Dear Carnegie,
It's been a wild three quarter-ride, guys. I can't tell you enough how unbelievably fast time flies, and how I'm going to miss hearing from all of you. From our fun “Post Secret” sessions, to our games of “Mafia”, to “sneaky-sneaky” moments with Miggy and company, Carnegie has been a whirling dervish for me, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Carnegie is admittedly the toughest class I’ve ever run into. You have strong personalities and for the most part, know what you want, and will not let anything stop you as you go for what you want. Allow me to thank each and everyone of you through this humble letter of mine. This is the first and last year I’m teaching in Reedley, and I will forever treasure the memories of my students.
To Martin, thank you for being responsible and taking charge way beyond the call and duty. Your maturity is far beyond your years.
To Erika, thank you for your unique reactions in class. Though you’re often out or in the clinic, whenever you’re in, your reactions are so undeniably you. You make people feel that you are listening to them, which never fails to make them feel better.
To August, thank you for showing us what it means to be a “gentle giant”. In my high school, your look and type would automatically have become a bully, but here in Reedley, you have a heart. Hopefully, you will find the balance between heart and mind in due time.
To Amber, thank you for being a good sport whenever I confuse you with Lucy. You’re a smart girl in your own right, and I admire your tenacity when you want to achieve something. Never sell yourself short. You have the world in the palm of your hands, and it’s up to you to keep pushing yourself to excel.
To Michael, thank you for the Michael tests. You have the makings of a teacher, and if you ever do become one, Nobody would be prouder of it than I would. Your willingness to learn Philosophy in your spare time never fails to amaze me. There seems to be a potential teacher in every single class I have, and hey, in case it does come true, I called it first. I'm a mentalist, after all. ;)
To Tasha, thank you for knowing how to press on despite adversity. Thank you for never letting success get to your head. Everything you will achieve in the future, know that people are always right behind you cheering you on.
To Apex, thank you for the inane comments that never fail to make us laugh. Your bright personality always shines through, although you could stand to keep off the grass, if you know what I mean. ;)
To Hae Bin, thank you for being bubbly and fun in class. I especially find it amusing when you casually divulge secrets about your friends in class. Don’t ever lose your smile. It’s something that makes you unique.
To Hyeon, thank you for being one of the most hardworking students I’ve ever met. I know how difficult it is to you to be stuck in ESL despite being already better at English than most other students, but your resilience and determination is what makes you a strong person. Thanks for being the original Kim Tae Hyeon, too. =P
To Mara, thanks for the fun conversations we’ve shared. You’re really fun to speak to, and I can’t tell you enough how your stories never fail to make my day. You are wise beyond your years, and I don’t exaggerate when I say that you will go a long way when your time comes.
To Jonah, thanks for being the “cool dude” of the class. I find that your personality is a great contrast towards the firebrands of the class and it makes the dynamics all the more interesting.
To Mae, thanks for being very candid with how you think and feel. Your interviews allowed me to get a picture of you that I find very admirable. Also, I’m thankful we managed to move beyond that incident last year. Teachers seem to have a hard time identifying with students as genuine friends, but you’re one of the few students I'd be willing to call my friend at the end of the day.
To Louis, thank you for your excellent although offbeat ideas. You have a creative mind, and you really should channel your creative energies some more into everything you do. And thanks as well to you because of the existence of your Aunt Tina, for reasons we should never discuss anywhere ever again.
To Amber, I mean Lucy, thank you for being one of the most intelligent people I have ever met. I know that you work hard for everything you achieve, and I believe you have what it takes to really excel in this world. I’m also sorry about that incident during the interviews. Thank you for being a wonderful human being. Here's hoping you return to Korea carrying with you the things you learned from your stay in Reedley.
To Miggy, thank you for the sneaky-sneaky moments. I know I'm being way too lenient at times, but ironically, there’s something awfully “innocent” about the way you rattle off during those times.
To Justine, thank you for being a deep thinker. Even if you don’t let the class in on how you think, I see it through your writing. You need to break out of your shell some more, but I truly believe that you are a great person as is.
To Luigi, thank you for you and your barkada’s presence in the class. While admittedly, you give us teachers a tough challenge, deep down, we still see that you are a good person, and that’s why you’re here in Reedley.
To Regina, thank you for not being in the same class as your twin. God knows I have enough trouble telling Elvin and Kevin apart when giving green slips. Seriously though, thank you for being able to speak up every now and then and showing us that there’s a lot of thought going into every word you say.
To Ito, thank you for that moment in your musical. I will never be able to unsee it, but your bravery is to be commended.
To Raf, thank you for showing me what it means to be a thinker beyond your years. You are an excellent debater, if only you learned to be more assertive. I admire the effort you made when you lost your speech during the first round.
And lastly, to David, thank you for your utmost confidence in yourself. I’m sure your classmates see it your way, too. ;)
As you read this letter, dear Carnegie, know that I will always be grateful to you. This has been a wonderful year for me, and I can never thank you enough for having made it special for me. I can only hope that in my own way, I have also been a positive influence in each and every one of you.
Few professions are nobler than being a teacher. I remember an old story from a teacher of mine, of why he chose to teach.
In his story, he told me that he believes someday, one of his students will become President of the Philippines. And when they meet again, no matter the position the student may find himself in, he will always refer to the teacher as “sir”.
I’m not one to say “goodbye”, dear Carnegie. So let me just say, thank you for the memories and I love you guys.
Always,
Mr. Fabie
Friday, March 07, 2008
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Hell Week Almost Done!
... But I'm gonna miss my students...
Let me post some more next time, but for now, blogging is on hold until that paper is done...
Let me post some more next time, but for now, blogging is on hold until that paper is done...
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
I Remember Curriculum Planning So Well...
.:Unintentional Comedy In Reedley:.
The thing is, we had a curriculum planning in Reedley a few weeks ago at Club Filipino. Since I normally show up in school half-day on Thursdays, I didn't think I'd end up part of the planning, which meant since the whole English department (except for myself)was going to be out, that would've made me the de facto "head" of the English department.
I was bemused at the prospect of being "boss" for a day, with not a single person under my direct supervision. It was a vestigial, if not comical, opportunity, but then I was told that I had to go to the curriculum planning even if I'd show up in the afternoon.
So with my hopes of being the de facto OIC completely dashed, I asked Ms. Estrada for the venue again, and this is where I became the butt of their jokes throughout academic planning...
Ma'am, the planning will be held at Casino Filipino, right?
Ms. Bilo, the Grade School academic head, turned to Ms. Estrada and told her...
Ms. Estrada, I think Mr. Fabie should file a leave, because he seems to be going somewhere else for curriculum planning.
