One more thing I did over the weekend was read the two Fables graphic novels/compilations (I don't know what the proper term is) that G-boy left with me to bring to him next next week.
Very interesting read. I like it when traditional, well-known characters undergo a darker reworking, an extreme case in point being The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which was also interesting but disturbing at times.
The Fables series is more of the same, but taking well-loved characters like Snow White, the Three Little Pigs, Little Boy Blue and others, transporting them to the heart of New York and limitless mystery and intrigue. Fabletown is a NY community put up by Fables when they are driven out of their Homelands by the nameless (currently) Adversary. There is another community, in a Farm in upstate NY, where the non-human Fables (and those who might not be able to mingle with regular society) live, including the Three Bears, the Br'er animals, the Jungle Book characters and the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe (oh, she had so many children, but they knew what to do).
The first book, Legends in Exile, is a whodunit-cum-introduction to Fabletown, where Snow White (the ex-Mrs. Prince Charming) is the Deputy Mayor, true power behind Old King Cole's figurehead mayoralty. Gaffer Wolf, he who blew down the Three Little Pigs' homes and harassed Little Red Riding Hood, is now transformed into a human and is the Head of Security of Fabletown. As such he is tasked to solve the disappearance of Snow's estranged sister Rose Red (who of you remember that story rather than Snow White's date with the poisoned apple?)--who appears to have been victim of a grisly crime when her on-again off-again boyfriend, Jack of All Tales (Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack Be Nimble, Jack Sprat, Little Jack Horner. etc.) finds her apartment all bloodied up with a sinister message on the wall.
In the course of the investigation, we meet up with the other denizens of Fabletown: there is the dodgy Prince Charming, who has lost his wealth with the exile as well as his two (so far mentioned) wives, Snow White and Cinderella, and is schmoozing off people; there is Bluebeard, one of the few Fables who left the Homelands with most of his wealth intact, and still seems quite sinister; and there is Colin, one of the three little pigs who prefers it in the city rather than at the Farm. The frequent cameos of various characters are quite entertaining, as is the prose at the end which details how Gaffer Wolf became Bigby Wolf, human and head of Fabletown security.
In the second book, Animal Farm, there is a reference to Orwell's classic, but, of course, treated in the skewed Fable logic--the Three Little Pigs and Br'er animals (Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Bear) are revolutionaries. They just happen to pick the time that Snow White is at the Farm to put their plans into action. There is a lot more violence here than in the first book, as well as an unlikely "cavalry", but thoroughly entertaining just the same.
As with the movies that I watch, I am satisfied if a graphic novel entertains me. I don't really know all the nuance of the art and the inking, although of course I appreciate the more sophisticated-looking drawings (like Kingdom Come, LoEG or the little I saw of Sandman). The drawings in Fables are a bit more simplistic but they effectively convey the well-thought up writings of Bill Willingham. The storylines are great--Bigby Wolf does a Miss Marple in the first book (complete with parlor-revelation scene at Old King Cole's penthouse), while in the second book, the seeds of discontent and the rumbles of revolution are effectively staged from the animal fable point of view. There are also some intriguing plot twists resulting in your not looking at some fairy-tale characters the same way again (like, Goldilocks is now living with the Three Bears and actually sleeping in Junior Bear's bed--euphemistically speaking).
In the end, maybe I like this because it makes those cherished fairy tale characters seem human. The fleshing-out of once one-sided characters such as Snow White through what may be simple characterization and author's machination is as much a draw as the interesting storyline. These are characters with whom we have grown up; and although it's been tried various times before--infusing them with a modern take, or love, or lust, and a little crime and politics--Willingham has created a cozy alternate reality with believable characters because he takes them for what they are: fairy-tale characters who have, somehow, become real, but never once forgetting where they came from.
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Monday, March 29, 2004
happy birthday twins!
To the Twins--as in Danny deVito and Ah-nold...
Happy birthday Bespren J and Bespren M! Two of the best friends a girl could have. Although not as extreme as deVito and Ah-nuld, quite polar opposites—but both loads of fun to be with. And not really twins by the way. Here's to more Greenbelt 3 nights, with or without boyfriends!
reaching out...
Had an outreach activity last Saturday night with the differently-abled/physically-challenged kids from Bahay Mapagmahal. I don't really interact well with kids much more on an outreach type of activity so I volunteered to take the pictures. It still felt good, though. I like being on the sidelines, watching but still interacting, and being the documentor. I think that's really just my personality.
so much to buy
So little money. Oh well. Finances aren't very good right now and I really think I have to bear in mind what my horoscope said about making do with what I have and just changing my attitude. But, but, but--how can I not say that I have to have that leather-bound Lord of the Rings? It's so pretty... my precious... And then there's Crisis on Infinite Earths, they've got a new edition in both Powerbooks and Sketchbooks. And there's that JLA graphic novel that I've been wanting to read, the Riddle of the Beast. Sigh. There's also some nice bags and a new wallet calling my name. Sigh.
wherefore art thou internet
Our internet connection has faltered yet again. And in the middle of typing up my blog, to my utter consternation--as if the company owes me free internet. But then what other perks do I have aside from the piddling compensation and long hours? A few minutes of web time each day won't hurt. Come on come on come on come on! Grr. Still no internet.
TV over the weekend
There, I think that's enough for now.
Happy birthday Bespren J and Bespren M! Two of the best friends a girl could have. Although not as extreme as deVito and Ah-nuld, quite polar opposites—but both loads of fun to be with. And not really twins by the way. Here's to more Greenbelt 3 nights, with or without boyfriends!
reaching out...
Had an outreach activity last Saturday night with the differently-abled/physically-challenged kids from Bahay Mapagmahal. I don't really interact well with kids much more on an outreach type of activity so I volunteered to take the pictures. It still felt good, though. I like being on the sidelines, watching but still interacting, and being the documentor. I think that's really just my personality.
so much to buy
So little money. Oh well. Finances aren't very good right now and I really think I have to bear in mind what my horoscope said about making do with what I have and just changing my attitude. But, but, but--how can I not say that I have to have that leather-bound Lord of the Rings? It's so pretty... my precious... And then there's Crisis on Infinite Earths, they've got a new edition in both Powerbooks and Sketchbooks. And there's that JLA graphic novel that I've been wanting to read, the Riddle of the Beast. Sigh. There's also some nice bags and a new wallet calling my name. Sigh.
wherefore art thou internet
Our internet connection has faltered yet again. And in the middle of typing up my blog, to my utter consternation--as if the company owes me free internet. But then what other perks do I have aside from the piddling compensation and long hours? A few minutes of web time each day won't hurt. Come on come on come on come on! Grr. Still no internet.
TV over the weekend
- Saw the Home Alone marathon on Star Movies. Can't believe how cute Macaulay Culkin used to be. Am going to see his druggie gay portrayal in Party Monster soon. Woohoo!
- All about boob reduction, liposuction, and midget Mahal gets botox-ed! This starlet had a breast reduction operation because her breats were so heavy--of course she didn't think about that when she had silicone injections done some time before. Gah! Stupid.
- I love Who's Line! I love Who's Line!
There, I think that's enough for now.
Friday, March 26, 2004
passion
It is the dead of night, and the man on the screen is agonizing over something. It is an agony that has a physical manifestation and it is clear that he is weakened. This is Mel Gibson's version of the Agony in the Garden, and Jim Caviezel plays Jesus Christ, his blue eyes digitally altered to brown in each scene to match the more probable eye color of the Judaean Christ. The resulting color is a strange red-brown, which also makes for an ethereal effect for the Son of Man.
The movie intersperses the last hours of Jesus' life--the Passion--and scattered flashbacks about his life. There are many poignant memories, from the happy moments during Jesus' carpenter years, to Mary's memories of Jesus as a child, and Mary Magdalene's flashback of Jesus' saving her from the angry mob. Although these are touching, the centerpiece of the movie is the trek from Gethsemane to Golgotha and how Gibson did not pull any punches in depicting what I believe is a more accurate rendition of Jesus' agony than the Lenten passion plays that I have seen in the past.
Caviezel gives what seems to be a more fitting portrayal of the Christ in His last hours on earth--tormented, physically tortured, bloody, on the verge of passing out. The actor went through something befitting Lenten pentitent rites rather than the filming of a movie. He was accidently struck twice during the scourging at the pillar and he experienced tremendous pain, making him appreciate all that Jesus went through, which, historians and mystics say, was anything between 100 to 5,000 beatings. He also was struck by lightning and experienced hypothermia while shooting the Crucifixion. I'm glad that the producers chose relatively non-Hollywood actors to portray these characters--thereby adding a little solemnity and also showcasing that it's a global effort, since Christianity and Catholicism are in fact global religions. (Of course it could all be a marketing ploy for worldwide box office, to cast local celebrities.) Monica Bellucci is great as Mary Magdalene, as is Claudia Gerini, who plays Pilate's wife. Hristo Jivkov's John is young and emotional, someone whom we can easily believe was Jesus' beloved disciple. However, it is Maia Morgenstern's soulful eyes and expressive face that take us from the mirth of Jesus' carpentering days (a wonderful mother-son vignette) to her hesitation to look upon her son carrying His cross until He stumbles and her mother's instinct kicks in. Aside from the brutailty of the punishment inflicted on Jesus, her motherly reactions were what caused me to be in tears through about half of the movie. And of course my lachrymal-challenged eyes are tearing up just now while remembering the scenes from the movie.
Other comments have been about how Satan looks like a woman, anti-Semitism, and the extreme gore and violence. The portrayal of Satan as androgynous is not cause for concern (Satan is actually played by a woman, Rosalinda Celentano, who is made to look like Sean Patrick Flannery's Powder)--this seems to be only reflective of the true, non-gender-specific nature, not only of Satan, but of his ultimate sire, God. After all, Satan was once an angel, made in the image and likeness of God. The anti-Semitism is simply not there: after all, Jesus, Mary, Mary Magdalene, his disciples--they were all Jews. It was pre-ordained, after all, that He was to die. If anything, Pontius Pilate was treated almost sympathetically in the picture when otherwise he is depicted as a monstrous man. Herod, meanwhile, doesn't stray very far from the 'Jesus Christ Superstar' portrayal of Herod, with a rotund figure surrounded by hedonistic images.
As for the extreme gore and violence, I think that it was not uncalled-for. Obviously, times were more brutal then, especially to people who could be considered rabble-rousers and threats to Roman domination and general "pax". Furthermore, remembering the staunch Catholic that Mel Gibson is, I think he figured he had artistic license to show the intense physical and mental anguish that Jesus went through for what was supposedly our salvation.
This movie makes you think, and cry. I've held on to the notion that for a movie to be good, it simply has to entertain. This film did not entertain me in the least bit--it was gory, it was a story that I already knew by heart since I was a child--but this was not an ordinary movie. I know I said previously that if fantasy were your religion, LoTR would have been High Mass. This is High Mass in itself, a moving journey through the Stations of the Cross that serves as our reminder of our faith. I will not, however, step down from my convictions that it is entirely possible that there was another side to the Bible story--that Jesus could have been married to Mary Magdalene, that Mary may have had other children aside from Jesus--and one of them could have been John, that the Holy Grail legends linked to Jesus' bloodline may be true. That does not diminish my faith in any way.
I cannot say that I liked this movie because I was a Christian, or Catholic. What I do know is that I have a different outlook on the sufferings that Jesus went through because I had always kept in the back of my mind that he was the Son of God--nurtured, without a doubt, by all those previous depictions of the Passion, wherein Jesus was pristine and serene throughout the last few hours of his life. This could not have been true, because although He was the Son of God, He was also human; and seriously, no human could go through all the tortures listed in the Bible without tremendous willpower, and maybe a touch of the divine. Gnu said something about Monica Belucci and Claudia Gerini's looks. I, meanwhile, am more concerned with the person behind the camera. Mel Gibson has succeeded, if only to make Jesus the gist of talk shows and the news once more. He has made a pretty damn good film in the process.
