So What's The Plan, Man?

Sketches and Stuff: Phil Noto Appreciation Post

2012-01-16T22:39:00.002+08:00

I haven't done any illustrations lately, I know. But, since the girlfriend got me a few Moleskine sketchpads last Christmas and also since I've convinced myself that it's stupid to have sketching apps on my phone if I'm not going to use them, I told myself that I should draw more often. Right?

God I love flawless logic.

I've been looking at Phil Noto's stuff the past few days and man, I don't even know why it took me this long to appreciate him and his art. What I love about his work is how clean and dirty it looks all at the same time. I'm not looking to copy his style exactly, I just want to borrow some elements and principles and make them my own. Quite ambitious but hey, I gotta at least try, right?

Here is my first attempt at Noto-ing. It's a self-portrait, of course.

Done on my iPhone using the SketchBook Mobile app

I think it turned out pretty okay, but it still lacks that certain something. No matter, I've got a lot of sketchpad pages (and iPhone memory) to fill. BRB PRACTICING SOME MORE

Edit: did another one after this and I thought I'd just add it to this entry. I did a sketch of Tin this time.

Adieu, 2011: The Year-End Post

2011-12-31T13:29:00.000+08:00

I debated with myself quite a bit whether or not I should make a year-end entry. And no, it's not just about my rants about December and how it has been the suckiest month for me this year. Actually, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that 2011, despite having brilliant moments, was really so-so as a whole. What could I possibly be thankful for?

I mean yeah sure, I got a work-from-home job last May, I got to watch a few awesome concerts and gigs, I earned enough money to sustain my toy collecting ~~and beer-drinking~~ hobby, and I got into a relationship with the most wonderful girl I know (the only reason 2011 was bearable), but it kinda evens out when you factor in all the shit that happened before, in between, and after. The bad always comes with the good, know, but I want MORE than this. Much, much more, and I'm not going to apologize for it.

I'm not going to belittle all the good things that happened this year, and I'm not going to sulk about the bad either. The New Year is a great time to rethink, reevaluate, and recharge, so that's exactly what I am going to do. A friend (okay a LOT of friends since I've been all angsty and shit the whole month) once told me, "There can be no way now but up.", and I firmly believe it. I was able to overcome some pretty steep hurdles last year, I just have to keep trying and trying. New job, new opportunities and challenges, new plans, new Dare-to-be-Great situations. I have a feeling 2012 is going to be one hell of a year.

Here's a random music video to show you how pretentious I am.

Unless of course the Mayans were correct and we're looking at the end of the world in the next few months. LOL?

Happy New Year, y'all!

The Obligatory Christmas Wishlist Blog Post of 2011

2011-12-07T00:12:00.001+08:00

It's that time of the year again, when most people get this intense urge to buy things for their friends and family. For some, it's the time to make one last attempt to acquire things they've been jonesing for since January. For the unfortunate ones (and I'm sure I belong in this category), it's the time when we make extravagant, sometimes unrealistic lists of things we would like to have but don't have the means to get which, I have to mention, sucks sour frog ass, btw.

Fortunately for me, I really don't want anything that bad right now. I mean sure, I'd probably go bonkers if I get one or two items from this list, but there's no intense urge, no mad craving. Whether that's good or bad though is another blog post entirely.

Anyway. Here goes nothing.

Macbook Pro, iPhone 4S, iPad 2 and iPod Classic

My current Macbook has been with me since 2008 and while it still functions well, I think I want an upgrade. Same with my iPhone 3GS and that iPhone 4S. The iPad 2 will be used mostly for drawing/painting, reading comics and playing games, and the iPod Classic is because I'm a moron who doesn't use my iPhone as a music player.

Heavy-Duty Windows Desktop

This baby shall have souped-up specs, and shall be used primarily for storage, downloading and gaming. Hello, Diablo III and Skyrim!

Marvel Universe 3.75" Archangel figure

I prefer the X-Force Archangel (left) more but since that figure is more rare than a fucking unicorn, I can settle for the original and just have someone paint it black and silver. I saw one (original, not the X-Force variant) at Greenhills, but it costs P2000 and I'm not some loon who would spend perfectly good money on a small toy. Or maybe I am. I don't know yet. I'll get back to you.

Moleskine large sketchbook

There's a pretty good chance that I'm just deluding myself that I have the motivation and the skill to draw but you know, whatever.

Converse Sea Star S II Ox

Because Larry can never have enough shoes. Speaking of which...

Shoe rack

Because currently, I have more or less 14 pairs of shoes scattered in my small room taking up valuable space. That's just no way to live, man.

Addendum:

Leather satchel

Because I need a grown up bag. And also because I like Mike Ross and that bag he uses on Suits. If I can find one exactly like that, then HUZZAH!

So there. What about you? What stupid, expensive thing or things do you want this Christmas?

Happy Birthday, Dad

2011-11-29T01:49:00.001+08:00

We interrupt your regular non-regular updates to bring you this personal post, conveniently cut for people who are allergic to mush.

Here's 23 years worth of birthday greetings for you, Dad. 23 years worth of happy birthdays I wasn't able to say to you face to face.

Hilarion Aggabao III, circa 2010.

I also hope it doesn't take us another 23 years to see each other again.

Happy birthday.

Casting Call: Doctor Who

2011-11-15T16:26:00.001+08:00

Last night, I chanced upon news of David Yates and his plans to do a Doctor Who movie. It excited (or bothered, I can't really tell) me so much, that I ended up dreaming about it. All I can remember is that Rob Schneider was playing the part of The Doctor, and that Amber Heard and Megan Fox were in it too. Crazy, right? I mean, Schneider? SERIOUSLY?

That got me thinking though. If it were up to me, who would I cast as The Doctor? Who'd be charming and quirky enough to help introduce the hit British TV series into mainstream consciousness? I came up with five answers.

Ryan Gosling (Crazy, Stupid Love, Drive)

He's America's current sweetheart. Cast him plus some charming leading lady/companion, and this movie's bound to attract the moviegoing public.