Apparently, it was going to be at Club Filipino, not Casino Filipino. Wouldn't it have been hilarious as Hades if I went to Casino Filipino and asked them when they were going to the poker tables? =P
In any case, that was quite an amusing moment, and chalk one more up for a moment with Reedley that I'd never forget.
The thing is, we had a curriculum planning in Reedley a few weeks ago at Club Filipino. Since I normally show up in school half-day on Thursdays, I didn't think I'd end up part of the planning, which meant since the whole English department (except for myself)was going to be out, that would've made me the de facto "head" of the English department.
I was bemused at the prospect of being "boss" for a day, with not a single person under my direct supervision. It was a vestigial, if not comical, opportunity, but then I was told that I had to go to the curriculum planning even if I'd show up in the afternoon.
So with my hopes of being the de facto OIC completely dashed, I asked Ms. Estrada for the venue again, and this is where I became the butt of their jokes throughout academic planning...
Ma'am, the planning will be held at Casino Filipino, right?
Ms. Bilo, the Grade School academic head, turned to Ms. Estrada and told her...
Ms. Estrada, I think Mr. Fabie should file a leave, because he seems to be going somewhere else for curriculum planning.
Apparently, it was going to be at Club Filipino, not Casino Filipino. Wouldn't it have been hilarious as Hades if I went to Casino Filipino and asked them when they were going to the poker tables? =P
In any case, that was quite an amusing moment, and chalk one more up for a moment with Reedley that I'd never forget.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Today's LSS
.:Pain In My Heart:.
by Neocolors
Here i am alone in this empty room
And let my mind just fly you to the end
Thoughts of you still linger in my memory
Wondering why my life is not that fair
I could still recall
Those memories of you
The joy and all your laughter
The love thast we've been through
Oh, i can't believe you're gone
Oh, no
Talkin' to myself for no reasons i could find
Findin' out why everything went wrong
Tears falling down my cheeks that
I've been trying to hold
It doesn't know if i could still go on
I wanted you to stay
The tears begin to show
You said you cared for me
But then you had to go
And now i know you're gone
But i don't want to remember
The things (we used to do/that we've been
Through)
And all the things that remind me of you
I don't want to hear the songs
The songs we used to sing
'coz i don't wanna feel the pain in my heart
I just can't believe you're gone
No, no...
I don't wanna feel
Yeah, i don't wanna feel the pain in my heart
I don't wanna feel, don't know what went wrong
Oohh...
by Neocolors
Here i am alone in this empty room
And let my mind just fly you to the end
Thoughts of you still linger in my memory
Wondering why my life is not that fair
I could still recall
Those memories of you
The joy and all your laughter
The love thast we've been through
Oh, i can't believe you're gone
Oh, no
Talkin' to myself for no reasons i could find
Findin' out why everything went wrong
Tears falling down my cheeks that
I've been trying to hold
It doesn't know if i could still go on
I wanted you to stay
The tears begin to show
You said you cared for me
But then you had to go
And now i know you're gone
But i don't want to remember
The things (we used to do/that we've been
Through)
And all the things that remind me of you
I don't want to hear the songs
The songs we used to sing
'coz i don't wanna feel the pain in my heart
I just can't believe you're gone
No, no...
I don't wanna feel
Yeah, i don't wanna feel the pain in my heart
I don't wanna feel, don't know what went wrong
Oohh...
When Our Heroes Hold The Philippines Hostage, Part II
.:When The Philippines Is Held Hostage By Its Own Heroes, Part II:.
This is the second installment of a (hopefully) two-part look at how our Filipino "heroes" have been allowed to run roughshod over us all because they are "heroes". While they deserve credit where credit is due, it cannot be denied that they get away with a lot of things they shouldn't by sheer dint of their status.
This, I believe, is a damning indictment of how we just love looking the other way when we find an inconvenient truth, solely because of the benefits we perceive they bring us. We should realize by now that this should never be an excuse.
.:The Whistleblower:.
Often, the whistleblower is regarded with much admiration because they do this in the face of threats to their well-being. By whistleblower, we don't mean Senators who use their privilege speech as an opportunity to slander other people without fear of any repercussions. We mean people who come forward seemingly from out of nowhere to expose something so grave, something so terrible, that people just might be spurred to action to fight the status quo.
I still remember EDSA II like it was yesterday. Chavit Singson showed up, implicated Joseph Estrada in jueteng payoffs, and then after Estrada was deposed from his position, Chavit became a "consultant" to stop jueteng, which made me roll my eyes. It was ludicrous, to say the least.
Then, he even decided to run for senator. As if they wanted to slap in our face just how huge a failure the justice system can be, we had Erap's very own "collector" run for senator, completely ignoring his role in the whole thing, as if he was actually innocent.
The audacity of Singson was unbelievable. He went ahead and got away with his complicity in the jueteng issue, despite the fact that being a mere whistleblower should've simply meant that he really should've found himself in a jail cell just like Estrada, who of course, just walked out six years later as if nothing happened.
Truly, politics makes for the strangest of bedfellows. I really can't begin to imagine how repulsive it felt to me when I first heard the news. We spent millions of pesos on what was essentially one gigantic moro-moro where Joseph Estrada practically walks from plunder. At the end of the day, we lost, and we still have our "hero" Chavit Singson, running around as if he never did anything wrong.
My memory doesn't run that short.
.:And Now, The New Hero:.
So now, enter Joey de Venecia and Jun Lozada, both involved in the hot-button topic of the day: the ZTE Broadband scandal.
What we seem to be overlooking in the current expose is that de Venecia and Lozada are also guilty of kickbacks in this deal, any which way it could've gone. Sure, de Venecia's proposal may cost less money, but there was still an inexplicably large sum of money in the pricetag that made no sense when he very well knew the project would've cost significantly less than that. Lozada is by no means clean either, as he was willing to push for sixty million even if that was also grossly overpriced.
Just because someone steals less does not mean they're not thieves too.
I laud de Venecia and Lozada for exposing this latest attempt at a travesty on our country. I cannot say that enough, and I cannot help but continue hoping Lozada in particular doesn't get killed for his coming forward. Despite that, I don't think lionizing either person just for what they did should mean that we ought to overlook their roles in the issue. Both of them have guilt in this matter, and I'm especially annoyed over how Lozada insisted Ateneo should take a more active stance against the president as if ADMU didn't care about the country's situation one bit.
You see, while DLSU took the charge to support Lozada, ADMU was taking an active stand for the Sumilao farmers, an issue which has been woefully ignored because of the ZTE scandal. Despite that, ADMU still participated in rallies and noise barrages nonetheless, and I'm genuinely surprised how socially aware Ateneo has been this past schoolyear.
There are so many issues we overlook, but at the end of the day, this country is held hostage by our "heroes" not just because they are far from perfect and yet lead the charge, but because their imperfections continue to splinter us. The status quo stands, but we know it's not good enough.
