Halloween Land

Severus Snape, for the Last Time

2011-05-24T18:30:00.000+08:00

I don't... I wanna cry. I'm still in the office and I wanna cry after having read this a second time.

There are very few things in this world that elicit this strong a feeling from me (because let's face it - I'm pretty apathetic and oblivious to a lot of things). One of those handful of things is the Harry Potter series. Jo Rowling built a world with her marvelous wit and imagination - the world where, upon reading the first book, I undoubtedly belonged to. I found home buried in those pages, devouring chapter per chapter as fast as my eyes could read, as swift as my brain could process. I grew with the characters. I laughed, cried, learned, loved, got frightened, and triumphed with them.

I read those books over and over, discovering new things with each rereading. Those are the only books that I guarantee I will never get tired of reading. Going back to those pages feels like enveloping myself in the arms of friends and family. The wonder and awe that every sentence gives me brings me back to my childhood.

Ten years. Ten years of my life I spent with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They aren't just characters anymore. They're friends, all of them. I couldn't look back at my life without mentioning Harry Potter.

The movies, on the other hand, brought my world to life and made many people here appreciate the magic. It truly is amazing. Now, with only 2 months to go, the last movie is coming out. Harry Potter will not really go away, what with the theme park and the unwavering love of us fans. The sadness is brought on by the thought that there's not gonna be anything new with Harry anymore. Us fans will just have to content ourselves with revisiting the books and holding Potter-thons.

Alan Rickman summarized this overwhelming feelings in his short blurb. He encapsulated my experience in a few short sentences. He captured it beautifully. He was perfect as Severus Snape, and for the last time, I'm sure he will exceed all our expectations. I wish the journey could go on forever, but, as they say, all good things come to an end. That's what makes them special.

The Dream Prom

2011-05-12T22:03:00.000+08:00

"I just wanted to be Cinderella, just for one night. One night when a guy would look at me under those corny crepe paper streamers and say, 'You look so beautiful." And then he'd grab my hand and ask me to dance." ~Mercedes, Glee 2x20

I know that Glee is supposed to be a teen drama/musical show. I know that story-wise, it's all over the place. But it has those little moments that speak to me and keep me watching.

I know I haven't been a teen in a long time, but I still want Mercedes' dream prom. And she got it. I'm still waiting for mine.

A short background:

In my high school, you're not allowed to bring your own date during your Junior-Senior prom. Teachers are gonna make each section line up, and you will be paired according to height with your counterpart in the higher/lower batch. (Ex. If you're the tallest girl in 3rd year Section A, your partner will be the tallest boy in 4th year Section A)

Some people ("special" students a.k.a. favorites or those who are really really smart) can request for their partners. Sadly, I'm not one of those. So when I was a junior, I got stuck with an asshole for a date. Luckily I shared him with another girl (there was a shortage of guys in our school) so that made it better a little. Then when I was a senior, I ended up being partnered with a guy who's half a foot shorter than me. Seriously, there are a LOT of tall guys in their batch. I don't know which one of us were getting punished. I wouldn't want to think that being paired with me was some sort of punishment. I also wouldn't want to think I was getting punished for something by being paired with him because I was a good student back then.

That was my prom experience. It pretty much sucked. It would have been abysmal if it weren't for my friends being there.

Now, six long years later, I'm still waiting for that dream prom. I guess that's why I'm so attached to movies or shows with dance scenes. I want my sweet slow dance with someone who actually wants to dance with me and not just someone following protocol.

It's Time to Challenge the Streak Again!

2011-03-06T15:44:00.000+08:00

I haven't been following WWE regularly for a number of months now. I do, however, watch all the pay-per-views. And of course, as all WWE fans know, this is the season for the most important PPV of all: Wrestlemania.

I don't know all the matches yet but the two that I know of will surely make WM27 EPIC.

First, The Rock is back! And he's challenged John Cena to a 'Mania match. I mean, it's The Rock! His and Austin's era was by far the best, even if I've only experienced small parts of it. It's been 7 years since he stepped into a ring. I'm hoping that by being back, he'd bring back even just a little bit of the Attitude Era, like when DX regrouped the last 2 times.

Sigh. I miss DX.

Then there's the Undertaker vs. Triple H match. It's not the first time they'll be facing each other but... I don't know. I'm really nervous about this match. I'm sure it's gonna be mind-blowing. Both of them are already legends. The thing that's bothering me is that they're both in the "retirement-ready" age. I mean, Shawn Michaels retired last year. Ric Flair the year before last. All during 'Mania. It's like they have this formula of retiring legends by putting them in a match with another legend. I just don't wanna lose either Triple H or The Undertaker. Frankly, they're the only reason I watch WWE now, plus Edge, Randy Orton, and John Cena. The new guys are fine - some are quite good, but I still haven't found anybody really worth following.