Chris Hemsworth (Thor, Star Trek)

Same with Ryan, although I think ol' Chris here would attract a larger crowd *cough* COUGARS AND GAY MEN *cough*

James McAvoy (X-Men: First Class)

McAvoy seems to be a good choice for the role, to be quite honest. He's got the accent for it, too!

MUDDAFUCKIN' SAMUEL L. JACKSON YO (Muddafuckin' Snakes on A Plane)

Do I even need to explain why he'd be an awesome casting choice? I mean come on, he's MUDDAFUCKIN' SAMUEL L. JACKSON YO.

Amber HeardNNGGGGG (Drive Angry, The Rum Diary, ~~My Fantasies~~)

The idea for a female doctor has been floating around for quite some time. If you really want to do a soft reboot, why not cast a woman for the role? My choice? My Favorite Lesbian Amber Heard, of course. No specific or logical reason, really. I just really like her. Also, she was in my dream anyway so what the hey.

Seriously though, I hope they don't fuck this up. I'm not entirely convinced that going off-canon is a good move, but I'm kind of interested where Yates will take the franchise. Just please, consult with Davies or Moffat first before doing something crazy, okay?

How about it, people? Who would you like to see on the big screen as The Doctor?

Life is Beau-TEA-ful: A Cup of Lipton Yellow Label Tea Awesomeness

2011-10-31T23:28:00.000+08:00

It's a mad, mad world, and we are all living in it.

Nowadays, most things are too fast or too big or too crowded and sometimes, it's all too overwhelming for me. Maybe I'm getting old and boring, maybe I've just developed new interests. Who keeps track, really?

While most people crave adventure and social interaction, I find me-time the most exciting part of my day. It's a time where I can just relax and think, or just sit around and do absolutely NOTHING. I don't know about you, but I think it's something most people now take for granted.

Don't get me wrong: I like having fun. It's just with everything that comes your way on a daily basis, good OR bad, it's nice to have a little time for yourself, with your favorite drink in hand.

Sipping my tea, like a real gentleman. Flickr link here.

I've been an avid tea drinker for years now, and I have to say that there is no other drink that relaxes and satisfies me like a good cup of hot (or cold!) Lipton Yellow Label Tea. With that, I came up with a concoction that's easy to make, and delicious to boot! I call it the Life is Beau-TEA-ful Tea Mix.

You will need:

1 Lipton Yellow Label Tea
2 tablespoons of condensed milk
Half a bottle of Yakult
Ice cubes
Tapioca balls

Flickr link here.

Simply steep a pack of Lipton Yellow Label Tea in a cup of boiling water. Add the condensed milk and stir until the drink evens out. Afterwards, add the half a bottle of Yakult and stir again. The tapioca balls are optional, but I suggest putting some in for maximum awesomeness. Top with ice cubes to finish.

With Lipton Yellow Label Tea, the possibiliTEAS are simply endless!

Sketches and Stuff: The Iron Giant

2011-10-24T11:10:00.001+08:00

The other day, I realized that I haven't done any robot sketches yet, so I thought it'd be a good idea to draw one. My subject: The Iron Giant.

For those of you who haven't seen the movie yet, the story is about a mysterious robot who who fell from space, and the lonely kid who finds and befriends him. It was directed by Brad Bird of "The Incredibles" fame, and features voices by Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick Jr., and Vin Diesel. You should see it, especially if you like crying manly tears. Or not. I don't care.

Anyway, here is the piece I did.

Just Keep Swimming in Chopsuey

2011-10-10T18:37:00.001+08:00

You know when you're too busy doing stuff and you want to write things but you can't because a lot of things are going on and stuff?

Yeah, no.

Since I can't be bothered to write coherently today, here are some snippets or whatever you want to call them.

After a long love-hate affair with Sun Broadband, I have decided to discontinue the service and subscribe to PLDT MyDSL instead. It's been a week since I switched and so far, it's been great. My biggest beef about Sun (aside from speed) was its inability to do direct downloads. Now, I can get a single TV series episode (350MB average) in roughly an hour without being interrupted. Gnarly.

We didn't get the iPhone 5, but that doesn't mean we can dismiss the iPhone 4S easily. Well at least I can't. We got souped-up hardware, plus ~~SkyNet~~ Siri. Also, there's a ton of new features that come with iOS5. P.S. RIP, Steve.

I got a new haircut! HAHAHAOkay. Moving on then.

I've been meaning to buy one for the longest time, and a few days ago I finally got me a pen tablet! Granted, it's CD-R King but I'm just going to use this for practice anyway so yeah, whatever. Pretty cheap at P1,080, too. Unfortunately, the pen tablet doesn't come with drawing skills and motivation. More on this in a future entry. HOPEFULLY.

The last page of X-Men: Schism #5 gave me goosebumps. After engaging in an all-out brawl against Cyclops, Wolverine left Genosha with a handful of X-Men and returned to Westchester County... the site of the original Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters! X-Men: Regenesis is going to be awesome. Oh and speaking of Scott Summers...

I was finally able to get a Marvel Universe Jim Lee Cyclops figure! I grew up reading the 90's X-Men and despite my fondness for his Astonishing X-Men duds, this costume, to me, is THE quintessential Cyclops costume. I had to pay double the original price for this figure but NO REGRETS.

Lastly, my friends have this band. You've probably heard of them. Or maybe not, since they're all hipster and shit. Anyway. They're launching an EP this Friday, October 14 at Route196. You should come, they play a mean show. You can check out their stuff on Facebook and Tumblr, too.

So how have you guys been?

Cat Photos. Because Cats are Cool.

2011-09-16T16:28:00.000+08:00

We interrupt your regular blog reading (wait, regular?) to bring you this important piece of news: we have a new kitten in the house, and we I named her River Song. Yes, that character from Doctor Who.

(Photos taken with my iPhone 3GS, plus some minor editing on Adobe Photoshop Express)

Truth be told, I was supposed to post mini-reviews of some of the new Fall TV shows that I've seen so far but I realized I've already done two or three in a row. So in a way, this cute little kitty serves as a buffer so you, all three readers of this blog, won't roll your eyes when I post that aforementioned review next time. I'm so sorry for manipulating you all like that. Take one more look at the photos above and forgive me?

