Monday, September 20, 2010

[Outline] A Hanging

I.       Inside the Burmese Prison
A.     Condemned cells contain only a plank bed and a pot.
B.     Condemned men due to be hanged
II.     Events in the prison
A.     A Hindu man is being prepared to be hanged.
B.     Indian warders guard the prisoner.
III.   Outside the prison
A.     Indian warders and the Hindu man walked to the gallows.
B.     A dog disturbs their march towards the gallows.
C.     Narrator realizes the importance of life.
IV.  In the gallows
A.     A gray-haired hangman was waiting to fulfill his job.
B.     Prisoner cried out for his god.
C.     The Hindu man (prisoner) was hanged.
V.     Back in the prison
A.     Officers and prisoners ate breakfast.
B.     People laughed at nonsense jokes.
C.     Officers went out for a drink.

[Outline] Politics of the English Language



I.      Decline of the English Language
A.      Have political and economic causes
B.      Is due to foolishness in human thoughts
C.      Is full of bad habits influenced by imitation
II.     Common reason for ugliness in the English Language
A.      Staleness of imagery
B.      Lack of precision
III.    Tricks used in Modern English
A.      Dying Metaphor
  1.       Worn out metaphors
  2.       Metaphors with wrong meanings
B.      Operators on Verbal False Limbs
  1.       Use of characteristic phrases
  2.       Use of passive voice rather than active voice
C.      Pretentious Diction
  1.       Addition of scientific impartiality
  2.       Addition of culture and elegance
  3.       Increase of slovenliness and vagueness
D.      Meaningless Words
IV.    Faults of modern writing
A.      Use of ready-made phrases
B.      Use of stale metaphors
C.      Use of simili and idioms
V.      Political Writing
A.      Biased writing
B.      Euphemisms
VI.    Language corrupting thought
VII.   Ways to Correct Modern Writing
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credits for pic: http://www.english-blogs.com

The Icy Digital World (former name: Cold Room)



Someone once told me that mirrors are doors to the other world. A world that is different  from what we are accustomed to. Some enter the other world out of necessity, some by curiosity while others are accidental.
The computer room in the main library shares similar qualities. A wall predominantly made of glass and wood separates the electronic resource room from the opposite room filled with books. Depending on where you are standing, the glass walls served as windows to either a world of technological revolution or a world of tradition that stood through time.
When I entered the computer room, a cold breeze warmly greeted me. Inside, I immediately noticed the buzzing sound of the air conditioning system. It sounded like a monk humming while under a contemplative state. Others may find it annoying, but I loved the calming effect it brings. I believe that its purpose is to help alleviate the deafening silence the room contains.
I could hear the soft whispers uttered by the room’s receptionist, asking every newcomer whether he or she will use a computer or not. Repetitive clicking noise resonates in the room, like a mockingbird hitting a tree or an annoying knock on your door at three in the morning. Also, the rhythmic sound of fingers slamming on keyboards can occasionally be heard, like a snare drum being played by a PEP drummer.
Computer users are enclosed in their own world, oblivious to the surroundings. Their eyes are attached to their respective monitors as if both objects were glued to each other. Their pupils move in all direction, within the bounds of their monitor. The movements of their eyes are so fast it can compete in a car race.
And as each user leaves the room, a replacement arrives to ensure the continuous flow of the digital chain. However, no matter how many people come and go, neither the ice-kissed temperature of the room nor the hustle and bustle of each computer cubicle changed.

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disclaimer: i don't own the picture, found it in google

Flying slipper


Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose (The Wonder Years). We hold on to them because something happened in that time frame that changed our lives one way or another. We hold them close in our hearts because it is what made us who we are. The memories we can’t remember are those insignificant ones that didn’t make an impact in our lives.
Our childhood always contains memories we can never forget. It could be because of the happiness it brought, sadness and sorrow it made us feel or probably something else. In my case, I can never forget the time my sister and I broke the glass of my parents’ bookshelf.
Everything happened in one afternoon when my older sister and I were left alone in the house. We started throwing shoes and slippers at each other just for fun. I would attack, she would dodge and vice versa. However, as we became too engrossed in the fight, we forgot that fragile things surround our battlefield and, of course, the inevitable happened.
She broke the glass part of the bookshelf after I avoided the slipper she threw at me. My sister was the one who threw the slipper, but both of us were to blame. I can never forget the first words that escaped through her mouth, “Bakit mo iniwasan?”  Though it seems silly, at that moment all I could do was agree with what she said.
As soon as my mom knew what we had done, she was enraged. Maybe because the bookshelf was an antique or probably because she was disappointed with the type of game her daughters chose to play. Nevertheless, we were grounded for some time and she threatened that my sister’s birthday party will be postponed until we replace the broken glass.
I can remember the both of us crying our hearts out as we insert all the money we have in a pink piggy bank.  When we asked our driver how much it would cost to replace the glass, he said, “Around 2000 pesos”. That amount was definitely out of our reach and it made us more scared. We were so desperate to earn 2000 pesos before my sister’s birthday that we worked hand in hand in search for money. We failed to replace the broken glass on time but my sister still had her birthday party.  
Thinking back, I realized that the reason why this memory never left my mind was not because it reminded me of our stupidity but because my sister and I worked together for the first time. We are infamous for always fighting each other. There wasn’t a day that we didn’t fight over some petty thing or even shout at each other. But that moment, when I honestly thought we would fight, the opposite happened.

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picture of the aforementioned bookshelf: [click this]

Dear Kpop,


It hurts to breathe because every breath I take proves I can’t live without you.* Cheesy right? But sadly it is true. Sometimes I ask God why you needed to exist or why I had to discover you. My life was quite peaceful before you arrived and I’m guessing I am in the same predicament as other KPOPers out there.
Well, I can’t just consider you a music genre simply because you have ‘pop’ in your name. You have the whole package, like a halo-halo with ice cream on top. You have numerous amounts of kpop idols to satisfy everyone. You just had to make sure that you accommodate every single person who makes the mistake of checking you out. Your marketer is so great that everything related to Korea is labeled as KPOP. Why did you have to go overseas, couldn’t you just stay in your country and sabotage Korean lives?
Ever since I discovered you, I was slowly lured into your trap as if you’re a quicksand I fell into. The music you produce sticks to my brain like a post-it, reminding me again and again how addicting you are. And you know what’s funny? I can’t even understand the lyrics nor can I sing along with it. The music videos accompanying the songs are ingeniously created to manipulate my mind into thinking the song is great.
The songs, music videos and artists are only parts of the package. The biggest contributor is your TV shows. Korean dramas that became hugely popular here like Lovers in Paris, Endless Love and Boys over Flowers served as stepping stones into discovering KPOP. Then, the music shows where the singers perform are staged glamorously with colorful lights and LED screens. Further inviting the viewer to sit still and watch.
Everytime I watch you, it’s like I enter fairytale land—a place where everything is beautiful. If I were a scientist, I would label you as an addicting drug that causes hallucinations. Once I start, I couldn’t break free and as a result my school work suffers. Did you know that I barely passed my UPCAT exam because I prioritized you rather than my review time? I just wish that you came with a manual so I know how to turn my fanaticism on and off depending on the occasion.

Yours Truly,
A Kpop fan

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*I got it from a magazine, it didn't come from me
disclaimer: i don't own the picture, found it in google

Monday, September 6, 2010

In order to begin, one must have the initiative to start... (>.<)