Saturday, February 23, 2013

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Gears of my childhood

This is for Learning Creative Learning's second week activity. We were asked to read Seymour Papert’s essay on the “Gears of My Childhood” and write about an object from our childhood that interested and influenced us.

Honestly, I couldn't think of one specific item like Papert's gears. What I do remember was that I played with what was available. Because my mother's a civil engineer, I had drawing materials and made child-version house plans and transparent-walled houses. Because my father built things, unfinished cabinets were transformed into ships. Unused blocks of wood worked as keyboards. I just had to draw letters and other keys on them. I liked the feeling of pushing combinations of buttons like what they do on planes and ships. 

Pretending to be a scientist, flowers (particularly gumamela and santan) and leaves were mashed, kept in a martayolet (LOL I don't know what this is in English) bottle, offered at the grotto, and used by my cousin as wound medicine. :)

I watched a lot of movies then. The television, while a problem for some parents, was for me a source of inspiration. I recall several instances when I stayed up late with or without lights, with or without companion, just to watch a movie. That must have been the reason, because I never had books then, why I made up stories. My childhood playmates and I would sometimes act the stories out. Sometimes I write down the corniest things, with illustrations.

Then there was the radio. I would always turn the volume up so I could sing along. I didn't want anyone else to hear me. When my uncle gave me a little keyboard, having no formal music education didn't stop me from writing songs. I could always pretend. These things might imply that I can act and write, but I assure you I'm not very good at both. The nearest thing to acting that I can do, and in private, is mimicking.

Overall, I had varied activities as a child, most of them concerning the arts, just like what I'm doing now although in still rather undeveloped qualities. What I can't understand though is why I can be good with Mathematics. I wasn't aware of it until I won some academic contest at about 5 years old and have been interested with it eversince. Maybe it has to do with growing up having a sari-sari store? Maybe because of what I play with, I developed a sense of structure, shape, navigation? Or maybe I just had pretty good logic skills as what an early story my father always relates suggests? But how do children develop logic?

Monday, February 18, 2013

First Blog Giveaway: 2 Books and a Crochet Pouch [CLOSED]

Blog Giveaway - Books

Blog Giveaway - crochet purse

In celebration of something this February, I am giving away:
  • a good copy of American Gods
  • a second-hand copy of Foucault's Pendulum
  • and a crocheted pouch
to three happy people. Simply tell me which one of these you'd like to win in the comments below. Please make sure I have a way to contact you (e.g. email address). Everyone has until the end of February to join. Good luck!

UPDATE March 1, 2013
Using Random.org, the winners are:
isaw - American Gods
cham - pouch
El-ei - Foucault's Pendulum

Thank you for joining!

Friday, February 15, 2013

Celebrities who look alike - Batch 4

It's been a long time! For those who haven't seen the other batches, here they are: batch 1, batch 2, batch 3. My list for this part included more, but a lot of people already noted them:
  • Val Kilmer and Jeff Bridges
  • Teresa Palmer and Kristen Stewart
  • Vincent D'Onofrio and Mark Ruffalo
Somehow Sam Claflin's moles remind me of Ben Affleck's, too. So without further ado, this is part four of celebrities who look alike:

Lauren German and Milla Jovovich
Lauren German and Milla Jovovich

Devon Sawa and Tom Felton
Devon Sawa and Tom Felton
Rise of the Planet of the Apes got me fooled!

Dougray Scott and Stephan Jenkins
Dougray Scott (Ever After) and Stephan Jenkins (third eye blind)

Gregory Smith, James McAvoy, Taylor Hanson and Ben Barnes
Gregory Smith looks like 3 persons, maybe more: James McAvoy, Taylor Hanson, Ben Barnes

Hayley Atwell and Julia Ormond
Hayley Atwell and Julia Ormond

Jensen Ackles and Gabriel Macht
Jensen Ackles and Gabriel Macht

Lovi Poe and Vanessa Hudgens
Lovi Poe and Vanessa Hudgens

Mark Rendall should play Jeff Buckley
Mark Rendall should play Jeff Buckley!