The Idiot Box Presents: New Shows on the Block

2011-09-07T03:25:00.001+08:00

(God I really love how witty I am when it comes to naming my entries.)

In my last entry, I talked about returning shows. Now let's talk about some upcoming series.

I chose these based on articles that I read and/or promo trailers that I saw. Most of them look pretty good on paper but of course, it remains to be seen whether they actually deserve a spot in my precious, quickly-running-out-of-space external hard drive. I'd probably end up downloading all pilot episodes and weeding out the ones I won't like afterwards.

Again, I reiterate: I have an unusually high tolerance for so-so shows, so if you do watch some of these and you end up wasting 30-60 minutes of your oh-so valuable time, don't blame me. Capisce?

Now, let's get down to business.

Ringer (premieres September 13)
Sarah Michelle Gellar returns to television! In this series, she plays a dual role as estranged twins. When one of them mysteriously dies, the other assumes her identity and lives her life, only to find out that everything's not as peachy as it seems.

Up All Night (premieres September 14)
Will Arnett, Christina Applegate star in this comedy about a couple trying to balance work life and a newborn baby. Reminds me of Raising Hope a bit. Or it could be because of the baby. I don't know. Maya Rudolph is also in this one.

The Secret Circle (premieres September 15)
It's like The Vampire Diaries, only with witches. Could be interesting, especially with Britt Robertson in the lead.

The Playboy Club (premieres September 19)
Obviously aping Mad Men, this is a drama set in the 60's that centers around Playboy bunnies, mobsters and politicians. It also stars my favorite lesbian, Amber Heard. I wouldn't count on any nudity though *coughfuckyouNBCcough*

2 Broke Girls (premieres September 19)
Two very different individuals meet, become friends, and dream of putting up their own cupcake business someday. Problem is, they're both broke. *sadtrombone.jpg*

New Girl (premieres September 20)
Girl breaks up with boyfriend, moves into a new place with three awkward guys. With Zooey Deschanel starring, expect a lot of quirky, hipstery scenes. Extra tidbit: the pilot episode is already up online, if you know where to search.

Revenge (premieres September 21)
A young girl moves into the Hamptons and seemingly gets along with everyone. What those fools don't know, however, is that the young girl is there to exact revenge on those who wronged her family. UH-oh. Emily Vancamp stars as the Countess of Monte Cristo.

Charlie's Angels (premieres September 22)
It's 2011, and there are three new angels. There's also a new take, as series helm Alfred Gough (from Smallville) has said that he's going to try to avoid being campy and retro. Let's see how that goes.

Prime Suspect (premieres September 22)
A "re-imagining" of a famous British TV series. It tells the story of a tough female detective that has to deal with working in a male-dominated police force.

Person of Interest (premieres September 22)
Biggest draw for me here was the involvement of J.J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan. The series is about a billionaire genius who invents a device that predicts the identity of a person connected to a future crime, and the detective he hires to help him stop them.

A Gifted Man (premieres September 23)
What do you do when your recently-deceased wife starts visiting you from the afterlife and starts nagging you to live your life better? This drama stars patrick Wilson, also known to me as "the guy who got his penis cut by Ellen Page".

Terra Nova (premieres September 26)
In the future, Earth is on the brink of extinction so scientists invented this time machine to travel back in time and establish a new colony called Terra Nova. Problem is, they traveled back to prehistoric Earth, back when dinosaurs still walked the EartHOLY SHIT YOU GUYS DINOSAURS WHO CARES ABOUT THE PLOT I AM WATCHING THIS. In case you're wondering, yes the show's producer is Steven Spielberg.

Suburgatory (premieres September 28)
Divorced father gets tired of big city life and drags his daughter with him to "a The Stepford Wives style suburbs". Why not.

American Horror Story (premieres October 5)
More or less your usual family-moves-into-haunted-house story, but with intriguing subplots and background. And a bit of sex. In fact, the creators of this series have called it a "psychosexual thriller". Extra tidbit: One of the show's masterminds is Ryan Murphy. Yes, same Ryan Murphy who gave us Glee.

Grimm (premieres October 21)
This one is about a guy who finds out that he's a descendant of a group of hunters called Grimms, tasked to protect this world from supernatural beings. Definitely not your ordinary cop drama.

Once Upon A Time (premieres October 23)
Classic fairy tales set in modern times, with very modern twists. Don't judge me, the kid in me told me to watch this.

Allen Gregory (premieres October 30)
A precocious 7-year old with two gay dads leaves homeschooling to try and mingle with regular kids. Hilarity ensues. This series co-created by Jonah "Superbad" Hill looks fun, at least in the trailers I watched.

Hart of Dixie (undecided; premieres September 26)
I won't even pretend to know the plot, man. I'm going to be honest here and say that I just want to check out Rachel Bilson. Still 50/50 though, depending on my connection speed.

Also, I have two picks for next year's mid-season schedule.

Alcatraz (TBA)
Another J.J. Abrams series. It's about conspiracies, done in a FlashForward or The Event kind of way.

Awake (TBA)
A detective wakes up after a near-fatal accident and discovers that he can now move between two worlds: one where his son died and his wife survived, and one where his son made it and his wife did not. Alternate universes are such a bitch.

So there you have it. My picks. There are some like Pan Am and Free Agents that I'm still unsure of, so this list might change in the coming days. I really don't know where I'll find the time for all of these but dammit, I am going to try.

What about you? What are your TV picks this fall?

The Idiot Box Presents: The Return of the Shows

2011-09-06T16:34:00.000+08:00

It's fall season in the US again! I have absolutely no idea what that means, save for the fact that it's the time that a lot of TV shows come back from their respective hiatuses or season breaks. It's also the time when major US TV networks unveil their lineup of new shows. I'm going to talk about those I'm looking forward to in a future entry but for now, let's look at the returning shows this year that I'm following.

The Vampire Diaries (season 3 starts September 16)
Why am I still watching this?:The finale of season 2 left a ton of questions, and I need me some answers, dammit! What's going to happen to Tyler and Caroline? Will Damon and Elena finally hook up? What's up with Jeremy going all Haley Joel Osment all of a sudden? How far will Stefan go with vampwolf Klaus? I SIMPLY MUST KNOW!

