Subtle Knife: Twilighty

http://www.wordle.net/


The Subtle Knife: Twilighty

X: X is done reading twilight series..now reading Midnight Sun(Twilight but in Edward's perspective).

Y: Good grief!

X: what do you mean exactly?

Y: "Good grief" is part of a famous line from Peanuts/Charlie Brown. It expresses amazement and a head nod simultaneously. Interesting how you can learn a lot about how she writes through her draft. Despite its amazing pull, I am not happy with her explanation for why Vampires do not like sunlight. Shining like diamonds? Good grief.

X: ah ok...well its amazing story though on how she make it up to the point that Vampires can be "vegetarian" in a way they dont kill people but hunt wild animals instead for their food.she even showed different types of vampires if you read the whole series..

Y: I don't buy the 'special gifts' part per vampire. Been there done that.

Z: I was done reading midnight sun. it's fiction. it doesn't really have to mean that vampires, strictly, should be what we've perceived them before. the author can write what she wants in the story. the uniqueness of Meyer's vampires aroused interest / curiosity. :)

Y: Z, VAMPIRES are not fiction.

X: c'mon Y, there's no need for a war in here..we're just stating our points of view..and you dont have to put my last name..that would be disrespectful for me..i have my first name in case you forgot..and you dont have to start war in my page..if you want Twilighty war as you say do it with other pages..this pisses me off..if you dont like the book or what's going on in there, keep it to yourself..thanks :)

Z: oh, ok. trip.

Y: X (eh I like the sound of your last name): I read the whole series in a sitting to find out why it's doing so well, just to be sure, as my 8 year old son may read it. I now get it's massive appeal to young women. It reads fast doesn't it? I applaud her for her deliberate rebooting of Vampire lore much in the same way Rice consolidated her Vampire mythology. What concerns me is the triteness of some of her points. I don't like the we shine because we're carnivorous flowers bit as well as the we carry over gifts from when we were alive bit.

The Twilighty war bit was a joke. In fact, I want to hear what you liked about the series. What impressed me to be honest was how well she created the sense of overwhelming romance between the main characters. I wonder if it will translate well onto screen though, Dakota Fanning as one of the Volturi will be very interesting.

Z: ok, tinanggal at in-edit na. LOL.

X: ok..you know i really dont like wars..anyway Dakota will plan Jane in New Moon..i just dont know how will she portray it or if it wil suit her...btw, if you like the sound of my last name just keep it to yourself..hehe thanks :D

Y: Wait a minute the whole series is about a war. A war that has been raging since Underworld and other movies immemorial.

Makes you wonder once you've finished reading the draft, which one you would recommend to new readers. Midnight Sun first or Twilight first. What do you think X? Z?

Yes we have the power to edit. Editing is important. That's why reading the Stephanie Meyer's actual draft was cool, complete with grammatical errors and misspelled words.

It would be great to cut it here, but some people...

Z: Twilight first...

Y: Not "Interview With A Vampire?"

Z: You didn't put it in the option. =P

X: i mean war like arguments, misunderstanding that led into a fight...anyways...twilight

is in bella's perspective, midnight sun is in edward's perspective..but i would recommend twilight first since bella is the focus character in the book..

Y: And war, war is stupid, and people are stupid, and love means nothing in some strange quarters.

Twilight then. I think the producers are going to have a great time defending the actor they casted for Jacob Black considering his character development in "Eclipse" and "Breaking Dawn."

You always have an option. So. Werewolf or Vampire? Who wins?

And on the same day...

U: I hate traitorss!!!

V: Same, even backstabbers!!!

W: I dislike "Twilight!"

---
Humor can be a dangerous thing.

Fails

Remember not to walk around with toothpaste stains on your shirt. Not a good way to start your day.

I Felt

I bid you to dream
Near places through far
The little smiles of longing
And the language of the heart

Found scribbled on the back of a used blue book, 23JAN2002

Personality Test Center: Stress Test

How well can you handle stress? Original here.

Stress Pictures

These pictures are used to test the level of stress a person can handle.The slower the pictures move, the better your ability of handling stress. Alleged criminals see them spinning around madly while seniors and kids see them still.

Check your level of stress...

Personality Test Center: Handwriting

Have you ever paid attention to your handwriting?
You can view the original here.

