Eh-hum # 224

HAHAHAHA.

Wala lang.

After going over my blog's archives, I just realized that ever since I started this modest online journal of mine, I always share my thoughts (e.g. cynicism, amusement, etc) on that very special day (to most people anyway), Valentines' Day.

For this year, I totally forgot. It could mean that I have no qualms about being single. However, I am not sure if that's a good thing.

Who cares anyway?

***

More importantly, last February 14, my father came home from overseas. Well, his six months as Master Mariner is not yet over, he'll really come home in April. What I meant was he was able to "steal" a few hours from work because his vessel temporarily docked at the South Harbor in Manila. We had dinner to celebrate his visit, as well as our kasambahay's 30+ birthday. Several hours later, he went back to the ship and set sail to Malaysia.

It was not so bad. Anyway, we'll be seeing him 45 days later. Hehehehe.

Eh-hum # 223

Forgive me, henyo blog, it has been indeed a long, long time since my last post. Rest assured that I am not about to let February pass without posting (at least) one entry under this month.

Am not busy, just preoccupied with the following (don't ask me why, I believe there's a difference):

1. School assignments;
2. Part-time research work (which, with God's grace, will be finished within this week);
3. Newly acquired novels (bought three in two weeks);
4. Household responsibilities;
5. Simple gatherings with friends (the latest was a baby shower for a dear friend in College);
6. Job-hunting; and
7. the Sims. Eh-hum.

Plus the occasional "slacking-off moments", when you just want to stare at the wall for a couple of hours and not think.

Not really swamped, but there were times when I see myself procrastinating. Its one of my biggest weaknesses (next to eating a lot of rice), and I try to fight any urge to slack-off. And this week is quite crucial for me. I am hoping to be "set-free".

Oh well. I am just praying everything will work out fine.

Eh-hum # 222

And so I'm back from outer space...or from the friendly and virtual neighborhood of Four Corners.

Yes, yes. Until today (right this very moment, I mean), free time from work and school was wholly dedicated to playing the Sims Life Stories, a standalone PC version of the wildly popular simulation game the Sims/the Sims 2 published by Maxis and distributed by Electronic Arts. My first encounter of this kind of game was more than four years ago, when it was available for the PlayStation 2. The graphics were not as good back then and the gameplay got a little complicated (e.g. rewards and aspiration points).



I decided to buy this standalone version rather than the expandable the Sims 2 Deluxe because I can install and play the former on my laptop (and it is cheaper by a few hundreds pesos). I enjoy "playing God" by creating Sims (virtual characters) and running their lives (career, family, lovelife, etc). Its an amusing way to relieve stress, or to put one's pathological need to control other people's lives into good use. And I must say, the more I play it, the more I've become addicted to it...hehehe. Just kidding.

As much as I enjoy playing it, I don't consider myself a serious gamer. Moreover, my fondness for it has not taken over my daily responsibilities. I am not one to forget that I have a real life to live and enjoy.

***

Speaking of life, I was shocked to learn this morning that Hollywood actor and Australian Heath Ledger has passed away at the age of 28. I mean, the guy will be next seen in the movie Dark Knight as Batman's most formidable enemy (in my opinion, anyways), the Joker. When the movie premieres in July (?), we expect him to be gracing the red carpet with another actor that has the looks and the talent, Christian Bale. With a promising career, his family in Australia, his fans and most especially his daughter, I doubt it was a suicide. I hope its not, for his little girl's sake.

And just last week, we learned that the Client's Brad Renfro died. He was just 25. He may not be as popular as Ledger, but Renfro also has a makings of a serious actor, especially since he stayed away from teenybopper roles.

Haaay, buhay.

Eh-hum # 221

Talk about unusual names for places.

First read about this little village in Austria in another blog, and I had to check it further in the Internet. And then I got my answer in an article about (excuse me) Fucking, Austria in Wikipedia. And its 100+ residents are not happy with the recent happenings wherein English speaking tourists would steal the traffic sign by the entrance of the town. Here's an example:

What's the F---ing joke?

