Learning Slowly

These past couple of days, I've been trying to finally learn how to play the piano. There's this music teacher on youtube who's been so generous enough to post almost everything anyone would need to know about playing the piano. His name is Andrew Furmanczyk. I suggest that you watch his youtube channel Lypur because he's easily comprehensible and even funny at times. You'll never get bored even if he gets to the really hard theories and stuff.

Anyways, going back to my piano study...Since I have no prior knowledge of music, it must be obvious that it was quite difficult to understand the many different (difficult!) concepts that were being discussed in the tutorials. So I figured to stop for a moment, slowly absorb concepts and to actually start working on a keyboard at least.

Guess it's helping! I've actually completed a single melody just playing by ear, not thinking about notes' names yet. The good thing though is, I actually now know the names of those notes I included in the melody that I had created. If I get to play and play more often, then maybe I'll get familiar with the notes even more. The best way to learn something is to immerse yourself into it and make it a regular part of your life.

I can't promise to play and practice everyday, but if I can't practice then I can always watch Lypur's video and learn some more. Hopefully, I'll learn even if it's at a snail's pace. I don't really mind. I've waited this long to learn to play. A few months or years will only feel like tomorrow.

The Extra Man

On a lazy Saturday evening as I was relaxing comfortably trying to turn a calm contemplation into a more lively stance, I chanced upon an old Henry IV book of mine stuck in a stock full of piles underneath my laptop stand. Just then at that moment, I thought about the author Henry James. I don't even know why but it may have been the name Henry that prompted me to recall the film The Extra Man where Henry James was mentioned.

So first off, this isn't a film review. I don't think I can ever convince anyone to consider this one as such since all I will be writing about is how much I loved watching it.

The Extra Man stars Paul Dano as young writer Louis Ives who meets "extra man" Henry Harrison played so humorously by Kevin Kline. These two actors have worked previously in the film The Emperor's Club which I also enjoyed a lot. It's just a pleasure to see them on screen again with Kline and Dano (though looking a lot more mature now) still having that teacher-protege vibe in them.

But going back to the film, what is an extra man in the first place? As the film suggests, women being able to outlive men need an extra man to escort them to gatherings or any event and fill an empty seat in a predominantly women filled table. 

This isn't the only thing going on in this film though. More than Henry's work as a "gentleman", the film revolves around Louis' uncertainty of being. We see a young man lost in his own dreamy world, unable to express himself to anyone. Apparently, Henry, for all his quirkiness and snobbish idealism manages to attract Louis and somehow help him come to terms with reality although at certain times, Henry himself gets lost in his own dreams. And this is what drives the movie forward. 

I have not seen any two protagonists as polarizing as these characters in recent years or I may not have been watching too many films. On the one hand, we see Henry who is loud, proud and assertive. On the other, we see Louis who is shy, flimsy and wobbly. But both being a writer though each one having an issue in the past or in the present waiting to be resolved, their conversations get to be the strongest points of the film and it certainly moves the film from merely evoking wit and humor into tackling more sensible subjects like friendship, loyalty and forgiveness. Slowly we understand where the both of them are coming from. And I guess as the story progresses, their friendship becomes not only plausible but necessary. 

Kevin Kline is just outright incredible in this movie. I don't think he's ever acted badly. His comic timing is genius and he is so convincing playing the part of a proud gentleman. Paul Dano plays a complex Louis carefully acting out all the intricacies of the character. I think more than Kline's role, Dano's Louis required a more delicate treatment yet somehow Dano manages to make it work by bringing out that natural awkwardness in him and ultimately making Louis believable and sympathetic. And yes, John C. Reilly is also in this film to add some form of entertainment. At certain moments in the film, he actually stole the spotlight. Got to love that voice!

So obviously, I'm in love with this film. I guess I lost count how many times I've seen it. If you're not into talky films then you may not enjoy The Extra Man. Watching it though gives me the feeling of living in an era of a forgotten past. The film appeals to me the same way The Great Gatsby and Catcher in the Rye did. Studying literature in college, I was able to read a lot of American novels and I'd like to believe that this film is an homage to American literature of the earlier days. It's an experiment and it certainly worked. It may not have the most intriguing plot but it sure makes sense of the idea that each one of us has our own eccentricities yet we come to terms with them and continue living our lives the way it should be lived.

Gift of People

Sometimes, the most interesting conversations are those that happen unexpectedly with people we don't normally get to talk to but whose lives are just as colorful as ours. It's a gift that somehow, in the chaos and uncertainty of life, our paths cross with that of others and ultimately form a perfect plan. Who would have known that a simple lunch in the office would completely change my mind on a certain issue?

In many ways, the fact that humans have the ability to speak makes it even more important that we not only have that gift of speech for saying what we think and feel but essentially using it to share our stories of joy, triumphs and even sadness that others could learn from.

I can't elaborate what we talked about early today since it's kind of a sensitive issue but boy do I agree  on one thing: never lose sight of who you are.

It's true that nothing stays permanent in this world. We constantly change and move. We're faced with sometimes the extreme of extremes be it success or failure. Yes, things around us change, but do we need to change too just to appropriate to a completely unrecognizable path? Our looks may change, even the way we dress but we need to preserve the purity in our heart, the good intention in our thoughts and the happiness within our smiles. We should never let our goodness take a backseat in every triumph or failure. That's when we actually need it the most.

It was depressing to have listened to an almost happily ever after story because it ended so tragically. And in the last couple of hours, I have been wishing that I didn't hear about such sad story. But then, maybe God willed that I hear about it so I could learn from it and never do the same mistakes.

my lessons

it's the month of may once again and oh my, i'm getting older again. hayyy, there's this someone i almost fell in love with who turned out to be...forget it. there are a few who have been trying to pursue but are failing miserably (i feel like hiding) and then there is that one wish floating in the air waiting for forever!

here are a few things in love i have learned (the hard way) these past couple of years and i guess, writing them down wouldn't hurt. here they are:

 1. never assume - just because he looks at you in a different way, he actually likes you. if he does, he would have approached you and told you quickly

 2. live in the present - try not to regret about what could have been if you did differently in the past. there's a reason why it is in the past, it's done already, there's no way to change it. try to learn from it and think of the things that will make a better now.

 3. be deserving - you can't change the person you love but if you deserve being treated right then they might think about your feelings first before they even do those things that could hurt you.

4. be whole - find your own being, your own happiness and then you can share that same happiness to someone. don't ever think a man will complete you if you are damaged yourself.

 5. be free - stop being stiff and fancy. be yourself and if someone will actually like the person they see in you, then you actually hit jackpot 'coz then you won't have to play someone else for the rest of your life or be blamed for not being honest.

 6. love those you could still love - while there is still time and we all know how short life is, love as much as you can those who matter to you like family and friends for we wouldn't know how long they will be with us.

 7. never lose faith in God - i strongly believe we all have a purpose no matter if we find it hard to find out what it is...i just think that God is the wind that carries us through, and we just have to keep sailing through and never stop.

My Star

Someday I'll find my star in the dusty bright moon, covered by a glaring rainbow, sunken in the deep blue sea, glowing in the big night sky.