the rygirl has a blog!

tranquil madness

Promising beginning; let's hope she sustains the momentum.

As for me I have to sustain the momentum of starting-work-and-quitting-smoking. TTFN.

7th nicotine-free day

...and counting.

Apparently I was not that addicted, just felt comfortable with it. Maybe I will fall back on it if I get stressed or there's nothing better to do. It helps that I haven't been on a drinking gimmick lately. Am I actually cleaning up?!

prolific day yesterday

Which is why today I will really really (promise!) concentrate on earning my keep first. Teehee. I know this has been a really effective procrastination tool and I intend to utilize this again soon. For now, signoff first for Friday.

and enough with the movies
I realized that most of my past entries (and ravings) have been about movies and TV. Well, chalk that up to my life being all about work and the only playtime I have are movies and TV. Oh well. We will change that. (When I say "we" I can only wonder who else is there with me.)

on the way to watching shrek

Saturday night, last full show. Saw Z. with sorta-tisay girl. (Pan to Ri with deer-in-headlights look.) And I had been observing that I hadn't seen anyone I knew that night.

Text conversation:
Ri: Date? Enjoy the movie!
Z.: Haha. Actly ya :) tnx
Ri: Ligaw-date or together-date?
Z.: Together-date
Ri: (after bathroom break and banter with Bespren J and Gnu; Gnu: "You snuck a look at them when you passed no?") Oh, that's good to know. See yah!
(Okay, so it's been six years, one other ex and countless dates. Nagging voice at the back of my head: You do know it's really over right?)

So there, Z. has a girlfriend already. In case Ry or G. were wondering.


it's fun being green

I didn't really like Shrek. Not that I didn't think it was funny, because it was. It was also quite the breakthrough film, setting Dreamworks up as Pixar's staunchest rival for CGI supremacy. I think I was such a Disney/Pixar loyalist and felt nothing could come close. I was also not very enamored with Cameron Diaz. And, let's face it, that dude was ugly. Rightly funny, though. I enjoyed the pop-culture references immensely. Not to mention it featured the voice of one of my favorite actors, not-just-Monica-Belucci's-husband Vincent Cassel as Monsieur Hood.

This time around, the pop culture references whiz by so fast I'm sure I missed a couple of them, beginning from the honeymoon montage featuring flatulence jokes to LoTR to various jabs at Disney. The story takes a backseat to the various sight gags, one-liners and altogether abundant mirth of the movie. The Kingdom of Far Far Away, Princess Fiona's hometown, is a stylized Beverly Hills, complete with Starbucks, Tower (of London) Records and homes of the stars. The story has its requisite twists and turns, with shades of Guess of Coming to Dinner interspersed with the characterization of an almost-megalomaniac Fairy Godmother (shades of The Godfather) who will do everything to install her son Prince Charming as the next king. There are car chases (a COPS parody comes on) and an old friend does a Mission: Impossible. Meanwhile, Shrek must choose between his love for Fiona and the chance of providing her her happily-ever-after--of course, who doesn't know that those two come hand in hand?

Mike Myers with his brogue is not a wonderful thing to hear so I basically blotted him out of the movie (I know, he plays the title character, but still--). Now, taking Mike Myers out of our focus leads us to enjoy the movie even more. Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy reprise their roles as Fiona and Donkey, respectively, and the magic is still there. And Fiona's parents sound familiar--who wouldn't recognize the voice of the great Julie Andrews! And John Cleese to a lesser extent (although the drawing looked like Mel Brooks). Jennifer Saunders rounded out the cast as the scheming fairy godmother and Ruper Everett lent his wonderful droll voice to Prince Charming. Someone little and orange steals the movie, though--that deliciously funny Puss in Boots voiced by Antonio Banderas. Apparently his voice has wonderful comic timing; add to that wonderful animation and various fun things that the writers have Puss do... there's your entrance's worth (and more) right there. (I could have done without the Livin' La Vida Loca number though. A better song with the same visuals would have been twice as nice.)

Shrek was a hard act to follow, but Shrek 2 has succeeded quite well. I must give Shrek 2 props for providing me with much-needed mirth and sustained laugh-intensity all throughout the hundred or so well-spent minutes of my time. The CGI seems to have improved greatly over the first movie, too, with those great hair strands and the movement of the fabrics. The best drawn character is also Puss in Boots (ah, am not Banderas-biased mind you, this is a *cat*!)--the fine hairs are drawn perfectly and although Puss strides around on two feet, he looks positively feral. Almost everything, though, is predictable, from the backstory of Fiona's dad the king, to the eventual resolution, but then sometimes we need a nice safe hilarious romp of a movie to just give us a rollicking good time.

Best watched with good friends.

itchy palms

I don't think I have any fungal infection; so could there be any truth to the superstition that itchy palms mean an impending windfall? Sigh, would that it were that easy. It would really help, too. I've already dipped into my Bacolod-trip money for some unforeseen expenses. Here's crossing my fingers (and scratching my palm)!

another movie that might be interesting: Saved!
Here's the blurb from IMDB:
When Mary (Jena Malone), a student at American Eagle Christian High School, becomes pregnant her schoolmates become determined to save her from eternal damnation. Leading the pack is the popular, pretty Hilary Faye (Mandy Moore), who is sure she can show her former friend the error of her ways and how to get saved. Also starring Macaulay Culkin, Patrick Fugit, Heather Matarazzo, and Martin Donovan.

I like Jena Malone a lot, from those poignant performances in Stepmom and For Love of the Game. And then there's... um... Mandy Moore! Whoop-de-do. At least the Mandster is really intent on her film career, and obviously she is much better at it than Britney. Include that spunky Heather Matarazzo from Princess Diaries (where Moore played villain), Patrick Fugit of Almost Famous, and -ahem- Macaulay Culkin, with that premise... sounds fascinating.

and so it's over

Fantasia is the new American Idol.

Apparently cute little Diana DeGarmo couldn't stand the heat. But props to Fantasia anyway, because she stood there and never gave ground, with no questionable performance in the whole season. So there. I'm still hoping for that Camile Velasco deal with P. Diddy to push through, though. And John Stevens can always do backup for Michael Buble.

withdrawals?

Got all pukey yesterday. No stomach trouble, no fever or anything although there was a monster headache. Had to head home middle of the day because I couldn't really function at work anymore. It didn't help that our systems were plagued by unforeseen problems mostly brought about by our new product.

They say that sickness is usually a manifestation of inner ills; in this case, though, it probably is a manifestation of exorcism of inner ills. You see, I want to turn over a new leaf and start living "healthy" whatever that means. Anyway, since last Sunday, I've decided to stop imbibing nicotine on a regular basis. I reckon that 1 pack-every-three-days habit shortened my life, but that never really was a concern. When you go, you go, right? I was more concerned about being constantly short of breath, impending blindness (which the filthy habit is said to cause) and being able to start on an actual fitness routine eventually.

So there. Life Makeover #1. Now if only I could figure a way to actually de-clutter my room.

speaking of clutter
Ever since we got the CD writer I've had a grand time burning CDs, even for recopying digital pictures. Of course, I only use CD-Rs that are much cheaper than CD-RWs (although maybe I should look into RWs for constant reuse).