[Shout-out to JojoBee who provided the free tickets and thanks to Ch. and the nameless girl who turned down Gnu's date requests. I still maintain that contrary to Bespren D's jabs, that was not a date.]
The movie intersperses the last hours of Jesus' life--the Passion--and scattered flashbacks about his life. There are many poignant memories, from the happy moments during Jesus' carpenter years, to Mary's memories of Jesus as a child, and Mary Magdalene's flashback of Jesus' saving her from the angry mob. Although these are touching, the centerpiece of the movie is the trek from Gethsemane to Golgotha and how Gibson did not pull any punches in depicting what I believe is a more accurate rendition of Jesus' agony than the Lenten passion plays that I have seen in the past.
Caviezel gives what seems to be a more fitting portrayal of the Christ in His last hours on earth--tormented, physically tortured, bloody, on the verge of passing out. The actor went through something befitting Lenten pentitent rites rather than the filming of a movie. He was accidently struck twice during the scourging at the pillar and he experienced tremendous pain, making him appreciate all that Jesus went through, which, historians and mystics say, was anything between 100 to 5,000 beatings. He also was struck by lightning and experienced hypothermia while shooting the Crucifixion. I'm glad that the producers chose relatively non-Hollywood actors to portray these characters--thereby adding a little solemnity and also showcasing that it's a global effort, since Christianity and Catholicism are in fact global religions. (Of course it could all be a marketing ploy for worldwide box office, to cast local celebrities.) Monica Bellucci is great as Mary Magdalene, as is Claudia Gerini, who plays Pilate's wife. Hristo Jivkov's John is young and emotional, someone whom we can easily believe was Jesus' beloved disciple. However, it is Maia Morgenstern's soulful eyes and expressive face that take us from the mirth of Jesus' carpentering days (a wonderful mother-son vignette) to her hesitation to look upon her son carrying His cross until He stumbles and her mother's instinct kicks in. Aside from the brutailty of the punishment inflicted on Jesus, her motherly reactions were what caused me to be in tears through about half of the movie. And of course my lachrymal-challenged eyes are tearing up just now while remembering the scenes from the movie.
Other comments have been about how Satan looks like a woman, anti-Semitism, and the extreme gore and violence. The portrayal of Satan as androgynous is not cause for concern (Satan is actually played by a woman, Rosalinda Celentano, who is made to look like Sean Patrick Flannery's Powder)--this seems to be only reflective of the true, non-gender-specific nature, not only of Satan, but of his ultimate sire, God. After all, Satan was once an angel, made in the image and likeness of God. The anti-Semitism is simply not there: after all, Jesus, Mary, Mary Magdalene, his disciples--they were all Jews. It was pre-ordained, after all, that He was to die. If anything, Pontius Pilate was treated almost sympathetically in the picture when otherwise he is depicted as a monstrous man. Herod, meanwhile, doesn't stray very far from the 'Jesus Christ Superstar' portrayal of Herod, with a rotund figure surrounded by hedonistic images.
As for the extreme gore and violence, I think that it was not uncalled-for. Obviously, times were more brutal then, especially to people who could be considered rabble-rousers and threats to Roman domination and general "pax". Furthermore, remembering the staunch Catholic that Mel Gibson is, I think he figured he had artistic license to show the intense physical and mental anguish that Jesus went through for what was supposedly our salvation.
This movie makes you think, and cry. I've held on to the notion that for a movie to be good, it simply has to entertain. This film did not entertain me in the least bit--it was gory, it was a story that I already knew by heart since I was a child--but this was not an ordinary movie. I know I said previously that if fantasy were your religion, LoTR would have been High Mass. This is High Mass in itself, a moving journey through the Stations of the Cross that serves as our reminder of our faith. I will not, however, step down from my convictions that it is entirely possible that there was another side to the Bible story--that Jesus could have been married to Mary Magdalene, that Mary may have had other children aside from Jesus--and one of them could have been John, that the Holy Grail legends linked to Jesus' bloodline may be true. That does not diminish my faith in any way.
I cannot say that I liked this movie because I was a Christian, or Catholic. What I do know is that I have a different outlook on the sufferings that Jesus went through because I had always kept in the back of my mind that he was the Son of God--nurtured, without a doubt, by all those previous depictions of the Passion, wherein Jesus was pristine and serene throughout the last few hours of his life. This could not have been true, because although He was the Son of God, He was also human; and seriously, no human could go through all the tortures listed in the Bible without tremendous willpower, and maybe a touch of the divine. Gnu said something about Monica Belucci and Claudia Gerini's looks. I, meanwhile, am more concerned with the person behind the camera. Mel Gibson has succeeded, if only to make Jesus the gist of talk shows and the news once more. He has made a pretty damn good film in the process.
[Shout-out to JojoBee who provided the free tickets and thanks to Ch. and the nameless girl who turned down Gnu's date requests. I still maintain that contrary to Bespren D's jabs, that was not a date.]
Thursday, March 25, 2004
the great equalizer--not!
You hear about all these celebrities having babies--Catherine Zeta-Jones, Kate Hudson, Cate Blanchett (notice anything there? is Kathy Bates is the next in line?), Gwyneth Paltrow, Courteney Cox... even David Letterman is "another old guy with a baby." It warms your heart--they're human after all. Maybe it's nice to think that they have to stop going vegan and start actually consuming dairy!
However, if you think pregnancy and having a baby would be a great equalizer (mom's fantasy: stopping Reese Witherspoon in the street and discussing how to change diapers)--think again. According to E! Online's How to Have An A-List Infant, these celebs are leagues beyond your reach. Of course we already have Baby Dior and Kenzo here--but who do you know would dress their kids in $200-cashmere sweaters from Larucci? Maybe the Marcoses. At the height of their power. Seriously. Sara Jessica Parker's baby's teddy bear (apparently cashmere is the fabric of choice) is worth $195.
And boy, although we of the masses swear by Gracco strollers (at PhP7,000 a pop, a mere $125), the baby carriages of choice are Bugaboo Frog strollers, suggested retail price $1,228. Ummm.... let's see... it would take me three months to be able to buy that stroller. Two if I wouldn't spend on anything else. Bravo. At least I can afford a silver spoon.
However, if you think pregnancy and having a baby would be a great equalizer (mom's fantasy: stopping Reese Witherspoon in the street and discussing how to change diapers)--think again. According to E! Online's How to Have An A-List Infant, these celebs are leagues beyond your reach. Of course we already have Baby Dior and Kenzo here--but who do you know would dress their kids in $200-cashmere sweaters from Larucci? Maybe the Marcoses. At the height of their power. Seriously. Sara Jessica Parker's baby's teddy bear (apparently cashmere is the fabric of choice) is worth $195.
And boy, although we of the masses swear by Gracco strollers (at PhP7,000 a pop, a mere $125), the baby carriages of choice are Bugaboo Frog strollers, suggested retail price $1,228. Ummm.... let's see... it would take me three months to be able to buy that stroller. Two if I wouldn't spend on anything else. Bravo. At least I can afford a silver spoon.
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Save Angel!
Some changes in the right window pane--I've removed the referrals list since it was already taken offline (will no longer be glad to note that I have been visited from random thoughts or quite wicked).
Also a new button, linked to SavingAngel.Org. If it can be done then we must exhaust all means to do it. Please visit the site if you're interested, we in the boondocks of the Philippines, limited by the peso-dollar exchange rate, can help by sending emails out to daily target recipients, although I don't know if they do change the target recipients every day. I'm glad that people have come up with this, though. Although shows like Friends and Frasier may have run their course, I definitely don't think Angel has.
Also a new button, linked to SavingAngel.Org. If it can be done then we must exhaust all means to do it. Please visit the site if you're interested, we in the boondocks of the Philippines, limited by the peso-dollar exchange rate, can help by sending emails out to daily target recipients, although I don't know if they do change the target recipients every day. I'm glad that people have come up with this, though. Although shows like Friends and Frasier may have run their course, I definitely don't think Angel has.
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
demerit increase
My boss discussed my merit increase with me today. Depressing. The whole office, actually. The percentage increase in my salary for this year is half of the percentage increase I got last year. Utterly depressing, considering that I'm supposed to be employee of the year and everything. Oh well.
My weekly horoscope seems to have been right:
Pluto decides to turn retrograde this week, which may have an effect on the way you view your personal finances. Rather than trying to make more wealth, you could be more willing to find out where your attitude may have been letting you down. It is possible that in some ways you have been your own worst enemy, where your money is concerned. If you can get out of your own way, you might actually begin to do very well.
Well maybe it really is a matter of changing the way I think and the way I do things. I guess there has to be less focus on the acquisition of "things". I'm glad though, that I've still been able to save every month. Although the increase isn't sizable, well, I still have to count my blessings because other companies didn't give increases. However, I did murmur an oath a few days ago that if I got an increase lower than (x amount), I would actively start looking for other employment. Maybe this is the sign that I've been waiting for to start me down my road away from this fun-filled but miserly company.
I also confirmed that my cube-neighbor is earning a sizable amount more than I am. Oh well. Shut up, green-eyed monster and feelings of inadequacy. I am a hollow reed... trouble blows through me like the wind...
My weekly horoscope seems to have been right:
Pluto decides to turn retrograde this week, which may have an effect on the way you view your personal finances. Rather than trying to make more wealth, you could be more willing to find out where your attitude may have been letting you down. It is possible that in some ways you have been your own worst enemy, where your money is concerned. If you can get out of your own way, you might actually begin to do very well.
Well maybe it really is a matter of changing the way I think and the way I do things. I guess there has to be less focus on the acquisition of "things". I'm glad though, that I've still been able to save every month. Although the increase isn't sizable, well, I still have to count my blessings because other companies didn't give increases. However, I did murmur an oath a few days ago that if I got an increase lower than (x amount), I would actively start looking for other employment. Maybe this is the sign that I've been waiting for to start me down my road away from this fun-filled but miserly company.
I also confirmed that my cube-neighbor is earning a sizable amount more than I am. Oh well. Shut up, green-eyed monster and feelings of inadequacy. I am a hollow reed... trouble blows through me like the wind...
Saturday, March 20, 2004
outdated
I checked the homepage of my Ravings YahooGroup earlier today and found that I had forgotten that I had posted a picture of papa Legolas, the Caradhras pic that was one of my first LoTR downloads. Heehee. Must post a better picture, although Legolas is not unworthy.
Friday, March 19, 2004
in search of the sang real
I just had to make time to read The Da Vinci Code. I figured I would not be considered a genuine bookworm if I had not read this much-praised thriller by Dan Brown. Even my sister, buried in law books in her final term and pre-bar reviews, made this her leisure time-out. What made the book so special? I decided to find out.
The book begins with a murder, that of Jacques Sauniere, whose name sounds vaguely familiar. It is a cold-blooded murder carried out by a killer who is an outcast and a physical aberration, driven by holy quest. Sauniere, who is curator at the Louvre, a prominent Parisian, is mortally wounded but not killed, leaving him enough time to leave a series of clues for cryptologist Sophie Neveu and famed Harvard "symbologist" Robert Langdon (protagonist of the hit-and-miss Angels and Demons) to seek out the secret that he has been zealously guarding for a clandestine organization that has its roots in the Crusades and includes such distinguished members as Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, and Leonardo da Vinci.
Brown leads us in a series of exciting twists and turns, that, because it is more than a murder mystery and involves historical and religious intricacies instead of military or political plots, intrigues us all the more. It is definitely a fascinating page-turner, for which I sacrificed quite a few hours of sleep. He weaves a solid yarn which has already been evidenced by the bestseller status of the book.