Yeng Constantino and Nora Aunor
Yeng Constantino reminds me of Nora Aunor. I don't know why.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Aicha Pink Hat Crochet

I made another hat. This one's for Aicha. I was looking for a certain kind of pink shade which the usual yarn brands, Monaco and Red Heart, didn't have. When Eds had her baby shower (she recently had her baby, God bless them both!), she bought this bulky and shiny yarn, which I haven't seen before. She said there were other brands available if you know where to look. The one used for this hat is the Familia yarn. I love that it's more stretchable, but heavier too. The Familia yarn, unfortunately, is harder to find. And where it's sold, there's not a lot of stock. I was lucky the pink yarn I bought was enough.

Aicha Pink Hat Crochet

Aicha Pink Hat Crochet

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Liebster Blog Award


Thank you Cham for this award! I'm still a little shy about this, but I'll try my best. :)

The Liebster Award is given to "up-and-coming bloggers with less than 200 followers." Liebster means dearest in German.







The Rules are:
  • Share 11 Facts About Yourself 
  • Answer the Awarder's 11 Questions
  • Ask 11 Questions of your Own 
  • Nominate 11 Bloggers

MY 11 FACTS
  1. I eat ice.
  2. I still keep my anime and x-men cards.
  3. I had one stuffed toy as a kid. It was wrapped in its original plastic container and hung by a window.
  4. Because I'm not touchy feely, my friends tease me when it's time for beso-beso.
  5. I took Applied Mathematics in college.
  6. I rarely drink while eating.
  7. KFC's mashed potatoes... yum!
  8. I smell... uhm, things.
  9. I have a weird way of holding the spoon and fork.
  10. At 8/9, watched Marcellino at the cinema on my own. My mother shopped while waiting.
  11. I still play our old cassette tapes.

CHAM'S QUESTIONS
  1. How would you want to die? while sleeping
  2. What was the reason why you cried the last time you did? Les Mis the movie musical
  3. What do you consider your most precious material possession right now? JUST ONE. Aside from the Bible, it's the family history book of clippings that my grandfather made. I'm filling Frodo's shoes.
  4. If you were to have only one parent, who will you choose - your Mom or your Dad? hmmm, I can't choose :(
  5. What is the job you'd love to have forever, even without pay? researcher/librarian/film art crew
  6. How much would you need to be paid, to kiss someone of the same sex? Does kissing my baby sister to sleep count?
  7. One book you've read and didn't like the ending. Change the ending. Breaking Dawn. I will make the characters sit through the whole negotiation part instead of stand.
  8. The first human you're going to bite for blood after waking up and realizing you've turned into a vampire? I will randomly pick a trapo (bad politician)
  9. If you'll be allowed to eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? potatoes
  10. Three (3) words you'd tell your 13-year-old self. Seize the day (since Carpe Diem has only two). Dead Poets Society <3
  11. Ube na lasang Tae OR Tae na lasang Ube? (English Subs: Purple Yam which tastes like Poop OR Poop which tastes like Purple Yam?) Defend your answer. :D Ube na lasang Tae of course, because Ube is food and Tae is not. I have the benefit of not knowing what poop tastes like. :)

MY 11 SIMPLE QUESTIONS
  1. Complete the sentence. I'm a frustrated _________.
  2. What was/is your favorite toy?
  3. What one time in history would you like to travel back to?
  4. Name the artist who most inspires you. Why?
  5. For you, what are the 3 most important virtues?
  6. If you were a fictional character, who would you be?
  7. Song/Book you wish you wrote:
  8. When in need of some information, do you first turn to a) someone, b) a book, c) google?
  9. (from Walden) What do you want to dwell near to?
  10. (from William Blake) Does a firm persuasion that a thing is so, make it so?
  11. (from PP) Do you believe in faries?

I know it says 11 nominees, but I still need to find more, so I nominate Ailen, Chi, Crybaby, Jeruel, James, LA, Nej  and anyone who wish to do this and answer my questions. :)

P.S. I would also love to know your anwers Cham ;)