Crappy Happy Moments

Bleach 365 Hot Damn!

2009-07-11T02:10:00.007+08:00

I was getting tired waiting for the Vizards to show up, and last week my wish finally came true! It was a grand entrance for the masks. The new chapter (365) really cooked up some heat! I'm all puppy-eyed for next week's release to see what the Vizards can really do.

Among the most awaited scenes is between Muruguma Kensei and Hisagi Shuhei. I like Shuhei's reaction upon seeing his idol after years of thinking he was long dead. Not that there was anything fruitful, since Shuhei was down and badly injured. I doubt Kensei saw him, and I'm not sure he'll be able to recognize the boy he once saved (though the '69' mark will get him thinking, I'm sure). I just hope KT will touch on this sooner than later.

Another reunion we were waiting for was between Shunsui and his former vice captain Lisa. Their meeting was quite.. normal, should I say? It got me thinking that maybe Shunsui knew of the existence of the Vizards. Captain Yamamoto certainly does, and it's not so far-fetched that the old captains would know about it.

Here's my theory: I think when Shinji Hirako and the gang were revived as Vizards, they came to Yamamoto for some support. But as they were already part hollows, the captain of the Gotei 13 shunned them away. Perhaps the other captains that time (Shunsui, Ukitake, and Unohana, specifically) knew and kept it between them. Or perhaps Yamamoto didn't tell them at all.

The problem with this theory is regarding Aizen's crime. If my thoughts on Yamamoto knowing about theVizards' history is true, he should've also known about Aizen's role in all of it. KT better have something good to tie up loose ends on this matter. Meanwhile, there's a week before the next chapter comes out and I'm tapping my foot in impatience.

***credits to Sleepy Fans Scanlations***

My Movie Meme

2009-07-10T06:05:00.002+08:00

I've left this blog postless for so long now I think I've gotten rusty. I do have a lot of things I want to share; I didn't just sit and do nothing during my 2-month absence here. But my fingers don't seem to be in the mood for typing. For now, I'll make post my version of the movie meme from my friend's blog as my comeback to my happy crappy blog.

Take the top 100 grossing movies: italicize the ones you've seen.

1. Titanic (1997) - $600,779,824
2. Star Wars (1977) - $460,935,665
3. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) - $434,949,459
4. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) - $431,065,444
5. Spider-Man (2002) - $403,706,375
6. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003) - $377,019,252
7. Passion of the Christ, The (2004) - $370,025,697
8. Jurassic Park (1993) - $356,784,000
9. Shrek 2 (2004) - $356,211,000
10. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002) - $340,478,898
11. Finding Nemo (2003) - $339,714,367
12. Forrest Gump (1994) - $329,691,196
13. Lion King, The (1994) - $328,423,001
14. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) - $317,557,891
15. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001) - $313,837,577
16. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) - $310,675,583
17. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) - $309,125,409
18. Independence Day (1996) - $306,124,059
19. Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) - $305,411,224
20. Sixth Sense, The (1999) - $293,501,675
21. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - $290,158,751
22. Home Alone (1990) - $285,761,243
23. Matrix Reloaded, The (2003) - $281,492,479
24. Shrek (2001) - $267,652,016
25. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) - $261,970,615
26. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) - $260,031,035
27. Jaws (1975) - $260,000,000
28. Monsters, Inc. (2001) - $255,870,172
29. Batman (1989) - $251,188,924
30. Men in Black (1997) - $250,147,615
31. Toy Story 2 (1999) - $245,823,397
32. Bruce Almighty (2003) - $242,589,580
33. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) - $242,374,454
34. Twister (1996) - $241,700,000
35. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) - $241,437,427
36. Ghost Busters (1984) - $238,600,000
37. Beverly Hills Cop (1984) - $234,760,500
38. Cast Away (2000) - $233,630,478
39. Lost World: Jurassic Park, The (1997) - $229,074,524
40. Signs (2002) - $227,965,690
41. Rush Hour 2 (2001) - $226,138,454
42. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) - $219,200,000
43. Ghost (1990) - $217,631,306
44. Aladdin (1992) - $217,350,219
45. Saving Private Ryan (1998) - $216,119,491
46. Mission: Impossible II (2000) - $215,397,30
47. X2 (2003) - $214,948,780
48. Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) - $213,079,163
49. Back to the Future (1985) - $210,609,762
50. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) - $205,399,422
51. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) - $204,843,350
52. Exorcist, The (1973) - $204,565,000
53. Mummy Returns, The (2001) - $202,007,640
54. Armageddon (1998) - $201,573,391
55. Gone with the Wind (1939) - $198,655,278
56. Pearl Harbor (2001) - $198,539,855
57. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) - $197,171,806
58. Toy Story (1995) - $191,800,000
59. Men in Black II (2002) - $190,418,803
60. Gladiator (2000) - $187,670,866
61. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) - $184,925,485
62. Dances with Wolves (1990) - $184,208,848
63. Batman Forever (1995) - $184,031,112
64. Fugitive, The (1993) - $183,875,760
65. Ocean’s Eleven (2001) - $183,405,771
66. What Women Want (2000) - $182,805,123
67. Perfect Storm, The (2000) - $182,618,434
68. Liar Liar (1997) - $181,395,380
69. Grease (1978) - $181,360,000
70. Jurassic Park III (2001) - $181,166,115
71. Mission: Impossible (1996) - $180,965,237
72. Planet of the Apes (2001) - $180,011,740
73. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) - $179,870,271
74. Pretty Woman (1990) - $178,406,268
75. Tootsie (1982) - $177,200,000
76. Top Gun (1986) - $176,781,728
77. There’s Something About Mary (1998) - $176,483,808
78. Ice Age (2002) - $176,387,405
79. Crocodile Dundee (1986) - $174,635,000
80. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) - $173,585,516
81. Elf (2003) - $173,381,405
82. Air Force One (1997) - $172,888,056
83. Rain Man (1988) - $172,825,435
84. Apollo 13 (1995) - $172,071,312
85. Matrix, The (1999) - $171,383,253
86. Beauty and the Beast (1991) - $171,301,428
87. Tarzan (1999) - $171,085,177
88. Beautiful Mind, A (2001) - $170,708,996
89. Chicago (2002) - $170,684,505
90. Three Men and a Baby (1987) - $167,780,960
91. Meet the Parents (2000) - $166,225,040
92. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) - $165,500,000
93. Hannibal (2001) - $165,091,464
94. Catch Me If You Can (2002) - $164,435,221
95. Big Daddy (1999) - $163,479,795
96. Sound of Music, The (1965) - $163,214,286
97. Batman Returns (1992) - $162,831,698
98. Bug’s Life, A (1998) - $162,792,677
99. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) - $161,963,000
100. Waterboy, The (1998) - $161,487,252

I highlighted the movies I have yet to watch to completely ake this list all slanted!

Joongbo Fever Goes On and On..

2009-05-14T01:40:00.005+08:00

I knew I was just trying to convince myself. It was a futile effort, since even now I still go over what goes on in their world and read the fanfics. Ahhh... I guess this Joongbo fever just won't die.

I'm actually confused as to how I could be this addicted to the Ssangchu/Lettuce couple. Hwang Bo and Kim Hyun Joong has parted ways and are focusing on their individual careers now. It's been months already since their married life in WGM ended. Yet here I am, still looking for updates at Chonsa's blog, browsing over Ssanggchudream's LJ and reading the fanfics over at the forums. I even have Hwang Bo as my desktop wallpaper!

It's just not me to be so hung up on on-screen couples, especially those who have ended their pairing like Joongbo. Their fanbase is also pretty big; around the world, Joongboers are growing. You can check out the numerous blogs and the several Joongbo forum members. We're growing!

Ahhh... these two. How could they have become so addictive? I've only heard of Hyun Joong and SS501 vaguely in the past but he is now a familiar face to me in the kpop scene. I have never heard of Hwang Bo before WGM but she got me hooked now. I am really a fan of hers (no matter how much my sister raises her eyebrow at me for looking up to the Lady General). I don't know when this craze of mine is going to end but I don't think it'll be soon. Honestly, I won't mind if it never goes away.

My Favorite Supporting Characters in Bleach

2009-04-29T01:13:00.019+08:00

There's been about 4 (?) popularity polls rounding up the Bleach characters that the major characters in the Bleach universe are sure that they are loved by many already. So for my own list of favorite characters I excluded the lead characters of the Bleach series, and only took note of those that didn't get too much air time.

Among the excluded are (of course) Kurosaki Ichigo, Ishida Uryuu, Kuchiki Rukia, Inoue Orihime, Yasutora Sado/Chad, Abarai Renji, Urahara Kisuke, Kuchiki Byakuya, Histugaya Toushiro, and Matsumoto Rangiko. Captain Histugaya has always been popular, and since Lt. Matsumoto is almost always with him, they're also excluded.

And my list goes as:

The fathers --- Kurosaki Isshin and Ishida Ryuken: Well, there's some history here. How they seem to be great friends and how they "lost" their powers. In Ryuken's part, he may have just kept quiet about his Quincy powers. Still, their sons were on the verge of dying a couple of times and they're still just watching from the sides. I have these thoughts that maybe Isshin was part of the Royal Guard and Ryuken paired up with him or something. It'll be big when they reveal everything to their sons, and to us.

Kensei Muguruma: By far, he is my favorite among the Visoreds (Vizards). His short temper amuses me and his compact strength is impressive. He was quite the captain back in the Pendulum chapters (I liked his hair better then, too). He showed very cool leadership qualities, and is obviously one of the strongest among the Visoreds. He was the first to turn into Hollow form and it took the rest of the to-be-Visoreds to fight him and Mashiro.

Hisagi Shuuhei: He's finally getting some air time! One of the reasons why I've taken a liking to Hisagi is his connection to Kensei. His 69 tattoo on his cheek is in honor of the former captain for saving his life when he was young. I believe that this is also the reason why Hisagi chose the same squad as Kensei's. I am really excited as to what Hisagi's reaction would be when they finally meet again, with Kensei as a Visored. I'm also wondering how Hisagi would feel when he'll realize that his former captain, Tousen, was the one who stabbed Kensei at the back and turned him to Aizen's experiments.

Kira Izuru: I didn't like him much before because of his subordinance to Ichimaru Gin. But given his poisition then, it was excuseable. Kira has also improved much, and his shikai is really one of the most impressive shikais of the show.

Rose or Rojuro Otoribashi: We still don't know anything about him except that he was the former 3rd squad captain, and newly appointed, too. He has displayed a calm demeanor and seems to be one of the wiser ones in the Visoreds. He might be one of those people who complements "the calm before the storm."

Lisa Yadomaru: They really had feisty vice-captains back in Pendulum days, as compared to the present vice-captains. Shunsui has hinted that Lisa is stronger than the average vice-captain back when she was his lieutenant. Now a Visored, surely her powers have gotten stronger. i also like her "so what?" attitude.

Shinji Hirako: This is another Visored I'm looking forward to when he goes all out. Actually, I'm interested in all the Visoreds. But these four are on top of the others so far. Will he get to fight Aizen in the future? I hope so!

Shunsui Kyoraku and Jushiro Ukitake: I like this two together. When on their own, they're either silent or slacking, so there's not much action. But when they're together, you can really see their closeness and their brotherly friendship. They haven't gone all out yet either. I'm not sure if we'll be able to, but I hope so.

Yumichika Ayasegawa: There's just something about narcissistic guys that amuse me. Ayasegawa especially makes me laugh. Ikkaku has already shown us his tough attitude and his bankai. It should be Ayasegawa's turn in the future to show us some good stuff. His true shikai has already been revealed, but we never know, he may also have mastered bankai.

Stark: He's the only Espada that came in on my top 10 (Ulquiorra and Nel came in on my top 20). He's just cool in a ladi back kind of way. He obviously has the same personality as Shunsui. Their strengths are disguised by their dislike of fighting and lazy attitude.

Runner-up!
Chojiro Sasakibe: Who's this, you ask? Well, he is certainly unfamiliar, but he's always there with the Commander Captain. He's the vice-captain of the 1st squad, and this should imply that he's got awesome skills. He certainly has the look of someone authoritative and all-powerful. He's not making any moves in the present arc of the manga and anime. But he'd better in the near future. You can't be a lieutenant of the top squad and not show us anything awesome!

Dragonball Evolution Was Crappy

2009-04-29T00:21:00.004+08:00

I knew it when I first heard they were making it into a movie.
I knew it when they cast Justin Chatwin for the role.
I knew it when Emmy Rossum was cast as Bulma.
I knew it when I saw the poster and saw mostly women and no muscles.
I knew it when they made Piccolo the antagonist.
I knew it when I saw or heard no sign of Kririn and the other Dragon Ball heroes.
I knew it when Chi-Chi and Goku were portrayed as the geek-and-popular-girl love tandem.
I knew it when the plot just didn't make any sense at all!

I just knew that Dragonball Evolution would end up crappy.

In the first place, the very idea of adapting the Dragon Ball series into a live action movie never really appealed to me. Why? Because it was unimaginable to take it into live action. The Dragon Ball series is one of those animations that just wouldn't fit right into the live movies for the very reason that live action can't seem to give it justice.

Think about it. Hardcore muscle men, the Super Saiyan mode (not that this was included in the movie), Piccolo's appearance (James Marsters made me hate Piccolo when I really like Piccolo in the anime), the so-far-out-to-the-future technology by Bulma and her father, and even Shen Long the great dragon (who turns out puny in the movie)... I cannot imagine these things in live action.

Of all anime, why did they choose Dragon Ball anyway? The series isn't like Marvel or DC Comics where we human beings can really relate to the superheroes because they are human, too. The characters in the Dragon Ball series are made up of different species, and while we can connect with their emotions and storylines, it's a different thing altogether when the entire feel of the whole vast universe concept is part of the story's charm. Dragon Ball isn't just about good versus evil and the "who's stronger?" question. Part of what made the anime a beloved series is because of its universal concept and the unimaginable and unfathomable powers that can only occur in our wildest dreams.

After watching Dragonball Evolution, I felt skeptic over the other live action adaptations that'll be out in the future. The Last Airbender is in the works (with Dev Patel as my fave Zuko?) and I am hoping they won't trash the Avatar series like they did Dragon Ball.

I'm On Bleach

2009-04-23T05:13:00.005+08:00

I've gone back to rewatching the animes I have and it made me confirm that one of my favorite anime universes has got to be Bleach. It's one of my favorite animes and manga stories. I even got myself watching fan vids and parodies of it. Sheesh.

Well, as I am in too deep with this anime at present, expect some future posts to be about Bleach and its characters, and my thoughts on it and whatever else. I already have some ideas up my head just waiting to be posted.

Stay tuned!

For now, enjoy this 300 movie parody on Bleach that I found. It's pretty neat!

Shouldn't the Youngest Be Stronger?

2009-03-25T23:07:00.005+08:00

This is in terms of supernatural powers and energy in siblings. It is usually the younger one who gets to have the glory in fairy tales and parent-and-children flicks like The Little Mermaid and The Godfather. But there are cases where the older sibling is still supreme over the younger one when it obviously should be the other way around.

Case in Point 1: Son Gohan and Goten

I just finished watching all the Dragon Ball Z movies, and I've noticed once again just how small Goten's presence seems to be. Trunks has much more screen time (although I guess it's about time that Vegeta's royal blood run its course and overtake Goku's reputation).

Being brothers, Gohan and Goten should have the same kamehameha energy. Goten is around 6 years younger so he's still got a lot of catching up to do, and it's understandable that Gohan will be stronger than him during Goten's wee years. But even when Goten and Trunks have grown up to manhood there is still no sign of Goten having an edge with his Saiyan blood. He's also the son of Son Goku, he should have a more significant role in the series! Instead he is cast aside like a supporting character while Trunks goes out to be the frontman of the hero Saiyans of the Earth.

But he and Trunks aren't the issue. It's him and his brother, Gohan. When Gohan was introduced in the series, it has been emphasized that his powers have the potential to be stronger than their father's. While time and again it's still Goku who manages to finish up the fight and kill the enemy, there is no doubt that Gohan is poised to become stronger than him. Now I would have expected the same from Goten. His early training with martial arts and entry to the Super Saiyan level (plus fusion with Trunks) made an impression that he may even be stronger than his brother. But nooo... throughout the series he stays as a happy-go-lucky kid who doesn't really fight it out with the others. And he got less and less screen time as the series went.

Why should Goten be stronger? Well, given that Goku was at the peak of his powers the time they conceived Goten, the kid should've inherited more powered energy than Gohan had, shouldn't he? He also achieved Super Saiyan level at a younger age than Gohan or Trunks did (Trunks being older by a year). Yet he just grows up normally instead of kicking alien butt.

Case in Point 2: Wyatt and Chris Halliwell

I'm pretty sure that Chris Halliwell has more fans than Wyatt does. This is due to Chris' major role for the whole of season 6 of Charmed, and his neurotic kind of love for his family. Not that we Charmed fans can blame him, when you've got a brother who happens to be the most powerful witch in history and is on the edge of becoming evil.

I can get how Wyatt would be powerful, as he is a son of a Charmed one and a Whitelighter and born on the Halliwell manor. But for Chris to be not stronger than him? Just because he was born in the hospital instead of at home, he doesn't have powers like Wyatt does?

He should actually be stronger compared to Wyatt. When you think about it, Chris actually has more reasons to be more powerful than his older brother. The main push on this claim would be because at the time of his conception, Piper was already hailed as the most powerful witch of her time and Leo was already an Elder. Put the two together --- strongest witch + Elder --- we should get a child who inherited far more power than Wyatt. True, Chris was able to crush a valkyrie's heart at will, but it was always reiterated throughout the series that he will never be at Wyatt's supreme and all-powerful level.

Ah well.. I guess the distribution of powers isn't all that balanced in the supernatural families. It annoys me though when likeable characters like Goten and Chris are just set aside like they couldn't live up to their family's reputation.

How Animated Fight Scenes Should Be!

2009-03-07T04:36:00.007+08:00

I can't help but revel watching the fight scenes of my fave animated shows. Compared to the punch-grab-throw-kick stuff that American animation gives, the Japanese animations are more awesome. And I don't just say 'awesome' lightly. Here are the opening fight scenes of two of my favorite anime.. and I tell ya, this is how animated fight scenes should be!

