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Thursday, December 2nd, 2010
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2:50 pm - My ‘Favourite Music’ = Unique + Moving + Inspiring ...has to be from the 80’s
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Music enthusiasts would be quick to name their ‘favourite music’. ‘Tis not so hard. Just recall your favourite artist or music style...
To be philosophical, however, I think the notion of favourite music is quite absurd. No one has actually heard all music. Not enough, anyway, to single out just a ‘few’ that would go on your honour roll or mental playlist. If I were immortal (a vampire, for instance), I would probably make that my “life’s” mission, singlehandedly seeking out the entire planet’s music. Judging from the sound of up-and-coming popular music, though, I would rather be stuck in a decade long gone. Many of my favourite artists, in fact, flourished in the 80’s. If I truly knew all the world’s music, heard all the artists, albums and instruments I want to hear, then I would be ready to die. Let me be as quick to point out, though, that I am no music extremist. I only found something in this world I can live to.
Instead of talking about favourite music, I prefer to be precise and divulge the music that I heard, which I feel have touched my inner core. If I were to re-define favourite music or assign it my own meaning, I would define it as this: music that, out of all the different snippets, measures, melodies, harmonies, beats, full-length songs, EP’s, LP’s, albums, tapes, CD’s and records one has heard, has wholly captured one’s attention and something in it, which need not be identifiable, makes it something to go back to, time and time again.
When I think of my favourite music, I think of the music genres I enjoy, the music artists I admire (although admiration for an artist’s music does not mutually entail admiration for the artist—then again, this is contestable since one’s artistic work, like it or not, is ultimately a total reflection of one’s self). I think of the instruments I love to hear the sound, beats, notes and chords of. Combine the right music style with the right artist using the right instruments and we have a very powerful potion. But the mixture is not yet complete. My favourite music is completed, not complemented, by powerful songwriting and composing, ingenious artistic thought, careful or undeliberate (spontaneous) creation. It’s no longer art for art’s sake. It was created with a purpose and was conceived to walk around on earth, knock on people’s doors and ask to be listened to.
I can think of several genres and artists that have knocked on my door and which I have let into my private, exclusive self ever since. Growing up, I was exposed to jazz and classical music, music I liked but which I only learned to appreciate later on, when I realised music’s profound purpose. Mozart, Chopin, Prokofiev, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Dvořák, Beethoven and Schubert shaped my fragile, developing being in my formative years. Along with jazz, I was exposed to bossa nova, of which I truly favour the creations of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Sergio Mendes. But if we dig deeper into my favourite music, I like to say that the music I favour is that which cannot be classified; they cannot be pigeonholed.
I truly relish work from the 70’s to the 80’s. I adore and gush at the Batcave legends Specimen, Robert Smith, Siouxsie Sioux and Nick Cave. I love the anguish in the music of the Cure and the naked, raw madness of Tom Waits. I like the originality and ingenuity of Sparks, who are held in esteem and cited as a major influence by their peers—Morrissey, Kurt Cobain, Sonic Youth, the Ramones, Björk, Depeche Mode, New Order, Faith No More and the Pixies—all of whom I equally admire. Even earlier, from the 60’s, is the memorable Rolling Stones. Their music also reached out to me and it’s one I can never forget.
If we move over to the 90’s, I can think of only one true gem—Jeff Buckley. His albums, along with those of the Smiths, I have listened to countless times and never tired of. His voice transcends time and I can think of no other artist in this world to rival the pureness, depth and strong yet subtle vibrations of his voice. I would even say the same for Morrissey, as different as his voice is from that of Jeff Buckley. They both left a deep, unshakable impression on me. I must also give special mention to another whose discography dates from the 90’s—Tori Amos. If it were not for her, I would not have been empowered to create my own music with a piano and perform my own songs.
Enter 21st century and we have the Dresden Dolls, who were very much influenced by 19th and 20th century cabaret—again, an example of contemporary drawing upon themes from the past. It goes to show my preference for older styles. But with them, the Dolls brought a modernity I equally enjoy. Speaking of unconventional 21st century, I once described the music of Animal Collective as my light in the dark. Truly, I see my favourite music as my respite. I also think that there is no musical act out there to challenge the uniqueness and ingenuity of Animal Collective, none of the ones I’ve heard at least, which brings me back to my earlier point (will be prepared to die once I have heard ‘all music’).
Stephan Jenkins (Third Eye Blind frontman) said, "Music is the only thing in this world, with the exception of sneezing and looking at the sunset, that takes you to a place that's above the mundane. Everything else is just bullshit." Agreed. What other thing in this world speaks a universal language, has the powerful unique ability to invoke passions and emotions, to effortlessly override the three-dimensionality of time and, through refreshing memories vividly, conjure up the past?
Clearly, music is not just background or minor pleasure. The music I have heard, which I like, has touched me and moved me, entirely, to tears, admiration and exuberance. My favourite music is several different things—my drug, my cathartic agent, my influence, my inspiration, my defence against self-destruction. It is my companion in all temperaments, binaries and seasons—Sun or Shade...Light or Dark...Calm or Storm...Consciousness or Delusion...Revelation or Indifference...Sanity or Madness...Pleasure or Disgust...Love or Hate...Bliss or Pain.
An die Musik! Du holde Kunst, ich danke dir!
--
Text from Franz Schubert’s “An die Musik” (To Music):
Original German (by Franz von Schober)
Du holde Kunst, in wieviel grauen Stunden,
Wo mich des Lebens wilder Kreis umstrickt,
Hast du mein Herz zu warmer Lieb' entzunden,
Hast mich in eine beßre Welt entrückt!
