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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Facebook Arnimalisms: Series 2

1) Makipaglandian sa nilalandi ng iba pang malalandi.

2) Makipaglandiang muli sa nilalandi ng iba pang mas malanding nakikipaglandiang muli.

3) Pag ako’y walang magawa at nababato, nakikipaglandian ako.

4) Matutong makinig para maging kaibig-ibig. Akala mo lang ako’y kinikilig. Umikot ka naman sa iba pang daigdig.

5) Hindi pwedeng maging tayo sapagkat ikaw ay murahero.

6) Ang taong makulit ay kinikindatan na lang pag mapilit para di ka mabuwisit.

7) Nagkamali ako sa paghahabol. Wala ka pa lang kwenta at mistulang tukmol.

8) Pag nag-init ako, sasabog ka.

9) Mataba man ako, tanga ka pa rin.

10) Hindi lahat ng dilat ay mulat.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Facebook Arnimalisms: Series 1

1) I don’t mind if you consider me ugly. I hope you don’t mind if I point out your horrendous grammar and constant misspelling. Witty trumps pretty.

2) Future Bumper Sticker for an Ex-BF: I think; therefore, you are not.

3) If my laughter could kill, all the men I’ve dated would’ve been dead by now.

4) Some people confuse self-confidence with arrogance. I love confusing those people.

5) Excuse me, I am not flirting with you. I just want your Facebook wall to be interesting to read.

6) Hey, stop thinking I’m flirting with you. Your wall was shit. I thought I’d inject some wit.

7) I’m not that smart. You just don’t read a lot.

8) Talk to the fist. The hand is pissed.

9) I am not above you; you just think you’re beneath me.

10) You can’t make me like my own status. I have friends who would do that.

Saturday, August 01, 2009

The Myth That Is ala-Matt ... Not!

Beating 13 other creative non-fiction writer wanna-be's in the first Laboratoryo Essay Writing Contest, ala-Matt killed the judges with laughter by his "Caution: Talking Paramecia At Work." His piece just winked at ciggyforbreakfast's "Hello, Party Line?" which placed second and nudged Dudong_Bilatski's "Rated X Essay" which placed third. His piece sent an up-yours- suckers message to those who thought cussing is plain crass indulged in only by the angry and the vocabulary-deficient. Pseudo-philosophical freaks and Marxist aficionados may dismiss his work as pseudo-cosmopolitan crock influenced by capitalists, but no one really cares.

His original presentation of his submitted entry toppled other styles which were mostly straight narratives. His description of the flamboyant Earl and the disgusting Jack leaves a mark in anyone who reads his piece from start to finish. Those who questioned his "puking scene" aren't laughing but that's because they didn't get ala-Matt's style. And now ala-Matt is laughing all the way to the bank and leaving those people still scratching their heads.

Quotable gems from his winning entry include the following:

"I bet he was such a non-fucking loser." (referring to Earl's delusional playboy image of himself)

"I thought your grandmother passed away last year," said Mrs. David in a declarative rather than in an interrogative voice. Suddenly, the very precocious Rica looked at me with her 'you-lied-I'm-gonna-rip-your-head' look. Jack and Earl appeared like two men with brains of a bird that I laughed hard inside, forgetting what Mrs. David had just said.

I'm sorry. What did you say?"
(describing the scenario of being caught in a lie about his reason for not coming to Rica's party)

"We'll be there in a jifney!" (referring to the poseur Jack's stupid malapropism of the word jiffy)

If you're curious to know more about ala-Matt, read his interview below. If you're not, we don't really care. Bite us.

1) Tell me some personal stats:
- age and bday
Some damned evening of March, 1983, a bearded man interjaculated his ejaculation while having an intergalactic intercourse with a fine young lass and only one of the millions of fucking sperm cells fucked that woman's egg cell. Alas, nine months later, another Bourne was born.

- degree finished in college/MA in progress?
B.S. Cursing. Currently taking up M.A. in Profanity Studies Major in Vituperation.

- school attended/attending
former University of the Poor

- past occupations: where?
Copywriter-slash-marketing communications specialist-slash-your wrist; in the same company I mentioned in my fucking essay.

- present occupation: where?
Copywriter-slash-marketing communications specialist-slash-your wrist; in the same company I mentioned in my fucking essay. Don’t be an “Earl.” This is neither a fucking déjà vu nor a typo error, idiot. Yeah, right. I resigned and came back. I'm a real masochist by profession.

2) Why did you join the contest?
Nuts for dough, not for doughtnuts.

3) Who did you think would give you some serious competition? Why?
I thought Incense would give me some serious competition because of all the people in the Lab, he's the only one who is sensible enough not to make sense.

4) How long did it take you finish your entry?
I promise to compute the seconds I spent writing my entry. I would probably have the answer by next leap year. Although I guess the time I spent writing was the same as the length of time a sperm could survive in a lukewarm-water-filled bathtub.

5) How would you describe the style you used to narrate the paramecia in your workplace?
APA? MLA? If it’s not the footnotes we’re talking about, I really don’t know.