Seirei no Moribito follows the story of a spear-wielding bodyguard named Balsa and the young prince she has to protect from the assassins sent by his own father, the emperor. It's an anime series made of 26 episodes, and contains great graphics and evolving characters. One of the best animes I've seen, both in visual effects and storyline. It made me appreciate the strength of a spear, too, as I have always viewed this weapon as rather inferior to a sword back then.

This is the opening of the Sword of the Stranger, wherein the star weapon is the sword. Many have said the fight scenes in the movie are badass, awesome, even godly, and I will not be one to disagree. For every synonym of these words, I say yea yea YEAH! Once you've seen the whole movie, how can you say otherwise?

In the video clip, the guy in the red cloak is the villain. As it's the opening fight scene and it's the villain on it, you can only imagine how the next fight scenes would be and how the protagonist of the story is going to kick some serious ass.

Japanese Animated Movies: Short Reviews

2009-03-06T00:20:00.016+08:00

One of my goals in life is to have a collection of my favorite animated movies. Me and my anime madness.. tsk. As I collect, I select what to collect, of course. Here are a couple of Japanese animated movies that I have watched these past few weeks as I go trek and check one movie to another:

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time: I already made a post on this, concerning time leap. I'll just reiterate my thoughts on the movie by saying that it's certainly one of the great feel-good animated movies from Japan. It's definitely a must-watch --- great story, great animation, believable emotions.

Howl's Moving Castle: Hayao Miyazaki shows how he's one of Asia's most talented artists and storytellers. This guy really has a vast imagination to be able to cook up the many settings and "magical advances" in Howl's Moving Castle. This movie was nominated for the Academy Awards, understandably. The movie reflects a lot of emotions and all the characters are really brought out to life by the flow of the story. Christian Bale voices the childishly charming Howl, although I can only remember little of how Bale's voice sounded so smooth.

Spirited Away: This is perhaps Hayao Miyazaki's most successful film, as it won the Academy Award, again understandably. The movie tells the story of a girl plunged into a world of magic and sorcery, all the while trying to cling to her identity. I think perhaps the morale of the story is to always remember who you are, even if the others try to rule over you. Miyazaki again brings out his big imagination here. He's really impressive.

Vampire Hunter D: Given the fact that this movie was made many years ago, I guess I can excuse the bad drawing (very thick outlines, and that's bad when the movie's setting is already dark). Still, this is not a movie I would want to watch twice. It follows Vampire Hunter D in one of his missions to rid the world of vampires, even with the knowledge that his father is the great ancestor of all vampires, Dracula. While the story remains the same, the book is still more catching.

Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust: Another Vampire Hunter D movie.. but this time, there's improvement in everything --- drawing, storyline, effects, etc. It features another one of D's missions as a vampire hunter, and lightly touches on his views as a half-vampire. This one is better than the first, no doubt, with a far more intriguing flow and more believable characters (at least in the sense that it's in a vampiric setting).

Sword of the Stranger: I saved the best for last. This movie is so cool! Dramatic cool, like Rurouni Kenshin and Seirei no Moribito mixed in one. The story follows a boy chased for his blood (not clear in the movie why him specifically), and a stranger who turns out to be a very skillful swordsman. The action scenes were impressive, with detailed movements and awesome moves. The drama was equally moving and heart-warming. I even fell in love with the dog, among other things. This movie is definitely one of my favorite animated movies.

Selected Pandemonium / Hyakki Yakou Shoko

2009-02-28T04:40:00.005+08:00

Stepping aside from the popular genre of martial arts and action in manga stories, I found another favorite among the supernatural.

Hyakki Yakou Shou, or Selected Pandemonium, is an ongoing manga series, created by Ima Ichiko. I wonder why this manga isn't that popular. It mixes the supernatural and old Japanese beliefs with that of modern lifestyle. I like how the story doesn't go over the top with human-to-demon fights and demonic possessions and such. The story flows calmly, and seemingly realistic. After reading Naruto, Bleach, Claymore, and other popular mangas with exagerrated scenes and circumstances, Selected Pandemonium offers sanctuary from all those ninjutsus and swords.

Iijima Ritsu has a sharp sixth sense that he inherited from his deceased grandfather. This ability makes him a magnet to supernatural beings, some of which are not so friendly with humans and are dangerous. To protect him, his grandfather instructed one of his pet spirits to inhabit Ristu's father's dead body. This spirit-demon, named Blue Storm, is still passing off as his father in front of his mother, grandmother and other people. Only Ritsu knows the truth, and of Blue Storm's mission to protect him.

Ritsu is not the only with a sixth sense in their clan. Although not as strong as him, his two other cousins, Tsukasa and Akira, can also feel spirits and demons. Both of them used to disregard their abilities, Tsukasa denying hers and Akira forgetting her own. Tsukasa is especially reluctant to admit her ability, although her sixth sense is just as sharp as Ritsu's.

The manga mainly tells distant stories of each other. One chapter will focus on one story at a time, all concerning Ritsu and the people connected to him. Another thing I like about this manga is how it somehow connects with everyday life, at least for someone like Ritsu who has sixth sense and attracts a lot of spirits.

I'm now looking for the live action Japanese series of Selected Pandemonium. I can't find any online, and there're no sub versions for me to enjoy. Really, why isn't this popular?!

Manga direct downloads: ETC

99 Books Meme

2009-02-28T04:24:00.002+08:00

Bored and surfing aimlessly through my friends' blogs, I read up an old post of demigod031's blog and decided to try the list myself:

99 Books Meme

Here’s a list of 99 books that I may or may not have read (or even desire to read). The rules are as follows;

- Bold the ones you’ve read
- Italicize the ones you want to read
- Leave unaltered the ones that you aren’t interested in or haven’t heard of

And away we go…

1. The DaVinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (JRR Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (JRR Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (JRR Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (JK Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (JK Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (JK Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (JK Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (JRR Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (George Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. The Bible
46. Anna Karenina (Leo Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Charles Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Charles Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (F Scott Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (JK Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Leo Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
68. Les Miserables (Victor Hugo)
69. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
70. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
71. Love in the Time of Cholera (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
72. Shogun (James Clavell)
73. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
74. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
75. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
76. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
77. The World According to Garp (John Irving)
78. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
79. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
80. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
81. Of Mice And Men (John Steinbeck)
82. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
83. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
84. Emma (Jane Austen)
85. Watership Down (Richard Adams)
86. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
87. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
88. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
89. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
90. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
91. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
92. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
93. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
94. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
95. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
96. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
97. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
98. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
99. Ulysses (James Joyce)

Time Leap

2009-02-24T06:12:00.009+08:00

Two of the movies I watched yesterday had time as an important concept. Time leap is where we get to take a short travel or a kind of jump into another time, whether in the past or in the future. The movies reiterated the importance that time can either heal or hurt us and those around us. It also emphasizes the notion that you've got do what you've got to do.. as soon as possible and as right a time as possible. In the words of Chiaki Mamiya in The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, "Time waits for no one!"

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time: This Japanese animated movie has been in my collection for weeks now, but I've only had the chance to watch it yesterday. It has a very flowing plot, and the story is very heartwarming. There were scenes that made me cringe, particularly the episodes where the main character, Konno Makoto, and her friends are supposed to be killed in an accident. But I guess it was part of the impact that the movie wanted to give to the audience. Time leaping, when used in an irresponsible and careless acts of selfishness, can cause hurt to others. Makoto was really hapy about being able to leap back into the past to correct her unlucky cicrumstances, but in every episode she changed there was always a person who gut hurt. And they get hurt harder than she was. A fellow classmate was constantly bullied, and her friends got killed. And before she knew it, she only had one more chance to leap through time and fix everything.

Frequency: There wasn't exactly a person leaping through time in this movie. But if you consider talking to a person from another time through a battered old radio as leaping through time (like I do), then let us consider time leap as one of the modes in the movie. John Sullivan gets a chance to talk to his father, Frank Sullivan, who died in his fireman duties when John was still a child, through a radio control system that his father owned when he was still alive. Through this, John was able to warn and save his father from getting killed in a fire accident. But while his father got to survive to see John grow into a cop, his mother was gone and murdered years ago instead. In a race through time to save his mother, both John and his father track the serial killer who killed his mother. I especially like the ending of the movie, where both father and son were assaulted by the killer in their own times.

It goes without saying that time leap can have disastrous consequences. There will always be a losing end to the bargain. But it also shows us how time can help and heal. In John's case, they were able to save his mother and keep their family intact. In Makoto's case came the knowledge that time still flows and balances equations even if you go back and make yourself an addition, thereby realizing that in every happiness there is pain. All we can do is learn how to cope with it and flow with time.

"Time waits for no one!"

Getting Over Joongbo.. Finally

2009-02-06T04:28:00.008+08:00

Slowly but surely. This is how it goes when getting over an addiction that was never meant to last. When popular lettuce couple Kim Hyun Joong and Hwang Bo said their goodbyes on the reality-variety show We Got Married (We Just Married / Sunday Marriage), there was nothing else to do but accept the finality of it.

It's a little hard, though. I think it's the same for any other kind of addiction. The Korean show We Got Married was one of the things I looked forward to every week. I enjoyed watching the lettuce/ssangchu couple enjoyed their married life. It was a fake marriage, but Hwang Bo and Kim Hyun Joong displayed showed such sparkling chemistry between them that left many fans wishing their "love" and marriage was real.

Count me in among the Joongbo fanatics. They were my favorite couple among the cast of WGM. Despite many criticisms and discussions about their marriage --- Kim Hyun Joong being one of the hottest idols of Korea and Hwang Bo being six years older than him --- the lettuce couple showed that marriage can be fun and happy indeed. They showed that it's not all about candlelit dinners and romantic conversations, that a peanut necklace would be more than enough as long as it was given with the whole heart.

I guess it was also because of the wife's and groom's personalities that also attracted me to the couple. I am now a huge fan of Hwang Bo, because of her honest and outgoing personality. She's my definition of what a woman should be --- independent, living life to the fullest while also helping others out and doing charity, very spirited, and has a really big heart. As for Kim Hyun Joong, hmmm.. he's really a unique one. I actually like him better when he's with his Hwang Buin, but I can't deny that he also has some charm of his own. His 4D personality makes him say unpredictable things, and he has this drive for success and a passion for music and his work. He has a very blunt personality that can be a little contradicting to his pretty boy image.

It's been more than a month now since their last episode together, and I'm slowly getting back to reality. I still keep tabs on how Hwang Bo is doing with her projects. Hyun Joong is apparently doign well with his still increasing fame with Boys Over Flowers. I'm also still reading Joongbo fanfictions. But time will come when all this really has to end.

Despite this reality, I still hope.. that in the future Hwang Bo and Hyun Joong will get together again, and maybe really end up for real. :p Haha... oh, but that would really be fantastic news!

Federer and Nadal Broke My Heart

2009-02-04T03:53:00.003+08:00

Rafael Nadal did it again. He dethroned Roger Federer once again, this time in the Australian Open last weekend. I cringe whenever I recall the match. Federer made a lot of mistakes and they contributed a lot to Nadal's victory. On the last set, with Nadal leading at 5-2, I was seriously hoping that Federer would turn the tables and catch up to become the champion. But alas, Nadal was persistent and Federer crumbled.

I felt like crying together with Federer. I have nothing against Rafa. He's another one of my favorite players in lawn tennis, and I'm glad that it was he who took over the World Number 1 title (instead of some egoistic bigmouth like Andy Murray). But in choosing between him and Federer, I'm all for Roger Federer!

They broke my heart, especially when Federer cried in the end. To the greatest player of all time: It's killing me, too!

Crappy Update to Myself.. and To Whoever Feels the Same Way

2009-01-31T05:57:00.006+08:00

One of my resolutions this year was to fix things as I go along through them and minimize procrastination (which is a very great flaw of mine). So far, I still haven't finished half of my listed "projects," a.k.a. stuff to be fixed/arranged/organized. What's worse is that new things seem to be sticking up in front of me, making me unable to ignore them.

This is really taking up a lot of my energy and brain noodles. Couple that with me being a little paranoid and a worrywart, and a little obssessive-compulsive.. heck, I'm stressed. Maybe it's just my psychological worry that I'm stressed. But I searched over the symptoms of stress and I have most of them: back pain, heavy shoulders, inconsistent sleep, appetite loss... and I get sick easily these days.

I really need to get out. Time for me to go back home for a while and smell some fresh air, away from the cigarette smokes I smell everyday at the office. Time for some outing on a peaceful neighborhood, play some tennis and jog around the pineapple fields at Sunday's dawning. And maybe drive our family's pick-up for a quick driving lesson before I surrender to a driving academy in the city.

Times like this, I should write down my resolutions and goals for the year. Some people may think this useless. A friend of mine would point out that we won't be able to follow through with them in the end. Still, some basis for a year's existence never hurt. In my case, it can help me to stop messing with my own mind and worrying about petty things.

Keanu Reeves As Spike Spiegel

2009-01-29T05:37:00.007+08:00

My love for Keanu Reeves is still alive, and it has been burning brighter when I heard he would be playing Spike Spiegel in the live action movie of the popular anime Cowboy Bebop. As I think more about it, the more I'm in for him having the role. I really wouldn't have it any other way!

Keanu has been in a lot of fire with his acting skills because of his blank expressions. His latest movie, The Day the Earth Stood Still, gave him a rain of criticisms because of this. I won't argue with this because I know this to be true. But I don't think this will be the case with Cowboy Bebop.

For one, the movie has a futuristic setting, with space mobiles and lots of action. We've seen Keanu as Neo in the Matrix trilogies, didn't we? There's also the character of Spike Spiegel, arrogant, cocky, with the kind of laid-back attitude of a cool cowboy. Keanu as Constantine was cool, and Keanu in Speed and Street Kings was cocky and arrogant.

The only problem I see, and what I'm really itching to see, is the funny and quirky expressions by Spike Spiegel at times of humorous setbacks like having a female, a kid, and a dog on his ship. I'm not sure how he'll do, but I'm excited as to how Keanu will take this into the screen.

It's Not All About the Money.. Kaka Stays at AC Milan!

2009-01-27T06:13:00.004+08:00

After suffering through unimportant news of Cristiano Ronaldo and his wild ways, news about my favorite European football player finally surfaced. As expected, it was nothing like C. Ronaldo's circulatory updates like his current car and his current girl. As expected, Kaka's made more noise in the world of soccer.

Kaka was in a deal with Manchester City, with Man City offering a record-breaking sum of 100 million pounds for the Brazilian to transfer to them. It raised a lot of eyebrows how they could offer a player that much. I read an article where there was a comment that even C. Ronaldo isn't worth that much (Personally, with his thick skin and big head, he scores lower than Kaka.. yeah, I don't like him at all).

Thankfully, Kaka declined the offer, deciding to stay at AC Milan. I breathed a sigh of relief and almost clapped for joy! Somehow, I like Kaka and AC Milan together. Kaka would still be my favorite player even if he switched to another team, but he's become such a big part of AC Milan that I can't see him in another team.

Majority of the people believed that Kaka would turn down the offer, even if that was such a very huge amount. Most players would have already accepted the offer, I bet, especially with how European football works today. The gist of it is that it all comes down to the money and how much they're going to get by playing for a team. This fact is really disheartening.

But Kaka didn't disappoint. It was not all about the money for him. He's already the highest paid player in AC Milan. I believe he's more than contented with his salary, even if he's not the highest paid athlete in the field. Kaka is as he is. He'll go for a club or a team with a competitive status and a big goal to become champions. That is what AC Milan is, and what Manchester City has yet to become (though it seems it'll them a long time).

In the midst of all this riot over the sum of money involved, I felt the world become lighter because there are still some people who think of their principles in life rather than be swayed with money.

On My 12 Days of Christmas...

2009-01-13T01:18:00.008+08:00

Not counting my days of arrival and departure, I really had 12 days of fun and leisure at my hometown as I took a break from the hustles of work and city life. There were some 'oops,' disappointments, and some more crappy moments during the break though. Here's an oopsy rendition of mine of the ever popular song The Twelve Days of Christmas:

*Getting right to the last part of the song...

On the 12th day of Christmas, misfortune showed to me...

12 donuts dunkin'
................... I almost got sick of donuts. Our father bought a dozen every other day.

11 breakfasts passing
................... We woke up late almost everyday that we go straight preparing lunch.

10 pm still dinging
................... 10 o'clock signals the start of my work back in the city.

9 Buddha wrapping
................... My sister and I had to wrap many little Buddha statues as presents to our relatives.

8 discs a-waiting
................... I brought a lot of DVDs to watch over the break but somehow I didn't get to watch them all.

7 cousins missing
................... Really. How could they not show themselves?!

6 books just lying
................... I brought books and bought some more, but I only got to finish two.

Fiiiiiive thousands goooooone...
................... I actually had to spend more than 5,000. This line refers to the number of 1,000 bills I spent for the gifts and the New Year's lechon.

4 nights with beer
................... Beer is always present whenever I go out with my old pals from high school.

3 with wine
................... My family prefers to drink wine, though. My mother and sister are especially lovers of wine. I come in third place.

2 injuries
................... I got one on my left hand, and a bigger one on my right. I was useless for a week because I couldn't use my hands efficiently.

and a hairstyle that's anime-eeeeeeyyyy...!
................... The hairstylist cut it wrong because he has never done the style before. I can forgive him. Still, I have one funny hairstyle right now.

Hollywood Movie Promoted Through a Panel of Scientists?

2008-12-10T05:21:00.005+08:00

It's definitely a unique kind of movie promotion, especially with a Hollywood movie and with an A-lister in attendance. Best surprise of all was that the A-lister was Keanu Reeves, and for him to be in a panel made up entirely of scientists (with movie director Scott Derrickson) piqued my interest.

It isn't because I thought Keanu Reeves isn't smart enough to hold himself together among intellectuals. It's just that Keanu usually doesn't talk that much, and here he is placed among people who talk quite extensively about the presence of extraterrestrial beings and other scientific what-ifs.

