loved that it was back to the cirque basics -- no major story, no modern music. just an ethereal circus, light & music display -- just like in their ol' days.
here's a clip of the grreat opening -- of course the video doesn't do justice, but gives you an idea just the same.
my second great thing to start the year? this:
pretty impressive. didn't think dan could keep doing it, but he did.
not exactly high-brow prose, but it's a must read.
i thought it was pretty apt for me to read it, since i'm in my 33rd year here.
33 = considered highest of all master numbers during pythagoras (6 centuries BC)
33 = known age of Christ when he died although no real historical evidence
33 = # of miracles of Christ
33 = age of Joseph when he married Mary
33 = times God's name was mentioned in Genesis
33 = age of dwellers of heaven under Islam
etc., etc., etc.
won't spoil the rest for you.
third? this:
this book i got to help me jumpstart the year and my many upcoming projects.
book #4: kafka on the shore by post-modernist author, haruki murakami.
whatta read!!! if you wanna delve into the strangeness that makes the japanese a different bread altogether, read this. think alice in wonderland meets the x-files meets oedipus rex and some other stuff... actually you can't even think it.
reminds me of my recent encounter with MJ's drug-of-choice, propofol...
needless to say i repeated my 5 questions oh, but 10 times, to the doctor; told him that i LOVED the anaesth; and even requested for u2 and lady gaga before the procedure (mind you, he asked if i had a request). don't remember anything (god knows what else i said) but embarrassing nonetheless!!!
what's so great about it if you can't remember any of it? do tell, MJ.
while in hybernation since beginning of the week, i've been reading like crazy.
i'm choosing to go fiction now... and awarded, if possible.
just over a span of less than a week, i finished these books:
the first is by nobel peace prize for lit winner, toni morrison. title: tar baby.
i understand why she won the award. extremely poetic, very unusual, gripping, unpredictable way of writing. i really can't explain it :)
here's one of the first lines that caught my eye in the book:
"...clouds and fish were convinced that the sea-green green of the sea and the sky-blue sky of the sky were no longer permanent..."
second book is this. probably one of the most intelligent and quirky books i've ever read.
it's about a secretly smart concierge and a secretly smart 9-year-old in a posh apartment building in paris. they both have a secret fascination over all things japanese. how cool is that?
third book: siddharta. also written by a nobel-peace prize winner.
wow, an extremely spiritual eastern tale written by a western in the 1920's. still so relevant today. i think i'll give this to twinpopbro :)
i'm hoping to put up 'manang becky' or something like that.
a cheaper line of messy bessy -- so that green and healthier cleaning can reach out to more people, and so that more opportunities (through direct selling) can be offered to those who need it.
hmmm who should she be?
(some of) my other dreams for our city's depressed areas...
- container gardens (fruits & veggies & other crops grown from containers)
- "the toolshed" (a company that recycles old materials to mass-produce high-design furniture for all)
- non-traditional universities for all (non-traditional learning centers where people can get their high school / college diplomas / professional degrees without having to step into classrooms)
finally took a break from the twilight series to read a book given to me twinpopgay.
this has got to be one of my fave books of the year. short, sweet, cleverly written, heartwarmingly accepting of all things (and persons) different, funny, and set in the cool parts of nyc. makes you want to be young and cool, and in new york.
and i totally get why they've made it into a movie, but i can't imagine how the movie can be anywhere near as good as the book.
good casting using michael cera -- love him -- although imagined nick to be a tad cuter.
last week, went to watch twinpopsalsa sing at the booklauch of rage, alfredo roces' new book.
the book's about juan luna, antonio luna and trinidad pardo de tavera. eeenteresting!!! bought the book and will definitely know how it goes...
i was pleasantly surprised by the launch. it was attended by many seasoned artists and writers -- i love being around all these intellectuals!
alfredo roces was introduced by national artist francisco sionil jose. i'll be honest, i've started reading 'ermita' some time ago but haven't finished it yet...
apparently, his books are written in 28 languages!!! in 2002, ermita was rated as one of the top ten english-language novels set in southeast asia.
what an honor it was to hear him speak live. so eloquent and actually pretty funny too!
alfredo roces was brilliant as well. he spoke of the dying breed of filipino book readers. he prints 500-1000 copies of his books -- a pretty aggressive number for the industry's standards. so sad!
i'm going to try to start reading more filipino books... get ready, book club!
one of the things i REALLY look forward to is my book club meetings. (had one today).
i was lucky enough to be invited to this super book club of (around 9) diverse, smart, insightful, evolved individuals.
we meet once a month on the second floor of a different bookstore in serendra.
instead of everybody reading just one book (it's tough to please everyone), we all simply read our own choices and share what we've read.
this time, i shared about one of my latest fave books, three cups of tea, which i spoke about in this post.
books shared are as diverse as the members:
from current events
to historical
to spiritual
to heavy-prose fiction
to trivial
...but i think what makes the club so fascinating are the discussions that happen throughout each meeting.
a typical discussion would involve current events, american politics (anti-republican! haha!), religion (a li'l bit anti-religion! haha!), science, and anything else under the sun...
i'm the youngest in the group (at 31), and the oldest is 84!
here's a photo i stole of half of our group earlier today :)
(i was too hiya to take a real photo of everyone)...
