All These Rallies

Briefly, let me drop a note about all these protests in the streets:

1. I have no problems with people expressing their ideas, go ahead and say what you have to say…
2. But let’s face it, street protestations (after we as a nation so heroically bastardized the idea of EDSA) have been reduced to a mere form of expression
3. You think, unseating another president will make things better? NOT! Protest and fight alright, but again, don’t expect some magical revamp of these politicians’ souls
4. The trick is to improve our individual lives and economies better
5. And let the rule of law take its course
6. I fear that taking it to the streets have now become mere pageantry, again nothing against pageants but those who win pageants do not ever cause world peace
7. It’s not that GMA is good, in fact she’s probably all that she’s accused to be. I don’t like her in fact. But unseating her does not seem wise. Put her to trial, if the rule of law says she goes to jail then so be it. I’ll be happier when she’s in jail.
8. We can change things still yes. Believe it or not, the idealism is still alive even to those who are not in the streets. It’s just that after being in the streets for years fighting causes (noble or otherwise) I have changed strategies.
9. Strong nations are made up of strong individuals (economically, intellectually etc.), and my vow to my country is I will keep getting stronger.

Here’s a quote that my father always read and explained to me as a kid:

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” — Reinhold Niebuhr

And Movies, Too

What really knocks me out is a book, when you’re all done reading it, you wished the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it.
The Catcher in the Rye
Holden Caulfield in Chapter 3

Thanks C! For a truly memorable Saigon night! We got to plot that trip to Cannes and have PT Anderson, Almodovar and Ang Lee for that all night long brain picking trip! We have to permit it, right?

Pablo and Madonna

Here’s a treat for everyone on this “Hallmark Greeting Card” day. Wishin everyone a hearty day and if you don’t feel particularly hearty or happy, well think of it this way:

1. In less than 6 hours, this day will be over and life will be back to normal programming.
2. You didn’t really want to be stuck in traffic anyway
3. You’ve got better things to do than eat lobster in an over crowded restaurant
4. Come on, you didn’t really think it was cool to be going out and doing the mainstream thing did you?

So for my friends, here’s some Neruda poetry read by Madonna. The message is not exactly how my sentiments go right now (and I kid you not) but today I prefer to celebrate love and poetry (because I’m an arteeeest! Hahaha!)

If You Forget Me

I want you to know
one thing.

You know how this is:
if I look
at the crystal moon, at the red branch
of the slow autumn at my window,
if I touch
near the fire
the impalpable ash
or the wrinkled body of the log,
everything carries me to you,
as if everything that exists,
aromas, light, metals,
were little boats
that sail
toward those isles of yours that wait for me.

Well, now,
if little by little you stop loving me
I shall stop loving you little by little.

If suddenly
you forget me
do not look for me,
for I shall already have forgotten you.

If you think it long and mad,
the wind of banners
that passes through my life,
and you decide
to leave me at the shore
of the heart where I have roots,
remember
that on that day,
at that hour,
I shall lift my arms
and my roots will set off
to seek another land.

But
if each day,
each hour,
you feel that you are destined for me
with implacable sweetness,
if each day a flower
climbs up to your lips to seek me,
ah my love, ah my own,
in me all that fire is repeated,
in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten,
my love feeds on your love, beloved,
and as long as you live it will be in your arms
without leaving mine.

-Pablo Neruda

(If you want to download the MP3 you can DL the attachment below, too)

Salvador Dalí

Finally found what I’ve been looking for. And when I did, it was screaming at me saying, “Choose me! I’m the one you’re looking for.”

And so on a lazy Sunday afternoon in Bui Vien I got my first Salvador Dalí. It’s a copy of course, but there’s something about Dalí’s paintings that connect with me (plus these Viets sure know how to paint!) His surrealist style exudes a post apocalyptic mood to me due to his use of black, orange and red hues (else my thoughts are really that, black.)

The painting that I got, which shall be adorning my living room wall, was Metamorphosis of Narcissus.

“According to Greek mythology, Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection in a pool. Unable to embrace the watery image, he pined away, and the gods immortalized him as a flower. Dali completed this painting in 1937 on his long awaited return to Paris after having had great success in the United States.The painting shows Narcissus sitting in a pool, gazing down. Not far away there is a decaying stone figure which corresponds closely to him but is perceived quite differently as a hand holding up a bulb or egg from which a Narcissus is growing. In the background, a group of naked figures can be seen, while a third Narcissus like figure appears on the horizon.” (from Wikipedia)

I think I shall now start collecting Dalí’s other paintings as well.

1. The Persistence of Memory

2. The Temptation of St. Anthony

3. Soft Construction With Beans

4. Crucifixion (Corpus Hypercubus)

5. Impressions of Africa

6. Woman at the Window

7. The Battle of Teutan

8. Geopoliticus Child Watching the Birth of the New Man

9. Disappearing Bust of Voltaire

10. Meditative Rose

_________________________
photo credits: Google Images