6) Did you check the laugh-o-meter of your piece by having someone read it first before submitting it as an entry? Why? Why not?
Actually, I asked someone to read it first but I didn’t know if her laughter reached even the first imaginary line of the laugh-o-meter. I was a bit reluctant at first because even my “other” self couldn’t find the laughing-gas attributes of the material. Subsequently, I told myself, “The hell I care!” and submitted my entry.

7) Describe your feelings a few minutes (or maybe an hour? day perhaps?) before posting your entry.
1 hour before posting: SBP and DBP: Normal
59 minutes: SBP and DBP: Fucking Normal
58 minutes: SBP and DBP: Moronic Normal
57 minutes: SBP and DBP: Idiotic Normal
56 minutes: SBP and DBP: Numbskull Normal
55 minutes: SBP and DBP: Dodo Normal
54 minutes: SBP and DBP: Dunderhead Normal

59 seconds: SBP and DBP: a bit higher
58 seconds: SBP and DBP: Normal
57 seconds: SBP and DBP: Abnormal
56 seconds: SBP and DBP: Back to normal
55 seconds: do I really have to do this?

Exact time of Posting: I thought I was fucking dead that I hadn’t been able to click POST.


8) Was there a particular reason for using English instead of Tagalog as your medium of expression?
It’s like choosing between “fuck” and “kantot.”
Imagine if I used Tagalog in sentences like these:
There was no fucking infernal place in the world than where I used to work.
Walang kumakantot na mala-impyernong lugar sa mundo kundi sa kung saan ako nagtatrabaho dati.
But one fucking day…
Pero isang kumakantot na araw…
Of course you cannot imagine anymore. I already showed you.


9) Are there any particular writers who influenced your writing style? Can you name some of them and give a brief description of their influence in your work.
None. What do you think I am—a pathetic palooka who doesn’t have the brain to produce ideas and style of his own like the mere anarchist who had brief interviews with hideous men who could talk pretty one day? In your face, WA, DFW and DS!
Raymond Romano and Michael Imperioli rule!


10) How did you learn about this lit community?
I’m still in the process.
Status: 1% PROGRESS. Not this lit community but the process of learning… process of learning... NOT of the people in this community but my own. Dig that, ostentatious, pseudo intellectuals!


11) What are you going to do with your cash prize?
I’m going to wipe my ass with each bill before buying it with stuff from the Indian-owned boutique across our office.

12) Are you going to join future Lab writing contests?
Only when the prize is right and the contest is worth the fucking feat of defecating rigmaroles out of my fucked-up brain cells.

13) Any parting shots?
Damn you, fucking apostrophe!
Whew! I thought I couldn’t do that paradoxical cuss.


NOTE: ala-Matt is a member of my Labable Lab Cats group.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

What If

Sponsoring the first Lab Essay Writing Contest has been giving me nightly nightmares. Three nights ago, I dreamt that many Labbers entered the contest and ciggyforbreakfast's "Australian Kangaroo" bagged first place. When I woke up and checked the Essay Lab, there were no new essays. Two nights ago, I dreamt that it was a Jesus Z sweep with first, second and third places for his winning entries, "Heckling and Getting Away With It Parts 1, 2 and 3." When I woke up and checked the Essay Lab, there were no new essays again.

However, last night proved to be really eerie. I dreamt that the Lab software had a mind of its own. Vivid messages on my screen kept blinking.

Your message, "Neknek na newbie" has been sent to Kaykay. Please note that she is not obliged to hit "reply" and answer your PM. If she is not online, of course she can't read your message. If she's not feeling well, she will not be in a mood to reply. If she has PMS, you're screwed. If she's mad, run for your life.

Your post has been successfully edited. You will now be returned to the original thread. Please know that no one cares if you're bolding or italicizing some words. Your OC personality slip is showing.

Your post has been successfully edited. Unfortunately, since you spent so much time editing, another Labber has quoted your original post. Please waste more time and edit the other member's quoted post to match your edited post. You know you want to. You're OC, remember?

You have successfully logged in. Your instinct tells you to post in the CSA your imagined masterpiece and not read the guidelines first. Do not be surprised if a law-abiding active member calls your attention to follow the one-post/two-crit policy ... unless Dyosa's keyboard screams "dugyot" ... or if a vigilant mod closes your thread. Whichever comes first.

You have successfully logged in as an altnick. You have another think coming if you think you can get away with it. Wipe that smug smile or pocket your pout. Indulge in a new hobby.

SQL-SERVER: SOCKET ERROR. This message is being displayed to you, the software program-challenged, to magnify your obvious ignorance and imagined brilliance. Please proceed to Facebook and engage in Mafia Wars. Or join a YM confe until someone else's PC crashes.

This website is down and is currently undergoing maintenance. You may contact (909)510-1234 but the phone will just keep ringing. Our voicemail service has been cut off and we have laid off our 20-something college drop-out computer geek workers. Refreshing this page every minute is not going to revive the previous page. Get a life. Have a nice day.

I woke up, smiled and saw three EWC entries.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

The Pussylitarian Rules of Claw

1) Acknowledge all bwisitors, hecklers, well-wishers and wannabes to The Cat House.

