"Na-iiyak ka na ba?"
Were the first words ever spoken to me by a woman who at that time (7 and half years ago) was one of The Perm's most popular Senior Associates. It was another late night at The Perm and I was hanging out with a fellow Legal Assistant at the Snake Pit (a cluster of dark rooms in The Perm's third floor).
As she saw us: two bright eyed, very young and innocent kids who happened to find themselves in a gigantic law firm, she asked us that question. I had no idea what she meant.
She smiled (a sarcastic smile that had no relation to happiness) and walked away.
It took me almost two years to understand exactly what she meant.
She was referring to the sheer volume of work that comes at you at The Perm. The impossible deadlines, the unreasonable partners, the demanding clients. Each one of these forces coming at you simultaneously -- like a gigantic wave that will carry you up and wash you away.
You come to work with a feeling of dread for what's ahead; with a tight chest and a headache. You plow through documents but it is as if nothing is accomplished. It's like digging a hole in the sand. The phone never stops ringing. It's like a bad dream: you've picked up the phone but it keeps on ringing. The f*ing incessant ringing. Knocks on your door are constant, so is the stream of documents in your inbox.
And so you cry. Because there is really nothing else you can do.
I never did though. I was about THIS CLOSE to it a few times, but I never did. When I'd get depressed, I'd think about that late night shortly after I joined the firm. Think about the Senior Associate and her sarcastic smile. Think that she was now in London working for a big foreign law firm. Think that the wave would end and the tightness in my chest and stomach would ease.
And it did. The wave always passed. The tightness loosened.
And now well, you know how things turned out.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Ode to Love
The guy who wrote Mark Lapid's "Saging lang ang may puso" descant was Filipino. So was the genius who wrote this --
You are the...
Apple of my eye
Mango of my pie
Palaman of my tinapay
Niyog on my kalamay.
You are the...
Ipin of my suklay
Ring on my kamay
Blood of my atay
Bubbles of my laway.
You are the ...
Roof of my bahay
Strength of my tulay
Joy of my tagumpay
Dream of my Nanay.
You are the...
Ube in my monay
Patis in my gulay
Toyo in my siomai
Calcium in my kalansay
You are the...
Buhol of my tie
Bituin of my sky
Beauty of my Tagaytay
Ketchup on my french fry.
You are the...
Wings when I fly
Wind when I paypay
Sipit for my sampay
Tungkod when I am pilay.
You are the...
Shoulder when I cry
Cure to my"aray"
Answer as to "why"
I am nangi-ngisay.
You are the...
Love until I die
In short, you are
The Center Of My Buhay
Apple of my eye
Mango of my pie
Palaman of my tinapay
Niyog on my kalamay.
You are the...
Ipin of my suklay
Ring on my kamay
Blood of my atay
Bubbles of my laway.
You are the ...
Roof of my bahay
Strength of my tulay
Joy of my tagumpay
Dream of my Nanay.
You are the...
Ube in my monay
Patis in my gulay
Toyo in my siomai
Calcium in my kalansay
You are the...
Buhol of my tie
Bituin of my sky
Beauty of my Tagaytay
Ketchup on my french fry.
You are the...
Wings when I fly
Wind when I paypay
Sipit for my sampay
Tungkod when I am pilay.
You are the...
Shoulder when I cry
Cure to my"aray"
Answer as to "why"
I am nangi-ngisay.
You are the...
Love until I die
In short, you are
The Center Of My Buhay
Monday, February 26, 2007
24, 26, 28, 32
I'm chatting with S. in a separate window. We are talking about different ages of our lives and which ones we like best.
24 - The year I graduated from law school. This is the year I took the bar. A gruelling experience, one I would not wish on anyone. It was also the year I joined the Perm. This was good year, lots of accomplishments. Ticked off a lot of items on my To Do List.
26 - Starting year 3 at the Perm. We were all finding our legs as lawyers. Figuring out what kind of practice we wanted to get into. It was around this time I decided I wanted to go into corporate finance/capital markets stuff (absolutely no litigation). This was the time I was constantly hanging out with Chum. Ate at lots of good restaurants, saw a lot of good (and atrocious) Philippine art. Took a lot of trips. This was a good year, I had fun.
28 - I just graduated from my masters course. This is the year I took the NY bar. Went around the central U.S. in a friend's beat up Range Rover. This was a good year, I wasn't working.
30 - Back at The Perm. Co-led the team that would work on the largest IPO in Philippine history (transaction completed in 3 months). Got promoted to Senior Ass, taught law on the side. This was a good year, I was throughly engaged in work.
32 (Present Day) - sitting in my apartment in HK, sipping a Stella, chatting with S. and blogging simultaneously. This is a good year, and it's only February.
24 - The year I graduated from law school. This is the year I took the bar. A gruelling experience, one I would not wish on anyone. It was also the year I joined the Perm. This was good year, lots of accomplishments. Ticked off a lot of items on my To Do List.
26 - Starting year 3 at the Perm. We were all finding our legs as lawyers. Figuring out what kind of practice we wanted to get into. It was around this time I decided I wanted to go into corporate finance/capital markets stuff (absolutely no litigation). This was the time I was constantly hanging out with Chum. Ate at lots of good restaurants, saw a lot of good (and atrocious) Philippine art. Took a lot of trips. This was a good year, I had fun.
28 - I just graduated from my masters course. This is the year I took the NY bar. Went around the central U.S. in a friend's beat up Range Rover. This was a good year, I wasn't working.
30 - Back at The Perm. Co-led the team that would work on the largest IPO in Philippine history (transaction completed in 3 months). Got promoted to Senior Ass, taught law on the side. This was a good year, I was throughly engaged in work.
32 (Present Day) - sitting in my apartment in HK, sipping a Stella, chatting with S. and blogging simultaneously. This is a good year, and it's only February.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Good luck
I believe in good luck.
When I say good luck I mean "a series of seemingly unrelated events which result in something unexpectedly beneficial". Sometimes, the stars are just aligned and you are "blessed" with good fortune.
I have issues with the concept of being granted good luck by some higher being, or good luck as a reward for past good behavior. I think it's random. You win some, you lose some. But when things do go your way, the feeling is exhilirating. That is unmistakable.
When you have a taste of good luck, you feel like there is some "higher order" in the universe, some form of fairness or goodness (but actually, I think it proves just the opposite, the randomness of it all). There's this overwhelming feeling of goodness, a sort of "high" you experience when on the receiving end of good fortune. Not unlike the feeling you get from doing acts of kindness.
Hmmm.... being kind to others gives you the same feeling as the fates being "kind" to you.
Could there really be a relation there?
Nah, it's random.
When I say good luck I mean "a series of seemingly unrelated events which result in something unexpectedly beneficial". Sometimes, the stars are just aligned and you are "blessed" with good fortune.
I have issues with the concept of being granted good luck by some higher being, or good luck as a reward for past good behavior. I think it's random. You win some, you lose some. But when things do go your way, the feeling is exhilirating. That is unmistakable.
When you have a taste of good luck, you feel like there is some "higher order" in the universe, some form of fairness or goodness (but actually, I think it proves just the opposite, the randomness of it all). There's this overwhelming feeling of goodness, a sort of "high" you experience when on the receiving end of good fortune. Not unlike the feeling you get from doing acts of kindness.
Hmmm.... being kind to others gives you the same feeling as the fates being "kind" to you.
Could there really be a relation there?
Nah, it's random.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
My Love Affair With Hong Kong
HK and I met when I was a teenager. It was a pleasant meeting. Nothing to be excited about. I thought it was a giant China town, but with lots of Indians.
Back then, our vists were strictly supervised by my parents, which naturally made our time together seem artificial. I met only HK's popular and touristy side (aka Kowloon).
Then time passed. A lot of time. 15 years of time.
The next time HK and I would meet was for an 18 hour period the day I interviewed for the Firm. It had changed. The airport was faraway now; you landed on water instead of criss-crossing through high rises. I had changed. I was a lawyer, travelling by myself.
