The Entropy Blog

I’ve moved!

Tania N. Arpa — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 19:09:19 +0000

I’m moving to a new blog — A Girl’s Guide to the Apocalypse. I’ll keep this blog online, but from now on all new material will be found in AGGTTA. Be sure to check out my latest posts: a review of the Korean drama “You’re Beautiful” and something on JRen’s latest movie. Thank you for [...]

Shu Uemura’s Skin Purifier Whitefficient Clear Brightening Gentle Cleansing Oil

Tania N. Arpa — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 19:26:57 +0000

So I tried this yesterday. It's Shu Uemura's oil cleanser -- the Skin Purifier Whitefficient Clear Brightening Gentle Cleansing Oil. I got a free sample at one of their events. Ordinarily, I wouldn't bother with an oil cleanser, as I prefer the non-oil ones. From experience, oil-based cleansers require me to wash my face twice afterwards just to get rid of all the greasiness. Which kinda defeats the purpose of a make-up remover -- so I wouldn't have to wash my face more than once just to get rid of all the gunk on my skin. But Nadia from Shu, whom we were chatting with, and who gave us the samples and told us how to use it, assured us the product was totally non-greasy.

Cupcake

Tania N. Arpa — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 18:39:21 +0000

I had a perfect peanut butter cupcake today.

So we’re TV producers now …

Tania N. Arpa — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 10:42:44 +0000

I didn't say anything when we applied for it, because I didn't want to jinx it, but my company did join the National Council for Children's Television's Nationwide Search for the Coolest Television Program Proposals for Children, and we won. Well, one of our entries won. All the four entries we submitted were among the 11 finalists, which was pretty cool in on itself. Each of the companies behind the three winning pitches will be given a start-up fund to finance the production of the pilot episode. This is one of those times where I'm reminded how lucky I am that I get to work with such incredibly talented people. When we joined the Search, I offered whatever I could. Which wasn't really much, as I didn't know much about television, or how shows are made. The proposals were developed by the others, and all I could offer was mostly just encouragement. Even when I presented the pitches (I did two of the four), one of them -- the winning entry -- wasn't even my pitch. M. developed it and did the first draft of the PowerPoint. I showed up, smiled at the panel, and did the best presentation I could.

All in my head

Tania N. Arpa — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 13:40:39 +0000

I've never been published. I have to qualify this, though. I don't have a published book. I've written articles for a broadsheet, had an essay included in an anthology, and my written work is all over the Internet. But no book I can call my own. Several years ago, I began writing a graphic novel with a couple of artist friends. We all agreed the plot was terrific (I still think it is) and we thought we had it in us to do it. The problem was, I think, that none of us would take the lead in the project. We were either lazy or uninspired or just lacked motivation. Also, although the preliminary art was great, the characters didn't look the way I wanted them to. Because I was the kind of self-absorbed writer who apparently didn't know how to do a collaboration. Then I thought, maybe I ought to do a project on my own first before trying to work on something with others. So I started plotting plots. Plots for novels, that is.

Literary Team for Exposure and Righteous Alliances

Tania N. Arpa — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 09:02:14 +0000

Good morning, L.I.T.E.R.A.L. agent. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, involves writing a post on your writer blog/website on the following topic:

Has your book/story/epic been published? If yes, how was the experience, and where can we buy your book? If no (or not yet), why the delay? Is there anything you know you should be doing to make it happen?

If you currently do not have a writer website or blog, but would like to sign up to be a L.I.T.E.R.A.L. agent, you may create one. Assignments will be handed out every week on Mondays. We are currently acquiring more writers to join you on this mission. Please direct your writer friends, allies, boy/girlfriends, and nemeses to the official mission briefing page at bronzeage.ph/literal. In the meantime, you may confirm your involvement in this mission by emailing L.I.T.E.R.A.L. headquarters with your name, your writer blog/website URL and maybe something about yourself, and drop by the official L.I.T.E.R.A.L. mission briefing page to get your badge. Remember, only L.I.T.E.R.A.L. agents are authorized to use this badge on their blogs, so make it a priority to not let it fall into enemy hands.

Sometimes I like to do it on my laptop…

Tania N. Arpa — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 02:20:17 +0000

... and sometimes on my iPod, which makes my thumbs hurt after an hour or so.

Last day to vote at the Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards!

Tania N. Arpa — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 05:55:04 +0000

So the voting period for the Filipino Readers' Choice Awards is open till today. I don't have a book nominated, but After the Storm (Edited by Elbert Or) is up for Best Essay Anthology, and I have an essay in it. I didn't have the harrowing experience during typhoon Ondoy that a lot of other people had, but I during typhoon Ruping in the 90s, we did experience having the roof blown off our apartment and we had to live in a pension house for a week. I could've written something about that in my perspective on the Ondoy tragedy, but I didn't actually know about the anthology, and so I just posted something not-so-serious on this blog. Elbert contacted me and asked me if I wanted to include it in the anthology he was editing, and I said yes, of course -- the proceeds were going to go to victims of Ondoy, after all. Two years later, I find out it's up for a Readers' Choice Award, and so I've been asking everyone to please vote for it. Again, voting period ends today, so please head on over to the voting page now and give After the Storm some love.

The Kwentillion mega post

Tania N. Arpa — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 02:07:01 +0000

I was super late to the Kwentillion Young Adult Readers Carnival. Because of the rain and flood and all that drama that comes with the opening of ticket sales for Big Bang's concert in October, I got to NBC Bestsellers in Galleria around 4pm. I missed Mina and Charles's "Filipino YA Creators" panel and barely made it in time for the Kwentillion creators' panel. The talk was fun. It also gave us insight into what the creators were aiming for -- showcasing local talent and giving kids and adults something uniquely Filipino to enjoy. During the Q and A, one of the people in the audience, a teacher, suggested that they try coming into schools to reach the magazine's audience. Which I thought was a great idea. I hope this happens. After the talk and the Q and A, there was a signing session. Glad I didn't miss that.

The art of drinking and conversation

Tania N. Arpa — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 09:57:13 +0000

You say: "I'm eating a sandwich later." Non-sandwich-eating person hears: "I'm eating sandwiches until I get so full I throw up."

You say: "I had a sandwich last night." Non-sandwich-eating person: "I ate twenty sandwiches last night, and threw it all up and now my throat hurts and my stomach is killing me."