Questions arise, though. Is there really a Symbology class at Harvard? It seems that before this novel, symbology ("the art of expressing by symbols") has been in use particularly in the discrimination of bar codes and aircraft panel displays. Is there an Harvard subject? And who are the experts in this field? Also, this book generates some controversy regarding that already somewhat controversial Catholic organization called the Opus Dei, which is a personal prelature of Pope John Paul II. The Opus Dei are featured as Catholic extremists; countless stories about which I have also heard even before reading this book. However, this work must be taken as what it is, a work of fiction. In Dan Brown's story, there is a new Pope, and the Opus Dei is led by a man named Aringarosa. All of Dan Brown's various theories presented must be taken with a grain of salt for what it is--fiction.
That's all this book is: a fictional representation of various theories surrounding the Holy Grail. Of these various theories, I was most intrigued by the so-called symbology regarding certain objets d'art, although some of this I have also heard before. I find that the people who extol this book's innovation the most are those people who have not encountered the various Grail theories. I'm sure that some people have gasped when the Sangreal was translated from San Greal (Holy Grail) to Sang Real (Royal Blood). Yes, I've known this for about ten years, I think. It was then that I read Holy Blood, Holy Grail, one of Brown's major references, which traces the Holy Grail theory through to the Priory of Sion and Rennes-le-Chateau. Someone has even pointed out that Leigh Teabing, a scholar-friend of Robert Langdon, is a reference to Richard Leigh and Michael Baigent (anagram of Teabing), who wrote Holy Blood, Holy Grail.
But it is true that documents have been unearthed about the Priory of Sion--their validity, though, might be in doubt. It is true that Leonardo da Vinci was a complicated, driven artist whose works seem to have various mystical references. It is true that there are theories regarding the banishment of the Church of the Mother-Goddess religions in favor of a patriarchal view. If any, it is my curiosity into this last item that was piqued with my reading of The Da Vinci Code. I've always been interested in the background of Goddess worship, but it seems that my previous readings on the Grail have not unearthed a link to the Goddess.
I did get something out of this book. It was solid reading and quite fun. However, most of it is not new to me, and so, for me, this novel is a good re-telling in more layman's terms of the various theories that I've already read about, a good thriller, but save for the Goddess angle, nothing I haven't heard before. The search for the Holy Grail, even the Holy Blood--San Greal or Sang Real it may be--continues, but on the whole, these remain to be questions that mostly delve into the question of the Christian faith. Maybe it will lead you to doubt, but perhaps, too, it will only make it stronger. Jesus, the Christ, was a great Man. That, I believe.
The book begins with a murder, that of Jacques Sauniere, whose name sounds vaguely familiar. It is a cold-blooded murder carried out by a killer who is an outcast and a physical aberration, driven by holy quest. Sauniere, who is curator at the Louvre, a prominent Parisian, is mortally wounded but not killed, leaving him enough time to leave a series of clues for cryptologist Sophie Neveu and famed Harvard "symbologist" Robert Langdon (protagonist of the hit-and-miss Angels and Demons) to seek out the secret that he has been zealously guarding for a clandestine organization that has its roots in the Crusades and includes such distinguished members as Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, and Leonardo da Vinci.
Brown leads us in a series of exciting twists and turns, that, because it is more than a murder mystery and involves historical and religious intricacies instead of military or political plots, intrigues us all the more. It is definitely a fascinating page-turner, for which I sacrificed quite a few hours of sleep. He weaves a solid yarn which has already been evidenced by the bestseller status of the book.
Questions arise, though. Is there really a Symbology class at Harvard? It seems that before this novel, symbology ("the art of expressing by symbols") has been in use particularly in the discrimination of bar codes and aircraft panel displays. Is there an Harvard subject? And who are the experts in this field? Also, this book generates some controversy regarding that already somewhat controversial Catholic organization called the Opus Dei, which is a personal prelature of Pope John Paul II. The Opus Dei are featured as Catholic extremists; countless stories about which I have also heard even before reading this book. However, this work must be taken as what it is, a work of fiction. In Dan Brown's story, there is a new Pope, and the Opus Dei is led by a man named Aringarosa. All of Dan Brown's various theories presented must be taken with a grain of salt for what it is--fiction.
That's all this book is: a fictional representation of various theories surrounding the Holy Grail. Of these various theories, I was most intrigued by the so-called symbology regarding certain objets d'art, although some of this I have also heard before. I find that the people who extol this book's innovation the most are those people who have not encountered the various Grail theories. I'm sure that some people have gasped when the Sangreal was translated from San Greal (Holy Grail) to Sang Real (Royal Blood). Yes, I've known this for about ten years, I think. It was then that I read Holy Blood, Holy Grail, one of Brown's major references, which traces the Holy Grail theory through to the Priory of Sion and Rennes-le-Chateau. Someone has even pointed out that Leigh Teabing, a scholar-friend of Robert Langdon, is a reference to Richard Leigh and Michael Baigent (anagram of Teabing), who wrote Holy Blood, Holy Grail.
But it is true that documents have been unearthed about the Priory of Sion--their validity, though, might be in doubt. It is true that Leonardo da Vinci was a complicated, driven artist whose works seem to have various mystical references. It is true that there are theories regarding the banishment of the Church of the Mother-Goddess religions in favor of a patriarchal view. If any, it is my curiosity into this last item that was piqued with my reading of The Da Vinci Code. I've always been interested in the background of Goddess worship, but it seems that my previous readings on the Grail have not unearthed a link to the Goddess.
I did get something out of this book. It was solid reading and quite fun. However, most of it is not new to me, and so, for me, this novel is a good re-telling in more layman's terms of the various theories that I've already read about, a good thriller, but save for the Goddess angle, nothing I haven't heard before. The search for the Holy Grail, even the Holy Blood--San Greal or Sang Real it may be--continues, but on the whole, these remain to be questions that mostly delve into the question of the Christian faith. Maybe it will lead you to doubt, but perhaps, too, it will only make it stronger. Jesus, the Christ, was a great Man. That, I believe.
Thursday, March 18, 2004
lightbulb moment
Am in the midst of reading The Da Vinci Code. Last night I was struck by an idea, as in a wouldn't-that-make-a-great-story idea, while I was in the shower. I seem to get some of my best thinking in the shower. [Sidestory: In High School, we had a term project for Geometry. We would be assigned the end-of-chapter problems in the book and we were supposed to present our proof. I was assigned a problem from one of the last chapters because Mr. Cortez said I could do it. Bravo. It was really hard. The day before submission I still didn't have the solution. And then suddenly it hit me. In the shower. Wonderful. The maids were laughing at me because I was talking to myself in the shower--something short of "Eureka!"]
Anyway, last night I thought of a possible storyline which I hadn't encountered before and which I'm sure Dan Brown, with his penchant for intertwining suspense with historical conspiracy theories, would do a good job translating into a story. Of course since I was in the shower, I didn't write this down, and after, since I was still engrossed with The Da Vinci Code, I didn't write it down. Of course when I woke up this morning I remembered that I had thsi brilliant idea last night. I just couldn't remember what it was. Came to the office still thinking hard, and I wrote down some major ideas of the book--the Holy Grail, the Knights Templar--but I still couldn't remember it.
I do now. Do you know when I remembered? When I started writing about it just now. Brilliant the way this weird mind of mine works.
[Will write about the Da Vinci code tomorrow. Sometimes the events are analogous to the Rambaldi storyline of Alias.]
yet another three of a kind
Today the three of a kind featured Michael Johnson. Whenever I go to work and that three of a kind thing is playing in the car, I know that we've left late. Anyway, I didn't realize I knew these Michael Johnson songs too. I guess I've been hearing them a lot and my subconscious has picked up on them.
The first song was Bluer Than Blue: "bluer than blue, sadder than sad/you're the only light this empty room has ever had" Eek! How explicitly sentimental and so unlike the songs that I prefer. I didn't know the second song, which was Doors; it went something like "what can I say beisdes I'm sorry/What can I say to change your mind". And of course the last song I seemed to know from the opening strains of "standing by my window, listening for your call/guess i really miss you after all" up to "I still, I will love you..." (that's I'll Always Love You in case you aren't aware)
Ahh all these senti songs plucking at your heartstrings. I guess love songs really do have more meaning when you're in love, but in the meantime (where I am stuck right now), I don't have any taste for them. Come to think of it, even when I was in a relationship I preferred the more stirring Corrs songs like Runaway and Hopelessly Addicted, or the sweet Power of Two by the Indigo Girls to all this love mishmash. Oh well.
Anyway, last night I thought of a possible storyline which I hadn't encountered before and which I'm sure Dan Brown, with his penchant for intertwining suspense with historical conspiracy theories, would do a good job translating into a story. Of course since I was in the shower, I didn't write this down, and after, since I was still engrossed with The Da Vinci Code, I didn't write it down. Of course when I woke up this morning I remembered that I had thsi brilliant idea last night. I just couldn't remember what it was. Came to the office still thinking hard, and I wrote down some major ideas of the book--the Holy Grail, the Knights Templar--but I still couldn't remember it.
I do now. Do you know when I remembered? When I started writing about it just now. Brilliant the way this weird mind of mine works.
[Will write about the Da Vinci code tomorrow. Sometimes the events are analogous to the Rambaldi storyline of Alias.]
yet another three of a kind
Today the three of a kind featured Michael Johnson. Whenever I go to work and that three of a kind thing is playing in the car, I know that we've left late. Anyway, I didn't realize I knew these Michael Johnson songs too. I guess I've been hearing them a lot and my subconscious has picked up on them.
The first song was Bluer Than Blue: "bluer than blue, sadder than sad/you're the only light this empty room has ever had" Eek! How explicitly sentimental and so unlike the songs that I prefer. I didn't know the second song, which was Doors; it went something like "what can I say beisdes I'm sorry/What can I say to change your mind". And of course the last song I seemed to know from the opening strains of "standing by my window, listening for your call/guess i really miss you after all" up to "I still, I will love you..." (that's I'll Always Love You in case you aren't aware)
Ahh all these senti songs plucking at your heartstrings. I guess love songs really do have more meaning when you're in love, but in the meantime (where I am stuck right now), I don't have any taste for them. Come to think of it, even when I was in a relationship I preferred the more stirring Corrs songs like Runaway and Hopelessly Addicted, or the sweet Power of Two by the Indigo Girls to all this love mishmash. Oh well.
Wednesday, March 17, 2004
yehey #1
Am watching The Passion of The Christ! This Saturday! At Megamall (ay). Sorry I don't really like going to Megamall, especially on weekends. Am sure glad it isn't payday weekend anymore.
BUT! AMGOINGTOWATCHTHEPASSION! Whoopee! Thanks to JojoBee who gave the tickets to Gnu and thanks to the two girls who didn't want to go out with Gnu (hehe). (serious face) This is NOT a date. Seriously, is The Passion a date movie? Duhh! It's just like the only other movie that Gnu and I watched together (just the two of us), Elizabeth. All serious and thought-provoking and historical. So NOT Serendipity.
Yahoo! Have I mentioned I'm watching The Passion of The Christ on Saturday (two weeks before playdate here) and FOR FREE?
Teehee.
yehey #2
I have new wallpaper, it's cute cute James Marsters seemingly doing another James (Dean, that is), with a year-calendar so it's practical! Replaces the Troy promo wallpaper on my desktop. (It's taking so darn long for this movie to show!) Thanks to cousinjean, and thanks indirectly to Free Vampire Porn's amyslayer.
BUT! AMGOINGTOWATCHTHEPASSION! Whoopee! Thanks to JojoBee who gave the tickets to Gnu and thanks to the two girls who didn't want to go out with Gnu (hehe). (serious face) This is NOT a date. Seriously, is The Passion a date movie? Duhh! It's just like the only other movie that Gnu and I watched together (just the two of us), Elizabeth. All serious and thought-provoking and historical. So NOT Serendipity.
Yahoo! Have I mentioned I'm watching The Passion of The Christ on Saturday (two weeks before playdate here) and FOR FREE?