I've had enough of how the government's spin machine just makes every single negative thing not be their fault. Giving an X-rating to political movies? It's because they're "one-sided". Yes. Because films are supposed to be all about journalistic integrity. The World Bank turns down a request for a loan because the Philippines is corrupt? Not only is the Philippines not corrupt, but World Bank is!
In the face of brazen, shameless politicking and maneuvering into position, I cannot help but see how disgusting the whole situation is.
This is the second installment of a (hopefully) two-part look at how our Filipino "heroes" have been allowed to run roughshod over us all because they are "heroes". While they deserve credit where credit is due, it cannot be denied that they get away with a lot of things they shouldn't by sheer dint of their status.
This, I believe, is a damning indictment of how we just love looking the other way when we find an inconvenient truth, solely because of the benefits we perceive they bring us. We should realize by now that this should never be an excuse.
.:The Whistleblower:.
Often, the whistleblower is regarded with much admiration because they do this in the face of threats to their well-being. By whistleblower, we don't mean Senators who use their privilege speech as an opportunity to slander other people without fear of any repercussions. We mean people who come forward seemingly from out of nowhere to expose something so grave, something so terrible, that people just might be spurred to action to fight the status quo.
I still remember EDSA II like it was yesterday. Chavit Singson showed up, implicated Joseph Estrada in jueteng payoffs, and then after Estrada was deposed from his position, Chavit became a "consultant" to stop jueteng, which made me roll my eyes. It was ludicrous, to say the least.
Then, he even decided to run for senator. As if they wanted to slap in our face just how huge a failure the justice system can be, we had Erap's very own "collector" run for senator, completely ignoring his role in the whole thing, as if he was actually innocent.
The audacity of Singson was unbelievable. He went ahead and got away with his complicity in the jueteng issue, despite the fact that being a mere whistleblower should've simply meant that he really should've found himself in a jail cell just like Estrada, who of course, just walked out six years later as if nothing happened.
Truly, politics makes for the strangest of bedfellows. I really can't begin to imagine how repulsive it felt to me when I first heard the news. We spent millions of pesos on what was essentially one gigantic moro-moro where Joseph Estrada practically walks from plunder. At the end of the day, we lost, and we still have our "hero" Chavit Singson, running around as if he never did anything wrong.
My memory doesn't run that short.
.:And Now, The New Hero:.
So now, enter Joey de Venecia and Jun Lozada, both involved in the hot-button topic of the day: the ZTE Broadband scandal.
What we seem to be overlooking in the current expose is that de Venecia and Lozada are also guilty of kickbacks in this deal, any which way it could've gone. Sure, de Venecia's proposal may cost less money, but there was still an inexplicably large sum of money in the pricetag that made no sense when he very well knew the project would've cost significantly less than that. Lozada is by no means clean either, as he was willing to push for sixty million even if that was also grossly overpriced.
Just because someone steals less does not mean they're not thieves too.
I laud de Venecia and Lozada for exposing this latest attempt at a travesty on our country. I cannot say that enough, and I cannot help but continue hoping Lozada in particular doesn't get killed for his coming forward. Despite that, I don't think lionizing either person just for what they did should mean that we ought to overlook their roles in the issue. Both of them have guilt in this matter, and I'm especially annoyed over how Lozada insisted Ateneo should take a more active stance against the president as if ADMU didn't care about the country's situation one bit.
You see, while DLSU took the charge to support Lozada, ADMU was taking an active stand for the Sumilao farmers, an issue which has been woefully ignored because of the ZTE scandal. Despite that, ADMU still participated in rallies and noise barrages nonetheless, and I'm genuinely surprised how socially aware Ateneo has been this past schoolyear.
There are so many issues we overlook, but at the end of the day, this country is held hostage by our "heroes" not just because they are far from perfect and yet lead the charge, but because their imperfections continue to splinter us. The status quo stands, but we know it's not good enough.
I've had enough of how the government's spin machine just makes every single negative thing not be their fault. Giving an X-rating to political movies? It's because they're "one-sided". Yes. Because films are supposed to be all about journalistic integrity. The World Bank turns down a request for a loan because the Philippines is corrupt? Not only is the Philippines not corrupt, but World Bank is!
In the face of brazen, shameless politicking and maneuvering into position, I cannot help but see how disgusting the whole situation is.
Another Story Segment...
.:But It's Not Mine...:.
From one of Neil Gaiman's comics...
In this part of the narrative, the Dream Lord is in a competition with a demon. I guess it's a kind of "my metaphor is better than yours" kind of schtick, and the idea is to stump the other player.
As fate would have it, the demon makes the first move.
"I am a dire wolf, prey-stalking, lethal prowler."
The Dream Lord thinks for a moment, and the exchange continues.
"I am a hunter, horse-mounted, wolf-stabbing."
"I am a horsefly, horse-stinging, hunter-throwing."
"I am a spider, fly-consuming, eight-legged."
"I am a snake, spider-devouring, poison-toothed."
"I am an ox, snake-crushing, heavy-footed."
"I am an anthrax, butcher bacterium, warm-life destroying."
At this point, the Dream Lord realizes that it's time to take the confrontation to the next level. From the merely physical, the competition elevates to the cosmic level.
"I am a world, space-floating, life-nurturing."
"I am a nova, all-exploding, planet-cremating."
"I am the universe, all things encompassing, all-embracing.
"I am anti-life, the beast of judgment. I am the dark at the end of everything. The universes, gods, worlds... of everything. What will you be then, Dream Lord?"
The Dream Lord thinks. In the face of utter despair, what can possibly face the anti-life?
"I am HOPE"
I can't tell you enough how much I love this bit. Gives even myself some measure of hope...
From one of Neil Gaiman's comics...
In this part of the narrative, the Dream Lord is in a competition with a demon. I guess it's a kind of "my metaphor is better than yours" kind of schtick, and the idea is to stump the other player.
As fate would have it, the demon makes the first move.
"I am a dire wolf, prey-stalking, lethal prowler."
The Dream Lord thinks for a moment, and the exchange continues.
"I am a hunter, horse-mounted, wolf-stabbing."
"I am a horsefly, horse-stinging, hunter-throwing."
"I am a spider, fly-consuming, eight-legged."
"I am a snake, spider-devouring, poison-toothed."
"I am an ox, snake-crushing, heavy-footed."
"I am an anthrax, butcher bacterium, warm-life destroying."
At this point, the Dream Lord realizes that it's time to take the confrontation to the next level. From the merely physical, the competition elevates to the cosmic level.
"I am a world, space-floating, life-nurturing."
"I am a nova, all-exploding, planet-cremating."
"I am the universe, all things encompassing, all-embracing.