September 3, 2005

The 104 inhabitants of F---ing, Austria are tired of pesky tourists - and they're fighting back, writes Toby Harnden.

For those travelling to it across the border from Germany, it is a long way further on from Petting - where some people prefer to stop for a while rather than going all the way. It might appropriately be twinned with the Amish town of Intercourse, Pennsylvania. Or perhaps with Condom, France. Or Climax, Colorado.

In the world of crosswords, cryptically the name of the village, which begins with F, has seven letters and is not for those under 16, could be: "Monarch follows soccer team, you hear."

A quick crossword clue might ask you, po-faced, for the gerund form of the English profanity that refers to the principal act leading to procreation.

An etymologist would know that its verb was derived from the Latin futuere and the Old German ficken, meaning "to strike or penetrate". The lexicographer can trace its first recorded use to John Florio's A World of Words, a 1598 dictionary.

D. H. Lawrence used it in Lady Chatterley's Lover in 1928, but it was 32 years before it could be published legally. The playwright Kenneth Tynan was the first one to utter it on television four decades ago.

But for the conservative inhabitants of a settlement called F---ing in rural Upper Austria near Salzburg that comprises just 32 houses (population: 104), the English meaning of their village's name is just one giant headache.

One night, tourists stole all four road signs on its approaches. Since records began, there has been no crime there - apart from the perennial theft of what officials call "street furniture".

Now the authorities are fighting back. The signs have been set in concrete bases and Kommandant Schmidtberger, the local police chief, hints at clandestine operations to combat what he calls "foreign criminals" disturbing the alpine order. (Read the rest of the article here.)

Ergo, it does not matter if the name rhymes with "looking". Hmmm, if these tourists know how to speak Filipino, then this town in Albay is in trouble. Hehehe.

Eh-hum # 220

In a couple of days, it will be 2008. Its amazing that another year has passed by. And truth be told, I am so grateful for 2007 thanks to the many blessings I recieved, events I've experienced and people I've met. The highlight, of course, was the opportunity to stay and study in Japan for a year. The learnings from school, bible studies and even from seemingly mundane activities made me a better person. Thanks to this new found confidence, I can definitely say I'm ready to face the challenges of the coming year. Moreover, I look forward to the blessings that will be coming my way in 2008 and beyond.

***

Just a little something-something. A post on the coming New Year celebration will not be complete without 2008 prediction based on the Chinese Zodiac. Mine says:

Expect to see better changes from 2007 since your financial trends are generally set to be pleasant this year as the Year of the Rat is favorable to Monkeys in terms of money and finances. Just bear in mind that 2008 is not a year for perilous investments. Keep on using your intrinsic capabilities on spotting what is best. 2008 is one of the years that prefigures acceptably for your stash and those savings could result to generate substantial assets in the coming years.

Aahhhh, looks pretty good to me. I would like to start the new year with a new and better job, so I hopefully the "generate substanstial assests" part of the prediction will come true. Hehehe, health is important, but wealth isn't so bad either.

Again, a prosperous New Year to everybody! God Bless!

More predictions here.

Eh-hum # 219

Ehem...its the 25th of December. All I want to say is:

Also, have a prosperous and bountiful 2008! God Bless one and all!

(pic from http://lloydyweb.com/blog/personal/)

Eh-hum # 218

Christmas is just around the corner, and I am busy finishing some papers. Not exactly the best way to spend the holiday season, but its better than just sitting around and stuffing myself with all the Christmas-related gastronomic delights being sold.

Anyway, to keep myself from going insane, I do some qaulity Internet time, and found this extremely funny clip from that reliever of unwanted stress, YouTube. Its the opening clip of the 58th Annual Emmy Awards featuring super late-night host and funny man, Conan O' Brien. It killed me, especially the "The Office" part.

Eh-hum # 217

Oh dear. Its almost the middle of December, and no post yet. Forgive me, just a tad busy with school and, uh, work. Anyway, for your viewing pleasure, a Basic Instructions comic. Topic: How to camouflage an unsightly facial blemish. Very useful indeed.