This took place at the California Institute of Technology, where director Derrickson and Reeves held the promotion of their movie, The Day the Earth Stood Still. As expected of an audience where science and fact is the medium of learning, the discussion focused more on the the relationship and differences of art and science rather than on the entertainment values of the movie.

I can easily understand how Keanu Reeves would be so awkward in this situation. But I applaud the fact that he really came to the event. He said so little, and some were said jokingly and saracstically. Can't blame him, really. There were strange questions aired, like "Are you human?," to which Reeves replied, "If you cut me, do I not bleed?"

The whole story:
The Day the Earth Stood Still: Perspectives on the Remake

I find this a very refreshing approach towards marketing a movie to the public. It's not star-studded and red-carpeted, but it still gained some attention. The promotion was also direct and, well, educational. I'm of a mind that other movies should do this, especially movies that touch on intriguing topics like extraterrestrial beings or the existence of God.

Very Short Movie Reviews

2008-12-03T23:22:00.010+08:00

I was serious when I said that I was going to catch up to my siblings regarding movies. I've decided to watch at least one movie a day, and the routine has been going well so far (except for getting tired red eyes). For the past few days, I've set aside two hours to watch movies my brother and I downloaded. I've already seen some of them but I decided to watch them again.

In celebration of finding the will, the time, and the effort to reach my goal of being a movie buff, I'm giving some very very very short reviews of the films I've seen since Saturday.

Don't expect any award-winning movies here! Most of the films in the list are not well known, because, well, my brother and I like to see the lesser known and less popular movies. We're also branching out to the movies of the east (Korean, Thai, and Japanese). My brother mainly looks out for the horror films while I go for action and comedy.

Baby and I (Korean; 2008)
Directed by Kim Jin-yeong
Starring: Jang Geun-suk
---> I'll go with comedy before going to the horror and action films. Baby and I is a film that centers around a rebellious teenager who ends up caring for a baby dumped onto him while grocery shopping. The movie has its cute moments. It's a comedy so some unrealistic situations are excused. But, hey, if they were going to put some dubbing on the baby, they could've gone for a cute child's voice and not some old geezer's!

Alive (Japanese; 2002)
Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura
Starring: Hideo Sakaki, Tak Sakaguchi
---> I only liked the Matrix moment, where the protagonist killed off his enemies like Keanu Reeves did. Other than that, the movie was kind of boring. The dark setting added to the gloomy atmosphere and made the movie more glum and dragging. The concept of the movie was interesting, though; Two prisoners are being observed and one of them is chosen to be the host of an alien being called the "Isomer." The Isomer makes the host powerful (complete with martial arts chops and some sonic waves), using the host's urge to kill as an energy source or something.

Alone (Thai; 2007)
Directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun, Parkpoom Wongpoom
Starring: Marsha Wattanapanich
---> This is a horror film about once conjoined twins, one dead and one living. The dead one haunts the live one because of what happened in the past. Hmmm.. what do I say about this movie? This movie actually won awards, and the lead actress did a good job portraying both good and evil twins. The flow of the story was also well laid out. To me, though, it was just another typical Asian horror film.

An American Haunting (2006)
Directed by Courtney Solomon
Starring: Donald Sutherland, Sissy Spacek
---> I was greatly disappointed with the movie. It didn't scare me, and the narration was irritating. It was said to be based on a true story but somehow, after all the horror films I've seen, this movie was not convincing.

The Covenant (2006)
Directed by Renny Harlin
Starring: Steven Strait
---> I've already watched this movie before, and I still like it, mainly becuase of the story and the magic stuff. I didn't like the girl but the rest of the cast were good enough for me. I'd have to say, though, that it'll just be on the level of a teen movie.

White Noise: The Light (2007)
Directed by Patrick Lussier
Starring: Nathan Fillon
---> Now this is a great horror movie. It has the typical flow wherein the protagonist sees the ghostly visions and gets down to the bottom of the mystery at the end. It also involves "tria mera" and the Bible (I haven't been able to figure out how the word "tria mera" mathematically came to be yet).

Mirrors (2008)
Directed by Alexandre Aja
Starring: Kiefer Sutherland
---> I only had a problem with the latter part of the movie, where the spirit of the mirrors converged into the old nun and the nun became some sort of mutant. My sister and brother were wondering how that could be realistic, and I'm wondering the same thing. Ghosts and possessions are one thing, a mutant being with reptile-like abilities is another. But generally, it was a good movie.

Shoot 'Em Up (2007)
Directed by Michael Davis
Starring: Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, Monica Bellucci
---> I enjoyed this movie a lot. I've also watched this before so I wasn't surprised at all the gore and brutality. Some of the scenes and stunts are surely unrealistic. Still, it gave me great entertainment.

Street Kings (2008)
Directed by David Ayer
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, Hugh Laurie
---> I've wanted to watch this ever since I saw its trailer because of Keanu Reeves and Hugh Laurie. Turns out that, although Hugh Laurie's role was pivotal, he doesn't appear that much. There's also a crappy moment here --- spoiler --- Chris Evans dies. Well, a lot of them die. It's a dirty cop movie, after all. All I can say is that if you don't like dirty cop movies, then don't watch. It'll just be a bore. I just continued to watch till the end to know who the real bad guy in the movie was.

...................................
...................................
................................... and more movies to come! :D

Pick Up the Pace

2008-11-25T23:55:00.004+08:00

Oh dear.. We're in the latter half of the month and I've only made, what, three or four posts so far? La la la... what's wrong with me these days..?

So where do I put the blame:

1. I just get plain lazy... even when the computer's just in front of me, I'd thin that I've played enough with the Web to go and sit in front of it some more.

2. Sleep... I'll never get tired of sleeping. I love sleep, although it's continuously proving to be such a hurdle whenever there are more productive stuff to do.

3. Movies... Our family is addicted to movies. I'm way behind, actually, when compared to the amount of movies that my sisters and brother have watched these past months. So I'm slowly trying to rise up to their level. I feel so lost when they talk of a new movie they had seen. I refuse to lose to them! Ha!

4. Youtube and Korean variety shows... My past posts had been abut a Korean show. As I got addicted to it, I began to branch out to other parts of Korean entertainment. I'm kind of thankful that I'm not such a sucker for boybands now, because if I was then I'd really be drawn into the Korean music scene as well (with their growing number of boybands.. sheesh).

5. Manga and Anime... Yup, they're still a part of me. I don't go gaga over them like in the past but I still haven't cut myself loose from my anime and manga addiction. I still like to keep up with the stories (and my favorites are somehow endless). I'm also digging up old animes that I haven't watched this year, and there are a lot, I tell you. I've been a little far off these past months that I got a little behind.

I really need to cut back on my sleep. Sleep gets the biggest slice of my daily habit. And I'll have to check over my collections of anime and manga and dig into what I've missed. The movies... hmmm... I guess I can at least make some time for a movie a day to ctch up with family. As for my Korean craze... it's a craving, I can't help it, might as well satisfy myself until I've had enough (if ever that day comes). And I hope I'll stop being such a lazy slob.

Naruto Spoilers ?

2008-11-21T03:51:00.002+08:00

Got hold of a blog post on Naruto spoilers... well, it's actually some kind of a recap of Masashi Kishimoto's interview. I'm not sure if all these are true, though, because I have yet to see the real source of this interview. I'll keep digging (despite my waning interest in the Naruto series).

.. from the Garbage Bin: Backtrack with Kishi Interview:

1. Akatsuki Leader’s(not confirmed if its Pein / Madara) strength can’t be matched even with 3 Sannins of the leaf.

2. There is another character in Akatsuki, and unexpected member will bring a chaos.

3. One of the Akatsuki’s member becomes friend/ally with Naruto.

4. Naruto’s seal will be released by the end of 08, or beginning of the 09. At least 4 tails will be released, be prepared it could be shocking scene.

5. Toad dies(he laughs).

6. 3 of Naruto’s important people will die or get seriously injured.

7. Sasuke’s skills cannot be matched against Naruto’s new skills.

8. Sasuke v. Itachi is great scale, and later Naruto’s information about family and bloodline will show up.

9. Sai, he will cause something huge(laughs)

10. 4th’s secret and bloodline will be shown.

11. 2 huge characters of Konoha will die.

12. There is a female member in Akatsuki.

13. Akatsuki will invade Konoha with its mysterious beasts, and Shiranui Genma will provide great help to Konoha.

.. another Kishi interview ...

1. Uchiha’s secret will be revealed and 2 of the remaining will die.

2. Akatsuki’s leader kills 6 people (Does this mean Pein is the confirmed leader?)

3. Sasuke and Itachi’s fight will cause chaos; Uchiha, Uchiha Madara’s secrets are revealed and all the skills of the MS will be revealed. The fight will end with death of one.

4. Naruto will collide with Pain; Kakashi’s team will collide with Tobi. There will be big turnaround on Tobi v. Kakashi’s team. Naruto v. Pain will be fights of the “beasts”. Be prepared, during this fight there will be deaths from Naruto’s team.

5. Three new members will join the Akatsuki. They will be stronger than Deidara, Hidan, and Kakuzu. One of them is the brother/sister of the Hokage.

6. Naruto’s new skills and the result of the training will reveal when he fight against Pain. He have learned all of the Jiraiya’s jutsu during the 3 years of the time and he became much stronger. He did not learn the “toad mode or w.e u call it”. Naruto also learned 3 of the 4th’s jutsus.

7. After all these fights, there will be a great war.

8. There will be death on Tobi vs. Naruto team and one of them becomes unable to fight.

9. Jinchuuriki of the 8 tailed will be revealed. This Jinchuuriki kills one of the Akatsuki’s members and invades Konoha by him/herself. During this fight one dies, and one will lose his/her eyesight.

Some of these have already been revealed. We already know of Konan, the female member of Akatsuki, and Killerbee was already introduced. Jiraiya is now dead, which leaves us speculating on who else among the huge Konoha characters is going to die. Many are debating on whether it's going to be Kakashi or Tsunade.

Michael Crichton Dies at 66

2008-11-06T03:30:00.004+08:00

When Robert Jordan died, I was shocked. When I heard of Terry Pratchett suffering from Alzheimer's, I was shocked again. Now for the third time, the feeling's here again.

I just found out that Michael Crichton, author of the famous Jurassic Park novels, died from cancer. I didn't even know he had cancer. Apparently, he was battling the disease for a long time now. He died at the age of 66.

Source: Michael Crichton Dies of Cancer

WGM Babies!

2008-11-04T23:34:00.008+08:00

We Got Married fanatics have already seen this. But I just had to put this up on my own blog.. it really brightens my day!

The Eye Factor:
Alex's son and Shinae's daughter ...
> Oooohhhh...

Cutesy and Cheeky:
Andy's son winks and Solbi's daughter smiles VERY widely...
> Hahhahahha...!

Hiphop Mania:
Crown J's son on the bling and In Young's daughter with the cute witchy eyes...
> Yo! This how we do it!

Boy or Girl:
Hyun Joong's son is prettier than Hwang Bo's daughter...
> "Whose daughter are you?" - Hwang Bo

WGM: My Top 3 Couples

2008-10-28T05:49:00.007+08:00

In my preceding post, I talked about the Korean reality show We Got Married. In watching the show, I've picked out my three favorite couples.. and as you will see, I seem to like couples that give off fun and laughter rather than chummy romantic stuff.

1. Lettuce couple / Joongbo couple : Hwang Bo and Kim Hyun Joong

This couple has always been my favorite. The lettuce couple is an interesting combination: an older woman/younger man couple. By this fact alone, a lot of people were pulled to see how they would do in (fake) marriage. Others may just have wanted to see Hyun Joong as a groom (he's an idol; he's got a lot of fans). There may also have been others who wished for Hwang Bo's failure to sooth their jealousy over Hyun Joong having a bride. Ho ho.. poor them, because the ssangchu (lettuce) couple is going strong!

It was the older woman-younger man thing that had me curious with the lettuce couple. It wasn't Hyun Joong, leader of Korean boyband SS501; I've given up on boybands and teen idols a long time ago. It wasn't Hwang Bo, rapper and singer and formerly of Chakra, because I've never heard of her before my WGM addiction. I just wanted to see how the two would get along, especially since the marriage is all a pretense and they only meet once a week. I also wanted to see how the relationship would work, because it really seemed like an awkward pair. They have a 6-year gap between them. Hwang Bo is known to be a little tomboyish. Hyun Joong is suave and blunt and really innocent when it comes to being married.

They really did start out to be an awkward couple, with Hwang Bo feeling the age gap and Hyun Joong not really knowing how to be a groom. But as the episodes go and as they got to know more of each other, we can see that they are actually a perfect match for each other! Hyun Joong's bluntness and simple humor starts a lot of laughters, and Hwang Bo can be infectious with her energy and "youthfulness."

May i just add that i am now a very big fan of Hwang Bo; she's all that a strong woman is. She can be a tomboy, very competitive and athletic, but she also has a feminine side with lots of good-wife hobbis. I'm also giving a thumbs-up to Hyun Joong. He's new to being a husband but he's carried the role well. He's also got some charm, something that won't make you hate him when he makes mistakes. Ahh, well, he's not a teen idol and group leader for nothing.

2. A! couple / Ant couple : Seo In Young and Crown J

The A! couple is the longest running couple of the show. They have been with WGM since the start. While the other starting couples have "divorced" or left the show, the Ant couple stayed and continued to give some comedic relief to the show.

Seo In Young and Crown J are really a comedic duo (a sweet one, I will concede). They fight all the time. One might wonder how they can still stay together when they always fight, even over petty stuff like noodles. They're not actually what you'd consider to be role models. Seo In Young is known as a witch or a devil, with her tantrums and scary glares. She likes shoes, and she likes fresh boys like Hyun Joong. She wants to be treated like a queen and everybody's better treat her like one. I really applaud Crown J for his massive patience. Whenever they fight, it's always him who gives some space and makes the first move to make up. It's not something I would have expected from a rapper but then there're always exceptions.

3. HwanYobi couple : Hwanhee and Hwayobi

This is another interesting couple. One emits abrasiveness and the other ditziness. The only thing Hwanhee and Hwayobi probably have in common is in being R&B singers. The HwanYobi is a new couple on the show so their union is still under observation by the viewers (like me).

They actually remind me of Nodame and Chiaki-senpai of Nodame Cantabile. Hwayobi is just like Nodame. She's very talented when it comes to music, but her personality is somewhat slow. The Hwayobi shows herself in WGM would make you wonder if she really is an R&B singer, composer, and pianist. I think I read somewhere that she also knows how to paint. In WGM, she really seems lost without her husband.

Hwanhee, on the other hand, sometimes looks as if he wants to get away from his wife sometimes. He can be cold and uncaring to Hwayobi at times. But as a man and husband, he does his best to be more forthcoming and patient. I can't say I don't like his bad boy image, though. He can be so smug and conceited in a humorous way. He's adamant not to bend and become a sweet and cuddly husband because that's just not the way he is. He instead tries to show his "love" in other ways.. although I haven't seen any yet.

We Got Married is now on its 31st episode. Joongbo is carrying on with their bets-and-competition married life, the Ant couple has just moved to a new house, and HwanYobi is still on the getting-used-to-each-other stage.

Hooked on We Got Married

2008-10-25T01:45:00.010+08:00

Just a thought: I can imagine my friends and younger sister snickering once they've read this post, but I'm way past caring about them teasing me on stuff like these..

I got hooked to a Korean reality show just recently after a friend sent me a link of one of its episodes (the main reason why I haven't updated this blog for quite a while). This show is gaining popularity among Asian TV fans like me (and I have to say I'm actually very late in talking about this show online; numerous other bloggers have already expressed their "rabu-rabu" views about the show). It is called We Got Married, shortened to WGM, and (if I read right on Youtube) will be renamed to Sunday Marriage.

Basically, the show highlights how celebrity couples might do when they get married and live together. Let me just emphasize that all the couples here are just in a fake marriage. The program directors searched on celebrities who are compatible with each other and pair them up in the show. The couples put in efforts as to how they would act if they were really husband and wife. The show gives the couples missions to complete as they spend their Sundays working on their married life.

At first I thought that it would just be a chummy show with the stars giving off romantic sparkles to the viewers. Well, it is chummy and there are romantic sparkles swirling around. But that's not exactly the reason why I came to be addicted to We Got Married. I ignore the cheesy moments and instead focus on the hilarious loving moments of each couple. With this show, you can easily appreciate the Korean's sense of humor and witty attitudes. The celebrities paired up are marked for their humorous antics and blunt punchlines. All episodes of the show gave me a lot of laughs.

I can see my sister raising an eyebrow, not believing that my reason for watching We Got Married would not be connected to any romantic notions of mine. Ha! Believe it. I like comedy more than romance and love stories.

I applaud the show's creators for bringing about the whole concept. I'm also glad that the program directors did enough research to know which celebrities can bring about a marriage that seem so real that there are many of us hoping that these couples would actually get together in real life.

Some say that the show may be scripted. I doubt it. Missions are given and certain scenarios are set up, sure. But I'm sure that the husbands and wives are all on their own when making the light conversations and cranky situations.

Even Decent People Have Goofy Moments

2008-10-15T06:34:00.005+08:00

I can relate to this because this is how I usually pose for the camera.

There are just some people who like to have their goofy moments. Even the serious types of people can surprise you. One moment, we're all graceful and serious and smiling innocently and just acting so bashfully...

And then when the flash come on.. Goof Spoof Proof! (I have no idea where I got this phrase.)

Poor Goldilocks... (Where'd you come from anyway?) :p

The Wrong Love Pair-Ups!

2008-10-14T00:26:00.006+08:00

Whenever I watch a movie or animation, or whenever I read a book or a story, I usually keep tabs on the love pair-ups. Must be the stifled romantic in me, but the love pair ups, or the love teams, in the stories can have an effect in me. If I love the pairing of the protagonist and his or her love interest, then I would only be too happy to read more quickly or watch the movie/animation more intently. If I hate the pair, though, I'd end up crunching my nose and sighing in frustration with as to why the two characters got together and not with some other person who I think would be more compatible for them.

