanood ka na ba?

Kung hindi pa, sulyapan mo kahit isang episode lang. Pansinin mo lang. Pagkatapos sumagot ng isang contestant, sasabihin niya, “Puwede. Puwede.” With matching palakpak. Sabi nga ng kapatid ko, para bang pinapalakas nila ang loob nila. At ki-no-convince nila na nasa board ang isinagot nila. Weird.

Wala naman talagang patutunguhan ang post na ito. Na-weirdo-han lang talaga ako sa gesture na 'yun ng ilang mga sumasali. “Puwede. Puwede.” Hahaha, sorry, opinion lang. Na-bo-bother lang talaga ako doon. And naalala ko lang talaga ang Wheel of Fortune dati. Imagine, habang ikaw, hinihiling mo sa sarili mo na malaki 'yung cash sa pag-ikot ng roleta mo, 'yung dalawang kalaban mo eh hinihiling na ma-bankrupt ka. Hay, whatever.

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Salamat sa pagbasa! :)

Kwentong Bakasyon

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Hello boarding house!
Hello instant noodles!
Hello fastfood chains!
Hello IKOT/TOKI!
Hello Mercury (PHILCOA branch)!
Hello junk foods! Haha!
Hello Diliman campus!
Hello Acads!
Hello readings!
Hello classmates!
Hello INTERNET!
Hello puyatan!
Hello maagang gisingan!
Hello pila sa pagligo!
Hello SC!
Hello BNO!
Hello night life! (haha, JK!)

IN SHORT: CHRISTMAS VACATION IS OFFICIALLY OVER!!! SIMULA NA ULIT NG KLASE!!!

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"What's The Real Essence of Christmas?"
'Yan ang title ng composition na required isulat ng kapatid ko para sa English III niya.

Naalala ko lang, parang taon-taon, tuwing January, pagbalik ng klase pagkatapos ng Christmas vacation, palagi rin akong pinapasulat ng mga teacher ko noong gradeschool ng ganitong composition. At pati na rin ng ilang mga teacher ko noong high school. Pare-pareho ng theme. CHRISTMAS. At pakiramdam ko, nang mga panahong 'yun, parang pare-pareho din lang ang mga isinusulat ko.

Pero siguro nga, kung ngayon ako pasusulatin ng ganitong composition, mas mag-iiba na. Hindi na tipong kung paano lang ang clique na celebration ng mga Pilipino ng Pasko, hindi lang kung ano ang role ng bawat miyembro ng pamilya sa pagdedecorate ng bahay, hindi lang tungkol sa bibingka at puto bungbong, at sa regalo ng ninong at ninang. Mas malalim na siguro ang laman. At 'yung mula na talaga sa puso. Dahil naniniwala na ako na bawat tao na naniniwala sa pagdiriwang ng Pasko ay may kanya-kanyang kuwento tungkol dito. Charz.

***

Dahil nasa bahay si Tatay, sa kwarto namin natutulog ang kapatid ko. Kapag kasi wala ang Tatay namin, tumatabi siya sa Nanay namin sa kabilang kwarto. So 'ayun, buong bakasyon, halos magkasawaan talaga kami ng mukha ng kapatid ko. Hahaha! Madami-dami din kaming napanood na pelikula. Salamat sa mga pirated DVDs. Natapos din namin ang mga Asianovela na Full House at Hana Kimi. Malawak-lawak din ang naging sakop ng mga napagkuwentuhan namin. Nakalimutan ko na 'yung iba sa sobrang dami. Haha.

Dahil isang malaking duwag ang kapatid ko, hindi puwedeng ako ang maunang matulog sakanya. (At dapat buhay ang ilaw sa likod ng kwarto!) Kaya sabi ko, umisip siya ng gagawin namin para hindi muna ako antukin. Ang mga ginawa namin? Eh 'di naglaro!

1. Pinoy Henyo. Na lagi akong natatalo dahil ang chever ng mga words na iniisip niya.
2. Family Feud.
3. ABKD. Haha, 'yung tipong U-Na-I-Ba-E-Ra-Sa-I-Da-A-Da. Tapos dapat alam mo 'yung word na mabubuo. Pramis, nakakalito kaya!
4. Hindi ko alam kung anong tawag sa laro na 'to. At kung laro ba talaga 'to. Pero iisip ka ng tanong. Tapos iisip ang kalaro mo ng sagot. Halimbawa, BAKIT?. Iisip ka ng tanong na nagsisimula sa BAKIT at iisip naman ang kalaro mo ng puwedeng isagot sa BAKIT. At dahil nga hindi naman talaga magiging related ang sagot niyo, tatawa lang kayo kapag nasabi niyo na ang iniisip ng isa't isa. At naiinis lang ako kapag ang sagot na sinasabi ng kapatid ko kapag BAKIT eh "dahil gusto ni GOD".
5. Card Games! Tong-its. Na sabi niya feeling niya ang galing-galing niya. Bluff. Na kalahati lang ng deck gamit namin dahil dalawa nga lang kami. Dugsungan. Na ginagamitan pala ng strategy.

One time, bored na kami pareho, at gustung-gusto na naming umisip ng bagong laro. Tapos may naalala siya na noon ko lang talaga ulit naalala. Nung gradeschool kasi, kapag walang teacher, madami ding gingawang laro kaming magkaklase. Isa na dito ang laro na nilaro din pala ng mga kaklase ng kapatid ko.

Kukuha ng isang libro. Tapos pipili ka ng gusto mo, right-side ba o left-side. Then every turn ng page, bibilangin niyo kung ilang tao ang naka-drawing. Tapos 'yun 'yung dami ng pitik na ipipitik mo sa kalaban. Hahaha! Ayos ba?!

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Siguro ngayon, mag-a-agree ako sa reason ng professor ko dati sa Socio 101 kung bakit wala kaming film showing sa klase. Ayon sakanya, hindi daw kasi pare-pareho ang focus ng mga tao sa panonood ng isang pelikula. Kumbaga, iba-iba ang pinapansin natin sa daloy ng pelikula o ang ating mga hindi napapansin dito.

Dahil nga medyo nasulit ko ang bakasyon, minsan nauulit-ulit ko rin ang mga movies na napanood ko na dati. Hindi lang talaga siguro ako likas na mapansinin, pero everytime na mapapanood ko ang isang pelikulang napanood ko na dati, ewan ko ba, may bago at bago pa rin akong mapapansin dito. Minsan 'yung suot ng mga bida. O kaya isang line na binitiwan niya. Basta!

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Kung totoo man ang sinasabi nila na related ang mga nangyari/ginawa mo/suot mo sa unang araw ng bagong taon (January 1) sa mga natitira pang araw sa taon na 'yun, malamang buong 2009:

1. wala akong load. So paano ba 'yan textmates? Sa 2010 nalang?
2. wala akong pera.
3. mapupuyat ako! (hayyy.)
4. mabaho ako. Dahil hindi ako naligo nung January 1! Ha! (yuck.)
5. makakapagbasa ako ng maraming libro
6. dadalaw-dalawin ng mga pesteng virus ang computer at USB ko.
7. mamalasin ako dahil hindi ko sinuot ang lucky color ko. Whatever.

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Salamat sa pagbasa. :)