Apaprently there are institutions that recycle CDs and are able to
remove data and reuse the disks, but I've found none in the Phils. I don't really want to make stuff out of old CDs, I haven't found any idea that isn't positively kitschy. Oh well. If you know someone (who knows someone who recycles CDs in the Phils), let me know.

penny arcade troy comic
Hilarious! Nice way to start the day after a harrowing day yesterday. Thanks Ger.

couch kamote

Wasn't able to update the blog yesterday, because of $%(#)$% four-letter word, WORK. Meetings + deadlines do not make for a healthy blogging environment. Was able to sneak peeks at the cyber-friends' blogs though. Interesting.

Anyway, was so tired last night but not sleepy-tired so I just vegged out in front of the TV. Of course Monday night is Buffy night--great episode, Storyteller, featuring ex-evil-genius-cum-chronicler Andrew. It was hilarious (almost as hilarious as Shrek, which will be discussed later). Then of course came Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and I continue to marvel at Kyan's cuteness, Carson's cattiness and Thom's flair for interior design.

Then there was A Wrinkle in Time on Hallmark channel; a travesty of a miniseries hoping (and failing miserably) to bring one of Nins and my best-loved books to the small screen. Crappy effects, crappy acting. What can I say? I was not amused.

Went through the channels and--Caught. That. Deliciously. Handome. Face. That. Is. Brad. Pitt's. On Oprah. Talking about Troy. His scrumptiousness is beyond words; and mind you, he looks much better (and less simian-like) without the tan. Sigh. Nins and I were just sitting there sighing and wanting so very much to be in Jennifer Aniston's shoes. (Or even that girl who won the signed shield who got to kiss him.)

Eric Bana was also there, although of course relegated to decorative status (Oprah should devote a show to him, too--maybe he and Heath Ledger could be interviewed together as Aussies... just a thought). Orli was beamed in from Morocco where he was filming another movie that people say is not faithful to historical accounts, Kingdom of Heaven. I read someone's comment that Orlando Bloom has not made a movie set in the 20th century... apparently that person never saw Black Hawk Down. Oh well.

Last thing I see before I hit the sheets is Brad Pitt's face. That didn't result in sweet dreams, unfortunately. Am quite groggy this morning (maybe due to the fact that I was awakened by a noise at 3am). Oh well.

the must-watch list

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet play embittered lovers who try to erase memories of each other--but somehow still end up drawn to each other even after their selective amnesia. It's said to be funny and poignant, thought-provoking and entertaining--and maybe I want to see the Jim Carrey of The Truman Show back.

Shrek 2
Meet the Parents, Shrek-style. Splendid! I heard Prince Charming is going to try to win Fiona back and he's going to be voiced by so-sexy (but so-sexily-gay) Rupert Everett. Also, Antonio Banderas steals the show as Puss In Boots. Wonderful.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint are all growing up before our eyes! This is my favorite book of the series, and although I was disappointed that Sirius Black would be played by Gary Oldman, I will definitely DEFINITELY see this movie, if only to see what Alfonso Cuaron makes of it. I do hope it's more A Little Princess than Y Tu Mama Tambien. Teehee.

Secret Window
Johnny Depp and a suspense thriller. I think that's worth seeing.

Catwoman
Halle Berry. Catsuit. 'Nuff said. (Am really turning into a man.)

The Chronicles of Riddick
Okay, so it's Vin Diesel. But still--good sci-fi and a good supporting cast might actually make a Vin Diesel movie watchable.

and also
21 Grams
Thirteen
Jersey Girl
Mystic River
The Human Stain

nyco maca
My sister's batchmate was the American Idol-er-Star in a Million monthly winner last month. Her name is Nyco Maca (her Christian name is Nicole, but this one has quite a ring to it); and she sang a Lauren Hill song earlier. She's really quite good, this being the first time that I've heard her sing. I think that she has a shot at making it in the "Grand Finals". She has a powerful voice that can do soul, hiphop, what-have-you--like what could have been if Camile Velasco had done things right. (Touche!)

and finally on american idol
Jasmine Trias booted out of 'American Idol'. It was about time. I know I "should" be rooting for her because she's a Fil-Am and everything but like Camile Velasco before her, she was quite obviously outclassed by the other contestants. I really thought it would be a LaToya-Diana final, but apparently it's Fantasia-Diana. I don't really like Fantasia that much, but at this point, it's anyone's game. Maybe it depends on who falters in the final show.

troy

Troy. Where do I start? Do I start with all the short skirts and the burnished bodies (and that's just the men)? Do I start with a bland Helen that doesn't really look like she would launch a thousand ships? Do I start with the fact that the film, loosely based on the Iliad, proves to be very loosely based on the Iliad? Let's start out with the fact that Iliad-lovers could start to picket this film with all the liberties that it had taken with Homer's great epic. For one, people who shouldn't die end up dying, while some people who were killed off in Homer's opus live on. For cinematic value, for example, Ajax is killed in battle by Hector--when in the Iliad he kills himself after Odysseus beats him out for Achilles' armor after Achilles' death. Oh yeah, there's also the matter of timing, because the whole ten year war is over and done with in two weeks--and Achilles is alive for the Trojan condom-er-Horse incident. Brilliant. I don't mind. The story unfolded quite well, although parts of it were a bit dragging. The best thing for me, however, was taking out all the gods and goddesses (Helen comes into Paris' periphery because of a state visit and not through Aphrodite's intervention). Granted that the immortal bickering was the majority of the fun of things but a war movie-cum-heroic epic seems better off this time without immortals playing the soldiers like chess pieces (anyone remember the wonderfully cheesy Clash of the Titans? I loved that movie, though). Troy now takes on the flavor of a historical--albeit overly dramatic--account that was later added mythological spice by Homer.

I had been awaiting this movie since it was announced about a year and a half ago that Orlando (aaaaay-si-Legolas) Bloom had completed the cast that was composed of Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Sean Bean and the legendary Peter O'Toole. Orli fan that I am, I was quite apprehensive that he was playing the spineless Paris; however, he has been able to create more depth for the character in that there was a realization, and a transformation. Besides, between bellowing bellydancer-nuzzling Menelaus and young, utterly scrumptious, poetic and romantic Paris (half-naked during the first part of the movie)--who wouldn't choose the latter? Depth was also created for Brad Pitt's Achilles' character, for which I have conflicting emotions. He doesn't really come out as particularly heroic, just vaguely troubled. And quite promiscuous, too. Pitt plays Achilles with what seems to be a gnawing sense of insecurity that he is trying to hide behind the fame and glory of war. It doesn't really hide the fact, though, that Brad Pitt seems to be bigger than Achilles, at least in this movie--we cannot get over that this is Brad-bronzed-god-Pitt and his character seems to suffer for it. This begs the question though--who else could have played the greatest Greek warrior if not Brad Pitt, and held his own in this movie? A lesser actor (icon) would probably have been eaten alive by the others in the cast.

The great O'Toole portrays Priam quite well, only saddening for the fact that he didn't listen to his sons--which ultimately causes the destruction of Troy. One of the best scenes in the entire movie is when he implores Achilles to return the beaten body of his son. ("Ah Brad, that there's what we call acting.") Sean Bean also turns in a solid performance as the level-headed and smooth-talking Odysseus--they should shoot the Odyssey with him, it would be quite interesting. Brian (isn't-he-William-Stryker) Cox is rightly menacing and calculating as Agamemnon. My favorite character in the Iliad, though, remains my favorite character here--Hector, Prince of Troy. Eric (thank-goodness-we've-forgotten-The-Hulk) Bana is subtly effective as the doomed prince, conveying a stalwart nobility and honor that seems to be lacking from most other characters yet also being fearful of his impending battle with Achilles.