Young Justice (season break(?), resumes September 17)
Why am I still watching this?: Because it reminds me a lot of Justice League/Justice League Unlimited. It's probably my favorite animated series nowadays, along with the new Thundercats, Archer and Bob's Burgers.

How I Met Your Mother (season 7 starts September 20)
Why am I still watching this?: We all know that Barney will end up getting married someday, and this season, we will meet the future bride of The Legendary One. Since it has been said that Ted will meet the mother of his kids during this wedding... well, I'll let you guys do the math.

Glee (season 3 starts September 21)
Why am I still watching this?: Maybe I'm just a sucker for song and dance numbers, or maybe it's the promise of a more story-driven season. Whatever. Also Jane Lynch. And Heather Morris.

Modern Family (season 3 starts September 22)

Why am I still watching this?: Two words: The Dunphys.

The Big Bang Theory (season 5 starts September 23)
Why am I still watching this?: This show is like a scab you can't stop picking or a dessert you can't stop stuffing your face with even though you're already full. I don't know really, considering the show has ceased to be funny for me. Even Sheldon annoys me now. I'll watch a few episodes and if it still bores me, I'll drop it.

Community (season 3 starts September 23)
Why am I still watching this?: This show has arguably the best cast ensemble on television today, and it translates to fantastic comedy. Troy and Abed especially.

Nikita (season 2 starts September 24)
Why am I still watching this?: The 1st season finale shook up the status quo, and it'd be interesting to see how the whole thing plays out this season. That, and two hot women that kick ass.

Fringe (season 4 starts September 24)
Why am I still watching this?: Using real science to explain the out-of-this-world theories in this show has always been the main reason why I follow this series. I am also curious about what's in store for Peter, and how things will pan out since they seem hellbent on doing the whole time-travel shebang this season.

Happy Endings (season 2 starts September 29)
Why am I still watching this?: The first season turned out out great, considering I only started watching it because of Elisha Cuthbert. Could be a bigger hit, if they could crank up the writing a bit.

How to Make it in America (season 2 starts October 3)
Why am I still watching this?: I want to see Ben stick it to the man! In a hipster New York setting!

The Walking Dead (season 2 starts October 17)
Why am I still watching this?: Because ZOMBIES AND CARNAGE that's why!

Chuck (season 5 starts October 22)
Why am I still watching this?: Morgan has the Intersect. What now? Also, it's the final season!

Misfits (season 3 starts November 12)
Why am I still watching this?: It's Heroes done right. I'm kinda bummed that Robert Sheehan is leaving the show, but I'm excited to see what new powers the remaining characters got. Extra tidbit: The show's producers are coming out with a TV movie that's exclusively Nathan (Sheehan's character). It'll be about his new powers, and how he plans to "cash out" for good. You wouldn't want to miss this one if you're a Misfits fan. It airs September 15.

I honestly don't know how I am going to manage watching all of these, but it'd be fun to try. What's not fun, however, is figuring out how to get enough space on my HD to accommodate all these new episodes. Oh, and did I mention how agonizingly slow my internet connection is at times?

Stay tuned for part two, where I give you more stupid reasons to watch stupid new shows. Yay!

Edit: Holy crap, I forgot about 2 other shows! Season 2 of Raising Hope returns September 20, and fucking ARCHER returns September 15! YES!

Baguio: A Photoset

2011-09-01T16:38:00.002+08:00

Tin and I got there around 6:30am last Saturday. Rain had been nonstop since 2am. We went to SM Baguio first to have lunch, then went straight to the hotel to get some sleep.

After going out to get some dinner and coffee, we decided to head back to the our place and spend the night indoors. We stayed at Blue Mountain Hotel. Cozy place.

The next day, we decided to have lunch at Sizzling Steak with Claren and Hil. After that, we stuffed our faces with delicious but cheap sanzrival.

We decided to take advantage of the brief absence of rain...

...so we went for a walk.

We took pictures...

...and then we took some more.

It was Tin's first time in Baguio, so forgive the cliché.

It was quite foggy.

Rain started pouring again.

We tried to enjoy it though. I think we were successful.

Tin went and got the obligatory boat shot.

We took home Volante for dinner, then met up with Claren and Hil again later that night. We had a few beers at Nevada Square, in this place called Latino. Karaoke madness ensued.

We spent the next couple of days in our hotel room watching stupid documentaries and stupid movies, going out only to eat. And shop at SM Baguio lol. Lame, I know. Stupid rain.

Despite the inconvenience though, we both enjoyed out trip. That's what really matters, right?

Note to self: In the future, don't schedule out-of-town trips during the rainy season. Write that down.

The Idiot Box Presents: Louie. Plus, A Sketch!

2011-08-21T14:23:00.001+08:00

(The Idiot Box is a series of blog posts about the TV shows I watch. Hang tight.)

There are but a few shows that I religiously follow. Okay that's not true. I watch a ton of shows, but there are only a few I enjoy tremendously. Louie is one of them.

Plot
It's about a comedian and recently-divorced guy trying to raise his two little girls, and the people and things he encounters every day. Louie follows a format that is somewhat uncommon for shows: random short segments based on the comedian's life (called "vignettes") interspersed with live stand-up performances from Louis C.K. himself. Confusing, but it works.

Why It's Good

Aside from the fact that Louis C.K. is a brilliant, brilliant comedian, the series is relatable. The things Louie sees and hears, you've probably seen and heard already too. The only difference is he handles it with awkwardness, wit and irreverence that's quite refreshing (and hilarious) to see. He also has that hard-up, underdog feel to him that you find yourself cheering him on, even if it's in a scene where he unapologetically insults someone. Yay!

The show is on its second season, showing on the FX Network. If you're looking for a comedy that's unusual, in-your-face, irreverent, and smart, then I suggest you start watching this gem of a show. Trust me, you won't regret it.

P.S. I was feeling a little creative, so I did a quick sketch of Louis C.K., too.