I've been seeing HK for almost 6 months now, and it's been a relationship with ups and downs. At first I hated that it didn't speak English so well, but I've learned to live with it. The reliability of the infrastructure, the predictability of the banking system and the low crime rate more than make up for it.
The hilly streets of Central took some getting used to, but I'm healthier for it. And the food. The food is amazing. Anything you want. Any day of the week.
We're in a good place now, HK and I. We're happy.
Back then, our vists were strictly supervised by my parents, which naturally made our time together seem artificial. I met only HK's popular and touristy side (aka Kowloon).
Then time passed. A lot of time. 15 years of time.
The next time HK and I would meet was for an 18 hour period the day I interviewed for the Firm. It had changed. The airport was faraway now; you landed on water instead of criss-crossing through high rises. I had changed. I was a lawyer, travelling by myself.
I've been seeing HK for almost 6 months now, and it's been a relationship with ups and downs. At first I hated that it didn't speak English so well, but I've learned to live with it. The reliability of the infrastructure, the predictability of the banking system and the low crime rate more than make up for it.
The hilly streets of Central took some getting used to, but I'm healthier for it. And the food. The food is amazing. Anything you want. Any day of the week.
We're in a good place now, HK and I. We're happy.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Ash Wednesday
"Are you Catholic?", asked a collegue of mine today.
I gave her this really bizarre look. The kind of look Pinoy's get when you ask them if they're Catholic -- it's like being asked if you can see with both eyes. It's a fair question, but you never ask it. You presume the answer.
I thought: "Of course, I'm Catholic. Aren't we all?"
I keep forgetting I live in Hong Kong now.
Anyway, she asked because she was looking for ashes. It's a Ash Wednesday today, a.k.a Lent Day 1 (why doesn't the Church start renaming the holy days to suit the younger generation? Like JC's Bday for Christmas and JC's Bday (Part Deux) for Easter).
I responded, "Good luck finding ashes today. We're dispensed."
To which she replied, "True, but the reason we're dispensed is for the Chinese New Year holidays. I don't see you celebrating. Go find some ashes."
God I love working with lawyers. They're so logical, even with faith.
NB. Click here for more information on the dispensation of HK Catholics from fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday.
I gave her this really bizarre look. The kind of look Pinoy's get when you ask them if they're Catholic -- it's like being asked if you can see with both eyes. It's a fair question, but you never ask it. You presume the answer.
I thought: "Of course, I'm Catholic. Aren't we all?"
I keep forgetting I live in Hong Kong now.
Anyway, she asked because she was looking for ashes. It's a Ash Wednesday today, a.k.a Lent Day 1 (why doesn't the Church start renaming the holy days to suit the younger generation? Like JC's Bday for Christmas and JC's Bday (Part Deux) for Easter).
I responded, "Good luck finding ashes today. We're dispensed."
To which she replied, "True, but the reason we're dispensed is for the Chinese New Year holidays. I don't see you celebrating. Go find some ashes."
God I love working with lawyers. They're so logical, even with faith.
NB. Click here for more information on the dispensation of HK Catholics from fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
From tomato cream sauce to underground bunkers
Two weekends ago I craved for pasta. So I whiped up shrimps in tomato cream sauce from scratch.
Last week I thought about risotto. On the way home I passed by Oliver's (which is a grocery store here; ironically, they have bad sandwiches) and picked up some rice, parma ham and freshly grated parmesan.
There is something uniquely satisfying about cooking your own meals. It makes you feel very independent. In a primitive, I-can-hunt-wild-animals sort of way. I can actually make one half of what's in a standard Italian restaurant menu.
Cool, huh?
This line of thinking led me back to one of my favorite ideas I toy with on occassion:
I've always wondered if there was some devastating catastrophe whether I'd be chosen to live in one of those bunkers hundreds of feet underground.
The guy who makes ball pens out of straw will surely get in. So will some guy who's really good at math. I'm sure a mousy librarian who's memorized the Dewey Decimal System will be saved.
I, on the other hand, am doomed to drown in the floods or get fried in the nuclear blast.
My thinking is that "can make risotto with ingredients purchased from a specialty store" won't get me in.
Last week I thought about risotto. On the way home I passed by Oliver's (which is a grocery store here; ironically, they have bad sandwiches) and picked up some rice, parma ham and freshly grated parmesan.
There is something uniquely satisfying about cooking your own meals. It makes you feel very independent. In a primitive, I-can-hunt-wild-animals sort of way. I can actually make one half of what's in a standard Italian restaurant menu.
Cool, huh?
This line of thinking led me back to one of my favorite ideas I toy with on occassion:
I've always wondered if there was some devastating catastrophe whether I'd be chosen to live in one of those bunkers hundreds of feet underground.
The guy who makes ball pens out of straw will surely get in. So will some guy who's really good at math. I'm sure a mousy librarian who's memorized the Dewey Decimal System will be saved.
I, on the other hand, am doomed to drown in the floods or get fried in the nuclear blast.
My thinking is that "can make risotto with ingredients purchased from a specialty store" won't get me in.
Monday, February 19, 2007
My Hong Kong
I took my parents to see "My Hong Kong" which I realized is made up of one square kilometer.
It has the following "sites":
1. My office building.
2. My apartment (down the street from My office building).
3. My grocery store (two buildings from My apartment).
4. My tram line (that runs between My office and My apartment).
5. My laundry mat (located in front of My apartment).
My Hong Kong also has a number of really expensive restaurants, shops and shi shi bars, but the parental units had no interest in them.
It has the following "sites":
1. My office building.
2. My apartment (down the street from My office building).
3. My grocery store (two buildings from My apartment).
4. My tram line (that runs between My office and My apartment).
5. My laundry mat (located in front of My apartment).
My Hong Kong also has a number of really expensive restaurants, shops and shi shi bars, but the parental units had no interest in them.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Big Family
Having the parentals over makes me think of family.
I have a huge family.
This is a picture of about two thirds of my dad's side:
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Friday, February 16, 2007
Parental visit
"Use the big towels. And when you're done with them, drop them on the floor."
My mother could not seem to understand these instructions. She stood in front of my wide white bathroom and observed the towels. She went for a small hand towel instead, and after she was done using it, folded it and put it away.
My parents are in town for the weekend and they're staying with me.
They are unimpressed with the flat. Well, no. They are very impressed, but they think I pay a ridiculous amount of money on rent. Well, yes.
This should be an interesting week. I say that without sarcasm. In 5 months I've pretty much been on my own. This is the first time I'm having people over. Joe does not count. He was here for two days and I made him use the shower outside.
I have these exciting trips planned out (Macau!). But I think knowing the parental units, they'd rather raid the Watson's across the street.
My mother could not seem to understand these instructions. She stood in front of my wide white bathroom and observed the towels. She went for a small hand towel instead, and after she was done using it, folded it and put it away.
My parents are in town for the weekend and they're staying with me.
They are unimpressed with the flat. Well, no. They are very impressed, but they think I pay a ridiculous amount of money on rent. Well, yes.
This should be an interesting week. I say that without sarcasm. In 5 months I've pretty much been on my own. This is the first time I'm having people over. Joe does not count. He was here for two days and I made him use the shower outside.
I have these exciting trips planned out (Macau!). But I think knowing the parental units, they'd rather raid the Watson's across the street.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
A new view
This is what I look at for about 8-10 hours everyday:
Just when I thought things couldn't be cooler over here...
They replaced my fancy looking flat screen monitor to an even bigger fancy looking flat screen monitor.
Just when I thought things couldn't be cooler over here...
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Happy S.A.D.!
I would like to greet all my (5) readers, Happy Self-Appreciation Day!
S.A.D. is celebrated on February 14 of each year precisely to counteract traditional (read: unprogressive) rituals involving flowers and chocolates. S.A.D. is an anti-establishment movement geared to remind people that the most important person on this planet is YOU.
Yes, my friends and loyal readers, S.A.D. is all about looking out for No. 1.
We've been bombarded all our lives with all this nonsense about finding yourself in the "other", in being a man/woman for others. Well, that's all hogwash if you ask me. I think in our desire to develop human relationships (which is not always a bad thing) we have forgotten that the fundamental goal of human life is continued existence and propagation of the species which only means developing techniques in cryogenics and cloning.