I just read Brisingr, the third installment of the Inheritance Cycle series by Christopher Paolini. After reading it, I got even more frustrated with the state of Eragon's lovelife. I loved the book, there's no mistake. I love the series and I am eagerly waiting for the fourth and last book of the series. But Eragon's lovelife frustrates me. The third book has ended but he still pines for Arya, and his love still remains unrequited.

This brings to my mind the other love pair-ups that I wanted to end in a happily-ever-after story but are most usually not meant to be. Some of the love pair-ups I like would sometimes come true but towards the end of the story, it's either their relationship status is in trouble or has gone totally down the rocks. And that just irks me to the point that I want to bash the author's or creator's head for not making the pair-ups work.

To elaborate, here are some of my most wanted love pair-ups and how they are not together:

1. Eragon and Angela

Were you surprised that I voted for Angela to be Eragon's love interest? Well, it's because Iwant his love interest to be Angela, and not Arya. Arya just doesn't seem to be that interesting, aside form the fact that she's an elf and elves are elegant. I also don't feel the sparks between Eragon and Arya whenever they have a moment with each other in the story. Perhaps, Arya is just stiff by nature and just doesn't show her feelings that much. I tried to settle with an "opposites attract" theme with the Eragon-Arya pair-up but it still doesn't fit for me.

Now, Angela, on the other hand, is quite more interesting than Arya. She goes overboard sometimes but I like her and her way with people. I especially like how she interacts with Eragon, and I believe that at one time, in Eldest, there was a time when Eragon felt comfortable with Angela. He still does, I'm sure, as he knows Angela treats him as she would any other person, and that mattered to Eragon.

Sadly, the author doesn't seem to share my sentiments on the matter. He still goes on with Eragon pining after Arya. (I'll still read the fourth book, no matter who Eragon will be with.)

2. Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood

Now, I'm sure you're laughing. Hey, I'm giggling, too. I know. Loony Luna's a little.. err... loony.. for the famous Harry Potter. But I'd still take Luna over the irritable Cho Chang and the annoying Ginny Weasley. But then I guess the majority wins, and Harry and Luna are not meant to be. It rarely happens when a famous character like Harry Potter would fall for a weird girl like Luna.

I got over this not-meant-to-be pair-up when I grew frustrated over the Harry Potter series (I let it pass that Harry got together with Ginny, but it was the way the story had gone darker and the way Harry had become a little smug that made me lose my Harry Potter addiction).

3. Cagalli Yula Athha and Athrun Patrick Zala

I am a huge fan. They were actually paired up in the Gundam SEED series. But it was implied that they broke up towards the end of Gundam SEED Destiny, with Cagalli choosing to focus on ruling Orb and leaving Athrun in the hands of another girl. I can recall a blog stating their relationship status to be "on hiatus."

A lot of me would agree that they really go well together. Athrun's the calm and shy type, while Cagalli is outgoing and frank. I rejoiced when they got together in Gundam SEED, and I hated the SEED Destiny ending because it made it obvious that the two are no longer together in the end. The creators had better launch a movie or another season and have Cagalli and Athrun back together again. Just when is the proposed movie going to be finalized anyway?!

4. Uzumaki Naruto and Hyuuga Hinata

I'm sure I'm not the only one vying for this pair-up to come true. You can't hate Naruto, and you can't hate Hinata. Naruto is just so whacked in the head he's hopeless, but Hinata still likes him. Naruto can get himself humiliated a million times, and Hinata would still be on the side admiring him. Well, it's a little annoying that Hinata is extremely shy. But wouldn't that just match Naruto's thick face and loud mouth?

The anime and manga is gearing towards Naruto and Sakura, but I'm still betting on Naruto and Hinata. And I'm not the only one so the creator better think before he settles on Naruto's love interest.

5. Kusosaki Ichigo and Inoue Orihime

All the Bleach fans know how Inoue is so much in love with Ichigo, while Ichigo jsut values friendship so much he knows nothing of the "rabu-rabu" feelings. Despite his ignorance on the subject, though, it's something that I grew to like about him. Right now, I can't see him as the romantic type.

This pair-up might go well as the series goes on. But there is the presence of Rukia to think about. I do not hate Rukia; I like her, too, as a matter of fact. I'm not sure about how she feels about Ichigo, but Ichigo certainly listens to Rukia and values her opinions. There have been many times wherein Ichigo is so influenced by Rukia. When it comes to Inoue, it's just pure friendship. I do not detect anything from Ichigo, but I hope that he would Inoue.

These are just some of the pair-ups I have in mind right now. What are the chances these pair-ups will come to be, do you think?

Gotta Love the Monk

2008-10-07T05:34:00.006+08:00

I'm going through Jason Statham's movies right now, and one of his movies that I really love is the Mean Machine. Not that it's his movie; he just made a sort of special appearance as the most feared convict in prison. Legend has it among the cons that Monk (Jason Statham) killed 23 men with his bare hands... and that was before he learned karate. He was placed in a separate cell from the other inmates, and he is closely guarded because of his insane desire to crack bones in a person's body.

Mean Machine is a movie that pitches inmates versus the prison guards in a game of football. Monk is the goalie... who likes to be a sweeper now and then and do flying kicks at the opponent when the ref isn't looking. He's insane, but you just gotta love him here.

Sleeping Beauty ... Not Me, Mind You...

2008-10-06T23:51:00.007+08:00

So I like to sleep a lot. But the Sleeping Beauty I refer to is the real Sleeping Beauty (or maybe not real, just the original fictional character) made by Disney. I just watched the whole cartoon movie again earlier, and I still say it's one of the best Disney movies. It's old, and maybe too sugary sweet.. but it's a fairy tale, and back then people were fond of singers of the opera enough to cast one for Princess Aurora's singing voice.

Sleeping Beauty was made in 1959, so the quality of the film may be a little antique for our modern tastes. The graphics are obviously from that time as well. But I daresay if we lived in that time we would've been impressed by all of it.

I would just also like to say that Maleficent's voice actor was magnificent. I'd also just like to say that Prince Philip and Princess Aurora are among my favorite Disney couples.

Here's a clip of the main theme song of Sleeping Beauty: Once Upon a Dream. It's when Princess Aurora and Prince Philip first met as adults. I used to sing this song whenever I felt like a classical singer (no, I never felt like a princess).

Kira Yamato vs Athrun Zala

2008-10-05T11:27:00.006+08:00

Of all Gundam eras and series, my favorite has to be that of Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED Destiny. One factor was because of the graphics and animations (although if you disregard the color of the hair, the eyes, etc., all the characters would look like clone of one another). Another was the storyline, and how the story seems so realistic at times. But the biggest factor for me was the development, growth, and great display of personal and emotional power in the characters of the both series.

As the main protagonists of the Gundam SEED and SEED Destiny series, the character developments of best friends Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala are the most focused on in the anime. Both had their emotional problems, the most important issue mainly about the fact that they fight for different sides of the war, pitting them against each other.

Strike Freedom: Kira Yamato

As Gundam SEED ends, we are told that Kira Yamato was made to be the Ultimate Coordinator. It was instilled in him to be the greatest of his generation of coordinators, and his prowess and talent made him the best Gundam pilot.

Physical abilities aside, his weakness was that of his connection to his best friend, and “type” of human being (being a coordinator). As the war goes on, he also battles with himself, thinking constantly that he was betraying his fellow coordinators. As the story progresses, however, he ascertains his principles and becomes stronger in his beliefs. This aids him to be more straightforward in his battles. He becomes more sure of himself and what he needs to do.

Kira’s demeanor is quite silent. He thinks, but in the end it is his heart that he follows. His shyness and reserved manner gets him in a “follower” position, though, almost always waiting for a push from his peers and leaders before he makes a move.

Infinite Justice: Athrun Zala

One blogger described Athrun Zala as the "Eternal Thinker." I would have to agree. Perhaps Athrun’s weakness lies in thinking too much, that he ends up not knowing which side he should be fighting for. This also hinders some clear decisions in his part, as he has been led to fight for the anatagonists for both Gundam SEED and SEED Destiny.

Thankfully, in the end, he always gets it right (although with dire consequences). In Gundam SEED, he defected from ZAFT when he learned of his father’s plan to eliminate the Naturals. In SEED Destiny, he defected once again when he was going to be framed as a traitor.

Athrun also has a reserved demeanor, quite like Kira. But in the case where Kira is the follower, Athrun was a born leader. He is one of the best Gundam pilots, and one of the few who are undefeated in SEED mode. He can level it out with Kira, almost killing his best friend. Athrun is also excellent in hand-to-hand combat and is a great marksman. He is also a good military strategist.

Who Is Ultimate? Though I favor Athrun more because I feel for him more, in matters of principles and a straight heart I would have to go for Kira Yamato. From Gundam SEED to Gundam SEED Destiny, Kira has shown more maturity and has achieved a more balanced thought on peace and fighting against war. In SEED Destiny, it was clearly shown that while Athrun was disillusioned and confused, Kira never wavered from his beliefs.

The Past Tense of BS

2008-10-02T13:51:00.004+08:00

I was a little surprised to see a curious word when I was reading John Dunning's The Bookman's Promise. The word: bullshat ... it's the past tense of bullshit. When I read it, it was like the BS word "bullshat" me, too. I have never heard or saw the word in print before and I thought that maybe the author was bullshitting me with his choice of words.

So I checked. And bullshit.

Bullshat really was a past tense for the verb form of bullshit, aside from the more correct form bullshitted.

Dictionary.com:

v. bull·shit also bull·shat (-shāt) or bull·shit·ted (-shĭt'ĭd), bull·shit·ting, bull·shits

v. intr.

To speak foolishly or insolently.
To engage in idle conversation.

We Should Make Barcodes Like These..

2008-10-01T05:55:00.005+08:00

You have to love the Japanese for being creative and inventive. They're one of the leaders in technology and innovations, started the anime and manga comic addiction, and they can make barcodes like these:

Here's more where they came from: Japanese Creative Barcodes

Okay Ba Tayo, Tyan?

2008-09-26T06:19:00.004+08:00

It seems I have a new addiction.. and it's centered on a fermented milk-like product from Japan: Yakult!

Maybe it was due to the Chinese milk powder scandal. Maybe it was the fact that Yakult was a good alternative for milk to someone like me who likes milk but is unluckily lactose intolerant. Or maybe its interesting taste just had me hooked.

I'm not the only one. Two packs of Yakult aren't enough for me and my siblings. It'd be gone in a day if we didn't care that maybe sis or bro didn't get a drink of it yet.

I'm very grateful this addiction isn't that bad. Yakult has many benefits for the body, and especially aids with digestion.

Yakult on Wikipedia? Oooohhh...

The claimed benefits are supported by an array of scientific studies according to the manufacturer website. Those could range from maintenance of gut flora, modulation of the immune system, regulation of bowel habits and constipation and finally effects on some gastro-intestinal infections.

Josh Groban at the Emmys 2008

2008-09-26T01:58:00.005+08:00

I know of many people who think Josh Groban's music was boring, which eventually led to him being boring as well. Ha! Well, here's a treat for them.. the talented Josh Groban performing the theme songs of US television shows over the years at the Emmys:

To the people who think classical singers are boring, this just proved you wrong.

Brisingr Delayed ... C R A P

2008-09-23T23:01:00.005+08:00

Last week I could skip while walking and type away with no pressure when working. It's because I was looking forward to a weekend when I would be able to bury myself in Eragon's world. I was waiting as patiently as I could for the 20th of September to come around. It was at this date that the third book of the Inheritance Cycle, Brisingr, was to be on sale.

Imagine my disappointment when I found out that the shipment to our country was delayed. I was hoping that maybe other branches of National Bookstore had more luck than the one at SM City. But then that was hoping for the improbable.

My entire weekend was a little depressing due to this. I tried to cheer myself up by buying two different books -- The Bookman's Promise and Stardust --- but I don't think they're giving me the satisfaction that reading Brisingr would. They're not adventurous enough; and they're not thick enough. And I miss reading about dragons and elven magic.

It's also taking a lot of my energy not to read the Wikipedia entry on Brisingr, because it already has the summary of the book posted. Argh!

Emmy Winners List!

2008-09-23T06:03:00.004+08:00

30 Rock is still going on strong in the Emmys, alright.. I'm just sad to see that my usual favorites (James Spader of Boston Legal and Hugh Laurie of House, among others) didn't make it.

The mian list of winners at the 2008 Emmys are the ff:

Outstanding Comedy Series: 30 Rock
Outstanding Drama Series: Mad Men
Outstanding Made For Television Movie: Recount
Outstanding MiniSeries: John Adams
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series: Tina Fey - 30 Rock
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series: Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series: Glenn Close - Damages
Outstanding Lead Actor In A MiniSeries Or Movie: Paul Giamatti - John Adams
Outstanding Lead Actress In A MiniSeries Or Movie: Laura Linney - John Adams
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series: Jeremy Piven - Entourage
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series: Jean Smart - Samantha Who?
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series: Zeljko Ivanek - Damages
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series: Dianne Wiest - In Treatment
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A MiniSeries Or Movie: Tom Wilkinson - John Adams
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A MiniSeries Or Movie: Eileen Akins - Cranford

The Beauty Is a He ... Shucks!

2008-09-19T00:59:00.004+08:00

This may be a face that could launch a thousand ships...

.. BUT ... > there's always a "but" < ... she is a HE.

This is Kim Petras, a German boy who had hormone treatments for a sex change operation -- the youngest to do so at the age of 12. He was recently signed up for a German record label. Maybe we'll hear from him -- or her --- more in the future.

I'm sure he was cute when he was guy. But I must admit he's beautiful as a girl, too. I sigh, with frustration as to how an attractive male could have thought to disappoint females like me by denying us a chance to date him. And I sigh... because ain't he just a beauty?!

From Sir, With Love

2008-09-17T03:48:00.004+08:00

Just when I finished writing a dreary post about the month of September, I come writing back with more sad news. I recently heard that a former teacher and principal back in elementary school passed away days or weeks ago.

He wasn't just any principal. I didn't know him as a teacher because his subjects were that of secondary level. But I knew him as a principal. And he was a very respected principal. We only had good things to say about him, as compared to the other principals before and after him.

He was diagnosed with cancer, and it had spread into his liver. I didn't get all the details. The news of his death had just been passed from one Dole Philippines School alumni to another. It only reached me yesterday, through my brother and my friends.

A fellow alumni went and visited Sir Isidro Saranillo days before he died. During his visit, he made a video with Sir Saranillo giving us his message of living life.

September is My Month.. So Why Do I Feel Crappy?

2008-09-17T03:05:00.007+08:00

It's September, and my birth certificate says it's a time for me to look back and remember crappy and happy times in the past year while preparing to slug out another 365 days. Yes, it's my birth month. Should I be happy? Well, perhaps I should be.. but there's always a heavy cloud above me when September comes. That heavy cloud says I'm broke.

It used to be that when our birthday arrives we would think about what our parents and siblings have in store for us, and whether or not you'll get to spend a happy day with friends and family. It used to be that you were given gifts and surprise parties. As time goes by, when you've reached the 2-digit age of 20-plus and above, we find that some things have changed.

I guess it's because we make our own money now and we're starting to forge our futures for ourselves. I'm in my 23rd year now. I have a good job that pays considerably well. I've just been given more responsibilities as a daughter and sister, and I've stopped receiving allowances from my parents for more than a year now.

We can call this independent living, wherein you work for what you want and almost nothing is free anymore. We pay our own bills, we plan for our career paths.. and we feel more burdened.

September is a particular time of the year when I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Well, actually, I feel like more like crying.

1. Lots of birthdays during the month. I'm not the only September celebrant around here. I have great friends who were born on September. A lot of them. I grew tired of budgeting that I eventually discarded any thoughts of sending them gifts.

2. Being the birthday celebrant means some attention will be given to you. And I just don't like all that attention. Simple birthday greetings is enough for me. But there are those who just can't help but bite my head off with taunts of free food for them. Can't they see I'm broke?

3. It's not only the birthdays. I just learned that both my brother and younger sister has their anniversary and monthsary, respectively, with their girlfriend and boyfriend (again, respectively) just days after my birthday. The way their relationship is going, looks like I'll have two more dates to keep in mind for next year.

4. It's September. The start of the -ber months. We all know what the -ber months mean. It means it's time to save because it's almost gift-giving time.

Ahh... September. I hope I'm not starting to hate it.

My Blogger Favicon

2008-09-05T23:47:00.008+08:00

See the small image beside my URL address? That's a favicon. It's short for "favorites icon" and is used as a website icon. I wanted to put one on my blog earlier but only go the chance to do so today.

Some say that you have to convert the image to a .ico file in order to put it on your blog. But Web browsers today have eventually made it easier for us bloggers by making a .png and a .jpeg file to become a favicon as well.

Evidently, there are two ways to install a favicon on our blog. One is by converting an image into a .ico file and putting it in the root directory of the blog. Another way --- the easier way and the one I used --- is to put in an ordinary .png or .jpeg file, by putting this command on the head section of your blog's html:

link href="/path/image.png" rel="icon" type="image/png"

My favicon is temporary. I'm still looking for that one image for my blog. I wanted something like the card picture (second one on the right) but the details of the picture wouldn't be seen if the picture was resized to 16-25 pixels. My other candidates for my favicon is pretty much all about the Virgo sign. But I'm still looking, still looking...

Recorder Flute Fingerings

2008-09-05T00:20:00.008+08:00

Yey! I found something to cheer me up amidst the bad luck I seem to having lately... I had doubts as to whether I would be able to find the notes and fingerings of the recorder flute. The recorder isn't as famous as its woodwind relations, after all. But here it is:

NOTE

FIRST OCTAVE

SECOND OCTAVE

Tuned in F

Tuned in C

Recorder Flute Holes

NOTE		THIRD OCTAVE
Tuned in F	Tuned in C	Recorder Flute Holes
Tuned in F	Tuned in C	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
F	C	/	X	O	O	X	X	O	O
F#	C#	/	X	O	X	X	O	X	X
G	D	/	X	O	X	X	O	X	X

X - hole should be covered completely
/ - hole is half-covered
O - hole remains open

Computer Down Again

2008-09-04T03:07:00.004+08:00

Our computer is one of the most used appliances in our home (aside from the fridge, fans, tv, and DVD player). It was one of the main sources of entertainment for us --- my brother likes to download songs and play Diablo and Warcraft, my sister goes to Friendster and is currently addicted to Mahjongg Mystery, and I consider myself an average internet freak.