"I am anti-life, the beast of judgment. I am the dark at the end of everything. The universes, gods, worlds... of everything. What will you be then, Dream Lord?"
The Dream Lord thinks. In the face of utter despair, what can possibly face the anti-life?
"I am HOPE"
I can't tell you enough how much I love this bit. Gives even myself some measure of hope...
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Full Day Walkaround
.:Gigs Galore, But Still Nowhere To Be Found On...:.
The Asian Business Directory, which just might be of big help to you if you check it out. :)
Unfortunately, mentalists don't count as a business...
.:A Full Day Of Walkaround:.
An old blockmate, Renee, got me to be the mentalist for their open house in Cavite yesterday, and I must say, it was nothing short of awesome! My day started *really* early, and despite being up by 5:30 in the morning, I met up with TSC by the time I got back at around 8:00 PM.
The Cavite walkaround was a thing of beauty, and I'm exceptionally happy about it, which is why I'm mentioning it here instead of the Magi-Kel blog. Ironically, a casual Google search showed me there are too many Magi-Kels online...
Anyways, I combined mentalism with magic, since I had a wide audience range. This was all good fun, though, as I even found myself onstage for a bit, and doing Liquid Metal, Black Ops Hypnosis, and Russian Roulette was really a nice way to get them going.
.:Fortune Telling. Lol:.
Since I'm a fairly experienced reader when it comes to playing cards, one of the highlights of my day was that I spent a good deal of an hour or two just doing readings for people.
This was especially amusing because normally, I do just magic or mentalism, and given how surrounded I was yesterday in Cavite, I didn't think I'd do something more, admittedly relaxing. I did a bit of Stigmata, even, to identify the person someone was thinking of. And when they saw that a sheet of paper with the name on it was blank, they surmised that it went from the paper to my arm, which was just made of awesomeness. =P
In any case, one of the readings I had was a perfect match. The person I gave a reading for was so happy she even gave me a tip. Heh.
The Asian Business Directory, which just might be of big help to you if you check it out. :)
Unfortunately, mentalists don't count as a business...
.:A Full Day Of Walkaround:.
An old blockmate, Renee, got me to be the mentalist for their open house in Cavite yesterday, and I must say, it was nothing short of awesome! My day started *really* early, and despite being up by 5:30 in the morning, I met up with TSC by the time I got back at around 8:00 PM.
The Cavite walkaround was a thing of beauty, and I'm exceptionally happy about it, which is why I'm mentioning it here instead of the Magi-Kel blog. Ironically, a casual Google search showed me there are too many Magi-Kels online...
Anyways, I combined mentalism with magic, since I had a wide audience range. This was all good fun, though, as I even found myself onstage for a bit, and doing Liquid Metal, Black Ops Hypnosis, and Russian Roulette was really a nice way to get them going.
.:Fortune Telling. Lol:.
Since I'm a fairly experienced reader when it comes to playing cards, one of the highlights of my day was that I spent a good deal of an hour or two just doing readings for people.
This was especially amusing because normally, I do just magic or mentalism, and given how surrounded I was yesterday in Cavite, I didn't think I'd do something more, admittedly relaxing. I did a bit of Stigmata, even, to identify the person someone was thinking of. And when they saw that a sheet of paper with the name on it was blank, they surmised that it went from the paper to my arm, which was just made of awesomeness. =P
In any case, one of the readings I had was a perfect match. The person I gave a reading for was so happy she even gave me a tip. Heh.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Home Stretch!!!
.:Booked Yet Again!:.
I have two bookings this weekend, then two bookings again in two weeks, then another booking on the 28th! I know April bookings seem a bit iffy on the horizon, but I guess it's all good then that I'm willing to save up for a rainy day at the moment, so I'm doing rather okay as far as my income flow goes.
Of course, the upcoming Mindstorm TV show is also a boon for me, to say the least. I already have most of the pieces of the puzzle in play, and it's all a matter of execution for me now.
.:Found My Student's Blogs:.
I noticed that a lot of my students have started blogging already, and tracking their entries down gave me a smile on my face since it turns out a few of them actually started blogging because of me.
In any case, I'd normally give teh link lurve for you guys to see their entries, but I don't want to embarrass them, since some of their entries do get a mite... surreal.
In any case, it's nice reading their thoughts. Glad to know that we have a few promising writers in the future, judging by the content some of them have.
.:All Videos In:.
I still have to watch Carnegie's vid, but I'm glad all three class musicals are already in my hands. I especially love Yale's production values, and so far, Columbia has followed the storyline of Catcher closely enough for me to really know what the source material was. I'm witholding my opinion on which video I found the best overall until I see all three...
Nonetheless, it was a hoot how Yale reacted to the knowledge that Carnegie watched their presentation. One of my students glared at me all throughout... heh.
.:The Atheistic Challenge:.
I finally settled on a topic for my Philosophy paper, and I decided to look into ethics and metaphysics by citing the atheist's point of view when it comes to these matters.
You see, atheists will often debunk theism on so many grounds, and say that theistic metaphysics as a basis for ethics is flawed. While their arguments may have merit, their outright rejection of metaphysics leads to a very untenable ethical position for them, since they no longer have any universal basis for their call to ethics.
As such, I decided to go into an analysis of Heideggerian metaphysics, itself neither theistic nor atheistic, in hopes of finding a more sensible ethical basis that is secular and allows for a universal rather than relativistic approach to morality.
After all, the biggest problem with relativistic morality is there becomes no compelling feature to follow it, since it doesn't apply to everyone. Establishing a secular metaphysics would hopefully offset this concern.
I have two bookings this weekend, then two bookings again in two weeks, then another booking on the 28th! I know April bookings seem a bit iffy on the horizon, but I guess it's all good then that I'm willing to save up for a rainy day at the moment, so I'm doing rather okay as far as my income flow goes.
Of course, the upcoming Mindstorm TV show is also a boon for me, to say the least. I already have most of the pieces of the puzzle in play, and it's all a matter of execution for me now.
.:Found My Student's Blogs:.
I noticed that a lot of my students have started blogging already, and tracking their entries down gave me a smile on my face since it turns out a few of them actually started blogging because of me.
In any case, I'd normally give teh link lurve for you guys to see their entries, but I don't want to embarrass them, since some of their entries do get a mite... surreal.
In any case, it's nice reading their thoughts. Glad to know that we have a few promising writers in the future, judging by the content some of them have.
.:All Videos In:.
I still have to watch Carnegie's vid, but I'm glad all three class musicals are already in my hands. I especially love Yale's production values, and so far, Columbia has followed the storyline of Catcher closely enough for me to really know what the source material was. I'm witholding my opinion on which video I found the best overall until I see all three...
Nonetheless, it was a hoot how Yale reacted to the knowledge that Carnegie watched their presentation. One of my students glared at me all throughout... heh.
