Thursday, June 29, 2006

Fearless Forecast

It's the quarter finals of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany, and here are my predictions:

  • Germany, with the "home court advantage", beats Argentina, but both teams get to score, and how!
  • Italy wins over the Ukraine.
  • Portugal beats England, and it's fun to watch.
  • Brazil knocks out France (I'm hoping Robinho scores).
  • Germany beats Italy in a very close match.
  • Brazil bests Portugal.
  • Argentina places third.
  • Portugal is fourth, although France might give them a run for their money.
  • It's 2002 all over again with Germany against Brazil (the best defense against the best offense and a deep bench). Now as much as I want Brazil to hold on to the Copa del Mundo, Germany just might win this thing (gasp!).

Joey thinks it will be Argentina vs. Brazil in the finals, and it's anyone's game. That would be such an exciting game!

Andaya's just plain sad that the Netherlands didn't make it. Again!

To be honest, I don't understand what the English team is still doing there. They haven't exactly been spectacular. And I'm quite disappointed with Spain. Such underachievers (like me, hahaha!). I was really happy about Ghana making it to the Round of 16 by sending the USA home. I'm looking forward to the 2010 World Cup South Africa in the hopes of seeing more African teams play and make it to, at least, the quarter finals. The Philippines in World Cup match? If the people running our national sports program get their act together, Andaya's pretty sure that we'll see action in 2 or 3 Cups.

So...what do you think?

*Photo of Cafu (BRA)/Kingston (GHA) care of http://FIFAworldcup.com.


The Return of the Comeback

Yesterday was opening day for Bryan Singer's Superman Returns and I went through hell just to see it (more on that in a separate post). Luckily, it was quite worth it, although Batman Begins remains my favorite "comic book character to big screen" film. And The Incredibles is my favorite super hero movie. However, given that, I'm granting four out of five stars for Superman Returns. Even my fanboy friends JR and Dex were not disappointed. I have yet to hear what Ariel, Fred, Jayvee and Ricky have to say.

If you're a Superman purist who remembers Richard Donner's Superman: The Movie and Superman II with Christopher Reeve, you're likely to feel that Superman Returns is just a re-make with better technology. I'm a Batfan and a Star Wars geek, so I can hardly remember the original Superman films except for the music, the beginning of Superman: The Movie, Lois Lane's exclusive Superman interview, Supes turning back time, and the Phantom Zone. I needed Dex and JR to remind me, but the noisy know-it-alls seated behind us did a good job of doing that, too.

Now I'm sure that all you want answered is "Is it a good movie?". My answer: "Hell, yeah!" Even if Bryan Singer himself described it as a chick flick about old boyfriends coming back in your life (come to think of it, he's right! As Tanya used to say, "Nabuhay ang patay!" Bale, pinag-palit lang ni Lois Lane si Superman kay Cyclops. Cyclops took "the cure" and doesn't need his shades anymore). In fact, the film is such a good ride that I'm going to see it again this weekend.

Brandon Routh is physically not my type, but he sure resembles - and sounds! - like Christopher Reeve. If you think he's eye candy, just wait for the scene when Supes comes out of the water. You'll know it when you see it. Woooowwww.... He really pulled it off, though, I must say, considering he had some huge red boots to fill. Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor was menacing! Fantastic performance! A little underused, though, for such a great actor. I expected more "strength of character" (for lack of a better term) from Lois Lane. Kate Bosworth was a little underwhelming, in my opinion. Everyone else was ok. I loved the Kent family dog.

I highly recommend that you DO NOT read any spoilers before going in. I normally go into a film spoiler-free (of course, that never happens with book adaptations). My sister ruined part of my "wonder" of the film by making the BIG mistake of telling me an important bit of information without my asking. I hope that doesn't happen to you.

Also, make sure you pee before the film starts and don't drink anything during the movie. And most importantly, bring yourself back to a time when you were young and in awe of the possibility of a Superman, or any super hero for that matter. It makes hearing John Williams' Superman Theme all the more exciting. Enjoy!

***

I found an interesting article on http://www.msn.com/ that you might enjoy:

Men in Tights by David Fear - go to http://movies.msn.com/movies/superhero. My two pesos on that next time....