One of the things I seriously, indisputably want to do in my life is watch The Undertaker LIVE in a 'Mania match, preferably ringside. That would cost me my lifesaving. The roundtrip plane ticket alone costs a fortune. Then there's accommodation and food. And the 'Mania ticket itself.

I've only been working for a year and my pay isn't high. I need another year to save up. I'm determined to make this particular dream come true. I just need one more year. Pls. Undertaker, hold on for another Wrestlemania. I just need a year. I'm doing my best to earn extra besides my day job pay. I'm sure I'll get there next year.

"Like a Virgin" - Supernatural S6EP12

2011-02-07T13:17:00.000+08:00

*spoiler alert*

Sam gets his soul back!

Yeah, did I just spoil it for you? I did warn you though.

Anyway, this is maybe the funniest episode this season so far. The past eps were thrilling, but I missed the softness in Sam that is his soul. Yeah, he is again Mr. Righteous and whiny but the brothers' lovable dynamic is back. It's been so long!

I actually think Dean is funnier with the normal Sam than the soulless one.

So here, the boys are hunting down dragons because the creatures have been kidnapping virgins and taking gold. Dean goes to a professor that specializes in medieval history to consult about killing dragons. A blade forged in dragon blood was needed to do so, and lo' and behold, the professor has one right in the office! And guess what - it was stuck inside a stone. No, it wasn't the Excalibur.

How Dean got it out of the stone is something to be seen. Seriously, go see it now!

And then there's Sam - crafty crafty Sam. He knew that Dean and Bobby were hiding something from him. And since both wouldn't tell him anything - he fished it out of Castiel!

So then afterwards, our heroes charged into sewers wielding the magic blade and rescuing virgins. Lol.

In the end was revealed the Mother of All.

I don't know what will happen - I'm excited to see!

Dinner for Shmucks

2011-02-06T22:53:00.001+08:00

Kinda expected real laughs from this movie, but then again, I'm not really into Steve Carell's humor. I did like Evan Almighty though.

Dinner for Shmucks... It's was fine. I get the character exaggerations for comedic purposes but some are just ridiculous and ineffective. The story was simple. Paul Rudd did alright. There was maybe one laugh out loud moment, when Zach Galifianakis and Steve Carell were battling it out during "brain control", but that's about it.

I did like the part during the dinner when one of the guests who's supposed to be able to talk to dead animals was served lobster, and she started channeling it, acting out the moment it was getting boiled. :)

I know this movie review sucks but I only write as much as the movie inspires me.

However, here's a snapshot of a scene that's supposed to be "epiphanic":

It's interesting to look at, no?

Coin Dozer: the Hundredth Level

2011-01-30T20:29:00.001+08:00

So this is level 100. I've been wondering what would happen when I reach this level. Now that I have... Well, the only thing to do is keep playing!

Although, about five levels ago, the challenge of the game became different. Basically, the aim is to get coins in order to get the prizes to have the perks of the collection like getting a prize even if it falls off the sides. At around level 95, my coin counter isn't reaching 0 anymore. And because special coins appear often, the number just kept on going higher! So now the new aim is to get that counter to 0 again.

I challenged my brother and he did it! Too bad I didn't get to take a picture of that. But here's one to celebrate level 100!

Still, I think this app is such an effective time-waster. But it's just so addicting! I have all the versions!!!

System Restore

2011-01-27T13:50:00.001+08:00

System Restore: Restore your computer's settings to a time when everything was working properly. Some recently installed programs might be erased. -Sana pwedeng i-system restore ang buhay paminsan noh? Thing is, will you be willing to erase the "recently installed" people sa buhay mo and the memories that come with them just so you could go back to a time when everything seemed fine? (sorry, ayaw mag-boot ng comp ko kakainis!)

Posted this on Twitter and FB. Wala lang, I was actually OK that time. I was rebooting my brother's desktop one night and it was displaying some error message. It then showed the "system restore" option, informing me that by doing this, I could go back to a time when the system was working properly. It also warned me that when I click OK, recently installed programs will be erased.

I did not click OK. I got it to work fine though after another reboot.

Anyway, that whole "system restore" thing got me thinking: what if I can do that in real life? When everything feels wrong, I just hit that button and go back to a time when I was completely happy? Or to a specific fork in the road of my life and choose the other path?

Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?

But there's a catch.

All of the people (and here, people are the programs installed into one's life) that you knew after that fork in the road will be erased from your life, including the memories that you made with them.

