I am Aileen

52 Moments

2012-01-26T21:51:00.000+08:00

We've heard of the 'Project 365' where one would put up daily pictures for a year—may it be something that inspired them that day, a photo of a friend, a place they've chanced upon... the list would go on. It just really depends on you and it's a real great way for photographers to widen their skill; I, for one, have even joined this hype [ see it here ]. Not that I'm planning on becoming a pro photographer, but I do this project for the fun of it! You might have also heard of '52 Weeks' which is rather ideal for those who can't shoot pictures in a day-to-day basis.

With these kinds of projects, I bet that some of us would often get stuck. We'd start to wonder as to what we could post for the day or for that week. Good thing I found this new project called "52 Moments". What's unique about this one? It gives you direction. Direction in the form of tasks or goals. It even challenges you to really do something by, of course, showing your progress.

This project was initiated by Nanaimo Studio and Julian Bialowas.

Moments 1 to 3 have already started but it's not too late to start this project if you're really up for it. Well... I personally think that it's a great idea!

*All images are from the 52 moments website

Katy Perry in Manila | My California Dreams Experience (Includes Videos)

2012-01-24T20:01:00.000+08:00

When I first found out that Katy Perry was coming to Manila to end her 'The California Dreams' tour, I immediately searched for the ticket prices and made a firm mental note to buy in advance! Months later... I have entirely forgotten about it. But good thing Celine reminded me last Tuesday (January 17) as she invited me to buy tickets with her!

So, ladies and gents, this entry will be wholly dedicated to my Katy Perry experience! ♥

*I've uploaded videos of the concert too! Just check them out below.

We bought Silver tickets which is the second to the last section of the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds (or should I say Parking grounds? LOL): no seats, just standing, but I really didn't care. I still had a good view of the stage as I was armed with my Eyemax Pocket Binoculars, haha! Besides, there was a screen near us. We would have gone for Gold (the start of the seating area which was just in front of our section) but I was running low on cash when we bought the tickets. Either way, those seats wouldn't be of much use once the concert starts—practically everyone was standing up when the concert started anyway. Aaaaand it wouldn't really be called as a true pop concert experience if you spend it sitting.

As some of you may have already heard or read, the concert started verrrryyy late. I think it started at around 10:15PM when it should have been around eight. DJ Skeet Skeet made a front act by 9PM to appease us, but it was only for 20 minutes, so yes... there was a huge gap before the actual show so we were all pooped. By 10PM, some people in the crowd already started booing. We didn't join them in the booing spree though, because my best friend and I were busy goofing around and buying food at a nearby Starbucks branch.

Saw these bouncers huddling around in a corner with their pink shirts on, so I asked for a picture! LOL gotta love the guy in the middle. HAHA. After I took a picture with them, everybody around me started to take pictures with them too. Sudden stars? :))

But of course, though we spent more than two hours catching up and doing foolish things to pass time, at one point, we also got impatient like normal human beings. Katy's camp didn't really stated an apology for the delay; for all I know it might have been a technical issue because Katy briefly said so during her performance; specifically when 'Slot' appeared all of sudden due to a wrong cue (this is shown below in my YouTube videos). That aggravating hassle aside, when it did start, we immediately forgot all the stress! We sure did!!!! I had a lot of fun singing, bopping, and jumping along to her songs!

I also loved the cotton pink and candy-colored stage design once the curtains were rolled up! ♥

The opening number was her song 'Teenage Dreams', and I swear, by the entrance music alone, I was already pumped up with adrenaline and I even had extreme goosebumps that I started to shriek and jump from where I stood! (This is as evidenced by the shaky video below LOL) Celine on the other hand was strangely silent! That's why when that number ended, I had to ask her why, and to which she replied: "Oh my God. I'm speechless." HAHAHAHA! That's my best friend for you!

Now this is the part where 'Slot' showed for the song 'Waking Up in Vegas'. Katy sure is freaking hot and sexy! On a side note, I seem to have lost the video for Katy's 'Hummingbird Heartbeat'.

The video below will include the full scene as to how our very own actor famous for being in PBB, Ivan Dorschner, managed to luckily get a kiss from Katy Perry! He's really so lucky! The funny thing was that a lot of the guys around me started cursing, saying how lucky Ivan was when he got kissed and kissed Katy! (You can hear some of them in my video LOL). Ivan started trending in the Philippines back at Twitter and managed to even 'up' his likes in Facebook after this affair happened. And oh, it was also adorable how 14-16 year-olds quickly took their shirts off just so they could go on stage; but of course, Katy turned them down. Good call, Katy! HAHA!

Part 4 of my videos will show Katy's superb performance for the song 'E.T.' as well as her heart-warming single, 'Not Like the Movies'. I actually saw this one girl beside me cry maybe because she was so touched by the song. Whereas some of the couples around me started to get all lovey-dovey!

Katy's famous blue wig! ♥ 'Hot N Cold' was where Katy did her infamous magic prowess: changing dresses for seven times. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to record it in full because this was where my camera started to lose space. This was followed by the acoustic version of 'The One That Got Away' which I really loved!

The last three songs she performed were 'Last Friday Night', 'Firework', and 'California Dreams' where everyone (including us, of course) happily sang along!

Aside from her great performance, what I also loved about this 'California Dreams' tour were her make-up and costumes! She can really go loud and brazen; I mean, who the heck could ever wear such a big bra shaped like Kisses and still look so darn hot and appealing?! The show was even filled with a lot of sexual innuendos (duh, from the lyrics of Peacock alone! Haha!) as well as sexual gestures which I hoped that the parents of the 5-year-old kids in the crowd could have managed to distort for their kids.

Overall, despite the lengthy delay, I got what I wanted from the concert: huge doses of Katy Perry's songs, beauty, and talent. And boobs. LOL, I'm kidding. I love Katy to bits! It's nice that her voice was great even if it was a live performance; definitely no lip-synching! ♥

Did I mention that this is the first pop concert that I've ever attended? I am so glad that I was there! The next time that she comes back, I'll surely buy the Titanium/Diamond seats!

Masquerade Party at Sofitel

2012-01-21T16:53:00.000+08:00

I've totally forgotten about this one, but better late than never, right? This was one of the Christmas parties that I've attended last December which had a masquerade theme. It was our company-wide party and for a short say, I had a lot of fun not only with the event but also in dressing up!

I loved how the place was set-up; dim red and green lights, lots of red carpet, and then these tall guys! Haha!

I arrived a little later than my coworkers and when I finally arrived, I had a good laugh when I saw our table number! And when I did, they all started to laugh along and we had a good time making banters at one another thereafter.

Other than the place, I enjoyed seeing all the different kinds of masks that the people were wearing! But I actually took pride of my mask because I made it myself! Haha! It looks simple but all and the same, I loved it and my coworkers were even amazed as to how it turned out. One of my office mates even jokingly said: "I think you might be in the wrong career, don't you think so?" And I didn't have the courage to answer him back with a yes. LOL.

My mask is the black one at the bottom left near that red ball thing that happened to be in the way! LOL.

During the program, I would often even go around and find my friends; mainly because I also wanted to see what their outfit would be! Haha!

Aaaand of course I wouldn't forget the food! Being the foodie that I am, I practically harassed the food area!! Haha! Oh come on, there were so many great choices! From greens, lamb cuts, pasta, roast beef, cakes, and unlimited drinks.... aaaah, 'contented' would be an understatement. The food that I ate the most though was the boneless roast lamb with rosemary jus (*first picture below*).

We also had a raffle but I didn't raise my hopes high up for that one; by our numbers alone, I didn't dare think that I'd win, and guess what? .......I DIDN'T! LOLOLOLOL!!! Still, I would have wanted to win (who wouldn't?) especially since the prizes were far too many! They were giving away 30 gadgets, domestic tickets, flatscreen TVs, international tickets, and the like. (I can't remember well). But man, I guess it wasn't my lucky day!

After all the program was done, the party commenced! And boy, this is where our team got crazy. Haha! We went near the stage where the hired performers were, and at one point, one of the singers let me sing the chorus of Super Bass! We even had a mini dance battle! But I didn't let myself be dragged to the stage. No way, Jose. Haha! And oh, at one side, there were even these brave and gutsy people who were having a dance battle amidst the eyes of our higher ups (VPs, directors, AVPs, etc)! LOL!

By 1:00 AM, the party was still on full throttle! But me and my team wanted to go someplace else. So in the end, we decided to go to Resorts World to play in the casino. Once we were there, some of us haven't been to the casino before so they registered first (which was free). And yes of course, I didn't register because I was still 20; but still, I had fun watching them play! One time, I even played for my coworker.

...As you might be thinking, why was I in the casino in the first place if I was still 20? Well the guards didn't bother checking. LOL. You go, guards! Nonetheless, I bet our group was such a sight! All clad in our suits and fancy dresses, we looked like we were going to conquer casino town!—but that would be an 'overstatement'. LOL. We kinda sucked at playing; only one of us managed to win. Haha!

I wanted to take pictures inside the casino but I know that wasn't allowed. Boo.

All in all, I sure had a great 2011 Christmas! I'm looking forward to more parties, trips, and whatnot's soon. Lately, my office mates are planning on going by Binondo this Monday to bask ourselves in celebrating Chinese New Year. We know there would be LOTS and LOTS of people but that is the point of our going there. Haha! I hope it pushes through.