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Goodbye, Eddie


Yes, I mourn the loss of one of my favorite dogs: Eddie, the Jack Russel terrier on the now defunct tv show Frasier. Rest in peace, Eddie.

http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=226276&GT1=7703

Eddie the Feisty Dog on 'Frasier' Dies
Jun 27, 4:44 PM EST
The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- The scrappy dog known as Eddie on TV's "Frasier" has died. The 16-year-old Jack Russell terrier, whose real name was Moose, passed away of old age Thursday at the Los Angeles home of trainer Mathilde Halberg, Halberg told People magazine.

The canine character Eddie drove Kelsey Grammer's lead character crazy for 10 years on the show.

It wasn't all acting on Moose's part, though. He was naturally "extremely mischievous," Halberg said.

His contribution to the show's and Grammer's success was publicly noted by the actor when he accepted a 1994 Emmy for best actor in a comedy.

"Most important, Moose, this is for you," Grammer added good naturedly.

Moose, who also played the older dog Skip in the 2000 film "My Dog Skip," was retired in recent years.

Monday, June 26, 2006

Student of the Light

"The Warrior of the Light has learned that God uses solitude to teach us how
to live with other people.

He uses rage to show us the infinite value of peace. He uses boredom to
underline the importance of adventure and spontaneity.

God uses silence to teach us to use words responsibly. He uses tiredness so
that we can understand the value of waking up. He uses illness to underline
the blessing of good health.

God uses fire to teach us about water. He uses earth to explain the value
of air. He uses death to show us the importance of life."

- "The Manual of the Warrior of the Light" by Paulo Coelho

Thursday, June 15, 2006

We Are What We Read

...and I'm a dragon-riding warrior priestess. My books are my children and I love them dearly. Which is strange considering how much I hated to read as a child. I only started "reading" during the summer before I started going to university. It was the DragonLance series that got me hooked. And over the years, I have developed the ability to read as many as 8 books at a time and not lose the plot of a single one. Right now, I'm reading Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon. It's really good, but it's just so long (as is often the case with Arthurian legends)! So in between chapters, I was able to re-read Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time (the author's name escapes me) plus a few magazines.

Here's a link to an article Jeanette Winterson wrote for The Times.

http://www.jeanettewinterson.com/pages/content/index.asp?PageID=377

I hope the link works. If not, click on Jeanette Winterson under my Family, Friends and Favorites list. When you get to her webiste, click on Journalism, then select The books we choose to keep. She really has an uncanny way of expressing things we normally can't explain.

I find this part so true: "Often, it is a question of sensibility. The books we love say something about us, and about our friends. Scanning someone’s bookshelf can tell you as much as reading their diary. The quickest way to intimacy is not to share a bed or a holiday, but to share a book."

Also, "Am I suspicious of people who have few books? Well, yes, I am, not because I wonder if they are shallow and stupid, but because with such people I don’t know how to read between the lines." I laughed out loud at that one. What can I do? I'm only human, ergo, am somewhat prejudiced. Plus I live in my own fantasy world.

Friday, June 09, 2006

Nothing Better To Do

...while I wait for the Germany-Costa Rica game to start.

I can't wait to see Disney/Pixar's Cars! It opened yesterday and I'm really excited about seeing it this weekend - cast or no cast! And I read Capone's review on www.aintitcool.com - we all have to wait for the end credits for an extra scene. And of course, Pixar's usual short film before the main feature and the blooper reel during the end credits.

So what's with the end credits? My sisters and I always sit through the end credits, blooper reel/extra scene or no. Those are the names of the unsung heroes of the film, the ones who did most of the legwork. The least we can do is read their names whether we know them or not.

Now, there are a lot of good movies (or so they seem?) coming out. Well some are already out. X-Men: The Last Stand, The Inside Man, Superman Returns, Pirates of the Carribean 2, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (dude, it's got good reviews! It supposedly outdoes the previous The Fast and the Furious films), Nacho Libre (starring Jack Black as a Mexican wrestler. Should be hilarious!), The Devil Wears Prada (although I haven't read the book), M. Night Shyamalan's The Lady in the Water, My Super Ex-Girlfriend (marketed on Yahoo! as "There's no fury like Uma Thurman scorned"). I hope this turns out to be a good movie year. What do you think?

