Let’s go clear out some backlog… a lot of backlog, actually, as I will now review two movies long overdue: The Core, and Johnny English. Plus, the long-delayed Top Five! Wow, I’m so industrious lately… heh. Because of this, then I just have to remind you: SPOILERS AHEAD!

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The Core:

Whatcha gonna do when the Earth’s core runs wild on you?

Let me state for the record that while I loved this movie, I, for the life of me, cannot remember most of the actors in the film. Thus, just bear with me as I try to reconstruct it with some help from an outside source, killermovies.com.

For reasons unknown, the earth's inner core has stopped rotating, causing the planet's electromagnetic field to rapidly deteriorate. Instantly, life around the globe begins to change dramatically. In Boston, 32 people with pacemakers, all within a 10-block radius, suddenly drop dead. In San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge collapses, sending hundreds of people plunging to their deaths. In London's Trafalgar Square, flocks of pigeons lose their ability to navigate, flying into panicked crowds. And in Rome, as thousands of tourists watch helplessly, an electrical superstorm reduces the ancient Colosseum to rubble.

Scrambling to resolve the crisis, government and military officials call upon geophysicist Dr. Josh Keyes and a team of the world's most gifted scientists to travel into the earth's core in a subterranean craft piloted by terranauts Major Rebecca "Beck" Childs and Commander Robert Iverson. Their mission: detonate a nuclear device that will reacativate the core and save the world from sure destruction. They also team up with Dr. Zibsky, a brilliant but egotistical scientist, and his rival, Dr. Brazzelton, the man who constructed Virgil, the ship that will take them all the way into the Earth’s core. Watching over them is someone who can give Sacha a run for her money as far as geeky geniuses go, Rat. He’s in charge of hacking the entire Internet to keep people from knowing about this mission.

One by one, the crew of six die as they attempt to go to the Earth’s core. Lots of issues are addressed, especially since Zibsky seems to know more than he’s willing to let on. It turns out that he was part of a government project to use remote-controlled earthquakes to wage war on other countries with ease, and this appears to be the likely cause of the cataclysm. It is likewise being touted as the last resort solution, which could prove disastrous. The race is on, until only two of them are left, and they find some time to fall in love with each other in spite of everything. And yes, they save the world after all that trouble…

Okay. I liked the movie, and Sach was right: it’s a geeky film. Special effects were actually impressive, especially since Virgil really looked good. The dialogue was also well-written, and even if you weren’t well-versed in the stuff they were talking about, you’re not bound to get lost in the technobabble. I especially liked the argument between Rat and Zibsky…

Rat: How many languages do you know?

Zibsky: Five.

Rat: I know only one- zero, zero, one, one, zero, zero, one, one. With that language, I can know everything there is to know about you. What you like. What you know. What your deepest sexual desires are. With that language, I can destroy your life.

Strong words, eh?

This movie was good, but it was preposterous. Exactly how far underwater can dolphins go? It sure seemed like they were deeper than possible in the movie, as it must’ve been at least 800 KM underwater already, yet there were still dolphins around. I also find it hard to suspend my disbelief that they managed to construct a material that is capable of withstanding the pressure and heat of travelling into the core, though I’ll let that one slide. What I can’t allow to slip past me, however, is the inexplicable need for them to incorporate a love angle in the story, which was ridiculous.

Rat was the true saving grace for me in that film, though I have to say Zibsky and Brazzelton were immensely interesting as well. This movie had its moments, but they could’ve trimmed some fat. Still, the movie was worth watching, and it was rather exciting for most of its run.

Marcelle’s Rating: B+

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Johnny English:

The best spies in the world practice in front of the mirror…

First things first: I’m a Mr. Bean fan, so I know what I want when I see Rowan Atkinson performing on the screen. This movie was really entertaining, and it didn’t exactly need an elaborate plot to get its point across.

Rowan Atkinson plays Johnny English (Obviously.), the last resort among a supergroup of spies. He is little more than a gopher that they really didn’t ever intend to send on a mission. Unfortunately, the top spies in the secret service have been killed through his own bungling, and this pushes him straight into the spotlight. He then starts putting on his airs, pretending to be a super spy who can’t go wrong, and has an answer for any question imaginable. Beneath it all, he’s still as clumsy and inept as he always was, and this did not go unnoticed. All throughout, his compatriot, Bough was following him blindly.

Like any spy movie, he has to have a girl, and the girl is none other than a ravishing Lorna Campbell played by Natalie Imbruglia, who is also a secret agent. The both of them are assigned to watch over England’s crown jewels, which has been restored by French benefactor Pascal Sauvage played by John Malkovich. Being the expert that he is, English fail to stop the robbery of the jewels, which is actually part of Savage’s plan to assume the throne of England. Somehow, Johnny discovers the plot, which includes a fake Archbishop, and acts accordingly (Stupidly, that is.). Little does he know that Savage knows that he knows, and likewise changes plans, forcing the Queen to abdicate, since he knows his lineage makes him the next in line for the throne.

Through it all, English and his partner, along with Imbruglia, attempt to uncover this hideous plot behind their boss’ back, who refuses to allow an investigation into Savage’s activities. While a love affair is transpiring between Atkinson and Imbruglia, they still have to stop a coronation. And what happens there is pure mayhem, as English is still unaware that the plan to make an impostor double for the Archbishop of Canterbury was completely dropped, and his so-called evidence against Sauvage was not exactly what he had in mind...

This is a somewhat spoiler-free description of the plot, but I guess I was laughing so hard it was pretty hard to go into every nook and cranny of the story. Yes, it was a rather no-brainer movie, but the comedy was a good combination of traditional slapstick and droll British/French wit, characterized by Atkinson’s over-the-top spy dialogue and Malkovich’s amazing deadpan delivery. Imbruglia wasn’t so bad herself, but I still remember the time she refused to do movies for fear of “spreading herself too thin”. Lots of people have been eating their words lately… *cough*rowdypiper*cough*jetli*cough*. My, I have a bad throat. Heh.

Anyways, I liked the movie, but I recognize the fact that this kind of a theme has been done over and over again already, but no matter how many spy spoofs we have out there, it never seems to grow old. Nonetheless, the film has its share of problems, especially with casting Rowan Atkinson who is probably the most typecast actor to ever walk this planet. He managed to pull off the act well, but shades of Mr. Bean will always materialize no matter how hard he tries to avoid them. Some jokes were also played out too long, especially the one where they played the wrong DVD during the coronation. But you just had to love that point where they ended up crowning English King when he kicked Savage aside from the throne and the crown landed on his head.

Overall, this film could’ve actually been so great, but I guess a lot of people find it wanting. But then, you can’t expect all your films to make you meditate upon the facts of life. And as a movie, Johnny English made me laugh a lot, and being a comedy film, it has achieved its intent. That’s more than enough merit for me to give it a rather generous grade of…

Marcelle’s Rating: A-

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Next week’s Top Five: The Top Five Funniest Album Titles

But this week… surprise, surprise! Not exactly the best effort, but I didn’t have much help for this one… :laughs:

The Top Five Alternate Careers For Celebrities

5. Steve Austin: Live action Mr. Clean!
4. Monica Lewinsky: Ornithologist.
3. Jolina Magdangal: Clothes hanger.
2. Ja Rule: Voice actor for Cookie Monster.
1. The Pokemon: Exotic pulutan.

See ya next time, jabronis!

This is from Maia... since something is wrong with this PC and it refuses to edit my previous post, I'll just do a new one. I've never tried answering one of these before, so bear with me. :laughs:

A - Act your age? Methinks I act a little beyond my age. I usually do things for the long term now...
B - Born on what day of the week? Friday, I think.
C - Chore you hate? Not really a chore, but... listening to certain people I know blow their own horns for hours on end feels like one.
D - Dad's name? Alfonso Jr.
E - Essential makeup item? Lip Balm. It's the only "makeup" I have, when I actually do have one.
F- Favorite actor? Jim Carrey, Sir Anthony Hopkins. First two that came to mind.
G - Gold or silver? Gold. No doubt.
H - Hometown? Manila. San Juan by default, Mandaluyong by choice.
I - Instruments you play? A really mediocre harmonica.
J - Job title? Trainee, Events and Production, RX 93.1. Student, too.
K - Kids? None yet, but three or so will be fine.
L - Living arrangements?Dorm/Grace's house (Well, not really live there. I just hang around there often.) from Monday to Saturdays during the schoolyear. At home with Mom and Stepdad on Saturday, Sunday, and some Wednesdays.
M - Mom's name? Lorraine
N - Number of people you've slept with? At least three, but that's sleeping with them LITERALLY.
O - Overnight hospital stays? A few times. For my grandmother and my younger brother, I think. And when I'm confined in the hospital, too.
P - Phobia? Heights, rejection.
Q - Quote you like? "And that, my friends, is true!" (Top of the mind again.)
R - Religious affiliation? Non-practicing but devout Catholic. Don't ask how that is...
S - Siblings? Francis (Brother, 14.); Caren (Stepsister, 17); Dondon (Stepbrother, 14); Jericho (Half-brother, 7)
T - Time you wake up? Usually at six in the morning. Body clock is attuned to the Morning Rush.
U - Unique habit? I raise my eyebrows a lot when I don't agree with something, and I crick my neck often. Don't hand me a regular umbrella. I can turn it into a deadly weapon all the time... :chuckles:
V - Vegetable you refuse to eat? None that I know of. I know ways to keep Amplaya from being bitter, that's why.
W - Worst habit? Procrastination. (Top of the mind.)
Y - Yummy food you make? Pastillas. I don't think any of my other culinary attempts are yummy...
Z - Zodiac Sign? Libra

LAYER ONE
-- Name: Marcelle
-- Birthdate: 29 September, 1983
-- Birthplace: If I'm not mistaken,it's in Mandaluyong.
-- Current Location: RX Office.
-- Eye Color: Dark brown.
-- Hair Color: Black, some brown, and quite a few white hairs (Which I'm very proud of.) .
-- Height: 6'
-- Righty or Lefty: Lefty
-- Zodiac Sign: Libra

LAYER TWO
-- Your heritage: Filipino
-- The shoes you wore today: Bass leather shoes.
-- Your weakness: Chinese girls with glasses.
-- Your fears: Rejection, inutility, loneliness.
-- Your perfect pizza: Sbarro's. (Top of the mind.)
-- Goal you'd like to achieve: Start a succesful wrestling federation in the Philippines.

