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Solomon

Friday, November 20, 2009

Out of all the books in the Bible, my favorite is Ecclesiastes. Yes, that staple of funerals with the oft-quoted A Time for Everything passage.

What I love about this book is that to me it's the most relatable. Written by King Solomon towards the end of his life, the book is full of the melancholy and almost bitter reflection of a man who wished to know everything and found no fulfillment. Unlike some gruesome Old Testament tales (what with the prescriptions for periodic genocide, this terrible, terrible story in Judges chapter 19 that rivals anything Crime Library can come up with) and some of St. Paul's epistles, which can be rather stringent, Ecclesiastes has that sad, seen-and-done-it-all vibe of someone who's taken life by the horns and came out the worse for the wear. I.e., someone just like you or me.

It's also some kind of indictment against the value of wisdom. Remember that Solomon asked for wisdom instead of victory or riches and God was so pleased with his choice that he gave him all three. But then Ecclesiastes is full of Solomon's thoughts on the great lengths he went to store up wisdom (and, conversely, to enjoy himself with wine and pleasure and sex) and finding all of this meaningless in the end. It sort of reinforces the idea that the more you know, the less happy you can be.

Anyhoo, here's my favorite passage in the book. It's sad and wry and wise, rivaling anything Shakespeare could put out:
3 This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all. The hearts of men, moreover, are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead. 4 Anyone who is among the living has hope —even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!

5 For the living know that they will die,
but the dead know nothing;
they have no further reward,
and even the memory of them is forgotten.

6 Their love, their hate
and their jealousy have long since vanished;
never again will they have a part
in anything that happens under the sun.

7 Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do. 8 Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. 9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun— all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

A curious thing: in high school I did my baby thesis on the concepts of death and resurrection (what? I was a proto-Goth OK) and it was really odd that in the earliest days of Judaism, they did not believe in the afterlife. This is why Solomon essentially says, "do the best you can with your time now, because it all ends with death." Naturally, this belief system brings forth bitterness and alienation - "well, what's my reward for doing good when my wicked neighbors have a lot more fun than I do?", i.e., proto-existentialism - so the belief system developed a concept of an afterlife later on. Christianity takes this concept one step further with Christ's death and resurrection - you might say that the whole rationale for the faith hinges on the belief of life after death.

I'm not saying I believe one way or the other, except that it's really fascinating to find out. And even if Solomon believed all he had and worked for would end with his death, the beauty and melancholy of his words cannot be denied.


taking fierce to a new level

Thursday, November 19, 2009



Crazy, crazy footage of player Elizabeth Lambert going apeshit at the pitch in a collegiate football game.

Quick take:
- Why did she not get a red card/sent off?
- That ponytail tackle is way, waaaayyyy harsh.

But her hard tackles? IDK, that's common in men's football. I don't understand why everyone's suddenly calling for her head. Men's footie gets violent all the time, but short of going on a Joey Barton rampage none of those guys ever get Facebook pages asking them to get banned.

I also like this NY Times article that points to deficiencies in coaching and refereeing. Definitely her coach should've subbed her out as she was in a murderous frame of mind.

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France World Cup Kits

In the vein of my other World Cup kits posts (Germany/Argentina/Meheeko; Ethpanya), here's my original futbol love, Les Bleus.




Allez! Not bad ha. (Well at least not as awful as Spain's, which RUINED A PERFECTLY GOOD THING and I suspect is a tactic by Adidas to boost Germany's prospects via sartorial embarassment.) Plus, they be some tight shirts. Some snarks have said that these are most likely basic underarmour printed with random Wolverine claws, since Adidas didn't to spend too much on customized shirts for a team that might not even make it.

...It would be funny if it weren't almost true. Fracking Domenech. At least Maradona's there to contend for shittiest coach this tourney.

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Fighting. Sizzle.

Monday, November 16, 2009

So congrats to Manny Pacquiao for being epic with seven titles in seven divisions and fully earning the title "The Best Pound for Pound Fighter." congratulations, my dear man.

But I'm sorry, I was too distracted by this hot mess:



Yeah, yeah, by the 10th round that pretty face was banged up pretty good. Still, he was hot while it lasted.

***

D was up watching the Brandon Vera - Randy Couture match. I was done by 11:30 and left him without the main event starting - but not before seeing this dude:


Denis Kang.


Unfortunately, he got floored by Manchester's Michael Bisping (who also suffers from that mysterious UK malady, hot face, cringeworthy voice. Also see: Beckham, David; Gerrard, Steven; and Carragher, Jamie.) Still. I love that whole Siberian guard thing he has going on.

***
This chick is just. Not. Fair. Sooooo pretty, soooo sexy, and she backs up those looks with intensity and real skill. As calm as she is while submitting a person via chokehold (she almost looks like she's hugging), Gina Carrano is definitely not someone you want to fight with.


The worse part? She still looks good sweaty, with mouth guard and dabbed with Vaseline as in normal clothes and make-up. Not fair, girl, not fair.


