The Life Of Pi: A Book Club Review

I recently joined an Iligan-based Book Club. We have an assigned book to read and then schedule a meet-up, usually at Aruma Cafe, after one month. This August, the chosen book (as determined by an assigned host) is The Life of Pi by Yann Martel. The synopsis of the book as reviewed by Amazon.com:

The precocious son of a zookeeper, 16-year-old Pi Patel is raised in Pondicherry, India, where he tries on various faiths for size, attracting “religions the way a dog attracts fleas.” Planning a move to Canada, his father packs up the family and their menagerie and they hitch a ride on an enormous freighter. After a harrowing shipwreck, Pi finds himself adrift in the Pacific Ocean, trapped on a 26-foot lifeboat with a wounded zebra, a spotted hyena, a seasick orangutan, and a 450-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. After much gore and infighting, Pi and Richard Parker remain the boat’s sole passengers, drifting for 227 days through shark-infested waters while fighting hunger, the elements, and an overactive imagination

During the monthly Book Club meeting, we are asked to answer some guide questions that were prepared and selected by the host. I have the following answers or insights on the guide questions (Warning: there are some spoilers ahead):

Pi’s story of surviving on a lifeboat with zoo animals is rather incredible. Did the far-fetched nature of the story ever bother you? Was Pi a convincing storyteller?

The story bothered me because initially I thought that this was a philosophical book. I had preconceived thoughts that sooner or later the animals would talk to Pi (like that of the Jungle Book animated film, Walt Disney version) and that these animals would inject their principles to this relatively young boy. But as I went on with the story, the novel revealed to me that the author treated the animals plainly as animals. But of course the last pages of the book revealed another thing.

Pi was a convincing storyteller because for one, he is a keen observer of animals since he came from a family of zookeepers. Second, reading the book was a bit tedious because you are transported to a scene where a boy and a tiger are lost at sea or ocean for that matter and the flow of the story is not really that riveting or a typical page-turner fiction. However, I believe that the author was able to transport me perfectly to that state because I can relate to the characters and to the situation they were in. The book reminded me of the movie Lost in Translation (starring Billy Crystal and Scarlett Johansson). This is a film about being bored and restless in a foreign country like Japan wherein the characters could not speak and read Japanese. The movie focused on being lost and hopeless, but more importantly, it was focused on being bored.

In his introductory note Yann Martel says, “This book was born as I was hungry.” What sort of emotional nourishment might Life of Pi have fed to its author?

I have a funny answer to this question. I think that the author was literally hungry (this might be caused by depleting personal funds, but then, I could be wrong) and so he thought of writing a book on surviving a shipwreck and what to eat when you’re a surviving passenger and you’re in the middle of the unforgiving ocean.

How do the human beings in your world reflect the animal behavior observed by Pi? What do Pi’s strategies for dealing with Richard Parker teach us about confronting the fearsome creatures in our lives?

Well, it just reminds me of the adjective “animalistic” from the noun “animalism”. This adjective is often used to describe human behavior in sex and murder but I think it goes beyond that. It also reveals our desire to survive in a dog eat dog world. A similar story to the Life of Pi is the novel/memoir entitled  “In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex” by Nathaniel Philbrick (by the way this ship tragedy was mentioned by the Martel in the book, page 189). This book is a story of survival but it was also controversial because this was a story of cannibalism. The people survived the tragedy because they were able to beat all odds, even the unthinkable, and that included their eating of their fellow men on the life boat.

We all have “Richard Parkers” in ourselves but as this story is a story of courage and hope, every tiger in us can be tamed and at some point will eventually leave us like the way Richard Parker left without saying goodbye to Pi when they docked at the Mexican shore. Before I came to the “revelation” chapters, the Book Club host texted me and asked if I’m done reading the book, and I replied that I am on the last pages and added that I will certainly miss Richard Parker. But now that I remember the twist in the story, I just smile at the memory of my response. 😀

Nearly everyone experiences a turning point that represents the transition from youth to adulthood, albeit seldom as traumatic as Pi’s. What event marks your coming of age?