LAYER THREE
-- Your most overused phrase on AIM: I don't have AIM...
-- Your thoughts first waking up: "Do I exist? Who am I?"
-- Your best physical feature: Eyes, lips.
-- Your bedtime: Lately, due to work, it's been before 10. Usually, midnight or so.
-- Your most missed memory: Hanging around with Calf Up, the ONLY group of people I could really call my barkada.

LAYER FOUR
-- Pepsi or Coke: Rootbeer with Royal.
-- McDonald's or Burger King: McDonald's.
-- Adidas or Nike: Nike.
-- Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Lipton (It's my mom's client...).
-- Chocolate or vanilla: Vanilla.
-- Cappuccino or coffee: Soft drinks. I rarely drink coffee, but it'd be a Frap, if ever.

LAYER FIVE
-- Smoke: Nope. I'm allergic.
-- Cuss: Hades, not much lately. I've had more creative words in place of them... heh.
-- Sing: All the time. I'm working in a radio station, for crying out loud!
-- Take a shower everyday: Showers, no. Baths, I guess so. (Who'd want to answer otherwise for all to see, eh?)
-- Have a crush(es): See my list of Chinese Prospects ®
-- Do you think you've been in love: I know I have been.I know I still am.
-- Want to go to college: I already am in college.
-- Like high school: Traumatic, but yes, I loved it.
-- Want to get married: After Sacha does. We have a bet that involves a trip to another country and 100,000 pesos pocket money... I can't afford to lose.
-- Believe in yourself: Maybe too much, actually. But not when I'm depressed.
-- Get motion sickness: During long drives and when I try to read or something like that.
-- Think you're attractive: Only to gay men, so it seems. But my girlfriend thinks I am, so that's good enough for me.
-- Think you're a health freak: Not at all, sadly.
-- Get along with your parents: I do. Live and let live is my current motto for them.
-- Like thunderstorms: That'd be great if I had a Chinese girl beside me... I mean, if I had my girlfriend beside me...
-- Play an instrument: A really bad harmonica. I only know some tricks, not even full tunes.

LAYER SIX: In the past month...
-- Drank alcohol: Yep. San Mig Light. Just one bottle.
-- Smoked: No chance in Hades, jabroni.
-- Done a drug: Ventolin inhaler for my asthma.
-- Had Sex: Does trying count? Heh.
-- Made Out: I think I did. I know I did.
-- Gone on a date: Lots, including some friendly dates.
-- Gone to the mall: Yesterday, today, and tomorrow...
-- Eaten an entire box of Oreos: Nope. Maybe Pringles.
-- Eaten sushi: I dont' think so, sadly.
-- Been dumped: Obviously not.
-- Gone skating: My behind can't take the agony.
-- Made homemade cookies: No.
-- Gone skinny dipping: I'd love to try that in the future with some friendly friends... :laughs:
-- Dyed your hair: Nope.
-- Stolen anything: A kiss? Maybe.

LAYER SEVEN: Ever..
-- Played a game that required removal of clothing: Yes. Longest line. We had a "Bake Me A Picture" game for OB, and while it wasn't required, some contestants were all too happy to oblige.
-- If so, was it mix'd company: Yes.
-- Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: No.
-- Been caught "doing something": Depends on what "something" is.
-- Been called a tease: Yeah. But I can't say who called me that.
-- Gotten beaten up: Years ago. My stepdad wouldn't dare try now, lest I snap him in two.
-- Shoplifted: No.
-- Changed who you were to fit in: Too many times, sadly.

LAYER EIGHT
-- Age you hope to be married: 30, perhaps?
-- Numbers and Names of Children: 3, two girls, one boy. I'm supposed to name the girls. Grace is supposed to name the boys. I only have Aletheia in mind for a name right now.
-- Describe your Dream Wedding: I'm a guy. I don't have much of an eye for details, but I'd like to have it in a Cathedral and motif it in sky blue...
-- How do you want to die: Quickly,painlessly.
-- Where you want to go to college: Already in college, in Ateneo. EXACTLY where I wanted to be.
-- What do you want to be when you grow up: Owner of a pro wrestling federation in the Philippines. If not, a PR agent for, say, Unilever will do.
-- What country would you most like to visit: Germany, Japan.

LAYER NINE: In a guy/girl.. ...
-- Best eye color: Blue and green are nice, but I can't choose. Nearly everyone in this country have brown eyes.
-- Best hair color: Long, shiny black hair. Lux Super Rich Shampoo! :laughs:
-- Short or long hair: Long hair is nice, if it's well-managed.
-- Height: Maybe over 5'5". But I don't mind. I'm not too picky with that.
-- Best weight: Don't hit 130 lbs. if you're 5'5"...
-- Best articles of clothing: Skirts, I guess.
-- Best first date location: Candlelit dinner, home cooking. This is assuming you're dating someone you've known for a long time already..
-- Best first kiss location: Under the rain, before opening the gate for her.

LAYER TEN
-- Number of drugs taken illegally: None.I'm allergic.
-- Number of people I could trust with my life: Nobody. It's D.T.A., jabronis. Nobody includes myself too, so please don't take offense...
-- Number of CDs that I own: PS CD's, at least eight. VCD's, at least five. Music CD's, three or so, I think.
-- Number of piercings: Zero
-- Number of tattoos: Zero
-- Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper: A lot, but only two to five times in a broadsheet. I go by the pen name Xerex... well, no. I'm just playing. :smiles:
-- Number of scars on my body: Two or three. A leg gash, being one of the,.
-- Number of things in my past that I regret: At least eight hundred and thirty. But as Frankie boy once sang, "Regrets, I have a few. But then again, too few to mention."

Yesterday was a fun Morning Rush, even if I showed up late due to the rains. Classes were actually cancelled, but that wouldn’t stop any of us in RX, now, would it? Anyways, what happened was rather interesting, as I went ahead in the booth, with Chico completely exaggerating how hard the rain was, saying that “There was so much rain, Bangus were flying in the air.” Then, interesting things happened…

Let’s just transcribe the dialogue, shall we? :biggrin:

Chico: Delle, don’t panic.

Delle: Why?

Chico: The rain is so hard!

Delle: And…?

Chico: That’s it.

Delle: That’s it? I thought something happened to my car downstairs, or…

Chico: No. It’s just that the rain is so hard, and Bangus are flying in the air.

Delle: *Laughs* The rain was so hard, the fish are swimming in the rain already… but you shouldn’t say stuff like that! You tell me not to panic, of course I’d panic!

Chico: Well…

Delle: Well, you’re not scaring me today…

Chico: *Motions me to grab her neck*

Marcelle: *I comply*

Delle: *Screams in horror*

From that point on, Delle has been glaring at me already. That’s the second time I scared her out of a year’s growth on air. It was all in good jest, though… and I’m glad she took it fairly well. Heh.

Afterwards, Grace and I canvassed all over Mega Mall to look for Guilty Gear X. Unfortunately, we didn’t find a single copy that actually saved. Amazing. We then went straight to my house, just in time for her to watch Meteor Garden. I tell you: she’s so into it, while I, strangely enough, am not so enthralled by the whole thing. Anyways, we did go for a bit of Dance Maniax, and I seem to have lost my step. I ought to work on that… and I saw Kip. He’s actually doing well in the KOF tournament.

We had a power outage that night, and I guess that was the time I got a bit pensive. I have to thank Mel (No, I can’t do that funky “Hover over your name and read” trick yet) for snapping me out of it. Thanx for putting things in perspective. I guess I get down when I think too much. I’m pretty much fine, and I’m glad that I’ve been useful lately. I don’t know what Mel owes me for, though. I was also helping out another friend, Tsumenki. I’m not too familiar with her situation yet, though. Sometimes, I depress over the silliest of reasons- absolutely nothing. :chuckles:

Oh, and thanx to Abby, there’s no question about the review and the top five by tomorrow. It’s actually finished already, but I chose to just upload the stuff tomorrow. I don’t want to pre-empt myself. Thanx a lot, Abby! Hope you’re doing just fine, and do catch Bruce Almighty when you have the chance. Hopefully, you didn’t make the mistake of reading my not-so-spoiler-free review of it yet…

Well, just keep on smelling what Marcelle is cooking! :cheesy:

If someone would be kind enough to give me the names of the cast and characters for The Core and Johnny English, I will be off to write my reviews on the two movies already. I am completely bypassing my review of “I Spy”, simply because with all the better movies I have in my hands to review, I Spy will be too much of an eyesore to talk about… and yes, I know I’m very generous with my ratings, but I’m not that hard to please with movies, anyway. Nonetheless, I also feel like doing the Top Five again, but I suppose that’ll have to wait for Friday.

I just had this really insightful notion… for the longest time, I was overeager to be a friend. I tried too hard to belong, and it did me more harm than good (The loner piece will have to wait. I’m in good spirits right now, you see.). Yes, I’m a loner, but while that has a lot of drawbacks to it (Which, again, I will get into some other time.), I at least gain some measure of respect by not trying to push my envelope too much. I realize that in the past (A past that I still battle to keep it from resurfacing.), I managed to suffocate my friends (Methinks smother is a better word.), and it took a certain event to make me realize what made me such a bad friend…

You might say that the attitude adjustment had a lot to do with that event, plus you might point out that the demeanor I assumed was something Sacha could’ve taught me to do, but then, regardless of how or why, I did work on this. I would like to think that since then, I’ve been somewhat of a better friend. I’ve learned to maintain a safe distance, and only come to one’s aid when beckoned. No, I’m not exactly a dog like Charlie (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.), but I seem to have a more apt metaphor for how I have been. Take it as you please, but I take it positively.

You see, Marcelle is a gargoyle.

A what? A gargoyle. Yeah, I know it sounds weird, but hear me out here. I’m sure you know what a gargoyle is. I suppose I can identify very well with one, because a lot of people are afraid of me. This is probably because I have a rather intense personality, and my weirdness, if one isn’t accustomed to it, might seem to border on the psychotic. Gargoyles have this larger-than-life aura, yet in spite of that, they just don’t stand out. Only when we take notice of them do we recognize how fearsome they actually are. And we know gargoyles are scary-looking most of the time, sans the three ones hanging around with Quasimodo in the Disney movie… but I digress.