2) Dugyot posts in The Cat House will be ignored or ridiculed ad nauseam depending on our mood.

3) Think of quality, not quantity, when submitting works to the CSA. Check spelling, typos and grammatical horrors before uploading your piece.

4) Follow the one-post/two-crit policy (1 poem-2 crits of 2 poems; 1 essay-2 crits of 2 essays NOT 2 POEMS and 1 short story-2 crits of 2 short stories NOT 2 POEMS).

5) Support all Lab Cats' submissions to the CSA. Give praise when it's worthy; offer suggestions to the lousy.

6) Posting cut and pasted funny feline pics or links of hilarious hirsute hussies is allowed.

7) Under no circumstances is txt splng nor aLtErNaTiNg CaPs AlLoWeD.

8) Clean the litter box after every dugyot poop. (Read: If someone posts a dugyot entry, redirect the thread to be funny.)

9) Be a witty kitty. Make others laugh. Sniff in a jiff. Scratch and snatch. Pounce with a bounce.

Meowr!

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Panatang Makalabcat

(Para sa Pusang Ina Ko)

Iniibig ko ang Cat House,
Maging pusakal ma'y pipiliin itong tambayan,
Ito'y tahanan ng ngumingiyaw na angkan,
Sa piling ng pusang ina, ika'y kukupkupin at susuportahan,
Upang maging magaling at makapag-post ng kaabang-abang.

Bilang ganti, hindi ko gagamitin ang aking mga kuko
sa walang saysay na kalmutan,
Susundin ko ang mga alituntunin ng laboratoryong
aking kinabibilangan,
Tutuparin ko ang mga ito hanggang sa ang mga balahibo
ay magsilagasan.

Paglilingkuran ko itong Cat House nang walang pagdadamot
kahit tinik ng isda lang ang nasa hapag-kainan.
Sisikapin kong maging isang tunay na Labcat,
Sa CATalasan ng isip, CATalinhagaan ng salita,
at CATagumpayan ng gawa.

Meowrrr!

NOTE: This is the winning entry for my "Panatang Makalabcat" contest for my kitty cats. The author of our version of the cat oath of allegiance is the wily and wacky winsum82.

The Labable Lab Cats

THE LAB CATS

1) will be composed of cute and cuddly, but smart and witty mods and members

2) will lick the wounds of the grammatically-challenged

3) will use upper and lower cases in sentence construction

4) will eliminate comma splices, run-on sentences, misplaced and dangling modifiers in our works

5) will proofread and edit our works at least three times before posting anything ... to avoid cyber humiliation and future flames from grammar freaks (

6) will be prepared to scratch the backs of those who scratch ours

7) will show claws only when attacked so that we can defend ourselves and the entire "kittendom"

8) will lead word game threads as mental exercise (ex: alliteration, ABC stories, nickronyms, etc.)

9) will aim to write essays that will make the readers go, "meow," este, "aaaw"

10) will promote class and not crass in The Lab (This means we refuse to post anything using expletives -- tangna, fuck you, etc. -- unless they are part of a dialogue or quote in a short story or essay.)

11) will remain cool and polite in our interaction with Labbers and Labsters in spite of the continued riling from attention-hungry members

12) will always thank members who post comments (may they be positive or negative) in our threads in the CSA Essay Lab

*arnivorous alliterates, changes into her catty cheerleader costume, claps and cheers*

Lab Cats can rule
They can all drool
Some think we're "prudes"
They're just rude dudes!

Meowr!

Saturday, April 04, 2009

My Newly Coined LABable Words

These words are based on the crazy characters (members and moderators) of the Laboratoryo website -- http://laboratoryo.invisionplus.net

Alambreonics - the science and philosophy of the Lab shaman; may involve the occasional magic of the altnicks

Arnivorous arnimal - the verbivore who devours words on sight in this site

Arntertainment - the art of amusing Kaykay the arnivorous way; usually involves word play, alliteration and rhyme streak style; done sometimes to irritate a chosen few

Bum-mer - a noun pertaining to bum's spot-on crit of a lousy or readable poem in the Poetry Lab

Busabosize - to dissect a poem the santongbusabos way; after effects may include any or all of the following -- frowning, bawling, cursing, leaving The Lab for good or sucking it up and trying to write a poem again till one gets it right

Crankquil - an adjective that describes majority of crankynoodles' posts which are cool, calm, collected and classy

Dyaggitry - the essence of being the nerdy but Labable dyaggy bee; includes a penchant for anything that flies and aversion to stinky goddesses

Echostrian - what we can call jerichogio if he continues to chronicle the Lab History of Writing by compiling the best and the worst that we all came up with; no horses involved

Kaykadorable - an adjective that describes the little things Kaykay does to make her still labable to the Lab Pussy

Kaykayatry - the philosophy and practice of being the Tiboli President; includes the ability to post off-topic comments but still remain labable; may involve on-and-off feelings of paranoia resulting in occasional Lab self-banishment

Kikomanicks - Kiko's posts depicting nightly and naughty left and right hand calisthenics with his nocturnal partner, Mariang Palad

Kulitics - a mod/member's practice of nonchalantly continuing to post off-topic comments in a thread despite some mod's determination and effort to redirect a thread back to the original topic

Laboteur - a noun indicating someone in the Lab who labotages, err, sabotages a thread by his/her nasty rejoinders; supported by some and loathed by a few; usually forces a mod to close a thread instead of just redirecting back to the original topic

Labdigger - a member or mod who resurrects an interesting thread (either in the CSA or any sub-forum) that is long forgotten; resurrected to amaze, amuse, inform or reform.

