notes to the draft

Bear with me, an experiment-- perhaps just to help me propel and fly-- and finally have in my hands, three papers due very very soon. . . From the introduction to PHilippine Criticism: J. Neil Garcia: ". . . literature's boundaries are immensely permeable to whatever surrounds it. Abad's training in UP: American New Criticism which focused on the formal perfection of the poem as a "verbal icon." This new critical mode with its stress on organic unity, emotional restraint, and metaphor, irony,a nd ambiguity, shaped the poetic sensibility from the 50's and 60's with the earlier Romantics. . ." but after exemplars of particular poetry from Angeles and Maramag, he goes on to say that from poet to poet, "each one who persevered int he craft constantly achieves through metamorphosis of his idiom and subject a full individual voice." Each one's poetic career shows accretion and maturation: Nick Joaquin, Bienvenido Santos, Edith Tiempo, Cirilo Bautista - show that the poet constantly makes new discoveries in his own field of vision (his own distinctive sbuject matter) and transforms his mode of expression conformably to them. . . thus, whatever be the poetic influences in his work or the regnant critical theory of his time, the work of imagination is achieved chiefly by the poet's own solitary labor, that is, the long creative struggle to forge from one's medium (say, English) a language to discover and express one's subject. Isagani Cruz's "The Other Other: Towards a Post Colonial Peotics" Aha! So for Philippine literature, its undertheorization is due to this: "[a] stem[ming] from the internalization of a hegemonic universalization of culturally imperialistic, pre- or anti-theoretical quasi-formalistic, mechanically reflectionist, white patriarchy! "I submit that the inequitable distributuion of critical wealth can be traced to, among other things, colonialism, orientalism, and hegemony."

Words of the ONE-- I have to remind myself

WHAT BETTER INSPIRATION THAN THIS? So far, this has been the best new year celebration ever. The simplest, but the best. And what better way to kick off than to remember these words from the ONE. So this new year,make new plans for yourself and for the world. You say after midnight, the new year will begin, so ho will you celebrate the new year? As the old year will bid goodbye, similarly, have you also made the determined thought to bid goodbye to old thoughts & sanskars along w/ the old year? You have to bid goodbye to everything old in the old year and create new thoughts of zeal and enthusiasm & then bring them into practical form, won't you? Therefore, think, what newness will you bring in yourself? Churn & contemplate on it. W/c waves of zeal and enthusiasm will you spread? What type of thoughts will you create to to spread a powerful atmosphere? In particular, the treasure of time should never, never be wasted even for a second. Make good use of time. Starting at amrit vela, make a determined thought that I will become an embodiment of elevated consciousness that success is my birthright and a garland around my neck. MY SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING COMES FIRST ON THE LIST!

They say . . .

They say that what you do on the first day of the year is something that is fated to be your disposition or your destiny for the rest of the year. So let's see if this saying is indeed true. Shall be put this to the test?! So I'm blogging now. Does THAT mean that because I did such that this year will fare out to be better in terms of realizing writing everyday a reality? We shall see! New Year's resolutions 1. drink more water 2. more positive thoughts 3. do more than just say 4. eat healthier 5. not use the car. Walk. 6. balanced life! 7. balanced state of mind! More resolutions. The internet is witness. . . so this better be good.

writing machine

It's 9 a.m. tsk tsk very very far from the norm of the hours that I'm up and moving; thanks for vacations such as these-- soul saving. While I'm writing, we have the Rent songs playing over and over-- particularly, Seasons of Love. I love love the lyrics of the song. Now to the inevitable, despite all the bleakness the year 2007 has successfully dispersed down to the final days, there is the challenge to keep swimming and keep our heads up. No, humanity isn't drowning. And there are ways. There are ways that we can still make little pockets of heaven. I guess we owe it to ourselves-- that much of an effort to not just let things go. Yes, there are things that worry me, it seems with all the environmental, socio-political, and economic woes our generation is facing. . . there really isn't much left save for the heightened intellectual awareness and the assertion for expression and creativity that we are left with. There is also a return to the Eastern wisdom---- perhaps, it's about just that time! To that, I give a toast to life.

There are reasons why

More than an excuse that I am back from a hiatus, I'd rather like to say that I am back from an interruption. So yes, obviously, I'm back from a six month absence. Again, because I'm finally on Christmas break and yes, I'd like to make this break count. Reemerge, reemerge, reemerge. So here are my thoughts: For the past six months or so it has come to my understanding that there is indeed no excuse for us human beings to be out of the line of responsibility for our own welfare and for the whole world, at least for our own immediate surroundings. AT this point I'm just thinking about the trash I put out-- did I segregate it good enough? I'm not writing to be coherent here. The good thing about blogging is that regardless of the fact that nobody reads your blogs because there are millions of other blogs that people would rather spend their time on--I am challenged to write more and write more, at a standard that is more demanding than a written journal-- and yet, knowing that I must account for honesty in what I write. Who reads this anyway? So there. Going back to the topic on responsibility-- I am trying to fully inculcate the understanding that I have to live my best life possible-- given the understandings that have come across my way. Recently, I have been guided by some motivation from again, The Secret, a morning session with Eve (of Eve's garden), Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth", a show on the BBC, The Happiness Formula, Benazir Bhutto's assassination, my profession, my studies, and a continued endeavor to work on my spirituality. It's true. I'm not afraid to talk about this. It's about time. And though, on the onset, not much of these manifest in a more productive, concrete way, I'm working on it. . . And yes, I know it's all a matter of personal conviction really. Ugh, okay okay, I'm going to say it!!!!!!!!!!!! Utter frustration! Is it because I've allowed myself to be too complacent with other irrelevant things that I have allowed to accomplish little. Yet, it's a personal judgment. Maybe I'm too harsh (work on the positive, work on the positive). At this point now I'm thinking, am I too self-absorbed? Well, immediately, here's the premise I'm working on: WHEN WE CHANGE, THE WORLD CHANGES. And yes, I'm pretty sure about this. In fact, I've been posting vigil on the BBC channel and bbc.com, and oh my goodness, there is so much to learn, so much to be, and so much to do. I hope it's not too late-- with all the roles and responsibilities, I must make a way to do whatever it is I need to do. There are reasons why I've lost touch for six months. I know the reasons. And those reasons won't ever interfere again. We are well informed. There is no excuse anymore, and that is scary.

Make time for this! See you guys at Araneta

essie Tomas, Boy Abunda, Ricky Davao and Timmy Cruz are the celebrity hosts of “Time and Transformation,” a unique entertainment/ experiential program set at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City, on Monday, June 18. Gates open at 6 p.m. and show time is at 7 p.m. Through song, dance and snappy video exchanges among prominent personalities of values-based vignettes, “Time and Transformation” will illustrate that changing for the better is as easy—often even enjoyable—as it is urgent. Floy Quintos directs the groundbreaking musical presentation, which will feature dance guru Douglas Nierras, with guests Joey Ayala and Grace Nono. The Charity First Mime Artists and Apostolic Catholic Church Choir will present special numbers. A very distinguished guest is Hirdaya Mohini, one of three administrative heads of the Brahma Kumaris, the international organization mounting the event to celebrate 70 years of global service (25 in the Philippines). Known around the world as Dadi Gulzar (“Bouquet of Flowers,” although her real name means “The One Who Attracts People’s Hearts”), the well-loved international lecturer and spiritual leader is expected to address a 10,000 capacity crowd at the Big Dome. “Time and Transformation” is a free concert and everyone is invited. For inquiries, please call tel. nos. 890-7960 (Rose Uy) and/or 922-9231 (Vicky Mandap.) Or visit www.bk-tnt.blogspot.com

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