.:The Atheistic Challenge:.
I finally settled on a topic for my Philosophy paper, and I decided to look into ethics and metaphysics by citing the atheist's point of view when it comes to these matters.
You see, atheists will often debunk theism on so many grounds, and say that theistic metaphysics as a basis for ethics is flawed. While their arguments may have merit, their outright rejection of metaphysics leads to a very untenable ethical position for them, since they no longer have any universal basis for their call to ethics.
As such, I decided to go into an analysis of Heideggerian metaphysics, itself neither theistic nor atheistic, in hopes of finding a more sensible ethical basis that is secular and allows for a universal rather than relativistic approach to morality.
After all, the biggest problem with relativistic morality is there becomes no compelling feature to follow it, since it doesn't apply to everyone. Establishing a secular metaphysics would hopefully offset this concern.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
For Those Who Wish To Contact Me...
... It's really easy to find me on my e-mail.
It's mistervader@gmail.com
Thanks! :)
It's mistervader@gmail.com
Thanks! :)
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Musicals Rock!
.:Time To Update My Bio-Data...:.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to know how to really fix their own resume. While I am by no means the be-all and end all of resume writing, I can safely say that a lot of good potential employees get passed on simply because their resume isn't attractive enough. Here are a few things you *really* ought to do whenever you submit a resume - very simple tips people sadly overlook:
1. Proofread: Whenever a resume is being read by a potential employer, a glaring spelling or grammatical error is an immediate warning flag for the HR Department that this person is not serious enough about applying. If they can't be bothered to write and spell correctly when applying, HRD wouldn't feel compelled to give their application a second look. As an English teacher, I cannot stress enough how important it is that even your resume looks professionally written, from the quality of the paper to the grammar and spelling.
2. Don't grasp at straws: If you don't have an extensive list of qualifications, don't go to the well of saying you won your grade school's Quiz Bee to highlight your intellectual capacity. HR people see through the bull, and their intelligence gets insulted with pitiful attempts like this.
3. Organize: There are a million and one ways to write a resume, but never forget your name, contact details, academic achievements, work experience, skills relevant to the position being applied for, and any other important distinctions or qualifications. Sometimes, in doing these, we tend to forget the tiniest details. Go chronologically and try to avoid listing anything beyond your high school years. I have ironically seen applications that have everything but their name on it. How could you even leave *that* out?!?
Daunting? Don't sweat it. If you really need more help, luckily, you can ask for help from a good resume writer. They can make your life easier.
.:The Musicals Are Coming In...:.
So far, Yale's effort stands out as being as close to a musical as can be. There are song and dance numbers, and they balance out very well with the speaking parts. I don't think you can count something as a musical if the speaking parts tremendously dominate the whole film, and the music is included just as an afterthought.
In any case, I'm still holding my breath in hopes that we see some marked improvement from the last remaining class output. Yale's work was excellent, and I had a laugh, although they did take quite a few liberties when they changed the ending of their mishmash of Araby, Demon Lover, and Rocking Horse Winner into a *happy* ending. All three short stories had sad endings.
Nonetheless, congratulations, Yale! You had a sufficiently entertaining run, and I commend your efforts. :)
Not everyone is fortunate enough to know how to really fix their own resume. While I am by no means the be-all and end all of resume writing, I can safely say that a lot of good potential employees get passed on simply because their resume isn't attractive enough. Here are a few things you *really* ought to do whenever you submit a resume - very simple tips people sadly overlook:
1. Proofread: Whenever a resume is being read by a potential employer, a glaring spelling or grammatical error is an immediate warning flag for the HR Department that this person is not serious enough about applying. If they can't be bothered to write and spell correctly when applying, HRD wouldn't feel compelled to give their application a second look. As an English teacher, I cannot stress enough how important it is that even your resume looks professionally written, from the quality of the paper to the grammar and spelling.
2. Don't grasp at straws: If you don't have an extensive list of qualifications, don't go to the well of saying you won your grade school's Quiz Bee to highlight your intellectual capacity. HR people see through the bull, and their intelligence gets insulted with pitiful attempts like this.
3. Organize: There are a million and one ways to write a resume, but never forget your name, contact details, academic achievements, work experience, skills relevant to the position being applied for, and any other important distinctions or qualifications. Sometimes, in doing these, we tend to forget the tiniest details. Go chronologically and try to avoid listing anything beyond your high school years. I have ironically seen applications that have everything but their name on it. How could you even leave *that* out?!?
Daunting? Don't sweat it. If you really need more help, luckily, you can ask for help from a good resume writer. They can make your life easier.
.:The Musicals Are Coming In...:.
So far, Yale's effort stands out as being as close to a musical as can be. There are song and dance numbers, and they balance out very well with the speaking parts. I don't think you can count something as a musical if the speaking parts tremendously dominate the whole film, and the music is included just as an afterthought.
In any case, I'm still holding my breath in hopes that we see some marked improvement from the last remaining class output. Yale's work was excellent, and I had a laugh, although they did take quite a few liberties when they changed the ending of their mishmash of Araby, Demon Lover, and Rocking Horse Winner into a *happy* ending. All three short stories had sad endings.
Nonetheless, congratulations, Yale! You had a sufficiently entertaining run, and I commend your efforts. :)
The Philippines Is Held Hostage By Its Own Heroes... Part I
This (rare) political diatribe will be in two parts. Of course, I could expand beyond politics and talk about even more "heroes" we ought to go over, but outside of Manny Pacquiao, nobody really comes to mind....
.:When The Philippines Is Held Hostage By Its Own Heroes:.
This is a brief series I am writing to talk about the kind of peculiar situation the country finds itself in when its "heroes" are pushed to the limelight. We can define what it means to be a genuine "hero" in varying ways, but rest assured that anything I bring up here, I wouldn't be alone in the opinion of referring to them as "heroes". If anything, a majority of people would share this value judgment.
Unlike other people though, I am far less forgiving of mistakes done by our so-called heroes. Being a hero is not an excuse for doing something wrong. As someone who specializes in Ethics, I am rather adamant about this fact.
.:The OFW Hostage Drama:.
I know I'll stir up a hornet's nest here, but I don't care. You see, ever since Flor Contemplacion, the Philippine government has been falling over themselves trying to save any OFW that happens to get into trouble, bar none.
I don't begrudge OFW's who would work for their family. At the same time, I don't condone them being mistreated by their employers. Nonetheless, the mistreatment they go through is never enough reason for them to get away with murder. Marilou Ranario's guilt was incontrovertible, and yet we went ahead and tried to pull her out of the fire.
People go to these other countries in hopes of making money for their families. They know there are inherent risks, and it should be obvious that they represent the Philippines wherever they go. If they are being maltreated, allowing that is the government's shortcoming. But if they commit a crime, it should be clear to them that they must face the consequences of their actions. For the government to have to go out of its way to save these people from the consequences of their actions, they should be protected more from the onset to prevent having them in a situation where they feel it's "kill or be killed".
