Month: January 2010

a myth

Feminism brought us suffrage, career opportunities, awareness.

Imagine the modern woman: perfumed, confident, dressed to the nines, successful, smart. Imagine you’re an institution that will find profit, huge profit, in her destruction. How will you destroy her?

Tell her she’s ugly.

Tell her she’s too fat.

Tell her her hair’s too thick, or she’s wearing the wrong lipstick, or her boobs are too small.

Now, if you’re the woman, how do you fight back? By not believing. By not caring.

That’s easy enough to do, right? We know better, right? We’re empowered. Right?

This is quite a compelling read, and a bit of an eye-opener. Thanks to Cyril for lending me a copy. :)

* * *

I haven’t read a nonfiction book in a while, so I was glad to have been able to read this one. Some of the other nonfic books that I enjoyed, off the top of my head: Watching the English, In Cold Blood, Bully, Freakonomics, Stupid White Men, The Culture of Narcissism, Fast Food Nation, and an excellent collection of true-to-life police stories presented interview transcript-style, with no comments from the author (I cannot remember the title, gah) .

I’d like to get my reading paws on this one:

* * *

Thanks to Kenneth Yu for this FYI. :)

Some shameless self-promotion: I have a short story, “Singing”, in the January 18, 2010 issue of The Philippine Graphic. My thanks to the literary editor, Marra PL. Lanot, for taking it in.

Incidentally, in the same issue is the poem “Reportage” by online acquaintance Eliza Victoria.

Hooray. :D

sherlock

photo from reelmovienews.com

Canon? What canon?

Watching this film is like watching Adrian Monk (character in a TV show also based on the Sherlock Holmes formula of brilliant detective – exasperated yet loyal assistant – unsolvable crime – “here’s what happened”) pick up a gun and shoot a criminal without experiencing a major OCD freakout.

In other words, if you’re a Sherlock purist, you’ll find Downey’s (and Guy Ritchie’s) take on this character infuriatingly unrecognizable. Slick, you say? Composed, you say? Fuck that shit, this Sherlock Holmes breaks bones, and explains what he does in slow-mo and Mastercard commercial-like VO. (“Priceless.”)

I’ve read perhaps two short stories, several excerpts, but I won’t say I know Sherlock and Dr. Watson all that well. So of course I enjoyed the show. To quote Roger Ebert: “The less I thought about Sherlock Holmes, the more I liked ‘Sherlock Holmes’… It’s likely to be enjoyed by today’s action fans. But block bookings are not likely from the Baker Street Irregulars.”

The film looks fantastic, and the score is A-plus. If you’re a “Baker Street Irregular”, calm down, leave what you know about the Sherlock Universe by the guard outside the cinema, and enjoy the dark and the grit of this Baker Street.

You’ll like this Sherlock. He’s a fun guy.

Also: gay subtext? What gay subtext? ;)

expanded horizons’ list of world sf stories for ’09

I have two stories in the list, ahoy! ♥

And they’ve got nothing but kind words for the Islands:

We published the most stories by authors from the Philippines (4 stories, 3 authors) and India (4 stories, 3 authors), followed by Israel and Mexico (2-2 stories, by one author). We’ve received a lot of links and mentions from the Philippines blogosphere – we’d like to thank everyone who linked to us, and we will always remain open to great Filipino/a stories!

Much love! Thank you for publishing these stories, Expanded Horizons!

Stories are listed in the order of appearance.

The Sun Diary by Lavie Tidhar (Israeli)

A Mother’s Dilemma by Jasmin Nanda (Indian)

Memories of my Sister by Aliette de Bodard (French-Vietnamese)

King of Sand and Stormy Seas by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Mexican immigrant to the US)

Night Out by Eliza Victoria (Filipina)

Bhima by Ajay Vishwanathan (Indian)

Slip Road by Tade Thompson (Nigerian immigrant to the UK)

Alienation and Love in the Hebrew Alphabet by Lavie Tidhar (Israeli)

Sinking Palaces by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Mexican immigrant to the US)

The Second Mrs. Sharma by Bindia Persaud (Guyanese immigrant to Canada)

A Texture Beyond Dreams by Swapna Kishore (Indian)

Haunted Persuasion by Lilian Wu (Singaporean)

I Am the City by Eliza Victoria (Filipina)

