Dry Spell

I am in a “blogging” dry spell. Yup. Wala akong maisip na isulat. Gone are the days na dire-diretso lang ang patipa ko sa aking keyboard while the ideas flow freely. Ngayon – I have been staring at a blank MS Word page for a few minutes now and still — wala pa rin. Nada. Zilch. Zero. Iniisip ko nga ang madalas na topic ko sa aking blogs :

1.        Food! — hmm…. Nada… I haven’t been to any new eating places lately. I haven’t eaten anything out of the ordinary. So far – lahat ng kinakain ko ay on the “OK lang”  list. I had the “best banana walnut muffin” for merienda yesterday – but it seems ordinary with every bite. Don’t get me wrong — it was delicious… still the best banana walnut muffin in my opinion — but seems ordinary…. Hmmm….

2.        Television — hmm… Zilch….  Wala akong sinusubaybayan ngayon sa Boobtube…. Walang teleserye na nakakuha ng aking attention. 

Walang Kapalit – dapat na itong palitan. Masyado nang stretch ang story.

Kokey – hmm… the character is weirdly lovable… di ko alam kung nakakatakot sya or nakakatuwa. Hmm… kailangan ko pagisipan mabuti yan.

Ysabella  –   nagiging boring. Parang walang chemistry between the lead stars which is odd dahil magsyota sila. Or maybe it’s the too much drama… the initial episodes are very promising… but somehow the recent ones are too melodramatic. Coney Reyes is good though.

Natutulog pa ang Diyos — well the title says it all … it seems that everyone is sleeping while making this series. The characters can’t act….  no chemistry….  Plot and dialogues are  bad…  hmm.. basta.. I can’t say anything good about this series. Mukhang kailangan nating gisingin ang Diyos dahil I do think that we need a miracle to make this show worth watching.

Margarita – hay… don’t start with me… I was able to catch a couple of episodes.. In fairness — Wendy is not that terrible in acting… may potential ika nga… but the dancing… more… more… more practice! Sobrang gasgas na ng storyline nito…. Kung dvd ito – iluluwa na ng dvd player kasi unplayable na.

As for the “imported” shows — nandyan pa rin naman ang mga usual suspects — Brothers and Sisters, CSI, Veronica Mars, Grey’s Anatomy, Ugly Betty etc.  Mukhang sa “local” shows lang talaga mayroong shortage of good and quality television e.   Hay…. kailan ba sisimulan ang Maging Sino Ka Man? Miss ko na si Celine, Jackie, Ely at JB!

       

3.        Current Events —  as per normal… yan ang aking description sa mga news and current events na nangyayari. Sa Pinas – the usual stories pag ganitong panahon — baha at bagyo. Syempre nandyan pa rin ang mga ever reliable na corruption, dirty politics at mga oppositions. Lam nyo – ang mga Pilipino (me included) – napakagaling maghanap ng mali na ginagawa ng iba. Kaya buhay na buhay ang mga oposisyon sa Pinas e.  Just read in the news that the senate will again open up the Hello garci issue. Isa lang masasabi ko dyan – Hello! Senate!…. mukhang wala na namang mga batas na maipapasa.  Dapat siguro ang senate isama na lang sa NBI… hilig naman nila mag-investigate e. Does anyone still care about the Hello Garci issue? Hmm.. sabagay … meron… yung oposisyon… para magkagulo at baka sakaling makaupo sila ng mas maaga bilang presidente. Kung ako sa kanila —- isapuso muna nila ang ibig sabihin ng “united opposition” – kasi sila-sila nag-ooppose sa isa’t-isa. Sabagay – oposisyon nga e.

4.        Travel — asa pa hehehe.. the only traveling I do nowadays is from Simei to Tanjong Pagar via Bus 531.  Saka MRT pala  from Tanjong Pagar to Simei.  Nandyan pa rin naman paminsan-minsan ang taxi… but.. I am happy to mention na nabasawan na ang aking pag-tataxi. Wala na akong pangtaxi e… mahal…  Bago ko malimutan… a bright light in the horizon… possible trip to Bangkok! Fingers crossed…..

5.        Gadgets — hmp.. pangtaxi nga wala e… pangbili  pa ng bagong toy.  The Motorola V9X is still to be released… baka end of this year daw or early next year.  The new IMac…. Hmm… tempting…. pero mukhang no-deal.  Mas practical yata ang MacBook Pro…. My computer expo next week dito sa Singapore – tingnan natin kung gaano kagaling ang aking self-control.