Indeed, I may seem intimidating (Especially when I’m angry, but that’s a rarity.), but like a gargoyle, I am a guardian, not an oppressor. Remember: gargoyles are usually found in churches, as sort of a way to drive away evil beings. I can relate to that, as I find myself in the company of strong personalities who would benefit more from my standing in the background for them than from my coming to the forefront with them, which saves me all the effort and gives them all the credit. Some call themselves gods and goddesses. Some call themselves Rushers. Some call themselves OBers. Some call themselves Ateneans. One calls herself my girlfriend. These are all people that this gargoyle happens to be watching over.

Like the gargoyle, I am there for the Ministry. All the time. I have yet to see a gargoyle leaving its church without force. :laughs: Nonetheless, I do believe that this analogy really does fit well… I’m not comfortable with calling myself a guardian devil, so I’d rather call myself a gargoyle. It just sets everything I’ve been doing in perspective, and keeps me from wanting more than my fair share of the spotlight- a spotlight I have learned to use to my advantage… and to avoid to my benefit.

And that, my friends, is true.

Marcelle, you are an amalgam of light and darkness. A walking paradox that mankind chooses to love as much as it chooses to despise. You hold within the depths of your being the highest of the high and the lowest of the low. You can stand in silence in the background, silent but keen to everything that transpires in your midst. You can step into the limelight and bind everyone to yourself while searching for yet another means to keep everyone enthralled. You touch lives as their greatest boon or their most terrible bane. From this amalgam that you are, you keep every graduation of the brightest light to the darkest hue. Few can fully comprehend the myriad faces you possess. Few can understand that in this respect, you are truly unique.

You curse yourself in your eternal Earthly quest to find meaning in your existence. You bless yourself in your eternal Earthly quest to find meaning in your existence. You catch the fallen, and you bury the adversary. You are the epitome of appropriate self-negation. You are neither pure nor diabolic. Neither are you stuck in neutrality. You are all that and more. Your hands are stained with blood, yet hardened by good works. Your eyes are rife with rage, yet endowed with compassion. A windfall of boon is bestowed upon those whom you choose to minister to. Still, others are content with being part of a new order to the world that they and you bring upon one another. Sadly, there are those who choose to incur your ire and are fated to regret so. Indeed, you can be one’s greatest ally, or one’s worst foe. The choice lies with them.

You embrace the light and the darkness as part and parcel of who you truly are. You continue to unconceal yourself in the light, but the greater you unconceal, the greater the shadow you cast. Your life is riddled with jubilations and tribulations, and through it all, you evolve. But through every change, you will always be Marcelle. And with each identity that you call your own, you recognize that you cannot merely do away with one or the other. Every face you possess constructs the entirety of your being, but even the sum of your fragments are incapable of constituting the whole.

Marcelle, you are Ertai; the pure of heart, the innocent man before the fall. You are the pinnacle of benevolence. For in all you do, you believe in the power of your will to wield your destiny in your hands for the betterment of all. You believe in the beauty of spirit of all around you. Few people appreciate your mundane and disinteresting positivity, but respect your integrity. You are Ertai: the sage, the wizard of optimism.

Marcelle, you are Mister Vader; the vulnerable and corrupted shade of Ertai. You represent the darker realms of your being, yet manage to incorporate your mischief and forlorn melancholy. All know that there are scars behind the jaded smiles, as you try to hide behind your merriment and glee. You desire serenity of mind, but you are doomed to stand strong. You are Mister Vader: the brooding shade, the arcane antihero.

Marcelle, you are Voldemort; the jovial and impetuous being. You enjoy the carefree life, and bask in attention. You have a fondness for Oriental pulchritude. You represent the shining beacons within you, and yet manage to instill an aura of wisdom. You long to be what you are not, for your name belies the cheer that you cannot eschew from delivering to all around you. You are Voldemort: the whimsical, the popular

Marcelle, you are The People’s Champion; the stalwart Atlas. You take upon yourself to be there for those who turn to you, and even those whom you choose to befriend. All who recognize you as such never fail to acknowledge your untiring effort to share the next moment of joy, or to catch the next tear that falls. You stand in silence as you allow them to shine, but never hesitate to step forward when the opportunity is right. You are The People’s Champion: the loyal, the friend.

Marcelle, you are The Olympic Hero; the man of pride and flamboyance. You know you are remarkable, and you never let anyone forget it. You enjoy staying in the limelight, and you believe that all your accolades have earned you the right to be there. Those who despise your audacity perplex you, yet what is truly perplexing is how you still endear others in spite of your egocentricity. You are The Olympic Hero: the arrogant, the charismatic antivillain.

Marcelle, you are The Phenom; the harbinger of malevolence and vindication. You are the penultimate icon of righteous wrath. Those who trod upon the right path with you hold the power to unleash your fury upon those who choose to stray away from you and them. Those who have fallen in your grasp have realized, to their great horror, how great a mistake it was to travest those whom you have taken into your Ministry. You are both treasured and feared. You are The Phenom: the guardian, the vengeful.

Marcelle, you are Marcelle; the amalgam of all your identities, and far more. You are the one who embraces the harmonious intertwining of light and darkness within you. You hold within you all that you have been, all that you are, and all that you will be. Few can fully appreciate your entirety, but many love or despise you for the little that they see of you. You believe in the power of Aletheia to further you into self-knowledge and unveil the mysteries within you that remain unanswered. You are Marcelle: the chiaroscuro, the kaleidoscope.

What an exciting weekend. :Yawns:

Marcelle’s just kidding. Actually, it’s really been an eventful Saturday, far more than can be said about Sunday. After more than a month, we finally had a tournament for RAW Deal, and unlike the last time’s upset, this one resulted in Ralph Tan’s Trish Stratus deck coming out on top once again. There were some neat tricks left and right, but there’s no question that The People’s Champion and The Game are two decks to watch out for. Both of them are rather interesting decks to deal with, as one prevents reversals from the Backlash deck, while the other is simply loaded with great cards, and has a Sylvan Library ability.

There really isn’t much to detail about the matches, as since Marcelle was running the tournament, there’s no question that he had his hands full observing every match. It was an interesting tournament, as that was the first time a RAW Deal has achieved a turnout of 20 people or more. Last Saturday yielded 26 entrants. Simply amazing. Of course, at a hundred and fifty per five entrants, that netted Marcelle a cool 750. This beats joining tournaments, as far as Marcelle is concerned.

Here’s a standout, though: Kurt Angle seems to have been totally beefed up this time. Franz Alibuyog fought Ryan Ramos in a certain round. Franz was using Angle, while Ryan was using The People’s Champion. Problem with that is Angle’s feud mentions The People’s Champion, and the feud not only gives him two more mid-match slots, he even gets to take a card from his discard pile during each of his turns! How do you stop a steamroller like that?

The RAW Deal community is growing rather nicely at this point. Would you want to give it a try and perhaps be the next World Champion?

Marcelle wasn’t able to finish the tournament because he had to watch Bruce Almighty with Grace. Needless to say, that involved him rushing and asking to be texted the results after the tournament. He made it there with lots of time to spare, and comedy of comedies, was mistaken for a celebrity, and was thus asked to sign in the Red Carpet guestbook. Grace, on the other hand, barely made it there on time. The movie was extremely funny, and it actually toppled Matrix: Reloaded in the box office. It’s number one this week, and it holds the record for the best opening of a non-sequel comedy with over $70 million. Was it any good? Well, just read the next three reviews to find out. Let’s do three comedies this time… do notice an attempt at a subtitle with each movie. Hopefully, this can be done consistently…

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

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Shanghai Knights:

Not even a super cute Chinese girl can keep this movie from being lackluster…

Apparently, Shanghai Knights is an attempt at making a good buddy flick. So there’s a good deal of chemistry between Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson. Sadly, that won’t be enough to make this movie good. Tired old jokes, a long stretch at both a conspiracy and historical facts… just about everything you can complain about with a movie is in here. And like the subtitle says, not even Fann Wong can make this movie something great. The story is a take on the dynamic duo of Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson going to England to follow the people who killed Jackie’s dad in the film. Apparently, this is part of a huge conspiracy between two heirs apparent in both the Chinese empire and the English kingdom, so that they will rule simultaneously over their respective kingdoms.

It just doesn’t work. Jackie Chan works well with Owen Wilson, but their rapport can’t hold together the flimsy plot they were given to work with. Besides, how many times can we see Jackie Chan still up to his same old tricks and remain entertained? Shanghai Noon wasn’t so bad, but to make a sequel actually inferior to it could only mean trouble. There was nothing in the film that would really impress you, as it’s pretty much the same sickness the RAW roster has been suffering from lately. You’ve seen a Jackie Chan movie, you’ve seen them all. It’s not very flattering, but that seems to be the case now, as I did not find anything noteworthy about the film.

If you’re not a diehard Jackie Chan fan, trust me. You’re not missing much. If you’re a Fann Wong fan, look for some of her better movies. That should satiate your uber-cute Chinese girl fix…

Marcelle’s Rating: C+ (This is already being rather generous…)

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How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days:

Not another bet movie… rrriiighhhttt… But at least, it’s a smart comedy.

Annie (Or is it Andy? Whatever…) Anderson, played by Kate Hudson, is a writer. She writes for one of the most pretentious fashion magazines around, and she’s the resident How-To girl of Composure magazine. “How to get away from a parking ticket”, “How to get a makeover”, you name it, she’s probably done a “How-To” on it, so long as she doesn’t talk about politics or religion or something of (Heaven forbid!) actual importance to mankind.

Benjamin Barry, played by Matthew McConaughey is making a play for an advertising account, and ends up getting himself into a bet for the account. The bet: to have a girl fall for him in ten days. His rivals know what they’re doing, though, and pick Annie. Why? Because she’s doing a groundbreaking How-To: How to lose a guy in ten days. You can tell that Ben will be in quite a spot of trouble now.

What follows is a series of mishaps involving naming a certain male body part “Princess Sophia”, a Knicks finals game being given up in favor of a Celine Dion concert, and other things meant to drive Benjamin out of his mind and out of Annie’s life.

But Princess Sophia refuses to budge.

This, of course, is a date movie. What do you expect? It’s extremely funny, and is one of those smart comedies out there. Kate Hudson was scorching hot, and Matthew McConaughey, err… no comment. Anyways, since both of them have entered this relationship with a hint of deceit, you can just tell how big the trouble will be when they find out what’s really happening. But yeah, true love conquers all, and Annie quits writing for Composure magazine. It’s a very entertaining movie.

