Saturday, July 13, 2002
Joyce Carol Oates' Bellefleur. I bought this book about a year ago and I've never gone past chapter one. Don't get me wrong. I like what I've read so far. I think the book shows a lot of promise.I think what turns me off from reading it to the end is the very dark and heavy mood that permeates the plot, the characters, everything. I'm sure I'll get to read it eventually.
I bought it from the Book Sale branch in Araneta Center, Cubao. I was on my way home with a classmate, my co-neophyte. We had just come home then from a meeting with our sorority mistress. I was feeling a bit down because I didn't do well during this test. So I got the best cure I knew--I bought a book.
Herman Melville's Moby Dick. I fancied myself to be on the verge of a classics phase so I went and bought this book to "launch" this new episode in my book reading. Unfortunately, the phase never got launched as I never went passed the first three chapters. What went wrong with this one? I think I just got tired of reading it. I was so serious about appreciating what a great book it was that I was reading it with a marker on hand, ready to highlight the quotes I deemed important. Here's one: "No man prefers to sleep two to a bed. In fact, you would a good deal rather not sleep with your own brother. I don't know how it is, but people like to be private when they're sleeping." And here's something else that I really like: "I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote." This probably explains the half-assed stalking, but I digress.
Lisa Jewel's Ralph's Party. I bought this book from Jasper, the book guy I met through a website. Lisa Jewel is supposed to be big in the UK because hip new Brit lit ala Bridget Jones is supposed to be big in the UK. I first came across her name in the "also recommended" section in Amazon. I staked out Powerbooks for a few months but I guess they didn't see fit to sell the book. Imagine my relief when I heard that Jasper had it.The copy I have has this "underground, not-for-sale" feel to it. In fact, it says out fron that it's an "advanced uncorrected proof". This explains the typos I've seen in several pages.
D.H. Lawrence's Women in Love. I bought this book because people were always saying how good DH Lawrence was and that this was his best work. I thought if I'm going to read him for the first time, I might as well get his best. The verdict? I didn't like DH Lawrence at all. I think his characters are so full of self-conscious bullshit, like this Dawson Leary character on tv. I thought the book smacked of too much pompousity. Of course, this could also mean that I didn't understand the book at all.
That's about it for now. I fear my ISP will get cranky anytime now. More about books later.
Friday, July 12, 2002
I get the fact that she's not really a nice person and that she's not the least bit inclined to appear as one. What I just don't get is why she (purposely?) continues to alienate the people. I'm not really concerned about Guingona getting kicked out of the Foreign Affairs post. He's ancient, for goodness sake! Neither am I concerned about the politicians that she's cutting down to size. What I'm alarmed about is that she seems intent to piss off even the general population. How can she get popular support for the government's projects? More importantly (for her), who vote for her when she runs again in 2004?
It's great to have a kick-ass, ball-busting woman president--Cory Aquino was such a wimp. However, there is a limit to how many asses you can kick, without having your own ass licked.
Thursday, July 11, 2002
1. Whatever happens, don't be absent. I was absent in last Saturday's class so I had no idea what they had or hadn't taken up. A classmate informed me the assigned readings but she forgot (on purpose?) to mention that some of the readings haven't been discussed yet. Of course, I got called on to recite the one thing I didn't read.
2. Never trust your classmates. Or at least don't take everything they tell you at face value. Fuckwits are everywhere, even (especially?) in the College of Law.
3. Never watch tv the night before your Consti class. Yes, even if it's the episode where Dr. Mark Green says goodbye to the ER forever. Your dignity is more important than a tv show.
4. If you haven't finished reading everything, don't sleep. A corrollary resolution would be, "don't study in bed." You haven't got enough will power to fight sleep.
5. Find a better seatmate. Preferably one who has her notes all over the table. And don't ever seat beside the one who always doesn't get to answer. (It's something akin to not standing beside the fire. I think there's a saying that goes that way. I just can't remember what it is.)
Tuesday, July 09, 2002
I haven't been able to do the laundry. I'm wearing jeans today at work. I was asked by a co-worker earlier why I was in jeans and I told her that if she wanted me to dress up, maybe she should come to my laundry. He he he... I know, I'm such a nasty person.
I'm not feeling up for work though. I miss my bed. The cold air makes real good bed weather. Reminds me of the 10,000 Maniacs song, Like The Weather. I get a shiver in my bones just thinking about the weather.
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