Natsumi's Levitating Photos

2012-01-18T23:41:00.000+08:00

I miss having 'Website of the Day' entries here in my blog! Hopefully, I get to do this more often starting now, mainly because there's a lot of good finds here in the internet. Now, for this time day, I happened to stumble into Natsumi Hayashi's photo blog: [ yowayowacamera.com ]

What's so great about her photo blog? She takes jump shots with no effort at all! Haha! Well actually, what I mean to say is... when we do jump shots, usually our face would look silly from all that physical force we often exert just to jump high or whatnot, and so, that would sometimes cause our clothes to be all over the place, and then we might even pass up as an extra in a horror movie (with our hair all over our face).

But for Natsumi, her jump shots are neat (if she wills it so) and she would always appear like she's levitating! Yes. It's as if she's completely frozen in mid air:

It's just so amazing how 'still' and calm her photos could really be.

But of course, these photos were perfected by doing gazillions of jumps—well that's an exaggeration, but yes, Natsumi takes a LOT of jumps (sometimes more than 300 jumps) just to get the shot that she wanted. Therefore in a short say, the making of the photos takes humongous work, but the result would make it look like there was zero effort. Haha. Well, she's actually gaining popularity from all over the world since some people are also starting to copy her levitating photos.

So yes, it's really cool and I'd personally like to try this sometime. In her website, Natsumi says that she takes her shots with "1/500 sec. or faster (1/320 sec. can be used in a darker condition)" shutter speed.

Natsumi Hayashi is Tokyo-based photographer.

My 2012 Vision Board

2012-01-15T19:46:00.000+08:00

I finally finished the vision board for my room! ...well, actually, I think it's more of like a 3-in-1 board since it doesn't only include my 'visions/dreams', but as well as my goals, and reminders for this year.

This has actually been a first for me, and I must say... it was fun! After three hours of flipping and cutting through old magazines, I managed to collect all of the snippets that I wanted to put up. In the end, I'm really happy with how my vision/dream board turned out to be.

Actually, in my room, my vision 'board' only fills half of the cork board that I've bought days ago, since the other half would be for my other notes and clippings that I just want to simply put up there.

One awesome thing that I did for my vision board is that, I arranged all pictures by importance: so the top-most ones would be my 'more prioritized' dreams. And as you might have noticed, the 'catching my dream guy' is at the bottom and that's simply because... though I am hopeful for love and yet another relationship, it wouldn't be the center of my 'dreams' for this year because a part of me still wants a lot more 'me' time. And it's not like I'm afraid of commitment either, but right now, I'm just not up for it. Besides, I plan to focus a whole lot more on my health, my career, and my wardrobe. LOL.

And oh, I've wanted to put 'traveling' at the top! But I have situated it at the bottom of the pile because first, I'd need to save—ta-dah!—money! So yes, my vision board is pretty organized and realistic. Haha! Also, I have already been to Boracay and Hong Kong but I just wanted to go back there (again) to make better memories. (Haha! Personal reasons!)

So, how about you guys, do you have your own vision board yet? If not, I suggest that you make one. Besides, a lot of people say that putting one up helps you visualize your dreams more and then... without you realizing it, they become true bit by bit since you would almost be reminded everyday of the things that you want to do or achieve.

All in all... Let's have a rocking year!
(And hope it's not an apocalyptic year like how a lot of people are saying! HAHA Kidding!)

My Complete 2012 Movie List!

2012-01-15T01:38:00.000+08:00

Last year's movies were real good, and I don't think this year would be such a drag seeing as how there's a lot of great movies to watch out for! And just to help me remember all of them, and to keep a list of my own too, I'm listing them all out!

*Clicking the images would lead you to their movie trailers (all images are from imdb.com)

January

"When human forces discover the existence of the Vampire and Lycan clans, a war to eradicate both species commences. The vampire warrioress Selene leads the battle against humankind."

Will this be the last of the series? I don't think so, but I swear I can't even remember what happened in the previous movie. Still, I want to see this mainly because... they're against humans. (It's about time they kill our race and for them mystical creatures to be the main protagonists!) Jokes aside... who's Michael? And how did she end up locked in that lab or something? HAHAHA I have to brush up on my knowledge about the Underworld series. (See how 'effed up my memory can be?)

"In Moscow, five young people lead the charge against an alien race who have attacked Earth via our power supply."

First of all, why Moscow? I have a feeling that this movie's ending would suck; which then brings the question: Why have I included this in my list? Well, mainly because it's in 3D!!! Haha! I think it will have no redeeming value but... aliens that are shown as light-form-like on 3D screens? Boy, I'd like to see that! (Makes me wonder what type of alien race would Hollywood come up with next? ...I bet it would be water beings. LOL)

"This English-language adaptation of the Swedish novel by Stieg Larsson follows a disgraced journalist, Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), as he investigates the disappearance of a wealthy patriarch's niece from 40 years ago. He is aided by the pierced, tattooed, punk computer hacker named Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara). As they work together in the investigation, Blomkvist and Salander uncover immense corruption beyond anything they have ever imagined."

I'm not really sure if this would be shown in cinemas this January or February; but this movie has been already shown in other countries last December and there were a lot of good reviews about it... I personally would like to read the book first before I'd watch this one.

February

"As Johnny Blaze hides out in Eastern Europe, he is called upon to stop the devil, who is trying to take human form."

This is but yet another movie that I can't remember how the previous one ended! But I would definitely watch this on 3D! I can just imagine how cool the effects would be! Given the chains, the fire, and the skull and clothes that are all burning and shiz. "He pees fire... epic!"

"Two top CIA operatives wage an epic battle against one another after they discover they are dating the same woman."

It's a chick flick and it's expected that it would be terrible. LOLJK. But yes, I would like to see two guys fight silly over a girl... though I don't think Reese is too hot to be fought over. Haha! Kidding aside! I think it's rather wrong for two guys to still go after a girl who cheats on both of them... but then again, that's a man's pride for you! And... these guys are agents! Don't they have anything better to do? Like save the world or something? (Yet, I'm still going to watch it. Haha!)

"Rattled by sudden unemployment, a Manhattan couple surveys alternative living options, ultimately deciding to experiment with living on a rural commune where free love rules. "

I don't think I should explain further. I'd watch it for the laugh, and for Jennifer Aniston.

"A car accident puts Paige (McAdams) in a coma, and when she wakes up with severe memory loss, her husband Leo (Tatum) works to win her heart again."

FUUUUUCK. I'm sure that this movie would tug my heartstrings!!!! It's like a serious version for '50 first dates'; less the memory loss limit. LOL. And shoot! Tatum and McAdams... Oh boy. Haha! This is a perfect sappy movie for February. ♡

"Sean Anderson partners with his mom's boyfriend on a mission to find his grandfather, who is thought to be missing on a mythical island."

I don't think I've ever watched Journey 1. Yet if you see the trailer, I think you'd be enticed to watch this movie too. Especially since The Rock is there to sprinkle his comedic dust yet again (Haha! Tooth Fairy!), but yeah. LOL at the YouTube comment: "Peeta, don't eat the berries!" and The Rock's man boobs.

March

"Set in a future where the Capitol selects a boy and girl from the twelve districts to fight to the death on live television, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister's place for the latest match."

MOST. AWAITED. MOVIE. EVER. (Along with the Avengers) Maaaan, I swear I'd pick the best cinema, best seats, and first screening!!! Haha! I'm just hoping that the movie won't disappoint. (And I still think that they could have picked a better Gale. There's something wrong with his nose and mouth. I am so... mean. Haha! )

"Perseus embarks on a treacherous quest into the underworld to rescue Zeus, who has been targeted for capture by his traitorous son, Ares, and his brother, Hades."

That was one bad choice for a trailer song. Haha, I dunno, it just didn't go well with all that action going on. The previous movie for this one wasn't that good, but because of these gigantic Titans in this second part, I'm willing to watch! ...and Perseus was hotter when he didn't have that much hair. LOL.

"An evil queen steals control of a kingdom and an exiled princess enlists the help of seven resourceful rebels to win back her birthright."

We all know (LOL wait, do we?) that there's that Snow White movie of Kristen Stewart which is on a more serious note; so if you're up for comical relief, here's one for you. And yes, I think I'd like to watch this movie—but not really in the cinemas. Maybe at home.

April

"A man wrongly convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage against the U.S. is offered his freedom if he can rescue the president's daughter from an outer space prison taken over by violent inmates."

This is one movie discovery which looked quite... entertaining. Becauseeeee, if you'd see the trailer, the main protagonist's banters were pretty funny and I think I'd give this a shot. (The title for the movie is a bit confusing though, because in some sites, they say the title is Lock-Out. But well, whatever.)

"A comedy that charts the ups and downs of an engaged couple's relationship."

"This is why we don't delay weddings." Looks like a fun movie, so yes, a must-watch too! (A girl can never have too much chick flicks!)

"Jim, Michelle, Stifler, and their friends reunite in East Great Falls, Michigan for their high school reunion."

"Baboooooooyyyyy!" : One of my friend's legit reaction for a movie like this. But yes, confession time, I have watched all American Pie movies because they're fun to watch. HAHA! Yes, really. They are. Just look past the PG18 and the sexual scenes. LOL.

May

"Nick Fury and the international agency S.H.I.E.L.D. bring together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki & his various membered army."

AVENGERSSSSSSSSSSSS!!! Hot men galore! AND. I. WILL. WATCH. THIS. AWESOME. MOVIE. 'Nuff said.

"Agent J travels in time to MIB's early years in the 1960s, to stop an alien from assassinating his friend Agent K and changing history."

Wow... how many years has it been since the last MIB movie? Haha! WILL. WATCH. (See what I did there? LOL) Speaking of Will, he doesn't look like he aged in this movie.