Eh-hum # 216

It was beyond television drama, and I was honestly worried that there will be bloodshed yesterday that would (unfortunately) make martyrs out of them. "Them" being Senator Trillanes, Brig. Gen. Lim, former VP Guingona, members of the Magdalo group and people from civil society groups/orgs.

It started out as a daring courtroom walkout, but as events began to unfold, it turned out to be a bad idea. PDI online's headlines: Trillanes revolt crushed. Below are some of my thoughts on the incident yesterday:

1. I was quite thankful that there were NO politicians who went to the hotel during the standoff. Perhaps the PNP were the first on the scene so they couldn't take charge of the situation without having to deal with Mamang Pulis General Avelino Razon. Or that they felt the revolt of sorts will not prosper because it failed to garner civilian support (read: no voters present, so why go). Or that to be associated with a radical like Trillanes et al would kill any chance they have for 2010. Hmmmm.

2. Management of the Manila Peninsula Hotel said that 310 out of 497 rooms were occupied before the standoff began. Great, thanks a lot for scaring the tourists/investors and robbing the Manila Pen and its employees valuable and hard-earned income. Not to mention their very festive lobby.

3. Maybe its just me, I find it ironic that a Senator would defy the law by disrespecting the court (a desperate move indeed). Besides, I don't think he became a Senator because he was qualified; I agree to the comments made earlier that it was a protest vote against PGMA.

4. If Trillanes stated his case at court, there could be a chance that the justice he seeks will be served. Staging a mutiny for a second time, defying the courts and putting innocent civilians in jeopardy again...oi, it doesn't look too good for him and his co-horts.

5. Guingona should've retired peacefully. Or if he really wants to get involved, do it in a way that would earn respect, not humiliation. Furthermore, if you are more than 80 years old, it is not a good idea to join a mutiny led by armed mavericks.

6. Media people should've listened the first time (or second time) when they were asked to leave the premises. They said it was part of their job to continue reporting. True, and I admire them for that. However, they should also understand that it is the job of the PNP to ensure that all of the mutineers are accounted for (like the last two Magdalo members who were found hiding in the hotel during clearing operations). While its good that the media people were all released last night, I still don't think its "overkill".

7. Trillanes exploited the media (who followed him around to get his comments, etc) and used them as a protective shield when he went down to the lobby to inspect the sorroundings, the first time since they got to the hotel. Am sorry, that's not kagitingan in my book.

8. Senators should have one staff dedicated to watching the news, taking note of every detail expressed. For instance, Senator Mar Roxas (a guest at DZMM) asked about the curfew and its effects on call center agents. Well, that was answered like, an hour ago when Secretaries Puno and Gonzales were giving a presscon at Malacanang and Secretary Teodoro was being interviewed by Ted Failon and his lady love (and ticket to 2010) Korina Sanchez.

9. As it turns out, the curfew did garner some positive results. Sleazy joints were empty, no drunkards roaming the streets. Would it kill to be a little more disciplined? And no, we are not under martial law. People, pay attention!

10. Makati, again?! What's up with that? Mayor Binay seems not too keen in keeping the city safe from coup plotters and mutineers. At this rate, businesses will move to other places, like Quezon City. Well, that's good news for us.

Finally, 11. While the whole thing was a dud, the government, especially the President, should not take it lightly. Trillanes is reckless and arrogant, but their grievances are rooted in real life. If the government (meaning everybody, from the President to the kagawad, administration and opposition alike) does not shape up, there will be more of these in the future. The Filipinos, particularly the tax payers, don't deserve this kind of drama. Geeez, I hope your trip in Europe will bring good news, madame President. By the way, whats with the entourage? Eh-hum.

Oh yeah, today, is Bonifacio Day. Let us not forget that. :)

Eh-hum # 215

Ohboyohboyohboyohboy.

I could've just stayed at home and relaxed. But NO! This was an opportunity of a lifetime, and I am not about to let it pass.