My Top 12 Hottest Women List

2011-08-12T18:56:00.004+08:00

There's nothing more pleasing to my eyes than the sight of a beautiful and sexy woman. And pizza. Also bacon. Or pizza with bacon. With lots and lots of chees--- wait where was I? Oh yeah. Beautiful, sexy women. Right. Hard as it may be to believe, I don't always look at hot women with the I-wanna-bang-her mentality. Sometimes it's all about clean, innocent appreciation too.

This is not one of those times.

That said, I thought I'd make a hottest women list. Why 12? Because WHY NOT. It's 2 numbers better than 10. That means 2 more pictures for you to gawk at, so shut up. Should you care about who I think is sexy? It's up to you. At the very least, you'd get to see pictures of 12 hot women. Isn't that enough reason for you to read my crap and waste 5 minutes of your time?

The countdown begins now.

She played the lead role in GMA-7's local adaptation of that Thalia soap Rosalinda. She has also starred in a number of movies, all of which I haven't seen.

Why she's number 12: I have a weakness for girls with innocent-looking faces and killer smiles.

A former Binibining Pilipinas-Universe, she is now with ABS-CBN doing comedy and hosting gigs. Also she was Juanita Banana.

Why she's number 11: Dude. Binibining Pilipinas-Universe.

I don't know much about her except for the fact that she is a model, and that she is that annoying girl in that roof sealant TVC that they show during Pacquiao fights, and that she joined Amazing Race Asia with Aubrey Miles.

Why she's number 10: Because ~~Tin likes her and she threatened to neuter me if I don't include Jacq in this list~~ I have an affinity for morena chinitas. Also there's something mesmerizing about her name. Jacq Yu. JACQ YU.

Tattoo artist, illustrator, freelance model, and lead singer of Turbo Goth. (Album out now!)

Why she's number 9: That voice. THOSE TATTOOS. She's an artist, and artists are sexy.

She used to be a relatively unknown model for print and TV. That was before Pinoy Big Brother happened.

Why she's number 8: I don't usually go for skinny girls, but that face more than makes up for the lack of noticeable body mass.

She's a product of a talent search show on GMA, I can't remember which. Does it even matter?

Why she's number 7: If those mestiza features and fair skin don't move you, then you are made of stone, brova.

Actress, model, host, VJ. This girl can do it all. Well, almost. *cough*pleasestopsinging*cough*. She is also the current It Girl of product endorsements.

Why she's number 6: I'm running out of reasons. Just look at the picture, will ya?

Actress, model, endorser, yadda yadda. Yeah, I'm running out of descriptions as well. Besides, who doesn't know Angel Locsin?

Why she's number 5: I like girls with a little meat on them. No that wasn't a thinly-veiled sexual innuendo, you pervert.

I will forever refer to her as Eva Fonda.

Why she's number 4: Creamy white skin and curves in all the right places.

The face that launched a thousand MySpace profiles.

Why she's number 3: What do I like more than morena chinitas? fair-skinned chinitas, my friend. She's also got that wild streak that I find extremely interesting.

Actress, director, hos--- wait, you're still reading this crap?

Why she's number 2: Because AWESOME HIP-TO-WAIST RATIO.

Here we go. My choice for The Hottest Woman of 2011. If you've been following my inanities on Twitter and Tumblr, then you know how much I adore this woman.

Why she's number 1: She's a lot of things rolled into one attractive package.

Thank you for participating in this exercise of beauty appreciation. I hope I made it worth your while.

(I do not claim ownership of any of the photos I posted here. Photo credits to whoever, and yay for you!)

The Times They Are A-Changin'

2011-08-10T17:49:00.001+08:00

Ever since I started working from home, my social life has taken one hell of a nosedive. Not that I was all Larry the Party Animal before, but at least when I worked in Makati I had the option of eating out with friends or grabbing a few bottles of sweet, sweet beer after (sometimes even DURING) office hours. I've got no one to talk to except my grandparents (I love them and all, but come on) and the stray cats that ransack my room for leftover food. It gets really bad that some days I even talk to myself but frankly, I'm no fun to talk to. It also doesn't help that I am beginning to miss the advertising industry. Lord have mercy.

The good thing about this remote setup however, is that I have the luxury of time. Time which I use to do worthwhile things.

Let me elaborate.

• I use my time to play games on my phone. (I need creative stimulation, okay?) Right now, I think I am officially over my Tiny Tower addiction. I blame Kairosoft's Mega Mall Story. Yes, that's really the name of the game.

Despite the stupid title, it's a really fun game. Also, I really don't understand my fascination with simulation games. I really don't. Oh well.

• I use my time for self-improvement. I'm 31, I smoke, I drink (though not as much as before), and my diet isn't exactly what one would call "healthy". I've got to have something to offset all this. That's why Tin and I decided to allot a couple of hours every Sunday for badminton.

Hi, I'm Will Smith. And yep, I got a haircut!

First couple of sessions went great. I'm a little rusty, but the moves (I used to play regularly before) are still there. Heh. Also, it feels absolutely fantastic to sweat like that again. Tin is a natural. You should see her whack those ~~cocks~~ shuttlecocks.

• And lastly, I use my time to formulate potential moneymaking ideas. I'm cooking something up. Rather, me and two other people. Something BIG. It's an idea that's been brewing inside my head for a few years now, but I just never had the balls to push through with it. Luckily I found some like-minded people who share this... vision, if you will. There's not much to reveal though, because we're still in the early stages of planning. All I can tell you is that it all starts with this:

DUNDUNDUUNNNNNNN

Hopefully in the coming weeks, some of the things we've been planning will start to take shape. I'm honestly excited about this, pressure notwithstanding. I just hope I'm really as good as I think I am.

See ya around, folks!

Sketches and Stuff: Captain America

2011-08-03T14:03:00.000+08:00

It's been a few days, but I'm still on a high from seeing Captain America: The First Avenger. And, since I seem to be in a drawing mood lately, I thought I'd try and take a crack at doing a piece featuring the Sentinel of Liberty. Makes a lot of sense, yeah?

Now I like the classic comic book costume, but I think the movie version kinda kicked ass as well. The solution? Why, make 2 versions, of course!

