Quintet 1: Music to my ears

Quintet is a monthly music review of any five songs I happen to come across/stumble upon, or were recommended, any how, any time. Suggestions from readers are most welcome because music deserves to be shared. Let me be your convert or critic.


Jo Ann's Life Essentials:

1. Glasses

2. Good book to read

3. Money

4. Hanky

5. Skyflakes and Gatorade (grape)

6. Earphones

7. Doublemints

8. Hair brush

and so on...

I call this list "Life essentials" because, basically, without these things (and a few more unlisted things) I wouldn't be able to live life or even move through life. My glasses and books make me see the world clearly--literally and figuratively; money gives me the opportunity to enjoy the simple and even extravagant joys of life; my hanky keeps my tears, sweat and other stuff in check; Skyflakes and Gatorade, my hairbrush and Doublemints keep my stomach, hair and breath and  in check, respectively.

As for my earphones... they serve a bigger, greater purpose other than signalling people who try to talk to me to step back because I'm busy or can't hear them... my earphones keep my sanity in check. Music has always been, and will always be, a personal interest and stress reliever. Often times, people would see me around work or Malcolm Hall wearing earphones (unless of course I'm talking to someone). I do this to zone the noise out. Noise that is both auditory and metaphorical. 

This week, I have spent my early mornings (well, most of the day, actually) listening to music recommended by family and friends.

Sunday - Man in the Mirror (cover)

Monday - Be There by Howie Day

Tuesday - Chasing Pavements by Adele

Wednesday - I Know Places by Lykke Li

Thursday - Ashes and Wine by A Fine Frenzy

Although I'm familiar with A Fine Frenzy and Howie Day, I Know Places and Be There are welcome additions to my playlist. Coincidentally, they both talk (or sing?) about travel (literal and figurative); choosing between staying and going. 

Listening to Chasing Pavements remind me of the "emo" days of high school, and the 'young and stupid yet happy' days of undergrad. I listen to it with a familiar wistfulness--a kind of wistfulness that is healthy to make yourself feel once in while but if abused may cause frustration. It is very timely for me to listen to it now when I'm thinking of giving up or keeping chasing pavements...the pavements of Malcolm.

Likewise, the cover of Man in the  Mirror by an unknown artist reminds me of the videoke, carefree days with undergrad block mates. I remember the Michael Jackson "phase" I had. I listened to Michael Jackson songs and nothing else. Moreover, it reminds me of the death (and the life) of the legend. 

Ashes and Wine, recommended by my elder sister, is, hands down, My Depressing  Song of the Week. Rebecca Black's Friday is a close second. 

To conclude, I was told by a teacher-blockmate that I am an auditory learner. I learn by listening to things or reciting things over and over again. Does this mean I have to forego listening to music next week, which is my 'Final Exams' week, and switch to listening to codals etc.? Perfect.

  

The clock is ticking; Go.

Is it just me or is the world running out of time?

The India Fund

Order to Self No. 1

An order creating the India (or Any Southeast Asian Country) Fund, and other purposes thereof

A photo of the Taj Mahal from http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ie/bgn/3454.htm

Whereas, being a graduate of BA Social Sciences (Area Studies) which deals with History, Politics and Culture of Southeast Asian countries (and some European and West Asian countries as well), I have learned to love travelling;

Whereas, this love for travelling has become more than an interest but a passion--a shared passion with my undergrad blockmates and friends;

Whereas, these blockmates and friends, who I refer to as The Coolest People on Earth, have traveled with me to Ilocos, Sagada, Batanes, Nueva Ecija, Cavite, Cebu and Bohol;

Whereas, despite graduation, different work and school schedules, we still share the same passion, the same love, for travelling;

Whereas, we, as a group, have committed to taking many more trips together as soon as possible, and we have decided on going out of the country;

Whereas, since we have become part of the employed class, we have to fund our trips ourselves;

Whereas, I have prepared to undertake the first step towards the goal of travelling, which is getting a passport, I now focus on the next immediate task at hand which is planning where to get the funds;

Whereas, in this light, I am creating, for my own benefit, the India (or Any Southeast Asian Country) Fund. This Fund will be used mainly for my expenses in travelling to India (or Any Southeast Asian Country) by the third or fourth quarter of this year, 2011;

Whereas, to ensure compliance to this Order, I am enjoined to publish updates regarding the implementation of this Order;

Whereas, I am hereby compelling myself to save every peso I can, take the least (if not, none) taxi rides, eat less (expensive) meals, spend less on books etc, and basically, practice other austerity measures as much as the situation permits me. Obtaining other financial resources is also encouraged.