I suddenly remembered that I was in Kobe when Neil Gaiman toured Tokyo last September 2007. If I had a LOT of money at that time, I would've bought a Shinkansen ticket just to see him. But it was either that or starvation. Nonetheless, there was hope and yesterday proved to be a blessing. Therefore, I couldn't think of any good reason NOT to see him in person. Hehehe, not even Mina the typhoon. And the wonderful part about that was, I was not the only one willing to face the bad and unpredictable weather just to catch a glimpse of Mr. Gaiman.

Oh. Did I mentioned that I was there?

Yep, I went to Fully Booked at the Fort and attended the awarding ceremony of the 2nd Philippine Graphic/Fiction Awards as well as the launching of the book Expeditions, which contains the works of last year's winners (one for each category; comics and prose). Mr Gaiman provided the foreword of the said book(s). Thankfully, the weather cooperated with us (just a drizzle) and everything went smooth as silk. Local magician Eric Mana and a group of percussionists/musicians/arnis practitioners (forgive me, with all the excitement I forgot their name) graced the evening and provided entertainment.

I was contented to be just a few feet away from Mr Gaiman, though I wished I arrived much earlier and owned a better camera, fit for those zoom shots. But its fine, I had fun and it was really heartwarming to hear Mr Gaiman applaud the winners for their good work and talk about the uniqueness of the Filipino tradition and culture. Now, the contest is in its third year, and Mr Gaiman asked all interested parties to submit their best works. He even announced that they are including a new category: short film (to the excitement of the crowd). The organizers will be giving the future contestants a year to do their stuff, hence, mediocrity is NOT an option.

I'll leave all the writing/drawing/moviemaking to the professionals; I'm just happy to be one of Mr Gaiman's fans and be in the same place as he is. The most memorable event of the evening was when Mr Gaiman requested his son, Mike, to join him in the stage (wherein Mr Gaiman expressed that one can profit from your children's nightmares, hehehehe). You can see that apart from being an amazing storyteller and bestselling author, he is first and foremost a father and family man. Better yet, read his blog; he gushes over his children.

That's basically it. Oh yeah, I also bought an autographed copy of the movie Beowulf script and won an autographed Sandman bookmark (which I have yet to claim). Thanks very much Mr Gaiman, hope you can visit the Philippines soon, you are ALWAYS welcome.

Eh-hum # 214

Two quizzes here; wala lang.

You Are A Weeping Willow Tree

You are a dreamer, and you're into almost any kind of escapism. Restless and capricious, you love to travel to exotic places. You are easily influenced by others, as long as they don't pressure you. You tend to suffer in love until you find that one loyal, steadfast partner. An empathetic friend, you love to make others smile and laugh.

What's Your Celtic Horoscope?

You Are Not a Cheapskate

When it comes to money, you're very fair. You're generous when you can be, and you never cheat anyone out of what they deserve. If you have the money, you enjoy splurging. But you never overspend.

Are You a Cheapskate?

Eh-hum # 213

I can't believe I am posting this just now. He's in Subic for crying out loud. I mean, we're practically breathing the same air.

It was Monday. I was in school and just hanging out in the library (where it is properly and comfortably ventilated and quiet). I logged on and proceeded to do the usual stuff, like checking my email. When I got to the blog-hopping part of my Internet itinerary, I totally flipped-out. In his Sunday post, Neil Gaiman casually mentioned that he, in 18 hours, was about to leave for the Philippines. Holy of all holiness...

I felt kind of bad for not making an effort to see the Fab Five when they visited the country last year, since they were a MRT away (from Ayala Malls I mean). So I am not about to make the same mistake again.

>Kindly visit http://heartofadream.wordpress.com/ for more information on Mr Gaiman's Manila tour. He's in Subic most of the time for the 20th Philippine Ad Congress, but on Sunday, he will be at Fully Booked at the Fort. Gaiman fans unite!

Eh-hum # 212

The authorities are considering other angles, but as of the moment, this makes a lot of sense. Two days later, the Philippine National Police believed that Basilan congressman Wahab Akbar was the likely target of the bomb that exploded at the House of Representatives' South Wing. Akbar and four others were killed in the said explosion which also left several others wounded. These inlcuded two other solons, Representatives Teves and Ilagan.