World Cup Kits: Spain

Friday, November 13, 2009

Oh Adidas.


Why?

WHY.

I will try my hand at my amateur Spanish here to say, "No me gusta camisas de España. Que horor! Las camisas estes merde."

David Silva looks dazed, Xavi Hernandez suppressed the urge to vomit, and David Villa employs the world's best bitchface to dare us to laugh at him.


Simply put: Spain's new World Cup kits are shit. (Gosh. Iker looks like a Benetton refugee from 1989.)

Training kits: Extra crappy. Poor hot goalies to be strutting around in this Muscle Beach Hotdog mess.

RIP, sassy, classy and victorious Euro 2008 kits.

Or my personal favorite, the Confed Cup kits. Very Royal.




Adios, putas.

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The Color Quiz, 4 years later

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

I took this Color Quiz and was amazed at how accurate it was (at the time). Took it again today. Let's see how it goes.

Your Existing Situation
Needs excitement and constant stimulation. Willingly participates in activities that are thrilling and offer adventure.
[I: Right on!]

Your Stress Sources
Has high standards and wants to make friends with those who have equally high standards; however, she has been unsuccessful in building these types of relationships. she is feeling under appreciated and her self-esteem is damaged because of it. she is uncomfortable with the situation and wishes to escape, but refuses to make compromises or lower her standards. Puts off resolving her problems because she afraid of the conflicts it may cause. In order to feel secure, she needs to feel appreciated by others so they will do what she asks of them and respect her opinions.
[WTF. YES, YES, YEs. The whiny post I did a while back that I deleted because it was embarassing? Exactly about feeling underappreciated. The last three sentences...I don't want to analyze too deeply because they're too true.]

Your Restrained Characteristics
Current events leave her feeling forced into compromise in order to avoid being cut off from affection or future cooperation.[huhuh so true]

Emotionally distant even from those closest to her.[Yep.]

Current situations force her into compromise and placing her own hopes and desires on hold for the time being.

Willing to become emotionally involved, but is demanding and picky when choosing a partner. Is careful not to bring out conflict or disagreements as this may decrease her chances of achieving her goals and ideas.
[I guess you could replace "partner" with "friend" and it'd be the same thing. People disappoint so much. My favorite phase in a friendship is that getting-to-know-you stage, where everything is new and interesting and the flaws and quirks aren't out there yet to annoy you.]

Your Desired Objective
If motivated, she will easily and quickly learn new skills. Is very intense person who seeks excitement and sexual stimulation. Wants others to see her as an exciting and interesting person, who is also charming and can easily influence others. Uses her charm to increase her chances of success and gain other people's trust.
[*Snickers* But yeah, I can get pretty intense.]

Your Actual Problem
Feeling tension and stress brought on by situations which are out of her control, leaves her feeling helpless, anxious, and in adequate. she tries to escape into a fantasy world where things go her way and her desires are easier to reach.[WTF WTF WTF did someone hook me up to a scanner when I wasn't looking?!]

Your Actual Problem #2
Impressed by unique and one of a kind things, and by people with exceptional personalities. Tries to takes the characteristics she likes in other people and apply it to herself as well as coming across as a unique individual.
[True]
----

So, to recap: The Color Quiz: Still creepily accurate. *shudders*


World Cup fevah

WORLD CUP KITS RELEASED! I'M OFFICIALLY IN THE WORLD CUP MOOD!


badge of fabulosity

Germany's as well designed as ever.

Although the Euro 08 kits are still fab, I think I'll learn to love these new ones.


Mexico is...haha. Chortle. Snigger. God. Loving the Balmain shoulder inspiration. What kind of fuckery is that?!

Argentina's are OK. IF THEY MAKE IT. Seriously though, Maradona's such a shit coach. How can a team with Messi, Heinze, Mascherano, Tevez, Higuain and Gago have such a doubtful WC Campaign? The Argies should have this is in the bag!

Woohooo sana World Cup naaaahhh...pero wag muna, kasi two more years 'till Euros...ahhhh I'm confused.


Hair

Tuesday, November 10, 2009




I wonder what hair products Sergio Ramos uses to keep that headband in place. Because I really want to play with my hair all flowy and shit but I can't have my bangs flying into my eyes and blinding me from the ball or, heaven forbid, cause me serious injury, so please papa Sergio Ramos, will you let us know your secret for perfect flowy-haired footballin'?


I'm alive

Sometimes I get too caught up in searching for new things to do and complaining about the same-old-same-old that I take for granted the things that make my blood sing. I'm alive and I'm grateful to be alive.