Fred and JR want to see Superman Returns at the IMAX theatre in the SM Mall of Asia. That should be cool! And speaking of Superman, when I saw X3 in Singapore two Saturdays ago, the theatre showed the Superman Returns trailer. There's a part when someone shoots Superman in the eye, and of course, the bullet bounces off him. And almost all the kids in the audience went "whoaaaaaaa!" How can they not expect that? Don't they know who Superman is? That's sad.

I don't have the patience (or the inclination) to see something like The Break Up and Failure to Launch. I don't like Jennifer Aniston and I don't understand the appeal of Sarah Jessica Parker. Although SJP was good in The Family Stone (beautiful movie).

And speaking of beautiful movies, I finally saw The Cider House Rules on cable this afternoon. I really liked it. Last week, I finally saw Bukas Luluhod ang Mga Tala in its entireity on Studio 23. Yes, I'm a Sharonian!

I was so creeped out by the teaser trailer of Omen 666 when I saw it - alone! - in Cebu while waiting for V for Vendetta to start. Of course, I'm not going to see it! I didn't even see The Exorcism of Emily Rose or the re-make of The Exorcist. You've got to be kidding.

Other movies to look forward to? Well, they're not due 'til 2007, but there's Indiana Jones IV, Pirates of the Carribean 3, and Transformers. Lord knows what's happening to Lilit's Palanca award winning film. I'm waiting....

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Counting My Blessings

Dr. Valdez put my left foot in a green fiberglass cast with waterproof lining yesterday (picture to follow). Green! He didn't have any other color. I was hoping he'd have black or orange, but not green! How am I going to match my clothes to that green?

Well, at least it's a Brazil green. So Andaya's supposed to make a Brazilian flag to put on my cast in time for the World Cup (starts tomorrow). Who cares if I'm only about 1/8th Brazilian (although it would be really cool if I was related to Ronaldo or Roberto Carlos, both of whom share my grandfather's surname: da Silva). Represent! They play the sport beautifully (if not damn well), so they're my team. They're always my football team. The part of me that's Spanish doesn't care. That part just enjoys the game. And watching the good looking players (Kaka, Cafu, Casillas,...).

So, anyway, on to my blessings. Ok, I hate being in a cast. It sucks. Using crutches sucks. Nakakapagod ang buhay pilay. My medical bill f-ing sucks. But at least I have 6 weeks to heal, which simply means, I will be able to retain a sense of normalcy sometime after my birthday. Some people never recover from their accidents. I'm not missing a body part. I'm still whole. All my senses work. And they work so well, I'm getting fat from sitting around (I'm not allowed to move much). I still have a job and I can conduct business from my living room. I can still contribute to the business so I feel relevant. Not a lot of people can say they enjoy their jobs. I have friends I can count on, like Andaya, the professional stay-at-home-daughter, who has been my driver this past week. And JR who brought me to the Makati Med emergency room after I sprained my ankle. And Marian who panicked more than anyone in my family did (akala mo siya yung na-sprain!). Just last Monday, my boss and my seatmate helped me limp my way to a shopping spree and a couple of smokes. I'm lucky that my Tita Girlie lives with us. She helps me a lot during the day. Layla and Max provide daily entertainment. Bianca helps me at night. My Mom had Tita Nieves' home-made food for the gods last night (my favorite dessert). Despite being told to stay put, I got out of bed for 3 food for the gods bars.

Funny. Who would have thought that a grade 3 sprain would make me think about how good I've got it. I am blessed.

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Have You Seen...?

( ) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(1) Grease
(2) Pirates of the Caribbean
( ) Boondock Saints
( ) Fight Club
(3) Starsky and Hutch
(4) Neverending Story
( ) Blazing Saddles
(5) Airplane
( ) My First Mister
( ) the virgin suicides
(6) The Princess Bride
( ) AnchorMan: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
( ) Napoleon Dynamite
(7) Labyrinth
( ) Saw
( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
( ) White Oleander
(8) Anger Management
(9) 50 First Dates
(10) The Princess Diaries
( ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
(11) Scream
( ) scream2
( ) Scream 3
( ) Scary Movie
( ) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
( ) American Pie
( ) American Pie 2
( ) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
(12) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
( ) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
(13) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
(14) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
( ) Resident Evil I
( ) Resident Evil 2
(15) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
(16) The Village
(17) Lilo & Stitch
(18) Finding Nemo
(19) Finding Neverland
(20) Signs
( ) The Grinch
( )Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) White Chicks
( ) Butterfly Effect
( ) 13 Going on 30
(21) I, Robot
(22) Robots
( ) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
(23) Universal Soldier
( ) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(24) Along Came Polly
(25) Deep Impact
( ) KingPin
(26) Never Been Kissed
(27) Meet The Parents
(28) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
( ) Joe Dirt
( ) KING KONG
( ) A Cinderella Story
(29) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
( ) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumber & Dumberer
( ) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
(30) Halloween
(31) The Ring
(32) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving X-MAS
( ) Flubber
( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(33) Practical Magic
(34) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
(35) From Hell
( ) Hellboy
(36) Secret Window
(37) I Am Sam
(38 ) The Whole Nine Yards
( ) The Day After Tomorrow
( ) Child's Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
() Bride of Chucky
(39) Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
( ) Gothika
(40) Nightmare on Elm Street
(41) Sixteen Candles
( ) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
( ) The Grudge
(42) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
( ) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
(43) Se7en
(44) Ocean's Eleven
(45) Ocean's Twelve
( ) Identity
( ) Lone Star
( ) Bedazzled
(46) Predator I
( ) Predator II
( ) The Fog
(47) Ice Age
( ) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
(48) Independence Day
(49) Cujo
() A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
(50) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Boss' Daughter
(51) Maid in Manhattan
( ) Frailty
(52) War of the Worlds
( ) Rush Hour
( ) Rush Hour 2
( ) Best Bet
(53) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
( ) She's All That
(54) Calendar Girls
(55) Sideways
(56) Mars Attacks
(57) Event Horizon
(58) Ever After
(59) Forrest Gump
( ) Big Trouble in Little China
(60) The Terminator
(61) Terminator 2
(62) X-Men
(63) X2
(64) Spiderman
(65) Spiderman 2
(66) Sky High
() Jeepers Creepers
() Jeepers Creepers 2
(67) Catch Me If You Can
(68) The Others
(69) Freaky Friday
(70) Reign of fire
(71) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) Cruel Intentions 3
( ) The Hot Chick
(72) Shrek
(73) Shrek 2
(74) Swimfan
( ) Miracle
( ) Old School
( ) The Notebook
(75) K-Pax
(76) Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
(77) Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
(78) Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
( ) A Walk to Remember
( ) Boogeyman
(79) The 40-year-old-virgin

Delayed Reaction

I've been tagged! Sorry, Mara, I haven't been online much lately. Here goes....

4 jobs I've had in my life
1. Total Remuneration Manager (fancy name for salaries and benefits keeper)
2. Human Resources Consultant (I've been through 4 title changes in Watson Wyatt, but basically, it all boils down to this one)
3. Los Angeles Tour Guide
4. Administrative Assistant for my Aunt's Dunkin' Donuts franchise

4 movies I could watch over and over again
1. Before Sunset
2. A Knight's Tale
3. The Usual Suspects
4. The Empire Strikes Back

4 Places I've lived
1. BF Homes, Paranaque, Philippines
2. Bangkok, Thailand
3. Paramount, California
4. Hollywood, California

4 TV shows I love to watch
1. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (the original in Las Vegas is the best!)
2. House, M.D.
3. Seinfeld
4. Top Gear

4 Places I've been on vacation
1. Bohol, Philippines
2. Boracay, Philippines
3. Chiang Mai, Thailand
4. Singapore

4 websites I visit daily
1. Chevron internal website
2. MSN Hotmail
3. Neil Gaiman's blog
4. BPI Express Online or HSBC Online (depends on which bills need to be paid)

4 of my favorite foods
1. Thai chicken fried rice (khao phad gai?)
2. Thai catfish salad
3. Medium-well t-bone steak the way my dad makes it with butter and parmesan cheese on top and blood oozing out of every slice
4. Magnolia ube ice cream