Handwriting analysis

Here's a test to see what your handwriting says about you. To take this test, please write the following paragraph as you normally would, and keep the paper in front of you so that you can answer the questions.

1. How would you say your letters slope?
Backward?
Straight up and down?
Forward?

2. Are the letters in your words
Fully connected, with clear breaks between the words?
Partially connected, depending on the letters?
Unconnected, like printing?

3. Between words, do you leave
Wide spaces?
Narrow spaces?
No spaces - words are connected, pen doesn't leave paper?

4. How close together are your lines of writing?
Very far apart?
Apart far enough that the letters do not touch?
Close enough that the descenders (like y and g) of the top and the ascenders (like h and t) of the bottom overwrite each other?

5. What color ink did you choose? (If you used another color, which of these three would you prefer?)
Blue-black
Red
Light Blue

6. How large was your capitol I in the sample?
Larger than the other capitol letters
About the same size as the other capitol letters
Smaller than the other capitol letters

7. What do your t bars look like? (The crossbars on your letter t)
They tend to be to the left of the stem of the t
They cross the t more or less in the middle
They tend to be to the right of the stem of the t

8. Does your writing
Slope upward on the page?
Go straight across the page?
Slope downward on the page?

9. Which takes the most space vertically in a line of your writing?
The ascenders? (the tops of t and h)
The middle zone? (letters like a and e and n)
The descenders? (the bottoms of j and y and g)

10. How much pressure does your writing show?
Fine and spidery?
Firm and even?
Heavy?

Check your answers with the analysis below.

1. Backward - indicates that you are shy and afraid to show your feelings, hesitant.
Straight up and down - indicates that you are a person with a strong need for contact.
Forward - Your answer to the first question, the slope of your letters, indicates that you are reticent and very self-controlled.

2. Fully connected - indicates that you are a social person who likes to talk and meet others.
Partially connected - indicates that you are a shy, idealistic person who does not find it easy to have relationships, especially intimate ones.
Unconnected - indicates that you are a person who thinks before acting, intelligent and thorough.

3. Wide spaces - indicates that you are reserved, shy, cautious, and thoughtful.
Narrow spaces - indicates that you are a talkative person, maybe even a busybody!
No spaces - indicates that you are not very reserved, impatient, self-confident and fond of action

4. Very far apart - indicates that you are isolated, detached, reserved, maybe even antisocial.
Apart far enough that letters do not touch - indicates that you are a person who is uneconomical and talkative.
Close enough so that the descendants of Y's and G's touch the ascendants of H's and T's - indicates that you are a person with a well-organized mind.

5. Blue black - indicates that you are rational, conservative, a person who adheres to conventions and traditions.
Red - indicates that you are spiritual rather than material, perhaps religious, and may have a deep understanding of other people's problems.
Light blue - indicates that you are strong, vital, energetic, affectionate - you like action and have an original approach.

6. Larger than the other capital letters - indicates that you are a person with a high opinion of yourself, or who wants others to think that you do.
About the same size - indicates that you are a person who may be feeling depressed or have low self-esteem.
Smaller than other capitals - indicates that you are well adjusted, harmonious, a person content with your current role.

7. They tend to be to the left of the stem of the 't' - indicates that you are cautious, possibly uncertain about things.
They cross the 't' more or less in the middle - indicates that you are not very original but very responsible, possibly in management.
They tend to be to the right of the stem of the 't' - indicates that you are a reliable, conscientious worker, with possible leadership potential.

8. Slope upward on the page - indicates that you are energetic, optimistic, and assertive.
Go straight across the page - indicates that you are a person who may be suffering from temporary depression or fatigue.
Slope downward - indicates that you are steadfast, purposeful, and possibly aloof.

9. The ascenders - indicates that you are idealistic, ambitious, and intuitive.
The middle zone letters - indicates that you are a sensualist, a materialist, and prone to exaggeration.
The descenders - indicates that you are a person with an overdeveloped ego and a tendency to be bossy.

10.Fine and spidery - indicates that you are a person of sensitivity, refinement, modesty, and spirituality. You may also be overly critical and austere.
Firm and even - indicates that you are a person of strong but rigid will, obstinate but powerful.
Heavy - indicates that you are a person of energy and elasticity, able to roll with the punches and adapt to whatever life brings.

Personality Test Center: Priority Test

This is interesting..
You can see the original here.
This site may prove helpful into learning about yourself, while no one is around.