So what are you waiting for? Write your congressmen, call your local council members. Be heard! Let's fund those labs with freezers in Arizona. Let's donate all our money to making sure Dolly has another self. Let's go science!
Let us all band together and celebrate S.A.D.
S.A.D. is celebrated on February 14 of each year precisely to counteract traditional (read: unprogressive) rituals involving flowers and chocolates. S.A.D. is an anti-establishment movement geared to remind people that the most important person on this planet is YOU.
Yes, my friends and loyal readers, S.A.D. is all about looking out for No. 1.
We've been bombarded all our lives with all this nonsense about finding yourself in the "other", in being a man/woman for others. Well, that's all hogwash if you ask me. I think in our desire to develop human relationships (which is not always a bad thing) we have forgotten that the fundamental goal of human life is continued existence and propagation of the species which only means developing techniques in cryogenics and cloning.
So what are you waiting for? Write your congressmen, call your local council members. Be heard! Let's fund those labs with freezers in Arizona. Let's donate all our money to making sure Dolly has another self. Let's go science!
Let us all band together and celebrate S.A.D.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Provenance
This blog was born from boredom.
I was out of work and needed to keep my mind busy. Because I had a lot of time of my hands, I started watching a lot of movies. I also started writing movie reviews. Two or three liners per movie. Sounds pretty straightforward, except that I would review about 10 movies at a time.
The movie reviews turned into essays on the mundane. I wrote a three page piece on pajamas. It was about that time that I decided to start blogging.
I dug up the early work (partly mainly because I have run out of original thought today) and post them here. This list is long, but believe me, there is a lot more where it came from.
Matador (Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear) – not a great movie, but would have been an excellent short story. Nice cute ending. Pierce Brosnan's acting consistent. I like Greg Kinnear so he can do no wrong.
Game 6 (Michael Keaton) – this was originally a play about a playwright who skips opening night to watch Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. Nothing to write home about. Some scenes strong, but this one you can skip altogether.
About Adam (Stuart Townsend, Kate Hudson) – a smart BBC film (but aren't they all?). Townsend is very good. The writing is simply brilliant! (To be said in a very English English accent)
Heights (Glenn Close, Elizabeth Banks) – so far the best in the lot. Same style of Happy Endings, Crash, etc. Five interconnected storylines. Very real scenes of Manhattan. Made me want to move back. Great score.
The Weatherman (Nicholas Cage) – Well shot. Short, crisp, meaningful scenes. The movie is set in Chicago. I've been there a few times but only for short visits. So I don't really know if it portrayed the city well. Character development skillful. Great score too.
Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World (Albert Brooks) – this movie was so bad, it was painful to watch. I'm not a fan, but I feel so bad for Brooks. You can tell it was a good idea: what makes Muslims laugh? But the execution was so poor. Bad writing, bad directing, bad everything.
The Producers (Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane) – I love this play. Saw it twice in NY. And the movie is exactly like the play. Scene by scene. But what made the play great theater, makes the movie one dimensional, and dare I say it, boring. Chicago. Now that's a well-adapted piece.
Shadows in the Sun (Harvey Keitel, Josua Jackson, Claire Forlani) – poor man's Under the Tuscan Sun. And not just any poor man. I'm talking about the poorest guy in Darfur. Totally bad movie, but it's set in the Italian countryside and Pacey is still cute after all these years.
The Girl in the Café (my hero, Bill Nighy) – This movie started so well. I mean like from the credits well. The way it turned political in the end I found a bit off, but hey, what do I know? The supporting cast was very strong. Nighy was brilliant. I wonder if he really walks that way.
Match Point (Jonathan Ryhs Meyers) – so un-Woody Allen. A little long, but necessary for proper character development (which unfortunately was not the greatest). Great camera work too. Cool ending. You never know if the ball will go over the net.
Pride and Prejudice (Kiera Knightley) – I thought the writing was terrific. Set design and cinematography awesome. This was literally a beautiful movie. And Kiera did very well. I must admit I didn't think she could pull it off.
Duane Hopwood (David Schwimmer, Jeneane Garafolo) - Small movie about a drunk: the quintessential unemployed loser with a golden heart. Writing consistent and solid performances. Except for the role played by Garafolo, great character development. Realistic depiction of the lower class relying on the casinos in Atlantic City for their livelihood. Good score.
Goal! The Dream Begins (Kuno Becker) - Title pa lang, baduy na. Formulaic flick about poor immigrant boy with dreams of becoming a professional footballer. Buti na lang, camera work during matches was tolerable and pogi si Kuno. Ano kaya nya si Keno?
Lucky Number Slevin (Josh Hartnett, Bruce Willis, Lucy Lui, Morgan Freeman, Bn Kingsley, Stanley Tucci) - Great ensemble cast. Consistent smart (although many times pa-smart) writing. A very well told story. See this one if you have the time. Has some violent scenes though. Not for kids.
Something New (Sanaa Lathan, Simon Baker) - A formulaic romantic comedy about an inter-racial couple. Control freak Kenya falls for laid back Brian. I'm pretty sure the line "but we're all the same color on the inside" was in this one.
Saving Face (Michelle Kruseic, Joan Chen) - The main (gay) love story got lost in the plot. But otherwise I thought this movie expertly portrayed the conflicts between first generation Chinese immigrants and their children. And it was funny, too. Chen's performance strong. Nice scenes of NY.
20, 30, 40 (Sylvia Chang, Rene Liu, Lee Sinje) - Clearly told story of three Chinese women of varying ages (hence the title). Good character development and very real set design. Chang who plays Lily (woman in her 40's) also directs.
The King (William Hurt, Gael Garcia Bernal) - Bizarre movie about a disturbed kid (Bernal) looking for his father. Except for Hurt's pastor, character development weak. Ditto with the plot. Ala Japanese Story weak. Skip this one.
The Inside Man (Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster) - In high school, I used to refer to myself as Jonsey Foster (and Wijona Ryder). Damn I look good in this film!! Oh, and the movie was good too. Spike Lee directs a very un-Spike Lee movie. An un-apologetic popcorn movie.
One Last Thing (Cynthia Nixon, Michael Angarano) - Terminally ill kid trades in wish for fishing trip with football hero for weekend with supermodel. Sounds trite (and it is), but this one was actually well executed. Ethan Hawke has a small role as the kid's dead father. He looks old na.
Levity (Billy Bob Thornton, Morgan Freeman, Holly Hunter) - After 20 years in prison for killing a convenience store clerk, Manuel Jordan (Thornton) gets out of jail. The movie is about making amends. It's a talkie. Great character development. Strong script. Nothing really happens. I love movies like this.
Fantastic Four (Michael Chicklis, Chris Evans, Jessica Alba) - Everyone I know hated this movie. But I actually enjoyed it. Maybe because I don't know anything about the comic book. Alba's casting a tragedy, but Chicklis saves the day.
Sex, Lies, and Videotape (James Spader, Andie Macdowell) - I didn't know this was a Stephen Soderbergh movie. Well, now I know. Very well written. All subtext. It was wasn't said. I thought James Spader was brilliant.
Pink Panther (Steve Martin, Kevin Kline, Jean Reno) - I thought this movie was hilar! There were some moments that were unimaginative (I dislike all forms of fart jokes), but still, this one was too funny. Maybe the comedy was a little too physical for me (don't enjoy slapstick either) .....but the accents! The ridicuous dialogue! The best!
I was out of work and needed to keep my mind busy. Because I had a lot of time of my hands, I started watching a lot of movies. I also started writing movie reviews. Two or three liners per movie. Sounds pretty straightforward, except that I would review about 10 movies at a time.
The movie reviews turned into essays on the mundane. I wrote a three page piece on pajamas. It was about that time that I decided to start blogging.
I dug up the early work (
Matador (Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear) – not a great movie, but would have been an excellent short story. Nice cute ending. Pierce Brosnan's acting consistent. I like Greg Kinnear so he can do no wrong.
