Wednesday, January 21, 2004
interesting things i've learned recently
a reliable enough source told me that listening to mozart further stimulates an infant's prenatal and postnatal development. i didn't get to clarify whether this was intellectual, emotional, physical or what, but i figure it's neuro-related.
but the point is that music by a specific composer could actually influence something such as the development of an infant human. i could understand when we say that oh, don't listen to rock, or don't listen to 'hard' music, listen to classical stuff in general. but the works of one person in particular having a universally profound effect? whoa, that's better than getting $300M in ticket sales in a year- this transcends whatever precincts you can think of. did it occur to the dude then that he would be making such affecting music?
come to think of it, mozart wrote operas at, what, 16, 17 years of age? what the heck, this guy's better than any modern pop/rock genius out there. what 17-year-old would be having his pieces still played (and enjoyed immensely) over a century after his death? he, apparently.
of course, you can argue that he's 'one in a googolplex', but, heck, so are we. that only adds to his legacy, and possibly inspire us of our own.
because is it really so that only a 'one in a googolplex' person like mozart is capable of acheivements like his?
special mention to my reliable source
i also found out that this aforementioned reliable source is acquaintances with a certain otto penzler. otto penzler happens to be the mystery series editor for the best american series. i have read a few volumes from this series (and am eagerly anticipating borrowing another one), and i must say that his task is daunting- having to choose fifty among hundreds of submissions from various sources (the guest editor chooses around 20 from penzler's initial selection), and not to mention fun- i would gladly take up part of his load and read mystery stories all day to make an eventual selection.
anyway, in the description to the mysterious bookshop, it says that it's a two-story bookstore with the artist's rendition showing what looks like a small, old loft. turns out, however, that the place has a huge back door that actually houses a library- think floor-to-ceiling bookcases- of more titles you can shake a finger at. i'm sure it's a reader's dream to visit the place and actually see this library, and i've added this place to my list of places of pilgrimage (along with a damn barnes and noble already- damn, bn rocks!)
another notable collection
ed gorman's the world's finest mystery and crime stories is also a superior collection of mystery tales, maybe even more so, due to the fact that this considers international entries. i have also read a couple of editions of these books, the stories of which are bound to either thrill, startle, or leave you with a wry smile (the last reaction of which i can assure you of.)
i may be posting online sources, but these books are available at the local bookshops here (i'm a bit particular to a place in makati that used to be the franchise of a singapore bookseller.) and if you come across them, do give them a quick browse. the contents of these books definitely live up to their pedigrees.
and finally (since we're talking about shops)...
my favorite stores. what i'd give to go back to these places and spend a day each in them. yeah.
a reliable enough source told me that listening to mozart further stimulates an infant's prenatal and postnatal development. i didn't get to clarify whether this was intellectual, emotional, physical or what, but i figure it's neuro-related.
but the point is that music by a specific composer could actually influence something such as the development of an infant human. i could understand when we say that oh, don't listen to rock, or don't listen to 'hard' music, listen to classical stuff in general. but the works of one person in particular having a universally profound effect? whoa, that's better than getting $300M in ticket sales in a year- this transcends whatever precincts you can think of. did it occur to the dude then that he would be making such affecting music?
come to think of it, mozart wrote operas at, what, 16, 17 years of age? what the heck, this guy's better than any modern pop/rock genius out there. what 17-year-old would be having his pieces still played (and enjoyed immensely) over a century after his death? he, apparently.
of course, you can argue that he's 'one in a googolplex', but, heck, so are we. that only adds to his legacy, and possibly inspire us of our own.
because is it really so that only a 'one in a googolplex' person like mozart is capable of acheivements like his?
special mention to my reliable source
i also found out that this aforementioned reliable source is acquaintances with a certain otto penzler. otto penzler happens to be the mystery series editor for the best american series. i have read a few volumes from this series (and am eagerly anticipating borrowing another one), and i must say that his task is daunting- having to choose fifty among hundreds of submissions from various sources (the guest editor chooses around 20 from penzler's initial selection), and not to mention fun- i would gladly take up part of his load and read mystery stories all day to make an eventual selection.
anyway, in the description to the mysterious bookshop, it says that it's a two-story bookstore with the artist's rendition showing what looks like a small, old loft. turns out, however, that the place has a huge back door that actually houses a library- think floor-to-ceiling bookcases- of more titles you can shake a finger at. i'm sure it's a reader's dream to visit the place and actually see this library, and i've added this place to my list of places of pilgrimage (along with a damn barnes and noble already- damn, bn rocks!)
another notable collection
ed gorman's the world's finest mystery and crime stories is also a superior collection of mystery tales, maybe even more so, due to the fact that this considers international entries. i have also read a couple of editions of these books, the stories of which are bound to either thrill, startle, or leave you with a wry smile (the last reaction of which i can assure you of.)
i may be posting online sources, but these books are available at the local bookshops here (i'm a bit particular to a place in makati that used to be the franchise of a singapore bookseller.) and if you come across them, do give them a quick browse. the contents of these books definitely live up to their pedigrees.
and finally (since we're talking about shops)...
my favorite stores. what i'd give to go back to these places and spend a day each in them. yeah.