6.        Movies — haven’t watch any movie lately.. the last movie I saw was The Simpsons… no movie night last Friday … slept early…. Wanted to watch the third Bourne movie.. but friends says I need to watch the 2^nd installment first.  Might watch Hairspray this weekend — seems that I need some singing in my boring life….

7.        Books — tambak ang books ko sa bahay…. Bili ng bili.. di ko naman binabasa….  Anyway.. darating din siguro ang time at mababasa ko ito… recently — I’ve been browing on some fiction books sa bookstores…. Gusto ko kasing magbasa ng isang novel na masasabi ko talagang wow…. Yung I missed half of my life kung di ko ito nabasa? So far… wala pa akong napipili… kung meron kayong suggestion… suggest nyo lang… pero make sure na talagang worth basahin ha… I wanted somethimg different… kakaibang storyline….  No  auto/biographies please……

8.        Office — same-same.  Lakad pa rin ng lakad si Chichay. Puro pa-japorms pa rin si Ate Vi. Malapit nang mawala  si Ate A. At  nakakatawa pa rin ang pagmumukha ni My Sassy Neighbor. Nothing to report….

9.        Friends — hmm… meron ba ako nun? Alam nyo naman ako loner…. Hehehehe….. wala naman ako masyado natsitsismis sa mga sangkaibiganan. May mga sad L…. May mga happy J…. may mga deadma…. May mga praning…. All in all — tuloy pa rin ang ikot ng mundo.

10.     Plans — I am thinking of enrolling to something… Cooking? Pwede….  Computer Related course like java, html etc ? Pwede rin…. Something artistic — computer graphics, photography? Pwede rin. Driving? Pwede rin. Isa lang problema – naghahanap pa ako ng mag-sponsor ng aking scholarship… hehehehe….. that … or  need to save muna pangbayad ng tuition fee…  Sa mga mag-volunteer to sponsor sa aking quest to further my education — contact me anytime J

Yan.. yan ang aking top 10 topics sa aking mga blog. At wala talaga ako maisip na isulat sa kahit ano man sa kanila …This dry spell  should end soon. Baka iisa na lang nga ang aking fan – mawala pa.  For the meantime — tiis-tiis na lang po muna tayo… Ganyan talaga ang buhay … minsan may tagtuyot … hmm…. cloud seeding….. pwede din kaya itong sagot sa aking “blog” dry spell?    

It’s over?

Warning:  Contains Spoilers of the book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Read at your own risk.

Walang sisihan!  Finally …. I finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows last night.  How was it? Hmmm… a roller coaster ride! Grabe… characters are dying here and there. Di pa nga ako nakakarecover  sa pagkamatay nung isa ….. may namatay na naman.  Yun ang dahilan kaya medyo natagalan akong basahin ito (4 days). Pag may namamatay – tumitigil muna ako sa pagbabasa. Wala lang. Nakakalungkot e. Pag medyo tanggap ko na yung pagkamatay nung character…. tinutuloy ko ang pagbabasa. As in affected hehehehe.. Wag nyo na ako pagtawanan — nasubaybayan ko kasi si Harry since he first became a wizard. Kaya parang kapamilya ko na rin sya. 

Sa lahat ng namatay — pinakanalungkot ako sa pagkamatay ni Dobby. Hay. Kawawa naman sya. Inis na inis nga ako kay Harry e. Sinabi na kasing bawal sabihin ang pangalan ni He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named…. Wala pa rin… sinabi pa rin… ayan.. nahuli tuloy sila at kailangan sagipin sila ni Dobby! Hmp. Ayun – nasaksak tuloy si Dobby at namatay! Hmp. He died a hero! Hay…. tapos yung nilagay pa sa tombstone nya “Here lies Dobby, a free elf”… hay… kaiyak….. 

Habang binabasa ko yung book – minsan naiinis ako kay Harry. Kasi after ng lahat ng pinagdaanan nya – minsan he still make stupid mistakes…. Kaya ayun.. napapahamak sila.  Pero afterwards – naisip ko rin.. he’s only 17. Sa lahat ng pinagdaanan nya – a few mistakes once in a while is forgivable.  Alam naman natin na he’s really not that great with magic…. but he possess courage and bravery … love and inate goodness. At itong mga qualities na ito ang dahilan why he was able to survive lahat ng obstacles na napagdaanan nya…. why he was able to be of Voldemort’s equal.  Of course – those people around him helped so much – but during those critical times that really matter – he was alone… it was all him.  