4 places I'd rather be right now
1. On a beach (preferrably in Bohol) with an ice cold San Mig Light or a glass of white wine or a pineapple shake
2. Back in Bangkok
3. Almost anywhere in California
4. Walking the road to Santiago de Compostella (I've never been to Spain, but have had an unbelieveably strong desire to since I read Paulo Coelho's The Pilgrimage many years ago)

4 bloggers I'm tagging
1-3. My sisters
4. Roman

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Random Notes From the Supposedly Not Walking Wounded

I started working from home yesterday afternoon. I sprained my left ankle when I missed a step at the ATM vestibule yesterday morning. I'm an invalid! According to the doctor, it will take my ankle at least 2 weeks to heal, but I can go back to work (in the office) in a week provided I don't walk around. Great. My work station is not exactly near the restroom or the pantry, I need to go down to the 4th floor to smoke, and the office building is right next to the mall. How can I not walk around? Torture!

Poor Max doesn't understand why I can't play with him. Layla can't understand why I can't walk her around the garden.

***

Yes, I saw The Da Vinci Code on opening day. As Wilson Lee Flores worte in his editorial 2 weeks ago in The Philippine Star - and I'm paraphrasing here - the greatest sin committed by the movie is that it is boring. In my opinion, anyone who enjoyed the book most probably hated the film. It was a complete waste of talent and there was absolutely nothing earth-shaking about it. Yes, friends, it was much ado about NOTHING. Christians were divided over NOTHING.

The book was entertaining, while the film was the work of the devil (is there such a thing as a demon of nonsense?). Although, I did like the acting of the supporting cast (and the supporting cast only, especially Sir Ian McKellen. Tom Hanks and Audrey Tatou were useless). I also liked how the flashbacks were shot and edited. Very well done. The screenplay was also toned down, particularly the discussion in Sir Leigh Teabing's kitchen about the Holy Grail and the scene in the H2 (it was a Range Rover in the book) about who killed Jacques Sauniere ("No! Not the Opus Dei!"), and it was toned down well so as not to offend anyone. But all that toning down took away much of the Robert Langdon I knew from the book. And my sister and I rolled our eyes at the part in Roslyn Chapel when Robert Langdon was telling Sophie Neveu about falling in a well. The filmmakers were obviously trying to cover their asses with that one.

The only ones whose faith was shattered by the movie are those who walked in with no strong foundations in Catholicism and did not understand the concept of "a work of fiction". Shame on you, Ron Howard and Akiva Goldsman. You wasted our time and money on something that was better presented by The Discovery Channel and The National Geographic Channel for FREE. Why do I always torture myself by watching poor film adaptations of good books? So far, Peter Jackson and the rest of WETA are the only ones who have successfully put a book to screen. Don't these filmmakers learn from each other? Now I know why Christian groups were rallying to get everyone to see Over The Hedge instead. The Da Vinci Code was just soooooo bad!

***

Have I told you that someone STOLE - of all things - my bottle of Fruits & Passion Cucina Coriander Hand Lotion from my work station last month? LOTION! What, the construction people needed to moisturise their hands during the office renovation? No one is interested in my soccer stress ball, but my hand lotion?!!

***

I noticed that many Singporeans own iPods and such. They seem to wear them almost everywhere they go - on the MRT, in the mall, at the food court,.... However, unlike Filipinos with portable music players, I never saw a single Singaporean headbanging or doing a little jig or singing along to what he/she was listening to. I found that quite odd.

***

What team will I be cheering for in the 2006 World Cup? Brasil, of course. I always support Brasil (interestingly enough, I was mistaken for a Brasiliana in 2002 when I worked out at Fitness First in a Pele #10 jersey. A lady walked up to me and excitedly asked if I was from Brasil, too, and she went on in Portugese before I could say, "No, but my great-grandmother was Brazilian". We then had a good conversation on football. As the Air Emirates ad points out, the world really speaks one language, doesn't it?). But I will also be supporting Argentina, probably Deutschland, definitely Espana, Italia, and our Asian brothers Japan and South Korea (represent!). How I wish the Philippines would one day qualify for the World Cup....

***

If you're looking for a good book to curl up to, I highly recommend Paulo Coelho's latest, The Zahir. It's beautiful!