So it was obvious what would happen if the computer broke down. It would lead to reruns of DVDs, more news updates on TV, more soap operas, more sleeping, and more quiet days. These things happened for more than two weeks when our monitor broke down.

Now the computer is down again. I'm the one to blame... partly. I only wanted to install Adobe Photoshop on our computer and the file I downloaded ended up giving us a spyware.

> I curse the dude who uploaded the file! <

It sucked... big time. Still does, because I still can't get the spyware of the system. The antivirus can't erase it, and it seems like even Spybot can't either (guess it also got infected). Our screen is a bloody red with a bold warning to get some protection and some of our programs are lost somewhere in the system. A lot of our private files are also in danger.

There doesn't seem to be any choice now but to reformat the computer. I have been meaning to do this, but only after all downloads were done and I've made a copy of all the files. I guess my procrastination led to this unwelcomed "karma." Now there's no stopping it, and there's no chance of saving the files in the computer. It really sucks.

Practical Solutions For the Insomniac

2008-08-27T05:20:00.004+08:00

Sleep problems seem to be prevalent in our family. Either we sleep too much or sleep too little.

I sleep too much. But my brother is an insomniac. Most nights he would stay up just playing games on the computer just to pass time as the night goes on. There are nights when he wouldn't sleep at all and go directly to school in the morning.

I decided to scrap out some tips on how to combat insomnia from the Web. I looked for practical solutions, just everyday habits that you need to have, in order to avoid becoming an insomniac.

1. Sleep and wake up at the same times.. Keeping to the schedule will help your body clock adjust itself to what you want your body to do. When this becomes a habit, your body will automatically tell you that it needs to sleep. Same goes for when you wake up.

2. Don't eat anything heavy within 4 hours before going to bed. A heavy stomach doesn't do well when you lie down. If ever you get hungry, go for light snacks or some crackers. I would also suggest hot milk, or maybe even hot choco.

3. No caffeine or alcohol before going off to bed. We know how caffeine works. It will only disrupt your sleep. Alcohol is also a no-no because it can wake you up at a wrong time, even if it makes you drowsy. Remember that sticking to a schedule is important.

4. Relax yourself. It's hard to sleep when you're troubled or stressed. Try some breathing exercises or do some stretching to get rid of some of the burden and relax your body.

5. Take a hot bath. Bathing with lukewarm water can have soothing effects on the body. You'll also feel clean and light, and wanting to go to sleep.

I guess my brother is wrong in not taking the initiative himself to make a schedule and relaxing himself to get to sleep. He just waits for his eyes to get drowsy. Maybe I should be pushing him to do what's on this list.

The Different Sounds of Pachelbel's Canon

2008-08-20T05:08:00.005+08:00

After reminiscing on classical music and such, I still find Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D major to be one of my favorite music of all time. I don't think I'm the only one. Canon in D is Pachelbel's most popular music. For us here in the Eastern side of the globe, especially those who aren't really into classical music, I think the Canon became more popular with it being the soundtrack of hit Korean movie My Sassy Girl:

Canon in D major was made in the Baroque period, and was scored for three violins and basso continuo paired with a gigue. It usually has a slow tempo but has had faster renditions.

But the music has been adapted to other arrangements and other instruments:

Piano solo:

Violin, Cello, and Harp:

I'm not sure (I think this is an organ with guitar, but I'm no expert..):

La Corda D'Oro Quotes, part 2

2008-08-19T14:47:00.006+08:00

"We are still both students. Moreover, you've just entered high school. From now on, you'll be attracted to other different things, experience various encounters, and improve yourself. You'll be doing such things, and if you think about it after that, you'll learn it's not too late."
- Yunoki Azuma, episode 14 -

"You want the person you love to look only at you, right?"
- Hino Kahoko, episode 14 -

"Kreisler's lie taught a lot of people the wonders of music as a result. What about your lie, Yunoki-senpai? Hiding your true self and deceiving the people around you.. Doesn't it hurt you, senpai?"
- Hino Kahoko, episode 14 -

"Come to think of it, I might've been just in love with love. I was such a child."
- Sakimoto, episode 15 -

"You've gotten kinder than before, huh? I wonder whose fault it is?"
- Sakimoto, episode 15 -

"If the lie pains me, I have no choice but to become real. If that's impossible, I have no choice but to become closer to being real."
- Hino Kahoko, episode 16 -

"Besides that, no matter what kind of secret you have, that's not what's important to me. What matters most as a participant is your attitude towards music."
- Tsukimori Len, episode 16 -

"It's naive to just like the violin. I can't catch up to them like that."
- Hino Kahoko, episode 18 -

"If you love music and enjoy performing from the bottome of you heart, the violin would easily play beautiful music. However, when you're really impatient and irritated, the sound will get warped."
- Lili, episode 18 -

"You seem so overconfident, for you take being compared to a flower so seriously."
- Yunoki Azuma, episode 19 -

"Take the weight off your shoulders, step back, and have a good look. If you do that, the wrinkles on your forehead will disappear."
- Kanazawa-sensei, episode 19 -

"When did we stop telling each other the truth?"
- Hihara Kazuki, episode 19 -

"I wonder if there will be a time when just liking music isn't enough?"
- Hihara Kazuki, episode 19 -

"The sound of perfection is such a distant thing, is it?"
- Shimizu Keiichi, episode 19 -

"To not have a new door open up for you is likely to be painful."
- Kanazawa Hiroto, episode 19 -

"When I listen to your music, I feel like I'm just about to catch and get a hold of something. Something very important.."
- Shimizu Keiichi, episode 20 -

"They say that when we look at the city from a high place like this, we can understand how tiny our existence can be. But, conversely, I understand how great and wide the world is and I get excited.. There are countless people in this wide world. And when I also think about how there is countless music that can be played, I get really excited."
- Ousaki Shinobu, episode 20 -

"Everyone's been doing their best. And when you see that, you realize music isn't such a special thing.. especially classical music. It appears to be a high-leveled and advanced thing, but I think it's the same as normal things like talking, laughing, and just having fun."
- Ousaki Shinobu, episode 20 -

"Though you seem worried, you shouldn't press yourself for the answer. I think there will come a time when the answer will come out naturally."
- Ousaki Shinobu, episode 20 -

".. I'm a bit relieved. That there are things even you can't answer."
- Hihara Kazuki, episode 20 -

"It's harder to fool oneself than to fool others, huh?"
- Yukino Azuma, episode 20 -

"Strings are called corda in Italian, and corda has a meaning of 'a bond.'"
- Lili, episode 20 -

"It's not over when it's broken, huh?"
- Hino Kahoko, episode 21 -

"Violins are hand-crafted. One is never the same as the other, so repairs take time. Your violin is also the only one of its kind in the world."
- Tsukimori Len, episode 21 -

"I love the violin. That's why it's okay to start from the beginning."
- Hino Kahoko, episode 21 -

"You know, Tsuchiura, I only wanted to know your resolution. Competition in the worlds of sports and music is fierce. If you don't focus on one thing there's no way you could win.. If you're going to do it, then win!"
- Soccer Captain, episode 21 -

"I knew that competing wasn't the essence of music. But at that time, it seemed like the whole of me, the whole of my music, was rejected."
- Tsuchiura Ryoutaro, episode 21 -

Hihara:
But competing with others isn't what music is about..

Kanazawa-sensei:
The one you're competing with isn't others, but yourself, right?.. Using up all your power, exerting effort to become a little better than now.. Not making excuses for yourself.. Eventually, you'll be proud of what you were yesterday.

"The sound of the trumpet resounds in one's body. It's like the cells in the body vibrate and give power. I also received a lot of energy from your music!"
- Hino Kahoko, episode 22 -

"I want to make the people important to me happy! That's right! That's my music!"
- Hihara Kazuki, episode 22 -

"When I see you being so earnest, whether you win or lose, it feels like you're going to attain a ranking different from what I expect, or something like that!"
- Mori, episode 22 -

"Let them say what they want. It's just a matter of making them eat their words when they come to the auditorium."
- Tsuchiura Ryoutaro, episode 23 -

"I'll be lying if I said I'm not afraid. But because of this violin.. it let me encounter music, and you guys, too. I want to stand on the stage with the violin that gave me all that."
- Hino Kahoko, episode 23 -

"This camera may be old, but for me it's my good partner."
- Amou Nami, episode 23 -

"When I see you doing your best, I think of myself as pathetic for always living in the past."
- Tsuchiura Ryoutaro, episode 23 -

"I think it's basic for me to play what's written in the music. The sheet music has the composer's intentions and feelings in it. I was thinking of expressing it a little more that way."
- Hino Kahoko, episode 24 -

"When I see you guys doing your best, my wounds heal."
- Kanazawa Hiroto, episode 24 -

"Sweet things are good when you're tired."
- Hihara Kazuki, episode 24 -

"There's music waiting to be born from this fingers. Treat them with more care."
- Tsukimori Len, episode 24 -

"Everything your heart has felt is shining through your music. The melodies born from the bottom of your heart.. that's your music.."
- Tsukimori Len, episode 24 -

"It's the last after all. I have to enjoy it a lot so I won't have any regrets."
- Hihara Kazuki, episode 24 -

"I'll play music that speaks about who I am rather than just focusing on the sheet music."
- Hino Kahoko, episode 24 -

"The more rivals, the more interesting it'll be."
- Tsuchiura Ryoutaro, episode 25 -

"As long as you make it your performance, it's okay."
- Tsukimori Len, episode 25 -

"I had tough and tearful moments, but right now all those are dear to me."
- Hino Kahoko, episode 25 -

"Life is short. Young girls like you should love!"
- Kanazawa Hiroto, special -

"You didn't give up in the middle, but went through it till the end. It's not such a simple thing to do."
- Kanazawa Hiroto, special -

"You hear the same tune differently when it's played in a different place. The mood of the song depends on the feelings you put into it. So I thought the one and only tune is one you can't hear anywhere else but at that moment."
- Hino Kahoko, special -

La Corda D'Oro Quotes, part 1

2008-08-19T14:03:00.005+08:00

"Music is supposed to be enjoyable to everybody who hears it. Don't you want to be able to make music like that?"
- Lili, episode 1 -

"It seemed as if the high notes became transparent. It somehow seemed to pierce my heart. I had no idea that the violin can make such beautiful sounds."
- Hino Kahoko, episode 2 -

"Just making sound come out is different from playing it."
- Lili, episode 2 -

"Don't be hard on yourself. There must be a reason why you were chosen."
- Tsuchiura Ryoutaro, episode 2 -

"Just play like you always do."
- Hihara Kazuki, episode 2 -

"You just have to enjoy yourself more."
- Hihara Kazuki, episode 2 -

"Yeah, if I don't enjoy playing it, then I'm not doing it justice, right?"
- Hino Kahoko, episode 2 -

"Whether you hate it or love it, such sentiments are worthless."
- Tsukimori Len, episode 3 -

"If I'm aiming for the same victory as she is, I would only like to compete to get a higher level and rank than her."
- Tsukimori Len, episode 3 -

"What you should play is not important. What's important is the story your performance is telling.. how you express it."
- Tsuchiura Ryoutaro, episode 4 -

"Music is something everyone can enjoy."
- Lili, episode 4 -

"It sure is strange. When you turn these written notes into sounds, it becomes so beautiful. How should I say it.. It seems that the performer is resurrecting the notes."
- Hino Kahoko, episode 4 -

"Isn't music written with 'sound' and 'fun' all over it?"
- Lili, episode 4 -

"It's about the attitude we have towards music. Are you really serious?"
- Tsukimori Len, episode 5 -

"Let's look past little mistakes."
- Tsuchiura Ryoutaro, episode 5 -

"[playing 'Tristesse'] If you close down the way to your own path, it will always open up. That's why this isn't a song of ending. It is a new encounter. A song of beginning."
- Hino Kahoko, episode 5 -

"[about Kreisler] Then the reason why his compositions are still liked right now is because it must've been a good lie result-wise, right?"
- Shimizu Keiichi, episode 6 -

"When I play, I do nothing but play.. When I play, my fingers move skillfully and when a beautiful sound comes out, I become very happy. I think it would be good to be able to play such an ideal sound."
- Shimizu Keiichi, episode 7 -

"Music is something you have to enjoy and also something you have to make other people enjoy."
- Hamai Misa, episode 7 -

"[on Yunoki] He has a good appearance and is also smart. He has a smile that never goes away and he's really popular. There isn't a single bad rumor about him. He's a perfect honor student. How do you call him.. He's too perfect that, conversely, it's suspicious."
- Amou Nami, episode 8 -

"We're rivals now! If I'm going to do it, I don't intend to lose to anyone!"
- Tsuchiura Ryoutaro, episode 9 -

"But I can't keep relying only on others. Whether it's Tsuchiura-kun or the magic violin.. I must do something on my own.."
- Hino Kahoko, episode 9 -

"Hearing other people's music makes me think of a lot of things. Why is it different from mine? Why do they perform like that?"
- Shimizu Keiichi, episode 9 -

"Besides the fact that there is a concours, the manner of being strictly on time is an absolute thing that must be observed no matter what the reason. If he can't do that, he certainly doesn't have the capability to participate."
- Tsukimori Len's Father, episode 10 -

"There are plenty of things I could learn by observing the other participants as well."
- Shimizu Keiichi, episode 11 -

"Now I know.. it's got a gentle sound.. Is that why I thought I wanted to hear it some more?"
- Shimizu Keiichi, episode 11 -

"Results are results. You're second, I'm last. Results are everything. Everything happening so far has been a result of the effort you exerted."
- Tsukimori Len, episode 11 -

"I've decided to do my best. That's why I can't quit halfway now."
- Hino Kahoko, episode 12 -

"I think the concours is like feelings that are always changing.. like everyone. But the important things never change. I want to everyone to enjoy. That's all."
- Ousaki Shinobu, episode 12 -

"I only thought about myself, huh? Not having time to pay attention to others around me, I wasn't able to become kind."
- Hino Kahoko, episode 12 -

"It's not good to practice with cold-hearted feelings, Hino Kahoko."
- Lili, episode 13 -

"I want you to play the violin with honest feelings."
- Lili, episode 13 -

Here's How I Get Back on the Blogging Track...

2008-08-17T13:39:00.004+08:00

It's been almost a week now, and I haven't made any blog entry until this moment. I guess the simple explanation would be that I lost some of the drive for blogging. The reasons for this would be more complicated of course.

This is mostly due to the fact that our monitor broke down. We took it for repair but it took so long that we decided to just get a new one.

I was getting restless about the thought of not having to blog at home. I ventured on my other interests to take up some of my time. I watched movies and TV series --- had an NCIS and anime marathon. If I couldn't find anything else to do, I just slept (which only cranked up my body clock).

Now that we have a monitor (a new one), I'm slowly getting back on track with blogging and Web surfing. It takes some time for me to go about blogging again, though. The monitorless break took so long that everything I wanted to blog about became a little hazy in my head. We can consider it as some kind of a writer's block.

So how do I get back on the blogging track? I work on two things: adjusting my body clock again, and getting something to blog about.

Adjusting my body clock wasn't so hard to do. Getting back into the pace was something I wanted anyway. The second thing was a little bit of a trouble. Like I said earlier, I was experiencing some sort of a writer's block --- there were ideas in my head but it's like I couldn't writer them all down. What I did was to go back to stuff I usually want to blog about: mangas and anime. My addiction to these proved helpful.

I first read mangas and filled my head with words and imagined scenes --- helps with creativity! Then I went about watching animes and writing down some quotable quotes. If I didn't have anything else to blog about, might as well post some quotable quotes! Haha!

And now I'm back. (",)

World of Soundtracks Indeed!

2008-08-07T05:57:00.005+08:00

I was scourging the Web for music downloads of The Replacements soundtrack. It took me some time to find a source; I guess soundtracks of movies that weren't so popular are very hard to find.

Luckily, I found a blog that knew exactly what movie 'n music buffs like me wanted:

http://worldofsoundtrack.blogspot.com/

Just as its blog name says, the blog is full of soundtracks from small-time movies to the popular ones. I'm gonna be paying a lot of attention to this blog --- it's a gold mine for me. ^_^

Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans

2008-08-07T05:49:00.004+08:00

My friend sent me a picture of the famous Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. I guess the product is back in demand in the market because of the latest Harry Potter movie.

I dared my friend to eat some (she ate one but I forgot what flavor it was) and see if she could eat the vomit-flavored or the earwax-flavored ones. She refused. I wonder if her Bertie Bott's Beans will ever be eaten.

What Was Wrong With The Mummy 3?

2008-08-06T05:10:00.009+08:00

A lot was wrong with the movie. In its production and promotional stages, I did have a feeling that The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor wasn't going to be entertaining and thrilling. The trailer wasn't very catchy, and the public details about the film itself raised some eyebrows of The Mummy fans.

1. No Rachel Weisz

I was disappointed in hearing that Rachel Weisz wasn't going to reprise her role as Evie. She and Brendan Fraser were so compatible with their roles. She knew how to act ditzy and intelligent at the same time, and she knew how to exude humor in her role.

I have never heard of Maria Bello before this film. She has talent, but I would not have traded Rachel Weisz for her. She managed to almost sound like Rachel Weisz, but I noticed something stiff in her tone. It almost felt forced, whereas Rachel was so natural.

2. No Oded Fehr

This was a given when news came out that the setting for the new movie was ancient China. Didn't the film makers know that Oded Fehr brought a lot of charm to the previous The Mummy movies? Casting him out was a loss on their part.

3. China and Chinese mummies

When I hear the word "mummy", I immediately think of Egypt. China would be so far out from my mind. India would've been closer, perhaps. But China?

The Chinese emperor, or the Dragon Emperor (Jet Li), didn't even become a real mummy. The emperor and his army just happened to become terracotta figures. Their insides weren't taken out and they didn't undergo mummification. They were more like sand warriors to me (and even as sand warriors they are way down below the dog warriors of Anubis in The Mummy Returns).