Besides, why are we letting people who kill their own ward get away with it? May Vecina killed her own ward, and by mere virtue of their being Filipino, we turn a blind eye to the justice system? Is this fair?
.:A Double Standard:.
While we raised Hades over Desperate Housewives last year as Filipino doctors were supposedly denigrated, none of us so much as batted an eyelash over our own racist statements in our own news program, QTV 11's Sapulso, where the reporter quipped that Mexicans are fat because of the food they eat. This was in the same episode where I showed up in, so I know this episode all too well.
So why the double standard, Philippines? We can dish it out as much as we want, but we can't take it? If we are truly earnest about standing against racism, why do we tolerate our own countrymen who throw around racist statements like these? Because it's a joke? Well, wasn't that line from Desperate Housewives a joke?
There's a double standard at play here. We protested Nicole's rapist supposedly being sent back to the United States after the hoopla over the Subic Rape Case. We refused to let Daniel Smith get away and being sent back to U.S. custody because we believed this was a denial of justice for Nicole.
So, let me ask, Philippines: why the Hades are we letting our own murderers get away with their crimes?
Rape is a horrible thing. But so's murder. For us to just turn a blind eye to a Filipina's crime because she's Filipina while in the same breath condeming the United States for doing the same for one of their own is a brazen act of hypocrisy.
Are you ready to cast the first stone then, Philippines?
.:Fawning Over Our "Heroes":.
When 5 Koreans were kidnapped by the Taliban, they apologized after they were rescued. They realized it was a major inconvenience for a government, and being the way that they are, they did not feel particularly entitled to their protection, particularly when they went to Afghanistan against government advice.
Meanwhile, we praised Angelo dela Cruz for his "bravery" in the face of his Iraqi captors.
Quite a difference in mood and tone, don't you think? This is also in light of the fact that Angelo dela Cruz was allegedly working illegally in Iraq. How about them apples?
We are cultivating a ridiculously disturbing picture of our "heroes" here. All because of their economic gains, we are willing to let them get away with crimes, we applaud their courage, all without even noting that there wasn't really anything exemplary about them other than the fact that they are doing what they should be doing, to begin with.
We should protect our citizens from abuses in and out of this country, of course. But when they go out of line, when they commit crimes, it should be painfully clear to them that they have to deal with the repercussions of their actions, and the government shouldn't ever have to coddle these people when they should've known better.
The fact that we are willing to look the other way for these people all because of the economic gains they bring us pretty much shows why the Philippines has been looking the other way despite our less-than-stellar government acting the way it does. If GMA can make our GDP increase every year, it's okay for her family to steal from the country, huh?
.:When The Philippines Is Held Hostage By Its Own Heroes:.
This is a brief series I am writing to talk about the kind of peculiar situation the country finds itself in when its "heroes" are pushed to the limelight. We can define what it means to be a genuine "hero" in varying ways, but rest assured that anything I bring up here, I wouldn't be alone in the opinion of referring to them as "heroes". If anything, a majority of people would share this value judgment.
Unlike other people though, I am far less forgiving of mistakes done by our so-called heroes. Being a hero is not an excuse for doing something wrong. As someone who specializes in Ethics, I am rather adamant about this fact.
.:The OFW Hostage Drama:.
I know I'll stir up a hornet's nest here, but I don't care. You see, ever since Flor Contemplacion, the Philippine government has been falling over themselves trying to save any OFW that happens to get into trouble, bar none.
I don't begrudge OFW's who would work for their family. At the same time, I don't condone them being mistreated by their employers. Nonetheless, the mistreatment they go through is never enough reason for them to get away with murder. Marilou Ranario's guilt was incontrovertible, and yet we went ahead and tried to pull her out of the fire.
People go to these other countries in hopes of making money for their families. They know there are inherent risks, and it should be obvious that they represent the Philippines wherever they go. If they are being maltreated, allowing that is the government's shortcoming. But if they commit a crime, it should be clear to them that they must face the consequences of their actions. For the government to have to go out of its way to save these people from the consequences of their actions, they should be protected more from the onset to prevent having them in a situation where they feel it's "kill or be killed".
Besides, why are we letting people who kill their own ward get away with it? May Vecina killed her own ward, and by mere virtue of their being Filipino, we turn a blind eye to the justice system? Is this fair?
.:A Double Standard:.
While we raised Hades over Desperate Housewives last year as Filipino doctors were supposedly denigrated, none of us so much as batted an eyelash over our own racist statements in our own news program, QTV 11's Sapulso, where the reporter quipped that Mexicans are fat because of the food they eat. This was in the same episode where I showed up in, so I know this episode all too well.
So why the double standard, Philippines? We can dish it out as much as we want, but we can't take it? If we are truly earnest about standing against racism, why do we tolerate our own countrymen who throw around racist statements like these? Because it's a joke? Well, wasn't that line from Desperate Housewives a joke?
There's a double standard at play here. We protested Nicole's rapist supposedly being sent back to the United States after the hoopla over the Subic Rape Case. We refused to let Daniel Smith get away and being sent back to U.S. custody because we believed this was a denial of justice for Nicole.
So, let me ask, Philippines: why the Hades are we letting our own murderers get away with their crimes?
Rape is a horrible thing. But so's murder. For us to just turn a blind eye to a Filipina's crime because she's Filipina while in the same breath condeming the United States for doing the same for one of their own is a brazen act of hypocrisy.
Are you ready to cast the first stone then, Philippines?
.:Fawning Over Our "Heroes":.
When 5 Koreans were kidnapped by the Taliban, they apologized after they were rescued. They realized it was a major inconvenience for a government, and being the way that they are, they did not feel particularly entitled to their protection, particularly when they went to Afghanistan against government advice.
Meanwhile, we praised Angelo dela Cruz for his "bravery" in the face of his Iraqi captors.
Quite a difference in mood and tone, don't you think? This is also in light of the fact that Angelo dela Cruz was allegedly working illegally in Iraq. How about them apples?
We are cultivating a ridiculously disturbing picture of our "heroes" here. All because of their economic gains, we are willing to let them get away with crimes, we applaud their courage, all without even noting that there wasn't really anything exemplary about them other than the fact that they are doing what they should be doing, to begin with.
We should protect our citizens from abuses in and out of this country, of course. But when they go out of line, when they commit crimes, it should be painfully clear to them that they have to deal with the repercussions of their actions, and the government shouldn't ever have to coddle these people when they should've known better.
The fact that we are willing to look the other way for these people all because of the economic gains they bring us pretty much shows why the Philippines has been looking the other way despite our less-than-stellar government acting the way it does. If GMA can make our GDP increase every year, it's okay for her family to steal from the country, huh?