Admit it; there are indeed people you've recently met that you wish you never have. They may have hurt you severely, made your life a living hell, or just annoyed your day - there's that someone you want erased from your history.

On the other hand, there can also be people whom you've known for only a few months but then... You already cannot even bear to imagine life without them. The question is, would you be willing to let go of these people just to go back to that longed for moment in time?

And how are you supposed to know which point to go back to? It is highly tempting to give in to weakness and pick a point where there's still that "someone" and everything's a little bit better, but it's a point that's past that crucial fork in the road, which makes the whole system restore thing useless.

Ah, such a dilemma, isn't it?

Hello 2011!!!

2011-01-27T13:06:00.001+08:00

The first month of the year is about to end and I just realized that I haven't blogged in 4 months! What have I been doing?!

Oh yeah, work.

Ah, work, which is what I'm supposedly doing right now. Again, I'm at Starwood Hotel in Baguio. I actually have no idea why we're here again. We're supposed to be finalizing stuff for next month but.. Oh well. I don't wanna talk about work.

So, January. It's the time when everybody's being positive and setting goals and getting hyped up about achieving those goals. I'm not gonna deny it; I'm one of those people. I actually downloaded a checklist app! I wanna know exactly what I'm gonna do. As they say, having goals isn't enough. One must know exactly which steps to take in order to get to those goals. Hence, the checklist.

So what are my goals for this year? Hmm. Well, that's for me and my checklist app to know. :) All I can say is that I don't wanna have the same goals again like I did the past few years and never get around to achieving them. This time, I wanna be sure. I wanna see results. It's time for some change.

What I Want to Know

2010-09-19T03:19:00.000+08:00

I want to know him.

I wanna know his quirks. I wanna know what's under that tough exterior. I wanna know that side he doesn't show just anybody. I wanna know what he goes through everyday - the mundane and the extraordinary. I don't care if he complains about the most boring thing like the difference between software upgrades or announce a success like closing a big account - I'd listen and sympathize with it all. I just want to know how his day went.

I also want to know about his hobbies and habits - what he does on weeknights and weekends, random things he does when he has minutes to spare and also, if he has them, little de-stressing rituals done in-between hectic schedules.

I want to know what makes him happy, what makes him sad, what brings out the best and worst in him. I wanna see him at his worst because in my eyes, he's always at his best. I want the whole picture.

I wanna know what comforts him and what agitates him. I also want to know what makes him smile - and at the same time, wish that I were one of those things. I wanna know what makes him feel all tingly inside so I could do them because he makes me feel all tingly inside by just being there, even if he's in a whole other room.

I wanna know everything about his past - the happy memories, the heartaches, the embarrassments, the triumphs - everything. I wanna know how he became him. With that, I also want to know his imperfections, fears, and insecurities so that we could overcome them together.

I wanna know his opinion about things: books, music, movies, current events, people, etc. We could discuss/argue about them. I also want to know about his feelings, what he feels about certain things, at certain times, and how he deals with those feelings.

Of course, I'd like to know his favorites and pray that one day I'd be one of those.

What does he like? What doesn't he like? What's he on-the-fence for? What are his plans? What motivates and inspires him? Even a general idea would do.

I wanna know about his family and friends. I wanna know about his childhood dreams and which ones came true. I wanna hear funny stories about silly escapades and I'd tell him mine 'cause I've got lots of those. What did he want to be when he grew up? Who was his best friend and are they still talking? I wanna know about his childhood.

There are so many things that I'm eager to know about him. But simply put, I just want to know him. I want him to share himself with me because I'm eager to share myself with him.

Sunday Afternoon

2010-08-18T13:46:00.001+08:00

I'm so happy that I do not need to see the office today. Not that I hate it, but I've been there every single day for the past two weeks. True, we went to Baguio for a few days but it still felt like being in that office.

So today, I'm cherishing every moment that I'm away from there. Even if I still can't escape text messages regarding work, at least I can think about solutions in a different environment. Feels refreshing. :)

On the other hand, I only have maybe a couple of weeks to spend in that blue room. We're moving to another location early September, according to my boss. I'd really like to be excited about it. I mean, that new place would give our agency a little bit more credibility. We'd actually feel like a real agency. But leaving the old place means leaving six months of memories behind. It's leaving half a year of friendship. As much as I hate to admit it, I will surely miss some people. Some more than others.

But oh well, I guess this means I'm moving forward in my career. The past week and a half have been surreal. I am overworked and underpaid and hopefully it's worth the sacrifice.

I remember the time when I was seriously considering quitting this job. I really wanted to be self-employed. I still do. But the past week has ignited in me some sort of purpose. I was made to do things out of my job description. It was difficult but I knew that it was for the greater good of the company. That this would be our big break - the opportunity to prove to everybody that we're capable of more than they'll ever know.

