Alone Again

So it's true. (Notice how I almost always start every blog with the word "So"?) I'm going to California alone. And we're, or rather, I'm, touching down in LA by the way, not San Francisco. How I wish the stop over's in Hawai'i instead of Japan. But hey, Japan's just as cool. Hah.

I love travelling alone. (I've actually only travelled out the country 2 roundtrip times... Manila-Sydney-Manila, and Manila-Tokyo-Manila (that's Tokyo en route to Hawai'i.) You get this adrenaline rush and combined excitement and fear. Pretty much like entering college, only the span of time you feel that is more defined. (You don't know if you're going to be able to adjust to college life in a day, a week, a month or a year.)

The best thing about travelling alone is that you can people watch as much as you can and (1) you won't be noticed much, plus (2) there won't be any relative/s to notice how stupid or obsessive you look while people watching. Another thing is that you can pretend. You can pretend to know everything, what to do, the place when in truth, you really don't haha. And nobody's going to care since you're not gonna see them ever again.

Another is that you get to meet people if you're friendly, not shy and not too tight-assed about things haha. Actually, that happens with or without companions :p

I'm going to have two transfers in my flight to LA. Manila to Nagoya to Narita to LA. Dude, I've never been to Nagoya. This is gonna be fun. But then, it's not really a stop over, just a transfer, which sucks a bit since I'm not gonna be able to go around. I'd just have fun getting lost, I guess. Or I can make friends on the plane and then we'd figure things out together. But I can already imagine it... I'd most probably end up tagging along a Filipino family. Meh, the usual scenario.

But surprise, surprise. I just asked my grandma. She said I'd have to go to the domestic airport in Nagoya. O_O But my aunt said, that's crazy. It's just a gate to gate transfer within the airport. If it's like that, then I can manage. My aunt said she's gonna look ino changing the booking so it's a direct Manila-Narita-LA. I'm gonna be stopping over in Narita. Woohoo. Time to people watch a bit. (I know, that's where I saw AIrport Boy, remember? I just remembered... the only person who's probably read my blog long enough to remember my Airport Boy blogranting days is Ayisse. Those are the days I was still hosted under http://www.bowtome.com)

If I have 10 minutes to spare, don't worry, I'm gonna be using those nifty 100 Yen internet booths in Narita to update on what happened. I'd really be on my own since I'm no longer availing an Unattended Minor service. I need to pay extra for that. I hope i don't turn into a sudden, as Dixi coined, urban idiot.

And since we're in the subject of travelling... For some reason, I like getting delayed flights (that is, of course, if I'm not rushing. But I have no reason to rush yet, anyway.) You can explore the place, get bored, sit around, get bored, people watch, get bored, and it goes on and on. I love it. Haha

Maybe I should write a script for a short movie that occurs inside an airport instead. But that'd be a bit lame if I were to make one. It could be something to include in the Urban Idiot series: Urban Idiot Goes International.

---

Reading Quark Henares's blog, I realized that I want Scorsese type of shots if I were to make films. The swish pans and quick dollies. In fact, whenever I envision a script coming it always includes either a swish pan or a quick dolly. And he mentioned that hearing scene in Goodfellas where the character suddenly talks to the camera. THAT'S what I'm talking about. I know, it's the kind you mostly see in gangster/crime movies. And I know, I'm a sucker for the evocative, feely-feely movies but I like to make the narrative ones. And then that's when I'd go all Lost In Translation. hahahahaha

100x Geekier

The most embarassing thing just happened.

This morning, I forwarded the rejection letter to my aunt and included a note. Here's the note:

I knew this was coming hahaha Anyway, I will no longer be making a letter of appeal since I have been accepted to other schools anyway and I realized that it's better in California since it is definitely nearer. Love, Ann.

But I clicked REPLY instead of FORWARD. And I only realized that when while checking my mail awhile ago, I got a RE: subject line from Stacey, the Director of International Recruitment of Swarthmore.

My message is pretty okay, I guess. Since Stacey seems to be not very formal and bureaucratic with her replies. But my reply had this idiotic line of "hahahaha" and, worst of all, LOVE, ANN in it.

And my subject line for the email was - REJECTION LETTER: Swarthmore College

How bad can things get?

Well below is the whole mail for your viewing (laughing? ;)) pleasure.

From : Stacey Kutish
Sent : Tuesday, March 29, 2005 1:02 AM
To : "Ann Cortez"
Subject : Re: REJECTION LETTER: Swarthmore College

| | | Inbox


Dear Ann,
Sorry that I didn't have better news to share, but I am happy to hear that you have
other options that you are excited about. Best wishes for your future!
Sincerely,
-Stacey Kutish
Swarthmore College



At 04:59 PM 3/28/2005, you wrote:
I knew this was coming hahaha Anyway, I will no longer be making a letter of
appeal since I have been accepted to other schools anyway and I realized that it's
better in California since it is definitely nearer. Love, Ann.

From: "Stacey Kutish, Dir. of Intl. Recruitment"
Reply-To: skutish1@swarthmore.edu
To: amlcortez@hotmail.com
Subject: Swarthmore College
Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 16:04:50 -0500

Dear Ann Margarett,

I regret to inform you that we are not able to admit you to the Swarthmore College
Class of 2009.

Please be assured that this decision was reached after a careful and thorough
consideration of your application. We know how much time and energy goes into
selecting a college, and your accomplishments, both academic and social, are quite
impressive. It makes the task of the Admissions Committee even more difficult as we
realize we must deny admissions to many qualified applicants, like you, who are
appealing to us on many levels. As you know, the competition for admissions to the
College is keen; many more qualified students apply than we can admit. This year we
received over 4100 applications for our entering class of 380 students.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to review your credentials. We greatly
appreciate your interest in Swarthmore. I wish we could be sending you better news.
We know you will find success and fulfillment as you make your plans for next year.

Sincerely,
James L. Bock
Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid

Why Swat My Love? WHY?

This morning, as I was taking a bath to prepare for the day's Baccalaureate (however the hell it's spelt) I felt that Swarthmore has already send me an e-mail. Guess I was right.

So, I got rejected by Swarthmore College. My oh so admired loved Swat. I told you. Hahaha Well, I guess it's a pleasure to know that they found my application appealing... even they, for all we know, they might be sending the same thing to all rejects. (Maybe, there are different levels of rejection. I'm in the Almost-Ther-But-Not-Quite level.)

Goodbye Philadelphia, goodbye PA. And goodbye to my dreams of spending the weekend in Manhattan. Hahaha

So now I'm really thinking I might just be destined for USC, for LA and to act as set extra in Hollywood. :D Who knows? :))

And I thought USC's going to reject me.

Well then. 'Till the next rejection letter (which is tomorrow, from Duke U.)

Here's the rejection letter:

Dear Ann Margarett,

I regret to inform you that we are not able to admit you to the Swarthmore College Class of 2009.

Please be assured that this decision was reached after a careful and thorough consideration of your application. We know how much time and energy goes into selecting a college, and your accomplishments, both academic and social, are quite impressive. It makes the task of the Admissions Committee even more difficult as we realize we must deny admissions to many qualified applicants, like you, who are appealing to us on many levels. As you know, the competition for admissions to the College is keen; many more qualified students apply than we can admit. This year we received over 4100 applications for our entering class of 380 students.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to review your credentials. We greatly appreciate your interest in Swarthmore. I wish we could be sending you better news. We know you will find success and fulfillment as you make your plans for next year.

Sincerely,
James L. Bock
Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid

A Compliment From A Pretty Girl

Went to the Japanese Embassy today. I thought I can still go to school for the last grad practice but we ended up getting number 247. There are 246 people to be interviewed before us. So we were able to take our turn around 2:00P already.

My mom was betting that we're going to end up in Window Number 4. Window 4 had this pretty lady with an awesome styled short hair. And did I mention she was pretty? My mom wanted her hair. Haha She wanted to ask where the lady gets her hair cut, done and all. Haha. It was pretty funny.

