short takes

Saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Were the Oompa-Loompas supposed to look like that? I preferred Gene Wilder's Oompa-Loompas. I think I expected too much from the movie. It was nice, but it wasn't that nice. And Johnny Depp reminded one more of Michael Jackson (oh come on, don't you see the resemblance? pale skin, white even teeth, and invitations to kids to come hither?) than Marilyn Manson on whom fafa Johnny said he based his characterization.

Been on a used-magazine buying spree, although I will only consider them if they're worth less than PhP150. I just think that you don't really have to be up-to-date on international home decor magazines since the "styles" usually trickle back here after a season or two. Besides, we're looking towards a modern classic interior, instead of a trendy one, so the magazines I've bought have been basically Romantic Homes, Better Homes and Gardens (and their tons of spin-off magazines), Victoria and Traditional Home (more for the mother-unit), and House and Garden. Is fun, especially when you consider that you've bought 8 back issues for the price of one current issue. I'm clipping away!

More on the homefront: the parentals are finally going to visit the apartment which zeester#1 and I have already checked out. It's owned by this nice Indian lady who lives in Magallanes. I think it's a good find for 20k a month in the Makati area, four bedrooms, two baths, and lots of storage space for all the things that we're packing. Speaking of packing, I've now sorted about 30% of my books and donated about a dozen to this "reading club" about three blocks away from our house. Some of them will be sold, especially the Tom Clancys and Danielle Steels that I've received as gifts but never bothered to read. Some are in mint condition and will sell for about 40 bucks each to this girl I contacted through Bidshot. I'm still taking about two travel boxes' worth of books along, including almost all my Dragonlance books and about 20 new books that I haven't even torn the cellophane off.

Am reading the eBook of Anne Rice's Blood and Gold during breaks in work and during lulls elsewhere. It's both on AchTung Baby and my work PC (It-That-Must-Not-Be-Named, lest I get attached). The character or Marius really interests me, but I wasn't in any hurry to buy the paperback (seeing as there are still around 20 books that I haven't unwrapped). Of course, I still ended up reading the eBook, even before giving much attention to Jonathan Strange, or 2004's Best Fantasy (although I had to read Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Nameless House of the Night of Dread Desire... whew!).