Oft hat ein Seufzer, deiner Harf' entflossen,
Ein süßer, heiliger Akkord von dir
Den Himmel beßrer Zeiten mir erschlossen,
Du holde Kunst, ich danke dir dafür!
English Translation
Oh lovely Art, in how many grey hours,
When life's fierce orbit ensnared me,
Have you kindled my heart to warm love,
Carried me away into a better world!
How often has a sigh escaping from your harp,
A sweet, sacred chord of yours
Opened up for me the heaven of better times,
Oh lovely Art, for that I thank you!
--
Why Music Matters...- For a profound take on why music music matters, see Dr. Karl Paulnack’s (Boston Conservatory's then Music Division Director) welcome address to parents of incoming students in 2004 as quoted in Amanda Palmer's (of the Dresden Dolls) blog.
- For a moving talk/demonstration on music and passion, see Benjamin Zander's talk on TED.
2 Interesting Parallels:
Dr. Paulnack (5th to last paragraph)- A war veteran told him that a piece they played reminded him of his friend who he witnessed die while in aerial combat as pilots during WWII. That piece that was played was Aaron Copland’s Sonata--written during WWII and dedicated to Copland’s young friend who was a young pilot shot down during the war.
Zander- A street kid approached him and told him he never heard classical music before, but when he heard that Chopin piece, he suddenly thought of his late brother and cried for the first time since that brother died. That was the time Zander decided classical music is for everyone.
Is music still a piece of entertainment?
current mood:  pensive
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| Friday, January 1st, 2010
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7:14 pm - Happy 2010!
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Glückliches neues Jahr! !كل عام وأنتم بخير Furahia mwaka mpya! Manigong bagong taon! Selamat tahun baru! สวัสดี ปี ใหม่! Buon anno! ¡Feliz año nuevo! Bonne année! नया साल मुबारक हो! Новый! Ευτυχισμένο το νέο έτος! Срећна нова година! Šťastný nový rok! Godt nytår! Gott nytt år! Gelukkig nieuwjaar! Happy flwyddyn newydd! !שנה טובה Happy new year!
I wish I knew all those pretty languages.
So throughout 2009, especially after July, I have been spending far more time on my Facebook than on my LiveJournal, obviously. To keep the balance and start making more use of my LJ, I have decided to make this new year's update.
I did not end up finishing my Egyptian series. So here is what I posted on Facebook to commemorate all my unique and memorable moments in Egypt preserved in photographs. Moments I spent with other people which made my Egypt experience all the more special.
2009 was definitely a year of many firsts. Instead of a year of a series of photo shoots, musical compositions and read books like what it has always been, it was a year of many unique and first-time travels. I went to countries like Egypt and UAE for the first time, and of course, countries in Europe! On Facebook, I was able to faithfully make picture-album posts on all my Euroventures. The following lists all 20 'Eurotrip' albums I produced.
~+~
Liberty's Great Summer 2009 Eurotrip!
30 days, 11 cities, 6 train connections, 3 plane rides
(It was the ultimate solo mini-Eurotrip experience!)
Destination City 1: Paderborn
Cross-country: Switzerland-Germany
Paderborn, Part 2
Cross-country, Destination City 2: Germany-Switzerland, Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen- Christiania
Destination Cities 3 & 4: Roskilde and Åbenrå
Destination Cities 4 & 5: Åbenrå and Odense
Destination City 6: Zürich
Side-destination: Stallikon- Üetliberg
Cross-country: Switzerland-Italy
Destination Cities 7 & 8: Rome and Vatican City
Rome
Rome, Part 2
Rome, Part 3
Rome, Part 4
Cross-country: Italy-Austria
Destination City 9: Mödling
Destination City 10: Vienna
Cross-country, Destination City 11: Austria-Germany, Munich
~+~
Finally, to close this entry are two text collages succinctly summing up my mucho, sehr eventful year. Since I did spend more time on Facebook, the following images have lines which were actually statuses on my Facebook throughout the year 2009.
( Those 2009 Facebook Statuses )
Here's to 2009! May 2010 be just as great, or even GREATER!
current mood:  ecstatic reminiscing
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| Monday, July 20th, 2009
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9:59 pm - Egypt I (part 4): Khan El-Khalili
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Finally! I am back to posting my Egypt pictures.
As evident from my previous entries, the first day in Egypt was already an eventful one. And it was all capped by an even more eventful evening at Cairo's top bazaar-style shopping destination, Khan El-Khalili. At night, in the cool evening winds of March, we took multiple taxis to this famous destination and trekked through section after section of the centre's vast souq grounds. It is also interesting and quite shocking to note that, just days or up to a week or more before we went there, a bomb had exploded in Khan El-Khalili. Incidences like this are what made me a little nervous about coming to Egypt. But everything was normal while we were there, and everyone had a good time. :)
So below are pictures I took from that cool and lively night, which was a feast for both the eyes and other senses. If I try hard enough, maybe I can still remember how everything felt, smelled and sounded.
 
Destination: Khan El-Khalili
left photo: a picture of a building I must have taken while in a taxi coming from Khan El-Khalili.
right photo: a taxi just outside Khan El-Khalili.
( pictures from that night... )
That finally wraps up all the events and adventures from that memorable first day in Cairo. It was truly a great experience and having it in a foreign yet famous and widely talked about place made it even more exciting and somewhat surreal. When I was at the lobby of the hotel after having come from dinner, I remember logging on the Internet and posting on my fb status: Libby is at Cairo,Egypt where she just had dinner at a KFC.(Wow,KFC. Someone pinch me. It still isn't sinking in that I'm in Egypt. I feel like I just went to Dubai.) That's how Egypt surprised me or maybe how the whole trip still felt so otherworldly.
