Girl With Dark Glasses

Songs from a Cassette Tape

girlwithdarkglasses — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 06:25:17 +0000

I haven’t been home for a long time and I was going through my high school and college stuff. Pictures, letters, notes, etc. That’s when I stumbled upon my little collection of cassette tapes. Back then, there were no mp3s, no audio cds. If you want to listen to your favorite song, you will either have to wait for it on the radio (you can call your fave DJ for a request) or buy a cassette tape. Then it would cost Php 100 (Philippine peso) per tape. For the lyrics, we didn’t have internet sites that could give us the lyrics after a few clicks. I remember when I still cannot afford to buy a cassette tape, I would buy a blank tape instead and record my favorite song while it is being played in the radio. Then comes the task of pausing the tape after every line so I can write down the lyrics. If I didn’t get it the first time, there’s always the rewind button. If you run out of spaces on the blank tape, you can always grab your Mom’s old cassette tapes, put adhesive tape over the write protector slot and record your songs (over the existing songs). :p Audio cds were still not that popular when I was in college. Plus, it was a bit expensive and the savings I got from my meager allowance was not enough to buy one.
Well anyway, all the ‘digging through my stuff’ made me think about these albums I have sacrificed my fast food lunch for.

1. Selena – Dreaming of You
My very first cassette tape. This was actually given to me by a special friend. News of Selena’s murder was still abuzz and hearing her sing these songs in a heartbreaking voice still brings tears to my eyes.

2. Tears for Fears – Greatest Hits (82 – 92)
Who didn’t love Tears for Fears? Their songs are so on top of the charts that Adam Lambert even rocked his own version of Mad World!

3. Third Eye Blind – Third Eye Blind
I so love this band! First saw How’s it Going to Be in MTV and I was hooked. Bought the album and was not disappointed. Most of the songs have risen to the top of the charts.

4. Vertical Horizon – Everything You Want
This 2x platinum album was also one of my (and my friends’) favorites. This album came out at the time when a lot of alternative bands were being introduced but it was able to set its own record.

5. The Corrs – Talk on Corners
One of the first singles for this album was shown on MTV at the same time as Madonna’s Frozen. We were already familiar with the “Material Girl” and we were taken by Andrea’s, Sharon’s and Caroline’s sweet faces (Sorry Jim, the girls are just so pretty, it’s hard to notice anybody else that’s with them). The songs are easy to remember and the band’s Irish influence (tin whistle, violin and bohdran) certainly made their music distinct. Can’t get enough of this album.

6. Various Artists – Reality Bites Movie Soundtrack
I equally love the soundtrack and the movie itself. Soundtrack features songs from U2, The Knack and Lenny Kravitz. It rose to the top of the charts and even made way for the then new artist Lisa Loeb. Made her song Stay #1 on the Billboard Charts.

7. U2 – The Best of 1980-1990
Multi-awarded band and is Rolling Stone’s # 22 on its list of 100 greatest artists of all time. The band is also an avid supporter of humanitarian and human rights causes. This album includes hits such as All I Want Is You, With or Without You, Where the Streets Have No Name and Sunday Bloody Sunday.

8. Sarah McLachlan – Surfacing
This was her bestselling album. Songs are full of melody. Includes hits like Angel (also appears in the original soundtrack for the movie City of Angels), Adia, Building a Mystery and Do What You Have To Do (which was rumored to have been written with reference to a letter from Monica Lewinsky to Bill Clinton).

9. Alanis Morissette – MTV Unplugged
Jagged Little Pill was released when I was in High School. This was followed by Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie. I am a big Alanis fan but the only album I bought then was the one for MTV Unplugged. It was her first live album and the arrangement of the songs were much slower than the ones recorded in her studio albums. Particularly love No Pressure Over Cappuccino and That I Would Be Good.

10. The Little Mermaid: Songs from The Sea
I grew up watching Disney Fairy tale movies like The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. I remember I used to watch both animated films during weekends that I know the lyrics to all the songs by heart. This Little Mermaid album is about Ariel’s longing for life on land and a little human girl’s desire to become a mermaid. The songs are arranged in an order where the two girls share their experiences and yearnings in life.