Teehee.
yehey #2
I have new wallpaper, it's cute cute James Marsters seemingly doing another James (Dean, that is), with a year-calendar so it's practical! Replaces the Troy promo wallpaper on my desktop. (It's taking so darn long for this movie to show!) Thanks to cousinjean, and thanks indirectly to Free Vampire Porn's amyslayer.
a brush with chinese numerology
Find out your personal and employment characteristics and ideal job.
I was actually nodding as I was reading this. It seemed so true! Until, of course, I got to the last few lines: "Ri has an abundance of energy which is best released in competitive sport. She is also suited to careers such as the Armed Forces, farming, and adventurous activities like rock climbing or mountaineering." MWAHAHAHAHA! How fitting for non-sports-loving sedentary me!
Anyway, among the points which generated my nodding were the following:
"Although Ri may have taken a considerable time to reach maturity, she is nevertheless a quick thinker whose ideas change as rapidly as her conversation. She's an individual who wants to be liked, and as such finds it hard to refuse requests. For the same reason she dislikes arguments, and wherever possible will compromise to avoid conflict. Not the sort of individual to be employed in litigation, but excellent in mediation."
"Ri will find life's lessons hard to learn. She will suffer from loss (of possessions or those she loves) before questioning the cause of that loss. It is likely that Ri will develop a faith of some sort, and although it need not necessarily be a religious faith, it will nevertheless be something that she holds onto against all the evidence. Potential employers need to find out what that faith entails." I'm still trying to find that though.
"Well-balanced, with an understanding and compassionate nature, Ri is a natural leader who can inspire others. But she needs a certain amount of freedom at work and at home. With a compassionate and caring nature, and with the ability to get on well with others, Ri will be a strong member of any team and will provide solid inspiration and support to her colleagues." Wow! Natural leader daw ako!
And the best: "Ri has no long-term objectives. She lacks the methodical approach to organising her life, and is inclined to scupper her plans before they materialise." not to mention "Ri will make some money and enjoy a reasonable standard of living." Yun na! My dilly-dallying is predetermined after all! And I am destined not to be rich, just reasonably comfortable. Oh well.
Too bad this is mostly about employment. Isn't there anything about lovelife? Whapak!
Thanks to mariashanelle for this (being Chinese herself). Very informative.
I was actually nodding as I was reading this. It seemed so true! Until, of course, I got to the last few lines: "Ri has an abundance of energy which is best released in competitive sport. She is also suited to careers such as the Armed Forces, farming, and adventurous activities like rock climbing or mountaineering." MWAHAHAHAHA! How fitting for non-sports-loving sedentary me!
Anyway, among the points which generated my nodding were the following:
"Although Ri may have taken a considerable time to reach maturity, she is nevertheless a quick thinker whose ideas change as rapidly as her conversation. She's an individual who wants to be liked, and as such finds it hard to refuse requests. For the same reason she dislikes arguments, and wherever possible will compromise to avoid conflict. Not the sort of individual to be employed in litigation, but excellent in mediation."
"Ri will find life's lessons hard to learn. She will suffer from loss (of possessions or those she loves) before questioning the cause of that loss. It is likely that Ri will develop a faith of some sort, and although it need not necessarily be a religious faith, it will nevertheless be something that she holds onto against all the evidence. Potential employers need to find out what that faith entails." I'm still trying to find that though.
"Well-balanced, with an understanding and compassionate nature, Ri is a natural leader who can inspire others. But she needs a certain amount of freedom at work and at home. With a compassionate and caring nature, and with the ability to get on well with others, Ri will be a strong member of any team and will provide solid inspiration and support to her colleagues." Wow! Natural leader daw ako!
And the best: "Ri has no long-term objectives. She lacks the methodical approach to organising her life, and is inclined to scupper her plans before they materialise." not to mention "Ri will make some money and enjoy a reasonable standard of living." Yun na! My dilly-dallying is predetermined after all! And I am destined not to be rich, just reasonably comfortable. Oh well.
Too bad this is mostly about employment. Isn't there anything about lovelife? Whapak!
Thanks to mariashanelle for this (being Chinese herself). Very informative.
save angel now!
Kristin of E! Online reports on their Save One Show campaign, where the overwhelming results (85% of 400,000 E! Onliners, myself included) were in favor of the WB's Angel. She cites valid reasons, best of which is that it is one of the best dramas on television today (I so agree) and that the new dynamic, which includes (spoiler alert) James Marsters' Spike (and Gunn is a lawyer!) is definitely working. I really hope that WB or UPN do something about the cancellation of Angel, since (another of Kristin's reasons) Joss and the ME crew haven't had enough time to prepare for a decent sendoff. And I think this show definitely deserves one.
As Kristin says, "It's never too late to do the right thing. Save Angel, and you'll be a hero to millions of fans around the world (and one lowly tube maven who'll never be the same without it)." Neither will we, Kristin.
moore of the same
That was a bad pun. Anyway, on the way to work, Dad's default station (WRock 96.3) was having a "Three of a Kind" where they would play three songs by the same singer consecutively. Today it was Mandy Moore. Since the trip from home to the office only takes a maximum of ten minutes I only got to catch the first two songs, which were Only Hope and Cry both from the movie A Walk to Remember. I totally liked that movie, except for the slight distraction that was Mandy Moore's over-expressive, over-acting, pouty lips. Let's have some economy of lip-motion, shall we, girl?
Anyway, I just realized that I knew practically all the lyrics to both these songs. Argh! How masa-pop! So I lay my head back down/And I lift my hands and pray/to be only yours... Heeheehee...
thoughts over a cup of 3-in-1
Just had warm coffee (Nescafe 3 in 1) with half a packet of Fat Free Swiss Miss French Vanilla--felt like spicing it up. Am still sleepy, though. Apparently caffeine has an opposite effect on me compared to the majority. I'm actually sleepier now than I was when I started drinking. Oh well. It's funny how we're all drinking warm drinks (Sir N. also has a cup of coffee, and Maleen and I went to the pantry together, she for her Swiss Miss with Marshmallows-yum!), when outside it's quite sweltering. Love airconditioning. Julio is putting on a jacket. A wonderful sleep-inducing cool 20 degrees here in the office. I'm so spoiled here that this has to be replicated outside, thereby racking up electric bills at home or necessitating trips to the mall.
However, I do think that the constantly cool climate to which I am exposed has played a major factor in slowing down my metabolism and contributed to my already-sedentary lifestyle. Oh well. You can't have it all.
As Kristin says, "It's never too late to do the right thing. Save Angel, and you'll be a hero to millions of fans around the world (and one lowly tube maven who'll never be the same without it)." Neither will we, Kristin.
moore of the same
That was a bad pun. Anyway, on the way to work, Dad's default station (WRock 96.3) was having a "Three of a Kind" where they would play three songs by the same singer consecutively. Today it was Mandy Moore. Since the trip from home to the office only takes a maximum of ten minutes I only got to catch the first two songs, which were Only Hope and Cry both from the movie A Walk to Remember. I totally liked that movie, except for the slight distraction that was Mandy Moore's over-expressive, over-acting, pouty lips. Let's have some economy of lip-motion, shall we, girl?
Anyway, I just realized that I knew practically all the lyrics to both these songs. Argh! How masa-pop! So I lay my head back down/And I lift my hands and pray/to be only yours... Heeheehee...
thoughts over a cup of 3-in-1
Just had warm coffee (Nescafe 3 in 1) with half a packet of Fat Free Swiss Miss French Vanilla--felt like spicing it up. Am still sleepy, though. Apparently caffeine has an opposite effect on me compared to the majority. I'm actually sleepier now than I was when I started drinking. Oh well. It's funny how we're all drinking warm drinks (Sir N. also has a cup of coffee, and Maleen and I went to the pantry together, she for her Swiss Miss with Marshmallows-yum!), when outside it's quite sweltering. Love airconditioning. Julio is putting on a jacket. A wonderful sleep-inducing cool 20 degrees here in the office. I'm so spoiled here that this has to be replicated outside, thereby racking up electric bills at home or necessitating trips to the mall.
However, I do think that the constantly cool climate to which I am exposed has played a major factor in slowing down my metabolism and contributed to my already-sedentary lifestyle. Oh well. You can't have it all.
Sunday, March 14, 2004
weekend warrior
Yesterday was spent first at DnA's preparations. The gelpren and I helped D along with choosing pictures for the video presentation. Met D's dog Hugo again. I used to be quite annoyed with him because he'd sniff all around my feet and hump occasionally. He still does that but because I'm with Paavo a whole lot more I think I'm more understanding towards man's best friend. I think I actually like dogs and on more than one occasion I've petted the bomb-sniffing dogs at the office lobby. These creatures do bring out a caring bone in people and I understand their affinity for these animals.
Back to the wedding preparations. It was funny how A had so much more pictures than D and he was the guy. Well it really stems from the fact that the first child (between siblings of the same gender) usually has a lot more pictures than the younger children. I've seen that in my own family. My younger sisters used to continually complain that their pictures used to fit in just a couple of albums while mine filled a considerably larger amount of space. Maybe parents are really just trigger-happy for their oldest kids and then get somewhat tired with the latter. Of course with the first child, you have a lot of excitement--not to mention that with younger children, you have to take care of both already, divided time and everything. The pictures ranged from baby pictures to our most recent outings. I'm so glad that I've been a part of these people's lives.
The boys (well some of them at least, including A's dad) were fitted for their traditional barongs. It's funny that our national outfit actually started out as a means for discriminating against Filipinos. I am such a mean person: I actually thought the person fitting them for the barongs was a girl! A dyke, to be more specific. I am such an arse. He was actually a man!
The afternoon was spent waiting for the car and then at RnJ's wedding. RnJ are both officemates who have been together for quite some time although they've had to bide their time because of J's pending annulment from her husband. Now that her first marriage had been annulled, it was now possible for her to marry R, who seems to be the love of her life. I used to be inspired by their story because like D and myself before, R is younger than J by about four years. Well, anyway, their love still inspires me, but of course D and I are no longer together. Took dozens of pictures--more than a hundred, actually. A fun time was had by all, despite the fact that the girls who rode with me and I were late.
Today we had lunch at Rommel's kitchen. Rommel is my friend's chef boyfriend (a friend too) who has a catering business, among others, and whips up mean dishes (his being a chef and all) in this kitchen at the back of Karrivin Plaza on Pasong Tamo Extension. We had a terrific meal made by Rommel's hands and including Pi and M's KFC takeout. [To anyone who's interested, let me know (tag, email or text me).] It was the first time I had been in a (sort-of) industrial kitchen. It was nice watching him cook and taking in all the smells--the garlic, the herbs, the marinated and grilling meat. It was a feast for the senses, especially but not limited to taste. I also met new people, am always glad for that opportunity.
Bespren J and I went over to Harrison Plaza afterward. J finds the Seattle's Best in the new HP Village Square quite conducive for studying. Meanwhile, I searched for my priority items--the new Cosmo and Real Living magazines, an adaptor for the phone box (to plug in an extension--eek! don't tell the PLDT on me), and batteries for my digicam. Am currently charging the 2100 mAh Sanyo batteries I bought (PhP399 in the SM WorkShop--with a clueless saleslady to boot, PhP253 in Kameraworld, guess where I bought it... shame on you SM! for once you were overpriced!). I was also able to score a little gift for DnA which I will present to them after their wedding.
The weekend was fun and tiring. It being fun, though, usually cancels out the tiring. Am reminded that I only have PhP1,500 until the end of the month, though. Poor me. And no retroactive increase and/or 14th month pay in sight.