I thank the Lord that I did not have such a traumatic experience such as Pi’s. I think my coming of age would be (and this is unexciting) when I left home and went to college. I was in a new place and I did not have any relatives except for my cousin Ian. We stayed in the same boarding house but I have known him only since that summer before school opened in June. In some ways, I would consider that moment as being placed in an unchartered territory and I must learn to survive academically and emotionally.

Is Life of Pi a tragedy, romance, or comedy?

I think the book was a tragedy but as Pi asked the Japanese investigators,

“So tell me, since it makes no factual difference to you and you can’t prove the question either way, which story do you prefer? Which is the better story, the story with animals or the story without animals?’ Mr. Okamoto: ‘That’s an interesting question?’ Mr. Chiba: ‘The story with animals.’ Mr. Okamoto: ‘Yes. The story with animals is the better story.’

It was when I read these lines that I understood why The Life of Pi was described as a story to make you believe in the soul-sustaining power of fiction by the L. A. Times Book Review. More than just being a tragic story, Life of Pi is a story of survival, of second chances and of moving on with life.

 

The Truth About Hahaha and Hehehe

Last July 19, 2010, I sent a text message to my classmate, thanking  him for accompanying me in the LRT and allowing me to ride on his car after we got off the last station. He replied, “Hahaha, walang anuman”. I was baffled by his response because a “hahaha” for me means a loud laugh and I don’t usually use it that much and if I received that same message, I could just have used a “hehehe”. So, I asked my housemates if there is a difference between the two ways of texting a form of laughter in the mobile phone. I was not convinced with their answers so I texted my friends. Below are their compiled answers. I find some the ideas funny and absurd, but all in all, it’s so Pinoy pop culture. (Note: I did not translate some Bisaya terms because they may no longer sound funny)

HAHAHA- when it is really funny and when you are interested

HEHEHE- when it is not that funny or you are bored with your ka-text or you just got nothing to say at all. Kind of an awkward laugh.

HAHAHA- murag nagpaka-hard to get or nikatawa jud ug duro [meaning: grabe] as in LOL

HEHEHE- nagpacute then murag nag-agree sa gikataw-an, then naulaw

HAHAHA- a louder and longer laugh

HEHEHE- polite or a short laugh

HAHAHA- LOL- Laughing out ‘Loud’

HEHEHE- LOL also- Laughing out ‘Light’

HAHAHA- super friends na mo

HEHEHE- dili kaayo mo close, medyo bago lang mo nagkaila or gapacute lang

HAHAHA- means kataw-anan or kantyaw kaayo

HEHEHE- means you are just smiling

HAHAHA- napapahalakhak mo siya

HEHEHE- napa-smile mo lang siya

HAHAHA- katawa jud

HEHEHE- ngisi lang

HAHAHA- comfortable

HEHEHE- shy ako

HAHAHA- for impersonal and distant relationships

HEHEHE- less formal messages, like with friends and people of my age group

HAHAHA- means you had fun sa text

HEHEHE- respetar lang siya kunohay

HAHAHA- bigger laughs/ joke-joke laugh

HEHEHE- sort of giggle/ cute laugh

Guys should go HAHAHA

Pa-cute ang guy if he uses HEHEHE and is used only by girls

HAHAHA- gigitik ug kahimuot jud

HEHEHE- pa-cute

HAHAHA- extremely happy

HEHEHE- may kasamang mischief

Some said that they do not see any difference between the two. Jun Clarito said that “hahaha”, “hehehe” and “hihihi” have the same meanings. He added, “huwag lang siguro ‘huhuhu’ kasi iyak na yun at ‘hohoho’ kasi kay Santa Clause naman yun.” Some gave additional comments like Job Yu who said “It doesn’t bother me naman, I don’t know why even the simplest ‘hahaha’ or ‘hehehe’ means something to other people.”