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Don't Call Him Harry Potter. Call Him...
.:H Piddy!:.
Harry Potter, despite being a storied hero in J.K. Rowling's series, was always of the rebellious type. Sure, he's close with an authority figure (Dumbledore), but even Dumbledore himself is a bit of a deviant... queer, if you will, in more ways than one. Harry's never really been the type who would just fit in. Snape's evaluation of Harry was somewhat spot-on: Harry would always find himself in the middle of something big all the time. Of course, Snape assumed Harry intended this, but given the kind of trouble Harry ends up with whenever he becomes an attraction, we can safely assume this isn't necessarily the case.
But you see, for all his "rebelliousness", Harry still doesn't fit the mold of a rebel (Except maybe the emo rebel that he was in the fifth book.). He's an oddity among apparent oddities, but it's not his oddities that really make him stand out. Quite simply, it's specific characteristics like courage and downright luck that make him different, not an inherently unique characteristic about him. Most people could have more courage than him, but it's his luck, good or bad, that throws him into the limelight.
So for this exercise of the mind, what if we imagined Harry to fit the ironic "mold" of a rebel? How would it be?
Well, I think we found the answer, and it may break your brain...
Harry Potter, despite being a storied hero in J.K. Rowling's series, was always of the rebellious type. Sure, he's close with an authority figure (Dumbledore), but even Dumbledore himself is a bit of a deviant... queer, if you will, in more ways than one. Harry's never really been the type who would just fit in. Snape's evaluation of Harry was somewhat spot-on: Harry would always find himself in the middle of something big all the time. Of course, Snape assumed Harry intended this, but given the kind of trouble Harry ends up with whenever he becomes an attraction, we can safely assume this isn't necessarily the case.
But you see, for all his "rebelliousness", Harry still doesn't fit the mold of a rebel (Except maybe the emo rebel that he was in the fifth book.). He's an oddity among apparent oddities, but it's not his oddities that really make him stand out. Quite simply, it's specific characteristics like courage and downright luck that make him different, not an inherently unique characteristic about him. Most people could have more courage than him, but it's his luck, good or bad, that throws him into the limelight.
So for this exercise of the mind, what if we imagined Harry to fit the ironic "mold" of a rebel? How would it be?
Well, I think we found the answer, and it may break your brain...
This Is A Heavy Week...
.:Paper Crunch Time!:.
Yes, I have little worries about what's left to do for Reedley, but it's my own academics I'm genuinely worried about.
So yes, I'm very busy, and yes, I could use some more time to breathe, and hence, my blogging for the next two weeks might be interrupted.
Yes, I have little worries about what's left to do for Reedley, but it's my own academics I'm genuinely worried about.
So yes, I'm very busy, and yes, I could use some more time to breathe, and hence, my blogging for the next two weeks might be interrupted.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Just A Pair Of Video Links To Talk About...
.:From What I Heard...:.
I think the WGA strike is over already, or if not, it's at least close to being over. That being said, there were some classic moments that came out during the writer's strike, and one of them, in my opinion, was probably the crossover between three of TV's top hosts: Conan O'Brien, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert.
Here's a nice little recap of the crossover for the ages: all three shows, no less. I don't know about you, but I really find the fake feud they had incredibly amusing, and I'm just a sucker for crossovers in general, really.
.:Jack Thompson Is At It Again...:.
Another school shooting? It doesn't matter if the killer hasn't played games since high school. It doesn't matter if the killer is 27 freaking years old, and not at all the "impressionable" patsy he loves to profile, Jack Thompson will blame video games because that's just how he rolls!
.:Topics For Backblogging...:.
Something about respect, and something about Justin Miller's latest rant.
I think the WGA strike is over already, or if not, it's at least close to being over. That being said, there were some classic moments that came out during the writer's strike, and one of them, in my opinion, was probably the crossover between three of TV's top hosts: Conan O'Brien, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert.
Here's a nice little recap of the crossover for the ages: all three shows, no less. I don't know about you, but I really find the fake feud they had incredibly amusing, and I'm just a sucker for crossovers in general, really.
.:Jack Thompson Is At It Again...:.
Another school shooting? It doesn't matter if the killer hasn't played games since high school. It doesn't matter if the killer is 27 freaking years old, and not at all the "impressionable" patsy he loves to profile, Jack Thompson will blame video games because that's just how he rolls!
.:Topics For Backblogging...:.
Something about respect, and something about Justin Miller's latest rant.
Sigh...
.:Disturbed:.
Ever had a dream that felt so agonizingly real?
I woke up this morning feeling incredibly exhausted and stressed out. It would appear that last night's dream had a lot to do with that.
I can't even begin to tell you how upsetting the dream was to me. It all felt so real, and in the back of my head, I kept on thinking it was all my fault how someone who used to be special to me had a heart attack and I was trying to deal with her loss from that point on.
Every single time I broke into tears during that dream, it felt like I was genuinely crying. By the time I woke up, it felt as if I did turn on the waterworks at least five times, from my hazy recollection of the dream.
To this moment, I was almost tempted into contacting that person and ask her how she's doing. I know I'm not supposed to even exist in her life now, let alone be asking her how she is, but the dream just felt so disturbing, and a part of that has a lot to do with things we never really resolved.
I guess the main impetus for refusing to contact her, aside from of course the fact that I myself told her I'm never speaking to her again, would be the fact that it's not exactly the nicest thing to hear... "Hi there! How've you been? I was thinking of you recently because I dreamt you had a fatal heart attack a few nights ago. I hope you're doing just fine."
This isn't even beginning to cover the issues that, in my opinion, remain simply because we never really settled anything.
For now, I'm only hoping that she actually reads my blog from time to time, and she knows it's her I'm talking about when I say that I still feel an inordinate amount of guilt when I think of how it came to the point that I'm just a much-handwashed footnote in her life. While I'm perfectly sympathetic to why she did that, I can't help but feel hurt that this has still been the case. I *really* hate having loose ends I can't tie up.
If not, well, I take consolation in knowing it was just a dream...
Ever had a dream that felt so agonizingly real?
I woke up this morning feeling incredibly exhausted and stressed out. It would appear that last night's dream had a lot to do with that.
I can't even begin to tell you how upsetting the dream was to me. It all felt so real, and in the back of my head, I kept on thinking it was all my fault how someone who used to be special to me had a heart attack and I was trying to deal with her loss from that point on.
Every single time I broke into tears during that dream, it felt like I was genuinely crying. By the time I woke up, it felt as if I did turn on the waterworks at least five times, from my hazy recollection of the dream.