As she shuffled the papers, quickly sorting them like a pro and seemed to not really read them (but we knew she's reading them all) she stopped to read the my Pisay certificate of attendance and admission letter from USC. In case they think we're trying to overstay. (You see, in the history of my passport I got denied by the Jap Embassy once.) So anyway, she asked all these questions like "You got into USC?" "You're studying there?" And stuff like, "Did you take an exam there?" "Sino nagfile ng papers, yung school?" And I said, no I just took the SAT and I handled the filing myself. And she was like, "Ah, so you just take the exam here? Wow, you got a scholarship." I didn't get a scholarship but I was just nodding and nodding. haha After a while she said, "Ang galing mo naman *smile*" We're guessing she has a sibling who's planning to study in the US too or something. Her hair was so nice I was just like *_* hahaha Just kidding. Hey, she's pretty. And I'm not lesbian.

After that short interview it was all *pak* *pak* *pak* *pak* (Pathetic attempt at trying to illustrate, in words, stamp sounds.) Oh, the sweet sight of pink receipt sticker thingies. Yeah, I'm going to Japan for sure now.

And then there's California. I just talked to my grandmother (mother side) and invited her to my grad. She asked where I want to eat, I said in some nifty Japanese restaurant (I'm thinking Genki). And then she asked me what I wanted for graduation. My cousin asked her for a car years ago. And he's not even my grandma's direct grandson. I'm not very demanding so I asked her to pay 3/5 of my ticket to LA instead ;) I'm not rich. She is.

Me: I'm going to LA, so maybe you can pay part of my ticket.
Her: Akala ko sa Japan ka pupunta?
Me: Oh, Daddy's paying for that ticket. Pupunta po ako sa States para tignan yung university.
Her: Ah, okay. How much do you need?
Me: Uhm... 30,000 in pesos?
Her: O sige.
Me: Thank you. And again, my grad's on Wednesday.

It seems easy doing that since she likes boasting about her money anyway. And if I were her I'd rather give airline ticket money rather than buy a car. And she hardly gives me anything so when I ask her for something, which is not very often, it's usually a food item or something expensive. (Hey, I have the right. I'm the real granddaughter.)

---

Hope we can arrange the Vigan thing early April. And I haven't talked to Remika properly yet. Ange and I are planning to hitch with her family to Surigao.

I have a feeling too that the Swarthmore decision is going to appear in my email inbox VERY soon.

Cue In The Apprentice Opening Music

As of now, I am penniless. I am no longer a student of Pisay so I won't be able to receive stipends. I gave my last P20 bill to my mom this morning because she needed smaller bills for the mass collection thing (which is still a bit weird to me).

I am back to being financially-dependent on my parents. And I don't like it much. Makes you feel pretty guilty after having to spend your parents' money. Especially when you ask money and then just spend it on something like coffee. Seems like a waste. Or rather, unnecessary. I mean... I don't see my parents wasting money on gourmet coffee. (Well, okay, so my dad does. But still. And since it's not a necessity, I categorized it as a waste, but I like to think that coffee benefits me in some way.) It's akin to getting other people to do the dirty work for you... Using other people's money for your own pleasure, and they don't even benefit from it. Yes, even from your parents.

But that's the thing, they're your parents anyway, you might say.

Well, excuse my screwed up conscience.

Okay, maybe I'm taking it a little too far. We are, after all, made to be dependent on our parents' money. Especially here in the Philippines where kids don't usually work until they're past 18. It's just that... it just hit me now. I don't have my own money anymore except for those stashed away in the bank, which came from aguinaldos, etc.

I guess this is what happens when you get used to having your own money, courtesy of the school. Now I'm thinking I really should get a part-time job soon. Even if my parents tell me there's no need for it, I would get a part-time job. Financial independence is one of the things I strive for.

Maybe I can also attribute this guiltiness to the fact that my system used to run on minimal requirements. I just grew up not wanting much. (Well, there's that kitchen set, that cookie monster doll, that drawing board, that sketchpad, that lego set...) But now that there's coffee, internet, coffee, internet, coffee, internet and books and film and developing fees... *sigh* I guess I have to start learning how to mix my own instant coffee.

What am I ranting about??? I just want coffee and a part-time job. Then I'm a happy kid.

And I'm just worried about my Physics book that disappeared from the Lost & Found that I have to replace, stolen Chemistry glasswares that my group and I have to replace as well, STR paper hard bounding requirements, and a swollen ankle.

Just the usual end of the school year expenses and requirements plus a swollen ankle.

And what am I talking about??? I can't handle a part time job right now because this is the vacation of my life so far, with all the trips I'm planning. Not just a single trip to one single place. Multiples. Y'know?

Ayisse. Where do we stay in Vigan? Paalam ka muna. Maybe your mom can make some arrangements?

PS:
Why does Saiyuki Reload have to be on Animax at 10:00 in the evening of Sunday??? Of all the days and time slots... WHY? Now I can't watch Interpol Investigates because Yuki is hogging the TV. I'm sure all animes have replays and thus Saiyuki has one. I am reduced to watching in between commercials. Good thing Saiyuki finished early. I can still watch the last 15 minutes.

When Pink Garments Attack

I woke up one day with my right ankle inflamed. Only two days later did I realize (that's today) that some insect must have bitten me. I refuse to acknowledge the possibility that it could be a cockroach because I don't like the idea of a cockroach crawling around our room. If I admit to that possibility then my grandmother will win her side of the argument - that our room is more chaotic than Surplus Shop and houses cockroaches. My sister is messy but I am not. I like to think of my clutter as a sign of productivity. Hey, it's true. I read about it somewhere too. (Oh, it rhymes.) Hahaha The only point of this paragraph is to say that I might not be able to walk properly on Graduation Day. Oh joy.

I have saved myself from wearing a princessy lavander gown. First of all, I don't like the color (although I'm not saying it's an entirely ugly color) and I am not up for dragging around the skirt all night. After that I was destined to wear this light pink silvery dress my cousin (hey, that lavander gown is hers too) wore once in Mutya ng Pilipinas. It's like Ange's dress last prom, only light pink and silvery. The dress was okay. But... But.. But.... I found a new dress today at Red Tag. I should win Cheapest Dress Ever if there is such an award.

All clothes in Red Tag are from Europe (Italy, mostly). You'd still see the Euros price sticker thing on the clothe's original tags. Their other "house brands" are Armani, D&G, and all the other "snobbish brands." (hahaha) Anyway, we went in and scoured the dress racks and found one. For... dumdumdumdudum, drum roll please, it's an assymetric blue Antonio D'Errico dress which I'm guessing is from some Spring line a year ago, continue drum roll please, originally priced at 179,00 euros and then P4,500 in Red Tag --- cut the crap, my own drum rolls are annoying me --- we bought it for P600. Yes, you can now award me with Cheapest Dress Ever. Yes, that's only 3 figures. I'm a happy kid. I was so happy I bought another dress, this time a casual one. For P600 too. Only I still don't know when I'm going to wear it. (Sorry about the rant, this is what happens when you find designer clothes in the Philippines for less than P1,000)

Kaye, we should have went in when you were going around with me. All the no-stock-remaining dresses are only for P600, the skirts for P450, etc. The other dresses are very runway though, well their from Italia, what do you expect. Of course, there was this black Armani cocktail dress, which was not cheap. Unless you're rich and P12,000 is not a huge thing to you.

And then I found Red Tag's flyer which said: Designer clothes with no designer prices. I just got lucky the remaining stocks sort of fit me, I guess. Yes, they lower the price so much when it's the only item remaining. I still had to have the dresses altered a bit though.

(Which was annoying because this old dude named Johnny who's altering the blue dress is a purist... he doesn't like assymetric things. He calls those dresses a product of crazy fashion. I mean, yes it's kind of crazy but he says it with such scorn I want to punch his self-pitying mouth... yes he did pity himself so much and complain because all his modistas were out of town and he has to do everything himself. Dude, it's your own shop. I now fear that Johnny might do something to the dress... like fix it so it will be all symmetrical. I'm going to kill him. Seriously.)