Game 6 (Michael Keaton) – this was originally a play about a playwright who skips opening night to watch Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. Nothing to write home about. Some scenes strong, but this one you can skip altogether.
About Adam (Stuart Townsend, Kate Hudson) – a smart BBC film (but aren't they all?). Townsend is very good. The writing is simply brilliant! (To be said in a very English English accent)
Heights (Glenn Close, Elizabeth Banks) – so far the best in the lot. Same style of Happy Endings, Crash, etc. Five interconnected storylines. Very real scenes of Manhattan. Made me want to move back. Great score.
The Weatherman (Nicholas Cage) – Well shot. Short, crisp, meaningful scenes. The movie is set in Chicago. I've been there a few times but only for short visits. So I don't really know if it portrayed the city well. Character development skillful. Great score too.
Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World (Albert Brooks) – this movie was so bad, it was painful to watch. I'm not a fan, but I feel so bad for Brooks. You can tell it was a good idea: what makes Muslims laugh? But the execution was so poor. Bad writing, bad directing, bad everything.
The Producers (Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane) – I love this play. Saw it twice in NY. And the movie is exactly like the play. Scene by scene. But what made the play great theater, makes the movie one dimensional, and dare I say it, boring. Chicago. Now that's a well-adapted piece.
Shadows in the Sun (Harvey Keitel, Josua Jackson, Claire Forlani) – poor man's Under the Tuscan Sun. And not just any poor man. I'm talking about the poorest guy in Darfur. Totally bad movie, but it's set in the Italian countryside and Pacey is still cute after all these years.
The Girl in the Café (my hero, Bill Nighy) – This movie started so well. I mean like from the credits well. The way it turned political in the end I found a bit off, but hey, what do I know? The supporting cast was very strong. Nighy was brilliant. I wonder if he really walks that way.
Match Point (Jonathan Ryhs Meyers) – so un-Woody Allen. A little long, but necessary for proper character development (which unfortunately was not the greatest). Great camera work too. Cool ending. You never know if the ball will go over the net.
Pride and Prejudice (Kiera Knightley) – I thought the writing was terrific. Set design and cinematography awesome. This was literally a beautiful movie. And Kiera did very well. I must admit I didn't think she could pull it off.
Duane Hopwood (David Schwimmer, Jeneane Garafolo) - Small movie about a drunk: the quintessential unemployed loser with a golden heart. Writing consistent and solid performances. Except for the role played by Garafolo, great character development. Realistic depiction of the lower class relying on the casinos in Atlantic City for their livelihood. Good score.
Goal! The Dream Begins (Kuno Becker) - Title pa lang, baduy na. Formulaic flick about poor immigrant boy with dreams of becoming a professional footballer. Buti na lang, camera work during matches was tolerable and pogi si Kuno. Ano kaya nya si Keno?
Lucky Number Slevin (Josh Hartnett, Bruce Willis, Lucy Lui, Morgan Freeman, Bn Kingsley, Stanley Tucci) - Great ensemble cast. Consistent smart (although many times pa-smart) writing. A very well told story. See this one if you have the time. Has some violent scenes though. Not for kids.
Something New (Sanaa Lathan, Simon Baker) - A formulaic romantic comedy about an inter-racial couple. Control freak Kenya falls for laid back Brian. I'm pretty sure the line "but we're all the same color on the inside" was in this one.
Saving Face (Michelle Kruseic, Joan Chen) - The main (gay) love story got lost in the plot. But otherwise I thought this movie expertly portrayed the conflicts between first generation Chinese immigrants and their children. And it was funny, too. Chen's performance strong. Nice scenes of NY.
20, 30, 40 (Sylvia Chang, Rene Liu, Lee Sinje) - Clearly told story of three Chinese women of varying ages (hence the title). Good character development and very real set design. Chang who plays Lily (woman in her 40's) also directs.
The King (William Hurt, Gael Garcia Bernal) - Bizarre movie about a disturbed kid (Bernal) looking for his father. Except for Hurt's pastor, character development weak. Ditto with the plot. Ala Japanese Story weak. Skip this one.
The Inside Man (Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster) - In high school, I used to refer to myself as Jonsey Foster (and Wijona Ryder). Damn I look good in this film!! Oh, and the movie was good too. Spike Lee directs a very un-Spike Lee movie. An un-apologetic popcorn movie.
One Last Thing (Cynthia Nixon, Michael Angarano) - Terminally ill kid trades in wish for fishing trip with football hero for weekend with supermodel. Sounds trite (and it is), but this one was actually well executed. Ethan Hawke has a small role as the kid's dead father. He looks old na.
Levity (Billy Bob Thornton, Morgan Freeman, Holly Hunter) - After 20 years in prison for killing a convenience store clerk, Manuel Jordan (Thornton) gets out of jail. The movie is about making amends. It's a talkie. Great character development. Strong script. Nothing really happens. I love movies like this.
Fantastic Four (Michael Chicklis, Chris Evans, Jessica Alba) - Everyone I know hated this movie. But I actually enjoyed it. Maybe because I don't know anything about the comic book. Alba's casting a tragedy, but Chicklis saves the day.
Sex, Lies, and Videotape (James Spader, Andie Macdowell) - I didn't know this was a Stephen Soderbergh movie. Well, now I know. Very well written. All subtext. It was wasn't said. I thought James Spader was brilliant.
Pink Panther (Steve Martin, Kevin Kline, Jean Reno) - I thought this movie was hilar! There were some moments that were unimaginative (I dislike all forms of fart jokes), but still, this one was too funny. Maybe the comedy was a little too physical for me (don't enjoy slapstick either) .....but the accents! The ridicuous dialogue! The best!
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Meet my new best friend...
I now occasionally hang out with my "new best friend", a fellow Pinoy living in HK. To say that our personalities are poles apart doesn't quite capture the essence of our differences. We are more like galaxies apart.
Here is an exerpt from this afternoon's walk around town:
NBF: Jona, kamusta yung "Little Miss Sunshine?
Jona: It was very good. The characters were well-defined and all the actors were consistent in their performances. Strong script from beginning to end. You should go see it.
NBF: Pero ano siya? Comedy? Drama?
Jona: Well, you could say it was a little of both.
NBF: Ay, so parang Regal films.
Here is an exerpt from this afternoon's walk around town:
NBF: Jona, kamusta yung "Little Miss Sunshine?
Jona: It was very good. The characters were well-defined and all the actors were consistent in their performances. Strong script from beginning to end. You should go see it.
NBF: Pero ano siya? Comedy? Drama?
Jona: Well, you could say it was a little of both.
NBF: Ay, so parang Regal films.
A good night's sleep
Remember when we were kids and everynight was a good night's sleep? We'd brush our teeth, get nudged to our beds, be compelled to say evening prayers and instantly, effortlessly fall into a deep sleep.
Ahhh, the good old days.
Now getting to sleep requires a lot of tossing and turning. Getting up one or twice to go to the bathrooom, then some more tossing and turning. But sometimes, you get to stay in a semi-concious state while going to the whiz palace. And you fall back into sleep almost uninterruptedly. Thats when the alarm goes off 5 minutes later. It's usually 3 hours later, but it sure feels like just a few minutes.
I need three things to happen to get a good night's rest:
1. I fall asleep right away. This almost never happens. I usually lie there and think about what I'm going to do the next morning. Or let my mind wander and remember the most mundane things I've come across. One night I spent hours remembering how to open R.'s gate in San Juan. (You push the gate in with the weight of your body first, then turn knob and pull.)
2. My sleep is uninterrupted. I usually have to go to the bathroom once or twice a night. This is annoying, but since I drink a lot of liquids, this is bound to happen. I have though developed ways of getting the deed done while remaining in a semi-comatose state. I will not share these methods with you.
3. I get up when I get up. Which means 715am, a lousy reminder of my days at the Perm when I had to be backing up my car by 815. I usually fall back to into a light sleep for a couple of hours during weekends.
Forget what scientists say about REM and deep sleep, those couple of hours on Sunday mornings are the best.
Ahhh, the good old days.
