Fifty Shades of Grey Parented by Blog Site

Sunday Grande: Fifty Shades of Grey

I know not how to start this somehow. Either because the last time I did a post  about my Sunday Grande with the touch of movie review was last two years ago, click me,or the fact that I had been AGAIN absent for an entire month. 

Well. . . whichever way it is, I felt my guilt had devoured me little by little not to blog about the very recent movie of E.L. James, the Fifty Shades of Grey, since it both had and has been the very reason why this blog of mine was given birth and brought to life. 

Spoiler Alert!!! No movie review in here, just how my V-day turned out.

Let's try to press the "time travel" button this time. If you notice, the very first blog I did publish was on reading - click me- of which houses my random thoughts about reading itself, which was then followed by this:

My Awakener : Fifty Shades Trilogy + Its History

. . . and then this:

Random Formula # 1: Highlighter + Book = ME (Poignant Lines From Fifty Shades Trilogy)

(Please have some time to click and read the highlighted links, *_^)

So, well. . . those reveal something about how my bookish self revived. Now to go back with what I have been babbling, hope I'm not baffling you ^_^, my conscience is not in its ease just to let the opportunity pass. Though, I've actually let the momentum pass, since I did procrastinate and became late again, here it goes.

I've been loco over this novel, ever since I've read it and believe me, I've read each book five times. HAHAHAHAH! Silly isn't it? but then who could resist such a handsome stalker, PLUS!!! I'm making my real Christian Grey in the person of Christopher Lim, whom Aries, my one true love baptized him as Boy Mcdo. (Psssshhhhhh! This is a silent shout out, my silence scream for my admiration to him *_*)

With my obsession of the books, of the trilogy itself, I've shared it to the people whom I am close with, Ms. Mae, my "classmates" Keziah and Deborah. And to be honest. I was actually expecting to watch the movie with them. But due to some schedule conflict none of us went together to watch the movie. I was bit sad for I thought I will never be able to see Christian's stalking prowess. However, here's one great deal, my nephew who happened to be one of my students before - click me- way back in my teaching years in MUHS sent me this:

. . . an invite eventually came, though at first I hesitated for it's been  R-18, I got this as his response:

. . . and so I got the date with Mr.Grey , and Mr. Lim. ^_^

Credits to Jason for this photo ^_^

. . . as we watched the film, ask me how many times did I have it. THREE TIMES!!! because one of his classmates, my very beautiful Sofia went to catch up with us and since she wasn't able to watch it from the beginning and since Jason had to leave for their family dinner, I was left with her  and did the reviewing of the movie. Sad to say, we had no photo to be posted. My sister then came and, like Sofia, she came late and Sofia has to leave,I was still left and did  another preview of the movie.If you'll say it's a bbit crazy , I'll definitely agree.

. . . and ohhhh, I forgot to made mention it was Saturday. When Sunday came the next day precisely , I got another invite from my kikay girls, and so I had to watch the movie again TWICE. Now please do the Math. Good heavens!Yes I did watch the movie five times all in all. hahahah!

Sofia, Noiree, and Me

Eri, Janica, Noiree, Sofia and I inside the movie house

. . . after the movie watching we headed right straight to Farron:

. . . and had dinner in McDo, sad to say my Christian Grey wasn't there. *insert sad face here*

. . .to sum it all up, my Christian Grey experience may not be in the way I wanted it to be: a) spend with those I was eagerly shared the story, b) see Ian Somerhalder do the role, and c) get a photo with my Boy Mcdo, yet, it all turned out to be super well and priceless. Thanks to this bunch of kiddos. ^_^

Great Classical Novels: Revisitation to "MY" Archives

 

Photo from web

  Studying about heavenly bodies way back in my primary and secondary years inspired me a lot. Traveling through space shuttles, eating while floating due to lack of gravity, walking on the moon, studying lives outside the earth, learning things in other planets, and discovering tidbits of rocks outside the universe interest me a lot. Hence being an astronaut was my first  dream course and if lucky enough, work.  Most of the time before, I imagined myself working in NASA and daydream about meteors and all of such sorts around. I found it so so soooo SUPERB! I remembered I once told mama about what work I'd like to have in the future one evening while she slept beside me.

Me: Ma, gusto ko mag-astronaut inig dako nako and magtravel di lang sah tibuok kalibutan pero sa gawas sa kalibutan.  (Ma, I'd like to be an astronaut when I grow up and travel not just around the world but outside our planet.)
Mama: *startled* Day, nanrabaho gani mi ni papa duol nimu daun ikaw molayo nah nuon ka, mogawas pajud sah kalibutan? (Day, your father and I work closer to where you are, but then you want to work away from us, and the worst outside the planet?)

Such convo made me think but never hindered me of wanting to be an astronaut. But, when I came to my senses during my senior years, I realized there's no school offering aeronautics in Phil. so I decided to take Marine Biology when I will enroll for my college years. I was good in Bio back then, hence taking the course would make me an expert in the field AND I'll get the chance of learning how to swim. Everything went smoothly as I passed a scholarship in the school (MSU-IIT) I'm wanting to study for college which offers the aforementioned course,too.

