what Ricky Lo taught me

“Woe to the writer who cannot start, let alone keep a conversation going.” AA Patawaran, Write Here Write Now

Interviewing a subject is part of writing. One cannot write without materials hence, make the most out of the interview, ask questions—as many queries as you can—and do not assume. Ask.

In most cases, a subject has apprehensions and reservations. It is the task of the interviewer to dig deep and let the subject feel at ease and let her hair and/or his guard down.

However, this seemingly simple task of asking questions about a subject is not as easy as it seems. Apparently, even the most experienced journalist, writer, host, or columnist may fall into the trap of an awkward and scrambled interview session.

Recently, local writer/columnist Ricky Lo made a headline for his controversial interview with Les Miz star Anne Hathaway. The interview was gauche and trying hard, you can sense it and you can see it in the eyes of Anne and Ricky. Some blame it on the “cultural differences” that made the four-minute interview session a slapdash.

#SelfNotes:

• 1.    Smile. Who wouldn’t sport his/her megawatt smile when Anne Hathaway is around? Ricky Lo hardly smiles.

• 2.    Project a lively image. Lo was way too serious, maybe he was nervous?

• 3.    Keep calm and not stutter. Lo dropped his phone during the interview and he was struggling to voice out his questions.

• 4.    Drop the links—if the subject said something about something ask about it. E.g.

 “Q: What do you do during free time?”

“A: I do a lot during free time. I basically allot it for ‘me-time.’”

A good conversationalist would ask to elaborate the vague answer while a mediocre             interviewer would rather move on to the question he formulated at the back of his mind. This leads us to the last lesson.

• 5.    While it is good to note down interview questions, AA Patawaran said in his book, “Write Here Write Now,” that it is better to throw away all the questions formulated and just listen to the conversation. Questions will come out naturally. Ricky Lo was busy reading his questions while Anne was still explaining something.

i want to grow old with you

Writers and journalists, well some, are often portrayed in movies as career-orientated, 24/7 on call, thus loveless. I fear though, that this portrait is becoming truer. I know three lady journalists and one male writer who still remain single (either by choice, fate, or Mr. and Ms. Right hasn't come yet) even at ‘mature’ age.

I do not want to end up like them.

I love my career, but I am also in love with the thought of finding love, but—

The problem is, I am (temporarily) dodging this so-called ‘happiest and greatest emotion on earth,’ because I want to focus on my job first. I fear though that by the time I feel I am ready to commit to landi moments, the boylets are nowhere to be found.

from Aspieweb.net

Sure, there are men in the office who want to get to know me but I do not want to landi back—not yet.

Today, I met a 70-year old woman journalist who, by choice, stayed single. She seemed happy and healthy although she was carrying a walking aide (baston) with her. However, I am guessing that deep down, at the back of her mind, at most mundane moments, she feels lonely, incomplete, unhappy. I believe we ought to find our better half, someone we will grow old with.

I do not want to end up like her.

My office mate who got married at an early age (25, if my memory serves me right) encourages me to date as many men as I can handle. At the age of 21, I should be thinking of marriage, he said. I laughed.

from google photos

I do not want to remain single, of course. I want to get married before I reached 30. 

Our department is planning to come up with an additional page for the Lifestyle section. The coming love month inspired our editors to publish a special Valentine issue; I was tasked to do a ‘boyfriend-girlfriend wish list.’ In addition to that, I am currently assigned to our “Better Half” issue. Every Sunday, we publish love stories of married couples. Their love and life anecdotes inspire me, leave me in awe, and make me believe that someday, l-o-v-e (this four-letter word that makes the world go round), will also come my way.

I do not want to remain single by the time I have wrinkles.  

Ah, the thoughts that February 14 makes! 

This is why the book is better than the film (mostly)…

Yann Martel’s novel, “Life of Pi,” is a five-star rater in Goodreads. It is a story of friendship, fate, and religion rolled into one without being too preachy.

The book lovers, moviegoers, curious and whatnots rejoiced on the idea that it is to be adapted into a film by no less than, director Ang Lee of the Brokeback Mountain and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.  Life of Pi even trended in Twitter (but blurs the line if it headlined because people want to see it or rather because of memes that is finally, Cherry Pie Picache (one of Philippines’ renowned actors) will have a biographical movie). 

Nonetheless, my friend and I went to the cinema last night. We both have read the novel.

In fairness to Lee, the film was able to stay true and breathe life to the journey and perils of Pi and Richard Parker, the Bengal tiger. It was an eye candy of sorts when the written words in the novel materialized, right before our very eyes. The animated animals seemed natural, breathing, eating,  gnawing…

The only caveat though for moviegoers who failed to read the book first was that the movie adaptation may perhaps bore them. Almost all the scenes were monologues and sometimes exchanges of lines between Pi and the journalist (who wanted to write down his amazing journey).

This is not a movie of shallow form, if you want a dose of laughter or cheesy lines and corny moments watch MMFF film entries instead, they are still showing. The Life of Pi is a movie for the intent listener and smart audience.  It did not disappoint.

But as for me, there’s something lacking, which I could not pinpoint. Maybe because I have read the novel first, have imagined, and directed the scenes on my mind, long before I queued in the theaters.

What mattered most was Lee's effort to stay true to the novel.

P.S. Les Miserables next!