Up Next: Day 1 of the international conference (opening ceremony at Triumph Hotel and Global Village by the Nile River).
current mood:  productive
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| Sunday, July 5th, 2009
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2:31 am - Egypt I (part 3): Of Suites, Omani Costumes and KFC
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Our daytime adventure on our first day in Egypt didn't end at checking Cairo out from a balcony. We also did some things, including gathering at the boys' suite and watching them bring out and try on their costumes for Global Village the next day. After which, we finally decided to leave the hotel to eat. We ended up on the streets and after inquiries with a petrol station attendant, walk-in restaurant queries, a few stops and much bickering about what and where to eat, we landed in... KFC.
Below are pictures of our suites, Cairo's streets and that KFC...
 . 
In Caesar's Palace
left photo: Suite 517. Our pad for the night! + right photo: Saqib and Taher try on
their headwear in the guys' suite for the next day's Global Village.
~ + ~
( The adventure begins... )
So much for Cairo [mis]adventures on the first day. We also learned that crossing the streets there, even in seemingly tame-looking areas, is a rather hazardous ordeal (i.e., you're dead flesh if you don't think fast). Such is the wonder and charm of Cairo.
Up Next: Khan El-Khalili.
current mood:  awake
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| Friday, July 3rd, 2009
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6:57 pm - Egypt I (part 2): Debut Glimpses of Cairo from a Balcony
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Time for Egypt I, part 2. So we checked in at Caesar's Palace soon after we arrived from Cairo International Airport, which, to my surprise, was rather small. We then went to our suites (one was for the girls, another for the guys; the AIESEC Oman delegation had 2 suites and they were just right across from each other on the same floor). Each suite had a balcony extending from a bedroom. When one of the boys discovered the amazing balcony we girls had, he called all the others of his kind over to enjoy our balcony and express how jealous he is that we had the better one. ^^
Below are photographs of the view from that lovely balcony.
 
View from a Caesar's Palace Balcony
left photo: The next-door buildings' rooftops from a bird's eye view. + right photo: The Egyptian boy next door sneaks
a look at me as he gazes out from his flat's own balcony.
( Caesar's Palace hotel surroundings... )
That wraps up the balcony shots from that first breath of Egypt.
Up Next: the suites; Taher and Saqib try on their Omani costumes; dinner at KFC; Khan El-Khalili.
current mood: making up for lost time
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| Wednesday, July 1st, 2009
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10:40 pm - Egypt I: Arrival at Cairo
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It's about time I start photo-blogging about my March adventures in Egypt. I'll make this first one quick.
On Thursday, 12th March 2009, I and my co-delegates from AIESEC Oman flew in to Cairo from Muscat. We were going to Cairo together for an AIESEC international conference. AIESEC is the world's largest student-run organisation and it holds hundreds of conferences worldwide each year. That fateful time in March was the MENA XLDS '09 (Middle East & North Africa Exchange and Leadership Development Seminar). Following are pictures taken from the time we boarded the plane up until the time we arrived outside our first hotel. Our flight left late in the morning and we arrived at Cairo early in the afternoon.
Departure Anticipation. At the Muscat International Airport departure gate for flight to Egypt.
That's Aisha sitting. And standing, facing each other, are Mazzzan and Taher. :)
( the pictures! )
That's it for the very first set of pictures. It was a pleasant couple-of-hours flight from Muscat to Cairo, and our inaugural glimpses of Egypt were lovely. This is the first of multiple entries. Stay tuned for many more!
Up Next: Caesar's Palace hotel surroundings; our suites; dinner at KFC; Khan El-Khalili.
current mood: trying to be productive
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| Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
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1:47 am - My First and Memorable North African Adventure- Egypt
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I'm here
But my thoughts seem to be
A million miles away
I'm there
But not physically
Only in my dreams
My sweet and distracting day dreams
I don't understand
How a mere reality
A mere occasion
A string of events
An only place
Could make me fall
And hard
In just a matter of three and seven days
( the rest of the poem )
-28th March 2009, the morning I realised Egypt definitely broke my heart
  
On the 12th until the 22nd of March, 2009, I was in Egypt for what I would boldly and cheesily call, the experience of a lifetime. It's not just the fact that it's most people's dream to go to Egypt; the place is just so rich in history and intrigue. Though modern-day Egypt is crowded, noisy, dusty and dirty, it has a unique and indescribable charm that makes you fall in love. And fall in love with Egypt I did.
I went to Egypt as my belated birthday gift to myself. By plane, I flew to Cairo and by coach I rode to faraway and breathtaking Sharm El-Sheikh. By another coach, I travelled to very adventurous Dahab, and by coach again, I returned to Cairo to see the pyramids, a citadel and go shopping at an Arab-style bazaar! And both times in Cairo, I got to land my eyes on the legendary Nile River, which from today's modernity is now surrounded by buildings and cruised by modern-day boats.
It was a modern-day fairytale indeed. The above photos show what I experienced on my 9th day there. L-R: Far left photo- At the causeway of the Sphinx. + Middle and far right photos- At the infamous Giza pyramids. -- Giza, Egypt. Saturday, 21st March 2009. (Photos taken by Sam Tansley and Walter Liu.)
~ + ~
 . 
Of course, I just had to play the piano while I was there. ;)
Triumph Hotel. Cairo, Egypt. Friday, 13th March 2009. Photos from Walter (left photo) and Mazzan Al-Farsi (right photo).
Well, whaddaya know? I was piano-ing at a hotel in Cairo on Friday, the 13th!