Still, I am saved from the pink dresses and gowns. It's not that I hate pink, you know. It's an okay color. But I'd rather wear something else if I can. If I didn't find that blue dress you'd still be seeing me wearing pink on grad ball

This post signals that things are not normal. You know...

Bryn Mawr Brings News

This just in. I just received a decision notification from Bryn Mawr College. Doom doom doom dooooom. Guess what...? Before that, here is a recap of the other colleges I applied to so far, in order of application.

University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA - Accepted

Northeastern University Boston, MA - Accepted

Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA - No Decision Yet

Duke University Durham, NC - Decision Due For Release On March 30

Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr, PA - WAITLISTED

Yep. I read that right. You read that right. I have been waitlisted by my already beloved Bryn Mawr. Probably has something to do with my mediocre verbal SAT score of 650 (but a math score of 650 is already high, basing on the middle 50% of Bryn Mawr students' SAT scores). What, is it my GPA?

It has probably something to do with the grades. Or is it that I already love the school so much that it's so hard to believe?

So I e-mailed them, counting myself in for the waitlist and including a short explanation of my obsession with the school (just kidding). I already have USC... but I don't have financial aid opportunities there. There's only one and I can only avail of it after one year. I am definitely out in the scholarship category as well because, let's face it, I am not in the top 1-2%, nor 3-4% of the SAT and I don't have a GPA of (converted to our grading system in Pisay) 1.0 - 1.4

I'd be able to study in USC with the combined forces of my parent's trust fund for my bratty little brother (or the interest the account gets each year which is just enough to pay for my board and lodging), my aunt's pocket and her childless-ness, student loans (the greatest force of them all) and work (which I guess I am going to stress over at times but enjoy nonetheless).

I have a chance in getting a pseudo financial aid/slash/scholarship starting on my 2nd year there but with student loans, I would still have to slave over my job 1-25 years after graduation (depending on how much I earn and what loan plan I take, hahaha).

But I have a very good chance in getting a scholarship from Northeastern because, well, their criteria are not that high. I mean, you can get a full scholarship 1200++ in the SAT. Yeah. That is, I hope they consider me for scholarship.

So, yeah. I probably don't even have any chance in getting accepted to Swarthmore, let alone Duke!, now that I got waitlisted by Bryn Mawr.

*sigh*

High on diesel and gasoline, psycho for drum machine

I am listening to Suede's Singles right now. But I wish I had a Phantom Planet CD so I can listen to it instead. Ayisse's blogging about her dilemma and California makes me want to listen to it.

I just thought of a funny scenario, a very cinematic scenario, in fact.

So I'm finally on a plane to California. Hours later, my plane lands at LAX, and I put on my earphones. I get off the plane, go through immigration and customs, and finally, when I step outside the confines of the airport, whatever track that is playing on my MD stops and then Phantom Planet's California starts playing. I get on a taxi or my San Diego relative's car (assuming they are generous enough to drive from SD to LA) and then the song continues on playing as LA rushes by the car window.

California... California... Here we coooooooome.

And then I see Airport Boy crossing the road. I scream "STOP," the car skids, and crashes into a post.

I know. I sound like an idiot. I'm tempted to continue that scene with Airport Boy coming over to help us out of the car along with a bunch of other strangers but that's more lame. I. Will. Not. Reach. A. New. Low. Wait, mentioning it is almost the same... Oh well. Welcome to the Earth's mantle.

No-Save Disasters

I've already finished one whole precious sequence for the batch presentation and guess what... the program suddenly hanged. It freaking hanged. It fucking, fucking hanged. Now I have to repeat everything. Fuck you, Adobe. Fuck you. Don't go whack on me anymore or I'd just have to use Pinacle no matter how much I prefer using you. Making one minute of a shift-shift sequence from a total of 10++ vid clips, editing and cropping each one is not an easy or very fun job.

Okay. *Deep breath* Now I got it all out I will proceed to speed editting everything instead. I forgot to save, that's why. Fuck.

One word, One Syllable

I have yet to capture all the needed video streams for the batch documentary. It's a sequence of ALL the students answering the question "In one syllable, how do you feel about leaving Pisay" and "Describe 05 in one word." So that's 236 captures plus a couple more clips to capture from the DVcam.

And then I have to edit everything. Fix the transitions, the transition in audio which is the most important since there was an inevitable background noise that changes from person to person (it's not like we're in a sound proofed room, it's quite spontaneous, ooh... verite. haha); lay the effects, both video and sound; fix color settings and blablabla. Oh joy, this is the life.

The only thing I have to battle here is laziness. Since I like doing this, extra care follows (especially that this is for the batch). The creative juices are flowing so the whole editting will be fine, I guess. I'm hoping to finish this in 3 days' time.

I'd probably encounter noise problems in the audio and all but apart from them, I hope everything goes smoothly. I think it will. It's just a short film for and about the batch anyway. It's gonna be groovy. Hah. Nar... don't expect much, folks.

Hitch Hiking to Alpha Centauri

"It wasn't infinity in fact. Infinity itself looks flat and uninteresting. Looking up into the night sky is looking into infinity - distance is incomprehensible and therefore meaningless. The chamber into which the aircar emerged was anything but infinite, it was just very very big, so that it gave the impression of infinity far better than infinity itself."
-The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy

For me, this has got to be the best paragraph, and in bold, the best sentence, off the book.

You will definitely relate to The Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy better if you like Physics or recognize the Physics terms used. But you don't have to be a Physics nut to enjoy it.

It's a highly enjoyable book with a good combination of imagination, creativity, sarcasm, comedy, philosophy and an immense dose of role-reversals and probabilities - and improbabilities. It's actually fun trying to test and figure the the possibility of scenarios involving various Physics ideas and theories (that includes the speed of light, relativity, wormholes, hyperspace, time travel, etc.)

What makes it equally enjoyable for the non-Physics person is that the philosophies and different ideas tackled are engaging. The story goes on in an easy pace and easy narration, wherein the author seems to be just talking casually to you. No complicated technical blabber (except for, of course, things that need explaining such as things that the author invented specifically for the novel.) What I'm saying is that you won't find 3 long paragraphs dedicated to explaining the special theory of relativity in text-book style.

It's not overly factual and heavy on the Physics concepts and theories because after all, it's still a piece of fiction. It's not dragging and not very sci-fi either, although that's what it's most probably is. I don't find it as boring, hi-tech-obsessed and future-obsessed as, say, the sci-fi novel Dune. (I never got the hang of sci-fi novels, sorry.) So I still stick to saying it's more of plain fiction.

If you enjoy pondering "Where did life come from?" this would be a fun read, proposing an alternative theory, for you too.

I don't know if my Physics teacher (Sir Coronado) has already read this book but I'm definitely suggesting it to him since he'll get a kick out of reading it. And he'd probably be able to appreciate it better than me since, well, he's an Einstein nut, and of course has read a lot more about relativity and knows a whole lot about Physics.

Ayisse, you should read it. Since you're such a Physics and fantasy person. Check your gmail account, I'm sending you the ebook there.

If anybody else wants to read it, either comment leaving your e-mail ad or e-mail me directly at amlcortez[at]gmail[dot]com.

And I leave you with other quotes from the book:

---

"I am Majikthise!" announced the older one.

"And I demand that I am Vroomfondel!" shouted the younger one.

Majikthise turned on Vroomfondel. "It's alright," he explained angrily, "you don't need to demand that."

"Alright!" bawled Vroomfondel banging on an nearby desk. "I am Vroomfondel, and that is not a demand, that is a solid fact! What we demand is solid facts!"

"No we don't!" exclaimed Majikthise in irritation. "That is precisely what we don't demand!"

Scarcely pausing for breath, Vroomfondel shouted, "We don't demand solid facts! What we demand is a total absence of solid facts. I demand that I may or may not be Vroomfondel!"