To conclude, based on the replies of the sample respondents, the difference of using “hahaha” and “hehehe” in texting are attributed to various factors, namely, level of relationships, gender, loudness of the laugh, degree of interest, and other non-quantifiable reasons. To summarize, the usage of “hahaha” and “hehehe” varies among texters and may lead to different interpretations.

For further research, is there a difference between double form “hehe” and triple form “hehehe”? (I remembered a friend in college who kept on insisting that there is a significant difference between the two).

My Toy Story 3 Experience

Last June 27, 2010, I watched Toy Story 3 at IMAX with Kuya Jun and the quite rowdy batch of Gudoy, Davey, Miguel and Aaron. Kuya Jun informed me about babysitting these young boys at SM Mall of Asia. They were very excited to watch a movie in IMAX since most of them were first-timers. We arrived there some minutes after 1:00 PM and the next schedule was 3:15 PM. So, we decided to stay at the IMAX waiting area for- as Gudoy calculated- two hours. I think it was a good option for us since the boys were constantly running around, except for Gudoy who just sat beside me and thought of a two-hour wait to be endless. Gudoy relentlessly asked me for the time and felt disappointed whenever only three minutes have passed. I told him that time stops if you keep on asking about it but by the look in his face I thought he did not buy the idea. After one hour, the boys started to ask about soda and popcorn prices. While waiting, the boys entertained me with their questions- Ano ba ang ibig sabihin ng combo snack? Gaano ba kalaki ang regular popcorn? Bakit isasauli ang 3D glasses, hindi ba kasama sa binayaran natin ‘yan? Technology ba ang tawag sa 3D glasses?

We finally entered the IMAX theatre and I was as much excited as the boys were. When the signature 3D countdown was displayed on the screen, I can hear the boys shout- “Awesome”, “Cool” and the statement that almost made me laugh was– “I can’t believe I’m here”. I will not talk about the movie here because I really want you to watch it. Kuya Alvan had been telling as to watch it since Friday for the very reason that the movie had good reviews and a very high score of 98% at Rotten Tomatoes. For me, the movie surpassed my expectations- and I had high expectations before I watched it. When the film almost came to an end, there was a beautiful scene between Andy and the toys and it made me teary-eyed. I don’t always feel emotional whenever I watch films and I think the last time that I really cried was in a scene wherein Mufasa fell from a cliff and died in The Lion King. I finally realized that what was really touching about the episode was that I saw myself in Andy and how he has grown through the years. The first time I watched Toy Story was in 1995 and I was 11 years old then. As we walked towards the exit of the theatre, I told the boys that the first time I watched Toy Story was when I was in Grade 5 (which is Davey and Aaron’s grade level this school year), and Miguel replied, “wow, ang tagal na pala ‘nun”… And yes, if I were in his shoes I would have said the same thing.

Outside, we waited for Miguel’s mom. When Ate Mabel arrived, she asked us if the boys enjoyed the movie and I replied, “nag-enjoy nga din kami [ni Kuya Jun]”. Then, I said goodbye to them and headed to a bookstore to buy a book that was on my required reading list. Scenes from the film just lingered on my mind and I remembered that Kuya Alvan said to us that the theme of Toy Story 3 is “moving on with our life”. And just as I passed by the activity center of SM, I saw a live performance of my favorite Filipino singer/composer- Noel Cabangon. While he was singing, “Tuloy pa rin ang awit ng buhay ko…” I realized that God is really a God of perfect timing. Although I knew that the song was in the context of love loss and heartbreak, I toyed with the thought of a line from the chorus- “Handa na ‘kong hamunin ang aking mundo, ‘pagkat tuloy pa rin”. I knew that God met me at that moment and the message that He wanted me to realize was how much He has been faithful to me throughout the years. I believe that we can brave the toughest situation in life because God truly cares for us and that He gets the glory from our darkest hours. Through every storm and every sunshine, God always reminded me that it’s not about me, it has always been about Him. As a response, it is but fitting for me to continuously strive to be a dispenser of His grace.

