I'm a self-conscious Bisdak Blogger who loves nothing more than to read and write for the Glory of God. Just as imperfect as your next Joe, but just as perfectly made as each Child of God.
For a couple of nights now I've been beating the drum pads of our Rockband like mad. Well, small wonder since I've loved the Beatles since high school.
It was in the middle of our junior year when one of my girlfriends lent me a Betamax copy of Steven Spielberg's '80's flick "I Want to Hold Your Hand" starring Nancy Allen (from "Carrie"). The movie was a total riot! Lucky for me I was able to get hold of a rare copy of it on DVD and still break into fits of laughter whenever I watch it.
On Christmas of my junior year, the sister of my late godmother gifted me with a Beatles songbook and I sung out most of the songs from their earlier albums.
Since then, I've been a staunch fan of the Beatles. My favorite (among my favorites, is "I Will", which you will hear if you click on the Polyvore image). Boyfriend after boyfriend, I have sung that song, and break up after break up, "I Will" has never grown old, never tasted bitter.
Now, my son and I enjoy The Beatles Rock Band so much. In fact, my son has memorized some songs which I never bothered with such as "Back in the U.S.S.R", "The End", "Paperback Writer"& many more.
I'm glad their music will never die. The Beatles' passion for music should live on!
I'm still not over the magic of Pretty in Pink. Here are some youtube videos of Psychedelic Furs' "Pretty in Pink" and Suzanne Vega's "Left of Center".
The first song was reportedly John Hughes inspiration for the movie. He wrote the script of the movie for Molly Ringwald. It couldn't have been played better by any other actress. Her acting is fluid, charming and very natural.
The second song, "Left of Center", was written for the movie by Suzanne Vega ("Luka"). The sound is very contemporary, as one viewer commented, and I couldn't agree more.
I couldn't find a youtube video of "Wouldn't It be Good?" performed by Danny Hutton Hitters. I loved how that song segued the scene from Andie's school to the street leading to the record store where she worked.
“1) Usually seen around social networking sites such as Friendster and Multiply, jejemons are individuals with low IQs who spread around their idiocy on the web by tYpFing LyK diZS jejejeje, making all people viewing their profile raise their eyebrows out of annoyance. Normal people like you and me must take a Bachelor of Arts in Jejetyping in order to understand said individuals, as deciphering their text would cause a lot of frustration and hair pulling.
CAUTION: THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE BREEDING! THEY CAN BE SEEN WRECKING GRAMMATICAL HAVOC ON FACEBOOK TOO!
2) Jejemons are not just confined to trying-hard Filipino gangsters and emos. A Jejemon can also include a variety of Latino-Hispanic fags who enjoy typing "jejejejeje" in a wider context, much to the disdain of their opponents in an internet MMORPG game such as Ragnarok and DOTA.
3) Basically anyone with a low tolerance in correct punctuation, syntax and grammar. Jejemons are usually hated or hunted down by Jejebusters or the grammar nazi to eradicate their grammatical ways.”
I think Jejemons are hilarious, if not a riotous fad that is indeed contaminating the cyber-psyche that even the contending presidential candidate, Gibo Teodoro, gave an emphatic reaction “Pababalikin ko ang mga Jejemeon sa elementarya.” (“I will send the Jejemons back to elementary.”).Many “Gotta Kill ‘Em All” Jejemon buster sites are setting camp over the internet, too.
My teacher friends and I were talking about these Jejemons over a fiesta lunch this afternoon.The Jejemon power could be felt in that we spent a good 10 minutes or more just talking about these grammar/spelling annihilators who are creating a horridly funky amusing way of communicating.It was mentioned in our conversation that the length to which grammar Nazis or plain Jejemon haters are going has reached the analysis of the Jejemon psychology.I think it is hysterical!!! Jejejejeje!
Now that Jejemon has been defined and established as a legitimate fad not unlike swardslang, here are my thoughts on Jejemon:
I understand how Jejemons can be complacent on their newfound, unconscious interest in gibberish and that teachers ought to be more on the lookout on how to attack the virus.
Aiming to eradicate the Jejemons will only give them power.They feed on publicity, “hate” or even mild annoyance.A more objective look at these Jejemons will give teachers a better perspective on how to win over the Jejemons to the proper way of communicating.
Just like swardslang that evolves and grows, I have a suspicion that Jejemon might mutate as this generation will grow out of it and find neophytes to contaminate.Our role as teachers is to use the Jejemon virus as a spring board to teach correct grammar; so as to get into the context of the current craze and let misguided Jejemons see that we are on their side.This way, we have better hope of guiding them away from their “yOeWniMaaiNd” (translated as “Unimind” in reference the the good Little Green Men in the Toy Story series).The Jejemons are a collective (un-)consciousness that evolved and mutated with the adults’ published disdain.
Thus said, I will attempt to make a lesson plan for the English subject on Sentence Patterns using the Jejemon Virus as the spring board.