It is quite entertaining--there are sword- and spear-fights, there are great balls of fire, there are love scenes, and the wondrous Horse. The mano-y-mano fight scene between Hector and Achilles is worth re-watching. There is requisite action and drama, there are pretty girls and prettier guys. There is a clash of cultures--the conquering Greeks with their brash king and their shining, temperamental hero Achilles; and the more laid-back Trojans, with their god-fearing king and their pensive hero Hector. The portrayal of Achilles as a fighter because he does it best awakens some questions--would you be content to continue doing something just because you were the best at it? In this case, he stops at nothing because his ultimate goal is to be immortalized. And, yes, there is a lot of man-kissing and hugging going around (although Patroclus is portrayed as the beloved cousin and not the beloved-period-of Achilles). I am especially touched by the portrayal of the brothers Hector and Paris--this characterization is nonexistent in the Iliad, I think, because Hector and Paris were not brought up together. Paris plays the perfect bumbling little brother foil to Hector's noble older brother; and although his little brother has helped launch the war that will bring their doom Hector, after an initial fit, stands resolutely by his side, until the death. His unfaltering love for country and family are part of what brings about Paris' own transformation; and ultimately seals his fate as the most admirable character in the movie.

Also, I'm glad there wasn't any forced comic relief because that would have been downright inane. There is an inherent problem in the production, though. I cannot place my finger on it. It may be the script, vacillating between being stirring and dragging. It may be that there was no sense of pathos, really, and no stirring emotion brought about by war and killing--but then that could just be desensitized me talking. It may be a lack of imagination in the filmmakers that is visible at times. There is a scene where the Greeks attack the Trojan phalanxes, reminiscent of the attack of Anubis' undead army on the Medji warriors in The Mummy Returns. I couldn't help comparing because in Troy, it was like a sea of gray was attacking a sea of gray--while in The Mummy Returns (by no means a great movie--also standard summer fare), you could see the glistening bodies of the undead warriors break into the stark black of the robed humans. I was also waiting to see Achilles' magnificent armor--I was disappointed.

In any case, it's regulation Hollywood summer fare. There is something to be said about the views on war, though: the movie suggests a permeating melancholia about war--how war is sometimes waged on the pretext of something other than the actual reason (note that Helen's abduction merely gives the power-hungry Agamemnon his chance to sack Troy), how families are affected by war (cut to the haunting face of Saffron Burrows' Andromache), and how the greatest soldiers are sometimes the most troubled. There are also some points on religion, and Achilles' hubris. It may be a trying-hard epic mooching off an actual epic, a mean feat of over-acting by Brad Pitt, and quite dull in some parts; but it is quite a bit more than just a great movie for the summer. I suggest (for the girls especially) watching it twice--the first to ogle at Brad, Orli, Eric, Sean, etc., and the second to actually watch the film. Both instances would be quite popcorn-worthy.


PostScript: The quote for today on my desk calendar seems to bring to mind the brotherly love between Hector and Paris in the movie: "And when with grief you see your brother stray/Or in a night of error lose his way/Direct his wandering and restore the day.../Leave to avenging Heaven his stubborn will/For O, remember, he is your brother still." from Jonathan Swift.

farewell, angel

Angel just aired its last episode in the States (give-or-take, taking the time difference into consideration). It's the end of the Buffyverse as we know it, but of course, good things always find their way back into the popular consciousness. It won't be the end if we don't forget.

and on the other hand
This is hilarious! I will eventuall write my "review" of Troy, but in the meantime, try this out for size. (Thanks to LibrarianJessie.)

Troy in 15 Minutes

more van helsing-bashing

It's official. Van Helsing is Underworld-meets-Blade-meets-LXG-meets-Bats. Or do the little critters that Dracula's wives transform into remind you of Leslie Nielsen's Dracula in Dracula: Dead and Loving It? Teehee.

I did enjoy the movie. Promise! (Read: It wasn't as bad as Starsky & Hutch.)

DnA : a long-awaited post

After almost a year of preparing and a lot of effort, DnA have finally gotten married. It marks a major turn in the history of our barkada--the wedding of the only couple it seems who will ever get married within the group--not to mention it seems to mark the advent of my young spinsterhood... huhuhu... But enough about my hangups.

It was a cozy and beautiful occasion, with the festive pale pink motif and strewn petals, dreamy music from the flute-and-two-guitar ensemble and a general feeling of joy and mirth. Bespren D. was already starting to tear up as she was entering the church and so were we. Her gown was the lightest off-white pink satin and she was positively radiant--of course, which bride isn't? But I was so glad because I could see the gleam of joy in her eyes and I was glad that we (her sis, the coordinator, and we secondary sponsors) were keeping her unperturbed by bearing the brunt of the worrying and fussing. It was worth the various errands here and there, the crash course in Adobe Premiere Pro, and the sleepless night before the morning wedding (not to mention the nerve-wracking incident with the projector that didn't want to play the presentation) to see two of my best friends pledge their love for each other for all eternity.

I know that I had some responsibilities in the ceremony--it was just a little disappointing that unlike Kuya R's wedding I wasn't able to get a lot of good pictures because I was busy attending to this and that. Still was able to come up with some, though, and for others I let my friends shoot. Oh well.

It's really different when the people who are getting married are close to you. I've been to so many weddings of the children of my mom's friends, or distant relatives, and I wasn't really affected by anything. But DnA's wedding, as well as Kuya R's wedding last March well all weddings of people who were close to my heart, and to whose love stories I had been privy. These weddings brought tears to my eyes and a warm feeling that all is right in the world, at least, if two people can love each other and be at each other's side.

PostScript: The official wedding pictures are out. They are really nice, especially the portraits of the two taken outside the church and in Velasquez Park.

big brother, oh brother!

Apparently our company will be implementing a new security system which involved us employees swiping in and out of each floor we visit (okay, so many companies do that), as well as the installation of surveillance cameras in each major area.

Do I hear the whisperings of paranoia? I don't know what their reasons are for this heightened level of security; I also don't know why a company that prides itself on its thriftiness is going to spend that much on this. Suffice to say, I am not behind this idea in the least bit, but what can I do, lowly employee that I am?

Oh yes, actually, there's something I can do. But that's been percolating in my mind for years. Maybe now is the time to take some action.

deplorable

The rapists and killers of Candice Castro. Poor girl was raped and killed in her own condo unit, a broom shoved up her genitals and her body battered. Pretty girl, too. Apparently some sick and smashed s.o.b. took a liking to her and followed her to her room.

So there goes any chance of me being able to move out any time soon. My parents will whip this out on me everytime I try to make my move. I have qualms, though, about bringing up the fact that Carmela Vizconde (famous victim of Hubert Webb) was living with her parents at the time that she was raped and the whole household killed. Might come back to bite me in the a$s.