I decided to forego my usual minimal/silhouette/~~lazy~~ approach this time and went (relatively) all out. These bastards took me quite a bit of time to complete because I kept coming back to revise some parts, especially with Movie Cap. I'm pretty satisfied with how they turned out though.

The Lazy Reviewer on: Captain America: The First Avenger

2011-08-01T11:44:00.004+08:00

Whenever news of comic books being adapted into movies come out, I almost always get excited. Never you mind if it's of some character I know little about. I look at it as an opportunity to get to know him/her better, sort of like an entry point for me to dig through comic books featuring him/her. This wasn't the case for Captain America, however. When news of a movie broke out, I took it with a bit of tepidity. I thought the initial photos were a little too boring, the costume a bit too lackluster.

That was until the first trailer hit the internet.

Despite having read some of the his recent important story arcs when they came out, (Death of Captain America and Captain America: Reborn), I wasn't really a fan of the character, and what I knew about him was limited to general geek knowledge. That din't stop me from drooling over the clip though. And so, the long wait began.

Months passed and the other night I finally got to watch Captain America: The First Avenger, and it was absolutely marvelous. All the things I knew about Steve Rogers was translated well on screen, and then some.

Let me start by saying I fucking loved Skinny Steve. I was literally guffawing every time he was on screen. Also, I cannot stress how mind-blowing it was that they were able to use special effects to transform the bulky Evans (who did a fantastic job by the way) into this sickly, 90-pound weakling. I heard they used some sort of 2D mesh warping technique. I'm not going to go into details because it's too technical for me. You can read more about it here though. Good job, Special Effects team!

Stanley Tucci (Dr. Abraham Erskine) and Tommy Lee Jones (Col. Chester Philips) were like icing on the proverbial yummy cake. Tucci provided the heart, while Jones provided the laughs.

Hayley Atwell's Peggy Carter was more than just eye candy, thank God. She actually kicked ass playing the tough but compassionate army woman who develops a liking for the Rogers pre and post transformation. Usually I cringe at romantic scenes, but theirs came off kinda cute. It just worked. Or maybe I'm just biased towards beautiful women with killer accents. Yowza.

Perhaps my greatest gripe about the movie (aside from the sometimes goofy fight scenes) is how Hugo Weaving's Red Skull was under-utilized. It's HUGO FUCKING WEAVING FOR CHRISSAKES. I felt like he could have been given more. Do egomaniacal monologues or indiscriminately shoot people, I don't care. Toby Jones' Arnim Zola nearly stole the show.

Seeing the Howling Commandos was a plus, too, even though they had limited (again, my opinion) screen time. I also would like to say that [SPOILER ALERT] it was stupid how Bucky died. Falling off a speeding train? Ugh. [END SPOILER]

Lastly, and I know I'm nitpicking here, but I have issues with the shield having scratches and shit. I know it's aesthetically pleasing to the eye but the Star-Spangled Avenger's shield is virtually indestructible, you guys. It's not supposed to have scratches and shit. Also those scenes where Cap is jumping over fires and stuff need more work. Oh and the costume looked great by the way, although in some scenes, it looked too bulky and too padded.

Minor whining aside, this one is a definite must-see. Never you mind if you know nothing about the Captain America mythos; the universal underdog-rising-up-to-fight-back-the-bullies theme is more than enough to make you enjoy this great film. Thumbs up, soldier!

Sketches and Stuff: Cyclops

2011-07-31T20:15:00.002+08:00

X-Men is (probably) my favorite comic book. Always has been. Sure, I haven't been a regular reader since college but I've made an effort to keep up with my mutant homies by reading articles online and... you know, other stuff. *cough* downloadingdigitalcomics *cough*

The X-books' latest major story arc, X-Men: Schism, is upon us. All I know about it is 1) the shit is about to hit the fan and the muties are screwed, 2) the team is going to be split in two, and 3) there's a rumor Cyclops might not make it out of Schism alive. Which kinda sucks, really. While he may not be my favorite X-man, I have grown to like him over the years. If these speculations are true, it would definitely be sad to see him go.

Anyway, here is my take on the character. This is based on Adi Granov's badass cover for X-Men Origins: Cyclops.

Slim, I hope you survive Schism.

The 2011 San Diego Comic Con

2011-07-25T14:42:00.004+08:00

Ask any comic book geek to name any place in the world he'd want to go to, where there are a ton of comic books, toys, majestic rainbows and happy smiles, where one can embrace geekery and not be ashamed of it and 7 times out of 10[1], he'd probably mention the San Diego Comic Con.

As a kid, I was made aware of this magical place by the now-defunct Wizard Magazine. Reading all those articles and seeing all those pictures I swore that someday, I would be there sweating and geeking out with hundreds of other fanboys. Almost two decades have passed, and I have yet to fulfill that dream. Thankfully, I have the internet to tide me over until that time comes.

Anyway, here are some of the SDCC happenings I saw the past few days that blew my mind.

[1] Based on extensive study on the matter. And yes, that means I chose random numbers.

Newly-crowned WWE champ CM Punk invaded Comic Con and said hi to Triple H.

A trailer for The Walking Dead's second season!

New Spider-Man Andrew Garfield made a surprise appearance!

New Doctor Who clip for episode 11, "The God Complex".

Lastly, Marvel has released character posters for the Avengers movie coming out next year, and they connect to form this magnificent panoramic masterpiece. I took the liberty of doing a little Photoshop sorcery to try and make some wallpapers out of it, which was a little bit tricky since the composed image was too narrow. Whatevs.

Someday, San Diego Comic Con, I will be in you. I WILL BE IN YOU.

The Lazy Reviewer on: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (Spoiler-Free)

2011-07-24T10:58:00.002+08:00

Getting into Harry Potter wasn't an instant thing for me. When I was in college and the first few books came out, I initially scoffed at my friends when they told me about the story of The Boy Who Lived. It wasn't until my sister lent me her copy of Prisoner of Azkaban that I realized I may have been too hasty in judging it. I read the first two afterwards, and all the books that followed. I remember downloading and reading a leaked copy of The Half-Blood Prince in .doc format just because I couldn't wait for the actual book's release. I also remember strained eyes and tired fingers. Fun times.