Here is the sample lesson plan I have made for teachers. Teachers who are interested to use it may do so, and acknowledge the source. It can also be improved upon and customized so as to meet the need of the class.
I was just so amused by this Jejemon craze that I came up with a leisurely activity of thinking up how it can be used as a spring board in order to relate to the youth of today and guiding them to the rIgHt jejejeje pfAtH! Jejejejejeje! Long live free and responsible speech!!!
***
Lesson Plan on Sentence Patterns
General Objective:
To bring into light the importance of correct spelling, grammar and punctuation usages as opposed to Jejemon jargon.
Values Objectives:
Exchange views on how the Jejemon Virus is affecting communication today.
Respond to the necessity of conforming to spelling, grammar and punctuation rules through teacher prepared classroom activities.
Internalize the necessity of studying and using spelling, grammar and punctuation rules through an essay.
Subject Matter:Sentence Patterns
Materials and References:
Teacher-researched jejemon sentences.Cellphones. Pad paper.Resource on sentence patterns.
Specific Objectives:
Translate sentences into Jejemon gibberish.Create Jejemon sentences and translate them into the four correct sentence patterns.
Compare and contrast the advantages of correct grammar usage in communication and Jejemon jargon.
Presentation:
Context:Teacher sets the tone of the class by opening the topic about Jejemons and embark on a discussion on the students’ view of Jejemon language.
Guiding questions:
What are the specific benefits of communicating in Jejemon?
What comments do you hear about Jejemon?What are your reactions to these comments?
If your parents or a trusted adult/authority communicated to you in Jejemon, how would you react?
What would become of the world if we spoke Jejemon?
What are the advantages of learning how to communicate using correct grammar and punctuation?
Activities:
Day 1: Teacher hands out slips of paper with Jejemon sentences to students.Ask students to translate these sentences into grammatically correct sentences on pieces of paper.
Let volunteers read their Jejemon messages and their correctly translated answers.
Teacher introduces the four sentence patterns:
Subject – Linking Verb – Predicate Noun or Pronoun
(Jejemon message:Eeeeht eeeaaazz a Jejemon.) Translate
2.Subject – Linking Verb – Predicate Adjective
(Jejemon message:zzlEEpyy NaH Meeeh.)Translate.
Subject – Intransitive Verb
(Jejemon message:dEeeehdo na Xeae.) Translate
Subject – Transitive Verb – Direct Object
(Jejemon message: Mmaah, leW2 naH pwwhou keO nG dinNah?)Translate.
Teacher gives a more thorough explaination of the sentence patterns and examples.
Teacher asks students (as an assignment) to make sentences using the four sentence patterns in correct form and in Jejemon form.
Day 2: Teacher checks assignment through discussion and recitation.Teacher directs a more formal discussion on the sentence patterns and lets pupils answer textbook or teacher-prepared seatwork.
Day 3:After more discussion and activities on the sentence patterns, let students make an essay to compare and contrast the advantages of learning correct grammar usage and the benefits (if any) of Jejemon jargon.
Evaluation/ Assessment/Agreement:
Write how one can have fun with language without forgetting the importance of spelling, grammar and punctuation.
***
(Teacher can also include the more respectable and accepted gibberish in English Literature which is the Jabberwocky by Lewis Carrol [Author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland]. It could be seen as a forefather of Jejemon or any other evolved (mutated?) form of communication - by a revered author who never forgot his grammar, but had fun with language.)
***
Again, I created this lesson plan in leisure. It may be used and improved upon should any teacher care to use it, as long as the author is acknowledged. I apologize in advance for any errors, if any, but then again, I created the lesson plan as a hobby and did not test this in the classroom.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." Aristotle
***
The Jabberwocky
by Lewis Carroll
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.
And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
I watched The Back-Up Plan with a fellow single mom late this afternoon. It was one of the best feel-good movies of our age group I've seen in the longest time.
It's tagline, " 1. Fall in love. 2. Get married. 2. Have a Baby. Not necessarily in that order." is a total riot!
Starring the bodacious Jennifer Lopez (still a hot mama at 41) as Zoe and Alex O'Loughlin (who's turning 34 in August) as Stan, The Back-Up Plan is a movie about "hyper-speed romance" between the happily independent single woman who wants a baby and a charming goat farmer/student who accidentally meet in a cab.
Funny and endearing, The Back-Up Plan has swept us off our single moms' feet!
Set in New York, Zoe's neighborhood is reminiscent of the unforgettable scenes from Breakfast At Tiffany's and The West Side Story.
The movie is replete with "signs" (which romance fanatics love putting in their pockets), quirky characters and hilarious scenes and a stellar soundtrack to match; not to mention the heart-melting romantic scenes which make the movie a deserving blockbuster. Photo from www.smartcine.com
I sat in front of the TV as I was ironing out my huge batch of laundry and took a trip down memory lane to the land of John Hughes.
I went back to the seamless worlds of Pretty in Pink and Some Kind of Wonderful and watched these childhood favorites through my adult eyes and I saw gold.