Now getting to sleep requires a lot of tossing and turning. Getting up one or twice to go to the bathrooom, then some more tossing and turning. But sometimes, you get to stay in a semi-concious state while going to the whiz palace. And you fall back into sleep almost uninterruptedly. Thats when the alarm goes off 5 minutes later. It's usually 3 hours later, but it sure feels like just a few minutes.
I need three things to happen to get a good night's rest:
1. I fall asleep right away. This almost never happens. I usually lie there and think about what I'm going to do the next morning. Or let my mind wander and remember the most mundane things I've come across. One night I spent hours remembering how to open R.'s gate in San Juan. (You push the gate in with the weight of your body first, then turn knob and pull.)
2. My sleep is uninterrupted. I usually have to go to the bathroom once or twice a night. This is annoying, but since I drink a lot of liquids, this is bound to happen. I have though developed ways of getting the deed done while remaining in a semi-comatose state. I will not share these methods with you.
3. I get up when I get up. Which means 715am, a lousy reminder of my days at the Perm when I had to be backing up my car by 815. I usually fall back to into a light sleep for a couple of hours during weekends.
Forget what scientists say about REM and deep sleep, those couple of hours on Sunday mornings are the best.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Same Movie
A couple of weeks ago I saw Invincible (2006) with Mark Walbergh. It was nice simple feel-good movie. Aging loser bartend tries out for the Philadelphia Eagles and gets in. Hometown boy turned NFL hero. Cue inspiring background music and training montage.
I thought to myself, "I've seen this movie before." And I had. The movie was called "The Rookie" (2002) with Dennis Quaid. Aging father little league coach turned Major League hero.
Here are other "same movies" that have come to mind.
88 Minutes(2007)/Nick of Time(1995)
In 88 Minutes, Al Pacino plays a college professor who, while moonlighting as a forensic psychiatrist for the FBI, receives a death threat telling him that he has only 88 minutes to live. The movie is shot in real time.
In Nick of Time, Johnny Depp plays a guy whose daughter is kidnapped. He is given a gun, and the picture and itinerary of a person, and told that if he hasn't killed that person in one hour and fifteen minutes, his daughter will be killed. The movie is shot in real time.
Armageddon(1998)/Deep Impact(1998)
In Armageddon, a giant, global-killing asteriod, like the one that killed off the dinosaurs 65 million years ago is 18 days away from hitting the Earth. In Deep Impact, giant, global-killing asteriod, like the one that killed off the dinosaurs 65 million years ago is 18 days away from hitting the Earth.
What was shocking (at least to me) was that these two movies came out almost simultaneously. I can imagine executives at the Paramount saying, "Let's make a big budget movie about a comet crashing to the earth!" The guys at Universal hear about it and they say, "Yeah! We'll make one too."
Capote(2005)/Infamous(2006)
In Capote, moviegoers follow eccentric Truman Capote travel to the small town of Holcomb, Kansas to write about the murders of the Cutter family. Capote makes friends with the convicts and is conflicted between helping them and finding an ending for his book, which can only rightfully end with an execution. In Infamous, moviegoers watch the exact same thing.
SPOILER ALERT: the killers are hanged. Boo-hoo.
Sleepless in Seattle/You've Got Mail
Cue cheesey dialogue, cue romantic soundtrack, cue Meg Ryan making pa-cute, cue a thin Tom Hanks (although he was sort of chunky na in YGM).
Nora Ephron is a genius. She managed to massage one movie into 3 (she was behind When Harry Met Sally too) , make tons of money, and re-invent the "romantic comedy" into anything she puts her name on.
Big (1988)/13 Going on 30(2004)
Apart from the genders of the main characters, these moviews are identical. 13 year old girl/boy wants to grow up, wishes hard enough, and then KABOOM! he/she is magically propelled into the future.
There's the cool job, your own apartment, the best friend, the awkward love scene, the complexities of adult life, wanting to be a kid again, lessons learned, The End.
I thought both movies were enjoyable. Note that both are (partly) set in New York.
Trivia: I was still living in NY when 13 Going on 30 was shot. From across a street, a friend and I watched them film that scene in the beginning of the movie when Jennifer Garner's character gets into a limo while still in her nighty. At that time I had no idea who Jennifer Garner was. I thought they were shooting a porn movie.
I thought to myself, "I've seen this movie before." And I had. The movie was called "The Rookie" (2002) with Dennis Quaid. Aging father little league coach turned Major League hero.
Here are other "same movies" that have come to mind.
88 Minutes(2007)/Nick of Time(1995)
In 88 Minutes, Al Pacino plays a college professor who, while moonlighting as a forensic psychiatrist for the FBI, receives a death threat telling him that he has only 88 minutes to live. The movie is shot in real time.
In Nick of Time, Johnny Depp plays a guy whose daughter is kidnapped. He is given a gun, and the picture and itinerary of a person, and told that if he hasn't killed that person in one hour and fifteen minutes, his daughter will be killed. The movie is shot in real time.
Armageddon(1998)/Deep Impact(1998)
In Armageddon, a giant, global-killing asteriod, like the one that killed off the dinosaurs 65 million years ago is 18 days away from hitting the Earth. In Deep Impact, giant, global-killing asteriod, like the one that killed off the dinosaurs 65 million years ago is 18 days away from hitting the Earth.
What was shocking (at least to me) was that these two movies came out almost simultaneously. I can imagine executives at the Paramount saying, "Let's make a big budget movie about a comet crashing to the earth!" The guys at Universal hear about it and they say, "Yeah! We'll make one too."
Capote(2005)/Infamous(2006)
In Capote, moviegoers follow eccentric Truman Capote travel to the small town of Holcomb, Kansas to write about the murders of the Cutter family. Capote makes friends with the convicts and is conflicted between helping them and finding an ending for his book, which can only rightfully end with an execution. In Infamous, moviegoers watch the exact same thing.
SPOILER ALERT: the killers are hanged. Boo-hoo.
Sleepless in Seattle/You've Got Mail
Cue cheesey dialogue, cue romantic soundtrack, cue Meg Ryan making pa-cute, cue a thin Tom Hanks (although he was sort of chunky na in YGM).
Nora Ephron is a genius. She managed to massage one movie into 3 (she was behind When Harry Met Sally too) , make tons of money, and re-invent the "romantic comedy" into anything she puts her name on.
Big (1988)/13 Going on 30(2004)
Apart from the genders of the main characters, these moviews are identical. 13 year old girl/boy wants to grow up, wishes hard enough, and then KABOOM! he/she is magically propelled into the future.
There's the cool job, your own apartment, the best friend, the awkward love scene, the complexities of adult life, wanting to be a kid again, lessons learned, The End.
I thought both movies were enjoyable. Note that both are (partly) set in New York.
Trivia: I was still living in NY when 13 Going on 30 was shot. From across a street, a friend and I watched them film that scene in the beginning of the movie when Jennifer Garner's character gets into a limo while still in her nighty. At that time I had no idea who Jennifer Garner was. I thought they were shooting a porn movie.
Friday, February 09, 2007
The Wonder Spot is in Wisconsin
LAKE DELTON, Wisconsin (AP) -- After more than half a century of impressing tourists, the Wonder Spot, a mysterious cabin where people cannot stand up straight, water runs uphill and chairs balance on two legs, is no more.
Owner Bill Carney has sold the iconic attraction to the village of Lake Delton for $300,000. The village wants to build a road through the place where the Wonder Spot has stood since the 1950s.
"We're kind of wondering how the town is going to deal with the gravitational forces under the road," joked Doug Kirby, publisher of RoadsideAmerica.com, which catalogs odd tourist attractions.
Kirby's site lists the Wonder Spot as one of 21 so-called "mystery spots," also called "gravity vortexes."
The story behind each one is similar -- gravity doesn't work in them. People seem to grow smaller, can't stand up straight and can barely walk.
Promotions boast that strange forces in the spots trump the laws of physics. Others say they're just elaborate hoaxes.
"It seems like to spend a lot of scientific effort to debunk these places you're just sucking the fun out of a tourist attraction a lot of people enjoy," Kirby said.
