Citizen On Mars Blog Review

Tuesday, February 22, 2005

…AND AT THIS MOMENT
Blog Review Series No. 2.
Author: Cerridwen
Content : Excellently Elevating.
Blog Design : Satisfactory To The Eyes.

She drives a Cherokee Jeep, works in a courtroom, had a sister that wasn’t like her at all and her blog made her smile. She is Cerridwen and her blog is …And AT This Moment. Sometimes she appears as G while she hops among the comment boxes in the blogosphere, and she sign as Geanne when she writes to bloggers who are lucky enough to be able to partake some of her precious time.

When I decided to review …And At This Moment, I was not prepared to go deep into her works and had planned really just to examine the graphic features of the blog while summarizing the general content of the entries there. But as I skimmed through the archives, I felt immediately like I fell into a deep well and could not get out.

Do not get me wrong here for it is not actually in negativity when I said I found myself in trap and never able to get out of it. What I meant there is that if you were the reader, you would not want to get out of that hole for you would certainly enjoy your time reading many of Cerridwen’s poignant and at times funny meanderings on life in America.

I am serious and this is not the usual lapping dog criticism that reviewers often make. …And At This Moment truly stimulates both our mind and emotions as we are presented with a good vacillation of issues from both the socio-political sphere and the personal issues within the author’s own world. We are brought easily to a trip down to the writer’s own soul, as she portrays the joys and leanings of a working woman within the context of American living. She does not hold back much of her emotions and by this, the reader becomes thankful that for the slightest of moment, he or she becomes part of her joy and pains.

In the entry “Black History Month”, she tackles the issue of segregation and discrimination in America in a time not easily forgotten with such poignancy and truthfulness that the reader felt like being sent through time back towards old America when many of black Americans suffered indescribable torture and mocking in the hands of their unthinkably evil pursuers back then. This line of presentation of issues does not wane and can be found in many other entries like “Rape In American Prison” and “Strategies For Eradication”. In the scope of social issues, Cerridwen writes like an accomplished pundit.

You can share some American experience while you read entries like “The Pharmacist” and “books and movies” In “The Pharmacist”, the author writes the first person narrative so well that never struggles a bit. Every recounting is smooth and flowing. Perhaps, the genuineness of the writer’s emotions is never held back that is why as you read through these personal entries, you are being led mystically into a world by its own self, and feel like you become involved in it, a character inside the story being told, and feel the gladness or sorrow that was in them. The truthfulness in the narration reminds me of Feodor Dostoyevsky ‘s “Notes From The Underground” and Franz Kafka’s “Metamorphosis”. Consider this portion:

“He told me I am to take the pill early in the morning for it will make me pee throughout the day. He even warned me about long exposure to sunlight. I didn't bother to ask what could happen if. I just kept nodding my head to get it over with. He pat my hand that was resting on the counter and said, ‘That is all Ma'am, as much as I want to see you again, I wouldn't want to if it is to pick up more medicine because you are ailing’ I looked at him and asked him if he is being cute & giving me a pick-up line, and you have to imagine me asking this with a straight face. He froze, probably not expecting something like that since I think he knows he is quite a good-looking guy (who likes to talk too much). I made a gesture that I am waiting for an answer. His quick reply was ‘I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you or your husband’ Now that warrants a good giggle even as I tried to control it. I shook my head and told him my husband haven't realized he loves me yet to marry me, so there is none and I said goodnight and walked towards the door. In a louder voice he said ‘Goodbye and hope to see you again’ ”…

“I got in bed and I keep seeing his face and my son's face. How much they look alike, how cute they both are, how angelic both their faces. I was reminded of how both their faces feel, the curves of their nose, the softness of their lips....By the time I was shedding tears, I wasn't sure anymore if it was just my prince I am missing. Maybe that is another reason why I didn't take my sister's reaction so well. I don't want to be lead to how I will feel. Only thing I am sure right now is I do not know what or how i feel towards him and I am not in a rush to find out. I need to heal first and re-learn a lot of things, one of them is to express my feelings.”

Graphically, …AND AT THIS MOMENT is easy on the eyes as the black background clearly highlights the contents for convenient reading. Its headings show that of a naked woman’s back while diving into clear blue water. It has the aesthetics of a good personal diary but just when you thought it is a diarist’s blog, you’d be surprised to find out later that there is so much more in it than meets the eye. If I have my own blog award giving body, …AND AT THIS MOMENT would win as the “Best Diarist” blog award if the awarding ceremonies were held right now.

GO TO ….AND AT THIS MOMENT.

HOME

posted by yusop @ 2:29 PM 4 comments

Monday, February 14, 2005

JOHNPAULACLAN'S BLOG

"The corporate man, the marketing guru, the MS man, the seller, the buyer, the strategist, the teacher, the friend, the lover, the student, the son, the brother, the BF, the husband, the clown, the freak, the funnyman, the joke man, superman, and most importantly, I just like to be known as JP."

JOHNPAULACLAN is the title of this featured blogsite and it is also the complete name of the blog operator JP, at which monicker he prefers to be called.

If we go by his own description, then JP must be the modern-day Renaissance Man for he seems to claim to be everything from a king to a pauper, which of course I have no right to doubt. With the way he composes his works within this seemingly self-contained site, you can bet your month’s pay that he meant every other claim he has in mind.

He writes on almost everything under the sun from serious subjects like nuclear warfare:

"It has been the same rhetoric, DEFIANCE!Looking at the world in a different perspective, it has seemed that World War III is looming just around the corner. 9/11 brought in a different realization, terrorism. Iraq has brought in a different realization, NUCLEAR WAR."

towards everyday concerns like coffee :

"There is nothing better in the morning or even at night other than coffee. The soothing feel of coffee on your lips, the aroma of coffee in the morning, and the sound of the coffee maker makes my day right."

There is a unique smoothness on the manner JP presents his jottings, like it has the feel of a thousand editings before it was laid out before the viewer’s eye. In present day blogosphere, this is quite an achievement for any blogger considering the demands of work and family interceding with the pressure for better writings. Aside from the good gramattical expositions, the reader will never fail to muse on some great insights from the writer’s mind because JP has always something strong to say about the things he writes. For example on the matter of economics, JP has these words to say:

"In the advent of globalization, the trade environment has transformed into an ugly battleground. Operations became more expensive, raw materials less available and consumer activity less predictable. Growth in todays business environment seem to be at a stand still."

If a man could say the things he really meant, then he is worth reading after all. The comment and discussion modules of this site works quite well and any commenter will surely find himself in a good intellectual conversation. Everyone should participate if only to make this sublime site hurdle towards permanency and widespread readership.

Graphically, JOHNPAULACLAN is a fresh view and introduces the reader to the smart look and feel of the I.PH Blog Engine, which is not as widely patronized as Blogspot and Word Press. JP does not use much pictures and images but if he decides to include them with his postings, the site may even look better. But who cares about graphics when all that matters is that JP’s Blog is a GOOD READ.

SEND ME TO JOHNPAULACLAN'S BLOGSITE.

BACK TO CITIZEN ON MARS MAIN PAGE.

posted by yusop @ 4:25 PM 0 comments