Another tantalization from Youtube

Earwax naman



Cringe!

2012 Cut Price Book Sale Loot

Fates Worse than Death by Vonnegut
During college and first year at work (the first year i began to afford more expensive books on my own), Salman Rushdie, Philip Roth, and Kurt Vonnegut were my triumvirate of favorite writers. In Vonnegut's case, it started when I was able to borrow a tattered copy (with some borrower's uncalled for doodles and comments!) of Cat's Cradle from UP Main Lib. Since then, Ive read Slaughterhouse, Hocus Pocus, Timequake, Breakfast of Champs, Slapstick, most of Welcome to the Monkey House (Reminds me of Tobias Wolff's declaration that it is very hard to find a perfect novel; there's greater chance of success in hunting for a perfect short story. Harrison Bergeron, in this collection, is a perfect short story). It's only now that Ive realized, outside the scattered articles and speeches that Ive browsed through (including that brilliant commencement speech wrongly attributed to him), that this is my first time to read a nonfiction by him. I'll be able to finish this for sure.

The Sense of an Ending
Ive tried Barnes once in a New Yorker collection of love stories. That one is not the best in the collection, but the story has the sense of masterly control (you know some things are intentionally pruned and left out for the reader to fill-in and be gratified in filling-in) and overall well-craftedness. Then Ive read accolades for this book last year. Immediately grabbed it when i saw the 70%-off sticker on the shrink-wrapped copy.

How I Became a Famous Novelist
On our way to work Im always listening to Freshair Podcast interviews. In one old episode, Hely, a writer for the Simpsons and Late Show with Davem was promoting this book. The plot seemed funny enough, and the writer was bursting enough in natural funniness during his interview, so after seeing it in the marked-down bin. I grabbed this one without hesitation.

Luka and the Fire of Life
Ah, Salman Rushdie. First read Satanic Verses (because of the controversy during the 90's, my copy then has to be shipped from London), then Moor's Last Sigh, and then Ground Beneath her Feet. All three are brilliant. I bought Shalimar and Enchantress of Florence, but these two just yellowed in my shelves because of other books that bumped them out. But I'll finish this shorter offering for sure. Rushdie knows how to write beautiful sentences. But the key is: you know they are not just there artificially to beautify but to support the emotions and rhythm on the page. Prose is like music when woven by Salman.

Too Big to Fail
I enjoyed Michael Lewis's Big Short and Liar's Game, and the discount on this one is big enough. I hope to finish some chapters at least. Or if I really get that chance to do my MBA, I should finish the whole thing.

Secrets of Power Negotiating
By the foremost pioneer of Negotiation studies. This is for work, and I reimbursed its cost.

Our Kind of Traitor
John leCarre is the best in the genre he revolves in bar none. Since Our Game, Ive read Tailor of Panama, Constant Gardener, Absolute Friends, Our Kind of Traitor. All are good, fast reading. But the last three, I dont like how the endings are rushed and seem brutalized. But I'll also finish this one for sure.

Discovering Ancient Egypt
A sort of toy pull-out book for Raya, which she discarded promptly

All are 70%-off, except the two business books which was at minus-50%. I like how National really have stocks of 70%-off books when they hold a sale, unlike SM where when they say "70% on selected items," it usually means "10 pcs of  keychains or 5 dirty underwears placed in one small bin inside a decrepit department store marked 70% off. The rest are 5-10% off."

Cemetery. More fun in the Philippines

Michael Phelps, more fun in the Philippines

I dont know which one is better, or which one is passable. 

Could have also called it Speedo... more fun in the Phillippines?

Best New Yorker article so far this year...

The best article/profile this year, at least among those that Ive read :-)

Fantastic discussion on the struggle to make the movie, the nitty gritty before the greenlight, and Larry and Lana Wachowski. See also how the author, Aleksandar Hemon, when referring to Larry/Lana changed from He to She somewhere in the middle. Masterful writing. I should read one short of Hemon.

Will also watch Cloud Atlas on first showing.

And attempt to finish the book before October.

More fun in the Philippines

About time we join this worthwhile campaign...

Favoritest favorite.

Woody Allen Works Hard

Woody Allen's win in the most recent Oscars was the highlight of that ceremony, if only to recognize his amazing, productive output year on year.  

And it's a good coincidence that during a travel to China, I got my hands on this WOODY ALLEN COLLEDVDCTION: 

The collection is only up to Scoop (2006). There are six Allen Konigsberg movies since, but i still did not hesitate to grab the box and get the chance to finally see Manhattan, Hannah and Her Sisters, Sweet and Lowdown, Husbands and Wives, and other top-rated Allen movies at IMDB, but whose DVD copies can not be easily found in the local market.

Bought this for the equivalent of 30 PhP each DVD. Cant over-explain the value. The cases can be neatly placed beside my books, inside my already sagging shelves.

The Top 9 of what Ive watched so far.

Not in the collection, but should be included in the best of: Whatever Works, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Midnight in Paris.

I have watched only about 30% of his opuses, so I should have more to add to this list for sure.

The complete list of what's include in this 'America Clerisy' Woody Allen collection.

By this time, Allen already have that trademark un-naturally twisting dialogue, comedy based on neurotic characters, simple moving plots, that not everyone will like. But no one can deny the smart feel of each one. I can not believe the output of this guy. How does he write? What's his motivation in still cranking out movies every year, without fail? When he wakes up in the morning, is he asking himself--is there any thing more left to prove?

Here's an interesting interview with one neurotic and one suicidal.

All that oil should have been recycled

There's not too many visuals that make cringe nowadays. 



This one breaks me.

It's the national bookstore cut price book sale (great with or without the dominoes)

Saw this 5 days ago, 

Again i remembered that commercial with falling dominoes in it (They should bring back that commercial. Just show the old footage, if there's a need to save on production costs.).

And then Gener brought down the billboard.

But then it's still on, just for two weeks.

Great decision by National to retain 'Cut-price' catchphrase, and then the logo. Yeah, just show that commercial with the scissors cutting a thread, and then the dominoes start falling, falling, falling, hypnotizing,...