Regrettably, I wasn't playing and singing the song, "Fire in Cairo" by The Cure.
After weeks and months, I have finally started blogging about my momentous journey to the land of sun and ancient history. It was also my first time in Africa, making the trip even more milestone-making. And contrary to popular belief, it is not extremely hot in Africa. It was quite the opposite when I was there.
Once I successfully, and finally, finish sifting through the tremendous loads of photographs, I will come up with the first of my Egypt travel-chronicling series. More to come. ;)
Happy 10th year anniversary, by the way, LJ!
current mood: awake and reminiscing
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| Thursday, May 7th, 2009
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10:05 am - No More Newly Imported Books in the Philippines: Blocking "the Free Flow of Ideas"
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Learning of the fact that, for the past few months, virtually no books have been imported into the Philippines does not please me. The idea that a particular book apparently attracted the attention of customs officials and it was demanded that duty be paid on it displeases me even more. Sadly, the alleged book's importer made the mistake of paying the duty.
( Let me go back to history. )
My friends and I always used to meet at Powerbooks and enjoy reading all the imported books while waiting for each other to arrive or killing time in the mall. This is about the most recent news to drive me to passionate fury. I can only feel for the booksellers who are not satisfied and undoubtedly frustrated by the inarticulate and nonsensical explanations/justifications/ramblings of the customs officials (I am back to hating government representatives).
The Florence Agreement of 1950 refers to the promotion of "the free flow of ideas by word and image". By word and image, you cannot deny that books come into this picture. Are we living in a society that, by its corrupt and greedy officials, is ready to obstruct or hinder this flow? We cannot let this happen.
read also: http://oxar2001law.multiply.com/journal/item/479 (another enraged citizen's blog on this preposterousness; he makes a fine point about ideas coming not only from educational books- pay attention Philippines customs!)
current mood:  enraged
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| Monday, February 2nd, 2009
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12:20 am - Memorable, Peculiar Marathon Moments at Dubai
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We have now arrived at the third and final part of my Dubai trip series. During the 2009 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, as I travelled from location to location to catch my fellow Muscat Road Runners, I looked around and noticed some picture-worthy sights and scenes. I took pictures of some of the other runners who caught my attention as well.
So below is my collection of pictures of random scenes and interesting-looking runners from the Dubai Marathon.
 
At Our First Stop
After the 1,200 participants were sent off from the starting line of the marathon, Deborah, Kate,
little Katherine and I (the Muscat Support Group) took a taxi to the first spot where we would
await Geb and his entourage, and then our very own Muscat Road Runners. left photo: It was
very dark when we were still at the marathon starting place. By the time our taxi dropped us off,
the sun was rising (after an unexpected rain) and the sight of the sky was just beautiful! This
was a photo I took right after we got off the taxi. + right photo: After we saw Haile and his
entourage run very quickly past, we had breakfast at this place called 'the Lime Tree Cafe'
while we waited for the first of our Muscat Road Runners to show up.
( Check it out. (various, various pictures) )
That wraps up the last of my Dubai trip series. So in a nutshell, I really went to Dubai just for the marathon. Next year, when I return to Dubai, I'll be coming for the marathon, too, but as a an actual participant. Yikes! Will I survive the whole race? In what time will I finish? Ha ha, I will reaaaallly have to train for it! Let's hope I get to train well this year. I need a training group/partner!
That aside, I really do want to go back to Dubai. For the sights, the feel, everything. I wanna be a tourist there, my gosh! So I was thinking: maybe on one of my trips from Manila to Muscat, I can take Malaysia Airlines flying until Dubai. Then at Dubai I can go for a day tour and maybe hop on one of those city tour buses (the ones open on the top just like the tour buses they have in US, ha ha). Then flying from Dubai to Muscat should be easy as there are many flights on that route. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind being stranded in Dubai. LOL.
Oh, Dubai, Dubai. Hah. I love the city after all.
current mood: awake
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| Friday, January 30th, 2009
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9:16 pm - The 2009 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon
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It is now time for part two of my Dubai trip series- the 2009 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, the main purpose of my visit to UAE's widely popular city-state, Dubai.
The Muscat Road Runners, of course, would not want to miss out on an a big running event such as this one. So off some members went by car, enduring around four hours of road travel. The others simply went by plane and landed at the destination in thirty minutes.
The day of the marathon was also the day before Oman would be at the peak of its football fever due to the 19th Arabian Gulf Cup final. While football fans were caught in excitement after the Oman national football team's victory at the semifinal, the Muscat Road Runners were caught in marathon fever!
Following is a huge set of pictures following the marathon from start to finish, even beginning at the the day before. So let me take you through a photo-blog journey of memorable Dubai Marathon moments, especially for Muscat's active and passionate Road Runners.
 
The 2009 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon is ready for take-off!
left photo: The marathon grandstand outside the Westin, all decked out with banners and ready on the eve
of the big event. + right photo: The marathon start post that very chilly dawn on the day of the marathon.
( Marathon Fever! )
It was a very, very eventful day. And a rather exciting race, too. I got a sort of high cheering for the runners as they passed, even the ones I didn't know. It felt nice to give encouragement to runners who felt like they needed to summon, not just physical strength, but also mental will and emotional pith to, so to say, 'bear the brunt' (in a marathon's case, it's the 'wall'). In other words, I had so much fun being a marathon supporter, instead of runner. I discovered what great fun it is to cheer at a marathon!
Yet also, I felt a tinge of light green (well, maybe dark green) jealousy for the runners who seemed to have inevitably been enjoying running in the perfect weather. The atmosphere was really nice and it made me look forward to when I'll be doing my own full marathon in the same event.
