"The child destined to be a writer is vulnerable to every wind that blows. Now warm, now chill, next joyous, then despairing, the essence of his nature is to escape the atmosphere about him, no matter how stable, even loving. No ties, no binding chains, save those he forges for himself. Or so he thinks. But escape can be delusion, and what he is running from is not the enclosing world and its inhabitants, but his own inadequate self that fears to meet the demands which life makes upon it. Therefore create. Act God. Fashion men and women as Prometheus fashioned them from clay, and, by doing this, work out the unconscious strife within and be reconciled. While in others, imbued with a desire to mold, to instruct, to spread a message that will inspire the reader and so change his world, though the motive may be humane and even noble—many great works have done just this—the source is the same dissatisfaction, a yearning to escape."

interview faux pas pt.11

bichipichi:

Interviewer: Could you tell me something about yourself?

Applicant: I would describe myself as adventurous.

I: Can you tell me what was the most recent adventurous thing that you’ve done?

A: I rode the zipline.

I: What is a zipline? Can you describe it please?

A: A zipline is where you take a rope and hang yourself.

don’t hire him/her. s/he’s suicidal! haha

i’m on my nerves’ end

there really is nothing to say here. it’s like i’m pregnant and am waiting for my kid to crown. yeah, well i havent given birth yet. and that’s exactly what i feel right now: apprehension for the known unknown (or is it the unknown known). it’s scaring all the worms in my tummy. Oh Divine Providence, make all things be in my friends’ and in my favor. I would be forever grateful =)  and i promise to be more helpful and compassionate.

circa 1989

My brother, when he was only 6 years old, came back from school after a tedious day learning the evolution of man.  Kids, being kids, need to have examples to grasp new concepts.  He ran to my grandmother who was then preparing our midday snacks, and tugged on her sleeve.

“Grandma, are you primitive?”

Grandma, being an educator, understood the little guy and smiled at him. =)

on how i learned to type

like any summer day for would-be fifth graders, the days are long and boring, and the nights are more boring.

i forgot exactly how it happened, but i found myself getting my fingers tangled in the keys of an underwood. it was gramp’s idea, really.  Nah, he wasn’t the despotic granfather type. i did his usual persuasive argument(not verbatim): not learning to type will kill you.  when i was in the war, i was not killed because i knew how to type in the dark. i typed ciphers for the americans. i was in a small hole in the earth so one could see me.  that is how i saved my self from getting killed.  you have to learn how to type in the dark. you never know when World War III will come.  you have to prepare yourself.

looking back, i still wonder how i gave in to learning how to type.

mom never learned how to type. she said she didn’t have to. she knew she’d have secretaries to do that for her. gramps said that was not wise of her to say. there are certain communications that should not be disclosed to one’s secretaries.

so there i was, typing THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPS OVER THE LAZY DOG.

after a million of that, i graduated to gramp’s word processor. he made me type one of his motions. yup, at that age, i knew what a motion was.  i’m not sure if he actually used my motion though.

a frigid woman’s guide on how not to pose

here are the classic poses:

1) wacky class picture - we all know how this happens. in the flurry of drinks and happy conversations, the designated photographer shouts “picture!picture!” and everyone in the room huddles in front of the camera. one has to choose whether he should squat on the floor, sit on the chair(if there are any), stand behind the person siting on the chair, crane his neck to at least have his head in, or do the jazz hands and boast of still being in the frame;

2) the “mister pogi” - this one’s common in individual photos. subject frames his face with this thumb an his pointer;

3) the emaciated arm pose- usually done in the comforts of one’s bedroom, or when there’s no one to take the photo for you.  there’s no choice but to extend one’s arm and press the button;

4) the firing squad huddle- happens when people who aren’t exactly the best of friends are forced to have their picture taken. they form a line and face the camera. this way they don’t have to see each other’s smiles.

5) peace everywhere- the popular v-sign when people run out of poses, or they’re just too uncreative to think of any; and

6) robin padilla’s clone- one where the photo’s subject sports a banana and pretends to take a drag.