Back to the wedding preparations. It was funny how A had so much more pictures than D and he was the guy. Well it really stems from the fact that the first child (between siblings of the same gender) usually has a lot more pictures than the younger children. I've seen that in my own family. My younger sisters used to continually complain that their pictures used to fit in just a couple of albums while mine filled a considerably larger amount of space. Maybe parents are really just trigger-happy for their oldest kids and then get somewhat tired with the latter. Of course with the first child, you have a lot of excitement--not to mention that with younger children, you have to take care of both already, divided time and everything. The pictures ranged from baby pictures to our most recent outings. I'm so glad that I've been a part of these people's lives.
The boys (well some of them at least, including A's dad) were fitted for their traditional barongs. It's funny that our national outfit actually started out as a means for discriminating against Filipinos. I am such a mean person: I actually thought the person fitting them for the barongs was a girl! A dyke, to be more specific. I am such an arse. He was actually a man!
The afternoon was spent waiting for the car and then at RnJ's wedding. RnJ are both officemates who have been together for quite some time although they've had to bide their time because of J's pending annulment from her husband. Now that her first marriage had been annulled, it was now possible for her to marry R, who seems to be the love of her life. I used to be inspired by their story because like D and myself before, R is younger than J by about four years. Well, anyway, their love still inspires me, but of course D and I are no longer together. Took dozens of pictures--more than a hundred, actually. A fun time was had by all, despite the fact that the girls who rode with me and I were late.
Today we had lunch at Rommel's kitchen. Rommel is my friend's chef boyfriend (a friend too) who has a catering business, among others, and whips up mean dishes (his being a chef and all) in this kitchen at the back of Karrivin Plaza on Pasong Tamo Extension. We had a terrific meal made by Rommel's hands and including Pi and M's KFC takeout. [To anyone who's interested, let me know (tag, email or text me).] It was the first time I had been in a (sort-of) industrial kitchen. It was nice watching him cook and taking in all the smells--the garlic, the herbs, the marinated and grilling meat. It was a feast for the senses, especially but not limited to taste. I also met new people, am always glad for that opportunity.
Bespren J and I went over to Harrison Plaza afterward. J finds the Seattle's Best in the new HP Village Square quite conducive for studying. Meanwhile, I searched for my priority items--the new Cosmo and Real Living magazines, an adaptor for the phone box (to plug in an extension--eek! don't tell the PLDT on me), and batteries for my digicam. Am currently charging the 2100 mAh Sanyo batteries I bought (PhP399 in the SM WorkShop--with a clueless saleslady to boot, PhP253 in Kameraworld, guess where I bought it... shame on you SM! for once you were overpriced!). I was also able to score a little gift for DnA which I will present to them after their wedding.
The weekend was fun and tiring. It being fun, though, usually cancels out the tiring. Am reminded that I only have PhP1,500 until the end of the month, though. Poor me. And no retroactive increase and/or 14th month pay in sight.
Saturday, March 13, 2004
one night in bicutan
Bespren A was in town last night with the kids. I think the kids are growing up a wee bit spoiled although of course among the list of things you can't do is criticize people's parenting skills when you don't have kids of your own. I'm glad that Bespren J and I met up with her because we hadn't seen each other in a while (since Del's wedding last December).
Wasn't able to talk to them that much though, because I had a longish discussion with Bespren A's older brother. If I were younger (and maybe less jaded) I think I could actually have a crush on this person. Of course mentally you already cross out a person from your list based on some basic criteria: (1) sibling of a person close to you--also will forever look upon you as his little sister's friend; (2) hasn't shown the least interest in you at any time; and dead giveaway: (3) no spark whatsoever. So what made it cross my mind that he was actually crushworthy? It scares me that maybe I'm getting a bit desperate and every unattached guy over 25 who's fairly decent-looking and with whom I can carry a decent conversation becomes fair game. Pathetic.
Afterward, another blow to my wonderful lovelife. Had further proof that AB is not the person for me. Is easy to do when he and another girl are making like octopi with linked arms, linked everything. He had told me that he had to tell me something, something good was happening to his lovelife--apparently this was it. I was wrong, of course--stupid Ri, never assume! Apparently it was someone else. So at least I know that he's back to his gigolo ways. It was wrong of me to think that he had changed. Are guys really all like that, is it that macho thing? At this point in time, I don't even want to bother.
Wasn't able to talk to them that much though, because I had a longish discussion with Bespren A's older brother. If I were younger (and maybe less jaded) I think I could actually have a crush on this person. Of course mentally you already cross out a person from your list based on some basic criteria: (1) sibling of a person close to you--also will forever look upon you as his little sister's friend; (2) hasn't shown the least interest in you at any time; and dead giveaway: (3) no spark whatsoever. So what made it cross my mind that he was actually crushworthy? It scares me that maybe I'm getting a bit desperate and every unattached guy over 25 who's fairly decent-looking and with whom I can carry a decent conversation becomes fair game. Pathetic.
Afterward, another blow to my wonderful lovelife. Had further proof that AB is not the person for me. Is easy to do when he and another girl are making like octopi with linked arms, linked everything. He had told me that he had to tell me something, something good was happening to his lovelife--apparently this was it. I was wrong, of course--stupid Ri, never assume! Apparently it was someone else. So at least I know that he's back to his gigolo ways. It was wrong of me to think that he had changed. Are guys really all like that, is it that macho thing? At this point in time, I don't even want to bother.
Thursday, March 11, 2004
poster-girl for the CIA
Jennifer Garner recruits for real-life CIA in video
Bravo! Americans.
She probably does look better than majority of their operatives, who are most likely male. I wouldn't know though. I don't know anything about the real CIA, everything I know about the CIA is from Tom Clancy books, Alias, and a little of The Agency (although I totally don't like that series, I don't know why--maybe it's because I prefer Gil Bellows as Billy). Oh yeah, and one of my famously liked documentaries on Discovery Channel. Actually it was about spies but it included a bit of the CIA.
A lot of what we have seen about the CIA seem totally far-out and fictitious, but apparently some of them are true. And I wouldn't be surprised if there are big conspiracies being kept from the American public; much more we uziseros in Third-World countries. Oh well. Maybe I will learn more about the CIA in some way or another. Right now, Alias kind of does it for me. Run, Sidney, run!
Darwin's birthday
Although I know he probably doesn't read my blog, here's a shout-out to dear Dar, all the way in Canada. Thanks for introducing me to Dragonlance and LoTR. Thanks for being such a nice person. And take care out there with Jo. We hope to see you soon.
Bravo! Americans.
She probably does look better than majority of their operatives, who are most likely male. I wouldn't know though. I don't know anything about the real CIA, everything I know about the CIA is from Tom Clancy books, Alias, and a little of The Agency (although I totally don't like that series, I don't know why--maybe it's because I prefer Gil Bellows as Billy). Oh yeah, and one of my famously liked documentaries on Discovery Channel. Actually it was about spies but it included a bit of the CIA.
A lot of what we have seen about the CIA seem totally far-out and fictitious, but apparently some of them are true. And I wouldn't be surprised if there are big conspiracies being kept from the American public; much more we uziseros in Third-World countries. Oh well. Maybe I will learn more about the CIA in some way or another. Right now, Alias kind of does it for me. Run, Sidney, run!
Darwin's birthday
Although I know he probably doesn't read my blog, here's a shout-out to dear Dar, all the way in Canada. Thanks for introducing me to Dragonlance and LoTR. Thanks for being such a nice person. And take care out there with Jo. We hope to see you soon.
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
big mouth
Yes, that's me. I tend either to ramble on about certain topics after they have outlived their novelty, or to spew out one-liners that are particularly tactless with regards to the audience. I'm particular about the second because I think I'd rather be raging bore than someone who isn't considerate of people's feelings. There, 'nuff said. I don't want to go into details but I really should think before I speak.
passion at peyups
The UP Film Institute is having a special advance screening of The Passion of the Christ. Wanna wanna wanna watch! However, if screenings are done at Diliman, it's quite a distance to travel from the comfort zone of Makati. Will see, will see. I'll probably wait for a screening in Makati. It can't be too far away.
Tuesday, March 09, 2004
gandalf's red jingly bracelet
Looks like I wasn't the only one to notice.
Ted Casablanca wrote:
Interesting how so few caught Sir Ian McKellen's red bracelet. What was it for? "Camp," he deadpanned. "Something this place needs more of."
Ah, Sir Ian. You're so sexy and gay. Teehee.
Ted Casablanca wrote:
Interesting how so few caught Sir Ian McKellen's red bracelet. What was it for? "Camp," he deadpanned. "Something this place needs more of."
Ah, Sir Ian. You're so sexy and gay. Teehee.
lost
Saw Lost in Translation Saturday night. I wanted to see what much of the the ado was about. (And, tongue-in-cheek, I have to ask: Was it all about nothing? Teehee.)
I have always admired people who write a great book, or a really good original movie. As I thoroughly enjoyed past winners of the Oscar Best Screenplay awards (think Good Will Hunting, Dead Poets Society, Pulp Fiction, The Usual Suspects, all the way back to All About Eve), and as I’m destined to be an Oscar winner for Best Screenplay, I decided it was high time to watch the past year’s Oscar winner for Best Original Screenplay. I can’t say that I like Sofia Coppola immensely; I always though it was a sucker deal that she ended up kissing the dashing Andy Garcia in her father’s The Godfather Part III (okay, okay, so she just filled in for Winona—yeah sure, she was the only one available).
Of course I know that Bill Murray plays a has-been action star who is shooting commercials in Japan and hinging on a midlife crisis; and that Scarlett Johansson plays the tag-along wife of a hotshot photographer who always leaves her alone. But what was it all about? Two of my friends who have already watched it both had the same sentiments: “What was the point?” Murray, listless, midlife crisis-bound, meets Johansson, pretty, filled with ennui. They are both alienated. It takes them a third of the movie to actually really meet; before that it is a whole lot of foundation—the goings-on behind Murray’s commercials, Johansson’s long hours of doing nothing. They get to know each other and paint the town red, two significantly different people thrown together by circumstance and making the most of their time together.
But what is the point, indeed? They go and examinine everything Japanese from the nightlife and the weird bars, to ikebana, to outrageous talk shows (wonderful!)… and a lot of things get lost in translation, not just between Japanese and Americans, but also between the two of them and their spouses. Do I get it? Not really, because I don’t know what it’s like exactly being there. I don’t really get it; but I watched them not get much of it, either. It was strange, being privy to these intimate conversations and manifestations of melancholia. And I can totally relate to the feeling of being lost, of feeling irrelevant.
Great movies for me are sometimes filled with spectacle (Gladiator, The Return of the King) or the stark, harsh realities of life (Traffic). But sometimes, good movies come from little places in the heart, exploring the niceties of human emotion and the subtleties of interaction. Among my favorites in this category would be One True Thing, now joined by Lost in Translation.
It is not the best film of the year (you know what that is for me, reinforced by the Best Picture Oscar!). But compared to its co-nominees in the Best Screenplay category, I think it did deserve the Best Original Screenplay honor. Sofia Coppola has been able to provide a meaningful study of human experience in an alien culture; when the most alienation these two people experience are from their respective spouses. Bill Murray’s characterization of Bob Harris was riveting and I’m sure elicited much sympathy for his portrayal of the pathos of midlife. His and Scarlett Johansson’s subdued performances are the real core of the movie, helped along by Coppola’s script. I also enjoyed the scattered comic moments, especially the afore-mentioned talk show and Anna Farris’ adorable portrayal of someone whom people said was Cameron Diaz (there was a resemblance, indeed, although to the Cameron of movies such as Charlie’s Angels and There’s Something About Mary).
My most esteemed high school English Literature teacher said that literature was all about the significant human experience. No matter how mundane these experiences may seem to other people, the fact that it is significant to certain people gives one license to write about it and explore its minutiae. This is where this movie succeeds, in providing us a new view of what could be stereotypical characters, feeling out an alien culture, and thoroughly being not-so-mundane.
buffy quote for the day
From last night's Anya episode, Selfless:
Villager (about Olaf who has been turned into a troll by Aud and is trying to convince them that he is Olaf, in some weird Slavic tongue): "The troll is doing an Olaf impersonation!"