Flowers Falling From the Narra Tree

This is one of my old poems requested by my friend Mitch, the comment below is from my previous blog

—–

I watch through this rusty gate

As the wind lightly blows through my fingertips.

Flowers, yellow, beautiful, gently fall,

Trampled by passersby on these dirty streets.

Aurora’s death, May afternoon,

Season ends with promise of return.

And Dolores’ song is on my stereo,

“Summer’s over, it’s the golden rule”, she said

And strums the guitar to a lonely fade.

Narra tree stands sturdy, tall,

With dying leaves and bloody barks.

Roots that crawl through earth and time,

A silent witness to 1970’s crimes;

But flowers will always be yellow, beautiful.

Children dance, learn spring free,

To catch and hold a petal in their hands.

I, in my childish thoughts and reverie,

Forever keep petals in my heart this day.

So, be still, spirit sublime of mine.

Flip through these glossy pages, malign!

Stare not to these staring blue eyes,

For time is harsh yet fair

To these brown hands I declare!

For soon will these indio eyes see,

When clouds shall part and darkness fall.

And I, with grains of faith in me,

Shall join the wind and fly away.

And flowers will always be yellow, beautiful

Though they’re crushed, they will always fall.

—–

“I found you! It was a challenge, but lo and behold, when I analyzed my stat counter, I put two and two together and here you are. You write wonderful verse. Keep writing. . .” Grace D. Chong, author

No War in Ba Sing Se

There is no war in Ba Sing Se

My mind is trained to think that way

For outside these thickened walls

I do not dare to see

There is no war in Ba Sing Se

And life in here is but ordinary

Amidst the busy streets and city lights

You do not think of war and insurgency.

There is no war in Ba Sing Se

We are hushed to talk and dare to think

For our economy is strong

Thus, our thoughts should reside there

There is no war in Ba Sing Se

We wear our masks from day to day

Painted happy faces who do not dare to ask

Why men are taken by thieves of the night

There is no war in Ba Sing Se

And why should one think of such?

When outside these thickened walls,

I do not dare to see

For my heart is a wallflower

and in these walls I feel free.

———————–

Ba Sing Se is the titanic capital of the Earth Kingdom, encompassing nearly all of the northeast corner of the country in the Avatar world.

Wordplay

As inspired by Dagstionary (ang diksyunaryo ni Dagul)

Violet -to buy again. example: Nawala ang cellphone ko but its ok, I will violet.

Tenacious -type of shoe used while playing tennis. example: Gusto kong maglaro ng tennis kaya bibili ako ng tenacious.

Catsup -to reach a point where one should have been previously. example: One week akong na-absent sa class, kailangan kong mag-catsup

Sweets -a mechanical device used to connect and disconnect a circuit at will. example: Bago matulog, huwag kalimutang i-turn-off ang sweets ng ilaw.

Las vegas -the last rice. example: Wala na tayong kanin mamaya, las vegas na ito.

Devastation -a terminal that serves bus passengers. example: Pupunta saw siya ng Baguio bukas, kaya magkikita kami sa devastation.

Continue -few people. example: Kanina ang dami ninyo, bakit ngayon ang continue.

Precious -in Filipino, libreng sapatos. example: May sale ngayon sa SM, pagbibili ka ng dalawang sapatos ay may precious ka.

Pioneer -a person who comes from a foreign country or foreigner. example: Nasa US na si Jane, nakapag-asawa kasi ng pioneer.

Letter -comparative form of late. example: may meeting pa si boss, letter mo na lang ipa-check ang reports mo.

Ranaw: Isang Alamat (the Musical)

Hail! A hero Arrives

I watched another IPAG production entitled Ranaw: Isang Alamat (the musical) last September 25, 2008 at the MSU-IIT Mini theatre. The Integrated Performing Arts Guild or IPAG is the resident theatre company of MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology. I have seen their performances in Tales From Mindanao and other shows during my undergrad years. I also watched their non-verbal play entitled Uwahig (read as Wa-ig) and a play drama entitled MingMing when I was already working.