As for 'perfect weather', it wasn't so perfect when there were all the downpours. To borrow a cliche, it did end up cramping Haile's style.
( from the live text commentary... )
Some typos probably due to fast typing. Ha ha. It was, after all, live coverage!
Congratulations to Haile Gebrselassie, for winning the Dubai Marathon for the second time. He ran the 8th fastest time in the history of men's marathon running when clocking 2:05.29 (unofficial). It wasn't his 27th world record, but I find it refreshing that he's optimistic enough to think this was a good finish time considering his previous marathon running performances in the rain. Well done, Geb!
And from the bottom of my dark-coloured heart (dark coloured what?), congratulations, of course, to the Dubai Marathon finishers from the Muscat Road Runners!
Rob, the two Roberts (my dad included), the two Steves, Jalood, Daryl, Paul, Ahmed, Chris, Mark, Solveig, Aukje and as they say, last but not the least, Kay, you all did very well this year! And I thoroughly enjoyed watching and rooting for each and every single one of you! May you all continue to keep up the good running and strive to run better and more fulfilling marathons. After all, it's not really the finish time that matters. But how you felt after completing the run. And my, it is no joke running 42.195 kilometres! I seriously do not know how you guys did it. And with such grace! He he. May more runners from the MRR join next year's event! Injuries during training are certainly not welcome (I say that with great indignation! ha ha).
So yes, congratulations to the group. It is a pleasure and great feeling knowing that I am running with a group of people who are so dedicated to running, that many in the group take training for and joining races, such as full marathons, seriously. I couldn't ask for a better running group.
Viva, Muscat Road Runners!
current mood: productive
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1:56 am - Oh, Dubai
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I am back from my internet hiatus. So now I finally post about my recent trip to Dubai, a commercially and industrially booming city-state in United Arab Emirates.
Everyone has heard of Dubai, though with varying opinions and views of it. When I didn't know so much about it, I thought it was just a land of labour class expatriates. Now that I'm living in proximity to it (a 30-minute flight or a 4-hour drive away), I hear so much things about it and in the articles I read, it's popular, too. Dubbed the 'land of excess' with its man-made island and ambitious buildings, Dubai has its cosmopolitan and urban intrigue. The world is taking notice. In the middle of this month, I got to see for myself what this full-blown (and still blooming) city is like. So I was rather excited to be visiting Dubai for the first time.
I got to stay only for a weekend, I was there mainly because of the 2009 Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, but I got to go around and explore a little of intriguing Dubai, the non-secret of the gulf and the whole middle east.
My photo-blog on my 2-day trip to Dubai will be spread over 3 posts. The first one will be on the things I saw in Dubai, the second will be about the marathon and the third one will be on some scenes and random interesting things I saw while watching the marathon.
So below is the first of my 3-part Dubai trip series...
  
Dubai, Dubai. What a short yet memorable time I had there. I was instantly attached.
Some of the buildings you see at Dubai. Middle photo: Mall of the Emirates. + Far right photo: Burj Al Arab.
The far left photo was taken from inside the taxi shortly after arriving from the airport.
( Hello, Dubai. )
That wraps up the first of my Dubai trip series. 2 more Dubai posts to go!
I amused myself with some peculiar things I noticed while in Dubai. Such as what was it with the women and high, calf-hugging boots!? Too many women were wearing them. And that I particularly noticed while I was at the supermarket (Carrefour at Mall of the Emirates), of all places. Is that some sort of Dubai trend among the ladies? To wear tall boots? Ha ha, one of them was wearing brown ones, she even looked like she was going to go horseback riding.
Oh, oh, silly trends. I was about to think the women of Dubai were remarkable fashionistas. Until I saw too many of those boots.
Until my next entry!
current mood: wide awake late at night
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| Tuesday, January 20th, 2009
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7:15 pm - Posting Holiday Pictures: Manila, December '08 - Muscat, January '09
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This past December and January, I had a rather eventful holiday. So before I post photos from my last trip (to Dubai), let me post pictures from the latter and early parts of the last two months.
On the late night of Saturday, December 20th, I went to the airport for my Thai Airways flight to Bangkok. And that very same day, I had a presentation for one of my college modules (Varieties of English). So when I got home from school, I just prepared my few things then headed over to the airport. It was morning when I arrived at Bangkok where I took a Kuwait Airways flight to Manila. So I arrived at a rainy Manila on Sunday, December 21st, where I stayed for about a week and met with friends, played the piano* and reunited with my things.
On Monday, December 29th, I took the evening Thai Airways flight to Bangkok. I arrived at Bangkok pretty late into the night and checked in at the transit hotel. I was really tired so I was only grateful for the complementary Thai traditional massage. The next day, after being rather refreshed, I took the Thai Airways flight to Muscat. I had a lot of time at the airport after checking in so I managed to go around and buy some colourful toys, including souvenirs for my college pals. I arrived at Muscat on the evening of Tuesday, December 30th.
On Friday, January 2nd, just a day after New Year's, my folks and I went to the beach to relax in the afternoon. It also happened to be the day right before my first exam (English Language & the Media) and the 19th Gulf Cup inaugural match (between Oman and Kuwait). Oman disappointingly lost the match to Kuwait; however, they stunningly picked themselves up and went on to win their next two matches (against Iraq then Bahrain) until they won the semifinal (against Qatar) and final (against Saudi Arabia, by penalty kick). After two consecutive years of coming in second (almost coveting the Cup), they finally made it and now the Cup is theirs! As I type this, there was a victory parade to display the Cup they worked so hard for. Congratulations to the Oman national football team!