"But who the devil are you?" exclaimed an outraged Fook.

---

"You know," said Arthur thoughtfully, "all this explains a lot of things. All through my life I've had this strange unaccountable feeling that something was going on in the world, something big, even sinister, and no one would tell me what it was."

"No," said the old man, "that's just perfectly normal paranoia. Everyone in the Universe has that."

---

...but there comes a point I'm afraid where you begin to suspect that if there's any real truth, it's that the entire multi-dimensional infinity of the Universe is almost certainly being run by a bunch of maniacs.

---

Aaaaand... chapter 34 is the best chapter. Ever. By the way. ;) Don't read it first, definitely, or you'll spoil part of the story. Come on. Let me e-mail you an ebook copy. (Yeah, talking to no one in particular here.) It can easily be finished in one day.

I want a burger

I like posting both quality and crap reads.

I want a burger. I want pasta. Chef d' Angelo, here I come.

And I'm going to buy that copy of Missing Gun too.

And when I get home, I'll either finish Hitch Hiker's Guide (which I have read past half of) or start the Urban Idiot 1 script.

Now, Dixi is sick and in bed too. But the gloomy gray skies are so... er, happy. Why?

I want that burger.

(For a post that requires use of at least half a neuron, refer to earlier post.)

Of Super and Memories

You're missing out if you don't read Super! Inquirer every Saturday.

This Saturday's is a great issue:

Raya Mananquil writes about studying at Oxford for 3 weeks, getting 2-quid FCUK cargos (that IS a bargain), and having veggie-dtuffed baguettes for lunch everyday;

Tals Diaz talks about movies and prescripting it for ruts (and mentions Lost In Translation, wherein she states that despite the sexual tension between characters don't exactly go into it, choosing to spend it with intellectual conversations and crazy fun... part of exactly why I like the damn movie so much);

Sarah tours the reader around NYC;

And KC Concepcion talks about blogs, gatherings, relationships and living the moment. (Her article in itself is like a blog post.)

So, be glad that I have brought into your life another reason for living ;) I haven't endorsed Super! like this yet, so this is a first.

And I quote a quote KC included from her friend:
"I've learned to let go of my camera, and stop experiencing things in pixels. I want to be in the moment and live in it with all my senses."

This is exactly what I live for. This is what I wrote after my 2-week love affair with Hawai'i in 2003; how you just have to stop blogging for a while and doing everything else so you can live the moment fully. How some things are just so beautiful and lovely that you have no other choice but to admire its beauty in silence, you have no other choice but live the moment. The same goes for how some things, events or ideas are left unwritten because either (a) you're too busy admiring it from reconstructed figments of memories to write about it, or (b) writing about it won't do it any justice, it's something to be experienced not read about, that you no longer waste time trying to put it into words.

Although sometimes, I still write about things of this nature because I want so much to share them and give people a ghost of the idea of how beautiful they are. I want to share the experience as much as I can, through words. It's not like because something is beautiful beyond words that you are not supposed to write about them, you can. I am aware that whatever I do I will never be able to do justice to reconstructing the glorius image of whatever through words.

I guess the point of describing these experiences and the nature of this experience itself is so that whenever another person experiences it, s/he can identify it as the same thing I felt or you felt. So that we'd find something in common and be able to connect. Isn't that what life is partly about: connecting?

In relation to that quote, I probably won't stop taking photographs. I know, I go "This is too lovely to NOT take a snap of." I guess taking a photograph is part of an experience for me, that is if it is an experience I know others can experience and want them to. It is part of my memory-archiving mechanism, and so is it of other people's. But I only hold the camera for a fraction of that moment. Sometimes, one photo is enough to trigger a series of rendezvous, the rest of the rendezvous material is going down my brain's own memory lane.

So friends, I now reach a conclusion about myself. I live to witness and spread things, well uh, things I want to hehe. In a huge-chunk-of-cheese way you can consider me a messenger of sorts.

Groovy.

Now somebody fund me a trip to South America so I can tell you how beautiful the place is. ;)

PS: I will start a list of archived posts worth reading. So you don't have to deal with all my crap. Heh :D

Plastic Cash

I'm scared of credit cards. I'm scared because if I get one, I might start to over spend, then I'll never be able to pay my expenses off, ever. Scary, eh? And besides, it's fun to cary cash. Paper.

But my aunt told me I have to get a credit card if I'm going to the US for my undergrad degree. Thus another reason why I need to go to the US with them... so I can sign bank papers to convert her in trust for (me) account to and/or. Finally, i am venturing out of Planter's Bank. Hahaha Chase Manhattan, here I come.

It was so amusing because my aunt and I were talking over the phone about USC's loan plans. If worst comes and I don't get a scholarship, I'd still study in USC and get loans instead. And then apply for financial aid after one year of staying there.

Anyway, she was telling me there was a USC localized loan plan and a Citibank (in partnership with USC) loan option. She'd be able to easily loan from Citibank (she already called them) since she has an excellent credit history with Chase. She told me, "Magaapply nalang ako sa Citibank for you because I don't have an account there, New Yorker kasi ako eh kaya Chasa Manhattan." With funny, pseudo-posh accent. hahaha She worked for Chase and lived in Manhattan for a few years before she was 30. She was the only female among a pool of males who applied for the position here in the Philippines. She's cool. I bow down to her (since she funds part of my trips abroad hahaha not just because that, of course).

So there. I guess credit cards aren't scary when you're a responsible person. I have nothing to worry about anyway, since I hardly buy anything apart from food and other necessities. And I'm happy being the cheap dirtbag I am. But living in a totally different country, I'd have problems gauging whether a certain item is too expensive or cheap enough when I buy it.

(While out with Dixi last Thursday, I tied my plastic bags with glasswares from UP on my bag... they were hanging beside my stained bag. The plastic bag completed the dirtbag look. Dixi ordered me to put the plastic inside my bag instead since it was embarassing. HAHAHA)

Morning Blogs

Okay, so I was tempted to rhyme and write Morning Blogging but there was just something wrong about it.

Anyway. My mother is still in Hong Kong. She won't let me come with them. I could be taking precious photos right now, if she only let me come. Meh. I'd probably chronicle the California long drive instead. And go to Harajuku and Aichiken. And snap photos of all the beautiful and weird people. Yeah baby, Japan :p (Hmm, perhaps I'll end up taking photographs for the Society pages. Ehrg.)

I'm on the verge of psychoanalyzing once again but I still have to go to school in 30 minutes. Heh. I don't want to go to school in uniform today. I just want to stay home and finish Hitch hiker's guide.

Yesterday was gray and cloudy. I love days like those. It's a mix of gloomy and merry, for some weird reason. You feel depressed with the gray sky but something about that grayness makes you feel... good. I blogged about gray skies before. Gray cloudy skies and gloomy days are the best for me because, for some reason, the way it places you in the middle of depressed and happy makes you more aware of yourself, your existence, and the world moving around you. Or maybe I just have a psychological or mental illness. I don't think so though.

You know what? I'm not going to school today anymore. I'm staying home, finishing Hitch Hiker's Guide and watching Love Actually. I also just got my stipends so I can splurge it on whatever. But I'm waiting for my mom since I asked her to get me whatever stuff from Hong Kong. (Although HK is not as cheap as it used to be... better Japan, whoopeedee --> You can feel that statement's dripping with bias, haha.)

I wonder who reads my blog, aside from the people who have commented and that I know. I wonder if anybody else reads my blog. Haha. If you do, can you please drop a comment and tell me how idiotic my blog is (or simply, what you think about it)?

And I end my blog there.

Wait, it's time for the PS:
Hehe. When we arrived in Pisay from Tagaytay, and it dawned on me that I can finally go back home, I realized how much I missed my computer and the internet. It's like I missed my brother or my family in general. I know, you can say, addict.

