Because it’s a FIELD!

Listening to: “Dead Things” by Philip Glass (The Hours OST)

Have you ever felt as though your brain insists upon running on multiple tracks, all at once?

On one hand, I am into “Twisted 8” by Jessica Zafra (have read the first three or four articles – this woman never fails to amuse/amaze me); while watching “American Gangster” (Denzel Washington; Russell Crowe) – finished about 1/4 of the film.

And also re-watching “Life” (a rather excellent J-drama, it takes one deep into the “darker side” of high school life – a dash of rape, self-mutilation, abusive/indifferent parents, uncaring teachers, class hierarchy and bullying) and for people who at one time or another, have been “targets” of bullying – like yours truly, believe it or not – it was something of a trip to the memory lane (Freddy Kruger Edition). Although most of what “Ayumu-chan” (the main protagonist) had to go through never happened to me (like being beaten with a mop, while inside the girls bathroom; or having her seat thrown out of the window!); I think the most poisonous of these “bullying tactics” were the “spread of nasty rumors” about one’s person (“have you heard? he/she…blah, blah,blah?”) Need I say more? But the good thing is, instead of taking “revenge” on the main perpetrator, Ayumu (and friends – Miki Hatori and Yuki Sonoda) decide to fight the act of bullying itself.

Went to the Mall of Asia yesterday, almost everything was ON SALE at National. I got “Jarhead” by Anthony Swafford (“a Marine’s chronicle of the Gulf war and other battles”) for P97.00 and “Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag” by Edgardo M. Reyes for only P148.00 (I’m sure you still remember that Bembol Rocco/Hilda Koronel film). Reading snippets from “The Little Friend” by Donna Tartt (part murder-mystery, part family saga) as well, I got this one at a magazine stand from where I work. The pile of books beside my PC is steadily increasing, I might have to take some of them back home (where my trusty book shelf awaits, I’m not sure if there’s still space though..aargh!) And I’m not even done with “Hannibal Rising” yet, and not a page on “Dark Tower V: The Wolves of Calla”.

I also visited my mother’s friend who’s staying at the Manila Penn. She was at the 9th floor I think. The deserted, carpeted corridors, lamp lights and wooden doors, made me think of the Stanley Kubrick film, “The Shining”. I keep having visions of Jack Nicholson (with the bloody ax, no less) suddenly lunging at me from one of the closed doors – deranged smile and all. “It’s time for your medicine!”

Her room’s near the glowing neon-red sign, Fire Exit; which added to the spooky atmosphere and much later we had a “ghostly-door bell” incident (open the door and there’s nobody there!) But of course, the experience wasn’t all bad. I had a chance to sit at the balcony, listening to the jazz band while reading – and pretending I’m standing alone on some far away beach, endless and eternal; nothing but the blessed sound of the waves as they hit the sand – for about an hour or so (back to reality after which). Too bad I had to leave early, because the “mini-orchestra” starts to perform at about 7:00 -10:00 in the evening.

Lastly, I took a good look at my apartment room today, something I haven’t done in about 2 months; and concluded that it would be a “mess” from “a certain point of view”. Aside from book piles, there are also several boxes and bags (some of which I have absolutely no idea as to what the contents are), pencil cases (I think I should by a desk organizer or something), my “art case”, wooden models (one, which is a fairly accurate imitation of the human skeletal system – nicknamed “Adam” and another called “Steg” which is short for stegosaurus – I’m a sucker for wooden models obviously, I’m thinking of getting the “Galleon” ship model, but where else to put it???), several CDs/DVDs (I suspect more can be found under the table – better have a second look), some newspapers and several magazines that I no longer remember buying. Yes, IT IS a mess, but I’m comfortable that way (I’d be ballistic if anyone tried to “tidy” up – my brother threw a fit for days because my mother attempted to clean his room, and in the process he lost several drawing studies and “manuscripts” – my mother thought they were just incoherent jumble of words. haha).

Finished watching “Stardust” (always wanted to see it, but I can’t find any decent copies, until now). Love the Neil Gaiman book? love the movie (oh and on a related subject, my cousin who works at FullyBooked, told my mother that Neil Gaiman did a book signing at the Green Hills outlet just a few months ago…waah, if only I’d heard about it sooner!) Excellent soundtrack too, especially “Rule the World” by Take That. Catchy tune.

Guard: I’m charged with guarding the portal to another world. And you’re asking me to just let you through?

Dunstan Thorn: Yes. Because, let’s be honest, it’s a field. Look, do you see another world out there? No. You see a field. Do you see anything nonhuman? No. You know why? Because it’s a field!

Well, don’t mind me. I feel rather “muddled” today, as though I’m a zombie. I think I need sleep, but every time I try to, I get all sorts of bizarre dreams (the only time it is possible for me to have a dreamless sleep is when I’m extremely exhausted – like after that little mountain climbing “disaster” when I was in high school – we were stuck in a rapidly flooding river at 10:00 in the evening and had to be rescued, thanks to bad luck and bad coordination.)