Lab pussy - the moderator monicker of the arnivorous arnimal; catty head of the Labable Lab Cats clan

Lab side commie - any member or mod who enters a thread and destroys the flow of that thread by his/her side comments; sometimes clueless, confused or just plain annoying.

Magicnick - an altnick created and used to diffuse a thread bomb that's about to explode

Mooner - the mod who swooned over the kaput Labteams of sb-sushi and kiko-arni

Jesuszifics/Jesuszisms - Jesus Z's witty posts that are scattered all over the Lab; characterized by out-of-the-blue spurts of wit and right timing

Jopolicious - an adjective describing all of the salacious and lascivious poems posted in the Poetry Lab by our very own celebrity, jopoguerrero

Onimated - an adjective that describes oni's hyperactive posts; usually punctuated with XD.

Placebic - an adjective describing short posts of Placeboo to make us feel her presence despite her busy school life and nocturnal hospital sked

Pun-ny pussy - a labable (sometimes unlabable but not labless) Lab Cat who has a penchant for creating Lab puns based on Lab funny, puny and pun-ny creatures; borders on the witty and the silly, but more often than not, the corny.

Pussykal - Lab cat na maangal at mahilig umatungal; kalmot mode on, never off

Stalkeries - series of witty essays written by stalker; includes her Good Guy series in three parts and her Bloody series, now on its fifth part

Stinkymology - the study of categorizing a thread/member by the Lab diyosa and his/her practice of entering a thread and posting the word "dugyot"

Sushiness - a noun pertaining to happiness upon reading sushi's lively, playful and thoughtful posts; devoid of sarcasm and hypocrisy

Tinkify - a verb signalling tink's pursuit of dyagwar; may involve aggressive fondling and constant bickering all over The Lab

Tinkology - the philosophy of the stinky goddess; involves praising the worthy, playing with the witty and dissing the silly

Tupendous - an adjective describing xtopherdelax's energetic grooves and grinds during videoke EBs; may also apply to his uncanny knack for cracking jokes with never-ending punch lines

Winsumness - a noun pertaining to winsum's keen observation of Lab mods and members

Zenterpretation - zenmarcus' amusing and amazing practice of interpreting Labsters' dreams and nightmares

Monday, March 16, 2009

The Labable Lab

I've been living in the US for eleven years now and the year 2008 is so far the best year for me. So many significant events happened last year that I have a hard time picking which of those events is the best. Recently, I've made up my mind and The Labable Lab tops the list.

I've been wary of message boards since 2004 (been banned twice in two other message boards even if I was one of the moderators and a part-owner of one site) so when a certain keith_thanagar dropped by my blog sometime in May of 2008, I was reluctant to visit what we now fondly call The Lab. I almost dismissed the site as one of those new Filipino message boards that display a smorgasbord of lame posts, horrible text spelling and spam messages with product websites and porn links. However, my fingers were itching to engage in a cyber adventure so I checked out the site and registered on June 1, 2008. Didn't really roam around much that day but just posted a link to my blog hoping that someone could stumble on it and leave a comment on how I was doing as a blog writer. Nope. Didn't happen. So off I went to Canada for a much-needed vacation from June 5-12, 2008.

On my birthday, June 10, 2008, I asked permission from my best friend, Desil, if I could use her PC to go online and check my e-mail. She told me that I could use it for as long as I liked so I went online and remembered The Lab. I lurked for a bit and found out that some of the Lab members are from LIRA, a literary society where I was a workshop drop-out. Haha! So that I could get a feel of the different members' personalities, I read a lot of threads first before posting any of my "litter-rary monsterpieces." Intimidation was the first thing that gripped me. Wow, these people can write and are very knowledgeable about literature. And the fact that most of them are very young -- can you say 20s -- is amazing!

Being very careful with what I was writing, I posted in some threads which interested me and tried to interact with some who seem friendly (Kaykay, Beng, Tink, dyagwar, santongbusabos and alambre). I even thought that Karma Policeman owned the site so he was the first person I sent a private message to. Once I realized my mistake, I sent a PM to the Da Fuhrer/shaman, alambre, and befriended him.

I couldn't stop posting in different threads and I thought I was confident in posting in the Poetry Lab of the CSA. Like most assumptions, I was wrong. There was no member, who posted a comment, who liked my poem. Made me think that I was the most horrible poet there. (Somebody please, throw a potato at me. Thank you.) Shamefaced, I didn't set foot again in the Poetry Lab and read a few more threads. With burning cheeks, I checked out the Essay Lab and read all two essays: Tink's "Badessaphobia" and kuadobo's "Subject Required." "Oooh, now I know what I can do. This is where I can do some damage," I gleefully told myself. And the rest is a blazing history of a trade of wits, crits, and quips .