Expectation is really high for this book – especially the final confrontation between Harry and Voldemort. Initially - it did not meet my expectation. However – naisip ko rin na I may have too high expectation. Yung nasa book naman ay maganda na rin. Not a spectacular — but still really good. Nung una ko kasing nabasa – naisip ko na nadefeat na naman nya si Voldemort on a technicality. Pero after re-reading the chapter — naisip ko na it is as what is expected.  Voldemort showed his weakness na matagal nang binabanggit ni Dumbledore - arrogance. Harry on the other hand showed bravery beyond compare – his greatest quality. The previous books have laid the groundwork – and the final confrontation is just finishing it. 

The book also answered a lot of questions na matagal na nasa sa isipan nang lahat … and more. There are a few surprises especially on the last few chapters. Suggestion ko lang — read and reread the  last chapters. Ito kasi ang mag-tie up ng mga loose ends. As with the other books – the last few chapters are more of a narration of what has transpired… an explanation kung bakit nangyari ang mga nangyari. 

I can go on and on about the book – pero I do think it will be better if you get to experience reading the book yourself.  Me telling the story is like robbing you of the joys and pleasure the book have provided me.  

As for the Potter fans — does the last book means it all over? Nope. I don’t think so. We still have 2 Harry Potter movies to look forward to. And if you are like me —- I can read and reread the seven Harry Potter books a million times… and it will still be like reading it for the first time – a great adventure with the Boy who lived!

Unleashed!

              

The day has arrived! Bought a copy at 8:30 a.m. today. It was Potter fever everywhere I looked. One big surprise — saw Hagrid selling Potter books at Easpoint mall!                                            

Abakada…Basa

Pansin ko lang… for the past few months – I have been spending longer time infront of the tv and surfing the net. Nawawalan tuloy ako ng panahon sa other finer things of life. Tulad ng Nintendo Wii! J And reading.

Nung unang panahon….. bata pa si Sabel…. nakabakya pa si Nena…. I used to read a lot. During those times pa naman wala pa akong pera to buy books. Kaya nagtitiis na lang ako sa panghihiram. And since beggars can’t be choosers …. I read anything that I can borrow. Wala nang pili-pli pa. I started with Nancy Drew mystery novels. I am a Choose Your Own Adventure book series fan as well. This series gives you the porwer (though limited) to change the story depending on the choices that you made. My cousins who use to live with us read a lot of Sweet Dreams and Sweet Valley High books. Pinatulan ko din ito… kaya kilala ko ang Wakefield twins at naintindihan ko kung bakit sila naiyak sa P.S. I love you hehehehe.

When we transferred to the province – mas pahirapan na ang books. I would sometimes borrow from the school library but the titles are very limited. I would also borrow from friends….. Dito ako naintroduce sa medyo mature pocketbooks like Harlequin Romances at Mills and Boon. Ito kasi yung mga binabasa ng mga parents nung mga kaibigan ko that time. Swerte na kung paminsan-minsan ay makahiram ng Stephen King. Pag talagang tagtuyot – pati Tagalog novels ay pinapatulan namin. During those days kasi - cable television and the internet access are not yet available to all. Dahil wala rin naming mapanood sa local channels – better na aliwin mo na lang ang sarili mo through reading.

When I went to college – lumuwas na ako ng Manila. My cousins are now into romantic historical novels. Yung ang mga cover ay si Fabio na naka-angkla sa babae na puro cleavage. I still don’t have the money to buy books … kaya nakikibasa pa rin ako. Johanna Lindsay and Julie Garwood are the writers that I can still remember. The Regency series (The Lion’s Lady, Guardian Angel, The Gift and Castles) and Western series (For the Roses, The Clayborne Brides and Come the Spring) of Julie Garwood at yung Malory-Anderson Family Saga series ni Johanna Lindsay ang medyo natatandaan ko pa. Nito ring mga panahon na ito nadiscover ko ang Recto — second hand books! Pag may free time – pumupunta ako sa recto at nagkakalkal sa mga tambak na second hand books.This paved way para makabasa naman ako ng iba genre at authors. Dito ko na nakilala sina John Grisham, Michael Crichton at Tami Hoag. Bukod sa mga manong at manang ng recto — natuklasan ko din ang Booksale at yung Merriam Webster sa Morayta. Dito na medyo lumawak ang aking pagbabasa.

Nung nagka-work na ako — medyo nagkaroon na ako ng budget to buy books. I still continue to look for good finds sa mga second hand stores… pero naintroduce na rin sa akin ang brand new books from National Bookstore at Powerbooks. I love Powerbooks in Arnaiz (Pasay Road). I used to hang out there — and read.. and read.. and read…. Tapos dun pa nagwork yung isa kong friend… kaya napadalas lalo ang aking pagtambay dun. It was in Powerbooks that I discpvered the books of Amy Tan (The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God’s Wife and The Hundred Secret Senses).