PPS: Get well soon Ayisse and Kla. Good luck with your ventures Dixi and with your projects Cess. Goodluck to me, USC is releasing scholarship and other rewards decision on the first week of April. And I might be soaking up the sun in LA already by then. B) (Hey, it's not everyday that I get to be in California or wherever.)

Vanilla's like milk, only with a V

I went to school today thinking there'd be a clean up. Looks like there's no clean up. So after eating an early lunch at around 11:00A, Dixi and I hitched with Remika and company to UP. I needed to buy a couple of "lost" glasswares for Research clearance. We thought Remika had a car... hehehe. So we took a jeep to Philcoa. Remika and the rest decided to eat lunch first since the scientific instruments shop is on lunch break anyway. Dixi and I on the other hand went to SM North instead. After that we headed straight to UP. We saw Tua at the glasswares shop. Funny because we were with Tua before we hitched with Remika to UP. Tua had a car with him... Yeah, I know. So on the way back to Pisay, we got a free ride from Tua.

After returning replacement glassware, we headed to SM Fairview and had coffee. The coffee dude Jose is not there. It's been a long time since we last saw him. But we met a new coffee girl, Eva. We're thinking Eva (or someone from the entirely new staff) replaced Jose, and Jose got relocated to some other branch (G4 maybe, since we overheard Eva say that's where she got relocated from.) Eva's pretty and charming. hehe As Dixi said, "She's so pretty I want my kids to look like her."

And Redford White was outside. We were sitting inside beside the door to the smoking area outside. Dixi bought a pricey banana pane dolce shortcake (P110 for a desert) on suggestion from Eva. Eva is a good sales stalker. Again, Dixi joked later on, "She's so pretty I couldn't resist buying this pane dolce thing." Dixi said to Eva, "Okay, I'll have a vanilla latte and whatever you said." (Since banana pane thing seemed a pretty long name.)

Dixi half regretted having to pay P220 all in all for a desert and a coffee. But she said, "I could have bought 3 chickens, a cheeseburger and three sprites but I couldn't exchange that with a suggestion from a pretty girl, coffee and a panoramic view of Redford White." We had a crazy time. Another Dixi quote, "Vanilla latte is a safe buy (if you're not sure what you want) since vanilla is basically like milk, only with a V." Or something similar to that. I had to pause for 2.001 seconds before laughing.

And the story stops there. Dixi doesn't want me to publish what happened for the next 5 hours or so. Hella funny and amusing if you ask me.

By the way, when we went to SM North, we went to National Bookstore to look for University Physics (which I... misplaced, actually it was already in the Lost and Found but it still got lost). And we passed by the chick lit rack. I just realized how much I like british chick lit. The subtle wittiness is just addicting; same with other brit lits'.

W00t

I missed the Design Festa application. But it's not like I'm joining since my dad wants us to go to Aichiken World Expo anyway. I'm not too sure if I'll leave right after grad ball for California... rewards deadlines are due for release on the first week of April! Besides, my rejection or acceptance letter from Swarthmore can arrive in that one week. It most definitely will if it doesn't arrive before April 1.

I heard some worthwhile stuff in LEADS. Tita Becky, the host for the whole thing, was pretty annoying though. The confusing thing about it is that you're not sure if she's sincere or not. All her other, erm, defects can be forgiven if she was sincere. But there seems to be a conflict there.

I can't write every damn thing that happened in the LEADS (okay, maybe I can) but noteable things would have to be RB's dad, Mr. Redoble's talk about making decision and having a big picture; the last speaker (the one before Ms. Serrano) who's a Pisay Alumni who has worked all over the world in a non-science related field (Something Suisse of whatever, I know. Bad memory. I'll check up on it); "pinakamalupit na scandal" videos of the room 23B residents (that's us!); Ayisse's giant mood swings (just kidding ;) we all understand); and rolling down the sloping grassy area (can't call it a field). 'Twas all good.

My big picture is working for National Geographic... as a photographer. (Notice how I never mentioned working for NG as what? Before now that is.) And the details include, well, working for National Geographic, going around the world, meeting as many cultures as I can, etc. It's a whole separate post. hehe

I encourage everybody to do as Mr. Redoble suggested: come up with a big picture, make sure EVERY decision you make leads to it, and make as many good decisions as you can since everything is dependent on the little things you do. Actually, he said more. There were 5 steps (from what I remember... or 6). But meh. I'm running late for clean-up day in school.

Pingu, LA, Etc.

I have a few books lined up for reading. Some are e-books, some I bought impulsively from

NBS weeks ago since they were only worth P50.

Violence and Compassion (The Dalai Lama)

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)

I Don't Want To Go To Jail (Jimmy Breslin)

A Conventional Corpse (Joan Hess)

And things I'm going to buy or am looking for an e-book copy of:

Shanghai Baby (Wei Hun)

Perks of Being a Wallflower (Stephen Chbosky)

Girl Interrupted (didn't check yet HAHA) - Thanks for the recommendation,

Cess.

By the way, the TV in my mom and Jasper's room went whack too. Nobody's making a move to

have it (plus our still-fried TV) repaired. My siblings are TV addicts. The TV in our mom's

room probably committed suicide due to too much Cartoon Network, and the one here in our

room due to too much Animax (courtesy of Yuki).

And so I wasn't able to watch Interpol. Goddamn...

--

Pingu is awesome. He's an evil brother to his baby penguin sibling. hehe And I think the

show is wicked fun. I love it. I love Pingu. And it's funny how they (in the show) all seem

to speak in fast forwarded French. Wait. French seems fast forwarded as it is already. Just

kidding :D Only last week did I find out that Pingu is actually in French. haha

--

I'm going to Japan and California this summer. Woohoo. LA, baby :D haha I think our first

stop's San Francisco. Time to stalk Drew Fuller and find out where he lives there (that is,

if he still lives there hehe). HAHA.

I'm gonna get such a kick out of photographing Japan's streets. I NEED to go to Harajuku, no

matter how many photographers are already there, it's still gonna be awesome. And maybe I'd

go document the whole Cali long drive in photos.

I'm looking to join Design Festa by the way. My aunt sent me a link. It's the biggest Asia

Art Festival (or so it says there). Still reading the details. I hope it's not too late.

It's in Tokyo. Yeah... Tokyo, baby.

--

DOcumenting reminds me of a batch documentary I have to do. I haven't gotten my ass off to

do it yet. I'd probably start tomorrow.

I'm going to LEADS (the pseudoleadership training thing) by the way and go make songs and

screen plays with Dixi instead.

Ayisse you SHOULD go. You were even excited to go. :(

I don't accomplish much, as you may notice (hehe), that's why I'm taking this chance to post my USC certificate of admission. It might be nothing to some people but hey, it's an accomplishment for me. (More so if I am granted a scholarship. Pray for me. heh)

Past 3 Days

Battle of the bands was okay. A lot of talented bands performed. No comment on the winners, but they were both good (first place winners improved a lot over the past year). A lot of talented kids. There were still funny performances. OURS was a bit of a disaster. 12:51 kinda sucked badly. First time I'm playing lead and something goes wrong. (I know, it's such a bruise to my deflated morale.) But it can't be helped. Shit happens. I'm not blaming anybody already. (Actually, I never did. I just had to rant and rant like the biatch I am under certain circumstances.) We had a really short set but I guess that's fine. It just sucked because we didn't perform like how we do during practice. Some of us had secret jitters, I guess (including me). We are now about to reform the band, rename it, and change the genre to something more Strokes like or Lostprophets like. Hmm... I know it's crazy how this band thing got revived again. I guess I became better since I am no longer afraid of playing lead and I can do plucks after all. If only I devote much time to guitar. But meh.