10 Films Worth Watching This Year

girlwithdarkglasses — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:38:02 +0000

I’ve been browsing the web for movies that are yet to be released this year and so far, here are a few that caught my eye.

1. The Time Traveler’s Wife

Directed by Robert Schwente. Stars Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams.

Based on the novel of the same name by Audrey Niffenigger, this tells a story of a man who has a peculiar genetic disorder that causes him to time travel. McAdams plays the wife who has to deal with an almost always gone husband. During his time traveling, he gets to see his wife in different timelines and tries to establish a relationship with her in each. The story tries to find meaning and passion in long distance relationships.

2. Inglourious Basterds

Directed by Quentin Tarantino. Stars Brad Pitt, Mike Myers and Diane Kruger

I have always loved Tarantino’s movies. Like how nonlinear the flow of events are. Looking forward to watching this one. It has two storylines. One is about a group of Jewish Americans set to eliminate the Nazis and the other about a girl avenging the death of her family (sounds a little Kill Bill-esque?).

3. New Moon

Directed by Chris Weitz. Stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson.

Well a lot of people have been waiting for this movie. The first one had such a following that they were forced to release the sequel the following year. This continues to tell the story between the human Bella and her vampire lover Edward. A brokenhearted Bella finds solace in a new friend (and old vampire enemy) Jacob, a young werewolf.

4. The Lovely Bones

Directed by Peter Jackson. Stars Rachel Weisz, Mark Wahlberg and Susan Sarandon

Another book adapter into a movie. Reasons to see the movie? Well, the book got rave reviews for one. Plus, it is directed by none other than Peter Jackson (King Kong, LOTR). The story revolves around a dead teenage girl’s journey through death. She comes to understand her death as she observes how the people around her overcome their loss.

5. Nine

Directed by Rob Marshall. Stars Nicole Kidman, Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Kate Hudson, Fergie and Penelope Cruz.

The cast alone would make anybody want to see the movie. I’m so excited to see Nicole Kidman in a musical role again. Has been quite awhile since Moulin Rouge!, eh?

A director finds the challenge of finishing his masterpiece while dealing with the pressure and demands of the women in his life.

6. Astro Boy

Directed by David Bowers. With the voices of Nicolas Cage, Donald Sutherland, Kristen Bell and Bill Nighy.

My brother and I used to watch this cartoon back in the 80′s. We loved it then and I guess it would be nice to see Astro Boy in 3D.

This movie shows a young robot’s journey as he faces rejection, betrayal, acceptance, love and adventure.

7. Jennifer’s Body

Directed by Karyn Kusama. Stars Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried and Adam Brody.

Megan Fox, Megan Fox, Megan Fox! She may not be everybody’s favorite during interviews but we have to admit she is gorgeous! Having her play the role of a seductive she-devil in the movie is an added bonus!

Movie is about a demon-possessed cheerleader wrecking havoc in a small town.

8. Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Voiced by Noah Cyrus, Frankie Jonas, Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Matt Damon and Cate Blanchett.

I like Japanese animated movies. They may not be in 3D but the storyline is always unique and unconventional. Seen Spirited Away and Grave of the Fireflies (to name a few)?

This Japanese animation is about a mermaid falling in love with a human and the tests they had to go through to find true love.

9. Capitalism: A Love Story

A documentary by Michael Moore.

Tackles issues behind the present global financial crisis. Also shows the US presidency transition from Bush to Obama.

10. New York, I Love You

Directed by Fatih Akin and Zach Braff. Stars Rachel Bilson, Hayden Christensen, Cristina Ricci, Natalie Portman

A collection of 11 ten minute films set in the Five Boroughs.

Why did they go blind?

girlwithdarkglasses — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:48:42 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, my boyfriend was watching Fernando Meirelles’ BLINDNESS. I was only able to see the last part of the movie. My initial reaction when the movie ended? Was that it? I mean why did they go blind? And why did the blindness left as sudden as it hit them? Well, I checked and found out it was a film by Fernando Meirelles (director of my fave City of God) based on a book by Jose Saramago. And one of the female characters was portrayed by my then-girl-crush Alice Braga. Checked the reviews online and was disappointed at all the negative criticisms. But then again, who cares about reviews? If it was by Fernando Meirelles, it might be worth watching.

