movies movies movies

i'm sorry... i love my country and all, and i have filipino pride and stuff like that. but for some reason, i really hate the metro manila film festival. ok, very rarely, there are good movies that come out during the film fest. but that season is also the time that a lot of good international movies come out. and these movies have to be delayed due to the film fest who just need to hog out all the cinemas in city. anyway, i especially hate last year's film fest because i missed the showing of Martian Child. i've been waiting for the movie since i saw its trailer and i missed it. i think it was only shown here for less than a week! oh well, this is the movie buff in me ranting. but anyway again, at least i found the time to watch a lot of movies this month already. i've seen I Am Legend and National Treasure 2 which were both okay. i find I Am Legend scary and creepy. while i think the first National Treasure is better than the second one. i watched 27 Dresses yesterday which is generally not a very good movie for me. i think it was good and funny in the beginning. but towards the end, it seems as if the writer just got lazy and sloppy. but at least James Marsden was there, who i'm beginning to love especially when he starts singing. the best movie i've seen so far, which i've seen twice already, is Sweeney Todd. yes! Johnny Depp singing despite looking terrible was still "swoon-worthy". the movie was dark, gory and funny, and everyone was singing which was perfect! my favorite was Johnny Depp's and Alan Rickman's duet of "Pretty Women". it's as if they really appreciate women! *swoon* i still haven't seen American Gangster which i heard is a good movie. and i'm actually interested in it because this time, Denzel Washington is the "bad guy" while Russell Crowe is the "good guy". when i first saw the trailer for the movie, i remembered their other movie together, Virtuosity. and in that movie, their roles were switched. i always like to see how well an actor can play both the "good" and "bad" sides. that is why i very much like "Face/Off". John Travolta and Nicholas Cage were both convincing as protagonists and antagonists. anyway, anybody want to see American Gangster with me?

first blog of the year!

which is already a month late. but since i want to blog about new things, yet i feel guilty about skipping stuff i was about to blog about, and i just finished the document i and everyone in my team has been laboring over for 3 weeks, and it is already 2am and i have a meeting at 10am... i am doing this the quick way and get it over with! so here comes a barrage of picture posts. hope you like pics. :D ------------------------------------------------- December 18 Our office Christmas party, which was the most fun one I've had yet. Four days before the party, we decided to turn it into a costume party! Can you guess who we are? :D (L): The J2ME team, (R): Everyone! ------------------------------------------------- December 19 The day after the party, i was on a leave due to my friend Richie's very persistent request to go out of town. So we went to The Farm in Lipa, Batangas. We barely have pictures of us, but i have a lot of pics of the place. It was very pretty. (L): Over there by the pool is where i got my massage, (R): The lagoon. They had a postcard of this for sale, so i had to took a picture too. ------------------------------------------------- December 22 was Faye's church wedding. The reception was in Nurture Spa, Tagaytay. I told Faye before that i will make a detailed blog about her wedding. I will still do that, but this is my teaser! :D (L): with my pisay girlfriends, (R): with my college barkada ------------------------------------------------- December 27 and January 2 Leo was getting married so a few days before that, we had dinner to catch up before he becomes "un-single". Then i had to take a leave again to attend his wedding which was held in the Guadalupe church, while reception was at the Coconut Palace in Manila. (L): SAL SAs with single Leo, (R): SAL SAs with the couple Dawn and Leo ------------------------------------------------- January 2 and 3 Faye was leaving for Australia again! And we just cannot let her go without a proper goodbye. After Leo's wedding, i met up with Faye and our pisay friends. The next day, we spent hours in Red box singing and drinking tequila with Faye's cousins and our college barkada. :D (L): Our high school friends, (R): At red box with our wehehe friends the end! and more to come. beware! :P

this is the season to be merry christmas!

so, i am planning to do some Christmas shopping this coming week. and if you are too, and planning to get something for me, here's my Christmas wish list in no particular order! :D 1. a new DVD rack, which rotates! seriously, i have 7 DVDs right now which is just on top of my sofa because there's no more space for it. 2. more DVDs to put in my new rack. top choices right now are "A Lot Like Love", "The Wedding Singer", "Four Weddings and a Funeral", "Pirates of the Caribbean 3", "Spiderman 3", and "Hairspray". 3. more Neil Gaiman books. I am still lacking Good Omens, Mirrormask, Smokes and Mirrors Trade Paperback edition, etc. 4. something that you made. 5. something that cooked or baked. so, what do you want for Christmas? :)

random odd thought

no, i'm not being emo. maybe a bit morbid but not emo. but i was just thinking the other day and i realized that this is the best time for me to die. i think that i have done ok with my life so far. maybe i did not do anything exceptional, and i have not really accomplished everything that i have dreamed of as a child. but still, none of those things that i have not done makes my life less worthy. and even if i have not done those, i still don't regret it. maybe that is also why i haven't done them yet. they are just things that i can live with and without. they don't really matter that much. i have worked hard enough, and earned enough to live in a bit of luxury. though the most expensive thing i own is probably my bed/phone/iPod, i don't mind. i was happy spending on stuff i like and love -- giving gifts or spending for my family and friends, buying items on a whim, spending money to collect my DVDs and books, eating great-tasting food, etc. also, i like what i've accomplished so far with regards to my career. i have not changed the world or how the world communicates, stuff like that -- but i feel like i have already contributed something recognizable. and most specially, i am single. no, i'm not saying that i want to die because i am single. what i just mean is that i am not responsible for anyone who can't be taken care of by anyone else. my family have each other, and my friends have their significant others and/or better friends than me. if i had my own family already, specially children, i definitely cannot afford to die. i wouldn't let myself die. i guess, i am just saying that for the first time in a long time (or maybe ever?), i am not afraid to die. and seriously, it's a liberating feeling. :)

Surviving the Urbanathlon

yes, i am still alive! i would like to share with all of you my greatest physical achievement for the year, that is finishing the Urbanathlon! What is the Urbanathlon? Well basically, it's a 10 kilometer run/race plus 2 laps (except for the wall) of obstacle course. The obstacle course includes overcoming four 4.5-foot high marine hurdles, climbing 4 pickup trucks, walking through a 4-feet long 4-inch thick wooden plank, "jumping" over four 3-foot high barricades and finally, conquering an 8-foot wall. and yes, i came out alive, it's a miracle! many many thanks to my teammates who helped me throughout the race. i wouldn't be able to climb that wall and marine hurdles without you. for my officemates and grish for the cheers and support. and especially to mapet for being our official photographer and producing "proof" of our greatest achievement up to date. :) below, a step-by-step guide on how to climb an 8-foot wall. prerequisite though: 3 grown men!

step 1: hold the rope and put your feet up.

step 2: everyone, push!

step 3: hold on for dear life!

step 4: get reinforcement at the top.

step 5: for someone with no upper body strength like me, have someone clamp your feet over the wall, and another one to boost you up through your other leg. requirement though, a bit of flexibility or high tolerance for pain.

step 6: for someone who just went through much pain, rest a bit at the top.

step 7: climb down.

step 8: put both feet on the ground. ta-da!!!

yey! and we crossed the finish line together. that is team building for you! :)

all posted pics here and in my multiply are from mapet. thanks mapet! :)