Another famous personality deserves to be congratulated. Today was Barack Obama's inauguration as the 44th President of the United States. His campaign revolved around a message of change. In the next four years, will there be a significant change in administration, in economic and foreign policies and in anything else that matters? We shall see.
Finally, the pictures from my December-January holidays...
 
Worlds Apart
left photo: A cloudy and rainy Manila. Taken from the Madrigal entrance of Alabang Town Center in Alabang.
right photo: Sunny Muscat. Taken from a commercial area walkway at Qurum Beach.
These pictures were taken on Wednesday, 24th December 2008 and Friday, 2nd January 2009 respectively.
( holiday pics )
So that was almost it for my eventful December and January. I still have yet to post pictures from Dubai! That will be a long one and I think I'll need a separate entry for the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon.
Yes, this year, I actually went to the Dubai Marathon and supported my fellow Muscat Road Runners! A marathon entry more involved and personal, and perhaps better detailed and more accurately accounted, than last year's will grace the page of this blog in the future.
Until then!
*I did mention I played the piano while I was at Manila. So thankfully, I was able to get some impromptu videos and on-the-spot acoustic recordings of some of my old and of my new stuff. They are on my YouTube and my SoundClick. :D
current mood:  rather freezing
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| Sunday, January 4th, 2009
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2:10 pm - Go, Team Oman!
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As 2008 came to a close and 2009 opened its pages as a brand new chapter year, Oman has been busy, getting all the spotlight in the gulf. On December 29th to 30th, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit took place in the Sultanate and today, January 4th, just 3 days after New Year's, is the inaugural match of the 19th Gulf Cup of Nations, 2009 hosted right here at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat, Oman. Tonight at 6 PM in the Bowsher Stadium, Oman will play in a group match against Kuwait. It is around 2 PM as I type this. Only 4 more hours to go until the big match! I can only imagine the great anticipation of Oman's football fans. I actually wish I could be there at the stadium to see the game for myself.
As I went to school today for my exam in language and society, I noticed the red streamers and ribbons sprawled on the college buildings and trees and the red, green and white Oman flags spread about. In and out of the campus were cars all decked out in the three colours, no doubt owned by football fans, especially those in high anticipation of and in high support for the country's national football team as they play the year's first Gulf Cup game tonight. The last time the city was dressed in red was during the Olympic torch relay in April 2008. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of the national unity and solidarity as the country rooted for its own national team. Despite all the bad and cruel injustice going on in the world, such as the disgraceful war on Gaza, it lightens my heart to know that upbeat things like this are going on.
Why is this one game and even the team itself so special? As the country struggles to make its way into and find its place in the extremely competitive world of sports, one team, a team hungry enough for medals, consistently makes its name. A leisurely reader of Oman's tabloids will have by now been acquainted, if only by name, with the nation's star goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi, who is also playing with the English Premiership, guarding the Bolton Wanderers. Al Habsi, however, isn't the only face to the great football team and the boys altogether have worked hard to get to where the team is now. In the 17th Gulf Cup final in Doha in 2004, they lost to Qatar and when they marched ahead to the finals in 2007, a goal by UAE in Abu Dhabi only sunk their hopes of finally coveting the Cup. With the trophy at hand as the team's supporters cheer them on from the stands in their own country and the team in top form after consecutive wins in friendly matches against China, Ecuador and Senegal, first-time victory is almost inevitable. Claude Le Roy, their coach after Julio Cesar Ribas, is optimistic and says, "My boys are ready to lift the Gulf Cup."
As Salim Joseph of Hi tabloid puts it: "...with Ali Al Habsi guarding the net, solid defence by two giants Mohammed Rabee'a and Khalifa Ayil, temperamental players like Fawzi Bahseer and Ahmed Mubarak Kanu and scoring machines like Imad Al Hosni, Hashim Saleh and Badr Al Maimani, team Oman can now afford to dream big...to dream about netting the 'Cup of Joy'!"
'One Oman One Pulse'- definitely a slogan, used to back the team, reflective of national patriotism and unity when it comes to sports, a unity present and strong in any country anticipating the victory of its national team. This is why in the midst of conflict and troubled times, I believe that sports are still good news.
current mood: in high anticipation of d game
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| Saturday, January 3rd, 2009
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5:46 pm - Trip to Rustaq: Desert Camp
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Okay, just quick posting some pictures from a last trip. Last month, the Muscat Road Runners went to camp on a desert in Rustaq. My family and I turned up only for the day. During our stay there while the sun still shone and on the way back when the sun was setting, I took several sets of pictures. The pictures are below.
 
( To the desert camp! )
These are the caption-less pictures for now. After all, pictures speak louder than words. Or was it, "a picture is worth a thousand words"? Something like that. I'll add the captions another time.
Happy New Year!
And yes, my next post will be of pictures from over the holidays.
Hell-o, 2009!
current mood:  blah
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| Wednesday, December 24th, 2008
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10:11 pm - A Road Trip to Sur, Oman
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So here it finally is. A long overdue picture-filled post. This is just the first of two I have ready to post here on my travels-and-other-adventures chronicling blog.