4. Alex O'Connell looks like his just his father's age

Just who did the casting for this film?

I do not doubt that Luke Ford would have clinched the role of an adventurer. But to be the 18-year-old adventurer son of Brendan Fraser and Maria Bello was not a good role for him. For starters, he doesn't look 18. There would've been no problem if he looked 18 even though he is in reality 27 years old. But he looks like Brendan Fraser's buddy instead of his son.

There should've been no shortage of younger actors fit for the role. What were the casting directors thinking?!

5. Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh

I love them. They're great martial artists and great performers. But I didn't like their performance in The Mummy 3. They were both stiff. Maybe it was because of their roles (Chinese nobility and honor and all that), but I would have liked to see some more spirit in their actions.

It was said that they choreographed their sword fight scene. After I saw it, I wished Jackie Chan was a part of the movie. He could'v helped with the action choreography because that one-on-one was lame.

6. Jet Li's No Dragon

Leave the dragon to the Lee and not the Li. Jet Li does not exude the menace of a dragon, much less a three-headed one.

7. Bad 3D effects

The dragon was bad, and the skeleton army was more than messy. The yeti were cute and I would love to cuddle up with them. But to rate the special effects in its totality, I'd give it 2 out of 5 stars. The dragon transforming back into Jet Li had a lot to do with my rating.

8. Lame Humor

The third film just didn't get into the level of previous The Mummy movies when it comes to humor. In The Mummy 3, it felt like the humor and the punch lines were injected forcefully. Even Brendan Fraser's facial expressions and intonations couldn't make me snicker even a little.

9. The Pace

It was so obvious that the director for the third film was not the director of The Mummy and The Mummy Returns. Stephen Sommers can make you enjoy the ride of the movies. Rob Cohen, on the other hand, shifts from one scene to another like he was trying to squeeze the movie in two hours. Hey, we can handle more than two hours of screen time (just look at the box-office hits of The Dark Knight and Spiderman).

Really.
If ever I want to watch mummy movies, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor won't be on the list.

Lawn Tennis: Warming Up

2008-08-06T02:49:00.006+08:00

I hit the tennis courts early Monday morning in an effort to get my body back into shape after feeling my body bogging down a bit. It was a perfect morning for the exercise --- not too hot, not too cold.. The kind of temperature where you feel like working your body out is a comfortable thing to do. It kind of feels like stretching your body when you wake up in the morning to get out of a relaxing sleep and get into gear.

I hadn't played in quite a long time. I think it might have been more than a year already before I went out to the courts that Monday morning. I had to go to work that evening, so it was imperative to me that I don't tire my body out with the exercise.

Sadly, I was too excited in holding a tennis ball and racket again that I pounded on the wall with some shots immediately. I failed to do the proper thing: warm up before going into the game or practice. And now, two days later, my body is still stiff and aching. My right arm feels like it's carrying steel, and I walk like a board.

So get this and get this right: warm up before playing!

Warming Up

There are only three steps in warming up your body before playing. The main purpose is to get your body charged slowly for the game or practice. The warm-up is all about conditioning your body for the heavy physical activity ahead.

1. Walking, light jogging, and moving your arms and legs a bit... You can move your arms around in a circular motion, or shake them a little, as you walk around the court. Your legs will be slowly conditioned when you start walking. Then you pace it up a little by some light jogging. Then if you want, then you can do some side-jumping.

What I do is walk a little for a while, then start jogging after two or three rounds of walking around the tennis court. Then after two rounds of jogging, I would include some side jumps in my next two rounds of light jogging. I do the side jumps whenever I reach the serving areas of the court.

2. Stretching... after the walking and the jogging, it's time to stretch your muscles. The general order of stretching is to start from rotating your head to stretching your legs. But I would usually start from my legs because I feel like moving it a little bit more after the jog.

When stretching, don't push your body so hard. One of the mistakes I made when stretching before games is to stretch my muscles hard enough to feel some pain. But this isn't the real way to go. Stretching your muscles is all about getting them to be flexible with your movements later on. This means that comfort should be present. We can say that the purpose of stretching is to relax your muscles and get used to your body enduring the whacks in the game later on.

3. Doing some lawn tennis moves... Of course, this is imperative. You should also have your body familiarize itself with specific movements in the game. What I do in lawn tennis is to practice my forehand and backhand shots (without the ball). This includes fixing my pose, with one feet in front, the body in position, and getting that forehand and backhand curve right.

Do this step as many times as you like, until you get the movements in your system. Eventually, your body and muscles will be well-charged for the practice ahead.

How I Met Your Mother Websites

2008-07-30T06:09:00.004+08:00

Here's a list of the the websites included in the hit TV comedy series How I Met Your Mother.

1. Ted Mosby is a Jerk!

If memory serves me right, this website was revealed in Season 3 Episode 14 (The Bracket). In this episode, someone was sabotaging Barney's attempts in picking up women. Barney had once introduced himself to one of his "exploits" as Ted Mosby, and this exploited woman ended up making a website on how Ted Mosby was such a jerk.

The site is a real crack-up. ^_^ There are pictures of Barney (aka fake Ted) in very painful circumstances and there's a copy of his "exit letter" aka Dear Resident letter. There's also a page dedicated to another fake Ted Mosby (the pornstar).

2. Ted Mosby is Not a Jerk!

This is in opposition to the first website. Different but oh so similar, these two. Haha!

3. Barney's Blog (of Awesomeness!)

Courtesy of CBS! It feels like awesome Barney is a real person when you read it.

4. Lily and Marshall Sell Their Stuff

Season 3 Episode 19: Everything Must Go

Lily and Marshall are having some financial troubles with their new apartment. One solution they had was to sell Lily's clothes. Lily didn't like it one bit... just watch the show.

Anyways, HIMYM decided to launch a charity auction based on the idea of Marshall and Lily selling their stuff. Proceeds from the auction goes to the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. Maybe I'm wrong because I haven't read anything new about the auction, but maybe it already ended. I'm not sure.

Boots = Prositute?

2008-07-29T00:48:00.004+08:00

I wore my thigh boots yesterday and people stared at me like I was a prostitute. Well, I'm not exactly sure. Perhaps they stared at me because my fashion was faulty. But it felt like they saw me like a party girl or something. Or a prostitute. I just cannot take this word off my mind.

My thigh boots clearly presented me with two problems that Filipino people have:

1. Thigh boots (and longer ones) make you look like a prostitute.

This is because many prostitutes choose to wear skimpy blouses, very short skirts, and high boots. When you see one at night, with thick lipstick and acting sexy, you automatically think it's a prostitute. At daytime, you can see them with their night partners strolling around for some last-minute cuddling session. And the ones I saw usually wore boots.

But, hey, just because you feel like wearing your boots (and I wore pedal shorts, not exactly short) I don't think it makes you look like a prostitute. I mean, hey.. freedom of expression! Fashion style! I have an odd fashion style, but it's still my style!

This perception people have on those wearing boots is also so dumbfounded. If you look at society today, boots are actually used by the formal and stylish. Many use it for work. It goes well with skirts (not the short one, of course) and make a chic look. And if a lot people in other countries can use it on a daily basis, why can't we?

2. Filipinos stare too much.

I've witnessed this many times and I have the urge to hit them on the back of their heads --- waiters waiting on Korean customers, packers on Americans who're paying for their groceries, etc. They stare at them.

IT'S RUDE TO STARE! How would they feel if they were the ones being stared at? It's not a good feeling. It makes you feel awkward and uncomfortable.

I tried hard to ignore the stares they were giving me yesterday but it was a really uncomfortable feeling. Out of the corner of my eyes, people would stare. They look away but they look again. Sheesh! It's not the first time someone wore boots to the mall!

But they stare anyway. As if I were a hooker or what, or an alien, or a foreigner. They stare as if it's weird and they can't even get it into their system that it's just BOOTS! Just BOOTS! I mean, think about it. If I wore sandals, or ordinary slippers, with my clothes the same, they wouldn't stare. My shirt is normal, my pedal shorts normal. It would be just like any other day. But replace your footwear with boots, and they stare. BOOTS! Haven't they seen any before?!?!

Do they think these things over? Do they think that anybody can wear boots? Do they think that wearing boots is just like wearing any other pair of shoes? No. They stare. They stare because to them, the perception of boots is limited to party girls and prostitutes. They stare because wearing boots make you look different. They stare because boots make you look less respectable than those emo groupies.

Darn close-minded people.

Power Rangers Wild Force: Forever Red

2008-07-23T06:04:00.005+08:00

Here's an episode of Power Rangers Wild Force, where Wild Force Red Ranger Cole gets to work on a mission with the other Red Rangers. Talk about Red power. I don't really watch Wild Force, but I was a fan of the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. I just wanted to post this episode because of its storyline --- I mean, c'mon, all the Red Rangers combined! (except for Rocky; I don't know why he wasn't included here)--- and because Jason, the original Red Ranger, is back! Not to mention Tommy is here, as well. I love these two!

Forever Red, Part 1:

Forever Red, Part 2:

I love their flying kicks! ^_^

Emmy 2008: And the Nominees Are..

2008-07-18T02:25:00.005+08:00

Here are the listed nominees for the 60th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards to be held on September 21st, 2008!

I will be rooting for House and Boston Legal, of course. I'll also be watching out for the actors and actresses nominated; I have yet to take my favorites.

Best Comedy Series:
30 Rock - last year's winner!
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
The Office
Two And a Half Men

Best Drama Series:
Lost
Mad Men
Damages
Boston Legal
Dexter
House

Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series:
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
James Spader (Boston Legal) - last year's winner!
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
Hugh Laurie (House)
Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment)

Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series:
Glenn Close (Damages)
Sally Field (Brothers & Sisters) - last year's winner!
Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)
Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
Holly Hunter (Saving Grace)

Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series:
Tina Fey (30 Rock)
America Ferrera (Ugly Betty) - last year's winner!
Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?)
Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds)

Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series:
Tony Shalhoub (Monk)
Steve Carrell (The Office)
Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies)
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Charlie Sheen (Two And A Half Men)

There'll also be a category for the best host in a reality show, which includes nominees Ryan Seacrest (American Idol), Heidi Klum (Project Runway), and Howie Mandel (Deal Or No Deal). I haven't come across the list for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress yet.

Source: Yahoo TV

White Lion Cubs.. So Cute and Rare!

2008-07-15T02:53:00.004+08:00

They're three of the famous white lion cubs that were born last month in Germany. They still don't have names.

I would want them as pets if they wouldn't be so dangerous when they grow up.

More about the lion cubs at DailyMail Online.

12 Gifts Leading to The Ultimate Gift

2008-07-10T22:08:00.005+08:00

The Ultimate Gift is a feel-good movie based on the bestselling novel by Jim Stovall. I had the chance to watch the movie last week. Before that I did some research on the movie and found that it had low ratings from critics and reviews. This was surprising, because judging from the plot of the story, the movie was hardly anything but good.

What's more is that the critics and reviewers gave low ratings because the movie was too sweet for their tastes! Ha! So does this mean that Disney movies get low ratings too?! I think I can say that the Disney movies are sweeter than The Ultimate Gift.

The movie centers on the relationship of a business tycoon and his gone-wild grandson, who is shown to have harbored angry feelings for his grandfather. Red Stevens (James Garner), though, only has love for his grandson. Wanting to reach out to him, he concocts a plan for Jason Stevens (Drew Fuller from Charmed) to go through a "journey of gifts" which will ultimately lead him to the ultimate gift that his grandfather left for him:

The Gift of Work
The Gift of Problems
The Gift of Friends
The Gift of Giving
The Gift of Gratitude
The Gift of Family
The Gift of Learning
The Gift of Money
The Gift of Laughter
The Gift of a Day
The Gift of Dreams
The Gift of Love

I think we can all guess what the ultimate gift is. These twelve gifts make up that one gift that made a big difference to Jason Stevens: a life of happiness, appreciation, and love. Red Stevens also left $100 million to his grandson, giving Jason the biggest portion of the tycoon's wealth (which is great because his relatives are all stuck-ups).

Worst Line Before the Kiss

2008-07-10T01:45:00.007+08:00

I was watching the first Dungeons and Dragons film (2000) last weekend, and the kissing scene was still as I thought it was when I first saw the movie years ago --- totally lame. What made the moment unromantic and eyebrow-raising for me was the character line before the kiss.

Lead protagonists Ridley Freeborn (Justin Whalin) and Marina Pretensa (Zoe McLellan) were both distraught and frustrated in this scene. It was just after the death of Ridley's best friend Snails (played by Marlon Wayans) and Ridley was angry and blaming the whole mage community while Marina was trying to comfort and set his head straight. It was kind of a lover's quarrel. Then after some heated exchange, both calm down a little. Ridley looks at Marina and...

Ridley to Marina: You know, for a mage, you're pretty smart.

... and then the kiss.

I didn't think it was suitable to have the kiss in this scene but the director seemed to think it was okay. A hug would've been enough. They should've saved the kiss for later, especially if they couldn't think of a better line than this. It was a really crappy moment there.

Stupid Entry From Wikipedia

2008-07-09T02:53:00.005+08:00

I've gotten great information from Wikipedia whenever I needed it, but this entry just made it clear to me why Wikipedia isn't so trusted.

Wikipedia: The Power Within (1995)

I wanted to get more information on The Power Within and the karate star who portrayed the lead role in the movie, Ted Jan Roberts (who was Dex in Masked Rider). Instead I get this crap of a summary. I mean, why include this:

One day, at lunch, Stan and his friend notice the top jock at school asking his girlfriend why they broke up. Stan and his friend overhear the conversation and Stan's friend says something along the lines of, "...it'd be nice if someone would shove his jock strap in his face..." Stan counters this by saying, "I think I can do better than that." Stan then gets up and asks the top jock's girlfriend out. The top jock becomes furious and tries to punch Stan, but Stan grabs his fist in defence. A fight breaks out, and Stan ends up defeating 12 jocks in the process.

... and end the plot like this?

Stan discovers his powers were in him the whole time and defeats Vonn, gets the girl and is happy.

Such crap.

Federer Is Being Beaten Down Too Much

2008-07-08T23:35:00.004+08:00

Is it just me or does it feel like the media is biting his head off with the loss?

I mean, yes, Federer lost, and he and Rafa gave the longest and greatest Wimbledon battle ever that Rafa winning made the Spaniard a godlike player. But does the press have to shove it to Federer's face? It's obvious he's going to feel bad about it, but they're like sharks circling for any ungraceful reaction from the Swiss champion.

From Mail Online:

Federer was dignified on the court and apparently desolate when he got off it and his longer-term reaction to the events of Sunday night will be fascinating to observe.

The keyword here is "fascinating." They're sharks. Sharks!

It also feels like they're shoving Federer harder than necessary. It's like one loss is greater than his five wins.

Nadal Beats Federer in Wimbledon 2008!

2008-07-07T14:42:00.003+08:00

Nadal wins Wimbledon! Wow! And after winning the French Open, too. This guy's on a roll, winning the French Open and Wimbledon back to back.

World no. 2 finally put an end to Roger Federer's reign. Federer was set on winning Wimbledon for the sixth time. The Spaniard was at the top of his game, though, and Federer made one too many errors.

It was the longest Wimbledon mens final ever, and I honestly didn't care who would win. Both are great and respected champions, and just to see them at the finals battling it out is enough for me.

From Wimbledon.org:

Wimbledon has a new king. Rafael Nadal dethroned Roger Federer after a five-year reign by winning the longest-ever Wimbledon men's final.

The consistently heartstopping 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (8-10), 9-7 classic began at 2.35pm and thanks to a couple of breaks for rain (surely necessary for the spectators to catch their breath), it ended at 9.15pm with the 22-year-old from Mallorca dropping to the ground with his arms outstretched in celebration.

Watching the four hours and 48 minutes on-court action, from the vantage point of the royal box, was Centre Court legend Bjorn Borg. Nadal had matched the Swede's fantastic feat of winning the Grand Slams of Roland Garros and Wimbledon back-to-back and had also prevented Federer surpassing the five titles in a row he collected between 1976 and 1980.

BubbleGum Crash Quotes

2008-07-07T14:21:00.003+08:00

"You only hear me when I'm insulting you."
- Nene Romanova, episode 1 -

"Trading his life like that for Boomers... I don't get it..."
- Priss Asagiri, episode 2 -

"I know full well that you're not like other Boomers. But just because you're different doesn't mean I like you."
- Priss Asagiri, episode 2 -

"Dr. Haynes was killed because of me. But there was nothing I could do. All I can do is keep the memories that Dr. Haynes gave me."
- Boomer Adama, episode 2 -

"Boomers are not meant to be used for war or for crimes."
- Boomer Adama, episode 2 -

Daley:
Perhaps, ultimately, mankind existed only to be replaced by Boomers.

Leon:
Shut your mouth! Aren't we more than that?

"That doesn't matter to me! I'm fighting only for myself! Not for money, not for anyone else!"
- Priss Asagiri, episode 3 -

"If I'm gonna die anyway, I'm going down fighting!"
- Priss Asagiri, episode 3 -

"Better to die as proud women!"
- Nene Romanova, episode 3 -

"You, too, should realize that mankind exists to one day destroy itself."
- Largo / Mason, episode 3 -

Animes, TV series, and Quotes

2008-07-06T11:35:00.009+08:00

I don't know why I'm so hooked up with quotes, but I am. I especially like to go over the Japanese animations because they've got intellectually, and emotionally, stimulating character lines. From my last posts, it's sort of obvious I'm on the quest of writing down quotes I can find from animes. Right now, my specimen is the Bubblegum Crisis and AD Police series and OVAs.

I finished watching Bubblegum Crisis, Bubblegum Crash, and Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040. I've only got to work on the quotes from the original Bubblegum Crisis and Crash OVA then I'll be done with the series. The AD Police series and OAV are next on my list.

I'm also trying to find AD Police: Parasite Dolls. I want to complete the AD Police series just as I completed the Bubblegum Crisis series (it's an obsessive-compulsive kind of thing, I guess). I couldn't find even a torrent of it in English subs.