A number of my female friends live alone, and times like these I worry for them. I know that for most, security in their building is quite good. However, I think that they should have an emergency button or something installed in their respective pads. Or if the intercom is off the hook or something, would the guards come to check? The sordid underbelly of the city showing itself--it scares me. It is so hard to live with a certain degree of paranoia and stay sane.

pic of the week
Hey... it doesn't really look like a phallic symbol, does it?

monsters, mayhem, mush and men in minis

monsters 1: not your mama's van helsing

A movie set in Transylvania with a campy Dracula and his brides, Frankenstein and his monster, werewolves, Igor and Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde as a bonus? Sounds like fun. Van Helsing is basically a monster movie, and a modestly entertaining one at that. Van Helsing is a monster-hunter of note (last seen played, I think, by Anthony Hopkins in that movie with Keanu Reeves--I never saw the Peter Cushing version). He kills monsters, but since the monsters transform back to human form after he kills them, he is being hunted as a murderer. The thing is, Van Helsing (Gabriel here, as opposed to Hopkins' Abraham VH), has lost his memory and is wearing a weird outfit. Unfortunately, Hugh Jackman, in his floppy Phantom of the Opera-esque hat, cloak (is cloak the right term?), and Blade-reminiscent weapons, does not seem to emanate the right degree of 'angas'--is machismo the right term? (ok ok, maybe I'm unjustly comparing to his uber-angas Wolverine) 'Papa' Hugh doesn't seem to do it for me in this movie, despite his (un)dressing down to a loincloth.

Underworld meets the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. They say comparisons should stop there and each movie should be taken as it is--but movies, being entertainment, must be at least a bit fresh and updated. I think that although the premise of the movie (Van Helsing as a not-so-secret agent battling all sorts of monsters with the Catholic Church as his MI6 and Carl as his Q; Dracula wanting to procreate but having dead babies--of course, because he and his wives are undead!) hasn't really been tackled yet, most of the special effects, cliche dialogues and plot twists seem to be a bit tired. With the black-and-white mob scene at the beginning, I thought they were planning a parody of the old-school monster movies. Unfortunately it turned quite serious and took itself quite seriously, which didn't really bode well. So this movie is neither true horror nor out-and-out camp--you have an adventure that is memorable because it elicits sniggers from you (mostly at totally inopportune moments). The movie was also quite dark and drab--I can understand dark but not drab because I had just finished watching Hellboy and although the setting was also quite dark, the movie was far from drab. It was I was like watching a pirated DVD--nay, VCD--I wonder if it was to mask sub-par speciall effects, but from what I saw, the CGI effects were pretty good. For those scenes that did have color, a couple were reminiscent of the sprawling cinematography of Lord of the Rings (snow-capped mountains and a deep chasm)--against, unjust comparison. But the most wondrous part of the movie is how everyone happened to just know how to swing from ropes, vines, trapeze wires... even Frankenstein's monster is in on the swinging act.

Kate Beckinsale seems to be doing a lot of vampire-and-werewolf movies lately (including the afore-mentioned Underworld), I tend to forget the cutesy Serendipity and unfortunate Pearl Harbor. Her princess Anna Valerious, tragic heroine and last of her clan dedicated to stopping Count Dracula in return for their eternal salvation, suffers from a bad accent and sometimes inconsistent characterization. Richard Roxburgh (the Duke in Moulin Rouge) plays Dracula like he's totally enjoying himself being all campy. David Wenham plays Carl, the Q to Van Helsing's Bond. At least we know that he won't be typecast, his previous appearance being Faramir in Lord of the Rings. Kevin J. O'Connor, Beni in The Mummy, reunites with Sommers to play a heavily-prostheticized Igor who didn't raelly get as tragicomic as I expected Igor would be. Rightly menacing, though. And although I didn't recognize him, Robbie Coltrane (Harry Potter's Hagrid) played Mr. Hyde in a scene that really had me confused whether I was watching LXG all over again.

As for the ending (spoiler alert), how come it wasn't a happy ending? I figure it was the only way that it could have ended. Bittersweet and all for the common good. The way is open for a sequel, though, and with all the merchandising and the hype, I think that's exactly where this is headed. There are still some mysteries--like why did Gabriel murder Dracula in the first place and why is he referred to as the "left hand of God"--could he be the Archangel himself? Maybe I came into the movie expecting too much--now it seems that I'm not quite as interested.


monsters 2: seeing red

As in a big red man with chopped off horns, with a firestarter, a psychic syokoy, Nazis and Rasputin. It makes for (what my friends tell me is) a great comic, and an entertaining movie. We are introduced to Hellboy at the tail-end of World War II when the Allied forces stop the Nazis and Rasputin (yes, the supposed "sorcerer" last seen in Russia's royal court--and in the cartoon Anastasia) from opening a portal to another dimension and bringing about the 7 Gods of Chaos to bring forth Ragnarok. Now I know the Axis powers wanted to take over the world, but I didn't realize that they wanted to destroy the world while at it. Anyway, it's probably just Rasputin with an apocalypse-wish. The Allies are able to nip the plan in the bud and the only thing that comes of the portal is a red-skinned baby with a huge hand, which John Hurt's Professor Broom befriends with a Baby Ruth bar. Broom will later head the secret FBI Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, which watches over prized government assets Hellboy, Abe Sapien (a psychic merman who reminds me of Frasier's brother Niles) and Liz Sherman, a pyro-kinetic (or firestarter if you will).

Rasputin has been resurrected, stronger than ever, and is planning to start up world destruction again. Apparently, the key to all this is Hellboy (which is why he was the first one to come through the portal). Hellboy, Liz, rookie FBI agent Meyers and FBI head Manning have to stop him before it's too late. It's a comic-book movie, with comic-book inspired fights that are fun to watch, and it's colored like a comic book, too: the stark red of Hellboy, the vivid interiors, and the darkness of Rasputin's palace-cum-hellmouth. In fact, the only colorless thing seems to be Selma Blair's (Liz Sherman) face, which is also quite revealing because she is cutting herself off from her emotions to control her pyrokinetic tendencies (just like Drew Barrymore's firestarter and not the X-Men's Pyro).

Although the movie is about supernatural entities and ruthless villians, the story is not devoid of humanity, and the most remarkable thing is that Hellboy is trying hard to be human--and succeeding magnificently. Hiding behind a mack truck body and a voice not unlike Darth Vader's, he is sixty but ages slowly so basically he's in his early twenties, and showing the gamut of emotions associated with that age. He gets aggressive, petulant, mischievous, and most importantly, he falls in love. That a minion of hell, destined to bring about Ragnarok, can do so--and save the world--then there's hope after all.


mayhem: the zoolander boys fall short of expectation

Maybe it's because of the limitations set by translating a well-known TV show to screen. Maybe they're really better off as male models than as cops. Or maybe Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson should give their duo a rest. For the meantime at least. I was quite disappointed by Starsky & Hutch, seeing as I was practically laughing my head off at Zoolander (yes, even when I see the screenings on Cinemax), while Meet the Parents and The Royal Tenenbaums were also entertaining. Maybe I really can't see the homages to the TV show as I wasn't really aware of television when I was an infant/toddler.

The plot, involving cocaine that can't be detected, and the transformation of Starsky and Hutch's partnership from being at each others' throats to being friends (haven't we seen this before? Zoolander, maybe?), seems quite thin. Okay, so there are a lot of capers along the way but somehow it could have been done better. The funniest scenes for me involved Starsky in an undetectable-cocaine induced high, seeing cartoon birds while Hutch sings "Don't Give Up On Us, Baby," and then entering a dance-off.

Vince Vaughn is a creepy jerk as the druglord, while Juliette Lewis is underused as his bubbly mistress. Will Ferell's cameo as the perverted inmate/informant was also a funny turn; and Snoop Dogg as the streetwise informant Huggy Bear is a delicious turn, threatening to steal the movie from Stiller and Wilson. Granted, these two are obviously enjoying themselves while the acting is going on and their chemistry is what carries the movie. However, it seems to be nowhere near the sheer mirth of Zoolander, which remains the quintessential Stiller-Wilson film to date.


mush: the case for patrick dempsey

Sunday night on Cinemax: Lucky 7, starring that girl who could have been Mrs. Sampras, Kimberly Williams of Father of the Bride; Patrick Dempsey; and Brad Pitt look-alike (and namesake) Brad Rowe.