During Eid al Fitr, on the 3rd to 5th days of October this year, my family and I geared ourselves for a much-anticipated road adventure to Sur (صور), a capital city of Ash Sharqiyah Region southeast of Muscat and on the coast of the Gulf of Oman. The trip from Muscat to Sur by road took about 4 hours. It was a really cool evening by the time we arrived and we just had supper at a club. We then headed to our villa of temporary residence at the residential compound of Oman LNG, the company my dad worked for when he first came to Oman in the 1990's. We spent a lot of our day times in that villa and during our second evening, we took a long drive to the turtle beach where we came face to face with the big green turtles (a picture or two of these turtles, unfortunately, will have to wait). We simply headed back to Muscat by the time the calendar hit the 5th of October. Below is a blog-style gallery of a rich collection of pictures taken by my handy digicam from the car and in some moments out of the car (while at the villa). So without further ado, I present the wondrous beauty of nature in the desert, at sea, at sunrise and at sunset. Enjoy!
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The desert-packed and seaside Sur. Top Photo: A magnificent camel. + Bottom Left Photo: A scenery-shot on the way back, coming from Sur. + Bottom Right Photo: The road leaving Sur.
( The Scenic Adventure )
Now you can guess what one main thing the folks at Sur preoccupy themselves with. Fishing!
That wraps up my first picto-narration in a while. Another one to come!
In the meantime, happy holidays!
current mood: productive
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| Thursday, December 18th, 2008
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11:15 pm - My First Half-Marathon
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Winter Series Race 4: The Half Marathon
[posted on facebook, 05 December 2008]
What a generic title for something that was more than just a mere half-marathon to me. This morning's race goes down in my running history as an event I will never forget. Many runs of the Muscat Road Runners in the past have won my heart, but none of them made me feel the way this run did. And so, I will set aside some time to talk about this memorable day.
( the milestone narration entry. pictures at the end )
Another sport-related entry: "The Sea, the Birds, the Morning Sun... and Triathletes" (again, you'll need to have an account on fb to be able to see it. I may be posting this entry here too in the future)
Even after a substantial period of running irregularity, I am eventually getting back on track and improving even. For our last predictor run on Tuesday the 16th, I finished the 10-kilometre course in just 24 seconds over 55 minutes. At the PDO Fun Run the day after, I managed to finish the very hilly 6-kilometre course in about 35 minutes. I am flying back to Manila this Saturday (hopefully). I hope I'll still keep up with my running so that by the time January hits, I can be ready for the next winter series (and perhaps the 10-kilometre course at Dubai on the day of the Standard Chartered Marathon).
For the meantime, my toes are still looking deadly horrible. Three of them are black. Yuck! And my dad still owes me a trip to buy brand new running shoes. As my dad suggested, my money prize from the half-marathon should go to buying running shoes (and if there's still some amount left, perhaps I can buy some new running gear).
All the best to my running! By 2010, maybe I can join my first ever full marathon at Dubai. As early as now, people are already telling me I should join the Dubai Marathon in January next year because I'm "fit" or they think I can definitely do it. All I know is I definitely haven't trained for it and I want more running experience before I go into something as crazy as that. A biathlon may also be in my future. And if I get a bike, a triathlon. Why not.
current mood: awake
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| Thursday, December 4th, 2008
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9:51 pm - Who'd have thunk it?
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The English language is utterly funny. For one, it has the most illogical system for its orthography, in particular, spelling. Our lecturer in Varieties of English once asked why the word 'island' is not pronounced "is-land" the way its spelling suggests. Many English words are not pronounced the way they are spelled. Therefore, English spelling is not phonological. In other words, English words are not spelled the way they are pronounced.
Another peculiarity, idiosyncrasy and eccentricity in the English language is in irregular verbs. Basically, to indicate past tense, the suffix -ed is added to a verb as in 'fixed' which joins the stem or root verb 'fix' with the suffix 'ed'. Like in irregular plurals (i.e. mouse-mice), there are also irregular past-tense forms (i.e. seek-sought).
Just last night, I came across Amanda Palmer's blog saying, "who’d have thunk it." Instead of saying "thought", the supposedly more correct past tense form of 'think', she said "thunk". Now I don't know if that's part of a Boston dialect or if that's just Amanda being Amanda, but she did bring to light one important point: why can't the past tense form of 'think' be "thunk"?
The irregular past-tense forms of verbs tend to come in families (like drink-drank, stink-stank, ring-rang, swim-swam; know-knew, throw-threw, fly-flew). So if the past-tense form of 'sink' is 'sank' or 'sunk', then shouldn't the past-tense form of 'think' be 'thank' or 'thunk'?
I found the following poem in Steven Pinker's The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language (1994) which has an unknown author and was taken from Espy, 1975:
Sally Salter, she was a young teacher who taught,
And her friend, Charley Church, was a preacher who praught;
Though his enemies called him a screecher, who scraught.
His heart, when he saw her, kept sinking, and sunk;
And his eye, meeting hers, began winking, and wunk;
While she in her turn, fell to thinking, and thunk.
In secret he wanted to speak, and he spoke,
To seek with his lips what his heart long had soke,
So he managed to let the truth leak, and it loke.
The kiss he was dying to steal, then he stole;
At the feet where he wanted to kneel, then he knole;
And he said, "I feel better than ever I fole."
In high school, I remember my friend Rache showing a letter she wrote to our head directress/English teacher. Our esteemed teacher spotted an 'error' and asked what the proper past tense for 'seek' is. My friend asked, "seeked?" Our teacher simply shook her head and told my friend to find out. The so-called proper past tense form is, of course, 'sought', but in all logic, should there be any reason why it shouldn't be 'seeked', or better yet, 'soke'? Hah!
Pinker points out: "Irregularity in grammar seems like the epitome of human eccentricity and quirkiness." He goes on to say that: "a general statement of irregularity and the human condition comes from the novelist Marguerite Yourcenar" who said:
Grammar, with its mixture of logical rule and arbitrary usage, proposes to a young mind a foretaste of what will be offered to him later on by law and ethics, those sciences of human conduct, and by all the systems wherein man has codified his instinctive experience.