My feelings towards the movie adaptations however, are a different matter entirely.

Don't get me wrong though, I don't hate them. It's just that, as with most book-to-movie properties, some things got lost in translation and I ended up being underwhelmed. Well, most of them rather. I think Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire were pretty okay, but they're just that: okay. And so, as I entered the theater last Thursday to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 with Tin, Helga, GJ and my sister, I really wasn't expecting much. Not even closure. For me, reading the final book of the series was enough.

What I got was more than I expected.

HP 7.2 was able to capture everything I loved about the last book, and then some. I can't remember how many times I caught myself holding my breath while watching some of the scenes in the film. Especially the siege at Hogwarts. That was beautiful execution right there. I would also like to say that I loved the fact that the movie had minimal background music from start to finish. It was so quiet that I swear in some scenes, I could hear the characters breathing, and it made for a more heavy, somber feel. Powerful stuff, yo.

The Big Three

"Crabbe, you look a bit... different."

Still cute, but pretty worthless in this film.

"Always." :(

The Dark Lord gon' fuck you up good!

Also: as the movie went on, I suddenly realized how hard it really is to take ~~Voldemort~~ He Who Must Not Be Named seriously. I mean, just look at that face.

Damn, son.

While I would have liked to see some of the scenes stretched out more, all in all it was a fantastic film. Truly a fitting ending to one of the biggest and most successful movie series of all time.

Sketches and Stuff: Green Lantern

2011-07-21T14:00:00.008+08:00

So I wasn't able to watch the Green Lantern movie. A multitude of work deadlines plus a family emergency ate too much of my time and when I finally got enough breathing space, the movie had stopped showing in theaters already. What a bummer. I mean sure, people are saying it sucked and all but I wanted to see for myself, you know? I guess I'll just have to wait for the film's ~~DVDRip~~ DVD release.

Anyway.

I had some free time last night and I thought I'd use it to draw a Green Lantern piece (comic book costume of course). Wasn't sure about the background, so I made one dark and one light. Yeah I'm fickle like that.

Sometimes, I Like Dolls

2011-07-15T01:59:00.004+08:00

Let's face it, a lot of people din't like Sucker Punch. I'll be honest, I had high expectations for the movie, and it kinda fell flat in most aspects. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it though. The story may have been wanting, but you have to admit the visuals were spectacular, the fight scenes more so, so that kinda served as a buffer for all the other not-so-good parts. Plus, I'm a huge fan of Emily Browning. I will not elaborate further lest I scare you, dear readers. All 3 of you.

When I first heard that Gentle Giant was releasing 18" statues of the Sucker Punch ladies, I thought about getting Babydoll. Unfortunately, they were pretty expensive. Also, they went out of stock almost immediately after they were announced. I thought that was that... until earlier this evening, when a friend of mine posted something on Google+ about new Sucker Punch figures by industry powerhouse Hot Toys. I saw some pictures of the Babydoll figure and they look absolutely posi-fucking-tively FANTASTIC. Even better than Gentle Giants' version, in my opinion.

A shitload of pictures (and some details) after the jump.

The Babydoll figure is approximately 28 cm (11") tall with over 30 points of articulation, interchangeable palms, costumes, and an assortment of accessories including her trademark pistol and katana. It is expected to come out late this year, although I haven't got a bead on the price yet. Hopefully it'll be cheaper than the $250 (about P10,750) price tag on the Gentle Giant statue.

I realize that me wanting this toy may come off as creepy to some people, but-- ah screw it. It IS creepy. Please don't judge me.

My Favorite iPhone Apps a.k.a. My Apps, My Apps My Apps My Apps

2011-07-11T11:59:00.004+08:00

(Before you start reading this, I suggest you put on some background music like say... The Black Eyed Peas' My Humps. Yes, that was my lame attempt to explain the title of this entry. Also, I use the word/s app/apps here 28 times. Buckle up.)

Ever since I got my iPhone 3GS a couple of years ago, it has pretty much taken over my life. There is not a single moment that you won't find me fidgeting with the thing, whether I'm texting, browsing the net, or just locking and unlocking the device like a total dolt.

I have to admit though that the biggest reason why I chose to get this phone instead of an Android or a Blackberry is because of the apps. From the stupid to the extremely useful, I am addicted to them. So addicted in fact, that I decided to make a blog entry about it! Yay!

Below are the ones that get heavy usage on my phone.

Tweetlogix is my Twitter client of choice. The interface is pretty easy to navigate, which is why I love using it. It only takes you a couple of taps to get to the feature/function that you want to use. Plus, if you want to avoid reading certain tweets from certain people but you don't want to hurt their feelings by unfollowing them *snicker*, you can use the app's mute function.

I initially thought Instagram was just another camera app lol stupid. Nowadays, if I see something particularly interesting, my first instinct is to snap a picture and share it via this app. There are a limited number of effects, sure, but they suffice. Besides, unlike Hipstamatic (my former favorite camera app), Instagram allows you to share photos from your iPhone/iPod Touch's Photo Album.

My Wallet+ is an app that helps you track down your expenses, especially if you're an obsessive-compulsive person who rarely remembers where his/her money goes. You can also customize labels if you want to be more specific about certain purchases.

Pulse News is essentially an RSS reader for your device. Just input a site url and the app turns its pages into a streamlined version so you can easily read it without all the other clutter. You can also share articles through Facebook and Twitter with a few clicks.

The ClickTheCity app is just as easy to navigate as the site. Some ways, it's even better. How? I don't know exactly. It just seems like a good thing to say. Anyway. Find movies, gigs and restaurants around the metro with this handy app.

No matter how many times I finish the game, I just keep on coming back to Street Fighter IV. The on-screen controls take a little getting used to (I still can't do a sho-ryu-ken at will dammit), but everything else is pretty much awesome. It is also worthwhile to note that this is one of two games I play when I'm sitting on the crapper.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is not a perfect port. When I first got it, I went "What the fuck?" at the graphics. The longer I played though, the less I was bothered about it because it plays surprisingly well. That, or maybe I just really, really like stealing pixelized cars from pixelized people and getting chased by pixelized policemen. Also note: In the Crapper Game No. 2!