Of course, the film has a few gaffs. Here’s the most glaring one: BET MOVIES HAVE BEEN DONE, AND DONE BEFORE. What else is new? Didn’t a movie involving Freddie Prinxe, Jr. try this codswallop already? You’d think that for all the smart writing employed in the script, they’d come up with a more original plot. Beyond that, there wasn’t much else to complain about with this film. It was far from disappointing, but we know it could’ve been better.

Well, this movie is worth watching, but then, it’d really be a waste to see this alone…

Marcelle’s Rating: B/B+

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Bruce Almighty

Jim IS Almighty, and that is just B-E-A-Utiful!

Well, Jim Carrey plays Bruce Nolan, an intrepid Marc Logan-esque reporter who had the worst day of his life and blames God for everything. Thinking that maybe he’d like to see for himself if he can do better, God, played by Morgan Freeman (Shades of George Burns’ “Oh God!” series…), gives Bruce his powers. Bruce lets the power get to his head, and ends up using his powers to right some wrongs in his life. This includes putting a stash of marijuana in a rival station’s van, getting a dog housebroken at will, and being there whenever something big happens, earning him the monicker “Mr. Exclusive”.

Being endowed with such powers, there are only two limitations that Jim Carrey can’t overstep. One, he must not reveal to anyone else that he has such powers (As if anyone will actually believe him...). Two, he cannot meddle with free will. All this happens while we realize that Bruce is actually rather egocentric, and this proves hazardous to his relationship with Grace (No, not my Grace. The one played by Jennifer Aniston.). When he manages to resolve his gaff at answering all of Buffalo city’s prayers with a “yes” (Which means 200,000 people won the lottery.), Grace prays to learn to let go of Bruce. If you were Bruce, how in Hades do you expect to answer that prayer, eh?

That’s when God finally takes back His powers and rights all of this. It’s a really good feeling, as Bruce enjoins all of us to “Be the miracle”. Really touching stuff, and it had Grace (My girlfriend. Not the movie character this time.) in tears. It was almost as though the movie was pointed in her direction… but that’s beside the point.

Let’s face it: Jim Carrey has a goldmine in this film. Just when people were about to write this man off as a has-been, he comes up with a film like this and silences all his naysayers. A take of $70 million on your opening weekend is nothing to scoff at. I mean, how was your weekend?

And there’s good reason why this film made money. The script was excellent, for one. I don’t know who wrote this, but if they ended up in the WWE, I think that everyone would stop wrestling and just crack jokes all day long… oh, I’m sorry. That’s not supposed to be a good thing. Anyways, aside from the excellent writing that manages to barely stop short of being blasphemous, the special effects were also well-placed. Sure, you won’t expect any Burly Brawls or Bullet Time shots, but what they had to show, such as Jim’s seven fingers in one hand, or the parting of the soup, were all fun to see. At the end of everything, there’s even a challenge that’s really noteworthy… Be the miracle. Be the miracle.

Delamar’s German friend, Sven, was here in the station yesterday. I must say, he’s really nice to talk to, and apparently, he wants to teach German to people who aren’t German. Very interesting career idea. I, on the other hand, haven’t much else to plan for beyond getting a Masterals in Public Relations a few years from now, and then looking at my options from that point onwards.

Grace and I then saw Matrix: Reloaded. My questions yesterday were addressed there, quite actually, as it seems to point towards a Simulacrum of reincarnations. But then, would I really want to be in a world like that? Ah, well. I'll think about it next time. Carla wasn’t able to go because she felt so out of place that there will be just the three of us there. Two’s company, three’s a crowd, so she believes. Can’t blame her, though. Maybe next time, just the two of us would go watch a movie together… right, right. :laughs:

Since I loved movies with an action fix, I will now do a triple review of The One, Equilibrium, and The Matrix: Reloaded. Bear with me, as I haven’t reviewed a film in ages. As per usual, SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

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The One:

Jet Li breaks his promise to never do CGI Kung-Fu... he should've taken Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in the first place...

This will be a short and sweet review, because the film was just as short.

Jet Li faces off against himself as Yu Law, a police officer gone bad, who has discovered that killing versions of himself in different universes will allow the other surviving members to share in the power dispersed by the slain version; After a series of murders, Yu Law is now left with Gabe Law. They are at the same level of power. Now, it’s up to the Multiverse Agency to keep this clash from being the cataclysm that it looms to be. There is no question about it: something has to be done.

The fact is, the hand-to-hand combat wasn’t much, and the gunplay was so Matrix-like you’d almost scream “Ripoff” at the bullet time effects.Worse, the best part of the movie was the first half of it, when Jet Li was tossing people aside and kicking them before they land. Nonetheless, that was the only part worth watching. Even Jet Li’s one-on-one fight with himself wasn’t that impressive, and their attempts to show a contrast in styles between the straight-line attacking Yu Law and the circular Gabe Law didn’t really materialize, as eventually, they had to break their own patterns just so they can dodge or hit well. The story wasn’t too ambitious, so it really came off well, although some white elephants really materialized, such as the Multiverse agents.

Was this movie fun to watch? Yes. Did it satisfy my craving for an action fix? Hardly. I stand by my belief that the first half of the movie had the best action. Still, the story saves it, as it didn’t trip over itself in trying to be too profound or too complex.

Marcelle’s Rating: B

*******************************************

Equilibrium:

Who's Christian Bale? Who's Taye Diggs? Why is it called Equilibrium? Why is there a fascination with the letter T? Who cares? This movie is amazing!

I love this movie. There’s no question about it. The movie is about a seeming utopia where stoicism seems to be the key to peace and order. Yet this peace is actually being disturbed less by those who oppose the order, but those who enforce it, since they kill the people who oppose the order. Those who don’t take their dosage of Prozium, a medicine that suppresses emotions (Oh. A stronger version of Prozac?), will be killed on the spot, or taken for summary combustion without a trial. Anything that can elicit emotions, books, pets, paintings, or whatever else of similar nature, are grounds for the same sentence: death.

To enforce this order, Father, the head honcho, has managed to gather a small force of Clerics: extremely skilled fighters who can kill and maim people ten times their number without breaking a sweat. The best of these is Cleric Preston, whose stoicism doesn’t explain how he has two children and a deceased wife. He is rabidly devoted to the Grammaton Cleric order, until he missed his dosage once…

This then leads to his feeling emotions such as love, compassion, and this is unbecoming of a Grammaton Cleric. His partner, played by Taye Diggs, is onto him…

And then he realizes that he is the savior of the Resistance.

Now, with his desire to free the people from stoicism, he attempts to contact the underground without being discovered by the Grammaton Clerics. It won’t be an easy task, because he has to find Father, and kill him. For years, Father has not granted an audience with anyone for any reason. Preston believes that turning the Resistance over would allow him access to Father, and he was right. Except he realizes that his commanding officer is himself Father all this time. Now, he has to confront him and put an end to his tyranny.

So maybe the storyline is rather choppy. First of all, most of the “stoic” enforcers in the film showed quite a range of emotions. Apparently, the fact remains that they really had to break a lot of their own rules in order to make the movie interesting enough. Worse, that so-called twist regarding Father’s identity was nothing more than irritating. It’s so predictable it’s not funny. In spite of that, I didn’t like this movie because of the story that seems to be taking the first Matrix’ storyline down to a real-world level. I liked this movie because the action makes Matrix gunplay look like an FPJ movie.

What the Matrix has going for it in unarmed combat, Equilibrium has in gunplay over the Matrix in spades. The Gun Kata, a technique mastered by the Grammaton Clerics, was really flashy to look at. Preston may not have used his fists much in the film, but his gun expertise was unrivaled. He even used his guns as bludgeoning weapons against a circle of guards. It was sheer poetry in motion. He can even use a sword quite efficiently, which involved a Samurai X-like bit where he slashed his partner and his face falls off half a minute later.

Still, the cream of the crop for the film was the part where he and Father were shooting each other at point blank range, and yet they couldn’t hit each other because their hands were pushing the other’s gun safely aside. It was almost like a dance of death, as they really had fast hands, which meant they didn’t have CGI bullets working for them. And you should see how Preston reloads his guns. Cartridges come out of his sleeve, among other things, and so forth. He can kick a gun and catch it from behind, he can push two shotguns to turn 180 degrees and shoot the ones who were pointing the shotguns to his head, and he can do the Gun Kata in the dark. He can even do most of this stuff without getting a stain on his white gala uniform. What can’t this guy do? :laughs:

Forget the story (Not that it's bad, mind you. It's just that it's been done before.). With Equilibrium, you have an action fix that makes you wish they stopped talking. No matter how short the downtime between action scenes, you feel that the dialogue is dragging (Even if it's not, actually. I really liked the dialogue.) because the action just pumps you up like that. I like this film a lot, but its atrociously executed storyline and bad transition that made everything that didn’t involve fighting seem boring kept it from getting an A+. Hence…

Marcelle’s Rating: A-

***************************************

The Matrix: Reloaded:

Copy THIS, Matrix wannabees!

The storyline picks up from where the first Matrix left off, sans an explanation why Tank is not manning the Nebuchadnezzar anymore. The ship returns to Zion, and Morpheus has a very creative way of telling the people of Zion to party… meanwhile, we are treated to some shades of the Jedi Council through the discussions, and Neo has bad dreams about Trinity dying. One of the images popped up in the middle of his love scene with Trinity, which ruined everything for them…

Neo then confronts the Oracle, and he begins to be lectured about hard determinism, how essence precedes existence. I wasn’t too comfortable with that, existentialist that I am. This confrontation is necessary for him to know how to stop the assault on Zion by the Sentinels. As soon as the conversation is over, Neo has a rematch with Smith, who’s no longer an agent, but more of a virus who can copy himself many times over. The fight ends in a deadlock, and Neo gets out of that mess.

Neo, Morpheus, and Trinity now go to Merivingian to ask for the Keymaker, the one who knows how to get to the source of the Matrix. Naturally, they won’t give him up. But Persephone, the devious villain that she is, asks for a kiss from Neo in exchange for the Keymaker. The Twins were tough opponents, no doubt, but why were they shooting at an agent? Strange. They can fade in and out of tangibility with but a thought. How can you hurt these guys, right?

In the end, Neo realizes that he is just the sixth version of The One. In short, this is nothing more than a cycle, and his role as The One is not truly one of liberation. He is then faced with the choice of saving Trinity or the rest of Zion, and he chose to save Trinity, faster than a speeding bullet…

But it’s not over yet.