I'm also trying to control my pace with the animes and TV series. Right now, I'm watching Supernatural. Then tonight (if I can hound the computer away from my brother) I'll be starting on the AD Police series.

BubbleGum Crisis 2040 Quotes, Eps 14-26

2008-07-06T01:44:00.003+08:00

"Whether he's ordinary or not, what you think of him is up to you."
- Nigel Kirkland, episode 15 -

"There isn't a person anywhere who shouldn't exit."
- Nene Romanova, episode 15 -

Priss:
Eavesdropping is the lowest thing you could do.

Leon:
You weren't exactly whispering, either of you.

"We lose our rival and it's hard to stay enthused about our work."
- Leon McNichol, episode 15 -

"If someone calls it a coincidence, it might have been. But it was also inevitable."
- Sylia Stingray, episode 16 -

"A rumor contains some truth once in a while."
- Chief Nick Roland, episode 16 -

"An excellent policeman can only live as a policeman."
- Chief Nick Roland, episode 16 -

"Even if it's foolish, I don't have any other choice."
- Priss Asagiri, episode 17 -

"As long as boomers are humanoid, the boomers' fate is decided. A boomer must be a boomer."
- Leon McNichol, episode 19 -

"I never thought how humiliating it is for us that someone controls the media like this."
- Leon McNichol, episode 19 -

"By changing its shape, a boomer can own a self-consciousness that has a totally different logic from that of a human being. I finally understand that a real boomer is a boomer that changes shape. Therefore, I can't forgive myself if I don't exploit this feature aggressively."
- Sylia Stingray, episode 19 -

"If what God does is just be there, the only reason to exist is to observe the end of the irrational living organisms that he created."
- Brian J. Mason, episode 20 -

"I'll be the same person in the future as I am now."
- Nigel Kirkland, episode 20 -

"It's so miserable having to wait without doing anything, isn't it?"
- Mackey, episode 21 -

"Trust them. It's also about being brave."
- Nigel Kirkland, episode 21 -

"Who are you going to fight for? What are you going to protect by continuing this fight?"
- Leon McNichol, episode 23 -

"The fact is a human being exists as a human being, and a machine exists as a machine. Only human beings believe those facts describe a natural order. Humans stopped evolving at the Neoteny stage and are continuing to decline. But some are born who don't believe in this order. This might be a naturally occurring coincidence."
- Galatea, episode 25 -

"There's a quality, a soul, that humans recognize in each other, which is impossible for machines, no matter how intricate, to copy."
- Galatea, episode 25 -

"A part becomes the whole: Evolution."
- Galatea, episode 25 -

"The first subhuman was duplicated from my core, but it was imperfect. Imperfect because he was too close to being human."
- Galatea, episode 25 -

"A human being is what you are. You can't help thinking as a human being."
- Galatea, episode 25 -

"My destiny isn't very good. Therefore, the only thing I can do is to change it myself."
- Linna Yamazaki, episode 25 -

"It's funny that Earth's fate will be decided by such ill-mannered girls, isn't it?"
- Leon McNichol, episode 26 -

"Why? Why do you persist in trying to remain a human being? As long as human beings remain as they are, neither the mind nor body can evolve. So, why? I don't understand."
- Galatea, episode 26 -

"I will be in everything. That's the real form of being God."
- Galatea, episode 26 -

BubbleGum Crisis 2040 Quotes, Eps 01-13

2008-06-29T17:18:00.003+08:00

"Somehow, I just can't like voomers. I don't see why they have to look like humans. They could look like robots, couldn't they?"
- Linna's friend and colleague, episode 1 -

"Such a great figure shouldn't be hidden by unfashionable clothing."
- Sylia, episode 2 -

"I like voomers. You could say I love them. They bear all of humanity's burdens, enduring physical and mental pain, so that humans don't have to."
- Chairman Rosenkroitz, episode 2 -

"If you don't have the confidence, why don't you quit now?"
- Priss, episode 3 -

"Don't misunderstand me. I don't know about Sylia but we don't intend to be champions of justice or volunteers."
- Priss, episode 4 -

"Of course I didn't expect it to be easy. But I didn't expect it to be so hard."
- Linna, episode 4 -

"Frankly speaking, if you're just another without purpose, don't risk your life."
- Priss, episode 4 -

"It's a woman, right? Why is it you become naive as a high school boy everytime you fall in love?"
- Daley, episode 4 -

"If one person is in a bad mood, as you seem to be, it contaminates the whole atmosphere of the department."
- Linna's pervert manager, episode 6 -

"Manipulating the data is similar to a human relationship. If you're not sincere or if you don't deal with it gently, it sometimes gets upset or angry."
- Linna's pervert manager, episode 6 -

"It's so sad to be unable to wear the clothes you really like."
- Sylia, episode 6 -

"The machine can't use all its power if the person who maintains it doesn't love it."
- Mackey, episode 6 -

"I don't completely understand how the hard suits work. Sylia doesn't show me the most important part. But it's just a suit. If those of us inside the suits don't work as hard as we can, the suit is just a heavy outfit."
- Nene, episode 6 -

"It has nothing to do with what you think. It's the fact that he found the place where he's comfortable."
- Nigel, episode 8 -

"Well, I don't expect the citizens to love us anyway. But are we doing something that should make us hated?"
- Leon, episode 8 -

"I see, but I don't understand someone who never feels lonely."
- Linna, episode 8 -

Reporter:
What does singing mean for you?

Priss:
To confirm that I am here and alive. I guess.

"I just don't like their way of doing things. When they have a mission as a pretext, they don't care how horribly they hurt people. I can't stand a grandstanding attitued like that."
- Priss, episode 9 -

"Have you ever seen the news tell the truth about our work?!"
- Chief, episode 10 -

Leon:
What a great partner!

Daley:
We're hopelessly linked, you idiot.

"I wonder if the place you should be is waiting for you."
- Masaki, episode 11 -

"I sell my information to the person willing to pay the highest price. It's simply economic logic."
- Kuzui, episode 12 -

"No matter what private reasons Sylia has, I think it's okay, because we're all Knight Sabers for our own reasons."
- Linna, episode 13 -

Been Through a Rough Week

2008-06-29T16:39:00.003+08:00

It has been a rough week. I hadn't been able to muster some energy to blog around my many blogs. I didn't have the energy for work even. Last week wasn't the best; it was one of those weeks where things around you just didn't click enough to give you some inspiration to move around. I basically just worked (sloppily, if I may admit), went home, cleaned a little (and I mean a little), pig around while watching DVDs, and sleep. This cycle would repeat everyday and I just became a potato couch who saw work as a disturbance.

I guess I felt depressed. Almost every news I heard last week were very frustrating. Typhoon Frank (Fengshen) hit our country and sunk a vessel, resulting in many missing people and many deaths. My friends back in Iloilo gave me descriptions of what the typhoon did and I can barely imagine what it was like. Even the videos I found in Youtube didn't size up to what they said.

I also received news about the health of two members of my family. It wasn't exactly pleasant.

Well, if anything, I'm certainly trying to get back on active track. This blog is one of my first steps... apart from getting back to doing the household chores, paying bills, bla bla bla...

Semper Fi

2008-06-24T04:17:00.005+08:00

After days of not posting an entry here, you'd expect me to come up with a great topic.. but all I can think of right now is "Semper Fi."

I started out a week ago on a TV drama marathon, and I had picked NCIS, a CBS TV drama about a team in the Naval Criminal Investigative Services. I had seen some episodes of the drama before, but I wasn't able to finish them all. Criminal investigations seem to be a favorite of mine when it comes to TV programs (as opposed to my sister's Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy). I also like the addition of wit and smart humor in the shows.

So what's with NCIS and this blog entry? Well, I got the term "Semper Fi" from various episodes of NCIS and I got curious as to what it meant. I really had no idea! But it I knew it was relevant to the marines. There was an episode where a widow of a late commander said the phrase to Special Agent Jethro Gibbs, wherein Gibbs replied in a very respectful manner, "Fair winds and flowing seas, ma'am."

I don't know exactly, but something there told me that "Semper Fi" wasn't just any phrase for the marines.

So, of course, I looked it up. Turns out it is very important for the marines. It has actually become the motto of the United States Marine Corps since the 1880s. And it's not just the American navy. The Dutch, Canadians, Brazilians, Swiss, even the Chinese, and many others also use has "Semper Fi" as a motto.

Knowing how many of the countries has used this as a motto made me feel stupid because I only knew about this now. ^_^

Semper Fi is actually short for Semper Fidelis, which is Latin for "Always Faithful." This has been a slogan and motto for many families and entities around the world before it was adopted as a motto for the marines. Semper Fi signifies the dedication and loyalty that the Marines have for the navy and their country, even after leaving the service.

I am so hooked to NCIS right now. After that, I'm gonna be watching season 3 of Bones so I may not frequent this blog as much as I'd like. ^_^

Kaka's Luca Celico Leite Is Born!

2008-06-14T02:38:00.004+08:00

He's so cute (as are all babies, I know!) and by looking at his parents, he's bound to be a handsome one when he grows up. Ricardo "Kaka" Leite and wife Caroline celebrated the birth of their son Luca Celico Leite just this Tuesday, June 10! Mother and child are doing great and the whole family is obviously excited and very happy.

I'm a little late on the post, but, what the heck, I'm still a fan! So.. Congratulations to the family!

European Football's All About the Money Now

2008-06-07T04:37:00.009+08:00

Fame and money can really turn people to greed and arrogance. This is what I see with all too clearly as Ronaldo finally stated his stance on his not-too-unpredictable move to Spanish team Real Madrid.

Despite Manchester United constantly telling everybody that striker Cristiano Ronaldo will stay with Old Trafford, the Portuguese star player goes on to tell the world:

"I would like to play for Real Madrid but only if it is true they are ready to pay what Manchester United ask of them."

Cute. Real cute. It was like he was just playing hard-to-get these past few days, trying to get the highest bid on him to set place.

Ronaldo's not the only one at fault for European football starting to look like a money-grabbing sport. A lot of players are being bought and sold among the European teams. The managers are starting to look like hungry wolves to me, and the players becoming their pups drooling after the money.

Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who is reported to have agreed to join AC Milan despite previously insisting that he would stay with Arsenal, admitted to stating how money makes the world of soccer go round. Here's a clip from the dailymail UK article.

The 24-year-old returned to his country this week to receive the BBC African player of the year award where he insisted moves abroad were fuelled solely by cash.

He said: "If you move, it is about money. When we were young we played because we love the game and we were passionate about it. But now, when you reach this stage you are thinking about the Champions League and big things like that.

"Whenever I come back to my country people love me. If I didn't go to Europe for money, what else would it be for?"

He also said something that made me cringe a little at the people who should be inspiring football/soccer lovers like me:

"If you gave me the option of playing beautiful football and winning nothing, or playing ugly and winning then obviously it would be the latter.

"You are judged on what you win. We play in a great team with a great manager, but we don't want to play beautiful football just to put smiles on the faces of the fans."

That's another player on my football/soccer hate list.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Review

2008-06-06T05:15:00.014+08:00

As a fan of epic fantasies and magical worlds, I wasn't about to pass up the opportunity of watching The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. I was impressed with how the movie crew revived The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and was excited how they would do with Prince Caspian.

It was intriguing for me when it was released that Ben Barnes would play the role of Prince Caspian. The original story was about a child prince, after all. I believe that C.S. Lewis' goal was to portray the hero as innocent and pure, thus the character of a child.

But Ben Barnes is no child (quite obviously). One reason I can think of why the child prince was transformed into a grown-up Prince Caspian was to market the movie a little more. I think everybody can relate to the pull of an actor's presence in a movie. My sister definitely felt it with Ben Barnes cast as Prince Caspian. I doubt if she would've been as excited as she was if Prince Caspian remained a child in the new movie.

Having a grown-up Prince Caspian also modifies the audience market of the movie. Maybe the crew wanted to have more adult movie-goers to like the film. The Chronicles of Narnia is meant for children but with a grown-up hero featured in the stories, the audience market becomes broader.

Not that I am complaining that Ben Barnes was given Prince Caspian's role. He still pulled off an innocent childlike charm onscreen. It also made the story more believable for me. I mean, even when reading the book, one would be skeptic to think that a child would win in battle against his uncle and an army. It did say in the book that he was near that to Peter Pevensie's age, so they sought out somebody who could match up to William Moseley in terms of looks and charm.

I had one problem with Ben Barnes' performance, though: his accent. I don't see why he needed that accent in the role. Being British would be enough. I don't think that there was anything in the book, too, about Telmarines having an accent like that. It was distracting. I find it amusing that he modeled the accent after Mandy Patinkin's Inigo Montoya because I'm a fan of Inigo Montoya. But, really, I didn't like it on Ben Barnes' Prince Caspian.

The Pevensie cast was impressive. They're not that accomplished as actors and actresses yet, but they definitely have the goods. All four certainly improved since The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Prince Caspian zooms into the development of the Pevensie children, especially that of Peter's and Susan's. Well, the two elder Pevensies won't be coming back for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader so I guess it was only fair for them to have the spotlight in this movie.

I do not blame the arrogant turn that Peter's character had taken. I think it was only fitting that it was inserted in the movie because it made the characters more alive. William Moseley definitely carried the role pretty well. You can see by the look on his face in the fistfight scene how he's grown up from someone who used to be the High King. Anne Popplewell's Susan Pevensie is being emphasized as a strong modern woman. She's present and fighting in the battle scenes and also has this romance with Prince Caspian.

The romantic turn of the story was predictable. Of course. This love story really would never work. But it made the movie more moving and sensitive. What would an adventure movie be without love somewhere in between two characters that can look right for each other?

Georgie Henley reprised her role as the youngest Pevensie. She is still the Lucy we know, full of faith and understanding. Skandar Keynes as Edmund Pevensie had the least exposure in the movie among the Pevensie cast. His role, though, perfectly brought out what was meant to be brought out in the film: his older brother's immaturity and arrogance. In Prince Caspian, Edmund has become mature and steady, as opposed to his traitorous role back in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

The direction and storyline of the film needed more flow. I've thought of this many times over movies, but movies based on books should still be given more substance even if it is already a given that the audience knows how the story goes because of the books. I mean just because everybody already knows the story doesn't mean the film should be done in a somewhat pinched manner. The movie is already above two hours, I know, but I am willing to sit for more than that if it would have taken more for the movie to flow fully. I'm not saying that the movie was incomplete story-wise; just that there were times when I thought they just jumped to the next scene without a little transition.

Overall, though, I enjoyed the movie. The scenery and settings were impressive and beautiful. I expected nothing less from the special effects and I wasn't disappointed. It's not as brilliant as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but it is still one of the must-see movies of the year!

My Top 5 Dog Breeds!

2008-06-04T05:51:00.007+08:00

I like dogs. My family and I had three dogs over the years and only one still lives. She's old now, though, and I know that home will become lonely without her. We were able to cope with the loss of our two other dogs because we still had her, but we just can't change a dog's life expectancy.

Nevertheless, I'm hoping to have another dog. While my top five dog breeds aren't common in my country, it doesn't hurt to hope that maybe I'll come across one someday.

1. Great Dane: It’s the gentle giant, the Great Dane. It’s the tallest among the breeds, yet it is kind, sweet, and affectionate. It doesn’t bark much, and it’s a very dependable dog. It is a very able watch dog. It’s presence can be intimidating with its size, but its intelligent and earnest expression speaks of its tenderness.

2. Siberian Husky: Watching Eight Below inspired me, and made me love this dog very much! It has wolfish features, yet this breed is hardworking, dependable, and very affectionate. The Siberian Husky is a people-oriented breed and is great with other dogs, too. It is also active and intelligent, as well friendly and easy to get along with.

3. Alaskan Malamute: If you put a Siberian Husky and an Alaskan Malamute in front of me, I’d have a hard time telling which is which because they look almost exactly the same to me. The Alaskan Malamute is also wolf-like, although they have a softer features than the Siberian Husky’s sharp ones. This breed is also hardworking and dependable, and sweet-tempered and affectionate.

4. Chow Chow: I like big dogs that are affectionate, and the Chow Chow is one. This dog is big and furry. I have seen one close, and its size was daunting (I can just imagine how I’d feel if I’d see a Great Dane!). Its notable features are its blue-black tongue and straight hind legs. This breed also has a reserved personality, so you have to socialize it with other people, dogs, and household pets. This breed is also on of the breeds that has a sad history. In China, the Chow Chow wasn’t only used for guarding things and pulling carts. It was also used for its meat and fur. It also lacked a single master, and this dog is the one-master-only type.

5. Collie: I like dogs with lots of fur, and the Collie has it. The Collie is also a kind and even-tempered breed. It’s also very devoted to its owner and family. We can all relate to this as we remember the movie Lassie. I just have a problem with herding dogs having a habit of nipping at people’s ankles. The collie is easy to train, though, and can outgrow this habit.

I got my top 5 among the Top 50 Dog Breeds at Pet Bandits.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Review

2008-05-28T05:53:00.008+08:00

I really had my doubts. It may be the Indiana Jones franchise, it may be Steven Spielberg, it may be Harrison Ford and Shia Labeouf. But there was still that chance that the movie would turn out to be a petty imitation of the past Indiana Jones movies.

Well, I was wrong. But I wasn't entirely wrong.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull still delivers humor, wit, action, and adventure like the old installments. While each scene had its glorious moments, it is undeniable that the glory felt would end as the scene ends. It was like the audience really wanted this movie to be really good that each negative point of a scene is set aside to highlight the good ones.

I'm not saying the scenes were full of negative points. They were actually fun and enjoyable. I especially liked the scene at the restaurant where Shia LaBeouf sparked a battle between greasers/bikers and jockeys/students. I only had a problem with how hurried each scene seemed. It was like they were trying to squeeze the scenes in limited amount of time.

I had no problems with the actors because they did a great job. Harrison Ford did seem a little rusty but then he's not young anymore, on and off the screen. Shia LaBeouf was Mutt, and when I say this I mean he was great. I had a problem with Cate Blanchett's accent; it was thick that it was obvious she wasn't Russian.