Ranaw is one of the highlights of the Ruby Celebration of MSU-IIT. It was also produced by an endowment from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). It is good to note that Ranaw was a winner in the 1985 CCP Playwriting Contest. Ranaw started in 1986 and I am glad that I had the chance to see it 22 years later.

The synopsis of Ranaw:

Unjustly accused by his foster parents, Bato escapes to Ranaw. His journey is eventful and dangerous but his 4 enchanted weapons help him overcome the hazards. He saves Kamayungan, princess of a rival tribe, and an old couple who in gratitude adopts him as a son. He saves the couple’s village from a terrible scourge and the constant harrassments of a war-lord Baringigan. The people crown him Datu (ruler) and offer him a local lass for his wife. He is instead intrigued by the mysterious Kamayungan who is Baringigan’s bethrothed bride. Kamayungan and Bato fall in love and Baringigan vows vengeance. The conflict among Baringigan’s, Kamayungan’s, and Bato’s tribes heightens with the news that “white men” have plundered their coasts even as Bato tries to unify the people.

5 Things I liked about Ranaw

1. I had free passes from my co-teachers. It’s not my first time though because I received a complimentary ticket before for MingMing from one of the actors of the play.
2. Bato Lakungan, the hero of the play, has a very good singing voice. I was quiet disappointed at first because I really thought that he would grow up. Michael Lagura, the actor that played Bato, looks very young on stage and I was expecting a more mature hero.
3. Kamayungan, portrayed by Juvy Pelos, was very lovely. She is the love interest of Bato. I think the “kilig” component of the play heightened with the high school students as the major spectators. Jetaime Yamut, alternating as Kamayungan, was also a good actress according to my friend who watched earlier.
4. The musical has everything on it- dances, songs and dialogs. The story is beautifully knitted with the cultural backgrounds of the Maguidanaon, Maranao, Higa-unon and Iliganon.
5. IPAG continues to enthrall me with their repertoire. I am really privileged to witness world-class performances from just a few steps from my office.

Sang Sabang

Sang Sabang haw mokadto kaw,

pa-ibana ako.

Sang Mahupgop na halayo,

o sang tulay na haduol

mo-iban ako.

Magbabaktasay kita

sang mabato na dan

Magniniluksuhay kita

sang mga panagsa na lanang

sining liba-ong na agihanan.

————————–

Sabang is a beach in my hometown. Interestingly, there is also a Sabang Beach in Puerto Galera and Palawan. The poem is about a walk to the beach and the rugged path ahead.

The Waterfront Cebu Experience

A Photo Gallery of the 3rd National ICTs in Education Congress:

the world tonight inspired backdrop

instant fans,... friends rather.

a zen inspired resto, very relaxing

just one of the many huge sea paintings

front row seats at the pacific hall

Cebu and GuhIT

I joined the Third National ICTS in Basic Education Congress last September 10-11, 2008 at the Waterfront Hotel, Cebu City. The congress was organized by the Department of Education (DepEd), Foundation for Information Technology Education and Development, Inc. (FIT-ED) and the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU). The theme for this year is Curriculum, Pedagogy and the Challenge of the 21st Century Learning. I presented my paper entitled GuhIT 2008: A Project-Based Approach to Teaching Digital Literacy. It was a special project of the First year High School students of the MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology Integrated Developmental School. It is an offshoot of the Intel Teach Program: Skills For Success Course, a curriculum on digital literacy, that has been adapted for the IT1 subject.

My paper presentation went out fine at the Caspian Room of the Waterfront Hotel. The aircon was freezing cold and the waiters served glasses of cold drinking water. We were allowed to talk for twenty (20) minutes only and ten (10) minutes for the open forum. I think I talked too fast that I ended up five (5) minutes before the time. During the Q&A, I was on hot seat as the audience started to ask their questions and the room felt warmer for a while but in the end it went out well. I reminded myself that it was my project and no one else in the world knows better about its outcomes (both achievements and shortcomings) than me.

GuhIT paper presentation

plenary sessions at the Pacific Hall