As I said, I didn’t have too many expectations about the movie. Thus, I was impressed, and I had fun trying to identify the points Neo was CGI in the Burly Brawl, and when the Smith I was looking at was a CGI/really Hugo Weaving or just a stunt double (Or triple, quadruple… ). It's also noteworthy to point out that this is where we see the age-old Philosophical battle between The One and The Many. And yes, as in reality, the battle is a deadlock. There were some moments of humor that needed a lot of help because only half the audience can get it, but I do believe I got my action fix for this movie. I wish we watched it earlier, though. I got to work pretty late because we had to sit through part of the last full showing just so we could finish the film.

In terms of hand-to-hand combat, I cannot ask for much else with this film. It’s wanting of more gunfights, though, but I guess that’s where Equilibrium gets its edge. The gunfights in Equilibrium simply toss away any precedent set by the Matrix, even the first part. As for the story, Philosophical edges like that in the Matrix are rather problematic, because not only do people not get it, but there already exists a contraindicatory point to causality, and Philosophy 101 alone would already tell you about it. I’m more of an existentialist, so causality does not really hold much water for me, though I appreciate it.

Is it better than Equilibrium? To some extent (A very small extent.), yes, its fight scenes were plentiful and interesting, although the comparison stops because the former had gunfights, while the latter was more of mano-a-mano. Moreover, its story was a lot more well thought out than that of Equilibrium, but then, it falls short of an A+ because its attempts to be deep were marred by its lack of elucidations. You can only enjoy people speaking in riddles in what’s supposed to be a fun movie only so many times. Equilibrium will not confuse you. The Matrix: Reloaded will, if you don't get the literature they've been transposing it from. I guess that’s why Hero, if I’m not mistaken, is the only one I gave an A+ to. That’s because it has a gripping story and the action is amazing. Everything was in place, whereas the overt amount of philosophizing in The Matrix: Reloaded seemed rather out of place. Plus, lots of Chinese people couldn’t hurt… :laughs again:

Marcelle’s Rating: A

There's a SLIGHTLY different promo in my LJ for my LJ friends. Just read this there... :)

Yesterday yielded a rather eventful day... I tell you, it was pretty fun, though.

The day started off on a rather surreal note, as Chico and Delle decided to talk about the Hot 10 Urban Legends. Delle, scaredy cat that she is, was reading off the answers and shivering at the same time over the creepy answers she got.

Remember that urban legend about the girl in UP riding an Ikot jeep, and the driver didn't let her down? And when he finally lets her down, he tells her to burn her clothes because when he looked at the mirror, her head wasn't there? Yep, that one. Chico had the most interesting theory: maybe the driver didn't let her down because he couldn't hear her talk, since she had no head, and all she could make were throat sounds. Heh. That took the chill out of the whole thing.

Also, beware of people who flash their headlights behind you. Apparently, they're trying to warn you that someone's in your backseat, trying to kill you. Also, beware the cult in black who meditate over your slippers. They will inexplicably draw you out, and then they will ritually sacrifice you...

While Delle was reading another urban legend, about the UP theater ghost if I'm not mistaken, I walked into the booth to hand her the Generation RX topic. She turned around without knowing I was there, then she kinda shrieked in fright on the air. Chico was laughing his head off, and Delle was turning rather pale. I then sat down to push the envelope by staring at her unblinkingly, which further freaked her out.

Chico has the Equilibrium DVD on him right now. Hope he likes the film. Anyways, some Hot 10 suggestions started coming in off the air, and one of them was the Hot 10 answers to the question, "Am I *censored adjective*?" This, to which, I immediately quip, "Said Delamar on her honeymoon." Man, I was on a roll today... :laughs:

Afterwards, I was just stuck at work making a few follow-up calls until Carla arrived. Shortly after, I was sent to U.N. Avenue on an errand, and that took me quite a long time. I got back there, and I was rather exhausted. Apparently, I couldn't get some sleep in the Production booth, while Carla was working. We had a good talk, though of course, you can't expect me to take her to a conversation about despair anytime soon...

Anyways, the more I get to know her (Her ex boyfriend was a Bosconian...), the more I realize she really isn't girlfriend material. That's pretty clear from the fact that she can be rather possessive, and yet she's still as accommodating to other guys in spite of the fact. She's also rather demanding as a girlfriend. Thank goodness I was never looking for a girlfriend when she came along, as I already have one. Otherwise, I could possibly have walked into a trap.

I actually saw a few Ateneans I knew in Radio 1. Looks like there're a few newbies there, and if Abby will go for Radio 1, I will most likely try out as well.

Around six in the evening, three hours overtime for me, we finally went out of the office, amidst all the teasing from ma'am Lea and my other co-worker, Steph, who's also Radio 1. Still, there really isn't nothing much to say about a long, uneventful ride to her boarding house. We just talked. Nothing much, really. She's nice small talk, actually, but I'm beginning to understand why Sacha easily tires of small talk. Not to put Carla down, though... I'm sure she's a person with a rather good head on her shoulders, but I guess I haven't gotten to that level of friendship with her yet.

Still, I'm glad she appreciated the effort. It's not an effort I'm all too willing to extend to her regularly, unlike in Grace's case.

Abby and her boyfriend, Bro (What can't that guy do? He sings, acts, plays the guitar, and plays quite a few sports...), will most likely watch Bruce Almighty this Saturday, as I can most likely acquire a ticket for them. Grace says it's okay if she doesn't go, but why do I have the feeling that I'd be just a sucker for punishment if I let that happen? I sure need a second ticket if I want to keep myself from being too melancholic about Abby again. I invited Mel, but I fear that the comedy mioght be a wee bit too much for her, and she'd laugh out loud. Remember: the nodule in her throat means she should avoid talking until Sunday. Maia is grounded, so she can't go either.

Heh. Then again, recalling that little movie she made (Which is due for both a prequel and a sequel.), maybe not. Surprisingly, she also likes Mariposa, although we agreed that neither of us hold that sentiment towards our respective relationships. I also told her about the John Mayeresque advice I gave a friend of mine, where I, after saying quite a bit, just say I'm never speaking up again on that topic. Starting now. And then Abby interjects from the song, "One more thing..."

**********************************************

I'm watching Matrix: Reloaded today... let's hope that the movie turns out well enough for me. Anyone who wants to catch the movie at Mega Mall this 7:00 in the evening, just be there. :)

*Jumps into character*

This leads Marcelle to think that maybe the Cartesian explicitations about solipsism have some merit in them. He sometimes feel that this is all nothing but a simulacrum of events in life, as our spirit simply moves along in projections of what seems to be daily life to us. But then, if ever this solipsism were to be valid, would it really matter? Would we really have to break ourselves free from the bond of these limitations? Do note that in a Matrix-like setting, there is no question that other people do exist. Unfortunately, they are all mere projections in the simulacrum you find yourself in, immersed with them. This does not seem to take away anything from Heidegger's In-der-Welt-Sein elucidations, but perhaps only latently.

Or would Marcelle be right in believing, as Cyril once told him, that if this were truly nothing more than a simulacrum, then it's moot, because from a phenomenological point of view, this is as real as it gets, regardless of actuality? The way we live our lives phenomenologically would be just as significant or even more significant than what lies beneath, if this were right. Why look for something more when what you have is already adequate? Simply put, it's a "Live for the moment" line of thinking. Our lives are rather adequate already. We do not have to strive for anything more, as the fact remains that what we currently have is a challenge enough for us to be able to make heads and tails out of. Transcendence is not the order of the day in this viewpoint.

Or what if... the challenge for us is precisely as the Matrix? That indeed, we have to break free and emancipate our mind? Is this truly the way to go? By freeing our minds from the ties that bind us and hold us back, will we actually find something more profound, as would the conquest of despair be our answering the call to be spirit? If this is so, then we should all be more open to some soul-searching, and hope that we can figure out for ourselves where we actually stand. This can be quite a boon for those who wish for something grander in their lives than just this daily grind.

What if, as yet another monkey wrench in certainty, this simulacrum, if truly is one, is akin to the concept of life and heaven or hell? This simulacrum, perhaps, is nothing more than a dry run for us in an actuality in the future that is actually more permanent in nature. Something for keeps, if you will. Maybe that's the way it actually is. The actuality is the life beyond, and this life we currently have is nothing more than a way for us to know for ourselves where we ought to be. It's a nice thought, as we can attribute any trials and tribulations we might go through at this point as nothing more than a temporary phase for our transcendence to manifest itself and enable us to be more prepared for what lies beyond. This seems to be a gamble if it doesn't happen to be true...

Or better yet, what if we are actually in a simulacra? That is, after we are through with this simulacrum, we move onto another one? And this process goes on indefinitely, as we continue to hone ourselves in something that seems to be reality but is not, in actuality? Maybe this accounts for all the feelings of deja vu that we might have. This would also account for why there are things that seem to be natural to us, even though it really shouldn't be. It's just like reincarnation... In a certain lifetime, we are this person, and afterwhich, we end up being another one, following upon the heels of the first, a succession of simulacra for us. Likewise, this can be merely one simulacrum that is indeed temporal in nature, but nevertheless, it is a simulacrum that allows for multiple incarnations of a singular being.

Maybe we're even in a series of parallel simulacra. Think Jet Li's multiverse concept in The One. In one simulacrum, Marcelle is in La Salle. In another reality, Marcelle is the most popular wrestler in the World Wrestling Federation, and the other WWF, World Wildlife Fund, lost the case. In this series of parallel simulacra, everything is as real as it gets in the end. Reality and actuality seem to intermesh here, although the problem lies in the fact that to some, this might not even be enough. After all, a simulacrum is a simulacrum, and it may be real, but it is still not actuality. Maybe in another simulacrum, failing subjects is actually good, being afflicted by disease is applauded, or something of the sort. Always helps to think that way when one is depressed: a break-up may be the best thing to happen in one's life in another simulacrum. Marcelle has used this kind of reasoning to help him weather through a lot of rough times, and it's been of great help.

Finally, what if, to complete this rambling of Marcelle's, this is truly reality and actuality? What can we then look forward to beyond this lifetime? Another actuality of similar nature? A completely different plane? Or absolutely nothing? If this reality is indeed the status quo, then we are left to wonder why sometimes, feelings of surreality seem to dominate us? It's as though we harbor a lot of doubts about this reality we are enveloped and immersed in. Such questions that bother the mind. Such questions that truly push mankind forth to strive forward and further revel in Aletheia, as they attempt to unconceal what truly lies beneath the surface.