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Thoughts on Teaching

I was a teacher for seven years in a Catholic college (which became a coed university in 2005). My years of teaching were very fruitful because I vowed not to imitate the style of the worst teachers I've ever had. My motto was "End stupidity. Be a teacher."

Anyway, when the job to teach was offered to me by my former chairperson, I didn't grab it right there and then. I told her that although I came from the Advertising industry and would use my experience in the major subjects in Mass Communication that I would be teaching, I would like to take some Education units first because I had no idea how to teach.

I guess that's mostly the weakness of college instructors these days. Most of them get offered the job to teach a major subject but they lack the knowledge on how to teach.

Based on my experience with some co-teachers, they lack the following:

1) Teaching Strategies - Being in your field of expertise is not enough to qualify you to teach. If you take Education units (especially a Certificate in Teaching Program which is offered to degree holders), you would know which teaching strategy to use with the freshmen and the seniors. You would know how to be understood by the stupidest in class and still catch the interest of the smartest.

College instructors who are well known for their works in film and literature are sometimes the worst teachers. They are better read than seen and heard.

2) Measurement, Evaluation and Research - This is often the waterloo of those who don't have Education units. Some instructors make up a test the way they want to. Some even give a bonus question like: "What brand of cigarette do I smoke?" Yeah right. Like that would make your students less stupid.

3) Mastery of Filipino and English - Most young teachers I know these days don't have any mastery of either Filipino or English. When they teach, they use Taglish. They also incorporate showbiz words in the classroom in their day-to-day lessons. I'm all for communication being dynamic, but please know which has class and which is crass.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Pinto

Bukas 'yan dati
labas-masok ka pa nga.
Ni walang paalam
kahit na biglaan.
Dala mo kasi ang susi.
Pero nung huli mong pag-alis
iniwan mo ang susi.
Naisipan kong ikandado.
Pero kahit hindi ka kumatok
bakit ka nakapasok?
Aah ...
nagpa-duplicate ka pala.

Saturday, September 06, 2008

The Women of Lab: An Interview of Arnivorous by Alambre

1. Tell us about your lineage.
- I'm an American citizen but I'm still a full-blooded Pinoy. At airports, people think I'm Chinese. Must be because I'm mestizang hilaw.

2. Your vital stats please.
- Is this similar to ASL? Then mine is Alien, Saturn, Lightyears.

3. How was your life like growing up?
- Uber Nerd: always an outcast, always beaten up by big girls in class, always topped academic exams

4. Have you experienced being swooned by a lot of guys?
- Yep, I've had my share of this but the ones who swooned seemed to be the married kind. Sheez.

5. Where's the most unforgettable place you've ever been?
- 17-mile scenic drive in Monterey, California. There's this island that looks like it's covered with white cement. Turns out that the white stuff is just accumulated bird shit.

6. Still any place you haven't been and want to go to?
- I'd love to go Venice, ride a gondola and sing "Like A Virgin" by Madonna.

7. What should a guy do to have your attention(except this interview of course)?
- Just be witty ... and maybe you'll catch me. Unless, I catch you first.

8. Heard any good jokes lately?

From Woody Allen's Without Feathers:
I ran into my brother today at a funeral. We had not seen one another for 15 years, but as usual he produced a pig bladder from his pocket and began hitting me on the head with it. Time has helped me understand him better. I finally realized his remark that I am "some loathsome vermin fit only for extermination" was said more out of compassion than anger. Let's face it: he was always much brighter than me -- wittier, more cultured, better educated. Why he is still working at McDonald's is a mystery.

9. What's one thing people would be surprised to find out about you?
- I may be petite but I own a pair of natural big knockers.

10. Let's stay away a bit from hobbies, what are your sports?
- Past: full-contact Boggle and Textwist, marathon pen-lifting and olympic keyboard-tapping

- Present: working out at the gym three times a week

11. What would you consider as the sexiest part of your body (ahem)?
- Believe it or not, those parts would be my hands and my tongue.

12. How about the most ticklish part of your body?
- Waistline, thighs and knees

13. Not that we Labmen are interested, but what do you wear when you go to sleep?
- During spring and summer: guy's boxer shorts, tank top, no bra

- During fall and winter: Victoria's secret flannel pajamas

14. How do you manage to stay so radiant?
- I try to get enough sleep and go to a spa every now and then if I have extra moolah ... or when I visit the Philippines to splurge.

15. I've been known for this question: have you ever kissed a girl? or gone skinny-dipping?
- Kissed a girl: Yes, but it was only accidental! We ended up blurting out, "Uy, di ako tibo ha?"

- Skinny-dipping: Yes. Just in a jacuzzi if that counts.