The dudes who played Reptilia didn't do much justice to it. We sympathize with their drummer since he seemed intent on making their set really good but I guess their band just can't do it with the vocalist doing bass at the same time (some can do it, but some just can't). Kudos to the guitarist though who had to do lead and rhythm at the same time (since there were only 3 of them.) Didn't catch the name of the "intermission band" that performed, the one with the Adrien Brody-like guy for a lead guitarist. They play the kind of music you listen to while drinking cold coffee. (Cold coffee and lonely nights as Dixi put it. Just cold coffee, according to Ayisse.) Chubibo was there again by the way.

I know, I'm speaking in phrases and run ons and improper sentences.

Oh, and yeah... I got accepted into USC. W00t. I thought I wouldn't be. Heh. Still waiting for scholarship decisions though. Now that's a problem.

--

On another note, I am not going to the batch leadership training on monday. That'd eat up 2 nights and 2 days. I know I'm such an apathetic person. It's people like me who prevent the batch from truly "bonding" I guess. Haha But come on, the school year's about to end already. I can find better use of my time. (Which means, things that directly affects me or things that have greater impact.) I still don't know what to do though. I'm probably going to start my online portfolio already, pick up the cam and take photos, finish all the books I haven't yet, or start a script. Or I can go to LEADS (that's what the event's called) and write a script there with Dixi. I don't know though if she's still coming. It's on short notice (for us at least).

--

On a more recent thing: I just opened my hotmail inbox and found out my aunt sent a letter to Yale. What did she ask them? I have yet to find out. Hotmail is slooooow (in my comp at least). Gmail is truly faster.

--

Oh, and my scanner's alive again by the way,

--

And now that I read my aunt's message... She e-mailed Yale admissions under my name and asked if they're still accepting applications -_- Of course not but I appreciate her gesture. haha She's telling me to go with them (her, my sister and grandma) to US next month so I can check out USC. They're going to go on a long driving trip of the whole west coast... again.

--

And... yeah, so many "ands" hehe. Watched Constantine with Dixi. It's a good movie. It's more of a movie for skeptics than a movie for zealous believers though. The plot is great and it has this artsy element, maybe it's in the way some of the things are depicted - like the turning of water into wine, the different plagues, punishments, etc. Some said it's hard to understand but I pretty much understood it in one go. Probably helps having a friend to analyze with along the way (like Dixi hehe). (And Keanu Reeves is not gay after all. But he's 41. Haha Sorry for the rumor alert Dixi.)

Abducted

Made long post, as usual. Blogger decided to go whack on me. So I'm just going to write everything down in phrases.

Battle of the bands on Friday. Had first practice yesterday. Only studio available was a rip off at P200 per hour with only one guitar and one microphone and no airconditioner. Remika wasn't able to come with us. Martin, the talented boy, played drums instead, came up with the bass line, and served as our metronome. Ayisse found a new found respect, shall we say?, for Ashley Simpson when she realized La La requires extra voice control. (Fluctuating tones.)

Had practice today. Remika came. She kicks ass, for a girl who doesn't have a drum set at home. I swear, everybody else says she's really good as well. Played La La. The song grew on us. Ayisse can do the "erotic" Ashley Simpson voice. Go you.

Hitched a ride home with Dixi. Got abducted by the Mengote family (in a good way ;)). I'll leave it at that.

Dixi's family can do a reality tv show btw. Something like, Ride With The Mengotes.

Ran home with Dixi, got my bass for her to use overnight, and then we ran back to the mall. THen we parted ways, since my mom was also in the mall.

Danced like crazy in the parking lot; jumped around, ran around, turned around. La La was stuck on repeat inside my head. Noticed a person in a van beside our car was staring at me. Stopped. Went inside the car. La La's still in my head. Damn you Ashley Simpson and your shag-deprived song, La La.

It's fun actually. People probably think we're crazy for even choosing La La. Well... shock factor. haha

Lying Priests (and a Dalai Lama quote)

I did not fully comprehend when a priest said during mass, "Tao din kaming mga pari, minsan mas makasalanan pa kami sa inyo." (We priests are also humans, sometimes we even sin more than you do.) I used to wonder, how is that possible? Aren't they supposed to be on top of those who worship God and adhere to the doctrine?

Now I understand; I have witnessed a priest lie first hand, putting out family at risk in an issue with out slave-driving, social-climbing, opressive neighbor. It's like learning for the first time that some Tibetan monks "employed the services" of young boys (as young as 8 years old or younger) as sexual partners/servants (translation: HOMOsexual harassment.) It's another one of those welcome slaps screaming, this is life biatch, no system is perfect!

Now I'm thinking how silly it is for SOME priests to say they don't sin and they're so holy and we should be damned for being sinful mortals and all (yes, those priests exist). I am now less trusting.

How am I to make sure of the integrity of every priest's words now? Actually, one can never be too sure because it's not they're fault that they're human. The hipocrisy some of them show is just, not really disgusting but, something I look down on. It's like, they tell you not to sin because it's bad. But they sin too. I know that in this case you just have to trust your instinct. In everything, it all comes down to what you think. I should just understand that we are all human. And I do understand that. However, I just have a problem with hipocrisy in priests and the fact that they have been glorified so much in stories and by standards set by our society.

Which leads me to confession. I never got the whole point of confession. I told that during a group talk we had during our 3rd year retreat. What is the point of confessing to a human medium when you can do it directly through your connection with God, or whichever superior being you believe in?

And homilies. I've always thought homilies are like reading comprehension sessions in grade school. The priest explains the significance of the gospel, adds in a little bit of his opinion, relates it to current issues or plain deviates away from the topic at hand (which is annoying in that case). It might sound stuck up or whatever of me but, homilies remind me of self-help books. I never took self-help books seriously because I know how to diagnose my self and I basically can come up with what these books say anyway. I guess I'm just aware and unbiased with myself. I know when I'm becoming the Witch in the Wardrobe or when I'm becoming an unreasonably humble masked git.

Sometimes I just snicker to myself, when priests give advices on life and etcetera they sound like the life coaches in Starting Over. Although I admit, priests serve as spiritual guides as well. I've no problem with that because I am aware that some people need guidance and can't come up with these bits of wisdom by themselves. And that leads me to the conclusion of how humanity has grown dependent on religion and theocratic dictates (at least the part of humanity that believes in a higher being ;)). It has become a social norm.

Some Church people don't admit that they make mistakes. However, some do. That's why I was glad to hear that during the intentions part of the mass it was mentioned to "please guide spiritual leaders so that they may carry out their respective missions properly."

I know... Religions are probably messed up and a mix of positive and negative (but good and bad are relative, rememeber) because humans play a large role. It is not a 100% spiritual, unexplained, based-on-what-you-feel deal. Part of religion, the rules, etc., are determined by humans, just like us (only the vowed to celibacy... or so they say hehe sorry can't help dropping that in). I mean, hello? Who came up with the date for Jesus' birth and how Jesus should look like? Humans did. (I don't believe by the way that Jesus's eyes are blue and that his hair is long... read the Scientific American article on reconstructing how Jesus should've looked like given the period he lived in and clues from the bible.)

So... this leads to a conclusion that perhaps, religion won't be as conflicting as it is if it were in its purest form. And that's kind of what spirituality is.

By the way, about the humans having a hand in the whole religion game, I think it's inevitable because we eventually feel the need to arrange some things for the "good of the majority." It's like appointing priests. Somebody needs to lead an herd of sheeps, even though the only choice is a wolf; or somebody to lead a pack of wolves, even it has to be a sheep. GOing back to what I mentioned previously, "This is life biatch, no system is perfect." That is what exactly some religions have come to be, systems. Just like pila-bago-sakay jeepney systems. Only with a different purpose.

I hope you guys don't hate me for posting this. It's basically what I think. And I tried to balance it. If you think it purely one-sided then read it again. We can't go on blaming other people for our defective sight. I am not trying to recruit other people to my side of the coin too. So don't blame me if this helped deteriorate your faith. hahaha (I believe by the way in what you can refer to as religion its purest form more than religion in its Vatican-dictated form. I know. I've mentioned that a million times here already. Just so I can clear atheist-accusations that I see coming my way.)