Recently, I've been re-evaluating plans I've already made before I got this job. I was gonna experience life abroad. I was gonna expand my horizons. I still really wanna do that, but it's not that easy anymore. I've become attached. It sucks, but I have. Hell, when I first came in, I was only gonna give it 3 months and then I'm gone. But maybe God gave me crazy (in a good way) officemates for a purpose. There were times of self doubt and insecurities but now I'm just chillin'. I can't imagine working with anyone else but them.

And then there's... Well, yeah. That's another matter.

So right now, as I sit here in my brother's business thinking of ways on how to improve it, I try to also think about the future. Where will I be 5 years from now? Will I have done things that I've always wanted to do like handle my own business and study abroad? (my dad was suggesting that I pick apples in Austalia for a living. Sounds nice and peaceful.$ Or would I have succumed to the comfort of a steady employment? I really am not sure right now. I hate breaking my plans but if better things could be had, then why not?

Ewan. Ewan. Ewan.

2010-05-07T16:09:00.001+08:00

Minsan hindi ko nalang alam anong gagawin. Magulo ang mundo. Magulo ang mga pakiramdam. Nasusuka, najejebs... Iba't ibang symptoms sa sakit na wala namang gamot. At hindi naman talaga sakit na tipong lagnat... Pero yun tipong masakit talaga - sa kalioban at sa pisikal. Mas gugustuhin ko nalang lagnatin kesa sa sakit na ganito. Pero wala naman akong ibang masisisi kundi ang sarili ko kasi isa akong dakilang tanga. Hindi na ako natuto eh.

Tama na, please.

The Sophomore Curse?

2010-05-04T11:19:00.001+08:00

I don't think this particular curse applies to the second installment of Iron Man. The special effects alone were enough go blow one's mind. Add to that Robert Downey Jr.'s quintessential portrayal of Tony Stark and all his cool stuff, Iron Man 2 is indeed a must-watch.

However, there's something about this movie that didn't give me the complete satisfaction that the first one did. At 2 hours, it isn't that long (usually superhero movies run for 2 1/2 hrs). I don't know if that's the reason why the whole thing felt rushed. It made the same mistake that Spiderman 3 did: cram too many things into a single movie.

1. The blood poisoning
2. Tony and Pepper's relationship
3. Tony and his dad's relationship
4. Recruitment to SHIELD
5. The villain, Ivan Vanko
6. Tony's responsibilities to the future

Kudos to the writers who were able to sew all these things together into an intelligible and highly-entertaining screenplay. But there were things that were left unexplained because the action didn't leave much room to do so.

1. What's with Vanko's always saying "You lose" when clearly, he's the one who lost?
2. What's the extent of Tony and Pepper's relationship? Was that their first kiss or has the romance been going on for a long time?
3. So... What's that new element called?
4. What the heck does this movie really wanna tell us?

The biggest question in my head is that last one. The first movie had a clear aim: to show us how and why Iron Man came to be. Part 2 is confusing: is this really about Tony's journey to be an Avenger or his withstanding the consequences of Stark Industries' operations or his father's revelation of his (Tony's) role in the future?

I'm thinking that maybe a second viewing is needed to get me a clearer grasp of the plot. Come on, DVD!

My verdict:
Due to Stark's sheer awesomeness, even if there were a few glitches in the movie, I give it four stars out of five. On to the thrid!!!

Testing out the App

2010-05-04T00:17:00.001+08:00

I've just rediscovered the awesomeness of my iTouch. Since last week was an all-out stare-at-the-wall week in the office, I was introduced by my officemate to Twitter. Also, since the Internet connection there is more or less imaginary (for desktops, at least), I brought my handy iTouch and voilà! Instant entertainment. Social networking sites and games blockage became history.

And now I've found an app for blogging! Woohoo! My plans of maintaining multiple blogs have been revived.

Alright, so I'm testing out the app now. I hope it works fine and actually posts this entry.

Sneak Blogging

2010-01-27T17:03:00.000+08:00

1 hour nalang and I can go home and watch my shows. I miss being a bum. I was able to get the latest SPN episode and I haven't had the time to see it yet. Inuna ko kasi kagabi ang Big Bang Theory. I really needed a laugh. And now that CoCo's gone from The Tonight Show, I don't have my nightly late night fixes. Well, maaga na rin akong natutulog ngayon. But even though I sleep early, I still feel sleepy in the morning. As if I'm not done with school yet, I still try to prolong my sleep as much as I can. Lol. That's why I designed the 5 More Minutes shirt, right. (Free endorsement ng SHIRT STREET!!!)