The Wonder Spot lies just off U.S. Highway 12, a corridor packed with water parks, giant resorts, museums, hotels and restaurants.
In many ways, the Wonder Spot is the antithesis of those giant parks.
Louis Dauterman took out the first permit for the spot in 1952, making it the longest-permitted attraction in the area, said Romy Snyder, executive director of the Wisconsin Dells Visitors and Convention Bureau.
The spot itself is a plain, worn gift shop at the top of a ravine and a crooked cabin built into the slope.
According to a sign proudly placed at the base of the ravine, the Wonder Spot was discovered June 16, 1948. People who enter the spot, the sign warns, won't see correctly, stand erect "or feel quite normal ... in fact, on the cabin site the laws of natural gravity seem to be repealed."
Generations of people have stopped to see it. Children who visited would return grown up, their own children in tow. During the mid-1990s, Carney saw up to 50,000 people per summer.
When people asked what caused the Wonder Spot, Carney's guides blamed it on igneous rock or simply replied they didn't know. He's seen people at the spot studying it with instruments who declared a force was at work. When pressed, though, Carney said it's all an optical illusion.
"We said don't try to figure it out," Carney said. "Just have fun."
Owner Bill Carney has sold the iconic attraction to the village of Lake Delton for $300,000. The village wants to build a road through the place where the Wonder Spot has stood since the 1950s.
"We're kind of wondering how the town is going to deal with the gravitational forces under the road," joked Doug Kirby, publisher of RoadsideAmerica.com, which catalogs odd tourist attractions.
Kirby's site lists the Wonder Spot as one of 21 so-called "mystery spots," also called "gravity vortexes."
The story behind each one is similar -- gravity doesn't work in them. People seem to grow smaller, can't stand up straight and can barely walk.
Promotions boast that strange forces in the spots trump the laws of physics. Others say they're just elaborate hoaxes.
"It seems like to spend a lot of scientific effort to debunk these places you're just sucking the fun out of a tourist attraction a lot of people enjoy," Kirby said.
The Wonder Spot lies just off U.S. Highway 12, a corridor packed with water parks, giant resorts, museums, hotels and restaurants.
In many ways, the Wonder Spot is the antithesis of those giant parks.
Louis Dauterman took out the first permit for the spot in 1952, making it the longest-permitted attraction in the area, said Romy Snyder, executive director of the Wisconsin Dells Visitors and Convention Bureau.
The spot itself is a plain, worn gift shop at the top of a ravine and a crooked cabin built into the slope.
According to a sign proudly placed at the base of the ravine, the Wonder Spot was discovered June 16, 1948. People who enter the spot, the sign warns, won't see correctly, stand erect "or feel quite normal ... in fact, on the cabin site the laws of natural gravity seem to be repealed."
Generations of people have stopped to see it. Children who visited would return grown up, their own children in tow. During the mid-1990s, Carney saw up to 50,000 people per summer.
When people asked what caused the Wonder Spot, Carney's guides blamed it on igneous rock or simply replied they didn't know. He's seen people at the spot studying it with instruments who declared a force was at work. When pressed, though, Carney said it's all an optical illusion.
"We said don't try to figure it out," Carney said. "Just have fun."
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Lai See
...are those little red envelopes you're supposed to hand out on Chinese New Year. In Manila, we call it ampao angpao.
Apparently, it is de rigeur to give out these tokens out the day of Chinese New Year. So ingrained is the practice, that the Firm needs to send out a memo to the non-Chinese attorneys to "remind" them about it.
Call me a conservative narrow minded Pinoy, but I think it's tacky to give money. And the tackiness is multiplied 100 fold by the rather large gold envelopes we're supposed to put the cash in (envelopes actually provided by the Firm).
Funny, this whole practice of handing people envelopes to solicit monetary gifts. I thought I'd escaped that when I left Manila, where the postmen, garbage collectors, and delivery boys leave all sorts of envelopes at your doorstep during Christmas.
It's exactly the same in Hong Kong.
The envelopes are just better looking.
Apparently, it is de rigeur to give out these tokens out the day of Chinese New Year. So ingrained is the practice, that the Firm needs to send out a memo to the non-Chinese attorneys to "remind" them about it.
Call me a conservative narrow minded Pinoy, but I think it's tacky to give money. And the tackiness is multiplied 100 fold by the rather large gold envelopes we're supposed to put the cash in (envelopes actually provided by the Firm).
Funny, this whole practice of handing people envelopes to solicit monetary gifts. I thought I'd escaped that when I left Manila, where the postmen, garbage collectors, and delivery boys leave all sorts of envelopes at your doorstep during Christmas.
It's exactly the same in Hong Kong.
The envelopes are just better looking.
Buti na lang, naturist ako
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (Reuters) -- For those who want to be really buff, a Dutch gym is introducing training sessions for nudists.
The Sunday morning sessions were added by popular demand and "anyone who shows up just to ogle will be thrown out," said gym manager Patrick de Man in the town of Heteren.
"This is a special session for naturists, and we will be very strict in enforcing this," he said.
The "nudifit" sessions, which will begin on March 4, have attracted a strong response -- both negative and positive, he said.
Staff, who will remain clothed during the sessions, will pay special attention to hygiene, ensuring clients cover machinery and bikes with towels or disposable covers, he added.
The Sunday morning sessions were added by popular demand and "anyone who shows up just to ogle will be thrown out," said gym manager Patrick de Man in the town of Heteren.
"This is a special session for naturists, and we will be very strict in enforcing this," he said.
The "nudifit" sessions, which will begin on March 4, have attracted a strong response -- both negative and positive, he said.
Staff, who will remain clothed during the sessions, will pay special attention to hygiene, ensuring clients cover machinery and bikes with towels or disposable covers, he added.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Tanong: Bakit siya nag maneho?
Report from the Associated Press, annotation by me:
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- An astronaut drove 900 miles and donned a disguise to confront a woman she believed was her rival for the affections of a space shuttle pilot, police said. She was arrested Monday and charged with attempted kidnapping and other counts.
[This gives new meaning to "Driver Sweet Lover"]
U.S. Navy Capt. Lisa Nowak, 43, who flew last July on a shuttle mission to the international space station, was also charged with attempted vehicle burglary with battery, destruction of evidence and battery. She was denied bail and is scheduled to make a court appearance Tuesday.
Police said Nowak drove from her home in Houston to the Orlando International Airport to confront Colleen Shipman.
[Why did she drive?! Why? I thought you had to smart to be an astronaut!]
Nowak believed Shipman was romantically involved with Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein, a pilot during space shuttle Discovery's trip to the space station last December, police said.
Nowak told police that her relationship with Oefelein was "more than a working relationship but less than a romantic relationship," according to an arrest affidavit. Police officers recovered a love letter to Oefelein in her car.
[This describes my "relationship" with all my friends at the Perm.]
NASA spokesman James Hartsfield in Houston said that, as of Monday, Nowak's status with the astronaut corps remained unchanged.
[She's still called "that Psyco B*tch".]
"What will happen beyond that, I will not speculate," he said.
[Hrrmm... This guys's a sharp one!]
Hartsfield said he couldn't recall the last time an astronaut was arrested and said there were no rules against fraternizing among astronauts.
[WhadidItellya...]
When she found out that Shipman was flying to Orlando from Houston, Nowak decided to confront her, according to the arrest affidavit. Nowak raced from Houston to Orlando wearing diapers so she wouldn't have to stop to urinate, authorities said.
Astronauts wear diapers during launch and re-entry.
[Whoa. Where did that come from?! TMI!]
Dressed in a wig and a trench coat, Nowak boarded an airport bus that Shipman took to her car in an airport parking lot. Shipman told police she noticed someone following her, hurried inside the car and locked the doors, according to the arrest affidavit.
[Yes, because she read and committed to memory all those e-mails on "What to do in case you are attacked."]
Nowak rapped on the window, tried to open the car door and asked for a ride. Shipman refused but rolled down the car window a few inches when Nowak started crying. Nowak then sprayed a chemical into Shipman's car, the affidavit said.