Enrollment day arrived. My father did not allow me to study in MSU because of the chaos between Muslims and Christians back then. So I got no other option but to study in the university (LSU) situated in my own city. The very first Department the guard pointed was the College of Education, so without much ado, I got a prospectus and enrolled. I never noticed that the prospectus handed to me was for secondary education which required a major subject. It made me ponder whether I'll go for Biology which is closer to Marine Bio or English since literature was my second interest.

Flipping a coin made me settle for English. :) (photo from web)

My more than 4-year old prospectus. Crumpled and nearly rotten ;)

And so a sojourn had started. Despite of not becoming an astronaut or a marine biologist, I successfully managed my chosen course. Instead of doing the moonwalk outside the earth or swimming under the sea, I've done reading. Reading made me go what's beyond the universe and those which are under the sea. I've traveled. I've rode all sorts of spaceships. I've tried all submarines.I've made friends with those splendid astronauts, divers, above all, WRITERS . I was acquainted to those great persons both in stories and histories. We'll, what more could I ask for? ;)

...old  exam permits I've kept :)

. . . of all my 25 English subjects (yes, 25! I don't know how I did all those ^^) ,  English 7n "The Novel" was one of my favorite English subjects. For the entire semester, aside from our assigned novel,  we were required to read the novels  of our classmates and did the extraction of profound quotes/lines. I was tasked to do Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. It's the very first novel I've ever read. The novel has it's movie as well so when I did the discussion of my novel to the class, I let them watch the film first. ;)


The novels we did read and study are as follows:

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
(hahahahah mine should be first in the list ^^)

Photo from web

           Click here for remarkable lines from "Pride and Prejudice"


 2. The Tale of Genji by Lady Murashaki Shikibu
 (...the first novel ever written^^)

Photo from web

 3. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

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4. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn  by Mark Twain

Photo from web

 5. Moby Dick by Herman Melville

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6. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

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7. The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway 

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8. Anna Karenina by Leo Toltstoy

Photo from web

9. My Antonia by Willa Sibert Cather

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10. Mysterious Island by Jules Verne

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11. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

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12. The Pearl by John Steinbeck

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13. Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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14. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

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Im blithesome I was indulged with these great classical novels which were all well-written. A few made me inspired, and some made me fell in love. They made me admire great characters. They made me travel back to lots of events. And above all, they made me learn a lot out from their simple and unique stories.Truly, reading is incomparable.


At one point, I was able to contemplate that I could probably not read when I'll be outside the earth, for sure I will have to chase my book. I could definitely not read under the sea, too, my book will surely get wet. Therefore I know I've settled for what is the best for me.^^

My Awakener : Fifty Shades Trilogy + Its History

Photo from Web

I have not done  book reviews anymore right after I earned my degree but after being able to finish E.L James' NOVEL novel Fifty Shades Trilogy I feel the urge to write one.

Ian Somerhalder ( Photo from Web)

There are two reasons why I was so intrigued with this novel before. First,  this college friend of mine, who currently works in Dubai, had been raving so much about these books that it got me so curious. Second, when I opened my mail I accidentally read an article saying that there is a 70% possibility that the main role of this novel will be played by the Vampire Diaries' actor  Damon Salvatore  in the person of  Ian Somerhalder who happened to be my BIG TIME crush,  so I wanted to see what the hype was all about and decided to start reading.

Of course buying a book of which I do not know what is it about (since I no longer do background check for books because the spark of my  "reading" lifestyle had long been died) is never my forte. Until such time one of my closest friend way back from college, Dennis, and I were reunited in seminar introduced the luxury an eBook can give to me. Apparently, I downloaded the first book hastily but sad to say that the application I used only caters the first book which is Fifty Shades of Grey. Right there and then ( though I was in the middle of our seminar) I started reading but when I wanted to stop myself I just couldn't resist myself from reading for the book is undeniably a page-turner. I was quite worried when I was about to finish the book knowing that there's only one book in wattpad. Fortunately,I was able to buy my first set, thanks to this friend from Dubai for reserving me one set in Cebu where her sister works (connections really at times are helpful ^^). And in no greater than 3 weeks I finished the trilogy.

Me, LJ, Sheen, Keziah, Deborah, Jane @ Misamis Union High School, McDonald's, and Gaisano Southwing

(c) Myki A.

One very significant and precious gift a teacher can earn from his/her profession is the relationship and friendship he/she can have from thestudents which strengthens my favorite line "A  teacher can never tell where his influence stops" by Henry Adams. Just last Dec. 21,2012 ( the doomsday as they said), these bunch of students, who are now in college, Keziah with her BEE, Myki, LJ, Sheen, Deborah, who surprised us with the arrival of Jane with her gifts for us straight from Cebu, who've been so close to me came and  celebrated  a post-birthday lunch and surprised me with a gift.

And olaaa! I got my 2nd set. ;)

Reviewing back the book, let me start off by saying that this trilogy is risque, to say it the least, but  I definitely understand why people describes it as “mommy porn”. There are a lot of erotic scenes in the books, described in every single detail. As an avid reader, I just tried to look at its lighter side.