Hopefully later I'd be greeted by last week's Bones, 30 Rock, and HIMYM. Although may AI later and baka si Barney the awesome Stinson ang guest! And may WWE Raw. Lots to watch. Ugh. Pwede bang mag-absent para lang makapanood ng stuff. And I need to read all the unread and unfinished books in my room. Seriously. Ginagawa nalang silang apartment ng mga alikabok doon.

Oops, boss called me into the office. Papagawin nanaman akong concept ng TVC. Yey! Haha. Now I have to think about this hanggang makauwi ako. Gana utak, gana.

Shirt Street Wants to Help

2009-10-01T09:17:00.004+08:00

Help us help others by getting one of our button pins.

A lot of donations have been given to aid those affected by Typhoon Ondoy but a lot more is needed especially medicine, toiletries, and antiseptics. Part of the proceeds of our button pins will either be used to buy these things or donated as cash to one of the charities. For only P20, you can make a difference in someone's health.

We will be at the Araneta Center before the finals games today, October 1, and on Sunday, October 4. If there is a third game, we will be there too. Just look for a person wearing any one of the Shirt Street shirts. For orders and other queries, please text Steph at +639178407280.

Fashionable Wrestlers

2009-09-30T22:15:00.001+08:00

I am so spaced out today. I had a mental note to turn the TV on by 9PM because RAW would be on then. I did, but failed to switch the channel. So for about half an hour I was on my laptop with either Disney Channel or Cartoon Network on the background. Then I remembered that I was supposed to be watching something. The show was already half done. Lol. Sometimes I just don't know where my brain is.

Anyway, I'd just like to comment about wrestlers' attires. From time to time, they come out to the ring wearing regular clothes. Only a few of them look decent in them. I don't know why but some just look awkward in regular clothes.

Here are my top 5 best dressed WWE Superstars (because all the Divas can dress):

1. Christian - looks good in formal, casual, and ring attire
2. The Miz - probably the most fashionable Superstar, hate his ring attire though
3. Batista - when he's wearing a suit
4. Triple H - looks awesome in jeans and a t-shirt
5. Edge - next to Miz, also has the best wardrobe

Special mentions:
Randy Orton - because he looks good in anything (and nothing probably)
John Morrison - when he's not wearing pants with fluffy cuffs
Chris Jericho - looks very respectable in a suit
Evan Bourne - looks nice in casual clothing

About the Cena's gauntlet match... Well, it was fine. Orton is really funny though. I don't know why but they've got sort of a weird bromance going on. Haha.

End of September. Time to Wake Up.

2009-09-30T19:31:00.002+08:00

So it's the last day of September and I am still two posts away from my goal. Sigh. I know I can do this. I have lots of stuff that I wanna talk about but things just got in the way.

I am trying my best not to complain right now, not after the horrible thing that happened in this country.

Last weekend, starting Friday night, it rained nonstop. We didn't really mind because it's been raining often the past couple of months. What we didn't anticipate was the amount of rainfall. There weren't strong winds, just a whole lot of rain. Come Saturday morning, people have started calling for help because it has started flooding and the water has started to enter their houses. Not long after, reports have been received that some houses have already been submerged completely in the floodwater. The occupants climbed onto their roofs to wait for rescue. It did not come until much later. Some have already died of the cold.

This catastrophe brought out such admirable traits from Filipinos. Instantly, donations started coming in. Those with resources such as rubber boats and big trucks and helicopters offered them for the rescue missions. Everyone else anticipated the needs and donated clothes and food. By Sunday morning, the ABSCBN foundations have gotten 20M pesos worth of goods and about 10M worth of cash.

My family and I also pooled our resources to help some relatives affected by this. I'm still planning on giving to the charities and maybe also help out in packing relief goods.

I am one of the fortunate ones that live in a place without flooding problems. I am greatly thankful for it. And now I am feeling guilty that earlier this day I felt like I had the suckiest life on earth. I really tried my best to focus on what I have and how lucky I am that I have them. But sometimes it just... I don't know. Things get to me. No matter how hard I try to stay positive and be happy, things get to me later.

Oh well. Right now I'm over it and everything's fine again. I would like to move on and post about my favorite topics now. :)

The Once and Future Queen (Merlin S2E2)

2009-09-28T10:35:00.004+08:00

Summary:

A grief-ridden king of another place sends an expert assassin to kill Arthur because he "murdered" his son when in reality, his son challenged the young Pendragon and lost the fight.

Arthur, only just realizing that people give him extra special allowances because he's royalty, decides to go on a hush-hush quest to prove his worth to himself and to everyone else. He lies about going on a rescue mission somewhere north, hired a scruffy-looking farmer and made him pretend to be a knight so he, Arthur, could joust in his place at the tournament without the public knowing it was him. He planned on revealing his identity in a moment of glory afterward.