From the makers of previous addicting time-wasters such as Game Dev Story and Hot Springs Story comes Pocket Academy. This time, you try to run a school, making sure all your students graduate and lead fulfilling lives afterwards. I just got this about a week ago and I'm still trying to learn it. I consider not being in debt a good start.

No matter what you do, do not install Tiny Tower on your devices. If you want to live a normal, happy life free from worry and stress, avoid this game AT ALL COSTS. You wouldn't believe how many friends I've ignored, deadlines I've missed and fried hotdogs I burned all because of this stupid game!

ComicZeal is, you guessed right, a comic book reader. It can read .cbr and .cbz files, as well as .pdf. You can upload your digital comics to your device via desktop app, wifi or even Dropbox. Perfect for long commutes, especially if you're not prone to motion sickness like some peoplecoughMEcough

I have a hard time motivating myself to read. I've told myself to get into books more but I've barely made a dent in my reading list FROM LAST YEAR. Speaking of reading, Stanza is an excellent e-book reader. You can customize text, color, even background for a better reading experience.

FourTrack is an app that allows you to do simple record mixes on your phone. All you need is the instrument of your choice and one of those Apple earphones with a mic. Oh and also skill and talent and songwriting skills and instrument know-how, all of which you cannot download. :( Okay. Let's move on.

Ultimately, what made me choose Brushes over Sketchbook Mobile was the fact that ~~my fingers are too fat~~ the iPhone's screen is too small that I cannot make precise lines for sketching. If I had an iPad however, I would have chosen differently.

HeyTell is an app that allows you to leave voice messages for friends that are HeyTell users. It sounds stupid I know, but it's kind of fun. If ever you do get this app, add me! I need more people to practice my Stitch voice on. "Ohana means family...."

So there. What about you? What are your favorites?

Wallpapered: Springfield Punx' Doctor Who!

2011-07-05T17:28:00.005+08:00

Springfield Punx is a site maintained by Dean, who “Simpsonizes” pretty much the coolest TV/movie/comic book characters he can think of. I haven’t been checking his stuff for months now (I was busy okay?), so when I visited his blog earlier, I was pleasantly surprised to see that he had a lot of Doctor Who stuff already! I took the liberty of “borrowing” some of his images to create a wallpaper for my laptop.

(Click here for a larger image.)

Wallpaper size is 1280x800, bee-tee-dub. Oh and look, I even made an animated gif!

I do not own any of these illustrations. Again, all images (except the background) was done by Dean of Springfield Punx. Head on over to his site and check his stuff out!

The Post-After-A-Long-Absence Post.

2011-07-04T19:55:00.003+08:00

HAI

Hello, Blogspot! Been a while. I'd almost forgotten I even had a blog. Heh.

As you may have already guessed, this is my umpteenth attempt to revive my site. What for, you might ask? In these times when we have Twitter and Tumblr and Plurk and Facebook and Google+ and everything else, why do I feel the need to pollute the internet with more of my shit? The answer, my friends, is fairly simple: it is because I'm a self-important asshole who thinks there are still people who care about what I say or do HAHAHAHAOookay I'm kidding. OR AM I?

Anyway.

This being a sort of welcome back post, I decided to write about the things that have happened the past few months. In bullet form. In the least amount of words possible. Just because. So if you're not really interested in me or my life, I suggest you stop reading now.

Oh. You're still here? Okay, suit yourself. Here we go.

As most of you probably don't know, I used to work as a graphic artist for a small advertising agency and around July of last year, I got laid off. Well guess what, I have a job now SO SUCK IT PREVIOUS JOB LOL I KID. The gig is pretty sweet! I get to work from home, I get paid fairly well, and I still get to do what I do best. I will admit, however, that I miss the crazy world of advertising. Given my current situation however, I can honestly say that this job is the perfect fit for me right now.

The "current situation" I have previously mentioned pertains to some unfortunate family matters. A few weeks ago, one of my lolas who is living with us got mugged on her way home from church. The idiot pushed her after snatching her wallet and she had a bad fall which resulted in a broken hip. The doctors told us putting her in a cast wasn't going to do any significant good, and so she had to undergo an operation to put a metal brace on the area. She's getting physical therapy sessions now and I think she's slowly recovering, but she can't walk yet. Now there are 6 people that live in our house: my lolo (Tatay), my lola (Nanay), my lolo's 2 unmarried siblings, my sister, and me. Guess who got elected head nurse, the one who makes sure lola drinks her medicine on time and chief lifter when she needs to get her diaper changed? Yep, that's right. Me. 24/7, round-the-clock watch. I don't mind, really, but all this is taking its toll on my work hours, not to mention my social life. Don't even get me started on Nanay's blood transfusions and the preparations I have to arrange every month. Sigh.

Which leads me to probably the only bright spot in this gloomy entry. I have a girlfriend now, and she makes all of this bullshit more than bearable. No further details. I'm sure you guys are sick of cheese. Here's a picture instead.

Meeoowr.

I am still hooked on TV shows, of course. I've recently discovered the joy that is Doctor Who, thanks in no small part to Ade's constant nagging for me to watch it. (If you're reading this man, I owe you a blowjob. Thanks.) The recently-concluded HBO masterpiece Game of Thrones was, for lack of a better term, EPIC. I can't wait for season 2.

Speaking of Game of Thrones, I started reading the book after the series ended, but I have yet to finish it. I'm still trying to push myself into reading more books. My friends have been raving about A Visit from the Goon Squad so I'm checking that out, too. Soon.

I've also been visiting this site called GetGlue for months now. It's basically like FourSquare, only you check-in to movies and other stuff. You get stickers for specific items, and you can have them mailed by batches of 20 to your homes for free! I think I've gotten 4 sets so far.

Been a little slow in picking up new music lately, but here's a few that I liked: Yuck, Two Door Cinema Club, City and Colour, and Toro Y Moi. My Tumblr friends are turning me into a ~hipster~.

Oh, and I've recently kicked my toy collecting hobby into high gear. God help my wallet.

Okay, I think that's enough me for now. Now shoo. I got deadlines to finish.