So then I finally found the time to watch it. The movie had nothing to do with any of the questions I asked earlier. The plot of everybody going blind was there to make us see how human nature is. More of an allegory of man’s basic instinct – to survive. We are pulled into a world where the strong prey on the weak.

We are first shown a Chinese guy who is reportedly the first person to go blind. Next thing we see is a person pretending to be a good samaritan, he drives the blind man home, robs him of his possessions, and eventually catches the ‘blindness.’ As the epidemic spreads, those affected are sent to an isolation facility. Here we are introduced to the key characters (most of which were also shown in their pre blind state earlier in the movie) mainly the eye doctor and his wife, who is the only person immune to the disease. We are shown how their lives quickly deteriorate inside the facility. Soldiers guarding the facility are intent on protecting themselves against the threat of getting infected that they would shoot someone who even strayed off the line (how easy can that be when you can’t see a thing?) The remaining guards succumb to the disease and power now lies on an armed young man who declares himself the King of Ward 3. Food supply depletes and dead bodies pile up. Women were forced to perform sexual favors in exchange for food. The doctor’s wife is left to fend not only for herself and her husband but for the whole ward. Eventually, it was up to her to kill the King of Ward 3. Chaos ensues upon the death of the blind dictator and that’s when the doctor’s wife found out that the guards have left and there’s no one to stop them from going out. What happens next is the characters’ realization the all of the city’s residents have gone blind and everything is in total disorder. They are last seen in a house, with the first sign of hope – the Chinese man getting his vision back.

Rainy Days and Fridays

girlwithdarkglasses — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:52:38 +0000

Rain always brings back childhood memories. When I was a kid, it would always rain during the afternoon. This would start off in the month of May and it was an old belief that the first May rain shower is a blessing (Well, it really is when you think about the dry, hot and rainless months before). Back then it was a rule for us kids to sleep during noontime siesta. I remember feigning sleep and waiting for my Mom’s gentle snore before getting up and waiting downstairs for my friends. It would be a treat for us to bathe in the rain. The only time we would skip the ‘rain shower’ is when it is accompanied by lightning and thunder. We were then forced to stay inside the house and keep our mouth shut as my Grandma says baring your teeth or laughing too hard attracts the lightning. lolz. After the rain, we would grab what was left of our old school notebooks and fashion our own paper boats which would then set sail on the gutter. It would also be a big help for me since I don’t have to water all of Mom’s orchids and roses giving me more time for play.

Another thing about the rain that brings nostalgia is the smell. Notice how it would have like a grassy, earthy smell when it rains? Reminds me of summers long ago. No school, no homework and summer crushes. The smell is called petrichor and is actually a sort of oil produced by plants which is by the soil and is later released in the air during rain. During the dry season, these oils are released by the plants and absorbed by the rocks and soil. That’s why the scent is much more distinctive during the first rainfall following a dry season.

In another part of the world, it could also rain food, er, fish that is. There is this yearly phenomenon in the Honduras where it would rain fish. They call it the Rain of Fishes or Lluva de Peces. It would rain hard for hours and when the rain has stopped, hundreds of living fish will be seen on the ground. Tough luck for the fishermen, eh? This was actually classified as a meteorogical phenomenon. That means that though the nearest body of water is still a hundred or more kilometers away, events such as strong winds, water spouts or tornadoes could have easily carried the fish. One puzzling report though claims that the fish found in Honduras is freshwater fish and not seawater fish. Experts have investigated this phenomenon and have concluded that the fish were all about the same sizes and are completely blind leading them to believe that they could’ve come from underground rivers and have never been exposed to light.