For the duration of this charade, he lived with Gwen and as his normal pompous self. Irritations brewed and ended up in a confrontation every girl would have loved to be in.

The assassin almost succeeded in his mission. Thanks, to Merlin, he did not complete it.

Ah, they have started the Arthur-Guinevere love story. I think it's sweet, but I want more Merlin action. The series is named after him in the first place. Although he had a lot of scenes and as always, ended up secretly saving Arthur's life, he looked like such a background character in this episode.

Okay, maybe it's just for this one thing. After all, last week's episode was so kick-ass!

I wonder how they will go about this love story. Hopefully they wouldn't just drop it and pick it up some time next year.

How do you recover from kissing a prince?!

Okay, that was me channeling a friend obsessed with Arthur. Contrary to popular opinion (which consists of a couple of friends'), I think Gwen in this series is beautiful and she and the prince look good together.

The previous week's preview showed I think snippets of the season ahead. Lancelot was there! How will Arthur deal with his reappearance? And what would he do when Gwen lends her affections to this charming new knight? They did have a brief thing last season.

The Curse of Cornelius Sigan (Merlin S2 EP1)

2009-09-28T10:33:00.002+08:00

Merlin's back and he's kicking ass!

Well, actually, he's having his butt worked of by Arthur but that's part of fulfilling his destiny. I do wish that he gets treated better though. Well, at least last season he was saved by the future king. That was so sweet.

In this episode, Merlin goes against an ancient and very powerful sorcerer who is said to be immortal. Gaius warned Uther of this but as usual, the king brushed it aside. Morgana's nightmares resume (actually, they never really went away) and Gwen gets a new look! They've stopped making her wear her hair in a bun. And I think her corset's a little tighter. Hmm.

Arthur again showcased his undying courage, which can sometimes be to the point of stupidity. He does love to risk his life for his people, which is good, but he needs to keep in mind that his father doesn't have a spare heir. Lucky him that Merlin's always there to get his back. Hopefully this wouldn't make him think that he's invincible since he always escapes fatal situations.

Although I wouldn't complain if I get saved by Arthur. haha.

As for Merlin, sigh. For someone with such a great destiny, he has no choice but to take abuse from Arthur and everybody else. Oh well. At least he knows that if he does his job right, one day he will get to the top.

Oh, but I don't want Arthur to stop being a bully. It may be annoying at times because Merlin deserves better but that would suck all the fun out of the show. And Arthur would lose his angas, which adds so much to his pogi points.

It's All in Our Heads (Supernatural S5 Ep2)

2009-09-25T13:21:00.006+08:00

I was thinking just a few moments ago about how I miss the Sam and Dean of seasons 1 & 2. I'm not saying that the intensity of their relationship has degraded; it hasn't. It's just that I miss the fun times and even though Dean is still being a smart ass, it's not the same. Of course they had to take out all the lightness. I mean, hello, they're dealing with the Apocalypse now.

The eve of separation. I will need to find a song for this.

I found this as such a melancholic image at the end of episode 2, "Good God Y'all". the surroundings is beautiful and tranquil. It's a tiny speck of peace amidst the overall chaos. My mind cannot reach the depth of love these two have for each other, which is why I also cannot fathom the hurt Dean must have felt (and is still feeling) when Sam chose Ruby over him.

In this episode, the brothers still worked together but the strain is tangible. But at least they still did their jobs properly. They really are, as Sam said, "professionals". They defeated (or merely delayed?) War, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. I wonder which one is next. I really liked (and am equally disturbed) by the premise of this episode: people kill each other because someone's messing with their heads. There really is no enemy. They are just made to see each other as such by some powerful man *cough cough hint hint*. Because we are so afraid, we just choose to attack and hopefully survive rather than analyze things to get the true picture. Whew.

I am glad that Ellen and Jo are back. At least there's someone else to talk to now that Bobby's all depressed in the hospital. I wonder what nerve he damaged when he stabbed himself in the stomach. Why could he not walk?

I'm eager to see the next episode just to know how they are going to deal with the brothers away from each other by choice. I'm also curious about Castiel's state. He's a fugitive of heaven. What is he exactly?

All I'm hoping is that they tread carefully around God. I read a previous interview of Mischa Collins and he said that he thinks that they (the writers) should keep God abstract. I completely agree. This show has already reached new levels of awesomeness and I don't want it condemned as evil when it clearly battles it.

Halloween Lang Turns 4!