"A fleet of ships is forced to do battle with an armada of unknown origins in order to discover and thwart their destructive goals."

When I first saw the trailer, I was all: "Are those Decepticons?" Haha! And oh, Rihanna is in the cast.

June

"When Cobra spy Zartan has most of the Joes assassinated, the remaining Joes band together to strike back."

I can't recall if I watched the first two G.I. Joe movie. But to be sure, I'll watch it all (again?) and see.

"In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen."

This is the other Snow White movie that I was talking about... my question is... why the sudden sprout of these Snow White movies? But anyway... these are the kind of movies that Stewart should be a part of. I hope she does well.

"Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo join a traveling circus in an effort to get back home to New York."

Because I am a kid at heart. HAHA! Somebody get this gang to New York already.

"President Lincoln's mother is killed by a supernatural creature, which fuels his passion to crush vampires and their slave-owning helpers. "

No trailer yet. The plot really caught my attention because why the hell would they make a previous president as a vampire hunter?? LOL. But still, it's interesting, so I will be on the lookout for this one!

July

"Teenager Peter Parker grapples with both human problems and amazing super-human crises."

A lot of people are loving this movie because it stuck more to the original Spiderman comics... and also because it's Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield!!!!!!!!!!!

"Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, the terrorist leader Bane arrives in Gotham City, pushing it and its police force to their limits, forcing its former hero Batman to resurface after taking the fall for Harvey Dent's crimes."

First, Anne Hatheawa is hot. Second, I love that bad ass football scene. And lastly, because this is a much-awaited movie!

"Emily arrives in Miami with aspirations to become a professional dancer. She sparks with Sean, the leader of a dance crew whose neighborhood is threatened by Emily's father's development plans."

No trailer yet for this one... but I am psyched for this since I loooove dancing! Especially for the street style. I know for one thing that this is going to be in 3D and has some sort of electropop dance thing going on.

"Manny, Diego, and Sid embark upon another adventure after their continent is set adrift. Using an iceberg as a ship, they encounter sea creatures and battle pirates as they explore a new world."

I can never have enough of Scrat. Haha! He is hilarious! And oh... when you watch the trailer in YouTube, this comment is pure win: "F*ck you, Geography teacher!"

August

"A story centered on a new CIA operative in the universe based on Robert Ludlum's novels."

No trailer yet. It's no longer Matt Damon who'll be playing, but Jeremy Renner. But I still think it would be good. And oh, the movie is currently being shot here in Manila where they said that 40% of it will be in the movie.

"Mr. Church reunites the Expendables for what should be an easy paycheck, but when one of their men is murdered on the job, their quest for revenge puts them deep in enemy territory and up against an unexpected threat."

I don't think I've watched the first one... Loser much? LOL. I mean, how could I have not watched the first one? The cast is... whoa. Haha! Time to watch the 1st because this 2nd one is action-packed! (Oh yeah, I remember now why I didn't watch the first; it's because some of my guy friends said it sucked. Well let's hope this one wouldn't.)

September

"Alice fights alongside a resistance movement in the continuing battle against the Umbrella Corporation and the undead."

No trailer yet. It's on 3D! (That's all I can say for now.)

"In a violent, futuristic city where the police have the authority to act as judge, jury and executioner, a cop teams with a trainee to take down a gang that deals the reality-altering drug, SLO-MO."

No trailer yet. Betting that this would be on 3D, and I think this would be awesome. I honestly didn't know who Judge Dredd is until I read it up on Wikipedia. There was a Dredd movie before in the 90s, played by Stallone but they say that the movie was totally unrelated to that.

October

"When Murad (one of the father of the kidnappers that Mills killed) takes Mills and his wife hostage, their daughter is enlisted to help save them."

No trailer yet. And no official poster yet too, BUT it is confirmed that the movie is set to release on October! Taken was a VERY good movie and when I saw this, I thought: "What? Her daughter is going to get kidnapped again? Get your shit together, girl!" (LOL) But then I saw the plot and I was even more surprised. Like how the hell will their daughter help save his bad ass father?? I don't recall her daughter as a martial artist or superhero type. LOL. We'll see then.

November

"After the birth of Renesmee, the Cullens gather other vampire clans in order to protect the child from a false allegation that puts the family in front of the Volturi."

No trailer yet. If you have been following me for quite some time, it's no news that I don't like Twilight. But, I'm still going to watch the Part 2 because first, my best friend would certainly ask me out (haha) and second, I think I'll just have to watch it and see how the movie ends especially because I didn't bother trying to read the last book, so I might as well see it through the end.

December

"Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit, journeys to the Lonely Mountain accompanied by a group of dwarves to reclaim a treasure taken from them by the dragon Smaug."

"My preciousssss" is back!!! LOL. I am an LOTR fan, so I am definitely looking out for this movie. It has been far too long and I miss the LOTR movie-feel! From that song they sang in the trailer, I already had goosebumps!

"An adaptation of the successful stage musical based on Victor Hugo's classic novel set in 19th-century France, in which a paroled prisoner named Jean Valjean seeks redemption. He is hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s (Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever."

No trailer yet. I honestly don't know what this movie is about, so I'll try to find out later on. Yet why do I want to watch it? Because it's based on a 'famous' musical, so since it's famous, I might as well ditch my ignorance and learn more. Haha! And oh, also because they have a great casting: HUGH FUCKING JACKMAN, Amanda Seyfried, Taylor Swift, and more!

"A UN representative, writing a report on the great zombie war, interviews survivors in the wake of World War Z."

No poster and trailer yet. And that UN representative is Brad Pitt! Haha, and yes, it's about zombies so I'll definitely watch it! Brad Pitt is only a bonus to this. (LOLJK). This movie was based from a book.

And that's it! There seemed to be some good horror movies for this year, but those aren't my cup of tea. But anyway, time to save up for all these movie tickets!!!

2012 Human LaSallian Star

2012-01-12T23:47:00.000+08:00

DLSU - D attempts yet again to form the largest human star in the world this 2012; they've done it before in 2009 and 2010 and so maybe this time around, they would nail it—hopefully, with your help! When I was still studying in DLSU, I remembered how I was too busy to take part in this event (boo!) that's why I'm hoping that I could attend this year's affair with my friends and/or college blockmates.

The Human LaSallian Star would take place this March 4, 2012 at the CCP Complex, Pasay City, Manila and everyone is definitely invited! The whole event will start at 7AM as there are activity booths, exhibits, etc. Come 3:30PM, the program will start and then the star formation commences at around 5PM. Afterwards, there will be performances and a street party! (I am so excited already!) Now even if you're not a LaSallian, you're still welcome—more than welcome—to participate! Besides, this year's event aims to raise at least 10M of proceeds for the One La Salle Scholarship Fund.

...Because we're still in the 'It's More Fun in the Philippines' campaign vibe. Haha!

For a brief background (from the event's main site):

The Human Lasallian Star first came to life on February 11, 2009 during the Lasallian Days Festival of De La Salle University-Dasmarinas (DLSU-D) in Cavite Philippines as a means to encourage each Lasallian to show their school spirit in an environment of camaraderie and shared ideals. Attended by over 10,000 people , the first attempt to form the largest human star in the world was held at the University Track and Field/Oval. The star spanned approximately 71 meters, and occupied a total area of 2,145 square meters.

DLSU-D attempted the feat again in January 26, 2010, this time at night at the DLSU-D Grandstand. The event drew in 13,000 participants, comprised of students, faculty, administrators and parents. Participants were given flashlights of green and white, the school colors of De La Salle Philippines

I have a feeling that this year's event will have a LOT more eager participants because it will be held here in the metro; Cavite is too far of a place for some that had wanted to attend the previous star formations since they were a bit hassled to travel to Cavite, to and fro.

Anywaaaay, how could you particpate? There are a lot of choices! Take your pick from below:

BE A PART OF THE STAR!
- Go to the pre-registration page and fill up the necessary details.
- Select the option: "I WANT TO BE PART OF THE STAR"
- There are different mode of payments (see below); minimum of only P100.00 fee to join!
- Your color, star location, and number will be sent to you after completing the registration process.
BE A STAR TO SOMEONE!
- Go to the pre-registration page and fill up the necessary details.
- Select the option: "I WANT TO BE A STAR TO SOMEONE"
- Your color, star location, and number will be given to a scholar.
BE A VOLUNTEER!
- Be a star advocate and help them make the event a success! Send your name and contact info to epcacayuran@dlsud.edu.ph or volunteer.lasallianstar@gmail.com
- To check the current advocate vacancies, visit here.
BE A SPONSOR!
- There are packages devised for individuals, companies, establishments, and institutions who are interested to become event sponsors or partners.
- To sponsor, contact the following: medelrosario@dlsud.edu.ph, jsparohinog@dlsud.edu.ph, sponsor.lasallianstar@gmail.com, and/or lasallianstar@gmail.com

Mode of Payments

Check Payment
Payable to: DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY-DASMARIÑAS
Cash Payment
To Counter 15 or 16 of the Accounting Office of De La Salle University-Dasmariñas
Credit Card Payment
To Counter 15 or 16 of the Accounting Office of De La Salle University-Dasmariñas (Minimum of P500)
Online / Over-the-Counter Bills Payment
May be through BPI, Security Bank, Metrobank or SM Payment Center of Dasmariñas
Bank Deposit (For foreign currencies only)
Through BPI
Foreign Currency Savings Account Name: De La Salle University-Dasmariñas
Foreign Currency Savings Account Number: 0964-0222-24
Swift Code: BOPIPHMM

AND WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIT! THERE'S MORE! (LOL)

If you were a part of the 2009 and/or 2010 Star formations, you can send an essay (maximum of 300 words with up to 5 images) to lasallianstar@gmail.com. Winners are chosen weekly. Prize: Lasallian Star Badge Souvenir.