The story is sweet: the mother of Kimberly Williams' Amy dies when she is seven. Before she dies, she lays down a timeline for Amy's life which includes sumemr camp, running for student council, law school, and seven boyfriends--the last of which is 'The One'. After she breaks up with #5, she meets Daniel (Rowe) who is utterly perfect for her--corporate upstart, ultimate flower-guy (she gets three bouquets in two weeks), not to mention quite cute. However, he isn't #7, so she sets out to find a temporary #6 and finds it in Peter (Dempsey), the manager of the bagel shop she frequents.

Peter asks her to accompany him for the weekend to a wedding where she will pretend to be his girlfriend because his ex is also going to be at the wedding. As with almost all the pretend-relationships in popular cinema, sparks fly and they end up getting to know each other a little better. In a decision that not-so-subtly parallels Amy's choosing her unfulfilling legal job, she chooses safe and well-liked Daniel over the spontaneous Peter--but does she? Everything wraps up as it's supposed to wrap up, and although Daniel sheds a tear, we know everyone's happy in the end.

Patrick Dempsey seems to be realizing the potential that winked at us in his earlier movies (and was evident in Sweet Home Alabama), and turning out to be quite the hottie, a far cry from the decidedly weird characters he portrayed in some of his earlier films. The goofballs can become leading men after all. I'm now looking forward to seeing the "About A Boy" TV series that he is starring in (based on the book and the Hugh Grant movie of the same name). Kimberly Williams shows us why she charmed us in the Father of the Bride movies, and the story fills you with a warm tingly feeling; but this is by no means a great movie.

There is nothing life-shattering or awe-inspiring about this movie. It's just... nice. It's quite so-so, filler TV movie fare even--and the warm tingly feeling lasts just until the rolling of the end credits. Maybe I just had to be reminded of the nicer things in life, like falling in love with someone you didn't really expect and finding out that your hands 'fit'. That's important, you see. I should know, I'm still looking out for that perfect fit--it hasn't come around just yet. Meanwhile this movie is perfect for lazy nights curled in bed, or a pseudo-date movie at home. Sometimes we need a little simplicity, after all.


men in miniskirts

Troy. Tomorrow. Have to work now.

adopted daughter

I am now Tita B's (Bespren D's mom) "adopted daughter". That makes both mothers of DnA having me as their adoptive offspring, A's mom Tita M being close to me for quite a period of time already. How nice it feels to be that close to other people that they are like family to you, and really, DnA are like siblings to me already. My other adoptive parents are Tere and Mookie's mom, Tita Mommy, and my Mommy T, my dad's eldest sister, who bought me from Mommy and Daddy when I was an infant because I was sickly.

weird little things

Got this from Ry and also from Ger.

1: Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 4. Write down
what it says:

* Describe the set of variables known as the marketing mix.

2: Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What do you touch first?

Maleen's chair

3: What is the last thing you watched on TV?

Magandang Umaga Bayan

4: WITHOUT LOOKING, guess what time it is:

7:25am

5: Now look at the clock, what is the actual time?:

7:27am

6: With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?:

janitors talking

7: When did you last step outside? what were you doing?

this morning? went to the car? counted ba yun?

8: Before you came to this website/email, what did you look at?

loma.org

9: What are you wearing?

red blouse and gray skirt (uniform!)

10: When did you last laugh?

yesterday afternoon

11: Seen anything weird lately?

lots--even when i look in the mirror

12: What do u think of this quiz?

it's a good procrastination tool

13: What is the last film you saw?

troy

14: If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy first?

treats for everyone. and then everything i want in fully booked.

15: Did you dream last night?

i think so

16: What is on the walls of the room you are in?

paintings and windows

17: Tell me something about you that I don't know:

when i was a baby my parents sold me to my aunt and uncle for one peso because i was a sickly baby

18: If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or
politics, what would you do?

try to make everyone considerate of each other

19: Do you like to dance?

not really

20: George Bush: is he a power-crazy nutcase or some one who is finally
doing something that has needed to be done for years?

i think he could have avoided a lot of conflict; but he is acting on principles

21: Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?

it really depends on the surname of my (so far non-existent) husband-to-be, doesn't it? i was thinking somewhere along the lines of beatrice, helena or sophie

22: Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?

timothy or magnus

23: Would you ever consider living abroad?

depends on the results of the elections...?!

currents

swiped from Ger:

Current mood - brain drain (just finished an exam)
Current music - joss stone (fell in love with a boy...)
Current taste - sweet and spicy cornik
Current hair - the usual
Current clothes - red top, black pants, boots
Current annoyance - whiny-voiced people
Current smell - Green Cross Rain baby cologne
Current thing I ought to be doing - working?
Current desktop picture - Troy movie poster
Current favorite bands - still the old ones: Barenaked Ladies, Dave Matthews, Save Ferris
Current book - just finished Angels and Demons
Current cd in stereo - one i compiled, see below
Current hate - oil companies raising their prices yet again

current CD in stereo (compilation)
1. Landslide - Dixie Chicks
2. Moonshadow - Mandy Moore
3. Galileo - Indigo Girls
4. The Gulf of Araby - Natalie Merchant
5. Wonder - Natalie Merchant
6. Eden - 10,000 Maniacs
7. River - Natalie Merchant
8. Before You - Chantal Kreviazuk
9. Kind and Generous - Natalie Merchant
10. Baby Don't You Break My Heart Slow - Vonda Shepard/Emily Saliers
11. Jezebel - Natalie Merchant
12. Worlds Collide: A Fairy Tale - Plumb
13. Least Complicated - Indigo Girls
14. Not In This Life - Natalie Merchant
15. Silver Springs - Fleetwood Mac
16. Ghost - Indigo Girls
17. Come What May - Ewan McGregor/Nicole Kidman

(Notice my obvious penchant for Natalie Merchant and the Indigo Girls.)

nice to be back

Been studying for (and just took) the LOMA Marketing exam. LOMA exams are requisite in the insurance industry and this is my third exam. Exams are given twice a year (May and November) and there are about a dozen different exams for different stages. Actually I'm taking it rather slow: I've passed up on two other LOMA schedules due to either work or sickness (been having a lot of that lately).

GMA and FPJ neck and neck
The ABS-CBN coverage of the Namfrel quick count shows GMA nad FPJ neck-and-neck in the presidential race, with our icumbent president having a slight lead. It's really anybody's ballgame although of course I am rooting for the littler-er-lesser evil. Kabayan Noli though is posting quite a lead over Senator Loren. I do hope the current trend of GMA leading continues. Now aren't the opposition wishing that Lacson and FPJ hadn't run separately? If they didn't, the opposition would be the sure winner (based on FPJ's + Lacson's votes). Oh well... united we stand... you know the rest.

we have ETC!
One of the reasons why we enjoy going to Mommy T's house in Alabang is because her Destiny cable has ETC, the so-called Entertainment Channel, featuring Leno, Conan O'Brien, NBC's Today Show, Entertainment Tonight (updated unlike the weeks-late programs they show on Ch. 9)--and shows like Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (whoopee!), The O.C., One Tree Hill, and those outrageous shows Blind Date and 5th Wheel. Wonderful.