Forgive Marcelle's questions. It's just that it's about time some deep thought was put into his promos once more, even if just for this post right now...

Today was a day of bloopers...

Ah, well. For instance, Chico was talking about the Hot 10 Signs You Have A Weird Family, and one of the answers he read was "My brothers usually smell my grandmother's feet and armfeets while she's asleep..."

Sheer hilarity.

I recalled the time I was at a fair, and me and my friend Luis colluded that we finance one another when we ended up in the Jail Booth, and just reimburse the other afterwards. When I got caught, he was nowhere to be found, and I was screaming for Luis, my "fellow fiancee"...

Sheer hilarity.

Grace then heard me play a song on her MP3 player, and she goes: "Huh? Passenger SPEAKS?"

Sheer hilarity.

On a less happy note, it's too bad but my co-worker, ma'am Lea, is afflicted by Bell's Palsy. Half her face can't move at all... sigh. I hope she gets well soon. She can't even smile, and that's too bad.

What else was I up to this day? Well, nothing much, really. I suppose today's been rather non-happening, although I must say... Delamar's yuri stalker is way too disturbing. To think she started off going after Chico. The details imparted to me are unfortunately a bit too graphic for public consumption, so I'll stop at that. Ah, well... security in RX ought to be beefed up a bit with that kind of a threat looming...

Watched Meteor Garden today. Grace is such an F4 fan... I'm not too impressed with Shan Cai, although I'd have to admit she's cute and all... (Apparently, Grace even corrected me on the spelling... but still, that's like Hsu Chi, whose name is also spelled Shu Qi, or Xu Chi, or... you get the picture.)

Carla was searching for motels on the phone directory for sir Rogie to call up. The latter seems to have two friends, both male, who will have some use for the information... And Carla ended up being labeled an expert on the matter after all her suggestions on where to go.

I hope to be more reflective in my forthcoming posts when the schoolyear comes around again. For now, please pardon me if I'm a bit more on the narrative side. My sincerest apologies.

Last Saturday night, *jaded* and I had the funniest conversation…

Marcelle: One of my friends seems to have a callus in her throat or something.

*jaded*: Huh? A what?

Marcelle: May kalyo siya sa lalamunan…

*jaded*: Kalyo? Is that a metaphor?

Marcelle: Alam mo, ang bad mo.

*jaded*: Ah, eh kasi, pinag-uusapan namin iyon ng madalas lately.

Marcelle: Eh di ang dumi ng utak mo talaga!

*jaded*: Ha? Ano naman ang masama sa bulimia?

Marcelle: Ah! Bulimia lang pala… akala ko kasi ang iniisip mo ay…*censored*

*jaded*: Ikaw pala ang marumi ang utak, eh…

Marcelle: :sweatface: :buck: :rofl:

Apparently, I haven’t really corrupted her that much yet. :cackles: And to think I claimed that my ecchi level was a measly six… she’s thinking I should raise that bar by a notch or two… heh. Still, that was a really funny moment, I tell you. We were laughing our heads off as apparently, we were on two very different wavelengths at the time. She might tag along with us this coming Friday to watch the Matrix, by the way… hopefully, the competition for seats wouldn’t be much of a problem any longer.

The past weekend has been rather non-happening. We ate out yesterday at Lolo Mao’s, but apparently, the food is nothing to write home about. I’m not really a huge fan of their food. My copy of NBA Live 2003 refuses to work now, all the same. I was stuck playing with NBA Live 2000 due to that. Besides that, I didn’t have much else to do. I forgot to have my copy of So Close replaced, so I intend to have that done today. I finally watched Murder By Numbers, and I was sure impressed… that was a movie that really did a number on my head. Pure genius.

I can see Melina latibulized for a while from her blogging and stuff. She was the friend I was referring to who had a callus in her throat. That’s literally, and not a metaphor! :laughs: Things haven’t been going for her lately, and thanx a lot to Charlie for helping me find a way to contact her. She’s been really nice to talk to, and I am now thoroughly convinced that birds of the same feather do flock together… I have yet to find an odd man/woman out in Maia’s circle of friends, as far as personality and intellect go.

Well, back to work for this jabroni. I have to help out Chico and Delle out now… see ya later, I guess. :)

Addendum:

What mind readers those two guys are... they're playing Mariposa right now! I suddenly had a rush of euphoria! :biggrin:

Just another real promo I decided to cut today. Take it as you wish to take it, but don't read too much into it.. :laughs: Laban, laban, o bawi bawi... :chuckles heartily:

*************************************************

Jim Ross: We take you backstage right now, as we see the Masked Joshi slumped down in her locker room! It appears to me that her tag team partner has left her behind!

Jerry Lawler: Now why in heaven's name would HE do that? The Masked Joshi has been one of the best in-ring personalities ever! She's even AMAZING on the mic!

JR: Bah Gawd! I hope you meant that literally, King.

King: What a dirty mind you have, JR! What else do you think did I mean?

JR: Joshi, what gives? I thought you had a tag team title match later tonight? Where is your partner?

Joshi: He... he's not here! I can't believe it! It's like he doesn't have any faith in this tag team at all! Why? Am I so weak? Am I so... I just don't understand!

JR: Folks, it looks like Leon was seen runnin' like a scalded dawg when he found out that he and The Masked Joshi were putting their Tag Titles on the line tonight against The Legion of Gloom! It's inexplicable, and the title might even change hands tonight, because of Leon's no-show. Bah Gawd! It's just not right!

King: Wait a minute? You hear that? It's Mister Vader's music playing over the P.A.! What gives?

JR: It looks like Mister Vader is entering the ring, and he's addressing the crowd!

King: What? Is he going to make a mockery out of the Masked Joshi's situation?

Mister Vader: It just occurred right now to Vader that something backstage has been going on, and it's not like Vader is here to make a mockery out of the Masked Joshi's situation.

King: Hold on. Our mics aren't wired to the arena. I don't think he heard us. Or did he?

JR: It doesn't matter, King. Just listen.

Vader: Mister Vader looks at the Masked Joshi right now, and he sees beauty in the fire. Indeed, while you may truly have your own weaknesses, what true warrior doesn't? Only in conquering such weaknesses can you possibly be truly great!

Audience: Vader! Vader!

Vader: The fact remains: you are a great individual, Joshi. Your tag team partner may hold doubts about your strength as a team right now, but Mister Vader can guarandamntee you that the Title Belt you're wearing around your waist right now is testament that your being partners counts for something. It doesn't negate the fact that the both of you still fought tooth and nail to get where you are right now, jabroni!

JR: That makes sense...

Vader: Leon, Vader understands that you feel some apprehension about tonight's title match. But it doesn't matter! The fact remains that this tag team partnership of yours should be strong enough not to just fade away because of some lingering worries that don't truly hold water. Don't turn your back on The Masked Joshi. Don't give up the Tag Team Titles without a fight. Otherwise, what worth are all the trials and tribulations that the both of you have gone through?

JR: Bah Gawd! I never thought I'd see the day that Mister Vader would go out of his way to give the rub to a fellow worker like this!

Vader: To be honest, Mister Vader never thought he'd see the day that he'd be giving the rub to a fellow worker like this...

King: Uhh, JR, are you sure he can't hear us?

JR: Never mind...

Vader: The both of you know that this title match will happen tonight, whether or not you bring yourselves to this ring. You can have some apprehensions, some fears, perhaps even some regrets. But that doesn't mean you should go back on your word. Fact of the matter is, you've gone this far. You've rolled the dice, and you can't take it away anymore! Now, you either win this match, or you lose it WITH A FIGHT! Otherwise, there's no point to all the things the both of you have gone through, and... agghhh!!!

JR: Bah Gawd! Mister Vader was blindsided by the Legion of Gloom! He's being overwhelmed by the power of numbers!

King: And to think that he has nothing to do with the Legion of Gloom! Now, he's just another casualty!

Legion of Gloom: The Tag Team Title Belts will be ours. It'll only be so much easier, seeing that the both of you will not even show up. Watch your puny little friend being crushed like a twig here, Joshi, and your coward partner, Leon! Even after we win this title, you think this is over? All your puny little friends will also fall to the Legion of Gloom!

JR: No! Dammit! This isn't right! Mister Vader is a bloody pulp right now! Somebody has to get into that ring and stop this carnage!

The Masked Joshi: ...***THE NEXT MOVE IS UP TO YOU, JABRONI!!!***

To be continued... (?)_

This post will prolly be cut short due to lack of time. But, as per usual, my LJ friends will find a less abridged version of this post in my LJ... :biggrin:

I finally cashed my check... thank goodness.

Obviously, this led me to make a few purchases, such as four booster packs of RAW Deal, a DVD of Equilibrium, a few VCD's, and my long-delayed birthday present for Grace, Harry Potter 1 to 4... I'm glad she enjoyed the present.

As for the office, well, you might say I had some fun yesterday at work, as it seems I've been mentioned quite a deal on-air by some of the DJ's, especially sir Louie D. I've been giving quite a few funny reactions to his show, such as when they were debating on whether pork or chicken sisig was better, and I added tuna and squid to the list, and when I was reacting to Radio 1's Kim when she delivered the results of that mini-survey,,, of course, I'm not much of an archivist now, so I didn't get to tape that stuff. It's fine, nonetheless. When I wasn't hanging around the booth, I was just doing some work, or was chatting to some of my co-workers. I let ma'am Lea on the little secret that she's my type, but we all know nothing's gonna happen outside of that. She's 29 or 30, and well, I'm happily committed. Just because someone meets my template, that's no reason to count some chickens before eggs are even laid.

Looks can be actually deceiving. While yes, Carla dresses quite err... nicely, she's actually leading a rather conservative lifestyle. She's not Catholic, but whatever Christian denomination she belongs to, I really haven't heard about it yet. But enough about that...

*Jaded* played an evil joke on me, as she threatened suicide. Sucker that I am, I tried to call her and was completely out of my mind, trying to figure out what to do... ack... stupid little me... :laughs: seriously, how can I not take these things like that? I was scared out of a year's growth, and it sure as Hades wasn't a pleasant experience for me, you know.

I've been trying to be a nice guy (So unlike me... heh.) lately, and one of my attempts backfired. In an attempt to help out someone I know, I ended up making a 2-minute domestic distance call, which is not covered by my line's free minutes. Ah, well. At least I was a bit of help...