My tip to you if you're coming with your friends is that you should all pay for your registration at the same time. So hurry and register before they run out of slots! And here's to hoping that you still got the Animo in you!

My DLSU Yearbook

2012-01-09T22:48:00.002+08:00

I finally had the chance to visit DLSU and claim my yearbook! (It's about time!) Anyhow, it was a bit of a shame that I didn't have the chance to stay a bit longer in the campus because I was really just passing by... but while I was there though, I realized how I badly missed my college days... (Wow. I sound like I'm old already.)

And oh, moving on with the yearbook, may I just say........... It was too damn heavy!!!!

It didn't help that I was commuting. It didn't even help that I have scoliosis; I felt as though every step that I took with my yearbook in hand was a step closer to a broken spine. But then again, the suffering was worth it because our batch's yearbook kicked ass!

I graduated from DLSU just last June 2011 and we were the first batch that graduated for that year—a year where we were celebrating our 100th year anniversary! So naturally, the yearbook should be glam and shiz; and well... Green and White (GnW; the group responsible for making DLSU's yearbooks) didn't disappoint.

The front cover looked a bit too simple but the inside's designs were vivid! I even love the nifty handbag that came along with this—mainly because it helped my lifting efforts. LOLJK.

By the way, a funny thing happened when I was claiming my copy. A member of GnW (who was a girl) assisted me, and an 'excerpt' of our conversation went like this:

Her: Last name po?
Me: Adalid.
Her: Wait po ah...
Me: Okay.
Her: Here po. Please sign here po.
Me: Sure... *signs*
Her: That's all po. Congrats po!
Me: Thanks.

Here's the deal: Every respectful "po's" she blurted killed me bit by bit! I may be an alumni but for all I know, we might actually be of the same age seeing as I graduated in a young age; and bejesus, I have left DLSU for more or less eight months only!

Haha! I promise you, there was never a sentence of hers that didn't include a 'po'. I'm thankful for the respect but I do not accept that too many pos. I know I could've brought it to her attention but my mind was too busy panicking as to why this girl was treating me like an oldie. (I'm touchy okay? HAHA!)

Kidding aside, I had a LOT of fun browsing through the photos of my batchmates. The only biggest downfall for this yearbook is... MY PICTURE.

I have long known that I am not photogenic; the camera and I had a lifelong love-hate relationship. Now for my yearbook photo, good ol Mr. Camera decided to abhor me like hell. LOL. Ever since I first saw my photoshoot results for graduation, I badly wanted to retake it! But to hell with it, I didn't want to waste money nor time so I decided to let it be...

But then I realized that, ten years from now, some batchmates of mine might be hanging out over drinks of wine and then they'd remember me and wanted to see how I looked like in college... so then... booyah! My ghastly picture would welcome them!!! I swear, I never had a decent yearbook picture ever since elementary.

*sigh*

But oh blast it... let me just say it again! TO HELL WITH IT!

I'm a whole lot prettier up close and I'm sure they'd know that! So, yearbook pictures? Pssssh!

(What is up with that confidence? HAHA!)

All ridiculousness and exaggeration aside, my photo wasn't actually that bad.
I just hated how they made my bangs disappear.

My yearbook write up, by the way, was made by my best friend, Celine, and it went like this:

Aileen is one true friend you are fortunate to meet in college. With an incomparable sense of humor, she has no trouble making friends and having others feel at ease around her. Protective of her loved ones, she is a shoulder one can cry on—she will listen with no judgment. She has a kind heart and an optimistic personality. With her persevering nature, she succeeds in everything she sets her heart and mind into. Sensible. Talented. Independent. This is Aileen.

I love my best friend! It's even amazing how the last statement 'This is Aileen' totally had a feel of my blog feel. (I can't bother to expound. Haha!)

Before I end this, there was this one photo that caught my eye mainly because the theme was copied from a photo that I've seen before in Tumblr; and well, it's just cool.

How about yours? Did you have any yearbook mishaps?

It's More Fun in the Philippines!

2012-01-08T17:01:00.003+08:00

This is one of the reasons why I hate not having the internet for days: I miss out on a lot of interesting things. But anyway, I found out that our Department of Tourism just released it's latest marketing campaign: It's more fun in the Philippines [ campaign's official site ]. Aaaand as per usual, it was met by a lot of criticisms, and met by yet another allegation that DOT copied it from a 1951 Swiss National Tourist Office campaign.

Our officials stated that it was a mere coincidence and it's not even a unique line... If you ask me, I wouldn't give a damn. 1951 is such a freakin' long time ago, and heck, it's hard to find an original idea these days anyway. So coincidence or not, I find this a good campaign; better than the 'Wow! Philippines' and 'Pilipinas 'Kay Ganda' campaigns. No... scratch that, I love this campaign! Not only because the catchphrase holds true, but also because it leaves a LOT of room for us Filipinos to have fun with the campaign itself! Haha!

DOT planned for this campaign to go viral; and boy, did it really!

A lot of people didn't only put their own touch and fun twists to the campaign, but there are also some who have posted such satirical and funny ones (meme) too! Arnold Gamboa had even set up a site where all crowd-made photos supporting the campaign will be gathered and posted: visit it [ here ]. And Anton Diaz made a collection too: visit it [ here ].

So far, here are some of the interesting photos that I've seen:

Well, I think it was a lot more fun when my alma mater's (DLSU) basketball team was playing up to par with ADMU. That hasn't happened as of late though. LOL.

And since I can be biased as hell, here's the BEST photo I've seen!

LOL. Yes, that's a picture of Batanes.

And I badly miss my hometown.

If you want to help spread this campaign, you can check by this blog and create your own 'More fun in the Philippines' artwork.

Starting January

2012-01-08T15:46:00.000+08:00

I have been inactive for the past few days mainly because my internet connection was messing up. It's only today that Globe's tech team managed to fix it, so here I am! FINALLY!

Started the year by visiting Browhaus! I was advised that I should visit them monthly, but in my case, I only visit them whenever my self-maintenance gets messed up—and so, yes, it got messed up and so I visited them, haha! From all the eyebrow shaping establishments here in the Metro, Browhaus is the only place that I love, highly-recommend, and trust. Costly; yes, but definitely worth the money.

Started the year with a sore throat and a cold! BOOOOO!!! The medicines that I were taking didn't really help. Up until now, I'm sniffing and coughing like mad. Back in the office, a lot of people are coughing up too that sometimes it sounded like a mini orchestral play. LOL. So I hope all of you take some precautions if you haven't caught the colds yet.

Started the year by joining the Project 366 hype! I decided to start this in my Tumblr site, so I hope you guys check it out! (Click image below to be brought to the site:)

Saw this nice surprise just a while ago:

I was so overwhelmed! To think that an assistant editor had checked out my blog! I tried to investigate how it had come to this and here's what happened... First, my blog entry was tweeted by Kissa Castañeda; Preview's Lifestyle Editor and Lifestylist in Cosmo:

And then in another event, Petti Grandidge (a TV host) wanted to see the page in Cosmo where the Honda's Candy Rose Red Scoopy was featured, and then Irish Dizon (the one who posted the above comment in my blog) replied to Patti by mentioning my blog entry!!!

Now I know the reason why my blog had a LOT of pageviews last January 4! Haha! To Cosmo, thank you very much as well; I didn't realize that that particular honest blog entry would have such an impact. Once again, thank you!

Cheers to a promising year ahead!!! (Minus the sickness.)

Cosmo's January Issue

2012-01-03T22:16:00.000+08:00

It's a holiday for me today at work (bless you, London) that's why I got the chance to visit the dentist for my yearly check-up. In the end, I made my dentist put a small dental filling to one of my teeth because I felt a cavity forming—well actually, it was a bit aggravating because first, he didn't notice that tooth and second, because I think he did a half-assed job and I hate myself for realizing that important fact only after I had him do it and left. But anyway...

After my trip to St. Luke's, I decided to drop by the mall to finally grab a copy of Cosmo! Now I've been wanting to buy this issue since I've seen good feedback from tweets and also because there's a free pink zebra-print pouch that goes along with it! ♥ ...and well, since I habitually buy it every month anyway. Haha!

I have never failed to buy a monthly copy of Cosmo and that's for like... almost 3 years now. And I’m actually thinking of subscribing already... But! A part of me constantly cautions that one day I might stop wanting it because it’s costly too. (But look at me, three years and I’m still buying!) So I guess if ever Cosmo comes up with a promo for new subscribers, then I’ll certainly grab that chance!

Anyway, I love this month's issue because there are a lot of good articles! And if you're an avid Cosmo like myself, you'll notice the changes to the magazine since they now have a new editor. (Well technically she was already their editor before.) Now, Zo did a fantastic job really, but I just love how Myrza is running things! There's just certainly a lot more content and information—well some are repetitive but that can't be helped—and just... oh gosh... just... Kudos to the Cosmo team! With all those helpful articles, it makes me fear for them that they might not have any more topics to explore! HAHA! Kidding!

From all their articles, I especially loved their January Happy List! Mainly because it gave me an overview of whats out there in the market as of late; and yes, it's not called a happy list for nothing. Haha!. They also have a 2012 Bedside Astrologer section but I don't think I'd be referring to that—yet. LOL.

Nevertheless, I suggest that you grab a copy of Cosmo, now!

