Reading Your Latte

I saw this on my sister's blog, I never thought you could get so much insight from just the latte you like!

What Your Latte Says About You

You are very decadent in all aspects of your life. You never scale back, and you always live large. You can be quite silly at times, but you know when to buckle down and be serious. Intense and energetic, you aren't completely happy unless you are bouncing off the walls. You're addicted to caffeine. There's no denying it. You are a child at heart, and you don't ever miss the opportunity to do something playful. You are sophisticated and daring, but you are never snobby.

What Does Your Latte Say About You?

Five Reasons Why Harry Potter Became a Bestseller

I must admit I only finished reading two books in this series, even though my youngest sister has books 1-6 (some of which I bought for her). I am seriously considering buying the hard cover box set of all seven books in a wooden chest box that will be available in September.

You must think I am Harry Potter's laziest fan. I admit, I will probably have more success watching all seven movies than finishing all seven books in the near future - but I am willing to try.

For me the Harry Potter series probably has a different meaning than most of its fans. You see when I was getting ready to apply for college, I had asked my parents if I could go into Creative Writing. As most of the people I knew would tell me, my parents said it was not a practical course for me, that writing would never pay the bills.

Although I have long since gotten an engineering degree and graduate studies in information technology, the fact that an author could become a billionaire just because of one book series represented hope. Hope for all the aspiring writers out there who have been told the same thing I was that writing won't pay the bills.

So what did make Harry Potter so successful? Here is my two cents:

1. J.K. Rowling is a great writer. She has an easy reading voice that is easy to follow even when the concepts get complicated.

2. The book appealed to kids of all ages. She had a very broad target market. I commented to my student once that the book seems to be so popular, and she replies by saying she had seen even the moms reading it at her school.

3. The concepts in the book were so unique, it enticed everyone's imagination. I personally loved the concept of the platform between two whole numbers, the game of quidditch, the school subjects, even the concept of houses and of course Hogwarts.

4. The characters were relatable. Most people who read it have gone through some form of education and they can relate to what's happening in the story. The challenges of growing up also makes it a common experience but it all happens in an extraordinary world which is what makes it interesting. And of course the classic battle against evil always works for me.

5. Marketing. Harry Potter has a great marketing team. The anticipation leading up to the release of the book almost guarantees its going to be a bestseller. As Rowling in a CNN interview says about the last installment, "I'm very proud of the fact that as we went into this book, many, many readers believed it was a real possibility that Harry would die. That's what I was aiming for."

So will there be a next Harry Potter-like success story? I think that will be entirely up to us.

My Two Cents on the CNN YouTube Democratic Debate

This YouTube trailer opened the CNN YouTube Democratic Debate last Monday, July 23, 2007 in South Carolina:


I must say, it was one of the most interesting debates I ever saw. I was watching it as it related to the mixing of online content and television. For someone who was never interested in politics - even in my own country - I was glued to the program from start til finish.

Anderson Cooper did a great job moderating the forum. The people who posted questions were very entertaining - they brought entertainment in with very serious questions like health care, education, global warming, and the war on terror. The candidates were as you would expect them to me although they did have their moments. I liked it when they avoided mudslinging for the most part - and when they're not being too obvious about promoting themselves to be elected.

Do you think a format like this can be accommodated in the Philippine presidential debates in 2010? Hey, we still have 3 years to prepare for it!

Pisay: The Movie

I really want to go watch this movie, but I'm not sure if they will be screening this in the US. It's a movie about Pisay (Philippine Science HS), my high school alma mater, by Aureus Solito and it was shot in location at the very campus I attended. Brings to mind a lot of great times and many colorful personalities.

Here is the YouTube Trailer:


Aureus Solito graduated Pisay before our time. He left Pisay and pursued his passion, the arts. He won international acclaim for his film, "Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros."

This trailer tugged at my heart, you may find that silly. But when they did a voice over, quoting Rizal's work, asking, "Nasaan ang mga kabataan... nasaan ang pag-asa ng bayan?" (Where are the youth? Where are the hopes of our country?) It just hit me inside - I wish I was home.