Today was a bit more interesting, as I actually woke up pretty late despite being warned by Daf that advisement is today. I went there, saw nearly nobody else, then still got to sign up with what I wanted. Yes, Imo will be my groupmate, but I just wanted to ask: who's our adviser? I was in so much of a hurry, I failed to take note of who the teacher was. Abby might be out of a group, so it's good to see what we have... anyways, Imo, just contact me, okay? I'm pretty much hoping we can talk about it. And thanx for signing me up in the class...

Nonetheless, beyond that, Don and I were just chatting a while, as we didn't see nor hear from each other for quite a while already... topics ranged from movies to girlfriends. Not much, really, although I'm happy April is back with Mr. Ty already. She seems to be cheerier, and well, I'm looking forward to the prequel and sequel for Abby's hilarious movie, under Bobby Bonifacio's direction. Matrix: Reloaded, watch out! (I heard lots of complaints about The Matrix, though... give them a break, already... nothing can be perfect, you know.)

I've a dentist appointment. See you next time, if I find something to add to this...

How To Cut A Promo In Ten Minutes...

Okay, so maybe more than ten minutes, but I sure enjoyed last night's movie. While I'm pretty sure it won't score higher than a B when I review it, "How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days" was a funny comedy, and it sure had some pretty clever moments. So many people were there. Aside from Grace, Daf was there, Kaoko, Tsumenki, *jaded*, John, and even some High School friends like Ix and Reginald. Everyone enjoyed it, and I was basking in all the thanx from everyone... I suppose it made me smile that I managed to make a lot of people happy last night...

*A note to my LJ friends: there's a MARKEDLY different version of this post in there... it would help to check that instead, to fill in some blanks I deliberately left here.*

It almost makes up for the 300 bucks I lost in my room. Gee, I hope my siblings didn't steal it...

Anyways, the premiere had a lot of highlights, as there were quite a few rushers, and even Grace had to concede that Daf was prolly the best-looking Chinese girl I introduced to her... I wonder what Daf would have to say to that? I was seated with the OB people, and I was glad they enjoyed the film. Ix and company got tickets from me by pure chance. It could've happened that I never ran into them, and that would've meant they simply won't have tickets at all...

Today was also fine. Yes, Brad Turvey is a really nice guy when given the chance, but his lack of exposure to showbiz prevents him from being skin-deep with people. It seems he's a little too real as a person, and that's quite a predicament, if he's incapable of growing scales, as showbiz, REGARDLESS of whether it's in America, or Australia, or the Philippines, is, just like politics, a cutthroat profession. It seems he'll be going on another hiatus, and today was an extremely loaded episode. Evanessence had a phone interview, I was feeding answers to a contestant before he went on-air while Chico and Delle WERE on-air, I had a free spaghetti for today... And I actually got my first-ever Top 1 answer in the Hot 10. The topic was "Nicknames you give to your exes after breaking up." My answer? "Significant Udder". And then Bradley addressed the Pops Fernandez issue

I had this joke in mind, but I guess I can't say, because I'm not close enough with Bradley for him to hear it from me and take it with a grain of salt. This is especially because he'll be gone from RX for the rest of my stay there, which means we won't be talking anymore. I'd like to think that I have no reason to bash him, so I'd keep my mouth shut this time before I sing "My Stupid Mouth Again"...

Besides, the idea came from some of my RX co-workers, thanks to their insinuations...

Anyways, he was accused of having Pops as his Sugar Mommy. He countered by saying that he "Busted his behind" to get where he is. Now, I'll leave it at that, and I do believe he's telling the truth. Think what you will.

After that episode, I had some more fun sending in my guilty pleasure answer: that I like looking at Chinese girls, AND I'm working with two of them in RX. I assume you know who they are. Frannie remembered my code name, and knew it was me. My check didn't get encashed, either. Darn. My money will have to wait for tomorrow... bank actually closes at 3:00...

Later, in the Daily Survey, talk about Lengua abounded, and I was being quoted by Sir Louie and Danielle... "Marc agrees with me. Lengua is good. Lengua de Gato!" said Louie. "Marc, that doesn't count!" Said Danielle. That was funny... I wish I recorded it, though. My name's been mentioned quite a deal lately. Of course, I prefer Marcelle if I'm not yet that close to the person, though. I'm such an archivist. I even found my old diary, and it details my life circa 1997 or so...

I was talking with Carla and Ma'am Lea, and only today did they tell me that they already had boyfriends... as if that was so unbelievable. Heh. :laughs: Anyways, I had fun talking to the both of them, and Ma'am Charlie was trying to insinuate I have a thing for Ma'am Lea. I hope that's just a joke and not because she can read me a wee bit too well...

By the way, I, Carla, and Grace will hopefully watch Matrix 2 this Saturday...

P.S. How do you jabronis do that link where the person's LJ link is there instead of just a word? Like instead of simple MisterVader as a link, there's that LJ-exclusive label with MisterVader? Help on this one is duly appreciated...

I sure felt like a total idiot last night, and hence, this will come in handy...

MY STUPID MOUTH
by: John Mayer

My stupid mouth
Has got me in trouble
I said too much again
To a date over dinner yesterday
And I could see
She was offended
She said "well anyway..."
Just dying for a subject change

Oh, another social casualty
Score one more for me
How could I forget?
Mama said "think before speaking"
No filter in my head
Oh, what's a boy to do
I guess he better find one soon

We bit our lips She looked out the window
Rolling tiny balls of napkin paper
I played a quick game of chess with the
salt and pepper shaker
And I could see clearly
An indelible line was drawn
Between what was good, what just
slipped out and what went wrong

Oh, the way she feels
about me has changed
Thanks for playing, try again.
How could I forget?
Mama said "think before speaking"
No filter in my head
Oh, what's a boy to do
I guess he better find one

I'm never speaking up again It only hurts me
I'd rather be a mystery Than she desert me

Oh I'm never speaking up again
Starting now

One more thing
Why is it my fault?
So maybe I try too hard
But it's all because of this desire
I just wanna be liked, I just wanna be funny
Looks like the jokes on me
So call me captain backfire

Oh, the way she feels
about me has changed
Thanks for playing, try again.
How could I forget?
Mama said "think before speaking"
No filter in my head
Oh, what's a boy to do
I guess he better find one

I'm never speaking up again. It only hurts me
I'd rather be a mystery Than she desert me

Oh I'm never speaking up again
Starting now...

Let's just say Abby and I were talking last night, and she mentioned that Justin Quilon, a high school friend of mine, was one of her co-OJT people, and he had a mouthful to tell her about me and my history regarding her... this was followed by mislabeling Carla as a "Kissing Buddy", and this obviously produced a lot of embarassment for me... it was really a bad choice of words, without a doubt... same thing nearly happened with *jaded*... and to think I'll be seeing her tomorrow at the RX premiere...

*******************************************

Chico and Delle were fun today, and they had Mr. Brad Turvey along with them, who actually spoke to me for the first time... (Yaoi undertones... ignore them.) the Hot Ten today was about the Hot Ten REAL reasons Brad went on vacation (Pops Fernandez, perhaps?). One of the answers led Chico to talk about his eyebrow piercing, which had two steel ball bearings. "One of my balls fell in the sink..." Sheer hilarity, as Brad continued to fan the flames of this gaff by talking about the narrower rod Chico has across his eyebrow now... "It's okay to have a narrow rod. You can always find a way to plug the hole with something else, anyway..."

There was a lot of talk about squids, and Chico blurted something about using alcohol to make spanking a cooler experience... that was a classic, too...

After that, well... yes, Carla again... She's really nice and all, but there's a very good reason why I SEEM to be entertaining her a wee bit too much... one that I reserve to the knowledge of only a handful of people... heh.

Anyways, I can't believe I can't find any lyrics of "Mariposa" online... I love that song so much... it's my current favorite, and I've been requesting for it quite often in the station... it's Chico and Delle's fault! Here I am again with a song that doesn't really apply to me (I'm not alone, and I'm glad with who I have... neither do I sing a love song for no one.0), yet I still love it... Delle feels so strongly about that part, where she sings along "Ayoko nang mag-isa"...

To Maia, Melina, and Harle... how're you jabronis doing? Haven't heard from you too much, and I hope all of you are feeling less down in the dumps lately... I would've wanted to help further, but you know how limited my online time has been lately...

As for the others, such as Melchoir, I hope you're doing well in the States. I've been so out of touch...

Wait! I found it! I found it! :cry of triumph:

MARIPOSA
by: Sugarfree

Alam mo bang
Kanina pa ako magdamag
Nang nakatingin sa 'yo
At 'di mo lang alam
Sa gitna ng kadilimang
'Di mapakali, ako'y nabighani

'Di mo lang alam, inaasam
Ang panahong makapiling ka
Sa una't huling pagkakataon

Dahil dito, sa Mariposa
Ay mahirap ang nag-iisa
Dito, sa Mariposa
Ako lang yata ang nag-iisa

Nagsisising
Matatapos ang gabing alam naman nating
Meron nang taning
Nagsisising
Gigising sa katotohanang
'Di ka naman talaga akin

'Di mo lang alam, inaasam
Ang panahong makapiling ka
Sa una't huling pagkakataon

Dahil dito, sa Mariposa
Ay mahirap ang nag-iisa
Dito, sa Mariposa
Ako lang yata ang nag-iisa

Ayoko nang mag-isa
Ayoko nang mag-isa
Ayoko nang mag-isa
Ayoko na...

Well, jabronis, I'll be seeing a few of you tomorrow at the RX premiere of "How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days"! I hope tickets will be available for "Bruce Almighty"... it's on the 24th.

Well, last Friday's event, the RX Cookout at Intramuros, was a HUGE success. Of course, how can you go wrong with free admission to Stonefree, Mojofly, Sugarfree, Moonstar 88, Sandwich, Parokya ni Edgar, among others? Yes, I was obviously exhausted, since I woke up as early as five in the morning just so I can go and help out Chico and Delle, who made me screen callers and think up topics for Generation RX. Indeed, it was fun. Those two are really great to hang around with, and they even had Sven with them, who's one of Delle's German friends. I was really enjoying myself there. I mean, this is almost a dream job for me, as I did say before, and well, they are great people to talk to. Nonetheless, after that, it was mostly all about the Cookout already, and we sure worked our behinds off just to get everything in order...