I have always admired people who write a great book, or a really good original movie. As I thoroughly enjoyed past winners of the Oscar Best Screenplay awards (think Good Will Hunting, Dead Poets Society, Pulp Fiction, The Usual Suspects, all the way back to All About Eve), and as I’m destined to be an Oscar winner for Best Screenplay, I decided it was high time to watch the past year’s Oscar winner for Best Original Screenplay. I can’t say that I like Sofia Coppola immensely; I always though it was a sucker deal that she ended up kissing the dashing Andy Garcia in her father’s The Godfather Part III (okay, okay, so she just filled in for Winona—yeah sure, she was the only one available).
Of course I know that Bill Murray plays a has-been action star who is shooting commercials in Japan and hinging on a midlife crisis; and that Scarlett Johansson plays the tag-along wife of a hotshot photographer who always leaves her alone. But what was it all about? Two of my friends who have already watched it both had the same sentiments: “What was the point?” Murray, listless, midlife crisis-bound, meets Johansson, pretty, filled with ennui. They are both alienated. It takes them a third of the movie to actually really meet; before that it is a whole lot of foundation—the goings-on behind Murray’s commercials, Johansson’s long hours of doing nothing. They get to know each other and paint the town red, two significantly different people thrown together by circumstance and making the most of their time together.
But what is the point, indeed? They go and examinine everything Japanese from the nightlife and the weird bars, to ikebana, to outrageous talk shows (wonderful!)… and a lot of things get lost in translation, not just between Japanese and Americans, but also between the two of them and their spouses. Do I get it? Not really, because I don’t know what it’s like exactly being there. I don’t really get it; but I watched them not get much of it, either. It was strange, being privy to these intimate conversations and manifestations of melancholia. And I can totally relate to the feeling of being lost, of feeling irrelevant.
Great movies for me are sometimes filled with spectacle (Gladiator, The Return of the King) or the stark, harsh realities of life (Traffic). But sometimes, good movies come from little places in the heart, exploring the niceties of human emotion and the subtleties of interaction. Among my favorites in this category would be One True Thing, now joined by Lost in Translation.
It is not the best film of the year (you know what that is for me, reinforced by the Best Picture Oscar!). But compared to its co-nominees in the Best Screenplay category, I think it did deserve the Best Original Screenplay honor. Sofia Coppola has been able to provide a meaningful study of human experience in an alien culture; when the most alienation these two people experience are from their respective spouses. Bill Murray’s characterization of Bob Harris was riveting and I’m sure elicited much sympathy for his portrayal of the pathos of midlife. His and Scarlett Johansson’s subdued performances are the real core of the movie, helped along by Coppola’s script. I also enjoyed the scattered comic moments, especially the afore-mentioned talk show and Anna Farris’ adorable portrayal of someone whom people said was Cameron Diaz (there was a resemblance, indeed, although to the Cameron of movies such as Charlie’s Angels and There’s Something About Mary).
My most esteemed high school English Literature teacher said that literature was all about the significant human experience. No matter how mundane these experiences may seem to other people, the fact that it is significant to certain people gives one license to write about it and explore its minutiae. This is where this movie succeeds, in providing us a new view of what could be stereotypical characters, feeling out an alien culture, and thoroughly being not-so-mundane.
buffy quote for the day
From last night's Anya episode, Selfless:
Villager (about Olaf who has been turned into a troll by Aud and is trying to convince them that he is Olaf, in some weird Slavic tongue): "The troll is doing an Olaf impersonation!"
Monday, March 08, 2004
a little bit of history
My sisters constantly poke good-natured fun at my fondness for Discovery and National Geographic features. It all started when Nins noticed my head snapping up one time when she was flipping through channels—it was the drone of a documentary-feature voice that commanded my attention. It doesn’t matter which documentary it was, but more often than not I am drawn towards those that feature historical events, archaeology and paleontology.
Right now I am watching Unsolved History on the Discovery channel. Monday nights are usually sacrosanct for me—I don’t want to jump into the bustle of the week just yet (hangover from the weekend) and it’s Buffy night at well. This current feature is on the history of the medieval (if you could call it that) age of Cambodia, when the Khmer empire under the kings named Javayarman (sp.?) reached its peak. At that time, it is alleged that the capital city of the empire, Angkor Thom, was bigger than London.
I also totally like the idea of Space Imaging Radar, and how it is used to find things long buried under the layers of time. They used this to determine the layout of ancient Angkor, with a great degree of success. I just read about its use in determining the location of Ubar, the kingdom of the Queen of Sheba.
I have no idea why I am fascinated by this sort of thing. I know that this is just a pastime, far removed from my line of work. It’s not that I wish that I were out there excavating—heaven knows I definitely don’t! Neither is it because I want to analyze the errors or lessons of the past. Like mythology,l it’s just something I like knowing, reminding me of the greatness of the past, the fickleness of time, and the ever-renewed glory of humanity.
Right now I am watching Unsolved History on the Discovery channel. Monday nights are usually sacrosanct for me—I don’t want to jump into the bustle of the week just yet (hangover from the weekend) and it’s Buffy night at well. This current feature is on the history of the medieval (if you could call it that) age of Cambodia, when the Khmer empire under the kings named Javayarman (sp.?) reached its peak. At that time, it is alleged that the capital city of the empire, Angkor Thom, was bigger than London.
I also totally like the idea of Space Imaging Radar, and how it is used to find things long buried under the layers of time. They used this to determine the layout of ancient Angkor, with a great degree of success. I just read about its use in determining the location of Ubar, the kingdom of the Queen of Sheba.
I have no idea why I am fascinated by this sort of thing. I know that this is just a pastime, far removed from my line of work. It’s not that I wish that I were out there excavating—heaven knows I definitely don’t! Neither is it because I want to analyze the errors or lessons of the past. Like mythology,l it’s just something I like knowing, reminding me of the greatness of the past, the fickleness of time, and the ever-renewed glory of humanity.
oh yeah
Happy International Women's Day!
Hurrah and keep up the good fight, women everywhere!
Be all that you're destined to be.
Hurrah and keep up the good fight, women everywhere!
Be all that you're destined to be.
passion
Debbie Daniel writes about The Passion of the Christ. Here's an excerpt:
"Not only will “The Passion of the Christ” be one of, if not THE most, outstanding movies of all time, but we’ve witnessed something in these past few days that is a phenomenon. We’ve had newscasters actually discussing “salvation” and “a belief in Jesus Christ” on the nightly news. Now that’s for the record books. I’m still in shock.
I sat watching the television as pundits bantered back and forth the “news” of Mel Gibson’s movie, “The Passion of the Christ.” I never thought I’d live to see the day when a belief in Jesus Christ would be the topic of a major news network, but all of them were discussing it. Dateline NBC even had a one hour segment called the “Power of Faith” – introducing a theory that the presence of Jesus in our everyday lives and at the workplace could very well make a difference . . . it might be something we would want to consider."
I think that based on that alone, Mel Gibson's movie has been a success. Bravo Mel Gibson. I've seen shots from the movie and it is quite gory, altogether brutal. Some people will not understand this movie, I'm sure. Some critics have already had violent reactions, criticizing everything from the decision to have Aramaic language (just being true to the time) to the decision to concentrate on the suffering (hence the title, kids--it's about the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ). All of these are controversial, including the accusations that it is Anti-Semitic. Come to think of it, if you have a movie depicting the crimes of Hitler and Goebbels, does that make it Anti-German?
However I think the biggest thing here is that Mel Gibson, movie star, celebrity and staunch Catholic, has the world talking about Jesus Christ again, as Debbie Daniel chronicles. I know it will probably not bring religion back to schools in the US, but at least, I figure, more people will ponder upon the sacrifices and suffering that the Lord underwent in human form to guarantee our salvation. Will it convert people? I doubt that. However, it will strengthen faith and maybe even renew broken baptism vows.
I can't say that I'm a staunch Catholic. I am, at most, remiss; most probably I can be considered non-practicing. I know that I am on the verge of heresy with my intense studies into Goddess-worship. But I raise my glass to Mr. Gibson, who has invested a considerable amount in telling the world of his belief and his religion, in spreading the Word, no matter how stark and brutal his depiction of that Word may be. I'm looking forward to being able to watch the movie. Who knows? I might actually be moved to be a better Catholic.
"Not only will “The Passion of the Christ” be one of, if not THE most, outstanding movies of all time, but we’ve witnessed something in these past few days that is a phenomenon. We’ve had newscasters actually discussing “salvation” and “a belief in Jesus Christ” on the nightly news. Now that’s for the record books. I’m still in shock.
I sat watching the television as pundits bantered back and forth the “news” of Mel Gibson’s movie, “The Passion of the Christ.” I never thought I’d live to see the day when a belief in Jesus Christ would be the topic of a major news network, but all of them were discussing it. Dateline NBC even had a one hour segment called the “Power of Faith” – introducing a theory that the presence of Jesus in our everyday lives and at the workplace could very well make a difference . . . it might be something we would want to consider."
I think that based on that alone, Mel Gibson's movie has been a success. Bravo Mel Gibson. I've seen shots from the movie and it is quite gory, altogether brutal. Some people will not understand this movie, I'm sure. Some critics have already had violent reactions, criticizing everything from the decision to have Aramaic language (just being true to the time) to the decision to concentrate on the suffering (hence the title, kids--it's about the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ). All of these are controversial, including the accusations that it is Anti-Semitic. Come to think of it, if you have a movie depicting the crimes of Hitler and Goebbels, does that make it Anti-German?
However I think the biggest thing here is that Mel Gibson, movie star, celebrity and staunch Catholic, has the world talking about Jesus Christ again, as Debbie Daniel chronicles. I know it will probably not bring religion back to schools in the US, but at least, I figure, more people will ponder upon the sacrifices and suffering that the Lord underwent in human form to guarantee our salvation. Will it convert people? I doubt that. However, it will strengthen faith and maybe even renew broken baptism vows.
I can't say that I'm a staunch Catholic. I am, at most, remiss; most probably I can be considered non-practicing. I know that I am on the verge of heresy with my intense studies into Goddess-worship. But I raise my glass to Mr. Gibson, who has invested a considerable amount in telling the world of his belief and his religion, in spreading the Word, no matter how stark and brutal his depiction of that Word may be. I'm looking forward to being able to watch the movie. Who knows? I might actually be moved to be a better Catholic.
Sunday, March 07, 2004
i'm the bat
You're Batman!
You keep to yourself a lot and act cold towards
others, but you actually do mean well. You're a
detective and great at figuring things out. You
regret a lot of things and have had something
tragic in your life, whether it was running
over an animal with your car or something
major. You don't try to make friends, but they
always end up finding you anyway.
Which one of the Justice League (cartoon) are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
I wonder.
Siguro I'm just crabby and antisocial today.
friday night
Of course there has been a backlog in posting--I posted about last Saturday's gimmick yesterday and today I'm posting about Friday's fun-filled activities.
Small Middle-Boss (SMB, as opposed to Small Big-Boss, SBB) asked if I had plans and if I was averse to staying a bit late. Of course being "reigning" employee of the year and all, I thought it was about work and said I would be able to stay. Apparently they (we) were throwing a surprise bachelor party for our department-mate who is getting married on Saturday.
I, too, was surprised but I went along with it. After all, it's the least I can do for all these people who are with me all the time here. There was quite a lot of food, but we were crammed in a biggish studio unit at LPL, which isn't biggish anymore if 25 people are inside. Surprise too: there is a dancing girl. Oh hell. I am never comfortable with people shimmying in their birthday suits; much less in person. And from what I heard, it wasn't a pleasant sight either because the girl was skinny and her skin wasn't all that good. Oh well. I left before it started. One because of the discomfort I was about to face and two because I was late.