2009-09-23T23:08:00.001+08:00

This is seven months late, but at least it's here. I would just like to greet my blog a happy happy fourth birthday! Man, I cannot believe that it has been four years since my first post. Four and a half, actually. Wow, it has been that long.

I kind of regret not starting my whole blogging life right here. I had 2 blogs before this (they actually overlapped for a few months). I guess this is where I really found home.

I'm planning on compiling everything into hard copy volumes. I think it'd be nice to have them hard bound by year. I will soon need an extra cabinet or something for this. Hmm.

Anyway, happy happy birthday Halloween Land!!! :)

Glee

2009-09-21T17:57:00.007+08:00

Finally, a musical TV series!

Before sounding off with grunts, I too have noticed the sudden upsurge of movie musicals (may it be on TV or in theaters) these past couple of years. I admit that I have seen all three HSMs (please put away the tomatoes), even the wannabe that Nickelodeon made (it was "edgy" compared to Disney's; it wasn't awful, just not that great). I'm not a big fan of this genre nor of the aforementioned movies, but I commend their dancing ability. Fine, the (selected) singing as well.

Glee, I am ashamed to say, at first seemed to me like a tremendously improved HSM crossed with Spectacular, the musical Nickelodeon made (this comment is based solely on the pilot episode). It is, of course, not even near that region; it's way way above. See, it has a show choir (same as Spectacular) that a super popular top jock (like HSM) joined where he is inadvertently paired with a "geeky" girl (again, like HSM).

However, the similarities end there. Glee is just so much better and the singers sound at least 10 1/2 times more awesome than the fluffy teeny musicals. It's about a teacher who aims to revive the glory of the glee club because he was once a member of it. I love his passion for his students and man can he sing.

The glee club only has six members: Finn (the jock), Rachel (the geeky girl with a superstar complex), Kurt (the metro guy), Mercedes (the Beyonce), Artie (the guy in the wheelchair), and Tina (the edgy Asian girl).

The story starts with Mr. Schuester calling for auditions for the glee club under the new name New Directions. Only the five came; Finn was blackmailed into joining after Mr. Schuester overheard him singing in the locker room. At first he was obviously unwilling, but he remembered how he loved singing as a child and this was his only outlet for that. As all stereotypical jocks go, his teammates ridicule him for doing something they think is unmanly - and also hate that he now saves "losers" rather than take part in bullying them.

Rachel, on the other hand, loves to sing. She just loves it. She makes daily recordings of herself singing and posts it on her MySpace page. She is laughed at because of this and always gets some sort of drink splashed on her face and clothes.

As for Mr. Will Schuester, he is possibly the best teacher in the world. However, his life isn't so perfect. He has a psycho wife who would've qualified as a gold digger if only Will had any gold. She allows herself to have a room dedicated to her crafts (literally arts and crafts stuff) while Will gets an earful night after night because he's pursuing his passion by directing the glee club. He is given an ultimatum: the kids or his family. The wife discloses her pregnancy.

The show choir, after encountering compatibility problems and learning of their teacher's pending departure, finally got together and worked harmoniously, thus producing a perfectly wonderful number. Mr. Schuester, on his way out, heard an amazing sound emanating from the auditorium. He peeked inside and discovered that it was his group performing. With pride that could make people cry showing on his face, he applauded them and said, "From the top."

It was an overall heartwarming pilot episode. Some say it's underwhelming because they were so hyped up by the teasers. For me, it was just right. This show is filled with colorful characters that there is no chance for boredom to ever slip in. I'm really excited to see what would happen next. I'm especially looking forward to their performances.

The Only Straight Edge World Heavyweight Champion

2009-09-21T09:37:00.005+08:00

WWE is blurring the lines between admirable and despicable by portraying CM Punk, the Straight-Edge Superstar, as a heel.

To be fair to him, Punk really does the whole preachy character quite well. I've become irritated by him when at first he was one of my favorites. Well, alright, I still think he's good, but he keeps on saying the same things over and over! Will someone please write him some new material? At least use different words even when stating the same idea.

What concerns me is this: Punk's clean lifestyle is the perfect thing to advocate now that they are making the shows "more PG". However, because they pitted him against Jeff who, as much as I love him, is indeed a not-so-good role model outside of the ring but possesses a charisma that Punk obviously lacks, kids would predictably take Jeff's side and view Punk as a villain along with his exemplary lifestyle. He (Punk) would now be classified as a killjoy along with their parents who are probably reprimanding them for watching such violence, even if we all know it's staged.

I love WWE and I don't want them to one day be shunned and protested against by concerned parents. I also do not want them ignoring their social responsibility by shining a negative light on someone who brings forth something worth emulating especially by kids. I grew up watching WWE but back then, the storylines didn't incorporate the wrestler's personal lives so I didn't know if one of them was a drug abuser or what. It's more dangerous now because children might not see the difference between the character/persona and the real person of these athletes.