[The crying routine ALWAYS works.]
Shipman drove to the parking lot booth, and the police were called.
During a check of the parking lot, an officer followed Nowak and watched her throw away a bag containing the wig and BB gun. They also found a steel mallet, a 4-inch folding knife, rubber tubing, $600 and garbage bags inside a bag Nowak was carrying when she was arrested, authorities said.
[Tanong: ano kaya yung plinanpano nya? Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Gah-ross!]
Inside Nowak's vehicle, which was parked at a nearby motel, authorities uncovered a pepper spray package, an unused BB-gun cartridge, latex gloves and e-mails between Shipman and Oefelein. They also found a letter "that indicated how much Mrs. Nowak loved Mr. Oefelein," an opened package for a buck knife, Shipman's home address and hand written directions to the address, the arrest affidavit said.
[Rule no. 1 when planning to attack your boyfriend's actual girlfriend: Don't be too obvious.]
Police said Nowak told them that she only wanted to scare Shipman into talking to her about her relationship with Oefelein and didn't want to harm her physically.
"If you were just going to talk to someone, I don't know that you would need a wig, a trench coat, an air cartridge BB gun and pepper spray," said Sgt. Barbara Jones, a spokeswoman for the Orlando Police Department. "It's just really a very sad case. ... Now she ends up finding herself on the other side of the law with some very serious charges."
[Oo nga, the last time I tried to talk to someone wearing a wig, a trench coat while holding a BB gun and pepper spray, parang hindi siya natuwa.]
If convicted of attempted kidnapping, Nowak could face a maximum of life in prison.
[Ahhhh... the price of expressing your feelings.]
It was not immediately known whether Nowak had an attorney.
[Again, medjo non sequitur ito. Wala bang mga editor ang AP?]
Oefelein and Shipman did not immediately return phone messages Monday night.
[I don't know about you, but if my imbalanced stalker came after my girlfriend, I wouldn't talk to the press right away either.]
According to NASA's official biography, Nowak is married with three children. During her 13-day mission in July she operated the robotic arm during three spacewalks.
[What is it with these random facts?! Kulang na lang, in 1984 Uganda's GDP was.....]
Oefelein is unmarried. He piloted the space shuttle Discovery in December. He has two children, according to a NASA biography.
[Sana, one day, may official NASA biography din ako. .... wait.... "Sana" is an anagram of NASA... Long live non sequiturs!]
Nowak and Oefelein were both first-time fliers during their shuttle missions last year. They trained together but never flew together.
[You think "never flying together" is a euphemism for something? I do.]
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- An astronaut drove 900 miles and donned a disguise to confront a woman she believed was her rival for the affections of a space shuttle pilot, police said. She was arrested Monday and charged with attempted kidnapping and other counts.
[This gives new meaning to "Driver Sweet Lover"]
U.S. Navy Capt. Lisa Nowak, 43, who flew last July on a shuttle mission to the international space station, was also charged with attempted vehicle burglary with battery, destruction of evidence and battery. She was denied bail and is scheduled to make a court appearance Tuesday.
Police said Nowak drove from her home in Houston to the Orlando International Airport to confront Colleen Shipman.
[Why did she drive?! Why? I thought you had to smart to be an astronaut!]
Nowak believed Shipman was romantically involved with Navy Cmdr. William Oefelein, a pilot during space shuttle Discovery's trip to the space station last December, police said.
Nowak told police that her relationship with Oefelein was "more than a working relationship but less than a romantic relationship," according to an arrest affidavit. Police officers recovered a love letter to Oefelein in her car.
[This describes my "relationship" with all my friends at the Perm.]
NASA spokesman James Hartsfield in Houston said that, as of Monday, Nowak's status with the astronaut corps remained unchanged.
[She's still called "that Psyco B*tch".]
"What will happen beyond that, I will not speculate," he said.
[Hrrmm... This guys's a sharp one!]
Hartsfield said he couldn't recall the last time an astronaut was arrested and said there were no rules against fraternizing among astronauts.
[WhadidItellya...]
When she found out that Shipman was flying to Orlando from Houston, Nowak decided to confront her, according to the arrest affidavit. Nowak raced from Houston to Orlando wearing diapers so she wouldn't have to stop to urinate, authorities said.
Astronauts wear diapers during launch and re-entry.
[Whoa. Where did that come from?! TMI!]
Dressed in a wig and a trench coat, Nowak boarded an airport bus that Shipman took to her car in an airport parking lot. Shipman told police she noticed someone following her, hurried inside the car and locked the doors, according to the arrest affidavit.
[Yes, because she read and committed to memory all those e-mails on "What to do in case you are attacked."]
Nowak rapped on the window, tried to open the car door and asked for a ride. Shipman refused but rolled down the car window a few inches when Nowak started crying. Nowak then sprayed a chemical into Shipman's car, the affidavit said.
[The crying routine ALWAYS works.]
Shipman drove to the parking lot booth, and the police were called.
During a check of the parking lot, an officer followed Nowak and watched her throw away a bag containing the wig and BB gun. They also found a steel mallet, a 4-inch folding knife, rubber tubing, $600 and garbage bags inside a bag Nowak was carrying when she was arrested, authorities said.
[Tanong: ano kaya yung plinanpano nya? Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Gah-ross!]
Inside Nowak's vehicle, which was parked at a nearby motel, authorities uncovered a pepper spray package, an unused BB-gun cartridge, latex gloves and e-mails between Shipman and Oefelein. They also found a letter "that indicated how much Mrs. Nowak loved Mr. Oefelein," an opened package for a buck knife, Shipman's home address and hand written directions to the address, the arrest affidavit said.
[Rule no. 1 when planning to attack your boyfriend's actual girlfriend: Don't be too obvious.]
Police said Nowak told them that she only wanted to scare Shipman into talking to her about her relationship with Oefelein and didn't want to harm her physically.
"If you were just going to talk to someone, I don't know that you would need a wig, a trench coat, an air cartridge BB gun and pepper spray," said Sgt. Barbara Jones, a spokeswoman for the Orlando Police Department. "It's just really a very sad case. ... Now she ends up finding herself on the other side of the law with some very serious charges."
[Oo nga, the last time I tried to talk to someone wearing a wig, a trench coat while holding a BB gun and pepper spray, parang hindi siya natuwa.]
If convicted of attempted kidnapping, Nowak could face a maximum of life in prison.
[Ahhhh... the price of expressing your feelings.]
It was not immediately known whether Nowak had an attorney.
[Again, medjo non sequitur ito. Wala bang mga editor ang AP?]
Oefelein and Shipman did not immediately return phone messages Monday night.
[I don't know about you, but if my imbalanced stalker came after my girlfriend, I wouldn't talk to the press right away either.]
According to NASA's official biography, Nowak is married with three children. During her 13-day mission in July she operated the robotic arm during three spacewalks.
[What is it with these random facts?! Kulang na lang, in 1984 Uganda's GDP was.....]
Oefelein is unmarried. He piloted the space shuttle Discovery in December. He has two children, according to a NASA biography.
[Sana, one day, may official NASA biography din ako. .... wait.... "Sana" is an anagram of NASA... Long live non sequiturs!]
Nowak and Oefelein were both first-time fliers during their shuttle missions last year. They trained together but never flew together.
[You think "never flying together" is a euphemism for something? I do.]
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Pho Ever
I go through food fixations.
I will eat the same thing for days, sometimes weeks until I am tired of it. Until I have saturated that 1mm square spot on my tounge (or brain) so much that I will not eat that food for a long time. (I usually come around and eat it again after a couple of months though.)
I have gone through fixations involving shawarma, pork ribs sinigang, pan fried steak, tenderloin tips, hot and sour soup, salmon sashimi, tempura. There really is no logic to how I pick my "flavor of the month". I happen to eat something and then BANG! I just need to have it again and again.
Right now I am obsessing over raw beef pho from this rinky dink Vietnamese place near my office building. I've been running on Pho for two days now and I can't seem to get enough of it. The broth is boiling hot (it's supposed to cook the beef) and I burn my mouth each time. But it's so good I can't wait. Then there's the herby aftertaste that coats your burning mouth.