Saturday, January 17, 2004
retort to that weird-ass moment
i was in Town yesterday when i heard john mayer on the background PA system. i turned to my friend and said, 'why do they always play john mayer on the PA system?'
she looked at me and said, 'better than ocho-ocho.'
i was in Town yesterday when i heard john mayer on the background PA system. i turned to my friend and said, 'why do they always play john mayer on the PA system?'
she looked at me and said, 'better than ocho-ocho.'
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
first reported weird-ass moment of the year
which actually happened last January 3, 9:15am at the ATC. i was standing outside one of the open shops (at 9:15am you can count which ones would likely be open), and my subconsciousness was feeding an all-too familiar sound in my head. so i (figuratively) woke up and heard the strains of 'ocho-ocho' across the PA system. not of the place i was in. that of the whole mall. hmm... cool. i wonder what'd happen if they tried that during mall hours...
which actually happened last January 3, 9:15am at the ATC. i was standing outside one of the open shops (at 9:15am you can count which ones would likely be open), and my subconsciousness was feeding an all-too familiar sound in my head. so i (figuratively) woke up and heard the strains of 'ocho-ocho' across the PA system. not of the place i was in. that of the whole mall. hmm... cool. i wonder what'd happen if they tried that during mall hours...
Thursday, January 08, 2004
First guilty pleasure of the year
Well, aside from the usual drinks during the new year, is Clay Aiken's Measure of a Man CD, particularly This is the Night and Invisible... heheheh...
Now that I have changed jobs, I can mudsling my old firm
It was the company's Christmas party and us 'consultants' were tasked to head the registration table (by this time, i was all too willing to do whatever they asked, having already submitted my resignation and just inching towards the effective date).
One of the presentations involved a song and dance number by the board of Directors, which, in fairness, was actually funny and well worth a hoot, so a lot of the employees stood to get a glimpse, laughing and clapping their hands with glee (of course some just stood with disbelief.) toward the end of the number, their dance steps involved swaying their arms from side to side (as in a happy song, if you get my drift), and, to my surprise, some of the employees who were standing started to sway their hands as well!!!
oh. my. nevermind.
by the end i wasn't laughing at MANCOM anymore, but at the pitiable attempt at ass-kissing by the said employees, some of who, by the way, were brand and field sales managers, supposedly reputable people who just ooze with the aura of being above that at the office... well, well, it seems when the times call for it, out go the puckers, heheheh... believe me, that night was certainly completed early for me.
the works of shel silverstein
i discovered this writer just last weekend, while looking at other children's books (my best friend sorta likes children's books despite being 23 years old), and we read 'the missing piece'. we ended up buying a collection of poems entitled, 'a light in the attic', and he writes with an innocence and poignancy such that kids can appreciate the simple words, yet adults will definitely find underlying nuggets of truth. i now want to buy both 'the missing piece' and sequel 'the missing piece meets the big O', and, i'm telling you, his books may be slightly expensive, but go through the pages of any book he has written, and i'm sure you will understand exactly what i'm saying. i'm really hyped on 'the missing piece', so if you find an open copy of it, go ahead. you'll be done with the book in 5 minutes. but even at 700 bucks for it, you'll find that the read may be 5 minutes long, but the it's well worth keeping and reading again. and again.
Well, aside from the usual drinks during the new year, is Clay Aiken's Measure of a Man CD, particularly This is the Night and Invisible... heheheh...
Now that I have changed jobs, I can mudsling my old firm
It was the company's Christmas party and us 'consultants' were tasked to head the registration table (by this time, i was all too willing to do whatever they asked, having already submitted my resignation and just inching towards the effective date).
One of the presentations involved a song and dance number by the board of Directors, which, in fairness, was actually funny and well worth a hoot, so a lot of the employees stood to get a glimpse, laughing and clapping their hands with glee (of course some just stood with disbelief.) toward the end of the number, their dance steps involved swaying their arms from side to side (as in a happy song, if you get my drift), and, to my surprise, some of the employees who were standing started to sway their hands as well!!!
oh. my. nevermind.
by the end i wasn't laughing at MANCOM anymore, but at the pitiable attempt at ass-kissing by the said employees, some of who, by the way, were brand and field sales managers, supposedly reputable people who just ooze with the aura of being above that at the office... well, well, it seems when the times call for it, out go the puckers, heheheh... believe me, that night was certainly completed early for me.
the works of shel silverstein
i discovered this writer just last weekend, while looking at other children's books (my best friend sorta likes children's books despite being 23 years old), and we read 'the missing piece'. we ended up buying a collection of poems entitled, 'a light in the attic', and he writes with an innocence and poignancy such that kids can appreciate the simple words, yet adults will definitely find underlying nuggets of truth. i now want to buy both 'the missing piece' and sequel 'the missing piece meets the big O', and, i'm telling you, his books may be slightly expensive, but go through the pages of any book he has written, and i'm sure you will understand exactly what i'm saying. i'm really hyped on 'the missing piece', so if you find an open copy of it, go ahead. you'll be done with the book in 5 minutes. but even at 700 bucks for it, you'll find that the read may be 5 minutes long, but the it's well worth keeping and reading again. and again.
