Reading log #2 & #3

As far as I remember, I did not really encounter any difficulty when I read the book. Not unless, I will consider the difficulty "too visual" that's why I would stop reading at times. Though what I did find quite dragging was the history part of the main character, while I am not a very big fan of history and back stories I think it could have been presented in someway "less draggy". Just like a double edged sword, the visual part of the novel helped it really lighten the whole reading experience and make the novel seem more "modern", since people today prefer more of those things anyway, that it can appeal to teens and young adults alike. Aside from that I think it's quite refreshing to see that a woman is the one that has a lot of love interests. Even though sometimes I get sick of the big collection of love stories out there, it's still pretty nice to see the "opposite" happen.


In line with that I think that the novel did not really bring out any strong emotion in me. Maybe it did at some parts of the story, such as Sadyah is getting beaten up by Ishmael or Stephen is panicking that he might have a son too soon, but it was just too sudden. There's no lasting effect for me... Maybe I'm just insensitive sometimes that the emotions that are supposed to come out does not even peek at all. A good side about it is that the novel still reflects some of the realities of life, which is something I really like (for any reading material).


I guess I should read more novels, books or any reading materials at all so that I would be able to appreciate more of the published works. If not, I think it would render the same effect for me if I don't try to improve on my weak points.

Reading log #1

As a non reader of books and the like, I quite enjoyed reading the book. I did not have specific "reading strategy" for reading the novel, I just read it whenever I feel reading it. Usually I would read it inside the campus since that is the time I have the book near me or maybe while I'm taking some time off my academic stuff. When I read the book though it seems that times runs faster than normal and I end up reading only a few pages and then go to sleep. I was quite surprised that I after 3 days of reading I was able to read about more than half of the book. Knowing that I am a slow reader, this was quite a "miracle" for me. It seems that I enjoyed reading it or I just haven't read a book for a long time already that's why I have the energy to read at least half of the book.

Mapping and list of books

List of books and reading selections in class:
- Ang alamat ng Gubat by Bob Ong
- The Little Prince
- Things Fall Apart
- Noli Me Tangere
- El Filibusterismo
- Maniac Magee
- Animal Farm
- Tungkong Langit at Alunsina
- Ang bugtong ng manok at agila
- Araby (Ireland)
- Dead Stars
- Somewhere I have never travelled, gladly and beyond by E.E. Cummings
- Bonsai by Edith Tiempo

Mapping exercise

Pahimakas sa isang ahente

Overall I did enjoy the play and as a person who rarely watches plays or live performances of this kind I would say that it conveyed its message effectively. The use of the “unadulterated” words also complimented on the overall flow and delivery of the play. Through such method I was able to enjoy it more and it sounded more realistic since it really reflects what happens in the life of an individual. The overall mood of the play will probably change if a different method of delivery was done and most likely I would enjoy it less. I was quite amazed also at how they used the small stage they had. I did not really expect that they would be able to utilize the small space they had, I had this thought in my mind that they might have a problem with the limited amount of space that they have to perform. Good thing that I was wrong and I (as someone who watched the play)  did not really notice any difficulty when the artists performed for the play. 

Something notable on the play is the use of flash backs and past events, usually the use of such “technique” ends up to cheesy or cringe worthy and only a few (I only watched a few plays so maybe it’s not really that few) can pull it off properly. It’s a good thing that when the actors executed the flash back part, it was smoothly transitioned to what was happening in the present. An example for this is when the two sons invited their father to dinner at a restaurant. One of his sons caught his father cheating on their mother. By using of the flash backs, it was able to shed light on why the father acts such way and why the sons also act quite rebellious (towards the father).  As for the music, I did not really feel its presence in the play (well there was no dominant music anyway) which can be both good and bad. Good in a way that I am able to focus more on the actors and delve more in the story though if any appropriate music was used then it could have helped amplify the mood and the play itself. It could have even helped lighten the mood since I think that it was too “heavy” at some parts.  As for the actors, I don’t  have anything negative to say to them since I was really convinced by their acting and I believe that they said their lines very well and they were able to convey the intended emotion.

It's worth another watch if I am given the chance.

 

 

(My ticket and a magazine about the play)

(Poster of the play)

 (A view of the set)

Regrets and a lesson

Back when I was around 4-6 years old I would cry and lay down on the floor just to get something I wanted. Sometimes it would even last for hours until my parents gave in to my whims. More often than not I would get the thing that I wanted and probably enjoy it for about a day or two maybe. After playing with the toy or the thing that I got I would get tired of it and look for another toy to play with, I remember this clearly as it’s always said to me. As I grew older I realized that there are some things that should not be forced or we might regret it at the end.

There are times that my stubbornness brought me nothing but regrets. From something simple such as staying up late and doing nothing productive to making decisions that would probably affect me positively or negatively. As I remember it correctly I lied to one of my friends just because my other friends also did it. Sadly things did not turn out well as my friend ended up hating us and not talking to us for a while.  It took us about a year or so just to fix things and not be awkward with each other or so I think. Well the moral there is that one should think through what would be the effects of one action if it would be done. Unfortunately, this rarely happens in the world we live in today, a fast paced world that changes by the second. I believe that there is no definite way of avoiding such circumstances, so we just have to live with it and realize that these events would either serve as lessons of a dark reminder that might consume us part by part.

Modern bugtong

Malayo ang tingin ngunit malinaw pa din
Iba't ibang kulay at iba't ibang hugis din
                                                 (Eyeglasses)

Tanaga

I.
Nakahiga ang bata
Naktitig sa tala
Nanunuyo ang mga mata
Asan na ang biyaya?




II.
Ikaw ba ay masaya?
Kung malungkot ang iba?
Parang, mukhang may luha
Umiiyak, tumatawa