Welcoming 2012

2012-01-03T01:27:00.001+08:00

Happy new year from my family to yours!

And oh. Let's not think it's an apocalyptic year, okay? Haha!

Like what I have already mentioned before, I spent new year at my parents' house in Caloocan. As usual, I helped prepare our food for Media Noche; it was certainly a simple celebration for my family but we still had a blast (while the sounds of our neighbors firecrackers accompanied our feast all throughout LOL). But anyway, during the night of the 31st, my sister and I had a movie marathon after we had finished cooking and then, thereafter, as the clock slowly approached midnight, I hung out by the porch to watch the fireworks... and also to watch my dad put out some fireworks of his own:

First thing that I have to say though before I proceed: I have a hunch that I was possessed by a distant cousin of the Chipmunks or something because I swear... that did not sound like my normal voice at all! Haha! Also, I meant to say fountain (not 'firework') and sparklers (not 'firework' HAHA!)

Aaaand yes, I am and always will be afraid of firecrackers. I am more into the watching-them-from-afar kind of thing. As evidenced by the below candid photo, I am not a fan of sudden booms and bangs, here and there. Seriously, it's bad for my heart. LOL.

Besides, as from what you can see in the video too, mom turned from lovingly-coaxing into angry-woman when I repeatedly denied to hold the sparklers. (I know, okay? It's JUST a sparkler, but who knows if it suddenly decides to sparkle on the other end?! LMAO).

Mom is smiling in the picture; but inside, I bet she's angrily wondering as to why her daugher is so maarte. LOLJK.

Anyway... moving on, let's get it on with a family picture!

Dad looooves looking like Uncle Scrooge in photos.

Not only during Christmas, but for the whole year.

As you can see, I'm wearing a red polka-dot skirt (for luck) and a blue top (for luck too as it is said to be this year's lucky color). Errr.... Superstitions. Superstitions. It will never go away, I'm telling you. Haha!

Now before I end this entry, let me just say that I am very hopeful for this year.

I do have a feeling that even without trying, 2012 will be great for me! (See how optimistic I am already? LOL). If I take a moment to look back, I can say that 2011 has been a very great year: full of learnings, luck, experiences, mistakes, success, heartache, pain, loss, gain, happiness, thrill—yes, a mix of everything to cut it short, bust just so you'll know, it is still one of the most memorable years that I've had so far.

Now, I'm not really a fan of making resolutions but I have at least tried to come up with my own 2012 theme and mantra:

"I won't be afraid anymore..."

...to try, to explore, to love, to take risks, and to be me.

Once again, happy new year!

Let's all have an awesome 2012!!!

But then again, I'm sure we all will!

5, 4, 3, 2, 1...!!!

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000+08:00

Here's to a great year ahead for all of us!
I hope you're spending this first day of the year in a very good mood because on my part....... I'm having LOADS and LOADS of fun! I'm even loving the view here at my parent's house in Caloocan since we're very high up! (I'll soon upload a video just so you'd see what an spectacular view it is that I'm seeing!)

On a side note, I am VERY hyper right now!!!! But clearly, the way I'm writing this entry shows otherwise.

BUT SHOOT! HELL YEAH!
HERE'S TO A LEGENDARY 2012!!!!

Year-End Sales!

2011-12-31T09:21:00.000+08:00

Other than the celebrations (Christmas and New Year) one of the things that we all look forward to during these past days are... SALES!!! SALES!!! SALES!!!

Haha! I took a vacation leave from work this Christmas season that on the last day of my leave, I decided to drop by to the mall and buy new cosmetics and to just... shop. LOL.

End result: Boy, did I spend a lot (that it's kinda scary! Haha!)

But anyway, from all the loot that I bought, one of the things that I was very thankful of finding was this great purple purse/wallet from Aldo! I swear.... it was such a good find! Its original price was around P1,200 but I only bought it for P800!!!

Other than Aldo, great brands such as Mango, Zara, Forever21 and a freakin' lot more are also holding sales right now! For instance, Mango is selling some items at a 70% off! Now ain't that sweet?! It found it remarkable how there were a lot of empty shelves when I dropped by the Mango branch in Greenbelt... it was kinda crazy.

Anyway... I guess it's a no-brainer that the items that usually go on sale are mostly the undesirables left in a shop's inventory. But so far, the clothes and etc. that I saw weren't "sale-material" at all! I was so ecstatic all throughout the day!

Now I know that it's already the 31st, but don't panic! Year-end sales usually extend up to January so you still have roughly 4 weeks to save up!

Good luck shopping, and may you find great choices! Haha!

Luxe Nail Lounge

2011-12-30T18:07:00.001+08:00

I can't remember a time where I didn't have my nails done right before new year's. So... thank goodness for the gift certificates from Cosmo (during the Singles' Bash), I had a 'free' trip to Luxe Nail Lounge for a mani-pedi!

Before I go on, can I just say that this was such a really nice nail salon! It's my first time to visit them but my experience had been great! First thing off, the place has this 'cozy but classy' ambiance which I really fancied and sure enough, their theme of 'luxe' was strengthened by the dim lights and posh sofas and whatnot's that they have set up. The place may be small and you might even have a hard time locating them in Robinsons Galleria, but still, this would be one of the nail salons that I would certainly recommend!

Now... I have ALWAYS painted my nails red in preparation for the new year, especially because we all have a superstition that red signals luck, love, and whatever good shiz. But I felt like breaking that habit.s So ince I have decided to really become more active in blogging, I thought, "Why not paint my nails using the main colors of my blog?" And hence.... viola!~

Next time, I'm planning on availing their nail art service and customizing it a bit (if they could) because I saw one of the choices where there's this zebra print design, so I was wondering if next time I'd ask for a gold color as a base coat and then a leopard-print. I mean, that would be really awesome if they could.

Speaking of service, their employees were very friendly! And their service was superb. I promise you. I actually availed only their basic treatment since I was in a hurry, but having two different girls taking care of my hand and feet separately had really made me feel like I had availed their luxe (their most expensive) service.

Yes. Mila Fucking Kunis. Haha!

I like how there is an abundance of GQ magazines in Luxe because I have been wanting to read this August issue where Mila Kunis was on the cover. (I just love her the same way that I love Emma Stone! ♥)

LOL. I just had to take a picture of that! Girl crush? YES. LOL.

Anyway, here is their main service menu:

EXPRESS. Simply shaping plus the painting part; for those in a rush!
Manicure : P150
Pedicure : P180
BASIC. Soaking + Shaping + Massage + Paint
Manicure : P180
Pedicure : P220
LOUNGE. Soaking + Shaping + Reflexology + Paint
They use an organic, Vitamin E, non-greasy shea body butter for the foot reflexology.
Manicure : P330
Pedicure : P500
LUXE. Soaking + Shaping + Scrubbing + Clay Mask + Extended Massage + Paint
They scrub your feet and hands with milk and dead sea salt scrub.
Manicure : P380
Pedicure : P550

AFFORDABLE? YES.

They also offer other services such as waxing, massage, and the like.

And oh, for the couples out there, you can bring your guy along! I saw several couples going in and out, availing the service, during the time that I was there.

Luze Nail Lounge is located at the Lower Level East Lane of Robinsons Galleria (Ortigas Center, Pasay City). It's better to have a reservation, so call them up at 634-5395

My 2011 Christmas

2011-12-27T01:27:00.002+08:00

I really didn't want Christmas to end. But then again, who wouldn't want it to last longer? You see... just the thought of all the decors that would soon be stored away, only to be seen again next year made me a bit melancholic... The bustle of the people while they chatter enjoyably about their Christmas parties, get-togethers, Simbang Gabi sprees, shopping adventures, and so on, and so on. Boy... There's surely a LOT to miss!

But then I remembered that the New Year celebration will soon come up (in just a matter of days!), so... I didn't fret for too long.

And though it's a bit late...

Ho ho ho! (LOL) To all my friends and followers: How was your Christmas?

I hope you all had fun (and had not suffered food coma or whatever that may be called). On my part, the whole Christmas 'season' had been warm, eventful, and... AWESOME! Oh yessss!

I thank everyone who had given me such thoughtful and wonderful presents! My friends, my family, and also Deutsche Bank along with my three bosses! I especially loved the company gift because it was a neat universal-solar-charger; perfect for an on-the-go chic like me! ...also because my phone runs out of battery rather too quickly. (I guess it's time to buy a new phone/battery?)
My family spent Noche Buena here at home with me (I live independently from my parents); and thereafter, we went to Caloocan to spend the 25th. Aaaand I cooked our Noche Buena food! Well actually, mom and I. Haha! But still, I was a big part of it, okay? LOL. And oh, I offered to shoulder all the expenses for our celebration too! Just because... I already could. Haha, it's more of an added gift for my family aside from the presents that I actually gave them. Here's a picture of me and my older sister:
I also finally got to see my nephew, Gian, again! I didn't have that much time to always drop by at Caloocan... so yeah. I was so surprised as to how big he is now! He turned out to be lot more hyperactive too. (I keep joking that my sister has been spiking his milk with drugs or something) See how easy it was to make him laugh!
Just a quick backtrack: During the 23rd, some of the guys from my block invited me along to join them for dinner. We were at Greenbelt; we watched 'Immortals' (FREAKIN' HOT MEN WITH ABS! ALL OVER THE SCREEN!) and then ate at California Pizza Kitchen. I initially planned to go home before 12AM, but we ended up having an all-nighter at Dennis and Yam's place at Makati; we stayed up telling stories, drinking, and doing truth-games. LOL. It was a very fun night!
The only downside of this Christmas is that... I feel a cold coming on and that my neighbors are starting to set off firecrackers. (Once, I thought my ears were going to bleed when a firecracker set off just as I was passing by.) Darn it.