The movies are even more brilliant than they were when I just watched them with paradoxical passion and passivity some twenty plus years ago. The late great John Hughes is still a master storyteller.
In Pretty in Pink and Some Kind of Wonderful he struck right to the heart of teenagers. It's no wonder these movies are cult favorites. In the commentary of Some Kind of Wonderful, one of the hosts cut right into the essence of John Hughes films saying how the producer actually respects teenagers and translates this respect into movies. John Hughes' greatness is in how he translates each and every teenager's desire to be free to be and express his authenticity. And he has woven stories that send the message that it can be done... He invites the romantics to be idealists through the medium of cuss-loaded, heavy kissing, bad hair and funky fashioned now cult favorite movies.
All the hormones, rebellion, the funky fashion, the music, the script, the transition of scenes and even more make both movies worlds unto themselves where personally as was then, I am still able to enter and relate.
Pretty in Pink was eye candy with its authentic and classic '80's atmosphere, and literally music to the ears with its New Wave soundtrack. The scene sequences and the dialogue were all electric and it helped greatly that Molly Ringwald and Andrew McCarthy had that intoxicating chemistry between them.
In Some Kind of Wonderful on the other hand, John Hughes and Howard Deutche created a rich and multifaceted world that is so realistic, idealistic, romantic and subliminally beautiful all in one movie. Great soundtrack, dialogue and scene sequences too.
I guess I would be doing myself a favor if I cut out on the comparison because I love both movies for all their merits. Pretty in Pink was sweet as Some Kind of Wonderful was deep, nuff said.
As Iona said in Pretty in Pink, "Why can't we start old and grow young?"
Thank you, Watts, Andie, Blane and Keith. I liked growing up on you. And great company while I finished my loads of ironing too. :)
Jerry Yan is texting me through his Sony Ericsson cellphone. Tonight, he's saying, "Miss U".
Fantasies are for free!
Jerry Yan has been the leading man of my dreams since I went crazy over Meteor Garden back in 2003.
Before Meteor Garden, I've always been a snob in my viewing preferences; always rationalizing my choices of shows and leisure time activities etc., and mostly, if not always patronizing Western shows and literature.
It irritated me when the buzz at work was all about Dau Ming Sz and Sancai. Who the hell were they? Finally, I decided to watch an episode to see what the frenzy was all about.
Before I knew it, I was hooked to the max. After work, I would cozy up at the couch in front of the TV and cross the threshold between reality and paradise.
After the show ended, many months later, I ordered the VCD set online and would use MG as my background noise while doing paper work.
***
I think I have viewed the two seasons of Meteor Garden five times over and still get that giddy feeling while watching and even after.
***
Last year, a friend of mine introduced me to Itazura Na Kiss, an anime series, and I was sucked into the colorful world of Irie-kun and Kotoko. The same friend recommended Hana Yori Dango the anime series.
After 6 years of Meteor Garden, I found myself entrenched in Yoko Kamio's drama.
So much so that one of my bestfriends sent me the first four books of the original manga (which are part of my prized possessions).
***
And now, the same co-workers who were crazy over Meteor Garden are busy updating on Gu Jun Pyo, Geum Jan Di and Ji Hoo...
What's a girl to do? I joined the band wagon, and am hooked.
***
The Real Star of the show I must say is Yoko Kamio. She has retold the Cinderella and Little Mermaid stories in the modern day Asian setting. Who could resist a fairy tale?
It is every girl's dream. Unabashedly, it is mine.
And of course, in a jaded, heartbroken era, happy endings are best sellers. If it eludes us in the ground we tread, we get the vicarious victory through the TV screen for that moment in time.
Sayonara for now, xie xie ni... Jaa Ne! Till my next musing...
Bella Grace is an aptly named beautiful 9 month old baby who is currently suffering from hernia, a protrusion of an organ through the cavity that normally contains it. Surgery, which entails expenses, is the only recourse to this medical condition. I could only imagine the pain baby Bella is going through and the strength her parents are summoning to face this trial.
Amazingly though, a pool of blogger moms and generous online friends have come up with an online-fund raising activity through a "Blog Review for a Cause". This can be done by buying a blog review for $10. Just email pehcats@gmail.com and paste the URL of the blog you wish to be reviewed.
If you prefer to donate (without buying a blog review), you can send donations through ricafs.gr@gmail.com with "Bella's Surgery Fund" as the subject.
Bella Grace is indeed a Beautiful Grace. Through her this blogger can visualize a little girl who has successfully undergone surgery because of God's grace which is "a pattern of highly improbable events with a beneficial outcome," (to quote M. Scott Peck).
The improbable events are the random readers of this post who will share their time, resources and prayers for the success of baby Bella's operation. This is an opportunity for all of us to benefit from the Beautiful Grace and share God's blessings to those in need.
Baby Bella, I have not seen you (yet), but I am praying for you right now. Get well soon, sweetie. And look how you've drawn the goodness from everyone who's lives you've touched.
*The reader of this blog may also blog about this to spread the news.
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