Adventureland

The 80's wasn't really my coming-of-age decade, but I have undying fascination of the youth culture that sprung out of the era. Blame it on my fanatic observations of my elder cousins, our underaged helpers, John Hughes' teen flicks, and mostly from the pop/punk/new wave music that defined the decade.

A recent discovery is the film Adventureland (2009). Set in 1987, about a group of teenagers on summer jobs at a local amusement park. Typical 80's teen movie elements aren't missed--the nerd virgins, the troubled pretty girl, the obnoxious hunk, the pot heads, the popular slut etc. But everything wasn't too typical at all! In fact, I enjoyed the gloomy suburban feel to it. And really, what could go wrong when Kristen Stewart is one of the leads?

A real treat is the awesome soundtrack. Here's a playlist of the songs I enjoyed in the film. Hope you'll love them as much as I did!



1. Satellite of Love - Lou Reed
2. I'm in Love with a Girl - Big Star
3. Just like Heaven - The Cure
4. Don't Dream it's Over - Crowded House
5. Rock Me Amadeus - Falco
6. Pale Blue Eyes - Velvet Underground

p.s. Lou Reed/Velvet Underground and Big Star were icons of the 60's and 70's respectively. Songs and artists featured in the movie OST were not necessarily part of the 80's music genre.

Addiction starter

Yay! Just had my first Korean fashion magazine purchase! Took me more than a year to do so. Given the fact that they're purely in Korean (no matter how foreign the covers are at first glance), Costly with a big C, they are HEAVY! Blame it on impulse buying coming from a petty fight with the beau and running into a bookstore in my little town that has one decent bookstore with only a shelf, yes, a SHELF of foreign fiction novels.

So, here it is...Elle Korea June 2009. Could have been a great deal if only I could read it! It has Milla Jovovich on the cover. The issue comes with a special supplement and a neat little carrying case. Elle Korea is known for its freebies among the other Korean glossies. Impractical but its still worth feasting my eyes on celebrity fashions, with the pages' sweet perfume smell and drooling over the luxuries I could never afford! My very own cheap thrill, now in a different language!

I've always been a huge fashion/women's magazine reader ever since I could remember. My mother used to buy MOD, Woman's, Women's Journal and all other magazines in newsprint, back in the day (along with my Funny Comics, Bata Batuta or Ayos! comics!) I was already following Jessica Zafra's column, Womanagerie in Woman Today as early as 10 years old.

I just hope this little addiction wouldn't blow up as it had been. I had boxes and boxes back in Manila that I just trashed before coming here. Unlike with books that one can easily sell or give away, these are simply worth nothing! A mere extension of the insanely deceiving high-fashion and cosmetic industries. Again, impractical and feeding on my humble superficiality.

RIP FrancisM

I still can't get over the news on Francis M.'s death due to leukemia yesterday. I heard about his sickness last year but I couldn't imagine him dying. He is truly a big loss to the Philippine music industry. I thought he was so cool back then when with his haircut na 'pang-adik' in the 80's. He was the lone deviant from the Bagets barkada, all with wholesome, pretty boy looks. His fame catapulted when he released his album Yo! with the now classic hit "Mga Kababayan". Everyone in my 5th grade class could memorize this! This paved the way of other rap/hip-hop acts like Michael V. , Andrew E., Mastaplann and one too many artists (now mostly inactive) to the mainstream. But his talents go way beyond with his numerous causes and collaborations with other artists. His Multiply account chronicles his life events and thoughts until the very end, the last entry asking for prayers for his 4th chemo cycle. He may too young to die, but truly it was a life very well lived.

Watching his music videos in Youtube made me teary-eyed for a moment. I like this Kaleidoscope World live session with Parokya ni Edgar.


As they say, RIP or Rap in PEACE!

Coke

Flash Back...Grade 1...



...and all the while I thought that was so unique and special! Here's the Korean Version.

Catcher in the Rye

If there's one thing that greatly contributes to my so-called coming of age, it would be this book. I found this 1960's printing when I was 15 in one of the dark and abandoned shelves in our high school library. The exact same printing as this image. For me it was just one of those books that you take home for the weekend. I was trying my best to hit the classics for some "mature" reading to impress the teachers :). Little did I know that one piece of writing could change your general outlook in life. I guess, I just found it at the right time otherwise I wouldn't appreciate it as much.

It wasn't all too dramatic and glorified though. It really didn't take me to plot some murder of a rock legend (i.e. Mark Chapman - the man who shot John Lennon who was found reading a copy while waiting for the cops). Take this piece as a big understatement of how I owe so much to J.D Salinger for finding a broken piece in my life. It helped me to regain my strength and just be contented of who I am cause it's my life anyway. I wanted to believe I can write then and hell, I am going to pursue it. But it all changed when I went to college, but this will be another story.

After reading this, I became a huge fan of the author. I looked him up in the encyclopedias (there was no internet yet then) and good thing he's indeed a live person. This wasn't part of our assigned reading in high school so I researched on my own and didn't get so much information though. I read in Esquire later that he went on a long sabbatical in his own house until now. He knew he was popular but well he did not really acknowledge it. He wasn't used to all the fame and glory. He was just not the type who was too happy to be in the New York Times bestsellers and signing autographs here and there. He assumed a quiet life maybe because he didn't want to become a sellout. Or a phony, he would say.

From my used-books hunting, I found 2 out of 4 titles credited to him. All in early editions, I may boast. I have (or had) "Raise High the Roof beam, Carpenters with Seymour an Introduction" and "Franny and Zooey". I never bought the recent edtions "Nine Stories" being sold in the book stores right now. I still cross my fingers everytime I chance upon garage sales and previously owned book stores. As for "Catcher in the Rye", did I return this on its due date? Take a guess... :)