At least Jp and I were able to watch an episode of Justice League, part two of the three-part season-ender Savage Time. Bravo. Am glad that I was able to watch this. Saw Steve Trevor (the man Diana Prince eventually marries) for the first time. Saw Green Lantern's John Stewart as a Marine. Brilliant, just brilliant. The Martian Manhunter rocks! (And of course I am not ashamed to say that I enjoy watching a cartoon.)
As I was saying, I was late. I rushed over to Antel because I told C that I would be helping her out with Ger's surprise despedida. Met Z2, girlfriend of the brother of Z. Never-would-be-future-sister-in-law. Said we should exchange notes about the Z brothers but of course we will never get around to doing it. I was able to meet mariashanelle--not her real name--and kit. I also found out that one of Ger and C's officemates was actually my student (as Ger was). Oh well. We are all connected, after all.
However: One, I came late and there was little left to help with. Two, I practically didn't know anyone there--and I did take some pictures although I wasn't as free to roam around with my camera unlike I would have at a Glider gathering. Three, it wasn't that much of a surprise because the guards and a friend had inadvertently tipped him off. Nevertheless, it was a glad, if bittersweet, occasion. Props to C and Z2 for the planning. And thanks to the person who brought the Gonuts Donuts because I had been wanting to try the strawberry but everytime we go there it's all sold out (apparently my knack for wrong timing is particularly applicable to Gonuts).
Bon voyage, Ger-ber. I will see you next month.
Home at 12. AB was far, far away in the South, so was a good girl that night.
Small Middle-Boss (SMB, as opposed to Small Big-Boss, SBB) asked if I had plans and if I was averse to staying a bit late. Of course being "reigning" employee of the year and all, I thought it was about work and said I would be able to stay. Apparently they (we) were throwing a surprise bachelor party for our department-mate who is getting married on Saturday.
I, too, was surprised but I went along with it. After all, it's the least I can do for all these people who are with me all the time here. There was quite a lot of food, but we were crammed in a biggish studio unit at LPL, which isn't biggish anymore if 25 people are inside. Surprise too: there is a dancing girl. Oh hell. I am never comfortable with people shimmying in their birthday suits; much less in person. And from what I heard, it wasn't a pleasant sight either because the girl was skinny and her skin wasn't all that good. Oh well. I left before it started. One because of the discomfort I was about to face and two because I was late.
At least Jp and I were able to watch an episode of Justice League, part two of the three-part season-ender Savage Time. Bravo. Am glad that I was able to watch this. Saw Steve Trevor (the man Diana Prince eventually marries) for the first time. Saw Green Lantern's John Stewart as a Marine. Brilliant, just brilliant. The Martian Manhunter rocks! (And of course I am not ashamed to say that I enjoy watching a cartoon.)
As I was saying, I was late. I rushed over to Antel because I told C that I would be helping her out with Ger's surprise despedida. Met Z2, girlfriend of the brother of Z. Never-would-be-future-sister-in-law. Said we should exchange notes about the Z brothers but of course we will never get around to doing it. I was able to meet mariashanelle--not her real name--and kit. I also found out that one of Ger and C's officemates was actually my student (as Ger was). Oh well. We are all connected, after all.
However: One, I came late and there was little left to help with. Two, I practically didn't know anyone there--and I did take some pictures although I wasn't as free to roam around with my camera unlike I would have at a Glider gathering. Three, it wasn't that much of a surprise because the guards and a friend had inadvertently tipped him off. Nevertheless, it was a glad, if bittersweet, occasion. Props to C and Z2 for the planning. And thanks to the person who brought the Gonuts Donuts because I had been wanting to try the strawberry but everytime we go there it's all sold out (apparently my knack for wrong timing is particularly applicable to Gonuts).
Bon voyage, Ger-ber. I will see you next month.
Home at 12. AB was far, far away in the South, so was a good girl that night.
Saturday, March 06, 2004
one night at greenbelt
Last week the twins (Bespren M. and Bespren J.), Pi and I went out for dinner at Recipes in Greenbelt. It was great to go out with these people after such a long time that we'd been apart. Of course I play badminton practically every week with Bespren M., Bespren J. and I occasionally go out (the last was Runaway Jury) and Pi and I exchange emails. But it's different when you're together as a group: the group dynamics are present, and it's generally more raucous.
We talked about anything and everything--Pi's newly-married life, Bespren M.'s immigration plans, Bespren J.'s new martial art (an arnis variant), my work work work, DnA's wedding plans, movies, catty people from high school, etcetera etcetera. It was a wonderful everning.
Dinner was followed by coffee at Coffee Bean. Saw DC, former student and now friend, with supposed love of his life. DC is one of those golden boys, those tisoys who can't seem to do anything wrong. You don't know if he gets where he is because of how he looks, or his connections, but you don't have to peel through many layers to find out that he's quite smart and talented too. Ah, nice people who have most everything. Enviable, but totally likeable. Feh. Can't hate 'em.
Saw first-ever serious boyfriend TWICE that night. I can't believe it. He lives all the way in one of those Projects in Quezon City, with today's traffic a good two hours' drive from Greenbelt. I haven't seem him in about five years. It's just logical that one would go to Timog or Tomas Morato which would be much nearer to where he lives. Of course, though, he was with a girl. Who probably lived near the Makati area or maybe even further south. Tsk tsk. Of course the guy's the one who has to suffer. Hehe.
It's just funny to have seen first-ever serious boyfriend after not seeing him for so long. Best thing was that he did not recognize me--five years and twenty pounds can do that. He, however, did not change. He still looked the same, same grin, same dimple under the eye. It's quite jarring. At 30, he still looks the same as he did at 20. Cute. He was never "love-of-my-life"-worthy, and eleven years ago when we broke up, he was tremendously immature. It wasn't a big loss or anything; he is just a part of my past of which I was unexpectedly reminded recently.
The night ended with a nightcap at Pi's new apartment. We were given the grand tour and had Mirinda softdrinks which came free from her client. We saw the wall clock that Pi's husband M had installed at one in the morning a day before. The love nest is shaping up quite well. It's interesting to see how much stuff they still had lying around (one whole spare bedroom's worth). Pi also showed us a print that she had by our photographer-classmate Pinky Urmaza. I realize that I am not all that cultured because I don't really care whether it's a 2 of 24 print or if it's 174 of 175. I do like pretty pictures too; if I had cash at the time I would have purchased one of Pinky's photographs (of a winding staircase at the Louvre). [Of course I have just recently regained total control of my finances.]
It was a wonderful night spent with friends and punctuated by spicy conversation and interesting sightings. Was also nice because was texting with AB throughout the night. Wasn't able to meet up with him though because we left Pi's apartment at 1AM already. Brought Bespren M. and her sister home. Bespren M.'s sister said that we friends were so wonderful, spending time together like that. I figured it was long overdue. We had missed each other so much.
We talked about anything and everything--Pi's newly-married life, Bespren M.'s immigration plans, Bespren J.'s new martial art (an arnis variant), my work work work, DnA's wedding plans, movies, catty people from high school, etcetera etcetera. It was a wonderful everning.
Dinner was followed by coffee at Coffee Bean. Saw DC, former student and now friend, with supposed love of his life. DC is one of those golden boys, those tisoys who can't seem to do anything wrong. You don't know if he gets where he is because of how he looks, or his connections, but you don't have to peel through many layers to find out that he's quite smart and talented too. Ah, nice people who have most everything. Enviable, but totally likeable. Feh. Can't hate 'em.
Saw first-ever serious boyfriend TWICE that night. I can't believe it. He lives all the way in one of those Projects in Quezon City, with today's traffic a good two hours' drive from Greenbelt. I haven't seem him in about five years. It's just logical that one would go to Timog or Tomas Morato which would be much nearer to where he lives. Of course, though, he was with a girl. Who probably lived near the Makati area or maybe even further south. Tsk tsk. Of course the guy's the one who has to suffer. Hehe.
It's just funny to have seen first-ever serious boyfriend after not seeing him for so long. Best thing was that he did not recognize me--five years and twenty pounds can do that. He, however, did not change. He still looked the same, same grin, same dimple under the eye. It's quite jarring. At 30, he still looks the same as he did at 20. Cute. He was never "love-of-my-life"-worthy, and eleven years ago when we broke up, he was tremendously immature. It wasn't a big loss or anything; he is just a part of my past of which I was unexpectedly reminded recently.
The night ended with a nightcap at Pi's new apartment. We were given the grand tour and had Mirinda softdrinks which came free from her client. We saw the wall clock that Pi's husband M had installed at one in the morning a day before. The love nest is shaping up quite well. It's interesting to see how much stuff they still had lying around (one whole spare bedroom's worth). Pi also showed us a print that she had by our photographer-classmate Pinky Urmaza. I realize that I am not all that cultured because I don't really care whether it's a 2 of 24 print or if it's 174 of 175. I do like pretty pictures too; if I had cash at the time I would have purchased one of Pinky's photographs (of a winding staircase at the Louvre). [Of course I have just recently regained total control of my finances.]
It was a wonderful night spent with friends and punctuated by spicy conversation and interesting sightings. Was also nice because was texting with AB throughout the night. Wasn't able to meet up with him though because we left Pi's apartment at 1AM already. Brought Bespren M. and her sister home. Bespren M.'s sister said that we friends were so wonderful, spending time together like that. I figured it was long overdue. We had missed each other so much.
Friday, March 05, 2004
could have been
We would have celebrated our third year together today. It was always at the back of my mind, I guess, but it was overshadowed by the fact that I've been busy both for work and for some other plans for tonight. It was only brought to my attention because he sold his phone to one of my officemates last year and there was still an alarm for today. Third birthday.
The other day, Allan was teasing me, asking me about D. and then telling me, "hey don't cry..." with an impish look on his face. But although a crease passed my features for a moment at the mention of this, I wouldn't have cried. It still brings a little sadness, thinking about what could have been and how nice it feels to be in a relationship, but it's nicer, after all, to be able to say that you are honest to yourself and your feelings.
So today I mark what would have been a milestone; and, yes, it is still a celebration--of how I have been able to stand up to society's general disdain of late twentysomething women with no marriage in sight, and more importantly to my own fear of being alone.
The other day, Allan was teasing me, asking me about D. and then telling me, "hey don't cry..." with an impish look on his face. But although a crease passed my features for a moment at the mention of this, I wouldn't have cried. It still brings a little sadness, thinking about what could have been and how nice it feels to be in a relationship, but it's nicer, after all, to be able to say that you are honest to yourself and your feelings.
So today I mark what would have been a milestone; and, yes, it is still a celebration--of how I have been able to stand up to society's general disdain of late twentysomething women with no marriage in sight, and more importantly to my own fear of being alone.
Thursday, March 04, 2004
on the heels of the oscar triumph
The people closest to me know how hung up I have been about the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Ever since Darwin and DaMike introduced me to these books in the early nineties, I had always been enchanted by Middle-Earth, its races, its history and the epic saga that is the Lord of the Rings.
If fantasy were a religion (and for some it is), then I heard High Mass last December 17 (then again on January 11, and yet again on January 17). I watched the culmination of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King. And what a resounding Return it was. It was worth standing in line for three hours to get in for free at the GenTxt premiere (it was a spur-of-the-moment thing and I'm glad that S. talked me into it). It was worth watching twice over.
Mike the Collector (who is the only person I actually know who has the talking Treebeard and Saruman action figures) was hedging his bets on the Eowyn action figure. And after the movie and her quite-predictable though nicely-delivered line, I think that may just be the case. Meanwhile, I didn't know that the action figures were already available, and so I missed the chance to get the Legolas for Return of the King. No matter, I still have the Legolas dolly from Two Towers. I heard it fetches a hefty (hefty? I really am low on cash!) PhP1,000 nowadays, and mine's in mint condition since I don't fancy playing with it anyway.