16. How do you relax?
- Visit The Lab and post till I get bored ... especially when I'm the only one online.

17. How do you spoil yourself?
- Does the term SERIAL SHOPPER mean anything to you?

18. The best and the worst pick-up line ever used on you?
- The best: I can't think of anything right now.

- The worst: You're so sweet you could give me diabetes or a toothache ... whichever comes first.
19. What's the craziest thing a guy has done to catch your attention?
- Back when I was still crazy chatting in a Singaporean website, a Vietnamese guy got so infatuated with my online charm that he e-mailed me his resume and applied as my boyfriend. I edited his resume, e-mailed it back with a note that he should go back to medical school and charm my socks off when he's finished school.

20. What turns you off?
- Guys who smoke and curse like a Parisian whore
- People who are rude and loud in public

21. If you're an actress which villain would you play?
- That would be Battlestar Galactica's Cylon#6 played by Tricia Helfer. If you've seen that fracking show in the SciFi Channel, you would know her.

22. What is unique about you, the thing that makes you stand out from the rest?
- I'm ARNIVOROUS = Always Raring to Needle Irksome Violent Obtuse Really Obscure Underdeveloped Stupidents.

23.Is there a possibility for us ordinary Labfolks to end up with you (if you're single of course)?
- Only if your nick is kikomaniac.

24. Ever asked a guy out for a date?
- Yes. An online friend and I dated on January 1, 2007. We were both balikbayans celebrating the holidays in the Philippines. He picked me up from a spa in Makati, then we drove to the NAIA and he cancelled his flight to Qatar to be with me. We had a hearty lunch, a sumptuous dinner and good conversation. It was a wholesome EB.

25. What is your problem?
- Telling chinesedictionary, without hurting her feelings, that I'm better than her when it comes to cybersex.

26. Okay, I will not ask you about the men in your life, how about the life in your men?
- They were alive when they met me. I hope they didn't die when I left them. If my laughter could kill, all the men I've dated would've been dead by now. Ahihihi.

27. How do you make dreams come true?
- Just ask the shaman, alambre, to make me a moderator.

28. What's the first thing you look at in a man?
- I don't care about looks. If he smells good and he's witty ... I may consider something more than a roll in the hay.

29. On the other hand, how do you pamper your man?
*changes into a masseuse costume* Powder or lotion, sir?

30. (pang miss universe) What's the best thing about being a woman?

- Woman without her man is nothing.

- Woman, without her man, is nothing.

- Woman, without her, man is nothing.

Notice the lack of commas and placement of the commas? You be the judge.

Ahihihi.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Links and Threads

Below is a list of threads that I used to treasure when I was still very active in different message boards. Click on one if you don't have some time in your hands. Click them all if you want to smile ... or ... smirk ... if I'm smug.

1) It's time to learn! Prof Arni is here! http://www.grabeh.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1309&page=1

2) Fun with ABC Stories http://www.grabeh.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1377&page=1

3) Original Hoe Downs Inspired by "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" http://www.grabeh.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4264&page=1

Aaargh! I don't know how to make the links work so just cut and paste I guess.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

My Eight

I forcefully had myself tagged by this guy (I fondly call as Master Baytor) who pops in my inbox every now and then. We've been friends since 2001 (or 2002) but he's never sent me anything that reeks of chain e-mail. I went to his blog and saw below:

But first, the rules:

1. List eight (8) things/facts about yourself that people don't know.
2. Then tag anybody you wish to tag.
3. Leave a comment on his/her blog telling them they're tagged.
4. Have them post the meme (maybe he meant memo?)on their blogs and do the same thing.
5. Remember, there is no pressure. We're just keeping the cycle running.

My Eight

1) I read erotica stories via my cellphone. (Gasp!) It's an entertaining way to pass the time while I'm on 40-minute BART train commute to work. Ahihihi.

2) I don't cook because I'm afraid of hot oil and fire. My first and last attempt at cooking was way back in 1993 when Mom left me all by my lonesome to visit my sister in California. (I was still based in the Philippines then.) Before frying a chicken thigh, I donned a long-sleeved shirt, a beanie, a pair of gloves and armed myself with the thickest potholder in the kitchen. My fried chicken was burnt toast on the outside and sushi on the inside. Aargh!

3) I secretly edit the minutes of the meetings that were written by the managers in our department. Every time one of them sends an e-mail that that the minutes have been stored in the share drive, I open the file and start editing the misspelled words and insert the right punctuation marks ... or delete them when necessary. Most people in our department spell calendar as calender or add an apostrophe in all their plurals. Uh, hello?

4) I have horrible nightmares about my four-year old nephew. All my nightmares involve him in every accident imaginable. Should I go back to my shrink to discuss? Hmm...

5) I tricked my neighbors by imitating the Santo Nino and pretending to be in a trance. They prayed to me and asked me to heal them. I did this when I was in third or fourth grade.

6) I dress conservatively but my undies are sexy. I have most of the Victoria's Secret collection of bras and panties.

7) I used to think Rick Springfield was GOD. I had posters of him on the walls of my bedroom in our house and in my dorm room in Kalayaan Residence Hall back in UP Madilim. I even wrote more than 20 poems about him. This memory now makes me cringe. Eeew!

8) This tagging ends here ... right now. I will not forward this to anyone and waste his time.

