2009 and 2010

Today is the last day of 2009. How are you spending it? I hope this year leaves you good memories and lessons. Let's all have a happy new year ahead!

Cheers for 2010!!!

^__^

Live.

Love life.

***

My year is not yet over. Not on the lunar calendar that is.

A reason to celebrate the New Year a little earlier

Lola sent us rice wine!!!

Wiiiiiiiiii!!!

^______________^

First Two Manila Film Festival 2009 Movies Watched

*some spoilers alert!*

Mano Po:

The movie was, for me, ok. It was fine. One line stood out and struck me because it's something I told myself years back. :)

(Guys, sa dvd niyo nalang siguro panoorin pag lumabas na sa video city. :) ) If a Sharonian happens to read this: sana dumami pa kayo sa sinehan kasi ang onti ng nanuod. :p

Para akong nanood ng movie na madaming artistang nilagay basta mailagay lang din.

All in all, the movie wasn't too bad.

Panday:

Think LOTR, the Joker of the Dark Knight, Okay ka Fairy ko the movie, and Conan the Barbarian (the animated series' last two episodes) all rolled into one. Only the movie could have been much better.

The trailer made me hope for better things like grander fight scenes atleast.

My friend did comment about the villages about how they looked almost realistic. As for how Rhian Ramos became a sword carrying sidekick in 24 hrs without proper training, as shown in the movie, me and my friend can't quite grasp how it would have been possible for a village girl to evolve into such.

Minor characters died just to show how unforgiving a vilain could be. And the end part... G*d forbid a part 2 if it cant meet people's expectations. But who am I to represent "people's" expectations anyway.

A few minutes into the movie, just when the protagonist was reminiscing how his village was attacked and his parents were killed, a very bright light was coming from the back and is being directed at the screen before us. Annoyed, we searched for the source and saw that the light was from a camera and beside of it was Ramon "Bong" Revilla, waving and beaming at the audience.

Now where is respect there. I know this is a movie where you, the actor, is the bida. But we are the audience watching it. And at that time the film had to be stopped just so you can show your appreciation for us watching the movie. That should have been done during the trailers before or after the movie.

That's the very reason why me and another friend tore our premier tickets to bits, with much gusto, relief and pleasure, after waiting for more than one hour and fifteen minutes past the supposed start of Shake Rattle and Roll because the other main sta... characters still havent arrived the venue and we were not being allowed to enter unless they arrive. (mga paimportaneng leche)
I can still remember what I told my friend then, "I never knew doing this would be such a relief!"

A few minutes before the supposed start of the film, there was a man who approached us and asked if we want to sell our tickets. I then, jokingly of course, told my friend more than an hour later that had we offered the tickets for 500 pesos each, we would have made a profit from the free tickets and had given one possible movie pirate a chance to record the movie.

***

I dont plan on watching Wapakman bec Ms Ranillo is there. Hmm... How about the Comedy King's movie... nah. hmm... Gabi's come back movie... what other MMFF movies to watch... any art film worth watching?

To the one who knocked down the Pope

You should be thankful it's the year 2009.

Had it been during the Inquisition, may God have mercy on you, that is if you're not declared excomunicado and burned alive at the stake.

+++

Had it been the late beloved Pope John Paul II, I would have been immensely angry. Yesterday I just found my left hand form a tight fist while watching the footage again and again on BBC.

Pasalamat siya at hindi isang spiritual leader ng ibang relihiyon o political strongman sa Maguindanao o Benguet ang tinumba niya kung di bitay ang parusa sa kanya.

That incident, hopefully, would make the Vatican security ever more vigilant. We dont want another tackling or, mush less, a shooting incident to take place like what happened to the previous Popes.

May the badly injured French Cardinal recover.

+++

Haaay.

On a lighter note. It's a weekend! :)

Happy weekend!

Pacem in terris.

Maligayang Pasko sa Inyong Lahat!

Nawa'y ang inyong pasko ay di lang magtagal mamaya o hangang bukas. Nawa'y ang inyong Pasko ay maging araw-araw. :)

***

I finally succeeded in convincing Mom to watch the Avatar in 3D. Hah! Thank's bro for going with Mom! :) I'm slightly sorry because I watched it first. Well, atleast I was able to convince Mom to watch it with my enthusiasm. :D

I wish everyone gets to watch the movie Avatar

I wish everyone gets to watch the Avatar in 3D.
The beauty and message of the movie is simply profound. One may think of its story as timely and somewhat socially and politically relevant. The thoughts and intentions behind the characters' actions, the clash of cultures protrayed, the wonders and horrors that technology and nature may bring, the possibility of becoming the best or the worst of one's self - these and more in one movie that was reportedly 14 years in the making with an estimated $400M production cost.
I cant wait to see the day when I can watch this movie again and again and share it with other people at home with our very own 3D glasses.

http://www.avatarmovie.com/

Aaaah... Just watching that trailer gives me the good great goosebumps again.

Will not stop convincing my Mom until she considers watching it!

A visit of places I used to frequent in old Manila

I was on my 4th day of a week long vacation with nothing to do and almost out of my wits. Malls and the usual hangouts are just nearby but unappealing... what can I possibly do in day when I have no one to go out with and it's last working day of the week...

Well... why not ride the a boat and go to Manila!

But first, let's visit the nearby town of Pateros.

The ever so busy road and the church tower under renovation:

Back to Makati in Guadalupe where the boat going to Quiapo, Manila is docked

(isa po ito sa mga mukha ng Makati nga pala)

And off we go to Manila!

I think I rode the ferry via the Pasig river only twice when I was a kid and I was with my Mom. The boats weren't air conditioned then.

When I knew we were at the Palace of Malacañan area, where taking pictures is not allowed for security reasons, I just took a picture of this life vest. (taking a pic of the palace was too tempting but even when one of the ferry's crew walked away and I had my chance, I still didnt take a pic. :D )

Welcome to the city of Manila!

Quiapo church and Plaza Miranda:

Home of my Mom's favorite siopao, Ma Mon Luk:

And back to my alma mater. :)

The square that used to be Tinoco Park:

ice cream anyone?

my favorite tree in the campus:

within the Central Seminary

The brighter and now more park-like Lover's Lane

How I miss the campus as a student

I was planning on going to Binondo and Intramuros but found myself done for the day and went home already planning for my next visit to another part of the old city.

Cheers!

Love life.

Blog Template Update before 2009 ends

Finally came about updating the blog template after years of leaving it as it is... and being the sentimental person that I am, I'll just save the years old blog description here before I make an updated one. :D

"M,22, Journalism graduate, half Ifugao+half Chavacano=a proud pure-blood multi-racial Filipino, dreamer, foreseer, driven, a civilian social analyst, loves people, sunrise and sunsets, the Moon, multi-forked lightnings that dont touch down, likes excellent man-made objects, appreciates beauty in its different forms, happy-go-lucky-serious-type-of-guy, a conservative, liberal minded, free-thinking, bachelor"

December 1, 2009

December 1, 2009 is very thankful for November 9, 2008.

If not for November 9, 2008, then December 1, 2008 would never have materialized.

I love this day... and more.

Imbug ta December 1 ud uguni. Igkhuy o tinnig chin phulan ju hini chugo un lute hichi ngato pati hini inat cho un rupa ngam uchi mulichuwon hinuy un mudhum. :)

Salamat sa Diyos at may alam akong ibang salita na iilan ang nakakaalam.

Happy December 1! ^__^