No matter the case... I'm all set for New Year!

Winner of my 2012 BDJ Planner Giveaway is....

2011-12-25T14:06:00.000+08:00

a Rafflecopter giveaway Yep, that's right! Congratulations Aletha Jane Infante!!! ...and Merry Christmas!

IMPORTANT: If you're reading this Aletha, please reply immediately to the e-mail (or through the message that I left in your Tumblr). If you won't reply to me two days from now [Dec 27 - 12PM], I'll be drawing another winner. So yes, please reply!

Now that this giveaway is about to close, fret not!!! Because come January, I have yet another giveaway to make for all my followers—a bigger and greater one! Haha. So please stick around for my next announcement; you might win next time!

Preview of some of the prizes' brands that I'll be giving away this January:

UPDATE: Aletha had already replied. Thank you everyone for joining! Till the next giveaway!

Minnie Mouse Inspired Get-up

2011-12-24T20:54:00.001+08:00

At work, Fridays are our free days; we don't need to dress serious for business and I love Deutsche Bank for that. Haha! So yesterday, I wore this to work:

Now... If not for my coworker, Ella, we wouldn't have noticed that my outfit was Minnie Mouse-themed! Once she pointed that out, we all had a good laugh! And for the remainder of the day, we kept cracking jokes; but most of the time it was just them, making witty remarks whenever they get the chance. (Cool work mates FTW!) Meanwhile, our team's boss, Donna, surprised me by saying that she will make me a bag to match my red polka-dot skirt! ♥

My outfit:

White Top from Hong Kong night market

Black Top from Hong Kong night market

Black Necklace from Forever21

Polka Dot Skirt... this was a skirt that I wore when I was still small. I raided our old closet space and I found this among many other good pieces! HAHA! YES.

Flats from Parisian

If you have an idea or a photo of another chic way of dressing up like Minnie Mouse, drop me a line. Haha!

I would love to see what you'd come up with.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

2011-12-24T13:02:00.000+08:00

MY RATING:
GENRE: Action, Adventure, Thriller
[ *Spoilers ahead* ]
Images from imdb.com

Since we had a promo/discount from work, I did a little genius trick (that I wouldn't disclose) and so I managed to get in ALL of my four friends to the screening of Ghost Protocol! LOL.

FAST FACT: I can't remember the last time I watched a Mission: Impossible movie; actually, I don't know if I've even watched any of the previous three sequels in the first place (the latest before this one was last 2006 so I think I'd bet that I didn't watch it.) LOL. I had a good laugh too, because the first time that I saw the movie poster, I didn't even recognize Tom Cruise (I didn't read the poster either because if I did, I'd have surely seen his name). I didn't even know that he was the main protagonist for all of the MI movies. I simply just didn't. Haha! Loser much?

Anyway, the trailer for this was very well made in building up the anticipation and besides, we're talking about MI franchise here so a lot of people would clearly be hyped. Here's the plot for the movie:

Ethan Hunt and his team are racing against time to track down a dangerous terrorist named Hendricks, who has gained access to Russian nuclear launch codes and is planning a strike on the United States. An attempt by the team to stop him at the Kremlin ends in a disaster, with an explosion causing severe destruction to the Kremlin and the IMF being implicated in the bombing, forcing the President to invoke Ghost Protocol, under which the IMF is disavowed, and will be offered no help or backup in any form. Undaunted, Ethan and his team chase Hendricks to Dubai, and from there to Mumbai, but several spectacular action sequences later, they might still be too late to stop a disaster. (www.imdb.com)

I've seen a lot of people saying: "You should have watched it on IMAX! You have got to see the spectacular sequences in IMAX!" Well, unfortunately, I didn't watch it on IMAX, but I was satisfied enough with the movie when I viewed it through the normal screen.

But anyway, first off! The plot: You'd be a fool if you thought that there would be something new or unique in MI's plot. Even if I don't remember any of the previous MI films, I still expected that the plot would be of generic quality; having known that, the reason then as to why I bothered watching this in the cinema is because I was after the scenes and near-death scenarios... and yes, Tom Cruise. Even if he's already old and wrinkled. Haha.

Speaking of old, Tom Cruise is really old huh. (Have I said old enough?) Actually, I've long seen how his body had already 'downgraded' and that was in the movie Knight and Day. But putting that aside, his performance was still fucking great! I love how they've also portrayed that even agents have their ungraceful moments (the slip-ups, etc.).

MOVIE FACT: He did his own stunts in Burj Khalifa. No stunt double. And Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world! That's Tom fucking Cruise for you! (I have a feeling that he did this as he secretly has a bucket list to check. LMAO. He is getting old, right?) What's more to it is that he did the stunts very well as well!

To my followers who are guys... let me ask you: If you were in his shoes, would you be man enough to make the same decision that he did?

Me... If I were a man, I wouldn't do it. I'd suck it up and be honest about it because I really can't handle heights. Simply watching the views shown in MI was enough to make me feel queasy, so how much more for the real thing right? (And how much more for IMAX!)

...But actually, if I think about it thoroughly, I guess might do it too if we're going to talk about bucket lists, you know? Haha! (Am I making sense here?)

Here's a sneak preview of how they did the scene at the Burj Khalifa:

Most of my friends have made comments that this movie was spiced up with a LOT of comedy, and I agree. As for the other characters, I was very surprised when I realized that Benji was Simon Pegg: the main protagonist in Shaun of the Dead. (I really have to brush up on my knowledge of Hollywood, yeah?) I loved how he brought most of the comic relief in MI. But it's not Like Tom didn't throw a punch line or two there.

There was one scene though where Tom was driving and then they encountered camels on the road. I think Tom just said, "Camels", laughed, and then swerved to avoid hitting them... And well... after that scene, I was all: WHAT? WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT? Was I supposed to laugh? I didn't get it.

Also, was I supposed to believe that in real life, Tom's character (Ethan Hunt) wouldn't be seen by anyone in Burj Khalifa while he scours around the building like a circus performer? No. That's not realistic.

Okay. Wait.
Let's not ruin the movie. HAHA! I mean, I still want to relish the thrill that I felt when I first watched Tom do those stunts. All throughout that scene, I severely symphatized with him, haha. I can even feel as though I was with him, climbing that building like a monkey... and every slip he makes, I feel the same fear too. (LOL. I was attached okay?)

Overall, it was a great watch. A bit too long, but you'd forget your complaints because the story, the characters, and the scenes were interesting enough to stick to your thoughts for a while. (Well, at least for my case.)

Here's a few more things I'd like to say though:

The assassin character, played by Léa Seydoux, didn't give me enough time to loathe her; and I hope the director rather did something about that because it's like when she died, I was all: "Oh, okay. She's dead." And then after that, it's like she was never a part of the movie at all; except for that kick ass entrance that she did in the opening of the movie.
Paula Patton was great in playing Jane... but a part of me wishes that they had picked a hotter girl instead because... well if we're talking about undercover people, spies, or whatever, I imagine some hot girl to complete the plot (say Nikita). Now it's not like I'm not acknowledging Paula's beauty because she's really beautiful! But you know... for instance, in the scene where she seduced that Indian guy... I really didn't expect her to succeed in seducing anyone at all if not for her nice eyeliner. LOL JK.

...I think Ghost Protocol would have been a lot more awesome in a 4D cinema. Don't you agree?

Christmas Party #1: Denim Christmas Party at Relik Tapas Bar and Lounge

2011-12-22T21:30:00.000+08:00

FINALLY! I now have some free time to blog!

I've been wanting to post this because I really wanted to put up what I've been up to for the past two(?) weeks. But anyway. Last December 9 (Friday), we had our department-wide Christmas Party at Relik Tapas Bar and Lounge located at BGC - The Fort—which is like a stone's throw away from my workplace. LOL.

Earlier that day, everyone in our department (Global Credit Trading) tried to finish our work ASAP and I swear... we were such a funny sight! We were rushing all over the place and there was a lot of buzz going on and hushed whispers of excitement all throughout the day, haha!

Anyhow, Relik was a very neat place! Despite the fact that it looked a little bit out-of-place (it was located in the parking lot of Commercenter building) their nice logo and rustic front façade was in every way an enticing invitation for its customers.

Inside, the place looked antique and the dim lights in particular helped much in achieving the theme that they wanted to portray. There were even a lot of interesting decorative elements spread out all over the area that my team (Utilities) and I had spent quite some time inspecting.

I tried to search what 'Chivas' meant, and they said it was the Spanish word for goats... really?? Why goats??

I loveee their decor!

Cozy, cozy, cozy!

Best-est Relik decor! LOL.

Our team was one of those who came in early for the evening; some of our teammates were late though since they still had to finish their work, but anyway!

L to R: Sheila (my supervisor), Tessa (the other supervisor), Ella (soon-to-be mommy!), Me (with my new red hair!), Elaine, and Maryjo (both new joiners that I've trained.)

Finally, after 30 minutes, our other team mates came.

L to R: Cha (my table-mate!), Noe and Bill (both new joiners that I've also trained! OMG... this made me realize how high the turnover of our team is and how I really had to catch up even if I've only been with the company for 3 months. I mean... hello, see how I had to train all of our new joiners? Haha!)

This is Kae, our future lawyer! I freaking love her hair!

TRIVIA: Almost all of the members of our team are accountants; CPA even. Sheeet. Intimidation! Haha!