The Bitches' Brew (haha)

Overheard from a conversation in the recent Annual Bitches' Brew (haha) Convention:

ON BIRTHDAYS AND MEN

THE AGENT: Honestly, I don't mind you forgetting my birthday. It was the happiest and I just can't imagine you coming in and destroying the atmosphere. However, one eccentric bloke did. Wrote me a bloody note and greeted me "Merry Christmas." Some creatures are just out to insult your intelligence. That's why I'm here for you.

LUKA: A cyber-friend of mine sent me this Joan Rivers birthday card calling me a tramp and making a wild guess that I'd been laid on more floors than linoleum. Of course, that was a grand joke I enjoyed. But I oughtta put gravity on his balls because when I see him in person, I'll make two servings of omelette out of 'em. I told him that.

MICHIKO: I had intense birthday blues. I was even thinking of locking up in the room with my old boyfriend for old time's sake. But just sometime ago, I heard he was already sick with that kind of thing he does with that fart who lives next door to him. Oh God, I hurt. Then I remember I had to think about the lasagna, the beer, the kitchen, the old XB tapes, the hairspray, the color of my lipstick and how I'd react after he hands me that box with the Snoopy wrapper for the nth time.

BABETH: I was a little amused to learn that you're sympathetic to morons, turds and dorks. I'm afraid I'm more than sympathetic -- I dated Kamuning's village idiot and leading low-life for almost two years. Then he decided I, Babeth in shorts, uptown girl extra-ordinaire moi, with my Larry Silva outfits, my Sylvia Santos bags, my black leather Joan Crawford fuck-me pumps and cosmopolitan affectations, was not good for his public image. End of a potential love story. Now, I spend Saturday nights watching porn on cable.

ARNIVOROUS (a.k.a. The Greek from Munti): If my laughter could kill, all the men I've dated would've been dead by now. Ahihihi.

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Writing Q-Tips

1) Read a lot. By reading, you'll be able to observe the different kinds of writing styles of different authors. Then you can try to copy some of their styles at first until you're ready to have a style of your own.

2) Keep a journal of whatever you write. It doesn't matter if at first you'll commit a lot of grammatical errors. What matters is you have the intention to improve and seek help from those whom you think can help you improve.

3) Learn a new word everyday and use it in a sentence.
You may use the word by writing a sentence on a piece of paper or by conversing with someone.

4) Expose yourself to different styles of writing. Try not to limit your taste to what you have been stuck with for years. If you're into romance novels, try non-fiction for a change. If you're into comedy, try a history book. If you've been reading Abante or Hustler for years, check out the Wall Street Journal or Time to keep that libido in place and not go awry.

5) Improve your grammar in cyberspace by checking out sites regarding English or whatever language you use to write. Test yourself by reading the posts of members in a board and try to see if you can spot an error. Keep your criticisms to yourself if you want to avoid the wrath of the entire forum community.

6) Be your own worst critic. If you've just finished writing an essay, read and re-read then re-read all the sentences that you've written. Edit more than once because as Jacqueline Susann's book title goes, Once is not Enough. Or as my favorite writing motto goes, "Write in white heat; revise in cold blood."

7) Start a collection of grammar books and writing manuals.
Based on the experts, you would know whether Charles' or Charles's is right; whether '90s or 90s or even 90's is correct or whether Dear Sir/Madam or Dear Gentlemen is apt.

8) Attend writing workshops or seminars. If you have extra moolah, then go ahead and register in the workshops held in Intramuros in Manila or even Ayala in Makati. However, make sure that the one conducting the workshop/seminar is not just a good writer but a good speaker and a good teacher as well. Unfortunately, not all award-winners convey their writing tips well when they speak before an audience. Some of them are better read than heard. If that's the case, the money you spent wouldn't be worth it. You should've chosen a freebie workshop/seminar instead.

9) Have another pair of eyes examine your written product. In that way, you'll know if the product of your imagination is a *MASTERPIECE or a **MONSTERPIECE.

*MASTERPIECE - a finished piece of literature that's gained you some reputation (not necessarily a Palanca award)

**MONSTERPIECE - a finished piece of litterture for clueless wannabe writers who hate listening to the advice of someone who has created a masterpiece


10) Swap written articles with a friend. You can blast each other's works for fun or praise them to boost both your egos. Ahihihi.

11) Network with other writers or would-be writers
. In this way, you can gain different insights and be exposed to different forms and styles of writing. You would know what works and what sucks, what hits and what bombs. Try to meet other writers or would-be writers in public places like restaurants. You can always proofread the menu cards and look for misspelled words or wrong grammar. Ahihihi.