A Memory of Ice by Bint Arab (Iraqi immigrant to the US)

Twin Cities by Catherine Batac Walder (Filipina immigrant to the UK)

The Ascension of our Lady Boy by Mia Tijam (Filipina)

Dreams by Jasmin Nanda (Indian)

And your beloved site admin is from Hungary ;)

starting the year right

I spent the last night of the old year and the first morning of the new year with the family in Bulacan, then back to work. After work, I spent the first night of the new year with Jaykie’s family. Extended, as it was – when we arrived there were uncles and family friends, and cousins whose names Jaykie couldn’t even remember. Haha. Well. Food, and then a game of – wait for it – Pinoy Henyo. More like Reverse Pinoy Henyo. A category is stuck on the person’s forehead, other person gives details regarding the category, person tries to guess. That sort of thing.

We won, HEY!

(I was the one with the thing stuck on my forehead.)

Jake: Cereals.

Eliza: Breakfast? Fiber? Diet?

Jake: Crema de fruta.

Eliza: @_@ Er, dairy product?

Jake (to his sister): Bawal sabihin ‘yung actual word ‘no? (Sister says no.) Ayun. Cereal.

Eliza: @_@

Jake: Um, cereal? @_@

Eliza: Mga pagkaing nilalagyan ng gatas?

Everyone else: AHOOOOOOOOOOOOY. ^___^

* * *

His sister gave me brownies and cookies (Whee) and his mother handed me this bag before I left. (I still have work, see, so I can’t get smashed. Boo.)

ohaiiiii furffle!

Thank you, all. That was really fun. :)

* * *

In the e-mail, from Gig Book: “The ten winning stories are now in different stages of book production.”

So maybe, if everything goes well, I’ll have a book published this year?

Sweet. ♥

hello 2010

But first, this year’s (personal) highlights. :D (Events that happened in the same month may be listed here in un-chronological order, because I’m lazy and I get confused. LOL.)

January

Cebu – Bohol – Cebu trip with high school friends

February

Laiya, Batangas with high school friends

Philippine Speculative Fiction IV launch

I meet the lovely Lizzy via Rissa and I experience the joys of Cubao ukay (yay, dresses! ♥)

March

I move to Makati

April

Read Then We Came to the End, I mean OMG

I move to actual unit in Makati

May

First publication in an international market (notification)

Publication in Philippines Graphic (notification)

June

I almost win a free book

Microfiction

July

Publication in Elimae (notification)

A mention in Locus Magazine

I try to apply as Lit teacher; school sort of fucks me over. Meh.

Discovered Big Bang Theory yay! Special thanks to Princess, hehe.

Publication in The Farthest Shore (notification)

Publication in The Houston Literary Review (notification)

I buy me a netbook!

August

Cory Aquino, 76

A letter from the Palanca Foundation arrives and *brainsplode*

I am made to wear glasses; Philippines Free Press Awards

Publication in Cantaraville (notification)

September

The Palanca Awarding Ceremony

I win in a children’s lit contest whyyy lol

Gig Book photoshoot, met with friend Ace

Manila International Book Fair

Gleeeeeeee

Ondoy

October

The Transmetropolitan mindfuck

Cyma dinner with high school friends

First Research Night, christening of friend Joan’s son, Johan

Jaykie

November

I turn 23

First month, and cheesiness (CHOS)

Second publication in Expanded Horizons

Publication in PSF V (notification)

December

I win in the Pinoy Story Writing Contest (Horror/Crime & Suspense Category)

Bangzzz

I get to attend the Lantern Parade

Ruin and Resolve charity antho

* * *

Not included in this list are the other books and films I’ve devoured. And maybe other stuff – I’m not really sure.

But what a year, eh. What a year.

* * *

So pa’no? 2010 naman? Orayt.

first sunrise

So I went home to Bulacan last night, right. When I woke up this morning (before seven) I really just wanted to take a picture of the sky, but then I thought, Hey, is that the sun?

Oh yeah.

So of course I stood on a chair and waited.

First sunrise of the new year. Lovely, isn’t it? :)

Here’s to a kinder 2010.



The earth, that is sufficient,

I do not want the constellations any nearer,

I know they are very well where they are,

I know they suffice for those who belong to them.

Walt Whitman