I don't know, but that was a really hectic day. Everyone was really busy, and there was hardly any time for chitchat. I don't know if any OBers went there, either, but I would suppose none came around. Thus, it was only Grace who showed up, among all those I invited. Anyways, we had fun, although I was put on photographer/cameraman duty, which meant I had both a digital camera AND a digital camera to take care of. With only six Barangay Tanod oficers for security, you can tell that by the time Parokya arrived, the whole place was getting a wee bit too unruly for comfort, what with mineral water bottles already beginning to fly around the place. Nonetheless, it was still fun, and I saw a few rushers there, including Popeye, whom I haven't seen for ages. Still as cute as ever.

Grace and I made a few new acquaintances during that party. Of course, there was Rain, whom I previously met. She's a very nice person who studies in UST. Very friendly and easy to talk to (She did say I look like her ex, on the first time we met.). While I already know Kim from Radio 1, she's still fine to speak to, although I don't think I got to introduce her to Grace. The other Kim was also nice, and she's also from UST, and is my co-worker, but... there are some quirks I have problems hurdling. There was Troy and Vince, the former, a Radio 1 person, the other, Troy's friend. Lastly, there was Ann, who was a Chinese-looking girl that entertained Grace when she was alone at the RX table (As I was doing my camera work.). Very nice person. Grace, on the other hand, since she wore my ID, was mistaken for a P.A., and ended up doing some pro bono work for RX... :laughs:

Saturday was the time I made up for sleep. That party ended at around 2:30 AM, and I got home around 4:30 AM, since I took Grace to her house first. Thank goodness we managed to hitch a ride with ma'am Lally, and then Grace's brother drove me on the scooter all the way to my house. I woke up at 5:00 PM already, though I did get a bite around 11:00 AM that day. Nothing much then, actually. I was just playing some PS games, and inviting people to the next RX event, How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days. So far, Kaoko, Tsumenki, John, Daf (w/ two friends), Grace (w/ her sister), and Jaded are going. I have three more tickets to give away, though. I'll know who I'll be giving them to by tomorrow, I guess.

Sunday, on the other hand, was fairly fun. Playstation, then Grace arrived at our house. We watched "The One", and afterwards, since it was Mother's Day, we went to dinner at The Podium, in the Banana Leaf... not bad, but not my kind of food, honestly. My stepdad was being weird with all his mixed signals, but... I'm standing my ground, lest I eat my words again.

Today was plain great... of course, Chico and Delle were still going around with that "Said Delamar/Chico, on her/his honeymoon joke", and Abby informed me that a high school classmate, Justin Quilon, is one of her co-workers. Chico and Delle were hilarious today, as they kept on hitting themselves with all those signs that they will be lonely for the rest of their lives... of course, it's all a state of mind, if you ask me. Somebody tried to break into the RX office, looking for Boom Gonzales and Tom Alvarez, so the glass door was shattered already when I got there. Ma'am Lea and I had a few moments of bonding, as I reported to her that her friend, ma'am Kai, actually told Grace last Friday that I was courting her (Her being ma'am Lea.)... funny stuff. Afterwards, I was just doing some bank work, ticket deliveries (Got myself a few last Friday, though. Was supposed to give to City Hall, but... not after I had a few. Heh. Saw familiar faces there, by the way.), and then hung around with Carla (She's eighteen, so I try not to call her ma'am Carla any longer.). Apparently, we're on a kissing (No lips, mind you.) and hugging basis now, but I guess she's just a naturally expressive person (Yeah, yeah. I'll keep my REAL thoughts to myself now... :laughs:)...

Do I have anything to vituperate about today? No paycheck yet, and I still can't do my "evil" piece...

Catch you jabronis next time. :)

I needed to make a separate post for something a bit better...

This is both a mini-vituperation, AND a huge jubilation for me... :laughs:

Well, looks like my boss in RX decided to reassign my working hours... from now on, instead of working from nine to six every day, I will be working from six to three. Why? Because apparently, he wanted me to help Chico and Delamar. I'm pretty happy about that. You all know I've been a rusher for years, and they're my all-time favorite dj's... with that stuff in mind, I guess you just might start expecting Top Five updates and perhaps even more interesting content now... gee, I wish the rushers could read this stuff... :laughs again: This is such a boon to me, you can tell. I guess I'm pretty happy I got this assignment, because I've always wanted to be working with the dynamic duo...

Anyways, the hours are problematic though: I have to wake up around five in the morning... whoa... that's daunting, if you ask me. Still, I'm glad I got assigned to a dream job in RX, and with the fact that I'll be receiving a salary, not even the previous entry can bring down this jabroni's spirits. No chance in Hades.

The next RX event will be the movie premiere of "How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days". It will be at SM Megamall, and I sure hope it'd turn out to be just fine.

Today was an exceedingly busy day at work. Bah Gawd, I sure had a hard time keeping up with everything they wanted me to do. Still, I managed to work it all out, and I'm pretty content about my work today. It's better for me to be occupied at work than looking like a dope there, just sitting pretty.

Heh... My aunt is trying to get me into that teen show, Click. She says tapings are on Saturdays, so I won't miss much (Except OB EB's and RAW Deal tournaments I run. Are you out of your gourd? :chuckles:). Sounds nice, but I know better than to step into that. If I don't make waves, then I wasted my time. If I do, all the dirt people have on me will surface, and half of those things I'd have a hard time disproving, even if they weren't true. Chances are, I would be forced to stay quiet about my girlfriend, and this blog will be exposed to people I don't want to find reading this... (Not that I have anyone in mind yet.) yes, it seems a bit like I'm counting my chickens before my eggs hatch, but let's face it: it's most likely one of the two scenarios I mentioned, anyway.

Ah, well. Enjoy, jabronis! I hope you people are doing perfectly fine...

When the best argument somebody can give you is that he “puts the food on your table, so shut up”, you can tell that poor roody-pooh doesn’t stand a chance of winning a debate against the current best non-varsity debater in the Ateneo Debate Society . When the “head of the freaking family” resorts to giving you the finger instead of proving to you what you did wrong, you can tell that the ruddy jabroni will not be able to sway your opinion in his favor. Most of all, when you miss doing something once, and you are told that you NEVER do it, you can tell that someone graduated with a Psychology degree without learning anything. Cripes on Friday. What a disservice to Skysenshi…

(While the Debate thing is a nice thing to be known for, it's not really much. It doesn't prove anything about being a good conversationalist, for true dialogue happens with being, allowing-to-presence, and person-making-present; rather than seeming, impostition, and speechifying. Chalk up another credit to Marcelle's Philo prof for this tidbit.)

To think Marcelle stood up for this roody-pooh on OB. Marcelle went and justified his being sent him to the psychiatric ward, jail, being force-fed his Magic cards, being forced to tear up his Magic cards, among others. Things that his siblings never had to go through… they, for instance, are allowed to play Magic, and didn’t go through a lot of flak for video games in comparison to Marcelle. Frankly speaking, he seems to have it in for Marcelle, and it's unfair. Marcelle doesn't deserve this ruddy kind of treatment from him at all.

Last night, Marcelle was lying down, reading a comic book, and his mom arrives. Naturally, everyone who heard the horn went down to open the gate. Marcelle didn't hear the horn. So good old roody-pooh steps in and asks why. Marcelle replies he didn't hear a thing. He then later gets flak for this, and the assertion is that Marcelle NEVER does anything for the freaking family. Whoah, whoah, whoah. WHAT? Marcelle NEVER does anything for the family? WHAT? You're trying to tell Marcelle that the late nights you arrived with nobody but MARCELLE to open the bloody gate for you never happened? WHAT? You're telling Marcelle he didn't treat the entire family to Aling Banang's? WHAT? Who the bloody Hades are you kidding? WHAT the bloody Hades are you smoking?

So Marcelle naturally snaps back, "Never?" and Mr. Know-It-All starts espousing that Marcelle has ALWAYS been that way, and that he just will NEVER do anything for the family. Marcelle reiterates: ONE mistake doesn't make him ALWAYS at fault. Wash this dialogue, rinse it, and repeat it. This happens at least five more times, with the roody-pooh still completely oblivious to the point. He then resorts to "Shut up!" and walks away, and that's when Marcelle pounces.

And then, the roody-pooh loses it, as he resorts to destroying the bed Marcelle was lying down on, and giving him the finger, a tactic Marcelle has outgrown years ago. Let's see... Marcelle is 19 years old. The roody-pooh is 42 years old or so. Somebody sure as Hades wasn't acting his age, and it probably wasn't the guy who was smiling while the other was hurling curse words at him, and telling him that he puts food on Marcelle's plate, so Marcelle just ought to shut up, because that makes him right, and Marcelle wrong.

Nuh-uh, jabroni. Marcelle's not taking codswallop like that just sitting down... No chance in Hades, jabroni.

If he didn't have it in for Marcelle, then why is it that he's the only person in the freaking family who gets lambasted in front of all the other siblings for whatever mistake? Everyone else seems to get that "Father-To-Son/Daughter" talk one-on-one. Why the extra effort to embarass Marcelle? Why does Marcelle have the most drastic punishments for the least of offenses? Marcelle doesn't see that happening to anyone else there...

Is that fair? Marcelle gets this much trouble for not opening a silly gate, and everyone else gets a slap in the wrist for worse offenses!

It would've been easy to take, but let's face it... Marcelle is the one who's going to lose here, because his stepdad intends to have Marcelle evicted. R-ight... that's fair. That's REALLY fair. Marcelle pays for somebody else's mistakes.

But let's put it this way. Marcelle is just going to keep quiet and keep on being the nice person one can only nitpick at. If all he can use against Marcelle is the excuse that Marcelle missed his step grandfather's cremation, then he sure is spattering absolute codswallop. If all he can use against Marcelle is the fact that he missed opening the gate, then he's not going to get far in attempting to bring THIS jabroni down. That's what gets to him, most likely. Unlike in High School, Marcelle is WAY TOO "SAINTLY" for him to pin anything on Marcelle. That's why he has to resort to that.

*Out of character.*

Sure, my so-called tragedy may seem like nothing to those who have it worse, but it's as real a tragedy to me as yours prolly are to you, so you can't take its profundity away from me. But at the very least, be still thankful for what you have. If what you have is any better than what I have, then lucky you, jabroni. I am genuinely happy for you, because I will be the bigger man in this issue and walk away from it. But still, why does being right have to mean that I pay the price for somebody else's mistakes?

And well, I know you know who I've been talking about.

Dammit.