Hah. Who would have thunk?
current mood: pensive
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| Wednesday, November 5th, 2008
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11:57 am - Yay for the Democrats
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I have never on my blog commented about the US Presidential Race or any of the candidates. The contention for the next president's seat in the world's superpower and all the controversies along with it have, of course, stricken my fancy and prompted me to want to write about such thing. But I have never sat down to write my commentary and time passed by too quickly so that I almost meant to forget about it. Alas, I cannot take it any longer. OBAMAAA WONNN! Yay for him. And yay for the world? I sense another commentary in the works.
For the meantime... Hooray, Obama! May your leadership bring a breath of fresh air to the White House, to the US, and eventually, to the world. "Change" will not be automatic. But your winning alone is enough to be symbolic of change already happening. Who knew that the 44th President of the United States would be black?
The world is different now. Things no one has ever conceived are in this very generation taking place. Obama's supporters are hopeful about what will happen next. With the slumped economy, regions at war, and a host of other issues, the world's a mess. But seeing the joy of the people last night at Grant Park, Chicago during Obama's acceptance speech and a dream realised on the part of Obama, his running mate, and their families just brings happy tears to my eyes. I was touched not just because of seeing people get emotional, but also because seeing Obama win gave me more reason to believe in dreams.
( And speaking of dreams, here is an excerpt from Obama's acceptance speech. )
Yesterday, I was preoccupied with my confounded Language and Society assignment (that darn "small-scale" investigative research! it doesn't seem so small-scale) so I didn't get to tune in to the news. Thanks to Yahoo!, I learned just this morning that Obama actually won. And the results are astounding- a close competition in the popular vote and a clear win in the electoral votes! What they call a landslide victory! I never did expect it to happen like this so I was pleasantly surprised. It is true and I wasn't dreaming. As if that weren't enough, the TV screen at the college's reception was showing CNN's broadcast of last night's historic event at Grant Park.
Now various news regarding our new president-elect are making headlines. Americans celebrate Obama victory with tears and cheers. African Americans revel in Obama's historic presidential election. Asian markets rise on hopes Obama will boost U.S. economy. Even Europe's markets take profit on Obama's win. For many abroad, Obama win heralds less confrontational U.S. Afghans welcome Obama's win, look forward to new war strategy. Analysts, politicians, see Obama as boost to Britain. The world is excited.
Here's to the new superpower leadership. Obama has made history. Now it is time for him to turn to the sobering challenges.
And while all this is happening, Medvedev: Russia to deploy missiles near Poland.
current mood: ecstatic
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| Thursday, October 2nd, 2008
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10:41 pm - How Things Are
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Just wanted to get that last entry off the top of my page.
I am, among other things, alive. Sorry, no pictures. Darn. So all I have for now are words.
I am at Muscat, the capital I've talked about many times before. I started college and I am keeping up well with the Muscat Road Runners. There's nothing like running with like-minded people amidst a backdrop of lovely mideast capital scenery. I even appeared on a local publication after running a major group event. There are many more great events ahead so my running life is kept happy. I am faster and stronger. What I can do before is nothing compared to what I can do now.
The holy month of Ramadan has also recently ended so things are going to be back to regular programming. Eid has commenced and I am now smack in the middle of the Eid holidays, which means family and friend outings for everyone! Tomorrow, my family is going to be travelling to a region in the country called Sur. Clearly, I have a full day ahead of me so I really should be getting some sleep.
Until my next entry.
current mood: awake (but should be sleeping)
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| Friday, July 4th, 2008
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8:44 am - On Various Things
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This morning, as is not unusual for me these days, I went to run. Yesterday, I ran with my dad and he showed me a route he thinks is easy enough because there are more downhills. We ran Madrigal Avenue-University Avenue-Acacia Avenue-Country Club Drive-University Avenue-Molave Drive. This morning, after the rain, I ran the same route, only I went to Molave Drive from Acacia Drive-Ma. Cristina Street then passed through Yakal Street. So all in all, the route I took is a whole big, round loop plus half of my U-shaped route. Yesterday, when I ran with my dad, the route was a challenge (maybe because I didn't eat lunch? I did, however, have a banana before I left). This morning, it was still a bit of a challenge. But I could see that my body is starting to get accustomed to it. So my plan now is to keep running that route, until it becomes natural. It takes only at least an hour for me to finish that route in my current pace. But I'm still building my endurance and it has to come naturally. Maybe eventually, I'll go back to running two hours. Endurance comes first, then, as my dad says, speed will come automatically.
I'm keeping a running log now, where I put things like my route, the duration of my run, and how I felt during the run. For now, until I get a proper notebook for my running journal, my running log is in my phone. One thing I must be proud of in regard to my running is, I never give up. No matter how difficult the path or how tired I get, I press on, I persevere until I finish my course. Running really takes a lot of discipline. It's not for the weak at heart. And when it comes to long distances, it will always be mind over body.
I still am not ready to talk about the moving and all I mentioned in my to-be-continued post way back. Yesterday, my parents, my brother Robert, and I went to the house we will be renting after we sell our current one. And I must say, though it has a front yard and a garage, it is a lot smaller than our current home. I'm having a hard time picturing how all our present things will fit.
Change is never easy. We moved around a lot when I was a kid. I always woke up to big carton boxes so I thought I'd be used to it by now. Turns out no. Moving is still a painful and excruciating process. And then I'll still be moving to live with my family abroad where I feel things are uncertain. One thing is for sure- I think I will go look for a job.
current mood: recumbent, after a run
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