Jeff is a tremendous wrestler and should be looked up to as such. I admire him for being able to kick the habit for over a year and I hope he could keep it up longer. It's just that his personal life gets broadcasted all over the Internet and even on TV and these news almost always put him in a bad light. His recent arrest, for example. If these things were kept from impressionable people, then I wouldn't care whatever he does because he would only be seen by the kids as a wonderful artist and a talented performer. I believe that these are the characteristics that he embodies the most and I'm a fan of his because of this.

As for Punk, he deserves better marketing. True, Smackdown needs main eventers so they are building him up. But I think this strategy is actually breaking him down. Okay, so he followed through with his promise of recapturing the title, which is supposed to add to his credibility. But he does not (yet) have that certain quality that the best heels, e.g. Edge and Jericho and Orton, have. So far I don't think this villainy is working for him. I don't know. Maybe I'm mistaken. I mean, making him look like the bad guy means making staying sober and clean attributes of a bad guy. So what exactly is WWE contributing to society?

In the End, There Will be Zombies

2009-09-18T19:58:00.005+08:00

The End

Dean refuses Sam's efforts to help him battle the Devil, and then wakes up to find himself five years in the future, in a wasteland where Lucifer has begun his endgame by unleashing a virus that transforms humans into zombies.

This is so AWESOME! I love zombie movies (although I do not want to be one myself), and zombies plus Supernatural? Man. I can't wait to see this episode!

I know, it's gonna be a bit difficult to watch since the brothers will be separated again (I really miss their fun bro-mance times) but hey, what better to bring them together than some good old zombie-killing spree right?

Grab some vinyl discs and a cricket bat now!

Payback (WWE Hell in a Cell 2009)

2009-09-18T00:02:00.003+08:00

It's only a fortnight away.

Someone has to pay for that abominable decision.

I do kind of agree with another blogger who said that having more than one Hell in a Cell in one show (or in one year even) diminishes the impact of the match style. Personally, I've kind of reserved this kind of match for the Undertaker only (Kane, too, a little bit). I mean, they're supposed to be "evil" and all (which Undertaker is NOT, even though he says that he's after people's souls. Haha.) so the name fits, right?

Okay, enough of that.

Cena vs. Orton in a Hell in a Cell match, a rematch for the WWE Championship

I did like their match at Breaking Point. I am happy for John, I really am, but I would have liked Orton to hold the title a little longer. He is a really awesome heel. And unlike the others who utter the same lines time after time (think Punk and Jericho, although Y2J doesn't bug me as much), Orton has this general villain feel that is so natural it looks effortless. It's like I can't remember a time when he wasn't a heel (when was that again?). He is becoming Edge-like, a perpetual "bad guy" who is ultimately effective he can't be anything else. But the great thing about Orton is that he is not really a villain. He is more like an anti-hero. He saves us from too much John Cena (lol. I still *heart* Cena, mind you).

I'd really like to see what these two will come up with inside that huge structure.

DX vs. Legacy in a Hell in a Cell match

Although I hated seeing a legend tap out to newbies, I think it's great that Ted and Cody have finally extracted themselves from Randy Orton's shadow. I really think these two guys are talented. I mean, it's in their blood!

As for this match, well... I don't know what they're gonna do. If Legacy loses, then that historic win would have been for naught. If DX loses, then their "toughest tag team" reputation, which was deteriorated by the first tap out, would be completely ruined. All I can think of as a decent outcome is a disqualification for outside interference or something. Wait, they'll be in a cell. What the heck. Just make the cell collapse then.

Punk vs. The Undertaker in a Hell in a Cell match for the World Heavyweight Championship (right?)

It is totally impossible for Punk to win this unless Teddy Long helps him out again. Oooh, I wonder if Taker has a new submission move?

I know they're trying to build Punk up. I do think they were successful in doing that during the Jeff era, but come one, pit him against the Undertaker? Seriously?

Since Batista will now be working Friday nights, he might take Taker out of Punk's hands. Better yet, have him feud against some new guy. Wait, Jack Swagger's in Raw, right? That would've been a good match. Swagger's talented and they're about the same size. I doubt it'd be Morisson since he's still got that pest Ziggler to deal with (teach him how to impromptu; have Edge do it while he's recuperating). Who else... Y2J and Big Show have Mark Henry and MVP. Mike Knox? Finlay? Ooh, that dude Drew McIntyre? But he's already got R-Truth. Well, Matt Hardy's available. He's more of Punk's match than Batista's but he does need building up so why not?

16 days to go...