Ang sarap. At ang mura. A huge bowl costs about P120.
I will eat the same thing for days, sometimes weeks until I am tired of it. Until I have saturated that 1mm square spot on my tounge (or brain) so much that I will not eat that food for a long time. (I usually come around and eat it again after a couple of months though.)
I have gone through fixations involving shawarma, pork ribs sinigang, pan fried steak, tenderloin tips, hot and sour soup, salmon sashimi, tempura. There really is no logic to how I pick my "flavor of the month". I happen to eat something and then BANG! I just need to have it again and again.
Right now I am obsessing over raw beef pho from this rinky dink Vietnamese place near my office building. I've been running on Pho for two days now and I can't seem to get enough of it. The broth is boiling hot (it's supposed to cook the beef) and I burn my mouth each time. But it's so good I can't wait. Then there's the herby aftertaste that coats your burning mouth.
Ang sarap. At ang mura. A huge bowl costs about P120.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Plan C: Parthenogenesis*
Report from The Associated Press, mark up by me.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) - A British zoo announced Wednesday the virgin birth of five Komodo dragons, giving scientists new hope for Jonathe captive breeding of the endangered species.
In an evolutionary twist, the newborns' eight-year-old mother Flora shocked staff at Chester Zoo in northern England when she became pregnant without ever having a male partner or even being exposed to the opposite sex.
"Flora is oblivious to the excitement she has caused but we are delighted to say she is now a mum and dad," said a delighted Kevin Buley, the zoo's curator of lower vertebrates and invertebrates.
The shells began cracking last week, after an eight-month gestation period, which culminated with the arrival on Tuesday of the fifth black and yellow colored dragon.
He said the reptiles are in good health and enjoying a diet of crickets and locusts, and look just like their mum.
Other reptile species reproduce asexually in a process known as parthenogenesis. But Flora's virginal conception, and that of another Komodo dragon earlier this year at the London Zoo, are the firsttime two documented cases it has been documented in a Komodo dragon.
[Note: TWO virginal conceptions cannot both be "first".]
The evolutionary breakthrough could have far-reaching consequences forendangered species Jona.
*Method of reproduction where eggs become embryos without male fertilization.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) - A British zoo announced Wednesday the virgin birth of five Komodo dragons, giving scientists new hope for Jona
In an evolutionary twist, the newborns' eight-year-old mother Flora shocked staff at Chester Zoo in northern England when she became pregnant without ever having a male partner or even being exposed to the opposite sex.
"Flora is oblivious to the excitement she has caused but we are delighted to say she is now a mum and dad," said a delighted Kevin Buley, the zoo's curator of lower vertebrates and invertebrates.
The shells began cracking last week, after an eight-month gestation period, which culminated with the arrival on Tuesday of the fifth black and yellow colored dragon.
He said the reptiles are in good health and enjoying a diet of crickets and locusts, and look just like their mum.
Other reptile species reproduce asexually in a process known as parthenogenesis. But Flora's virginal conception, and that of another Komodo dragon earlier this year at the London Zoo, are the first
[Note: TWO virginal conceptions cannot both be "first".]
The evolutionary breakthrough could have far-reaching consequences for
*Method of reproduction where eggs become embryos without male fertilization.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Plan B: Move to China
Due to the one-child policy and the cultural preference of having male offspring, there are far more boys than girls in China. 60,000,000 more by the end of the decade if birth trends continue.
This "gender gap" has alarmed even the Chinese government. On the news last night was the government's move to ban doctors from disclosing the sex of the fetus to the mothers. So they can't abort the girls.
This got me thinking: 60,000,000 more boys.
That's like an entire COUNTRY of boys.
Ayos.
This "gender gap" has alarmed even the Chinese government. On the news last night was the government's move to ban doctors from disclosing the sex of the fetus to the mothers. So they can't abort the girls.
This got me thinking: 60,000,000 more boys.
That's like an entire COUNTRY of boys.
Ayos.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Reason #13: No VD
This weekend is the second to the last weekend before Valentine's Day. In the Philippines, the shops are all bloody red with Valentne's Day decor. TV and radio ads are all about Valentine's Day specials you and your loved one should take advantage of (while supply lasts!).
I'm sure Dunkin Donuts and Pizza Hut are selling heart shaped food. Your inboxes are flooded with offers for roses and chocolates. Kuh Ledesma, Lea Salonga, Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcasid and maybe Sharon Cuneta all have shows in hotel lounges. Motels are making a killing.
Valentine's Day is hands down, the most annoying Philippine "holiday". And I hate it. The decor is tacky; the only people who really celebrate it are kids in high school who are "on" and married men and their mistresses.
This weekend is the second to the last weekend before Valentine's Day. If I didn't happen to glance at my desk calendar and make a mental note of it, I wouldn't have realized that. HK does not "celebrate" Valentine's Day. The stores have no red crepe paper hearts hanging from the ceiling. There are no Valentine's Day specials. There are no concerts, no heart-shaped food.
Sa madaling salita, walang VD sa Hong Kong.
I'm sure Dunkin Donuts and Pizza Hut are selling heart shaped food. Your inboxes are flooded with offers for roses and chocolates. Kuh Ledesma, Lea Salonga, Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcasid and maybe Sharon Cuneta all have shows in hotel lounges. Motels are making a killing.
Valentine's Day is hands down, the most annoying Philippine "holiday". And I hate it. The decor is tacky; the only people who really celebrate it are kids in high school who are "on" and married men and their mistresses.
This weekend is the second to the last weekend before Valentine's Day. If I didn't happen to glance at my desk calendar and make a mental note of it, I wouldn't have realized that. HK does not "celebrate" Valentine's Day. The stores have no red crepe paper hearts hanging from the ceiling. There are no Valentine's Day specials. There are no concerts, no heart-shaped food.
Sa madaling salita, walang VD sa Hong Kong.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Expat life angst
No one told me about expat life angst. Not that it would have stopped me from coming here, but it would have been good to get a head's up.
Apparently, it's a rather common phenomenon. A friend calls it being part of the "third culture". You feel like a foreigner in the place where you work and live (well, because you are one) AND because of the time you spend away, you also feel like a foreigner at home.
It's this whole detached existence thing I've mentioned in previous posts. It appears that I am not alone and that this experience is fairly standard for expats.
Hmmm.... Interesting.
And here's the clincher: it never goes away. You live with it. That feeling of being completely comfortable in a place, of being familiar with everyone and everything around you? That's gone.
Hmmm.... Interesting.
Apparently, it's a rather common phenomenon. A friend calls it being part of the "third culture". You feel like a foreigner in the place where you work and live (well, because you are one) AND because of the time you spend away, you also feel like a foreigner at home.
It's this whole detached existence thing I've mentioned in previous posts. It appears that I am not alone and that this experience is fairly standard for expats.
Hmmm.... Interesting.
And here's the clincher: it never goes away. You live with it. That feeling of being completely comfortable in a place, of being familiar with everyone and everything around you? That's gone.
Hmmm.... Interesting.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Universal Suffrage
The other day the headline of the South China Daily read,
"Civic groups move for universal suffrage."
I was deeply concerned about the headline. In three milliseconds, this was my thought process:
P*ta! Women can't vote in HK?! Kalokohan! That is insane! That's terrible! And they claim to be first world? How can people live with that! Why aren't people in the streets, raising their voices for equal rights for women! 'Tangina naman! This is ridiculous.
Then I paused.
...
...
Shit.
It's not that women can't vote, you stupid idiot.
No one can.
"Civic groups move for universal suffrage."
I was deeply concerned about the headline. In three milliseconds, this was my thought process:
P*ta! Women can't vote in HK?! Kalokohan! That is insane! That's terrible! And they claim to be first world? How can people live with that! Why aren't people in the streets, raising their voices for equal rights for women! 'Tangina naman! This is ridiculous.
Then I paused.
...
...
Shit.
It's not that women can't vote, you stupid idiot.
No one can.
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