-----------


If there's one thing in this rollercoaster of a year that I got right, it's joining the Femme Fatales Ladies Futsal Workshop, every Monday at 7:30pm, Club 650 Libis. (You want to join? Please do. It's a new religion. More info at the Futbol Funatics website.) I get intense joy in my ho-hum life from futsal. It's gotten to the point where halfway through the scrimmage I'm starting to think "Wait, are we ending soon?? Dami ko pang mistakes! Ang dami ko pang gusto subukan! Di pa ako nakakagoal! WAIT MUNA!!!" Me and my workshop-mates play on Monday holidays to take advantage of Club 650's cheaper play-all-you-can fee. They also play mid-week at Ateneo - with BOYS and these AWESOME COACHES who run like lightning - and because I am an addict, I've consented to join them (since they moved the games to Wednesday, which gives me time for Thursday yoga). So what if Ateneo is at the end of the world for li'l ol' Southern me?? So what if I have to take an MRT AND THEN the LRT to get there, not to mention hunt for a cab in the late-night streets of Katipunan, which I am not familiar with at all? We must suffer for our joy. Chos.


I'm just glad I'm able to do something that involves running and a ball, since I sucked big time at basketball and volleyball in my youth, which is why I opted for the cheering squad instead. I never really thought of myself as athletic (at all) or even active and was resigned to thinking that part of my brain never caught up with the rest of development. I only started to gain confidence on my physical abilities when I started boxing in 2005, which progressed to badminton and now, futsal. It's too late now to become this super attuned athlete, and I regret that I did not have the opportunities to gain this sort of confidence when I actually had the bones/stamina/youth for potential, but at least I know I'm not destined for couch-potatohood. Iz a big deal for a chubster like me.

-----------

I'm also doing a little better with teaching myself Spanish. I don't have the time anymore for the online lessons and modules, but a tip my friend sent me - subscribing to Dictionary.com's Spanish Word of the Day email - actually helps. I guess daily exposure to the language, even for just five minutes per day, helps the brain remember. In addition to asking you if there is a hotel downtown ("Hace un hotel en el centro?") I can also agree with you ("Estoy acuerdo!") and if you ask me when I'd like to have a beer, I can tell you "antes de la cena" (before dinner) and hurry up please ("Andale!").

-----------

Before I got suckered into focusing into writing as the one core skill that could feed me and my family as well as provide entertainment and an "artistic calling" (snicker), I focused all my energies into drawing. I was part of the Art Club and drew caricatures as part of our Home Economic's "job fair" (where we had to think up a business and set up a fair where people would actually pay us for our services. Hey, me and my Art Club misfit friends made a tidy profit turning grad pics into pencil-and-paper semi-resemblances.) Break times were spent toting sketch books and copying prints (I liked Japanese flat paintings and grotesques) and studying comic books for proper shading. Color was not by specialty - pencil and smudge were.

I pretty much stopped seriously drawing around second year college, when I started to concentrate on writing. I still sketch and doodle, though - always eyes, fish and Muslim-art-like mosaics - but actually conceptualizing one thing to fill a whole page? Nein.



Amazing!

But I saw this amazing slide show in New York Magazine on Tim Burton's visuals and I'm feeling inspired! Some things can't be explicitly written down - or even adequately expressed - and I'm feeling that maybe pencil and ink and paper are in order. Some quiet time, a nice big sketch pad, watercolors - yes. That's on my list.


Bothered

Monday, October 26, 2009

Had a nightmare last night. I dreamt I was in a ladies' restroom (could've been the one at the office, or where I play futsal). When I looked in the mirror, the sides of my face were lined and covered with white scales. In my dream, I looked at the other girls and wondered why they had "uniform" skin all over, while I had sections with scales and others, like my temples, with paler, finely-lined flesh.

I've been awake for six hours now and I still see that scaly, lined face in the mirror and my stomach churns. Nauseous, even. I feel really disgusted and bothered when I remember it.

Ughhhhh shudders all over.

According to Dream Moods' Dream Dictionary:

FACE
To see your own face in your dream, represents the persona you show to the world as oppose to the real you. It may refer to how you confront problems and deal with issues in your life.

To dream that your face is flawed or pimply, symbolizes erupting emotions. You may be suffering an attack on your persona or your reputation.

To dream that you or someone has two faces or that the faces changes quickly from one person to another, indicates untrustworthiness. You or someone in your life is acting "two-faced".

To dream that you are washing your face, suggests that you need to come clean about some matter.

DISFIGUREMENT
To dream that you are disfigured, indicates that you are still scarred emotionally or physically from some past situation or relationship. You feel that you are not yourself anymore.

I don't even know, man. That seems way deep. Maybe I'm worried that the day moisturizer I've been using might not be good for me. See, I've been using Eskinol Whitening Moisturizer with SPF 15. I don't really care about whitening, as I'm already pale, but sun protection is important to me because I don't want to get too wrinkled later in life, and that's the only day moisturizer I've been able to find that doesn't leave my face looking like something used to fry bacon. Anyway, as I was under the flourescent lights of my lola's kitchen last Saturday (having a mani-pedi, natch) my sister and aunt commented that my face was really white. So maybe unconsciously I've been worried that the whitening element will turn my face scaly and shit.

So yeah, maybe I'm just really, really vain.

Either way, fuck, what a creepy dream.