12) Join and register in http://laboratoryo.invisionplus.net

*On a personal note, when I feel that my alphabetical muses have been buried alive in the literary graveyard, I would pry open their coffins by reading aloud funny grammar books or reciting Woody Allen gems. Ideas would suddenly gush out until I couldn't control them anymore. Then I wind up staying in my room and convincing myself not to write any more writing tips.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Disjointed

I'm not usually at a loss for words but I'll try to come up with a mouthful today. I wasn't able to get that much sleep and the bags under my eyes are proof of that. But since I'm not really going anywhere I'd better unpack these bags. (Please tell me you got that. Please?)
***

How I really wish that people's optimism would rub off on me. I guess, I've always been like this: a perfectionist. Just one minor glitch in my plan drives me nuts. When I fail and fall down, I have a hard time getting up. Sometimes I stay down and hide under a shell and write like an Eskimo stuck in his igloo and never wanting to come out even if there's no blizzard in sight. It takes someone dear to me to help me get up and to coax me back in the real world and out of my comfort zones.

***

I should've written sooner but the timing didn't seem to be right. I've finally found a new way to unleash the creative juices hiding inside my dormant brain which I thought was slowly degenerating. The language that I use now is subdued...very unlike the arnivorous arnimal of the past. However, I revert into the naughty me when I post in the vernacular. Two of my virtual mentors, the honorable masters and geniuses of puns and double-entendre, welcomed me with cyber open arms and taught me the basics until I could get the hang of it and come up with my originals.

***

When I was a temporary bum, I amused myself by exchanging wacky and weird e-mail messages with foreign germs and fellow Filipinos who can ride my wavelength. Some are not good riders though so they fall off somewhere or get hit by the white squall by surfing on the wrong side.

Uh-oh. Am I mixing my metaphors here? Uh, I don't think I have anything to worry about. No sight of English teachers to criticize a misspelled word, a wrong syntax or an incoherent gibberish. Should that be jibberish? To be an instant thesaurus...that's my wish.

****

A friend sent me her latest poem for perusal and critiquing. What are the points? Good point: catchy title which is Barilan. Next point: that's the only thing that's good with it. Some other points: absence of imagery, dearth of double-entendre, banal style bordering on yawning.

Golly bee, I wouldn't want myself to criticize my work ever. I'm gonna bury myself six feet below the ground and not even Lestat can pry open my coffin and coax me out of my autistic world.

Ahihihi.

Saturday, April 05, 2008

Iskul Bukol Diary Entry

Dear Kuya Mokong,

When I was a kid (and a very very very small kid at that), I was always the victim of a bully or a group of bullies.

Back in kindergarten, I used to live in an apartment in Makati. We lived on the second floor while a gay teenage neighbor lived downstairs. This gay teen would always cajole me to talk to "her" by offering me food and goodies. Since I was matakaw, I was easily cajoled. This bading then would pull my hair, slap me, and pinch my arms and my legs leaving a lot of bruises. "She" would then threaten me not to tell anyone or else, "she" wouldn't give me any goodies anymore. Because I was too naive (naiiva!) and was always a slave to my stomach, I endured the abuse. My Mom would always ask me why I was black and blue all over. I would just say that I played hide and seek, tumbang preso, piko, etc. with the other neighborhood kids and that I was always lampa.

Then one time, I thought of getting back at this bading. "She" almost cornered me while I was on my way home but I ran as fast as I could and slammed the door of our house. There was a hole on our door and "she" peeped. I figured that the hole was my salvation. Next thing, "she" knew, there was SPIT all over the "her" face! He-he-he. Sumbong siya sa Nanay niya ... at sa Mommy ko!

Nagwagi,

arnivorous

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Ten Little Foolinians

Ten little Foolinians
with short hair in a line
One was a T-bird
and then there were nine.

Nine little Foolinians
in Amigo where they ate
One misbehaved
and then there were eight.

Eight little Foolinians
smoking as if in heaven
One suffered from cancer
and then there were seven.

Seven little Foolinians
with DOMs they would mix
One got pregnant
and then there were six.

Six little Foolinians
in colored ribbons to look alive
"Mrs. Hunter" caught one
and then there were five.

Five little Foolinians
wearing flat shoes on the second floor
A student leader apprehended one
and then there were four.

Four little Foolinians
in Malvar Gate they would flee
Strict was the "sikyu"
and then there were three.

Three little Foolinians
in tight skirts and stilleto
One was suspended
and then there were two.

Two little Foolinians
exchanging skirts in the john
But "Mrs. Hunter" saw one
and then there was one.

One little Foolinian
all alone with no one
Breaks another regulation
and then there was none.

*This parody is dedicated to all Paulinian violators.

Ang Sagot Sa Tulang "Mas Mabuting Laging Bigo Ang Isang Makata"

(alam mo nang hindi ito para sa kanya)

Natuto akong bumigkas ng "... na mo!"
matapos hagurin ng mga mata ko
ang produkto ng isip at pluma mo.
Hindi mo napansin
na nawala ang kislap
sa mapaglaro kong mga mata.
Nagtago ang ngiti.
Nagkubli ang halakhak.
Dumungaw ang kunot sa noo.
Tinawag mo ako
ngunit ibang pangalan ang iyong nasambit.
Nagulantang tayong dalawa
sa iyong naiusal.
Humingi ka ng paumanhin
na ibinigay ko naman
sapagkat wala akong magawa.
Patuloy na lang akong nakinig
sa iyong mga himutok at hinaing.
Manhid ka ngunit di mo alam.
Ako nama'y nagpapanggap na manhid na rin.