I hate myself for posting something a wee bit related to religion. They don't make very good topics. heh

--------------

I would just like to share another inspiring thing from the (14th) Dalai Lama. This is from a National Geographic April 2002 article by Lewis Simons:

I told him to about the new breed of entrepreneurs I met in Tibet and asked what he thought of their effort to rebuild temples and stupas. I expected him to endorse their efforts. Surprisingly, he did not.

"I wish those wealthy Tibetans would spend their money on schools and clinics and on living Buddhism better," he said. "Certainly these people have a very important role in the preservation of TIbetan culture. But when I think of culture, I think of internal things, like the quality of the mind, honesty, compassion, peacefulness. These are the qualities of our culture."

Everyone wants to be found.

If you're intrigued by the title of this post, are looking to watch Lost In Translation, want to know what Lost In Translation is partly about and/or want to know what I think about it then you should read this post:

"Reality TV shows" aren't believable; they are often filled with too much excitement and too much buzz when in truth, life is not like that.

Reality. That must be the reason why some people found Lost In Translation to be a boring movie. You know why? Because it mirrored reality so much.

If you ask me though, this reality factor of Lost In Translation is what makes it a great movie. The feelings and emotions and every other thing are subtle in a way that you have to feel instead of seeing them. You don't interpret things based on what you see but what hits that something inside you. ("Oh, they kiss. They're in love." It's not like that.)

But this "subtleness" in communication is what makes the messages intense as well. At least, I think so. Once you feel something, it's there. It's very real. You know how some people say "It's so real, it hurts?" Well, it's kinda like that. (It's not about the "hurt" part I'm refering to, it's the "real" part.)

The way the messages are conveyed through feelings makes it abstract as well. It's up to the viewer to come up with what significance the characters, the events - the movie - brings to them. What we see often dictates how we should feel. This movie is not an exception. There's still that element in it. After all, that's what movies are about, right? They tell you something. In this case tough, you have more freedom in how you interpret the movie. More freedom with how you want to arrive at the message it tries to bring.

Have you watched Collateral? A reason why I liked that movie so much was that the screenplay was great and the portrayal by the characters was so great. That's how Lost In Translation is. (Only of course, Lost In Translation is definitely more ordinary than Collateral; I mean, driving for an assassin by chance is not something we get to experience at least once in our lives.) Both movies follow a great script, IMHO. And despite Collateral featuring an unusual event, the characters in both movies are not just believable. They're real. See the difference?

(Oh, and another similarity between the two movies is the driving-at-night scene. I loved that part because I just feel so alive when inside a moving car at night. You sort of can watch the world go by. A detached yet very much alive feeling. Meh. Call me weird. Not everybody can probably identify with that.)

Again let me add something to what I said earlier. The movie mirrored reality so much that anyone can probably identify with the characters, not because they're believable but because it all feels so real. And it's real. (And no, I'm not saying we all feel the need to fall in love with another person when we're already committed.)

A reason why Lost In Translation is such a big hit for me is because it's set in Japan. And I love Japan. I was near tears when Charlotte and Bob were inside the taxi at night and Charlotte was just staring outside. And that whole sequence when Charlotte went to Kyoto and was walking around. She sees a Japanese woman about to get married, in the traditional way, somewhere in the sequence.

The choice for the setting makes up much of the movie as well. Not only people who love Japan can identify with the setting. In the story, to the characters, it's a foreign place. It's like, you seek to understand the people, the customs, and everything else. I find that it blends well with what is going around in the story. With what is going around within the characters' selves. Japan seems to mirror the identity crisis or personal conflicts (about what to do with the rest of your life) tackles in the story.

Also the quirkiness of the Japanese adds to some of the comedy in the movie. The awesome gaming places. The karaoke places. The cultural-historical places. Amusing choice of clothes (I don't normally talk about clothes but I'd just like to say that I liked most of what Scarlett Johansso(e)n wore in the movie. Oh and let me add, I think her husband in the movie's pretty hot. hehe Although he seems to wear the same shirt over and over again.) Some crazy characters were in there too. I laughed during the whole scene with the crazy stockings woman (man, she was such a mental case it's just hilarious), the director, etc.

Well. It's the sort of movie that makes you ponder. You just want to understand what the hell Lost In Translation means. But it comes to you easier than you think. You don't have to stretch your mind too much because, at least I think, the movie talks about something we all feel or go through. As the movie line says, "Everyone wants to be found." I may not be a big fan of cheesy stuff and that line may seem like it. But actually, no. Not everyone's idea of being found is meeting a significant other. For me it's just, well, being found (I'm not dwelling much on by whom or by what. As long as I'm noticed, dammit.) It's like what J3, according to Dixi, said about humanity (or being humane, whatever): Humanity is about being appreciated, we all seek to be appreciated.

I may have explained a few things about the movie, I may have not. But I don't think I did much justice and you probably will not understand me unless you see this movie. It's that kind of movie, once again: You have to see it in order to understand, because it requires having to feel it first hand. Ooh, that rhymes.

And before I end this. I didn't feel very sad about what happened in the end. (Not telling, since I'd hate to spoil it for others who plan to watch it.) In fact, I feel glad. You know how something seemingly unfortunate happens to you but you just have to feel happy because you're at peace with yourself finally? You feel fulfilled somehow. I guess in this movie, it's the feeling of being found. Speaking from the characters' point of view, being found is better than finding somebody. Because the benefactor is yourself for the larger part. I think this is one of the reasons why some people commit, marry, feel in love. You see, relationships are actually more selfish than selfless. Why do you think you love your bestfriend so much? It's not just you have somebody to share fun experiences with you, you have somebody to notice you and encourage you and support you and be your number one cheerleader.

(And it just occured to me. Maybe that's an indicator of true love: "I've found somebody that found me," and not just "I've found somebody." And that that somebody didn't just find you. S/he also found somebody that found her/him. Again, I don't normally talk about love. And don't get me wrong. The movie is not just about love. It's more universal than that, as I implied previously.)

I hope you (whoever you are that's reading this) watch the movie. That way you can better relate to what I'm saying. (Yeah, yet again, a pretty selfish reason haha) But really, I guess everybody can learn, or rather discover or find a description for something that's already there, something from the movie.

I'm watching it again.

And I miss Japan.

I really do need to go there again. I feel like kissing the gravel in the huge crossing in Yokohama and then procede to prostating all the way to Motomachi. haha

And I want somebody to come with me too.

From Patag

I'm too lazy to scour all the Quiz Farm quizzes so I steal the quiz links from people like Patag. :p

You scored as Vanessa. You are Vanessa! You have a shaved head and love to videotape things. Your art really gets you places! Vanessa 45% Dan Humphrey 45% Blair 22% Serena van der Woodsen 11% Nate Archibald 0% Jenny Humphrey 0% Which Gossip Girl are you? created with QuizFarm.com

Uhm... I don't have a shaved head. And I'm not that artsy.

You scored as Sandy Cheeks. You are smarter than most and a good friend. You know how to keep people in line. Sandy Cheeks 59% Mr. Krabs 46% Patrick Star 46% Spongebob 38% Squidward 33% Plankton 33% Which Spongebob character are you like? created with QuizFarm.com

Kids, Freaky FX Drivers, and Jose.

Forgot to post this last night. Fell asleep. Meh.:

I didn't expect much from the outreach program we attended for Econ class this afternoon. But when we entered the room of 15 preschoolers I was overwhelmed by their cuteness. I wanted to hug them all the instant I saw them. hahaha I'll post the photos I took with my phone on my photoblog later tonight. We ran around, read them story books, played Ice Ice Water, played Ice Ice Water while carrying a kid on my back and having others hanging behind me. We read them books, played Open the Basket, Sasara ang bulaklak, blocks, etc. I chased them around since I wanted to hug them. And then they ran away from me. haha Fun. For most of the first half spent inside the classroom (the other outside the room in a basketball court) us PIsay students tried to pick the guys from the floor and stop them from wrestling each other.

