masthead graphic by Ingga Alcala

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Sunday, October 23, 2005

My Apologies to Nike

A few nights ago, I was watching Oprah with my family. Lance Armstrong and Sheryl Crow were her guests that night, and the whole Oprah set had a LiveStrong theme. Although I have become aware of the wristbands’ noble cause, it wasn’t always that way.

A couple of years ago, Patty started sporting one of those yellow wristbands, back when they were not yet in vogue in Manila. I examined the rubber accessory, saw the Nike swoosh trademark engraved on in, and immediately concluded that it was another one of those Nike marketing tactics. Patty explained that it had something to do with cancer, but I turned a deaf ear on her. Because of what one teacher of mine told us, I had this unfair habit of thinking of Cambodian children forced to work in Nike sweatshops whenever I see anything Nike. (I’m dead if Maria reads this) By the time I reached 4th year, the whole yellow wristband fad caught on, and I was fully convinced that it was a perfect example of Key Concept of Media # 4 (or something) and of Myth of Media # 6; I believed that the wristband was part of Nike’s profit-driven marketing and placed Nike in the guise of a company concerned for the welfare of everyone.

That’s Media Ed for you.

Anyway, the real purpose of this post is to serve as a public apology. Seeing what the wristband has done for cancer patients, cancer awareness and cancer research (this is an Oprah moment), I have been consumed with guilt. I was wrong for thinking that the wristband was a mere marketing tactic. Whether or not Nike actually gives the money to the Lance Armstrong Foundation is not my business, although I’m pretty sure they do. Having experienced the passing of two batchmates because of cancer, I should appreciate the level of popularity that those wristbands have achieved. More than anything, they have made thousands of people more aware of the disease and have given hope to those who are currently battling the sickness.

And so, my apologies.

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

CRS Blues

It's pre-enlistment season once again. Pre-enlistment is the online prologue to the odyssey that is enlistment/registration. The annoying setbacks that I have encountered for the past weeks are mere foreshadowing of the horrors and joys to come before school starts once again. If you haven't noticed, I've been updating my blog more often for the past few days now because I'm on sembreak. I am currently busying myself with matters of bumhood; however, I am also in the process of waiting for my grades and, as aforementioned, enlistment. Oh! I am also currently working on a script for my first official film. It will be an experimental short, hopefully to be produced by Marcala Productions, Ltd. and edited by Mara Garcia. Interested parties should contact me ASAP.

Okay. Enlistment. As a blockmate put it, after 30 years, our UP Webmail accounts were finally activated, allowing us to enlist and email people whilst brandishing that fact that we go to UP. So, I pre-enlisted. I decided to take Geology 1 because it was highly recommended, meaning it is not as threatening. I also enlisted in Archaeology 2. I get various kinds of reactions when I mention this. Some people laugh; some people give me this look where they try to be polite but are clearly weirded out. Of course, some people find it cool, prompting me to smugly smile inside. Not many people know this, but when I was a high school freshman, my ambition was to take up Archaeology in college.

I've also enlisted in English 11. English 11 is "Literature and Society." Now, if ya'll remember, I took English 12 last sem. That was "World Literatures." Now, I never intended it to be this way, but by the end of this year, I might be a Literature major.

Next sem also marks my first real taste of film education. I'm taking Film 100 and Film 110. Film 100 is "Introduction to Film." Film 110 is "Basic Photography." Woohoo!!!

Now, I was fortunate enough to have gotten all these subjects. My only real problem (so far) is PE. I underestimated the difficulty of getting a PE class in UP. I've always heard stories about the horrors of PE enlistment, but I brushed them off as rare, occasional occurrences. I chuckled, It can't be that hard. I mean, I'm a freshman. I was told that they prioritize freshies in enlistment. Oh Ana. Innocent, naïve Ana.

Further thoughts on pre-enlistment shall be continued tomorrow on Ana's Rants

I'll be in Taft tomorrow. Hope to be bump into high school buddies in DLSU.

Monday, October 17, 2005

Moneypenny Monday: Pierce Brosnan


Six Degrees of James Bond



When Daniel Craig was announced as the new Bond, I was furious at first because I was happy with Pierce as Bond. I wondered, How could such a handsome 007 be replaced by a blond, erm...less-hot Englishman? Then I did some research. Apparently, Craig is a spitting image of Hoagy Carmichael, whom Ian Fleming once wrote as the physical model for James Bond. Also, Craig looks more like the illustration of Bond authorized by Fleming. Now, I'm still not fully convinced because the filmic Bond is admittedly different from the literary Bond and that Gerard Butler or Clive Owen would have been more suitable, but I am willing to concede to Sony and EON under one condition--they must dye Craig's hair.

Well, as another Bond era draws to a close, it is just fitting that we make if-only-he-was-twenty-years-younger Pierce Brosnan as this week's chosen one.

  1. Brosnan starred with Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire, which will have a sequel next year.
  2. Williams was with Michael Vartan in One Hour Photo.
  3. Vartan played Drew Barrymore's love interest and Literature teacher in Never Been Kissed.
  4. Brittany Murphy played Barrymore's best friend in Riding in Cars with Boys.
  5. Murphy was in Girl, Interrupted with Angelina Jolie.
  6. Jolie played the title character in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider opposite Daniel Craig.

Friday, October 14, 2005

Craig, Daniel Craig





After much anticipation and speculation, Daniel Craig was officially unvelied today as the next James Bond. He will be in next year's Casino Royale. I'm not particularly happy with the decision, but I obviously can't do anything about it. This of course has a direct effect on this blog for Mr. Craig will now be added to the list of Bonds for my Moneypenny Monday meme.

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

Yada Yada Yada

My sister was watching Mickey Mouse & Friends on Disney Channel while I ate lunch the other day. I decided to watch along with her. There was nothing particularly unusual about the episode we were watching. There was good ol' Mickey Mouse teaching Minnie how skate. There was Goofy...goofy as always, and of course, Donald (my favorite in the lot) who was once again out to experience another bad hair day.

I was watching in my normal leisurely manner when it suddenly hit me--those 4 Disney characters bear uncanny similiarities to the 4 main characters of Seinfeld. I was watching the sitcom earlier that day and watching Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy reminded so much of Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer (in that order).

Jerry, like Mickey, is the main character after whom the show is named. We all know that Mickey's love interest is Minnie and though Jerry shares a generally platonic relationship with Elaine throughout the show's run, the two characters did date prior to the show's pilot.

George is so Donald. George's violent emotional outburts, reactions to his seemingly hapless existence, are so similar to the loud and angry quacking of Donald Duck whenever something aggravates him (which happens often).

Kramer, for me, is the character who most resembles his Disney counterpart. The parallelisms between them amuse me. They're both tall and gangly. They both take life in a pretty positive way. Both get into trouble a lot, but the easy-going and optimistic manner in which they deal with those problems manage to get them out of those situations alive. They're both...well, goofy.

Maybe I should do a paper on this...