Priority Test

We often get in situations when we take decisions without a second thought and this is the right moment to find out what type of person we are.

What would you do first if you were in a situation where:

The baby is crying.
The clothes are hanging outside and it has started to rain.
The water is running from the tap.
The doorbell is ringing.
The phone is ringing.

Think about what you will do first, then second and so on. Scroll down to see the explanation.

Each action reflects the priorities that you have set in your life. Take a look at the following table to see which priority corresponds to which action.

Action	Priority
Attend the phone	Career and job
See who is at the door	Friends and relatives
Pick up the clothes	Sex
Attend the baby	Family
Switch the tap off	Wealth

For example if the first thing that you did was to answer the phone then your biggest priority in life would be your career and job. Similarly if the fourth thing that you did was to attend to the baby then your fourth priority would be your family.

I Feel

The days walk on by
And we do the best we can to catch up
With the dreams that we have left behind

Happy Chinese New Year!

新年快樂 恭喜發財
Happy Chinese New Year!
A big hello to The Year of the Ox!
Moo!

This will be a great year for us snakes!

Chinese New Year Celebrations and Horoscope
2009 Year of the Earth OX
January 26, 2009 - February 13, 2010
Kung Hei Fat Choi! (Happy New Year!)

The Chinese calendar is based on solar and lunar cycles and thus the new year falls on a different day of the Western solar calendar each year.

Year Ahead:
The OX year is a conservative year, one of traditions and values. This is not a year to be outrageous. A slow but steady year.

This OX year will bring stability and growth where patience and diligence pays off.

This is a year of Harvest - when we reap what we have sown. Take care of business this year, do not let things slide.

2009 Horoscopes for Year of the OX

If you were born in the year of the RAT
This year is a stable year for family life and will be a joyful year. Career wise the rats will take on more responsibilities and will feel the pressure of the extra duties. A good year of steady progress.

If you were born in the year of the TIGER:
This is the year for keeping a low profile, tigers. Because of the slow pace of the OX year, it will be a frustrating time for you. You like things to be move quicker, you will need to show restraint.

If you were born in the year of the RABBIT:
The year of the OX is well suited to the rabbit nature. The slower pace of this year will see you spending more time with friends and family. A good year to upgrade your home, or for buying or selling a house.

If you were born in the year of the Dragon:
In business and in romance your word for this year is integrity. Keep your head down and you will make steady progress this year. Established relationships will be comfortable and easy during this year of the OX. A slow but sure progress will be made.

If you were born in the year of the SNAKE:
A very good year for Snakes! The steady pace of the OX year is well suited to the snake person. Act on an opportunity - this is your year.

If you were born in the year of the HORSE:
Although you are rearing to surge ahead, this is another year of caution for the horse. Not a good year to strike out in new directions, consolidate your positions instead. On the brighter side, Love will bring comfort this year.

If you were born in the year of the SHEEP:
The Ox is the direct opposite of the sheep, therefore expect challenges in all areas this year. Keep a low profile.

If you were born in the year of the MONKEY:
This is a year of moderate progress for monkeys. Work will slow down this year allowing the monkey more personal time. It also allows for quality time with friends and family.

If you were born in the year of the ROOSTER:
Great opportunities for rooster this year. A good time to recoup losses. You will make great progress at work, reaping rewards of your labor. Emotional ties bring joy. Your prestige and reputation increase.

If you were born in the year of the DOG:
A year for dogs to keep a low profile. Put more attention into matters at home, spending quality time with loved ones. The simple pleasures will bring happiness this year.

If you were born in the year of the PIG:
A year for the pig to follow his/her instinct, laying foundations for the future. This is a bright and hopeful year for the pig. Do not take unnecessary risks though.

A Wedding Invitation From The Heart

These passages are taken from a real wedding invitation slated for Saturday, 25 January, 2009 at Pulilan, Bulacan. The wedding invitation is ink jet printed in cursive font on shiny pink board with a Friendster pic of the couple (plus it's scented and tied with a pink bow).



Wedding Prayer
Lord, from the very start you have been our wishes. We had our rough yet yove been there binding us, guiding us and lighting our relationship with love and guidance. Our union is in your hand, offer it, and owe love in your name. Without your love we are nothing and this very special moment would have never taken place. We ask for your constant light and shield us we initiate in our new life together. Be with us always been with You.