Very adorable kids. And when it was time for us to leave (Dixi, Ayisse and I were the last ones to leave together with Kaye, who did construction work instead of playing with the kids) I hugged each of them and it's really cool how you get a genuine response when they hug back. I'll miss Marlo, that smart kid. He had his arms ready at once when I started giving out the hugs. He was also the one never let go of Dixi's arm at one point and rushed to Ayisse when it was time to play Open the Basket.

I know. My story telling is not very structured. Oh, and there's the typical hyperactive kid named Lucio who we were all fond of. Cute kid haha. (Oh, tell that to Dixi. She had to take 302.55847 photos of Lucio with my cellphone :D)

One of the smart kids, Trisha, looked like Jasmine Trias by the way.

And at one point, while chasing them around the basketball court, all the boys started taunting Dixi, yelling "Hindi ka babae" repeatedly at her.

Plus, Ayisse demonstrated her Star Talk powers and interviewed every kid in secret, asking them who their crushes are. Let's just say there's a love triangle between Tin-Tin, Lucio and Tricia. And Marlo, Tin-Tin and Lucio. And this kid Angelo kept on staring at a girl named Jessica.

Maybe we can go back there sometimes. Dixi and I live near the place anyway. About 10 minutes from the community.

---

I could've headed home immediately after but I left some stuff in Pisay. After that, I finished compiling our Econ magazine. And then I left school at around 6:00p. It was pretty funny on the ride home. I rode an FX like I always do. I sat in front. The driver was funny and freaky (freakier due ot my semi-overactive imagination).

Let's just say he told me to lock the door first so he can choose who sits in front. I see the wisdom in this. He only let females sit infront. This is a precaution one can take in order to avoid hold-ups. And then it started getting freaky when the woman beside me got off at Sandigan Bayan. A man was trying to hail the vehicle so he could ride but the driver zoomed ahead, skipped the man and told me he didn't let the man (it was an old man for chrissakes) ride because "May kahati na ako ngayon pagkatabi ka." And then he laughed. And then I laughed a nervous laughed and said, "Nyak." And then I edged closer towards the passenger door.

I told my dad about it, adding it to a list of reasons why I'm better of driving my own car (not that I want a car, I don't really care much but its preferable and situations like this one just makes you want to have your own car). He said the man's just making light of things. My dad told me, "Imagine having to drive everyday, back and forth on the same route. Of course, he just wants a light, funny conversation or something." To this I answered, "Daddy. No. The man is psychotic. He is freaky. And crazy." And then my dad says, "Siyempre nakikipagbiruan lang yan. Nakiride on ka nalang dapat." And then I said, "Nakiride on nga but then he started muttering things to himself." Dad: "*laughs* Baka nga may tama yan. *laughs*"

When a bunch of girls got in, he told one of them, "Dito nalang yung isa sa harap... Para may katabi pa kong isang maganda." Freaky. Haha. But I knew he was just joking. There was no other seat for the last remaining girl anywya except in the front, beside me. Beside a very apathetic, disconnected-from-life looking me.

Actually, I find the whole incident funny. What's even funnier was that when the driver sprayed air freshner on the airconditioner, I held my breath, dunk my head in my paper bag, breathed, got my head out of the paper bag, and then held my breath in. It was all for fear of a sleep-inducing chemical in the spray thing. Actually, NOT. Then the driver would have to inhale whatever hypothetical sleep-inducing thing there is. I just tried doing that about thrice to see how silly it would feel and would be.

And if you are Raphael and you're reading this, don't rant on to me about how dangerous the situation could have been. I am fully aware of the dangers of commuting (no place is safe, even inside the comforts and "safety" of your home). So don't get paranoid and think of committing suicide or getting me a secret bodyguard.

I told you. Overactive imagination. haha But knowing you, dude, you might have thought some of that while reading this haha. (Raphael: Yes, this is a defense mech biatch :p --- That's all in good fun. No hard feelings.)

---

After the whole funny incident I dropped by NBS to inquire about a book (I lost an issued school book. Boo.) And then headed to Starbucks to get a slice of Orange Poppyseed. And yes. Jose was there (I was assuming, actually haha). Dixi. I saw Jose. hahahaha (I think he has a thing for jazz music, by the way. You should've seen him swaying and nodding to the jazzy music with some weird african yodelling bits.)

Ah. Long blog.

I think I might start making layouts again. I have rediscovered the beauty of Getty Images.
But my photoshop is whack.

Back to the hub

After 2 months I am back to Netopia, sitting down on a cold chair and making a make-shift dinner out of orange poppy seed bread and hazelnut latte. No, fret not bored blog readers for I didn't lose my computer again. Just dropped by to have some leukemic cell photos scanned because my scanner died. May it rest in peace. I hope I can revive it.

Went to school. Returned half of my books to the Property Office. Fooled around. Took some photos for our Econ case study magazine. And then just sat there. I didn't do much except for talk with my classmates and proof read some articles. It was funny because we hogged the whole computer area in the Girls' Dorm Main.

I'm going home now.

Doom doodoom doom doomdoomdoom

You scored as Gaz. You are the video game, piggy loving Gaz. You wish your idiot sibling would shut up so you can get on with life. Gaz 83% Zim 67% Professor Membrane 67% Dib 33% Gir 33% The Allmighty Tallest 33% Ms. Bitters 17% Which Invader Zim Charecter are You? created with QuizFarm.com

Lost In Translation + Love Actually

I bought Love Actually and Lost In Translation today. Wooohooo. I'm mad happy. Finally. Love Actually original VCDs are now priced at only P125 by the way hehehe. And they aren't the original copies by MagnaVision (those suck. Doesn't seem very much like an original copy.) I don't see the point in wasting money on original DVDs unless, of course, it's something like Troy, Snatch, Donnie Darko or The Usual Suspects.

I stopped by the mall on my way home because I have finally received my second to the last high school stipend. I've been wanting to watch Love Actually since forever. It's just like Sweet Home Alabama... only with a way better script and setting (London :D) And I finally have a copy of Lost In Translation. Despite the cheap ass that I am, I decided against having to wait for them to mark down the price from P250 hahahaha. I think it's worth my money. Bill Murray and Scarlett Johanssen (I like her :p) are in it and it's set in Tokyo. And as we all know, Japan has got to be my favourite place in the world :D

Woooohoooooo. I'm going to postpone doing our Econ case study (an Econ-Pisay magazine) so that I can watch Love Actually. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You can tell I'm crazy happy at the moment. And we just had our last. High school. Periodic. Exams. Ever. (The period after the word Ever and after the word before it is compulsory.)

Oh and and and and and yesterday, I robbed my mom of P113.75 and got myself a copy of Violence and Compassion (Dialogues on Life Today, His Holiness, The Dalai Lama), which was originally priced at P455. Sweet. I found it by chance. I was browsing the sale books rack in National Bookstore while waiting for the cashier lady to process the printer ink I bought.

Chris Weeks is awesome

Chris Weeks's photographs are nothing short of amazing. He's a photojournalist (specifically, celeb photographer). Check out his gallery and be sure to view his celebrity series from the Alexander premier. (Brad Pitt was there and Chris Weeks even commented: "He came without his wife. Hmm...") That was, of course, before the Brad-Jen break up was let out.

His Gallery

My favourites from the Alexander premier series:
Collin Farrell - I'm not a Collin Farrell fan, mind you, but this has got to be the best.
Brad Pitt
Angelina Jolie
Jesu... I mean, Jim Caviezel
Beautiful capture of Collin Farrell smoking

I think I linked almost half of the series O_o

A photo not in the series but I love anyway:
Army of Characters

Enjoy.

And yeah, Brad Pitt has 2 photos up in his gallery :D hehe -_- And the dude's a Leica fanatic O_O Must. Start. Saving. Up. For. A. Leica. Camera. Kidding ;) (I'd buy one if I could, really, but not because Brad Pitt loves it.)