But the real problem I had with the movie was the... spoiler alert... aliens. They came from another dimension and another time, though, and not from outer space. Still, they're aliens to me.

Just think about it. Indiana Jones with all his archaeological adventures dealing with aliens? This was certainly a surprise, because I thought the whole setting of the movie franchise would be all about the mysterious history of mankind with some ancient trinkets involved.

I'm sure if it wasn't for the aliens, and for the squeezed-in feeling, I would have really enjoyed Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull without complaints.

Pinoys Take the Stage Again!

2008-05-27T02:40:00.003+08:00

From the UK to the US, Filipinos are hitting the stage... and with talent and style!

Charlie Green on Britain's Got Talent: It's Talent!

Renaldo Lapuz on American Idol Finale: The Style!

Kristin Kreuk Is Chun Li

2008-05-27T02:12:00.006+08:00

I must really have been out of the movie updates addiction for some time because this is the first I've heard of Kristin Kreuk as ChunLi of the Street Fighters. The film started filming on March and it is set in Thailand. The movie will be about Chun Li seeking vengeance for the murder of her father. The murderer is, of course, M. Bison.

Kristin Kreuk has Chinese blood in her, and as a former gymnast, i think she'll be able to pull off some action kicks and stuff. I just have some trouble picturing her as a street fighter. But I've seen a picture of her with mud on her face and with unclean clothes on (a shot out of the movie, maybe) so I can't make any serious judgment on her taking on the role at this moment.

The movie Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li focuses on Chun Li's journey in avenging her father's death. Another interesting news is that Kristin Kreuk won't be sporting the white buns, stockings, and brown suit that we are used to seeing Chun Li in. The creators of the movie obviously want things more realistic. The movie is set to be out next year.

Naruto Shippuuden Movie Quotes

2008-05-25T01:17:00.007+08:00

"There are some things you can't learn by training."
- Shizune -

"Never give up, no matter what happens. You rarely see anyone as determined as him."
- Tsunade -

Naruto:
You guys are, like, super worried that I'm gonna die after hearing that, right? So I thought I'd wear this to help put everyone at ease!

Sakura:
We don't have time to worry about you dying when the fate of the world is at stake!

Naruto:
Can't you avoid death if you know how you're gonna die?

Tahuro:
No. No matter how hard you struggle, when fate decides it is your time to die, there is no avoiding it.

"Who doesn't feel grief when someone close to them dies? I'm not allowed to cry. If I do it'd be an insult to all those who died for me."
- Shion -

"Whatever happens to me, you mustn't let our heart waver."
- Miroku -

"Someday I will disappear from your sight. For we are transient, as is the world we live in."
- Miroku -

"You don't have to accept a destiny you don't want!"
- Naruto -

Ninja Techniques used in the movie:

... by the villains ^_^

Kyouka Shohou Chakra Chuunyuu : Chakra Injection of Fortified Medication
Katon Ninpou, Hibashiri : Fire Element Ninja Art, Racing Fire
Fuuton Ninpou, Kamikaze : Wind Element Ninja Art, Divine Wind
Doton, Tsuchi Kairora : Earth Element, Earth Corridor
Fuuton, Kami Oroshi : Wind Element, Holy Jet Stream
Suiton, Mizu Kamikiri : Water Element, Water God Slicer
Suiton, Suiryuuben : Water Dragon Whip
Doton, Kouka Jutsu : Earth Element, Hardening Technique
Masui Sejutsu : Secret Anesthesia Technique
Suishuu Gorugon : Powerful Blasting Rain Trench
Ninpou, Mizu Kawarimi : Ninja Art, Water Replacement Technique
Ankoku Ijutsu: Dark Medical Arts

... by Naruto:

Buushin Tiatarie : Clone Attack
Tajuu Kage Buunshin : Mass Shadow Clone

... by Rock Lee:

Konoha Senpuu : Leaf Whirlwind
Konoha Dai Senpuu : Great Leaf Whirlwind
Omoto Renge : Initial Lotus
Ura Renge: Primary Lotus

... by Hyuuga Neji:

Hakke Kuushou : Eight Trigrams Empty Palm
Hakkeshou Kaiten : Eight Trigrams Divine Spin
Jyuuken Hou, Hakke Rokujuuyonshou : Gentle Fist, Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Strikes

... by Taruho:

Shadow Mirror Shapeshift

... by Kakashi:

Raikiri : Lightning Edge

... by Shikamaru:

Kagemane no Jutsu : Shadow Mimic Technique

... by Temari:

Kirikiri Mai : Double Slashing Dance

Kaka On Time 100

2008-05-21T05:30:00.005+08:00

I certainly didn't expect Kaka to be included in Time's 100 Most Influential People of the World for 2008, but I salute them! Lining up with Oprah Winfrey, Brangelina, Andre Agassi and others in the most influential Heroes and Pioneers, Kaka's presence in the list caused great joy to his fans... yet also confusion to those who think he doesn't deserve it.

I'm a fan of Kaka, and I was glad he got a spot in the Time 100. He certainly deserves it as he is not only one of the most successful world-class footballers, but also a U.N. ambassador and devout Christian. He is also one of the most humble players in a sport where fame and money can easily turn you into a party animal when you're not careful (yes, I'm talking about C.Ronaldo).

The article written by Kasey Keller was short and wasn't really that informative or detailed. But it was as direct as it can be of the efforts that Kaka has put on for the sport and for the world. He is a great model for the youngsters who wish to become footballers themselves.

Some critics ask, why put him, a soccer player, on the list? Bear in mind that the list is about influential people. In the world of sports, and especially of football/soccer, everyone knows the name of Kaka and everyone regards him as one of the best players in the sport. He has received many honours and awards as proof of that.

Kaka's fame as a successful soccer player, while still clinging on to his morals and principles, is influential enough for people like me who have read about many players gone wild and distracted.

A Healthy Lifestyle To Combat Shift Work Sleep Disorder

2008-05-16T04:07:00.007+08:00

I work on a graveyard shift, and working on a graveyard shift is not healthy, especially for females. And I mean really unhealthy. Ever heard of shift work sleep disorder? I think I already have it. You would think so, too, if you've worked at night for two years, have trouble sleeping, and have a very unhealthy lifestyle and food diet.

I came across an article today about what our everyday food diet should be to combat stress and fatigue. I must say, I'm going to follow it and make it a habit. I don't have to go to a doctor and have a check-up to know that I have a problem with my health.

The article first cites that we should sleep and wake up at regular hours. Sadly, I have to ignore the implication of the "regular hours." surely it means sleeping for 7 to 8 hours at night. But I work at night! So ignore ignore ignore...

You might be wondering that sleeping 7-8 hours at night is not different from sleeping 7-8 hours in the daytime. But I tell you, it is different. Sleeping at night is way more relaxing, and way more natural. I also found that even if I slept the whole day, I still don't wake up feeling as fresh as I would be if I slept at night and woke up the next morning.

Well, I guess I''ll just have to work on having regular sleeping hours in daytime. It's all I can do with my schedule. Guess I'll work on doing some relaxing ritual before I go to sleep, too... Drinking milk would be a good idea (it would also help with my calcium intake).

Sports and more physical movement is another remedy. Hmm... I'll really have to work on this one. I haven't played any sport in months.

As for my food diet... oh dear... more fruits and vegetables!

I can take on the fruits part.. but I'll have trouble with the veggies. I hate veggies. I like pumpkin, potatoes, and some of the leafy ones... but generally, I detest veggies. i would dearly love to be a vegetarian, even become a vegan. But I'll die if that's the case because I really don't eat veggies!

Two to three fruits a day is recommended. Mandarins, kiwi, pineapples, oranges, and grapefruits are preferred. I can do this.

Raw veggies... hmm... vegetables used in soups... hmm... I need time to stomach this.

We should also have meat, eggs, and fish on our daily menu. Oh yes, I can do this!

Limit the alcohol and the caffeine (meaning the iced tea, the coffee, and some juices). they only make our body more tired. These should even be avoided more when you really are tired. I'll take the article's word for it. Because I've been a daily coffee drinker to try to smart up to my work, but I always feel very tired most of the time.

Magnesium! It contributes to the proper functioning of the body. So I guess I'll have to include nuts and chocolates to my diet. Oatmeal cereals, too. Another item on the list that contains magnesium is raw veggies. This one I'll think about.

Really... I love sleep. But the way I am now, I am not getting the satisfaction I usually get from it in the past. Time to change my diet and lifestyle. Wish me luck!

Speed of Light Colors With Speed Racer

2008-05-15T04:03:00.011+08:00

I didn't have any great expectations from Speed Racer when my sister and I decided to watch it last Monday. Speed Racer received a low rating from Rotten Tomatoes, and the story isn't actually all that original for me. Still, I liked the movie, more so than I would have imagined. Despite the negative reviews it got, I stand by my opinion that it is one of the most unique and enjoyable movies I've seen recently (though it will never ever reach up to Iron Man's level).

Speed Racer stars Emile Hirsch as Speed Racer (to those unaware, this is really his name in the movie), a genius race car driver who is caught up in a battle upholding his love for driving against a corrupt organization's stance that racing is all about money. I wasn't impressed with Emile Hirsch's acting, but it was okay enough. John Goodman is surprisingly a protagonist in the story (after portraying many villain roles like in Evan Almighty). He plays Pops Racer, Speed's father, who is the brain behind the family's Mach 5 race car. Other notable stars int he film are Susan Sarandon who plays Mom Racer, and Christina Ricci who plays Speed's supportive girlfriend Trixie.

And who would miss Matthew Fox, who plays the enigmatic Racer X? His role as an agent with a mysterious past (and a form-fitting suit) really stirred up the movie... in a good way, of course. The role of Racer X is pivotal. Keanu Reeves was the first choice to play the part. I would've loved to see Keanu play it but Matthew Fox did a good job that I have no complaints.

Korean singer Rain also made his Hollywood acting debut here in Speed Racer. I should never have expected that his English would be impressive, because it wasn't. Language aside, though, he gave nice acting chops in his role.

The storyline and direction was impressive for me. Got to hand it to the Wachowski brothers. They really have an eye for unique flows and great effects. Some people may consider the film to have too much color. But I think that that was part of the idea --- bright colors to accentuate the effects. I mean we're dealing with a family movie which centers on cars moving at the speed of light (figuratively, of course). Colors would evidently play an important part when you want a movie that kids would appreciate while not ignoring the cinematic details in speed racing.

The flow from past to present was also done in unique and genius manner. The flashbacks were clearly imprinted on the present scenes attached to it, which leave no ground for any argument on the personal developments of the characters.

Overall, I think Speed Racer is worth watching. It doesn't disappoint, no matter what the critics say.

DragonballZ Update: First Look at Goku!

2008-05-13T06:28:00.006+08:00

I don't really see much of a difference. To me, it is still Justin Chatwin, and I can't see anything close to Goku except for the hair (and even that is not that obvious to make viewers think that he is Son Goku). Maybe I was expecting it to appear closer to the animation. Right now I'm still not impressed enough to go "woah" on this picture:

Brad Pitt as Thor of the Avengers?

2008-05-13T06:08:00.007+08:00

It's not final yet. Brad Pitt has yet to receive an offer, actually. It is still a rumor that Brad Pitt will be given the role in the Avengers movie. Given how Brad Pitt made a fantastic portrayal of the Greek hero Achilles in the movie Troy, I don't think it's any wonder that he would be the top choice as the blonde Norse god Thor.

There's also the massive success of Iron Man to account for Brad Pitt's nomination for the role. Robert Downey, Jr. put on a high level of performance as Iron Man. It has only added pressure that the cast for the other Avengers should also be excellent in acting. Now Brad Pitt may have never won an Oscar, but there's no denying that he's one fo Hollywood's A-list stars because of his proficient acting.

Just think: Robert Downey, Jr. and Brad Pitt in one movie!

Hmmm.. I'm still trying to imagine Brad Pitt as Thor. I think he can pull it off just RDJ did Iron Man. But this is still too good to be true for now.

Oh well, this is stil just a rumor. No final word out yet.

Matrim "Mat" Cauthon Quotes

2008-05-12T00:48:00.003+08:00

My favorite character from The Wheel of Time series by fantasy writer Robert Jordan is definitely a plucky and clever one. If Matrim Cauthon, or simply Mat, wasn't present in the books as one of the protagonists, a ta'veren, I don't think I'd be as addicted to The Wheel of Time as I presently am.

"Burn me!!"

"Blood and bloody ashes!"

"Never dance with a girl whose brothers have knife scars."

"One pretty woman means fun at the dance.
Two pretty women mean trouble in the house.
Three pretty women mean run for the hills."

"Taking responsibility takes all the joy out of life, and drains a man to dust."

"Always leave a way out, unless you really want to find out how hard a man can fight when he’s nothing to lose."

"No wine for me. Strange enough things happen when my head is clear. I want to know the difference."

"What's life like if you don't take a chance now and then?"

"Luck is a horse to ride like any other."

"Dovie'andi se tovya sagain."
"Time to toss the dice."

"Carai an Caldazar! Carai an Ellisande! Al Ellisande!"
"For the honor of the Red Eagle!. For the honor of the Rose of the Sun!. The Rose of the Sun!"

SAO / Blade of the Phantom Master Quotes

2008-05-12T00:21:00.009+08:00

"Miracles don't happen for those who do nothing but appeal to salvation."
- Munsu -

"There are things that don't go away even when a country has fallen."
- Munsu -

"I'm sorry I couldn't save him. When we were attacked it was all I could do to keep myself alive... Just an excuse, isn't it?"
- Munsu -

"Jushin fell because people believed too much in everything that was visible right before their eyes."
- Munsu -

"There's no such thing as a miracle in this world. When you write the word "miracle," you spell it F-R-A-U-D."
- Munsu -

Yuite:
There's no way you, an ordinary human being, can defeat me. What's your reason for taking things so far?

Munsu:
It's because even I've got a chance at winning.

"If I could die from something like that, my pain would be eased, too."
- Yuite (after getting shot in the head) -

"You're counting on me, right? I can't just watch you die."
- Sando -

"Still trying to do something?"
- Munsu (stepping on Yuite's decapitated head) -

"If you haven't got a body there's nowhere to go back to, is there? Give it up and die."
- Munsu -

"Don't cry. I'm sure they'll go where they were meant to go... to the place they were meant to go a long time ago. That's the way of nature."
- Munsu -

"That's all right, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Human beings are such weak creatures, you know. It's natural that we hope for miracles. But it's because we are human that we can dispel the lies, too. Even when you died, you didn't lose your humanity."
- Munsu -

"I wonder if what human beings need is the confidence to stare straight into this blue sky. Don't you think so?"
- Munsu -

"Certainly, you are powerful. But there'll be times when, confronted with cunning miscreants who have pushed aside the good men, you become powerless. If you act on your own in that kind of situation and you die on me too, even a guy like me is going to have trouble sleeping at night."
- Munsu -

" Quotes, Quotes, Quotes "

2008-05-12T00:11:00.003+08:00

Here are some of my favorite quotes that I have come across from reading books, comics, and mangas, and from watching movies, animes, and TV serials.

Shin Angyo Onshi movie: Blade of the Phantom

Yuite:
There's no way you, an ordinary human being, can defeat me. What's your reason for taking things so far?

Munsu:
It's because even I've got a chance at winning.

>>> more Blade of the Phantom Master quotes!

Matrim "Mat" Cauthon

"Taking responsibility takes all the joy out of life, and drains a man to dust."

"Dovie'andi se tovya sagain."
"Time to toss the dice."

>>> more quotes from Mat Cauthon!

Shin Angyo Onshi movie: Blade of the Phantom Master

2008-05-10T23:26:00.009+08:00

I would have preferred a TV serial but there's nothing we can do if ADV Films opted to make a movie instead. A movie just doesn't satisfy enough, especially if it's a movie based on a Korean manga that exudes a balanced blend of dark drama and light humor. The Shin Angyo Onshi manga also showed breathtaking scenes and graphics - all the sorcery and action were awesome! - and there were a lot of them that I'd like to see on screen. Blade of the Phantom Master (English version of Shin Angyo Onshi) just spans less than two hours though.

Nevertheless, Blade of the Phantom Master still delivers! The movie focuses on the first two adventures of Munsu, the protagonist of the story. The first arc is when he met Sando, a lethal female warrior. Scenes include some serious butt-kicking action on Sando's part, and also showcases Munsu's straightforward and unmoving principles. The second arc brings about an introduction of Munsu's past and his vengeful goal in life.

I would looove to tell all I know about the manga and the movie. But I myself don't like it when other people offer spoilers. I'm refraining myself right now. ^_^ Besides, I have yet to read the last volume of the manga so I do not have all the answers to questions pertaining to how the story ends.

Blade of the Phantom Master stays true to the first two stories of Shin Angyo Onshi. I definitely recommend all of you to watch the movie. Personally, the manga still offers more action and has a darker aura (which is the right atmosphere of the story, I must say). But the movie also gives us extraordinary effects (like when Munsu calls on his phantom soldiers) and breathtaking action.

Sources:
You can download the Shin Angyo Onishi manga at et-caetera.net.
You can view the Blade of the Phantom Master at Veoh TV.

Changing the Template

2008-05-10T06:08:00.001+08:00

I got bored with my old blogger template. I still like to look at the header so I decided to adopt it on the new template that I chose. I got another slight headache from looking at the template codes while fixing the blog. Codes and web designs aren't my forte, so I got myself a big challenge here. You can see it's still not done. I've yet to cover the missing widgets.

I think this new template will last long. I'm fickle when it comes to designs and might change the template from time to time. But I think I'm okay with this. For now.

I liked my old template. But I had a visual problem with the font styles and color. Its code didn't offer much for me to change the font (told you I'm not good with codes). So I opted to get another template. Good thing I was able to retain the header (with a little bit of manipulation). ^_^

Regarding this new template, my only problem is the email subscription widget above on the header. I can't seem to get rid of it. I can't recognize the code for it in the template. I got tired of looking over the codes and just left it alone. It might prove helpful one day. In the meantime, when I have the time, I'll get to studying the codes more and figure out what to change to get the widget off my blog.