Hawaii might have done LaToya in
Contoversy rages at the American Idol finals with E! Online asking 'Did Hawaii Do In' LaToya London?. It was definitely a surprising turn of events that LaToya, considered by many (including myself) as the best singer in the competition, was voted out after rousing renditions of Donna Summer hits and

But I don't think the Idol people are really concerned. Their show is doing really great (23 million viewers definitely isn't bad) and the text-ins are getting them big bucks too. Now that LaToya's gone, I have to find a new bet for Idol. It's definitely not Jasmine, even if she is of Filipino descent. And I never really liked the OA antics of Fantasia. By elimination, that leaves Diana, the rich Texan kid. However, as this proves, it not really just the talent--you gotta have the backing. And if a whole state (albeit a little state) is totally behind you, it's definitely going to make a difference.

Goodbye Seattle...
And now Frasier bids farewell. In a season that has seen the end of two other icons of TV comedy, Friends and Sex and the City, the sophisticated comedy of Frasier which has been entertaining for 11 years, also bids farewell. Frasier was never as popular as Friends but it was widely acclaimed, winning countless Emmys, and it is the most successful spinoff to date (we have to see if Joey will click in his spinoff of Friends). Apparently, Frasier's finale is open-ended with just enough set-up to warrant enough interest for a reunion special if there will be one. All these endings--we're getting old, unlike what we felt when The Cosby Show or Cheers ended (too young at the time to appreciate), or even Full House (was just sad to not see John Stamos every week). Oh well.

one word: Troy
Brad.
Bloom.
Bana.
And supposedly the most beautiful woman in the world, who is blond and blue-eyed, it seems--sorry, us Asians. Okay, okay, so Homer hadn't been around Asia much.

the slow quick count plods on

I wouldn't say GMA is our last hope--but admittedly she is our best hope... and I really hope that she wins because the only other people in the running against her are two people whom I do not trust to hold the reins of office--FPJ and Ping Lacson (sorry to some of my good friends who support Ping).
 
I sure hope that the exit polls and the initial unofficial counts are indicative of the result--a GMA victory, albeit by a slim margin.
 
I know that I am not really voting on principles--I go for the principles and platform of Bro. Eddie--but I know that all things taken into consideration, GMA is the only *sane* bet capable of winning this election. That said, I go back to work.

into the mists

Thoughts on the Mists of Avalon miniseries:

Why I'm watching it: trying out the VCDs I burned for Helen-a from the originals Bespren M. gave me. Helen-a is totally a Marion Zimmer Bradley fan just like me; although she's much more into anime. She was the one who told me that there were Princess Bride DVDs in Dread Pirate Square, practically introduced me to DPS...

So much of the story has been omitted, or totally changed. It's still interesting in itself but the book is much better.

I wonder why I hate Samantha Mathis. Ever since. Maybe because she plays all the hate-able characters: Gwenhyfar here; Amy in Little Women. Smug and always ends up with the guy (or guys as is the case here). Oh well. Who'd have thought they had threesomes in King Arthur's time.

I spent a considerable amount of time trying to determine who King Arthur was and then I remembered: Danny Hecht! Sidney Bristow's fiance who is killed off in the first episode. Wonderful. And Michael Vartan plays Lancelet to his Arthur (or Artorius as they figure they were called by the Latin names then). Jennifer Garner should have played Gwenhyfar. Or Morgaine. But Julianna Margulies did a good job, as did Anjelica Huston (as always). I've always found Julianna Margulies terribly pretty, ever since ER days. Maybe because she looks smart.

I didn't finish everything though. Was just going to get depressed. Teehee.

Study now. Study now. STUDY NOW!!!

election

Thoughts on waking up this election day:

I still do not know whom I'm voting for President.

I just might vote for Hermie Aquino.

Remember: writing Mar Roxas' name 12 times on your ballot will invalidate your ballot. Would that that made 12 votes for him.

Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick in Election. Those shenanigans are nothing compared to this election's--but much more fun to watch.

Vote early, finish early. Badminton, study for LOMA Marketing exam, finish Angels and Demons. Maybe Van Helsing?

What DVD will I watch today?

thoughts from all around

Apparently Blogger has a new interface. I don't really like it. I liked the cute interface before!!! Huhuhuuuu...

Heavy rains poured yesterday afternoon (FPJ's miting de avance) and early this morning in the beginning of the transition to rainy season. Still hot and humid during the day, though. Slight floods, especially near our church, which is one of the lowest points in our area.

Sharon Cuneta is apparently ending her long-running musical talk show on ABS-CBN, I'm watching the second part of her farewell show right now. I heard she's going to concentrate on being a mother more, now that her third child is on the way.

Was just pleasantly surprised to see the opening number of 80s stalwarts (who apparently are staging a show called Going Back to the 80s)--Randy Santiago, Raymond Lauchengco, Juan Miguel Salvador, Louie Heredia, Gino Padilla and Jett Pangan--singing songs like Sunglasses at Night, Do You Wanna Dance and Everybody Have Fun Tonight. This was the generation of singers who crooned in the background as I went through Grade School and then went on through my awkward adolescence. I especially enjoyed Juan Miguel Salvador because I just loved the Rage Band in its heyday (hey so I was eight, I appreciated it!) and Jett Pangan, The Dawn being one of the rock bands that shaped my tastes in music.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are back? And less cutie-cutie it seems. How interesting.

mother's day and other shenanigans

At least there's one day in a year when you honor your mother--although you should be doing it every single day of the year since it was her loins that brought you into existence, her nurturing that kept you alive and her teachings that made you most of the person that you are today.

Mother's Day was an excuse to get our mom a colorful bouquet of fresh liliums, carnations, and gerbera (this stuff's expensive ha--we used to give all these mums bouquets, but she never brought those to the office for "show and tell" unlike this one, meaning she really really liked it).

Lunch at Kulinarya in PowerPlant was delectable. Between Chilean sea bass and flavorful lamb chops, my taste buds were sated--at least maybe for a week or so. Didn't get to watch the movie with JdG anymore. Tomorrow.

the pack rat strikes again

I'm constantly fixing up clutter and throwing out old stuff but new stuff always seems to find its way to me. Not that I'm not thankful or anything because these are cute things that come from nice people who happen to be my friends. Anyway, these have been added to La Casa Brightblade--or should I say Le Cuarto Brightblade since it's just a frigging room...

The card on the left is from Bespen D, after her wedding. Enclosed is a very cute metal bookmark with two friends (one with long hair and one with short, by the way). Am currently using the bookmark to hold my place in Nins' copy of Angels and Demons. On the right, Bespren M. has given me my birthday gift for this year, a Mists of Avalaon miniseries VCD, six months early. She might not be here anymore by midyear (yes waterworks will begin in... 3... 2... 1...) and she said I might beat her to it again like last year (when she got me a Dragonlance book and I had just bought it myself). Of course Marion Zimmer Bradley's Avalon books are among my favorite. And the Mists of Avalon miniseries? Yummy Michael Vartan is Lancelot!


On the left is a carnation from my posey from DnA's wedding. Saved it, packrat that I am. I have about three other dried flowers somewhere. I threw out those that D. and Bart and other people gave me though. So it's just three. In the middle is the little brother of Ger's gift to C which I delivered. Surprised me at the HK airport duty free actually, suddenly buying a couple of pandas. And on the right is Gnu's pasalubong from Iloilo. Apparently I was the only one who asked, so I was the only one who got one. Teehee. Since I already have Iloilo, Bacolod and Boracay shirts, I'll just have to get Davao, Baguio, etc... hehe...