Early reports say that the bomb was planted on a Honda motorcycle parked near the South Wing lobby (see picture above) and was detonated by a cellular phone. Akbar was a former member of the extremist group Abu Sayaff who later turned against them and helped the government in the campaign against it. If investigations lead to the Abu Sayaff, then the incident could've very well been an assasination. Relatives of Akbar in Basilan agree that he was the target, except for the suspects and the motive. His political rivals could also be responsible. Before becoming congressman, Akbar was the governor of Basilan. His first wife succeded him while his second wife is the mayor of Isabela (also in Basilan). So, governing Basilan is an Akbar family affair. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if the attack was politically motivated; they practically owned the place.

Others say that the attack was against the Congress as an institution, or part of a plot to destabilize the government (both were discredited by the PNP). But I guess the lamest and speculative of the bunch (which, as usual, came from a party list congresswoman) was that the bombing was a diversionary tactic to cover-up the ongoing bribery proceedings and filing of impeachment complaints. Let me just say that (1) I'm really tired of hearing this, (2) its not a good idea to say such things without any proof (channeling "Senator" Trillianes at the Glorietta 2 incident) and (3) now it is a good time to get our acts together and find the perpetrators of this heinous crime. Also, I applaud the congressmen/women who decided to cast their (political) differences behind and made an effort to help the victims of the blast, as a team. Sus, puwede pala iyon. If our politicians were that mature, then we (the country) are on our way to better things. I guess there is such a thing as having too much opinion. Eh-hum...

Eh-hum # 211

I am not much of a gamer, but I thought this article from Yahoo! was interesting. And I am familiar with most of the characters included in the list.

If I had to choose my favorite video game characters (among the list), it would have to be Mario, Lara Croft, Sonic and Cloud Strife (not in the top ten, but mentioned anyway). Maybe they should also include the whole population of the Sims. Just a thought, hehehe.

Eh-hum # 210

Wow, American TV network ABC is on a roll. First it was Desperate Housewives, now its Jimmy Kimmel Live! Wonder which ABC program will take on the Filipino pride next. Eh-hum

The latest joke about Pinoys occured on the set of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, wherein Kimmel was interviewing Josh Hartnett. The latter just finished shooting a film at Mt. Diwalwal in Davao. During the interview, Kimmel expressed that Filipinos lack the ability to speak and read English. The comment/joke came in after the two talked about Hartnett's and the American crew's safety while filming near the mountain; the locals told them that there were cases of kidnapping in the area before they arrived.

Like the Desperate Housewives "joke", I initially expected the Filipino-American community will demand Kimmel's head on a silver platter. But according to a report from local network ABS-CBN, the Pinoys and the Fil-Am community in the US had "mixed and considerably milder reaction" to the said remark. I also had the same reaction.

The joke was uncomfortable, but I'm not taking it too seriously. I mean, it was made by an American comedien, so I don't really expect him to do some "research" on the Philippines. If a person (or foreigner) does not know and/or understand a nation's politics, culture, and history, he or she is bound to have her own perceptions (or biases, depending how you look at it). I find myself doing the same thing. The only difference is that, I don't do it on national television.

Geez, I hope this won't become a trend.

***

Due to my 207th post, I would like to think I had something to do with this (I did vote, twice):

Filipino, 7 others picked to carry Olympic torch in China

Associated Press Last updated 00:47am (Mla time) 11/03/2007

BEIJING -- (UPDATE) A Filipino marketing manager and an American who works with Chinese orphans are among eight foreigners living in China who have been picked to join in the 2008 Beijing Olympics torch run across the country, organizers said Friday.

Marcos Antonio Torres was picked from among 262 applicants in a contest organized by Chinese computer maker Lenovo Group, an Olympic sponsor, and the government newspaper China Daily. Each will carry the torch for 200 meters on Chinese soil.

Read the rest of the article here. Mabuhay tayo!