From The Groom
Have you as my wife. You who always understand inspire and care much. With great LOVE. I share with you my life inspirations and everything. Together and I as one.




From The Bride
Love. Through those times you have inspired me in so many ways. You are so much a part of me and part of my happiness. Today when I look at you. I feel even more love than I've ever felt before...I'll leave in your hands, my future, my life and my love. From now on it would be no longer be mine but ours.



Actually, It didn't make me laugh to be honest. So what if the actual card makes you want to slap the printer? Yes, they could have had the invitation done in Filipino, that would have been safer, but so what? The invitation was from the heart. If given the chance, I probably would not choose pink though.

*In a fit of drunken rage, a relative tried to edit the thing, hence the slash marks. And uh, apparently, you can click on the pictures to blow them up. Erk.

I Wish

Trying to perform complex kicks after 3 years of sedentary living: FAIL.

A Nod To The New Administration

How effective will this new administration be with it's technology hugging, advocate of change?
I see a man, gentle enough to cover up for his Chief Justice's lapse in stating the presidential oath's first two lines for him. I see a man gracious enough to make sure that he has invited as many as he can to his inaugural ball. I see a man who stands behind his platform of hope.

Now, we will see, what this Man really is about.



http://www.askmen.com/money/career_200/235_career.html

I do not like the word 'melancholy.' It smacks too much of melons...and tv dogs.

From An Older Notebook: A Love Poem

My wife is the Nile, She is God to my Nimrod.
Receptacle of the sun.
The moon is her chair, gathered with stars.
Gemini in the House of Eden.
A gesture from her raises the tides
And barrens the Wadi far away.

She is Aldebaran to me, showering the crop.
More than the seven,
So much more than the twins.
Hush--my heresy angers Gabriel at the door.
Ab Incunabulis.
À la belle étoile.
...
The Witching Hour, 02JUNE2000
From infancy
Under the beautiful star

Notes From An Older Notebook: Overheard

"It would be so simple," he said, "if we could approach people we cared for without any past so we could see them without coloration." She looked at him, startled by his sincerity.

"But we can't," he continued. "Human memory is long, after all, it's what brings us together. It's what causes that peculiar tingling, sometimes when we first meet, like a faint but unmistakable brush of recognition--of what? A kindred spirit, perhaps. An aura of presentiment. It has many names. It exists, invisible but unquestioned for all that."

He paused. "Did you feel it when we first met? A spark from a flame?

"I'm afraid to trust you," She said.

Overheard in my head, Summer, 1999

Pavlov my ass.

A Peachwood Comb

A Peachwood Comb

It was not so long ago when we each got a Peachwood comb. We pooled our money you see, it was halfway between an impulse purchase and a decision born out of desperation. The last few paper bills of the year.

The first comb was perfect for a lady's slim hand, it had a good knob of a handle and finely crafted teeth. Come to think of it now, it was a manly comb in its purposefulness. The other was a little more insouciant, it had no handle but sported a red string adorned with little chili peppers and beads. No two Peachwood combs could ever be more unalike. The Chinese artisan scribed our names on the spines and set the names in with red dye. Her comb was important, mine was just a throw-in as it was the last day of the sale. That was the clincher, medicinal combs to cure hair fall, buy one and get a smaller comb for free. Her comb was bought with the intent towards healing.

Her hair has always been important to me, you see. If physically we are born with ailments that we must live with to remind us of our humanity then this was hers. If mine was a tendency towards Asthma of the lungs and skin, hers was a tendency to hair fall most probably born out of having a stubborn hard head. Women.

Peach wood is used to put down evil things and to protect the health and safety of families in ancient times.

Entirely handmade wooden comb with smooth and even curved teeth, perfect for daily use.

To be continued...

What does it mean when you say, "I'm not getting any younger?"

If we are not getting younger, should we not be getting wiser with all the experience we garner on a daily basis? And if so, why is it then that most of us, still do not gain the wisdom to cherish what truly matters?

The world revolves, we have to work to eat and feed and clothe and house our family, yes.

Should we not do the same for our hearts and souls?

LOL'ing

What do you do when someone you love uses the chat term, "lol?"

I've decided my standard reply will be: OMGWTFBBQ. A term specifically designed to express disbelief but at the same time ridicule the use of internet chat acronyms.