Photo from Web

When a literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.



EXQUISITE and NOVEL are the words I can describe with  the love-story of Christian and Anastasia after reading. However there are always two sides of a coin. The novel's label which is "mommy porn" makes it a little bit again, as I've said risque, which definitely needs mature audience and parental guidance to those who are not. The lovers' (well, to make it nice ) passionate scenes are disgusting and/or fascinating depending on how a reader will deal with them. If you can’t handle steamy bedroom scenes, these definitely aren’t for you. Repetition of words and phrases is also evident in the story, e.g "defy" over 40 times “crap” 101 times, “jeez” 81 times and she “blushes” or “flushes” 125 times which I found irritating at times.  But despite of these, I'm more of seeing the novel  in the positive way. I don't know why but probably the reason behind is how their against-all-odds love has been so admiring.

I undeniably like the books, well, the story itself and I’m glad I got the chance of reading them. Once you finally get to know Christian Grey (who in reality does not exist) a 27 year old self-made billionaire who speaks fluent French, plays the piano, flies his own helicopter and glider, athletic, musically inclined, extremely handsome, tall,stalker, control-freak, megalomaniac, priapic, all his fifty shades, why he is the way he is,and of course the best lover on the planet , you'll surely get to understand me why. He's indeed a real package, except his shady part, hahahahah!  He's just the man of my dreams. He may never be the man of hearts and flowers but he definitely drives me crazy.And for the second time around, I fell in love with this another fictional character right next to Legolas (Orlando Bloom) of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of The Rings. ^^

 Now, who can tell me that I regretted reading such?

Over all, I salute EL James' way of writing the novel in not so common way. It also ended the way I want it to be. It has a complete closure so no questions are left unanswered. Everyone is happy and healed. Again, it touches on women's need for a  happy ending, or at least my wish for it. On the other hand, I personally believe that it's only the bad books which have good ending but if a book is at it's good, it's ending is always bad - because you don't want the book to end, just as how I feel upon knowing  that I did finish the book. :(

At the moment, all I'm doing is to wait for the movie. Laters, Baby!^^

Readings on Reading

It is quite a disappointment that people have stopped reading books. Books used to be the only kind of intellectual entertainment just a hundred years ago, but, with the invention of radio, television, cinematography, and, most recently, the Internet and computer games, it seems that reading books is no longer an option of a leisure activity, at least for the younger generation. However, I believe that books are an irreplaceable part of our lives, and the role that good books play on the personal growth and development of a particular person throughout one’s life, is a remarkable one. Books can hardly be replaced with movies, music and interactive TV shows, and there are several reasons for that.

First of all, books expand our knowledge and conception of the world around us. You may argue that movies and TV documentaries do just that too, but I believe that books are a much better alternative, since they allow each reader to experience the same story using one’s own imagination. When a hundred people watch a movie or a TV show, they see the same thing – whatever the director and the operator wish to show. Books are very different. The experience achieved through reading is richer and more personal, since the same description and the same word choice will result in as many different interpretations as there are readers. We are all unique, and books allow us to experience whatever is narrated, in the light of our own personal values, through our ideas and our imagination.

Secondly, books enrich our vocabulary, introduce us to new notions and offer us a wider choice of words. With every book you read, you become more intelligent. Even reading one seemingly more primitive pulp fiction book per month, can enrich one’s personal vocabulary with dozens of new words, help build more concise sentences and express oneself better, make one’s speech more intelligent and sophisticated. Watching certain TV programs and documentary movies can also widen one’s vocabulary, but hardly as effectively as books do, since when reading, we operate with both visual and audial (if reading aloud) receptors, so our perception becomes more effective and our memory works more efficiently. In addition to that, our imagination reproduces mental pictures of what we are reading about, so a new word automatically links to a certain image and a certain feeling that it relates to. Therefore, reading books is a great tool when it comes to learning and developing one’s vocabulary at any age.

Finally, books are a great source of inspiration. Unlike fine art, architecture or traveling, books help us create our own mental illustration for everything we read on paper. So, in a way, books make us all artists and creators of our own mental cartoon, movie or illustration collection. Every image we create ourselves is automatically allotted a certain emotion, whether a simple or a more complicated one. So, every mental image that a written word causes is vibrant with feelings and emotions. This is what makes books so powerful and so memorable. This is what makes books "evolutive" (take not, "EVOLUTIVE" hahahah) for all of us. Books are an endless source of inspiration and motivation to become a better person.

I am certain that creating a system of symbols and eventually an alphabet, words, and books was the greatest invention of humankind. Of course, the books I am talking about are classics, those that do not have an expiration date and will be priceless for any generation. Books like that stay forever, they cannot die and cannot become outdated. They will keep sparking new ideas, inspiring new deeds and enriching the lives of every generation to come. Therefore, I am positive that books will eventually regain their popularity for today’s youth, since, unlike the popular kinds of entertainment in fashion today, books are those roots to which people will always go back, in search of the motivation, inspiration and aspiration, to find the meaning and value of things in life.