Also over last weekend and earlier today I went on a pDVD spree at Dread Pirate Square (aaak! prices went up by PhP5-PhP10) and got the following:

• Big Fish (see my comments from a previous post)
  
• Mystic River (finally I'll get to watch)
  
• 21 Grams (excited!)
  
• In America (just wanted to see what was so great)
  
• Thirteen (am not yet ready to watch and be depressed, though)
  
• Secret Window (aaaaahhhh! Johnny! suspense thriller! Johnny!!!)
  
• My Life Without Me (Sarah Polley is so interesting)
  
• Hellboy (ok am cheating: got a 'clear' copy on this and the following--not cinema copies mind you!)
  
• Starsky & Hutch
  
• Jersey Girl (anything Kevin Smith, I have to watch)
  
• The Human Stain (hmmm with Nicole Kidman, Anthony Hopkins, Gary Sinise and Buffy fish-boy Wentworth Miller)
  
• and the movie I'm most interested to watch, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Yes, I'll have a busy weekend. Oh and Van Helsing in the cinema later with JdG. Hope I don't go into movie overload!

moseying along

Got me a LiveJournal account, following LibrarianJessie's lead, so that I wouldn't have to always be anonymous when I make comments at the LiveJournal blogs. Actually I think some of LiveJournal's features are quite cool, although I've gotten used to Blogger already--not to mention that I just got the multi-pane interface when I upgraded to IE6 here in the office. Ok, am loyal. Just that.

Also, I've been able to open a PhotoBucket account. I don't know why I didn't do this sooner! It's very very convenient, especially since Geocities doesn't allow you to link directly to your pictures... Rock on, PhotoBucket!

Also, I found out about DigiPrint which is based in the Philippines and works on the same principle as Yahoo! Photos and Sony ImageStation--you store your pictures with them for free and pay them for printing. But it's a good deal, PhP200 for 10 4R pictures with free delivery! Imagine that... no going to the mall or anything to have your prints developed... and again, free delivery! What fun. The prices for 5R prints are quite prohibitive though (PhP25 compared to PhP12 in the mall), but there's also a good deal to be had with the 8R prints (PhP55 each! my mall studio charges PhP75 for these!).

oh yeah
I'm here in the office. Yes, right now, this Saturday afternoon. At least the airconditioner's on. Waiting, waiting, waiting for the run to be done so that I can check commissions. Oh well. Airconditioning + internet while waiting isn't all that bad!

go fish

Last night I was finally able to watch Big Fish. Tim Burton and screenwriter John August weave an interesting tale based on Daniel Wallace's novel, of a man who spun many a yarn and his son who, having stopped believing in his father's many tall tales, eventually comes to terms with his father's storyteller persona. (It's interesting to note how we are guilty of this in real life sometimes, especially with our parents. Oftentimes we hear from them, if not stories, certain mantras that we've heard over and over again. And we know that there is a grain of truth in there, but we always seem to believe it more when it comes from someone else.)

We are introduced to Edward Bloom as a master storyteller, whose exploits, if we were to believe him, include encountering the smartest catfish in Alabama, logically convincing a giant to stop terrorizing their small town, and parachuting into the middle of a communist gathering in Korea. His son, Will--a journalist who deals with hard, straight facts--has heard all the stories and knows all the punchlines. Summoned to his father's deathbed, he still strives to find the truth, and what he finds surprises but also seems to assure him.

Ewan McGregor is in his element as the young Edward Bloom, not quite as full of himself but knowing he is destined for bigger things. He has both driving ambition and naivete--and he knows everything will be alright for him, something I quite envy his character, in fact. The older Edward is played to endearing but long-winded extreme by Albert Finney. They own the movie; and the other characters rally around them. Jessica Lange and Alison Lohman look so much alike as the senior and young Sandra Templeton-Bloom; and they give honest uncontrived performances. Will is played by Billy Crudup, whose performance here is honest and earnest, although I think I will always see him as the rocker guy from Almost Famous. I enjoyed the cameos from Steve Buscemi and Danny de Vito; and I was reminded how striking and wonderful Helena Bonham Carter could be (as long as I forget her stint in 'Merlin').

Certain scenes jump out at you for their sheer beauty. When Young Edward sees Young Sandra for the first time and knows that she is "The One", time stops for him; and it probably does figuratively but he tells it as if it were literal and you watch as he moves popcorn frozen in the air away as he passes. He plants a field of daffodils outside her window, standing in the middle of it to profess his love. (Ah, who wouldn't want to look out their window to Ewan McGregor in a field of anything!) And then there is that touching (and not lascivious!) scene where Jessica Lange, portraying the senior Sandra Bloom, joins Edward in the bathtub in a tender, poignant gesture of love amidst all. Tim Burton is a visual artist, stashing away his dark and dreary--but still visually engrossing--repertoire (Batman, Ed Wood, Edward Scissorhands) and working on that potential spark of color that we saw in Sleepy Hollow (although most of that was dark and dreary too).

In the end, we still do not know which part of Edward Bloom's stories were fiction and which were fact. The surprise ending is, even Doubting Will ends up rethinking his hard stance on his father's fabrications. Edward Bloom, the master storyteller, was after all telling stories from his perspective--how he saw the town of Spectre when he was young, as a wonderful happy place, and then coming back to a desolate wasteland years after; how time stopped when he saw Sandra for the first time; or how he saw the twins Ping and Jing. The stories he tells could be euphemisms, wistful ways that he had chosen to remember otherwise dreary and forgettable things; and they could be allegories, as that sting in Spectre could be metaphorical for a false sense of complacency. Will realizes, as do we, that it is through these stories that he does get to know his father--romantic, noble, enthusiastic, flawed yet strong.

Memories are, after all, brought to life by those that remember them; and in the event that a little spice has been added to those memories, maybe even to cook up a legend, then it can't be all that bad.


Weird comment: Billy Crudup plays Will Bloom--Will Turner + Orlando Bloom? I just had to put that in.

---

posted to riannesravings@yahoogroups.com

the ninth
Just got the ninth Keanu email. Sigh.

keanu gets married!

I can't believe how many times (eight and counting!) that I've received this email in some form or another. Anyway the basic story is here in JoBlo.com, reporting that dearie Keanu married Alan Cumming (yes, X-Men's Nightcrawler and creepy roles like the slimy guy in Circle of Friends) in gay rites in Massachusetts. At least when JoBlo does an April Fool prank, it really gets done! So guys... that's what it is, okay? An April Fool's thing. Although that doesn't really mean squat with regards to muy guapo Keanu's sexual preference...

what poem am i?

Egad! I'm quite the insane/suicidal person then, aren't I? Teehee.

Which poem are you? The Mad Girl's Love Song by Sylvia Plath To you, love is desperate and hateful. You're wildly passionate and wildly inventive. You're also likely to start stalking people.

Click Here to Take This Quiz Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.

swiped from LibrarianJessie

the slayer blogs

Added a few new blogs to the links on the right, all Pinoyslayers:

• Jessie's Journal
  - LibrarianJessie was the first PinoySlayer I ever met in person. Jessie and I have a lot in common, especially the three B's (Buffy, Brandon Boyd and Blogging--or is that 4 Bs?).
  
• Quite Wicked
  - Also another 3B girl... Boo's blog is really informative (pop culture maven, anyone?) and it looks almost good enough to eat...! Wonderful stories about her baby Pumpkin too.
  