Finally, after an hour, the Christmas program started. BUT, before we proceeded to the games, we had our buffet dinner (yes, it was a buffet!) and I swear to you, the food was fucking divine! I didn't give a damn if I was eating too much!

After the tummy overload was the games portion. But before I proceed, may I just say that for every game, my team would always shout for my name as our group's representative... What can I say? Thank you, guys, thank you. (Haha!) There was this one game though that was solely for new joiners of each teams under GCT and... well, I naturally played. Along with me were Noe and Elaine.

The game was called 'Drink or Dare': they would ask us questions and if we can't answer, we'll either have to do the dare or drink.

We lost.

But come oooooonnnnnn, the questions were all... I dunno... a pile of bull? LOL! HAHA! Examples of the questions were:

"How many world clocks are there in our floor?"
"What are the words that flash on your Avaya phone when on standby?"

WTF. We are all new joiners, yes, but I don't think we were that bored to even mind the screen of our phones. I did have a week of idle time when I first came, but... no... I never thought of minding those. (I think that's mainly because I was busy surfing the internet! HAHA! We are allowed to use the internet at the office, that's why.)

Defeated, we just came back to our table and decided to just camwhore and get all wasted and shiz.

The one in yellow is our team lead: Donna.
And the guy on the upper right is Jojo.

See how freaking cool my team is????? BE JEALOUS. BE VERY JEALOUS. LOL.

Elaine = Lasinggera. I promise you. HAHA!

Finally, the highlight of our night:

THE RAFFLE DRAW!!!!

I say highlight not only because of the prizes BUT because I had one of the most embarrassing moments in my life! Story: it was already the announcement of the grand prize winner, and our Vice President said it like this:

JPS: The winner for the grand prize is in............. the UTL team!
My Team: *stood up shouting like hyenas*
JPS: And the last name starts with an "A"!!!
Me: OH MY GOD!!! *started to shout and get excited too; all eyes were on me too!*
JPS: Her last name is! ..................Aguilar!!!
Me: Woooo!!!!—wait. That's not me...

We forgot that we also had a team mate whose family name starts with a letter A; unfortunately he was on leave so he didn't win the prize either. BUT ANYWAY! It was all so very comical because I was so into getting all hyper and shiz! Come on, dude, I really thought I was going to win!!!!

But why the hell did JPS have to say "her"? Did he not see that the first name was Aldrin? I don't think there's ever a common girl that's named as Aldrin.

For the remainder of the night, we continued to make jokes about what had happened—and yes, they kept on teasing me too. Gaaaah. Haha! Nevertheless, it was a very fun night! This was my first ever party with my first company/first job, and I'm very thankful for having such a great team at work.

Ayala Triangle's Christmas Symphony of Lights: 2011 "Spectacular Spectrum"

2011-12-18T07:14:00.001+08:00

For three years (including this year), Ayala Triangle Makati has become one of the hottest spots during the Christmas season and it's mainly because of its dazzling lights and sounds symphony. It has actually been dubbed as 'Symphony of Lights' and for this year, their theme was called 'Spectacular Spectrum'.

Just last Friday, I decided to drop by so I could finally find out for myself as to why a lot of people enjoy this kind of display; so yes ladies and gents, it was my first time!

I found out that this show started last November 16 and it will run everyday from 6:00PM to 9:00PM (every hour) up to until December 30; and of course, it's free for the public! I'm not sure if it would also be played during the weekends and I'm also not sure if they still do those mini programs too (dancing actors or whatnot's)... but anyway! This was great! Simple—yes—but still a wonderful experience. ♥ It wasn't a complete waste of effort seeing as how I walked down Ayala and then towards this area after work, haha!

It is said that the 650,000 (whoa!) lights that they've set up for this show were eco-friendly since they are LEDs or light-emitting diodes. This year's 'Spectacular Spectrum' was created by lighting designer Voltaire de Jesus and composers Jazz Nicolas and Mikey Amistoso.

There was also this Belen display at the entrance.

I checked out videos for this during 2010 and 2009; and I think the effects are quite the same; I mean, the concept and all that jazz. Last year's show looked a bit more 'festive' and 'Christmas-y' though... I guess, I'm just hoping that a lot more 'pizzazz' would be done for 2012 or else, people might grow tried of this. LOLJK! Nevertheless, I don't think this 'fad' won't wane out that fast. Good job to the crew who made this possible!

If you have enough time, I suggest that you drop by Ayala Triangle to watch, to unwind and to bask yourself into this holiday's festivities.

Pre-Christmas Hype and Celebrations

2011-12-14T00:07:00.000+08:00

My favorite time of the year! Everything just feels so festive and merry; with all the decorations, Christmas lights and whatnot's—aaaah... It's such a unique kind of bliss especially when you pass by places such as Policarpio and the Ayala Triangle during night time—the bustle and throng of people makes it even feel more spirited and it's always such a pretty sight! ♥

One of the things that make me feel warm whenever I think of Christmas were the times when I was little and I would go around our town in Batanes to carol! I never see a lot of kids doing that here in the metro and if there are, they're often the street kids. In the more 'higher-up' areas like subdivisions, it's kind of sad to see that most of them don't do caroling. (Guys, prove me wrong!) Other than caroling, what I remember most about Christmas is the 'Simbang Gabi' (Evening Mass)! Having to wake up as early as 3AM was ALWAYS such a boon and I would constantly have to go through the agony of fighting sleep while I attend mass! Haha! But the rewarding things aside from the religious part of the Simbang Gabi are always the ff: the cool chilly air and the hot /delicious breakfast meals every morning! It gives off some sort of pseudo-winter feeling. (Oh how I wish we'd have winter here in the tropics!)

Now before the 25th arrives this year, as usual, there are the usual pre-celebrations and all the Christmas shopping sprees, rituals, etc. etc. etc. that go along with my holidays. And since I'm a bit lazy (as always), let me give you (the usual) brief updates in my life:

I'm always playing such good Christmas songs in my iPod and at home. As of the moment, I'm hooked with Kenny G's Christmas Holiday Collection and Michael Bublé's 2011 Christmas Special Edition album. Download it, they are such good tunes for this time of the year!

We had our department's (at my workplace) Christmas party at Relik, The Fort. And it was fab!!! Haha! I'm still new to my job, so I guess my bosses finally got to see the real me—the hyperactive me—haha! The best part about it was that I also got the chance to see their fun side too! I'm glad to have such cool bosses! ★ (I'll be posting another entry about this later)

Another reason why I have such cool bosses: They're too sweet! Just last Monday, I received an early Christmas gift from one of my bosses. (I say bosses when in fact I technically only have one boss; I just simply refer to the other two supervisors in our team as my 'bosses' too!) I am actually thankful to God that in all the work that I've gone through (including my 3 previous internship stints), I always—and luckily—have such awesome bosses! They're always nice but all the same strict when needed; and that's what I always wanted for a boss: a hard nut on the outside, but a softie on the inside.

I just had my 1st round of Christmas shopping!...and I'm about to be broke as f*ck. LOL. I may be working, yeah, but my finances can be a bit hard to handle especially when the times are like this (holidays + economy downfall!) HAHA! I advise that you do your Christmas shopping as early as now, because I'm telling you, it's already a jungle out there!

There's another party tomorrow! But this time, only for our own team at work! Can't wait! A while ago, I just bought the gift for the person that I picked for our Xmas Kringle; she was wishing for black shoes... and so, as expected, I granted her wish! Haha! Now let me just flaunt to you how I absolutely love how I packed my gift for this person. LOL.

Mind you... I didn't spend a single peso for the wrapping at all! Talk about recycling! Ha!

Aaaaaand! I also have another Christmas party coming up this Saturday! For our whole company this time around! It's a masquerade theme party and I'm still looking for the perfect mask: the thing is, I'm thinking of a whole black get-up. Now I know it's Christmas, but... bah!!! Haha! I already bought some laced gloves and black stockings; I already have the dress too, so all I need now is a black mask. I know I can buy, but a part of me wants to do a DIY one. I'll post my picture soon about what my outfit would look like this weekend.

Is this year's Christmas too cold for you baby? LOL. Forever alone? OMG. Seriously, I hate it when single people keep on repeating the line: "Ang lamig ng Pasko ko ngayon." (It's a cold Christmas for me this year). They. Just. Won't. Stop. Saying. It. It's as if that's all their Christmas is going to be. I mean... we get it already—no lad is hitting you for so-so years already and all that jazz—but cheer the hell up! What's so wrong about being single anyway? (I'm single! Haha!) Just... yeah. Stop.

Me and the boys - plus Celine - will be having a movie marathon this Sunday! Ghost Protocol (discounted watching due to a promo from work) and hopefully: Immortals!!! WOOT! I can't freakin' wait!!! ...err actually, I didn't even know at first that it was Tom Cruise on the Ghost Protocol movie poster; hell, I can't even remember the last Mission Impossible movie that I saw! I guess I'm just excited because... well... it's one of those days where I get to be one-of-the-boys!

See how my whole week is packed?
I've got no objections! That's just how I'd like to spend the rest of December for this year ♥

I'm really looking forward for more gatherings and celebrations! Woot!

"QUOTE FOR THEE DAY"

"Please believe that things are good with me, and even when they're not, they will be soon enough..."
- Perks of Being a Wallflower.

DIY Hair Coloring Tips

2011-12-11T00:07:00.001+08:00

You're thinking of a hair color change, but you realized that you don't have the time to drop by at a salon! Nor do you have enough money to pay for a professional service! Then... why not do it yourself, right?

