look who's an addict!

But first… fare thee well, my president.
It’s sad to see such a good leader go especially at a time of political turmoil.
Raul Roco, may you find peace. It may take a long time before this country does.

And so we proceed.

I’M A COKE-A-HOLIC! Despite the grueling albeit successful attempt from the soft drink last Lent, I remain under its spell. To me, this carbonated potion is bottle euphoria, THE elixir of life.

Yesterday, as I munched on a bag of cheesy Clover chips while waiting for Neil Gaiman’s interview on MTV hanging out, there was a 1.5 liter of Coca-Cola by my side. In a matter of fifteen minutes, I have reduced the bottle’s contents to half (or around two and half glasses). Halfway through Neil’s interview, the plastic bottle was rolling back and forth on the tiled floor as the electric fan blew a gentle breeze.

It was around the third glass that I realized that everytime the glass makes contact with my mouth, I take three giant gulps straight into the acid pit of my stomach.

Scary! What used to be a slight sliver of fat around my waist have bloated into meaty chunks of fat good enough to sliced into liempo cuts. I’m still a little bit lucky that it can stay hidden while standing up (sitting down is another story). But I know my luck wouldn’t last long (as there is no available Felix Felicis potion around) and all the Coke my body has absorbed will all catch up soon. Flabs on my abs that can’t be solved by inhaling deeply. *cringe*

Ah well. I have been gulping Coke like water since I was four (my dad worked for the company and he often gets them for free). And as Toto (or was it Chicago?) said, “it’s a hard habit to break.”

But yes, yes, I will try self-control. (But no, I won’t make an Unbreakable Vow).

There is something, er, someone I don’t mind being addicted to though. And that is *drumroll* Neil Gaiman! Finally, after months of waiting, MTV has finally aired his interview. The interview took place after “The Gathering” at the Tent in Rockwell and probably before the chaotic Fully Booked Greenhills signing.

The previous day seemed to have etched itself heavily on Neil’s face as it was evident he was quite tired. But that didn’t stop him from being his usual deadpan, witty, genius self.

He once again mentions that the Filipinos are the most enthusiastic bunch he has ever seen and that the wall of sound made by 3,000 Filipinos funds was quite something. Something related to that, one of the studio audiences asked him when he realized he was famous, to which he answered shortly and sweetly, “oh, yesterday.”

(I am falling more and more in-love with him! Ah.)

The good thing about the Hanging Out interview, the questions asked were more intelligent and interesting that those asked in the Writer’s Forum. Maybe because it was screened, or maybe because the people there were geeky fans who wrote comics and directed movies and made tv shows. Whatever. Basta.

Quark asked about Neil forming a band of artists and writers, something similar to Stephen King’s Rock-Bottom Band (tama ba?) with Amy Tan and other writers. Neil tells the story of how he got to play with them in a comic convention. Guess what he played? The Kazoo! Cool! And if he would form a band, Dave McKean would be there. And some other guy that I didn’t catch because I was so amused by the kazoo.

Another one asked him to cast Death and Dream for the Endless. He said that if he had magic powers and could go back in time, he’d have the young Audrey Hepburn play Death (or maybe he could just let Donita Rose do it except she’s a better host than an actress). And for Dream, he feels Johnny Depp would be good for the role. (yey! He was my choice too)

There was a question about how dark can Children’s Stories can get. Neil Gaiman has an fascinating insight, to which I have also observed among children’s classics, that stories for children can get to be really dark and that they are able to handle it more than adults. He gives the example of Hansel and Gretel whose parents abandon them, where a witch wants to eat them, where they shove the witch into the oven. So you have a dysfunctional family, cannibalism and murder. How darker can you get?

Which is true. Peter Pan which happens to be one of my most favorite-favorite character of all time has more murder happening there than American Gods. Kids killing pirates here and there. And you got nursery rhymes like Humpty Dumpty that talks about an egg that’s as good as dead.

And so with that I am looking forward to his next book called Graveyard… something that starts off with a serial killer that has killed most of a family but is looking for the baby to finish everyone off. Yai. That’s even darker than any of his other works. Aiee.

So there. I get another dose of Gaiman in the Philippines inspiring me to get going and be creative.

You have rocked the Philippines again, Neil (FC! feeling close).

---
Jan and I did our own casting of the Endless and some characters of Sandman
Dream – yup, Johnny Depp is it. Though I honestly think that a raven-haired Edward Norton would also be able fit the role. But since Gaiman has casted Depp, Edward Norton can play Corinthian.

Death – can’t think of anyone right now, so let’s stick to his young Audrey Hepburn.
Destiny – Christopher Walken
Delirium – an older Dakota Fanning or a young Britany Murphy
Destruction – Jan goes for a young John Rhys-Davies which I can say is okay but I think Brendan Fraser would do too.
Desire – Jan says Boy George. Sounds cool. But to be less comical, the angel Gabriel in Constantine would be great in the role as well.
Despair – this one was tough. I’m stuck with the image of a naked Roseanne Barr. Though Jan’s casting of Nancy Cartwright in prosthetics (mala-Dugong sa Marina?) looks okay too. Imagine Bart Simpson as Despair. That’s a thought.

Fiddler’s Green – Jim Broadbent
Lucien – a young James Cromwell.
Mervyn – Japeth Aguilar with a pumpkin head, or Arwind Santos (but he’s too cute to have his face covered).
Corinthian – Edward Norton if he doesn’t get Dream’s role.
Calliope – Uma Thurman or Cameron Diaz
Orpheus – Josh Groban just because Orpheus sings beautifully
Titania – Michelle Pfieffer because she played her in the movie adaptation of Midsummer Night’s Dream
Angel Dumiel – Silent Bob! Bwahahaha! Joke. Silent Bob could play Abel.

Can’t think of the other characters anymore.