Here in the Philippines, we only have 2 seasons – the dry season and the rainy season. And we are now in the rainy half of the year. We don’t get as much rain as we used to. Right now, if it rains it would mean that there is a tropical storm brewing somewhere. Then rain doesn’t become a good thing anymore as it can cost people their homes, livelihood and even their lives.

The Octoman

girlwithdarkglasses — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:28:41 +0000

Discovery Channel has recently re aired an episode about a man with multiple arms and legs – known as Octoman. A man born with a parasitic twin. The phenomenon itself is very unusual but what piqued my curiosity most was the fact that the man was a Filipino. I checked the internet hoping to find more information about Rudy Santos and was dismayed when the only things I can find were a few articles here and there.

From what I have read, Rudy was a famous carnival superstar in his younger days. You know how people here in the Philippines would always want to see something out of the ordinary. And having 3 legs and 4 arms is way out of the ordinary. His twin also has a small head consisting of an ear and hair found near his sternum. Discovery Channel’s “My Shocking Story” segment shows Rudy years after his fame as Octoman. Late last year he was being evaluated by physicians and surgeons to determine if a separation will still be possible at his age.

For those of you who have already read articles and blogs about Rudy, this may not give you any new information on The Octoman himself. So instead I just went on to do a little research on his condition.

A parasitic twin is different than a Siamese twin. We hear stories everyday of twins conjoined at the hips, head, chest, etc. These twins have developed all through the whole gestation process where as in parasitic twins, the weaker twin ceases to develop and the other one feeds or matures at the expense of the other. The undeveloped twin is then fully dependent on the complete twin – thus the term parasitic twin. The normal twin is termed as the ‘autosite.’ The parasitic twin can be attached anywhere on the autosite’s body.

There is also a rare and dreaded case called fetus in fetu which is another form of parasitic twinning. In this case, the developed twin would absorb the weaker twin in utero – that the autosite would then carry the parasite twin within his body. Generally the autosite would develop normally and would not even know that he was sharing his mom’s uterus with a twin before. Other cases would report the autosite claiming to feel insufferable pain in the area where the parasite twin is supposedly located. Stephen King’s The Dark Half has references to parasitic twins. In the book, the main character has absorbed his twin in utero and he has been suffering from headaches as a child. Thinking it was a tumor, he underwent brain surgery and the surgeon found remnants of his absorbed twin in his brain.

Another unique case is of Lakshmi Tatama, an Indian girl with four arms and four legs. She was named after the multi-limbed Hindu goddess. Doctors from India have successfully separated her and her twin in 2007.

Cornflake Girl

girlwithdarkglasses — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:02:26 +0000

I have been listening to this song for years but just recently found out the full meaning of it. Like most of Tori’s songs it is a protest against abuse and violence to women.

I happened to stumble upon a book by Alice Walker titled “Possessing the Secret of Joy.” Tragic story mirroring the abuse women had to go through for the sake of tradition and culture. Set in a fictional African nation, it tells us the story of Tashi, a young woman torn between honoring her African traditions and embracing the modern culture. Never fully understanding the consequences, she chose to follow her African roots and underwent circumcision. The process brought her such trauma that she has lived most of her life reliving the pain and suffering before finding the courage to seek the justice she deserves.

Apparently, this novel is based on the real life tradition of circumcision some young Asian and African girls had to go through. Tori read the book and was angered at such a brutal act. The terms Cornflake Girls and Raisin Girls would be best described as biased, narrowminded girls and girls who are not bound by traditional views and beliefs respectively. Click here to read more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornflake_Girl.

Never was a cornflake girl
thought that was a good solution
hangin with the raisin girls
she’s gone to the other side
givin us a yo heave ho
things are getting kind of gross
and I go at sleepy time
this is not really happening
you bet your life it is

Peel out the watchword just peel out the watchword

She knows what’s going on
seems we got a cheaper feel now
all the sweeteaze are gone
gone to the other side
with my encyclopedia
they musta paid her a nice price
she’s puttin on her string bean love
this is not really happening
you bet your life it is

Rabbit where’d you put the keys girl
and the man with the golden gun
thinks he knows so much
thinks he knows so much
Rabbit where’d you put the keys girl