Dito naman sa Singapore — San Bookshop is a heaven sent. You can borrow the book – and after a couple of months return it. Let’s say I borrowed a book and paid SGD$18. After two months – I can return it and they will give me back SGD$13. SGD$5 lang talaga ang bayad for the rental. Since 2 months – we normally rotate the books among friends … before returning it. Kaya kadalasan 2 to 3 persons have read the book before it was returned. Tipid pa rin di ba? Borders, Kinokuniya and MPH are the other bookstores here in Singapore that has a good stock of titles. Dito ko naman sa Singapore nadiscover sina V.C. Andrews, Dave Pelzer, Dan Brown and J.K. Rowling.

Then cable TV and broadband internet entered my life. These 2 + work = no more time to read. Swerte na if I can finish a magazine in one sitting. I still go to booksales sa Expo pag mayroon.. I buy a few titles and store it at home – sabi ko pag nagkatime babasahin ko. Pero hindi dumating ang time na yun. When I was jobless — and nasa Pinas … I again started reading. Wala kasing cable sa province kaya I have all the time to read. Pero nung bumalik ulit ako dito sa Singapore … wala… backseat ulit. Sarap manood at maginternet e.

I still read magazines (GQ, Details, People, Entertainment Weekly, Entrepreneur, FHM) – pero novels… hindi na… Kaya couple of weeks ago – naisip ko that I need to read again. I asked a friend to recommend one title that can bring me back to reading. She suggested “Running with Scissors “ by Augusten Burroughs. I started reading it last Sunday (July and finished it the other day (July 11). What is it about? Ano masasabi ko? Hmm… maybe pag sinipag ako.. I might do a blog about it. Pero .. no promises… lam ko naman na mabobore lang kayo. Saka kahit namn nung nag-aaral pa ako wala ako tiyaga gumawa ng book report.

As for now – I need to finish reading “Why Men Don’t Listen and Women Can’t Read Maps” by Allan and Barbara Pease. I bought this book a month ago kasi a friend recommended it… I think it’s time to start reading and finish it real soon. J

Potter-fever!

July should be declared as Harry Potter month! The whole world is feverish in anticipation with the release of the 5^th Harry Potter movie (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) and the seventh – (and as for now we assume  as final) book (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows). Pottermania is at its peak this month!

 July 11, 2007 — a day that will go down in history as the day Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix opened in movie houses around the world. (Singapore opening is late by one day – actual opening is July 12). I (along with all Potter and non-Potter fans) am already predicting box office success. The first time I saw the trailer – I was in awe. Sa tingin ko this will be the best Potter movie ever. The special effects looks flawless. Very believable! Excited na akong makita ang final scene where Harry and the DA along with the members of the Order battles Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters! Ano kaya ang itsura ng death scene ni Sirius? Of course – the new characters (Luna, Professor Umbridge, Bellatrix, Tonks)  are worth watching out for. Paano kaya sila makakasabay sa ibang characters na since the first movie ay magkakasama na? Musta na kaya ang bangayan nina Ron and Hormonie este.. Hermione pala. And of course – the much talk about Harry Potter’s first kiss with Cho.  

While reading the Harry Potter books — I am already envisioning how the characaters look like. Kaya sa tingin ko may mga characters na I consider as a “miscast”. I think that Richard Harris fits Dumbledore’s character to a T. Michael Gambon’s portrayal is more of a loony… than Dumbledory.  Gary Oldman is a great actor – pero parang hindi sya dapat kinuha to play Sirius. Sirius could have been played by Hugh Jackman. Bakit? Kasi sa book – he was described to be a handsome and a rogue fellow.  Katie Leung as Cho Chang ? Frankly – she is forgettable.  This is sad as Cho played an important part in Harry Potter’s life. Sana lang – they have chosen someone na may dating. Kasi she will be in a couple of scenes lang.. she have to make an impact. I am also a little worried about the actrees playing Ginny Weasley. In the book – she is supposed to be a silent beauty that will officially blossom on the 5^th movie. Well…. let’s wait and see. But hey – they did a wonderful job on the other main characters. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Professor McGonagall, Voldemort, Snape, Lucius, Hagrid, the Weasleys — can’t ask for anything more! 

I love the last 4 movies.  A lot of scenes from the book never made it to the film – but this is okay. The important thing is that the film stayed true to the book. I can’t wait to see the 5^th film. As the trailer is incredible — I have high hopes for the film. Hopefully – I won’t be disappointed.   

To all the Potter fans — isa lang ang masasabi ko…. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!!!!!