To this moment, I was almost tempted into contacting that person and ask her how she's doing. I know I'm not supposed to even exist in her life now, let alone be asking her how she is, but the dream just felt so disturbing, and a part of that has a lot to do with things we never really resolved.
I guess the main impetus for refusing to contact her, aside from of course the fact that I myself told her I'm never speaking to her again, would be the fact that it's not exactly the nicest thing to hear... "Hi there! How've you been? I was thinking of you recently because I dreamt you had a fatal heart attack a few nights ago. I hope you're doing just fine."
This isn't even beginning to cover the issues that, in my opinion, remain simply because we never really settled anything.
For now, I'm only hoping that she actually reads my blog from time to time, and she knows it's her I'm talking about when I say that I still feel an inordinate amount of guilt when I think of how it came to the point that I'm just a much-handwashed footnote in her life. While I'm perfectly sympathetic to why she did that, I can't help but feel hurt that this has still been the case. I *really* hate having loose ends I can't tie up.
If not, well, I take consolation in knowing it was just a dream...
Sunday, February 24, 2008
New Post In Magi-Kel!
Yes, there's another one. This time, it's about my show in Tektite. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary, really.
Briefly Seeing People...
.:Hello Again!:.
Had a quick dinner with Elbert, April, and Estelle, as I was in Greenhills for a while, so I wasn't quite able to go to Podium immediately since I was doing a lot of stuff, for the most part.
In any case, it was fairly non-happening, although there were lots of laughs to be had while I was playing "Patapon" on my PSP, which, I must say, is one of the best "quirky" games I've ever played.
.:Finally, Quelling The Multitude...:.
I think I did well with Dr. Kaelin's oral exams last Saturday. Whoopee!
.:My Beloved Pays Me A Visit!:.
It was great to see my Beloved this weekend again. I missed her terribly and as most people know when I'm down in the dumps, hugs tend to pick me right back up. Unfortunately, I'm not particularly on hugging basis with most of the people I'm around on a daily basis.
That being said, she was absolutely stunning yesterday. She looked well-rested, and she was just such an angel.
Ahh, yes. She made my day, no question about it...
Had a quick dinner with Elbert, April, and Estelle, as I was in Greenhills for a while, so I wasn't quite able to go to Podium immediately since I was doing a lot of stuff, for the most part.
In any case, it was fairly non-happening, although there were lots of laughs to be had while I was playing "Patapon" on my PSP, which, I must say, is one of the best "quirky" games I've ever played.
.:Finally, Quelling The Multitude...:.
I think I did well with Dr. Kaelin's oral exams last Saturday. Whoopee!
.:My Beloved Pays Me A Visit!:.
It was great to see my Beloved this weekend again. I missed her terribly and as most people know when I'm down in the dumps, hugs tend to pick me right back up. Unfortunately, I'm not particularly on hugging basis with most of the people I'm around on a daily basis.
That being said, she was absolutely stunning yesterday. She looked well-rested, and she was just such an angel.
Ahh, yes. She made my day, no question about it...
The Berglas Effect...
.:The Berglas Effect...:.
EDIT: Due to a recent article by Cracked, a lot of people wishing to discover the secret to the Berglas effect have apparently ended up on this blog.
Let me preface this entry, three years after having first written this, that after all this time, I still haven't found a satisfying way to perform this effect without any of the following:
1. Gaff cards or a gaff deck.
2. Pre-show work.
3. Masterful sleight of hand.
4. A stooge or a confederate.
5. A stack or memory palace.
Having said that, expect me to write another blog entry about the Berglas effect this Monday (I write a weekly segment on my blog called "Just Another Magic Monday," after all.), to explain a theory I have, based solely on the Britland book, but not on the Marc Paul video. I believe that the Marc Paul video probably utilized a different method from what is outlined in the book, and as such, would not fall under the several methods Britland hints at in the chapter on the Berglas effect.
EDIT: Due to a recent article by Cracked, a lot of people wishing to discover the secret to the Berglas effect have apparently ended up on this blog.
Let me preface this entry, three years after having first written this, that after all this time, I still haven't found a satisfying way to perform this effect without any of the following:
1. Gaff cards or a gaff deck.
2. Pre-show work.
3. Masterful sleight of hand.
4. A stooge or a confederate.
5. A stack or memory palace.
Having said that, expect me to write another blog entry about the Berglas effect this Monday (I write a weekly segment on my blog called "Just Another Magic Monday," after all.), to explain a theory I have, based solely on the Britland book, but not on the Marc Paul video. I believe that the Marc Paul video probably utilized a different method from what is outlined in the book, and as such, would not fall under the several methods Britland hints at in the chapter on the Berglas effect.
... proves to be a Holy Grail of sorts. For now, I think I figured out already how this is done, actually.
I'm going to have to practice it extensively, but I think it can definitely work out.
It's a genuine reputation maker, to say the least. It could very well even make you a lot of money if you can perform it flawlessly. Almost as much money as you would from HDB, but *maybe* not quite.
.:In Detail:.
I'm going to step away from the Magikel blog and instead put this on my main blog, mainly because this is one of the most amazing effects of all time. David Berglas, known as Britains "International Man of Mystery" has pulled off the seemingly impossible with the Any Card at Any Number routine, commonly known as the "Berglas Effect".
While I was going over the Britland book, "The Mind and Magic of David Berglas", it was becoming very clear to me that this wasn't exactly a tell-all book. While I felt mildly disappointed that the information I got was woefully lacking, I realized that this was a book meant for the experienced performer, and as someone who has been into magic for sixteen years, but has had only a few years of performance under his belt, I may not yet quite be ready for the stuff in the book.
Despite that, it's 500-odd pages of incredible material, mainly dealing with psychology, performance, and showmanship. Berglas may be a bit stingy on going into full detail with some of his treasured effects, but believe me when I say that despite this, the book is an engaging read. I may feel a bit shortchanged for the amount I paid for it (After all, I bought the thing PRECISELY for the Berglas Effect, and found out that he only gave five vague pieces of a 52 x 52 - piece puzzle... 52 different cards. 52 different numbers.), but I haven't even gone into half the book yet, and already, I've found performance aids that will enhance any effect I perform in the future.
The Berglas effect, in my estimate, is the pinnacle of all the mentalist's tools coming together for the ultimate mystery: showmanship, audience management, psychology, neurolinguistic programming. What makes it even more astounding to the eyes of people is that it could very well be sleight-of-hand free, as you can see in the video above.
If there are two books I would recommend to people who want to have a wider knowledge base in mentalism, I'd recommend Corinda's Thirteen Steps as your toolbox of sorts, and the blueprints would be the Berglas book.
Unfortunately, I think the Berglas book is currently out of print...
Saturday, February 23, 2008
New Post In Magi-Kel!
Check out my new post on Magi-Kel, where I cover what happened to me as I embarked on two shows on the same day!
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