This will take effectively upon publication in this blog site.




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Floating

Time does not cure anything. Simply, it is a cloak that deceives us. It is a placebo that leads us to think, to believe, to feel that we are well, when in fact we are anything but. We think time has helped us be better, grow better. But no, time is a magician, an illusionist. When time itself reveals to us--transports us back in time whilst staying and being in the present--that we have not changed an inch, an iota; we weep, we grieve for "all the time lost".

Time and again (pun definitely intended) we are faced by the harsh reality of the present and the indifference and impossibility of the past...and the uncertainty and wickedness of the future. We are stuck, floating floating and floating between the waves of past, present and future. Getting a whiff, sip, and taste of the past, present and future but not committing entirely to one. We give each--the past, present and future--a taste, a glimpse, a whiff of our whole being. A version of us. Little truths that if taken alone mean nothing, but if collected will mean a lot. We are afraid to choose one, for in choosing we not only opt to give our whole self but we gamble, we risk. We give up the familiarity we gained from floating from one to the other for something uncertain but promises to be something better.

Will we let these promises lure us into stopping and come down from our joyous, relaxed and comfortable floating? Or will we be firm in maintaining that floating is best thing for us, that we have once in our life stopped floating but it almost caused us not to be able to fly again?

We are unstoppable forces floating from the past, present and future waiting to encounter our own immovable objects to stop our fancy flight and make us realize that 'hey, floating is not the best/only thing we can do.'



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Why I Think Ted WILL and SHOULD Meet The Mother Soon

Robin, Lily, Ted and Barney helped Marshall deal with the death of his father
("Last Words" How I Met Your Mother)

WILL
2030 - Ted tells children that the story of how he met their mother; the boy, Luke appears to be thirteen years old and Leia appears to be fifteen.

2021 -  Ted tells Wendy the Waitress that he has two kids and is married to a wonderful woman. ("Garbage Island").

2015 - Since the first born, Leia, seems to be fifteen in 2030, it is logical to assume she is born this year. Knowing how Ted is so ready to be a father, it is safe to assume that he and the Mother only waited a year to have kids, and were married in...

2014 - Knowing Ted and judging by his past relationships, it is safe to assume that they would be together for two years before tying the knot, which means by...

2012 - Ted and the Mother become a couple, and judging by how Ted wins women over with great romantic gestures, he will meet the Mother in...

late 2011 or early 2012. 

SHOULD
Aside from the above argument being chronologically sound, I add another argument that Ted should meet the Mother soon, for the simple reason that... if the show is stretched beyond season seven, it will take its toll on the story. The plot will suffer because of the desire to lengthen the show, and milk it for what it's worth. As of now, critics are saying that the show has gone past its prime (season two being the best, they say), and is going farther and farther from the central plot (a father telling his kids how he met their mother). Although the show's concept (backward narration) is new and original, this is also the show's greatest limitation. While making the story and script, the writers have to take in mind:

1. What has been already said, to keep the continuity going

2. What this will all lead to. Ted meets the Mother in a manner that solidifies what has been said not only about Ted but also about his friends as well.

3. That in developing Ted's character, his friends' characters have to grow as well. That in creating a fitting ending for Ted's story they have to create an end--actual or constructive--for the other characters as well. 

The season could end now, while it's on its sixth, but since the other characters' stories have to be ended as well, so as to make a 'full story', I believe it will and should end in Season 7 with Barney and Robin's wedding (or and I believe this is a remote possibility, Robin's wedding to some other guy, or Barney's wedding to some other girl).