I wonder if the prices of the action figures will be given an additional boost because of the triumph at the Academy Awards. I do know that this third installment of Lord of the rings has now grossed one billion dollars worldwide. The only film to have made more is Titanic (which, we all know, had Leonardo di Caprio, Kate Winslet's boobies and which a lot of people watched 10 times), and like that movie, the Lord of the Rings trilogy will go down in movie history--and this one as one of the greatest movies ever made (haha, sorry Titanic fans). Note that I still consider the three films as one movie; and the triumph, of course, belongs to the entire trilogy. I hope this will pave the way for more forays into the fantasy genre... who knows, Dungeons and Dragons could have been a better film.
Professor J.R.R. Tolkien's moving, fantastic story revolutionized the fantasy genre, elevating it from widespread fairy tales and folklore to a creation of a whole different world where we were moved by and could relate with the characters, but were still in awe of them. Although there may have been previous attempts on the fantasy genre, and many succeeding attempts, including my favorite Dragonlance series, the Middle-Earth books remain the genre's definitive work.
But most of all, I like being taken to Middle-Earth, much more than I like being taken to a galaxy far, far away. Although there are many complexities in the story, despite the intricacies of such relationships as half-Elven Elrond and Aragorn's or that of the mad Steward of Gondor and his sons, the basic rule stays: it is the battle between good and evil. Evil is plainly manifested in the Eye of Sauron, the Witch-King of Angmar, the Nazghul, the Urukhai--they are ugly, selfish and vile. These may be metaphors for industrialization and pollution, but to fight the simplistic fight, when all around you now you do not know who are truly evil, or who can truly do good, to know simply who is good and who is evil and to fight that fight, that is one of the attractions that Tolkien's saga holds for me.
That, and the message that there is always hope. Even in the most humble of packages such as halflings.
Meanwhile, I will schedule a marathon viewing of the extended editions of the three films as soon as the RoTK extended DVD comes out. I am quite excited. Don't bother me for twelve hours.
If fantasy were a religion (and for some it is), then I heard High Mass last December 17 (then again on January 11, and yet again on January 17). I watched the culmination of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King. And what a resounding Return it was. It was worth standing in line for three hours to get in for free at the GenTxt premiere (it was a spur-of-the-moment thing and I'm glad that S. talked me into it). It was worth watching twice over.
Mike the Collector (who is the only person I actually know who has the talking Treebeard and Saruman action figures) was hedging his bets on the Eowyn action figure. And after the movie and her quite-predictable though nicely-delivered line, I think that may just be the case. Meanwhile, I didn't know that the action figures were already available, and so I missed the chance to get the Legolas for Return of the King. No matter, I still have the Legolas dolly from Two Towers. I heard it fetches a hefty (hefty? I really am low on cash!) PhP1,000 nowadays, and mine's in mint condition since I don't fancy playing with it anyway.
I wonder if the prices of the action figures will be given an additional boost because of the triumph at the Academy Awards. I do know that this third installment of Lord of the rings has now grossed one billion dollars worldwide. The only film to have made more is Titanic (which, we all know, had Leonardo di Caprio, Kate Winslet's boobies and which a lot of people watched 10 times), and like that movie, the Lord of the Rings trilogy will go down in movie history--and this one as one of the greatest movies ever made (haha, sorry Titanic fans). Note that I still consider the three films as one movie; and the triumph, of course, belongs to the entire trilogy. I hope this will pave the way for more forays into the fantasy genre... who knows, Dungeons and Dragons could have been a better film.
Professor J.R.R. Tolkien's moving, fantastic story revolutionized the fantasy genre, elevating it from widespread fairy tales and folklore to a creation of a whole different world where we were moved by and could relate with the characters, but were still in awe of them. Although there may have been previous attempts on the fantasy genre, and many succeeding attempts, including my favorite Dragonlance series, the Middle-Earth books remain the genre's definitive work.
But most of all, I like being taken to Middle-Earth, much more than I like being taken to a galaxy far, far away. Although there are many complexities in the story, despite the intricacies of such relationships as half-Elven Elrond and Aragorn's or that of the mad Steward of Gondor and his sons, the basic rule stays: it is the battle between good and evil. Evil is plainly manifested in the Eye of Sauron, the Witch-King of Angmar, the Nazghul, the Urukhai--they are ugly, selfish and vile. These may be metaphors for industrialization and pollution, but to fight the simplistic fight, when all around you now you do not know who are truly evil, or who can truly do good, to know simply who is good and who is evil and to fight that fight, that is one of the attractions that Tolkien's saga holds for me.
That, and the message that there is always hope. Even in the most humble of packages such as halflings.
Meanwhile, I will schedule a marathon viewing of the extended editions of the three films as soon as the RoTK extended DVD comes out. I am quite excited. Don't bother me for twelve hours.
god save us!
I just have to post this. This is real. These are the absolutely real hilarious answers of Eddie Gil, Philippine presidential aspirant, as witnessed by D. on a recent news show. I've translated it to English--forgive the rough translation.
Host: Ano po ang isang normal na araw sa inyo? (What is a normal day for you?)
Eddie Gil (EG): Sabado. (Saturday.)
Host: Ano'ng pangalan ng tatay niyo? (What is your father's name?)
EG: Ay, hindi ko pedeng sabihin. (Er, I can't say that on air.)
Host: Bakit naman? (How come?)
EG: Masyadong sentimental. Pag binanggit ko yun, mawawala lahat ng nasa isip ko. (It's too sentimental. If I mention it I won't be able to concentrate.)
Host: Pero patay na siya? (But didn't he already die?)
EG: Oo, pero nakikita ko pa. Pag gusto ko siyang makita, nakikita ko. Saka nagbibigay din siya ng instructions sa akin, para sa mga ginagawa ko. (Yes, but I still see him. If I want to see him, I see him. He also gives me guidance on the things that I do.)
Host: Ha, paano? Sa panaginip? (Huh? How? In your dreams?)
EG: Oo, sa panaginip. Minsan, isinusulat din niya sa blackboard. (Yes, in my dreams. Sometimes, he writes his advice on a blackboard.)
Host: Magkano ang net worth nyo? (How much is your net worth?)
EG: Yun nga, papaunlarin natin ang Pilipinas. (Yes that's right, we will improve the Philippine economy.)
Host: Hmm, yung net worth nyo po. Magkano? (Hmm, your net worth sir. How much?)
EG: Yun nga yung una kong gagawin, aayusin ang Pilipinas. (Yes, that's the first thing I'm going to do, fix the Philippines.)
Host: Yung net worth po. (Your net worth sir.)
EG: Ano'ng net worth? (What net worth?)
Host: Hmm.. yung halaga po ninyo, yung halaga ng mga ari-arian nyo? (Your worth, sir, the value of your properties...)
EG: Ah, hindi ko masasabi kung magkano ang halaga ko. (Ah, I can't say how much I'm worth.)
Host: Isa po sa plano nyo yung gawin dollar ang currency ng Pilipinas. (Among your plans is to change the Philippine currency into dollars.)
EG: Oo, gagawin nating Philippine dollar. Bakit yung ibang bansa, dollar ang gamit. Ang Korea, may Korean dollar. Ang China, Chinese dollar. (Yes, we shall make it the Philippine dollar. Other countries use dollars--Korea has Korean dollars and China has Chinese dollars.)
Host (confused na): Dollar ba ang gamit ng Korea, hindi ba Won? Saka ang China, Yuan di ba? (Confused Host: Does Korea use dollars? Isn't its currency Won? And China, isn't its currency Yuan?)
EG: Dollar din yun. (It's still dollars.)
Hayyyy! Such wonderful answers! I especially like the ghostly father. Let's vote Eddie Gil!!! (For those who didn't get the line of questioning on the net worth--he claims to be rich enough to personally fund a nation-wide campaign, and he's going to buy a helicopter to prove it. Of course nothing of the sort has come to pass.)
On a more serious note, I just wonder why and how the Commission on Elections can allow this man to run AGAIN--he has already proven himself a nuisance before. Maybe he should be allowed to run for office among the patients at the National Mental Hospital.
Host: Ano po ang isang normal na araw sa inyo? (What is a normal day for you?)
Eddie Gil (EG): Sabado. (Saturday.)
Host: Ano'ng pangalan ng tatay niyo? (What is your father's name?)
EG: Ay, hindi ko pedeng sabihin. (Er, I can't say that on air.)
Host: Bakit naman? (How come?)
EG: Masyadong sentimental. Pag binanggit ko yun, mawawala lahat ng nasa isip ko. (It's too sentimental. If I mention it I won't be able to concentrate.)
Host: Pero patay na siya? (But didn't he already die?)
EG: Oo, pero nakikita ko pa. Pag gusto ko siyang makita, nakikita ko. Saka nagbibigay din siya ng instructions sa akin, para sa mga ginagawa ko. (Yes, but I still see him. If I want to see him, I see him. He also gives me guidance on the things that I do.)
Host: Ha, paano? Sa panaginip? (Huh? How? In your dreams?)
EG: Oo, sa panaginip. Minsan, isinusulat din niya sa blackboard. (Yes, in my dreams. Sometimes, he writes his advice on a blackboard.)
Host: Magkano ang net worth nyo? (How much is your net worth?)
EG: Yun nga, papaunlarin natin ang Pilipinas. (Yes that's right, we will improve the Philippine economy.)
Host: Hmm, yung net worth nyo po. Magkano? (Hmm, your net worth sir. How much?)
EG: Yun nga yung una kong gagawin, aayusin ang Pilipinas. (Yes, that's the first thing I'm going to do, fix the Philippines.)
Host: Yung net worth po. (Your net worth sir.)
EG: Ano'ng net worth? (What net worth?)
Host: Hmm.. yung halaga po ninyo, yung halaga ng mga ari-arian nyo? (Your worth, sir, the value of your properties...)
EG: Ah, hindi ko masasabi kung magkano ang halaga ko. (Ah, I can't say how much I'm worth.)
Host: Isa po sa plano nyo yung gawin dollar ang currency ng Pilipinas. (Among your plans is to change the Philippine currency into dollars.)
EG: Oo, gagawin nating Philippine dollar. Bakit yung ibang bansa, dollar ang gamit. Ang Korea, may Korean dollar. Ang China, Chinese dollar. (Yes, we shall make it the Philippine dollar. Other countries use dollars--Korea has Korean dollars and China has Chinese dollars.)
Host (confused na): Dollar ba ang gamit ng Korea, hindi ba Won? Saka ang China, Yuan di ba? (Confused Host: Does Korea use dollars? Isn't its currency Won? And China, isn't its currency Yuan?)
EG: Dollar din yun. (It's still dollars.)
Hayyyy! Such wonderful answers! I especially like the ghostly father. Let's vote Eddie Gil!!! (For those who didn't get the line of questioning on the net worth--he claims to be rich enough to personally fund a nation-wide campaign, and he's going to buy a helicopter to prove it. Of course nothing of the sort has come to pass.)
On a more serious note, I just wonder why and how the Commission on Elections can allow this man to run AGAIN--he has already proven himself a nuisance before. Maybe he should be allowed to run for office among the patients at the National Mental Hospital.
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
my oscar destiny
is apparently to be a screenwriter. I shall be an Oscar winner for Best Screenplay. Wonderful. Want to know in which field you are destined to win the Oscar? Check it out at Turner Classic Movies' Oscar quiz.
Yes, I am bored. Still at work. Waiting waiting waiting waiting...
Yes, I am bored. Still at work. Waiting waiting waiting waiting...
triumph and boredom
LoTR won! Yay!
But in such a boring fashion.
More on that later, with Ian McKellen's red jingly bracelet and Angelina Jolie and Julia Roberts' nightgown satin dresses.
Have to actually work to earn my keep.
But in such a boring fashion.
More on that later, with Ian McKellen's red jingly bracelet and Angelina Jolie and Julia Roberts' nightgown satin dresses.
Have to actually work to earn my keep.
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