• Life's A Show
  - The Ballerynna is now a lady! She's a girl of many talents and strong opinions.
  

Add these to my "old standards"--

• Crazy Fruit Pie Lady
  - With Digital Dave and a shelf-ful of wonderful books, the Slaybelle makes for interesting reading, always.
  
• Free Vampire Porn
  - Hmmmm... actually not a lot of porn, although quite a lot of vampire. If you want to learn more about the Evil Empire... this is the place!
  

suckers

Enjoyed the C.S.I. episode last night. Of course I knew there was a twist and of course things are always not as they seem, but last night's episode had wanna-be vampires, an elaborate con job, and Warrick with a wandering eye, taking in a sexy girl with a huge tattoo on her back. Special guest star was Danny Huston, erstwhile husband of Virginia Madsen and son of John Huston (half-brother of Anjelica). I didn't really see the family resemblance, though. I really did enjoy the con job; although it got a bit sloppy in the end. At least I know that when I do run my own con (as if!) I'll make sure it can't be traced back to me. Ahh on to more daydreaming about getting one up on the law.

new software

Just upgraded the office PC to IE6 so that I get the cute blogger interface here too, the one with a split screen for the new posts and posted posts. Very cute.

At home I just got, aside from Adobe Premiere Pro (which I am trying to master in order for me to launch a sideline), I also got a copy of Paint Shop Pro, which has proven quite interesting. These two are representative of the new "breed" of software with all these complicated open windows and toolbars. Oh well. Just took some getting used to, but I'm getting the hang of it.

flirting not friendly

There you go again, with the sly, seemingly accidental physical contact, and the pa-cute pop-up messages. And asking "how's your lovelife?" and grinning that boyish way. I've told myself I'm not going to fall for that again, but I'm sorely tempted to... even if you're just playing your mind games with me once more. Sigh. They say learn from the mistakes of the past but I think I never considered it a mistake. Do you? Of course not. You had your way and everything. Don't worry though, I forgive easily. I'm a sucker for cute guys with broad-shoulders-slim-hips-looking-perfect-in-business-attire like that...

maybe it's worth a look

www.BroEddie4President.com

a long overdue post: tripping around

Day 1
Am at the airport really early for a 10am flight because I was just dropped off before work. Grudgingly spend PhP555 on a copy of Premiere magazine, albeit a good issue, because it lists the 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time. Had a good read, actually; and there were also some interesting articles about the Sundance filmfest, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos (soon to drop the -Stamos), a sober and cleaned-up Dennis Quaid, and a whole lot of new movies. Ah, my Hollywood interest has been rekindled.

I leave Manila with 14.5kg worth of baggage (and that's not emotional baggage, mind you). For a three-day trip, some of you might think that quite excessive. However, aside from a few clothes, I was also transporting around fifteen graphic novels for Ger as part of a phase-by-phase transfer of his extensive collection.

We have reservations at the Excelsior, and my fellow awardee Ma'am L and I are in separate rooms. Am glad, because I will have very little to talk about with her during meals and trips out--what more sharing a room! Am assigned a relatively good junior suite, although it has a wonderful view of--the other tall buildings at the back of the building. Haha. We rest for a while and I go exploring. Apparently we are in the posh part of town--all the boutiques and everything. I remember the last time I was there and how we avoided Causeway Bay like the plague because it was where all the snooty shops were. Dinner was spent with Ma'am L and Ger; then we tried the night market at Mong Kok although we weren't able to find many bargains.

Day 2
It's the big day. Ma'am L and I start it off with breakfast buffet at the hotel. We call it brunch and then head out to the Wan Chai wet market, which yields a couple of steals (relatively passable bags for HK$10--good pasalubong for the helpers, candies by the pound). Back to the office to prepare for the company tour, but I stole a few minutes to explore Times Square, that sprawling edifice-cum-mall. Was able to buy Mango shirts for my sisters in styles that, I was told when I came back, weren't available in the Phils yet. Yay me! Office tour was alright, although a bit tiring because the office was quite big. After the office tour we headed back to the hotel; I made a side trip and looked for a parlor so that I could have my hair blowdried before the big dinner...

Basis: Ri's regular shampoo and blowdry at Red Salon: PhP198
These were the prices I encountered
* Salon in the hotel: HK$180 (at FX rate of HK$1 = PhP7, that's PhP1,260, the cost of a cartridge of original HP colored ink and way too much for a shampoo and blowdry)
* Salon outside the hotel, near Sogo: HK$48 (PhP336 -- ok it's near Jesi Mendez price)
* Salon 15 mins walk from the hotel (nearing Wan Chai already): HK$23 (PhP161! Cheaper than at home! Woohoo!)
It's just really a bit of a walk although everyone walks thereabouts; it's just here that I take a car to go to the salon which is less than 10 minutes' walk away.

The recognition dinner was great. During the trip from the hotel, we saw the tent of Louis Vuitton's 150th anniversary, lit up to resemble LV luggage. The dinner was at the American Club at a penthouse somewhere in the Central district, in the heart of HK's business center. The Central district all lit up at night is a heartening sight--just forget the congestion and the traffic (maybe caused by Louis Vuitton). At the dinner, there were 10 courses served. Some of them I didn't particularly relish, although most of them were good. The highlight of the evening was being able to meet the CEOs from the different countries (most of them old Caucasian dudes) and chatting up with them. Of course each of us was made to say a few words and I'm glad that I was able to come up with a witty impromptu speech of sorts. It had been a good night, although it was raining in HK and the temperature was down to a nippy 14 degrees. Wonderful--that's colder than our airconditioner gets on regular days.

Day 3
Start the day off with a headache and sleep in till about 10:30am. Apparently was a portent of things to come. Started raining quite hard while was walking around in Sogo and Causeway Plaza looking for a gift for my mom. Settled on perfume from Sasa because I was getting really tired and the bags were a bit pricey. Checked out and met Ger to take a look-see at his flat in Ap Lei Chau (sp.?). Was quite apprehensive about the time because the airport shuttle would leave the hotel at 3pm and at 2:30pm we were still at his place. And the bus took so long to arrive! But I did make it to the hotel at 3pm, and said goodbye to Ger.

I was asleep most of the commute to the airport. And then when I got to the airport, I reached into my bag to get my passport and... no ticket. Ah... wonderful. I searched high and low but it really wasn't anywhere to be found. It's a good thing that a PAL ground crew person (who was not Filipino by the way) Amy Kan, was able to coordinate with the hotel and they found my ticket in the rubbish bin--or so they say! Why would I throw my ticket in the trashcan?! Anyway I got to thinking that while packing the ticket had probably fallen off the side of something and was later retrieved when they did the housekeeping. But thank goodness, because I would have had to buy a one-way ticket worth HK$1,680 if I were unable to locate the ticket! That would have really made a dent in the fund for the new PC. To have the hotel send the ticket over would have cost HK$700... still a considerable price. I'm so glad that Ger was in transit (I still am apologetic to his friend Mark for cutting short their "date"... teehee...) and he was able to pick it up for me and bring it to the airport. I didn't make my flight, though, so I still had to reschedule my flight to the tune of HK$200, a price I paid gladly. Lunch/dinner with Ger (we had forgotten to eat lunch) and a panda stuffed toy for C later, the ordeal was over.

Leaving HK, I still had 14.5kg of baggage. It was just funny that it was exactly the same weight.

The biggest thing for this trip: I didn't take any pictures. Oh well.