The Pen…

I’ve always been a frustrated writer.

Song writer, novelist, screenwriter… name it, I’ve tried it. The songwriting part, I have something to show for. The screenwrting part, maybe I’ve got a scene or two. Novel? Eh… maybe I should try short stories first.

Maybe I’d post them here. *shrugs*

Oh, and an interesting bit… Me and a couple of officemates are going to be attending a business writing workshop in a few weeks. Now, business writing is a far cry from creative writing, but I suppose the foundations are the same. I could probably learn a thing or two from that…

Discoveries

See, this is one of the reasons why I watch Rockstar: Supernova, American Idol, and similar shows. Not really for the contestants; that’s secondary. I watch it for the music.

Anyone who knows me fairly well - or even a bit - knows that I’m a music junkie. And these show just fan the flame, so to speak. Simply another way to discover new music. Honestly, I prefer Rockstar: Supernova over AI since I’m a rock person by nature.

From last season’s AI, I can name only two songs that really stuck to me: “You Send Me” (a Sam Cooke original, which was performed by Taylor Hicks) and “A Song For You” (a Donnie Hathaway original, which was performed by the person who should’ve been American Idol - Elliot Yamin)

As of now, three weeks into Rockstar:Supernova,  I’ve already discovered a handful of songs that are really really great! On top of the list is “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane. I liked the song so much that I listened to the entire album where it was on (Surrealistic Pillow, 1967). Another one of the songs in there, “Somebody To Love”, was also performed in the show already, so hitting two birds with one stone na yun.

And here’s what I love the most about it! For FRIENDS fanatics, here’s a bit of trivia: Track #9 on that album Surrealistic Pillow by Jefferson Airplane is entitled “Embryonic Journey” - It’s the track that was used on the last scene, of the last episode, of the last season of Friends I was listening to it, tapos natunugan ko that it was familar… then it hit me that that was it!

Then aside from Jefferson Airplane, there are songs by The Black Crowes, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Billy Joel, and the list will go on and on as the show progresses. I do hope they stop it with overdoing Nirvana and Rolling Stones songs…

Miss Japan was Robbed!

Miss Japan (1st runner up) [wow]:

Miss Puerto Rico (miss universe 2006) [eh?]:

Let the pictures speak for themselves. ‘Nuff said.

The Master of Suspense

Hitchcock. The mere mention of the name would evoke the sound of screeching violins… hundreds of black crowes flying madly in the sky… a knife coming down on soft flesh… just sheer suspense.

I’ve been taking to old films lately, circa 1940s-1970s and a good number of the films I’ve been watching were those directed by the late great master of thrill and suspense - Alfred Hitchcock.

Actually konti palang napapanood ko: The Man Who Knew Too Much, Spellbound, Psycho and The Birds, and save for the last one (although maybe we shouldn’t count that because I watched it in fragments) I loved every film! I wouldn’t go as far to say yet that I also think the man is a genius, but his movies are definately very engaging watches.

Sayang nga lang, hinahanap ko pa yung Vertigo tsaka Rear Window… and it’s frustrating na wala ako mahanap anywhere! *cough* dibidi *cough* dibidi *cough*

It’s the Pictures that got Small

“I still am Big! It’s the pictures that got small!”

    Simple words on a screen is nothing compared to Gloria Swanson’s delivery (as Norma Desmond) of that iconic line in 1950’s “Sunset Boulevard”. But since I don’t exactly have the resource to show Ms.Swanson, words on a screen will have to do.

    Isn’t in amusing that most of the “bests” come from the golden yesteryears? Ask film afficionados what the greatest films ever were and they would say “Citizen Kane”, “Casablanca”, “The Godfather”. Ask music buffs what the greates albums of all time are and on top of the heap you’d find Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue”, Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon” as well as a handful of Bob Dylan and Beatles albums - some could even argue to go as far back as to Mozart and Beethoven. If we look at art, we’d also go back to Picasso and Da Vinci. Best books of all time? There are those by Dickens, Shakespeare and Orwell.

    So why does it seem that nothing that anyone does in our time can match-up to those that came before us? You would think that with all the advancements in technology and the progression of human knowledge, things would be exponentially better. Ironically (and as we take a cue from Norma Desmond), the “pictures” in our time have gotten small. What have we lost that all the advancements in knowledge and technology can’t replace?

    I have no answers. I’m just rambling.