Before coloring your own hair, read on through this entry for safe tips! Besides, its your hair we're talking about; so that's clearly a serious business, right? Haha!

Choosing your color

Make a note of what level/type you are choosing. Semi-permanent (Level 2) lasts up to 24 washes while permanent (Level 3) would be something that you would need to grow out.
Don't be deceived by the picture of the model shown on the box. The end result would of course depend on what your current hair color is.
When going for permanent, follow the "2 Shade" rule. Never color your hair any more than two shades lighter or darker that what it is currently or else you might end up with a color that isn't close to what you see on the box; not unless it is something that you're aiming for, or if you know what the consequence may be.

RECOMMENDATION: Revlon's Colorsilk Luminista product line. It leaves your hair looking more vibrant, and it's ammonia-free! This is the best product for Asians (like me) who have naturally dark hair.

Before coloring

Do a preview test to see how your new color would look: snip off short and few strands of your hair and tape it at one end. Dab those strands in your hair coloring formula for 25 minutes and then rinse afterwards.
Don't shampoo a day or two before the day you decide to color your hair: you would be needing the natural oils of your hair to protect it from the chemicals. Especially if your hair is damaged, deep conditioning would be the best thing to do beforehand.
Dab petroleum jelly on your ears, on your neck, and on your hairline to prevent staining. If you do get a stain, rub it off with a towel that's dipped in shampoo.
Do not use the formula to color your eyebrows or worse, your eyelashes!
If your hair is longer than shoulder-length, you would often need 2 boxes for a full-on application.

Applying the Color

Golden rule: Follow the instructions on the box.
Divide your hair into four sections (top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right): secure each section with a clip. Then apply the formula from root to tip, section by section. Start the timer and wait.
If your hair is dry or damaged at the ends, you can dampen your ends with water before starting. OR don't apply color to the ends until the last 10 minutes of the development time of the color.

After Coloring

Rinse until the water runs clear.
Don't shampoo your hair for at least 48 hours. Or if you can't stand that, after 24 hours try conditioning only with cool water. (Don't use warm water or else the color will fade quickly.)
For the meantime, avoid overusing heated styling tools (e.g. blow dryers, curling/flat irons, etc)
It's best to use a shampoo and a conditioner that is specially formulated for colored hair.

★ When to rather go for professional service
If you want a dramatic change (like something that's two shades darker or lighter), then it's better to just save up and see a professional stylist. It's a lot more expensive, but you'll get the results you'd want to see.

Sportin' Red Hair!

2011-12-10T22:34:00.001+08:00

I've never been the type of person who does things on impulse. But one day, I happened to see a blogger (whom I've been following in Tumblr) dye her hair red—and it really suited her! The fact that it suits her made me cocky enough to think of coloring my hair in that same color!

And boom! Last December 8 (that was a Thursday), I decided to do it! End result? Here:

I was making a funny face; hence the black box on my face!

All I can say is... it's not what I expected, but I ♥ it!

Story was, after seeing the picture of that Tumblr blogger last Wednesday, I decided to just check for hair coloring kits since December 8 happened to be a holiday at Taguig (where I work). A friend advised me to drop by at Landmark since Revlon was offering free application if you buy their Colorsilk/Luminista hair coloring brands.

When I dropped by, I was surprised to see a lot of people lining up! But then I realized that it's expected since it already somehow equals to taking a trip to the salon! Cheaper! So there I was, just looking around and checking the prices (at first, haha!). I was told to check out the Revlon Colorsilk Burgundy color, but it looked somewhat purple-y; an eggplant color to be exact and err... I didn't want that.

Good thing there was one in red!

Revlon® Colorsilk Luminista™ saturates dark hair with vibrant, shimmering color while subduing unwanted brassiness. This gentle, ammonia-free formula contains shine-enhancing mango butter and leaves hair in better condition than before you colored. And with its extra-creamy, moisturizing after-color conditioner, hair looks healthy and bouncy – not flat, frizzy or dull. 100% gray coverage.

*The Luminista line is perfect for Asians who have dark hair.

I really don't know if it was because of the big doe eyes of the model (LOL) but I suddenly felt a certain force pulling me in... Finally, I had the crazy idea to just go ahead and dye my hair already! Like... right then and there! No more further pondering! (Or else it might never push through!)

But of course, that decision didn't come in too swiftly, mind you! I mean, come on... it's my hair. My hair!!! Haha!!! The salesperson at Revlon had even bear witness on how I spent almost 30 minutes just standing there, looking at the box, battling with the idea of having red hair...

At one point, I even wanted to call my mom and tell her that I was about to color my hair red—just so I could hear her (or force her) to say YES—because I thought that if I hear her say that, I would calm down and just get on with it!

But I didn't call her because a part of me knows that she wouldn't approve. LOL. So, instead, I just reasoned with myself that my hair really needs an added 'oomph!'... The previous dark brown color that I've had was fading away and since I wasn't up for letting my hair go back into its old boring black look, why not color it already, right? And in red! Right? Haha! Actually, at that time I was already saving up for my next trip to the salon wherein I'll be coloring my hair in brown... but that day, I decided that for once, I have to try something not-so-ordinary towards a part of me that I've never dared to make some drastic changes for.

...After an hour, I bought the box and stood in line.

The lady who was doing the coloring adviced me to buy two boxes because my hair was long and thick, but I told her that I didn't want it to be too red—because if it becomes like that, I might die from shock. Haha! I just wanted something subtle.

So anyway, as from what you can see from the picture above, the ends of my hair weren't that red; and the overall look doesn't look too red either. It actually looks rusty or darkish browny-red... But... I LOVE IT!!! Haha! I'm actually thinking that in the future, I might buy another box to make it even more reddish!

And oh. My mom hasn't seen me yet; let's just pray she won't give me a lengthy talk about how she rather liked my brown hair instead. Haha!

Before I end this off, if you're planning on dyeing your hair, why not head to Landmark? Revlon's free service will be up until the end of December this year. Well, it is embarrassing to have all those mall-goers see you being as vulnerable and awkward as you can be while your hair is being treated (haha!) but if what you can get in exchange is a cheaper price compared to the salon services? Then it's a deal, sister! LOL.

Try it out for yourself.

Happy Feet Two (2011)

2011-12-04T00:46:00.001+08:00

MY RATING:
GENRE: Animation, Comedy, Family, Musical
[ *Spoilers ahead* ]
Images from imdb.com

♪♫♪ They're bringing fluffy back! Aaaayt! Them other penguins don't know how to act! ♪♫♪

I was so excited the first time that I saw the trailer for this movie! Mainly because I loved the first one! I was with my college friends and we initially planned to watch the screening of 'The Immortals' but the blasted cinema decided to move the date to a later time, and so,we decided to watch Happy Feet Two instead... aaaaaand... I dunno. It was a good watch, don't get me wrong, but if not for the cute and adorable 'penguin moments' in the movie, I would have gladly asked for my money back.

Just to give you a background of what the movie was about for this time around (from screenrant.com):

In the film, Mumble (voice of Elijah Wood), The Master of Tap, has a problem because his tiny son Erik (Elizabeth Daily) is choreo-phobic. Reluctant to dance, Erik runs away and encounters The Mighty Sven - a penguin who can fly! Mumble has no hope of competing with this charismatic new role model. But things get worse when the world is shaken by powerful natural forces. Erik learns of his father’s ‘guts and grit’ as Mumble brings together the penguin nations and all manner of fabulous creatures - from tiny Krill to giant Elephant Seals - to put things right.

I guess that one of the highlighted differences of Happy Feet and Happy Feet Two is that, this latest one has more of an environmental feel to it seeing as how Mumble and the rest had to find a way of rescuing their empire penguin colony from being trapped by a drifting iceberg. This plot in itself somehow surprised me because... well, it was trying to impart a strong environmental message, yes, but overall it was just somehow weak.
BUT all that seriousness would often be broken by brief comedic reliefs from the penguin nation's dialogues, dances, and pizzazz which certainly balanced it all because, well, this is a movie targeted for families so the directors know the need to give the kids a break. LOL. Also! The said seriousness was being broken from time to time as well by Bill and Will the krill—a totally bizarre and surprisingly unrelated plot to the whole story that I'm honestly wondering what the director and producers were thinking... but then again I realized that maybe since they're going to be voiced by such A-Class males, Matt Damon and Brad Pitt, then they might as well just throw it in!

My favorite part of the movie would of course be what they have shown in the trailer:

TOO FREAKIN' ADORABLE!!!!

The definite redeeming values of Happy Feet Two really are the penguins (especially the little ones) themselves and the music! I was particularly surprised when the song 'Bridge of Light' came on because that's when I realized that Pink was the voice for Gloria—Mumble's wife.

And clearly we shouldn't forget the stunning visuals from the film:

For the other parts that I liked:

When little Erik showed what his talent was (since he can't sing or dance)—wait. Well he can sing, but only of a different sort. HAHA! Watch the movie to know what exactly.
RAMON. I hope they had given him enough scenes in the movie because he is just too hilarious—just like in the first movie! I absolutely love the part where he started to recite his name (I guess?) when he decided to jump down the cliff! HAHA!

"I hate this long distance relationship!"
.

All in all, though there's nothing much to see in Happy Feet Two, yet it's a good one for families to watch. But on our part, seeing as we really weren't the right sort of audience to use this type of movie as a 'cinema outing', I don't think we were that impressed nor fulfilled, however it was still enough for a happy distraction—but not a good way to spend P300 on for a 3D experience! It would have been better if we had a copy of this movie and watched it in the comfort of our no-fee homes. Haha!