In 1996 when IRC was the front runner and YM had just been birthed,I had a deeply ingrained intuitive belief that the chat acronym "lol" was an abbreviation for the Filipino cuss word "Ulol." Which when thrown at someone meant they were either idiotic or crazy. There are still vestiges of that belief. Up to now I think that when "lol" is used as a reply, that I am the brunt of some kind of inside joke. What more if the "lols" are from someone you love? How the hell do you expect to "Laugh Out Loud?" ROFLs and LMAOs be damned.

Say what you mean from now on. OMGWTFBBQ.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=OMGWTFBBQ

Notes From An Older Notebook

Alliterative Corporate Climbing's Seven C's
1. Be Confident: Posture, think 'Madonna.' Decisions, firm.
2. Be Clever: There is no spoon.
3. Be Competent: Quickly gain and enhance proficiencies.
4. Be Complimentary: Feed their egos.
5. Be Carnal: Do not discount the sensual, at heart the climb is between cavemen and women.
6. Be Crazy: by being comfortable with your casual, corny self.
7. Be Contradictory: Keep them guessing.




A One Letter Alphabet
These are personal lessons learned during a strange corporate climb from entry level to executive level over five even stranger years. Take what you will, discard what is unneeded, but remember everything. C is for cookie, and it should be good enough for you too.

Notes From An Older Notebook

What is love--what is the love between a man and a woman?
Precious and true--to grow from scratch.
Promises
Meeting
Testing
Seeing time for what it really is.
Is it what I see in movies?
In books
In the walking

In between tears I sense it.
Where is peace then?
It seems love is a disappearing act
Of visiting hearts
Of unrelated relationships

Toward the lighting of candles and tying of knots,
Or toward the quiet sleep and clasping of hands?

Thank you
Tonight
Tomorrow
'Til time slows down.

I think
The music will never have to stop.

24 January 2004

I ask you to look into a mirror.
You ask why and comb your hair.

I ask you to stop and breathe.
You smirk and run away.

I ask you to stop living a lie.
You continue with your slow death.

Blaming W.B. Yeats

IBH English taught me to love Yeats' poetry. It taught me many things truth be known. Today I am tortured by having learned of Yeats; having learned and accepted his theory of cycles.

Today a dreaded cycle has seem to have insidiously returned. For again, I am waiting in silence. This silence is not deafening though, this time around, it is accompanied by the dripping of blood.

Yet again, a slouching beast returns to be birthed.

Renewal: Choosing Not To Be Affected

My cousin messaged me the other day in reply to an admission of weakness, "you can choose not to be affected."

How apt; can we truly decide what we feel or what we are affected by? Is it not the very acceptance of our emotions that provide testament to who we are as people? Driven to act and react, to react and act? Then again, as Shakespeare's plays show, these very emotions are exactly what give rise to plot, to tragedy and to drama. They power his simulacra of life.

Who do we choose to be in this life? Prospero? Ariel? Or Caliban? A man come into his power, a powerful spirit entrapped yet obedient, or a monster capable of beautiful speech? This Tempest called life.

"The Tempest" shows us the unforgiving power that choice gives and how lack of it imprisons even the most powerful. The first, being Prospero and the becoming of his life. The second being Ariel and a quest for freedom. Can even the very worst of us find redemption at the penultimate hour like Caliban? I wonder. Did Caliban even have a choice or was he but a creature of his own emotions? His own desires? To which persona do we swing towards? I would rule out Ariel I think. Emotional impotence is not something many of us have the luxury of. A fool of a monster or a fool of a man? What a choice.

In truth it seems that no one is innocent. There are no Ferdinands or Mirandas in this world. You may think you are her prince but then the curtains unfold on now and show you a different result. There are no supporting actors' masks we can slip into. We must act in the main or we are of the walking dead.

Strangely enough, we can muse all we want but not even so great a play can hold a mirror up to our own lives. In our own realities our emotions shake the very universe. The very acts and scenes that comprise our lives are inexorably powered by action and reaction brought out by emotion.

What if there is no Prospero, no Ariel, or even no Caliban? No expectant shoes to fill? What if there is no play to begin with? No unknown audience to view? Perhaps we can choose not to put one on in the first place, but then, in that case that would just be waiting for our lives to begin.

I have so many questions at this point and I veil my unease by pointing out a play whose very power lies in its absurdity of emotion. I know I have been both Prospero and Caliban but more so,

I am Tempest.