Man...

.:Ooohhh... A Zinger:.

Very clever rip on a bunch of stations there with RX's new plug.

They talk about how everybody seems to be the "Number 1" station.

And then, they play soundbytes that sound very similar to actual "Number 1" plugs by other stations.

So you have someone claiming to be the "Over-all number 1 radio station".

And you have someone claiming to be the "Number 1 Pop and RnR Station".

Ooohhh, that stings. Now I'm strongly reminded that friends or otherwise, you are still in competition, and WAVE is not RX, so there will always be a competition that exists, and there are a lot of ways to draw that line of division, such a plug being one of them.

Of course, notice that the stations ripped on for the plug were all stations that beat RX in the Nielsen Ratings. They placed 6th. 101.9 placed 1st. 90.7 placed 2nd. 101.1 placed 3rd. 97.1 placed 4th.

Guess who placed 5th?

That's right, your "Number 1 Pop and RnR Station"...

Here's hoping that assuming I'm still with 'em by next KBP Awards, WAVE finally wins that damned elusive bird... heh.

.:I Call Double Standard On This...:.

Old news, but worth discussing, regardless.

You mean she got sued for giving her students some special attention?

Source: FOXNews.com

"A Florida reading teacher charged with having sex with a minor pleaded guilty on Tuesday to two counts of lewd and lascivious behavior as part of a plea deal that does not include any jail time...

'To place an attractive young woman in that kind of hell hole is like putting a piece of raw meat in with the lions,' Lafave's attorney, John Fitzgibbons, said in July of the possibility of jail time. 'I'm not sure she would survive.'

The boy told investigators the two had sex in a classroom at the Greco school in Temple Terrace near Tampa, in her Riverview town house and once in a vehicle while his 15-year-old cousin drove them around Marion County.

He also said to investigators that Lafave had told him her marriage was in trouble and that she was aroused by the fact that having sex with him was not allowed. He said he and Lafave, a newlywed at the time, got to know each other on their way back from a class trip to SeaWorld Orlando in May 2004."

First, I'll be humorous and point out that this lady's husband must really be burned right now. Imagine that... a 14-year old beef injection is hotter stuff for her than her husband. I'm sure he took some measure of umbrage to that...

Secondly, I'll turn to a serious note and say that although people would love to joke that the kid doesn't even have the right to complain about getting some (I would be first in line to crack a joke like that. And at that age, maybe, just maybe, I might've tapped that, too.), this isn't necessarily true. The kid, for all we know, could end up being traumatized because of it, as what is supposed to be an authority figure suddenly drops down to a level that is way too intimate for comfort. There is no telling how a kid of his age would react to that.

Secondly, this isn't the first time this has happened. But why is it that Mary Kate LeTourneau goes to jail and this girl doesn't? Is it because the former got pregnant with her pederast lover while the latter didn't? On this count, I call double standard. Why break precedence?

And to push this angle further, notice the direct quotes from Ms. Lafave's lawyer. Effectively, he's insinuating that she's too attractive to go to jail. I don't know about you, but that's bull. That is not enough of a reason to let her get off with a slap on the wrist, and considering that if the tables were turned and this were a male teacher who were sued instead of a female teacher, odds on are that he would end up doing time for this. Double standard again.

Think about it. There is absolutely no way that an adult male can just go and have sex with a kid under similar circumstances and just get off scott free...

::sheepish grin:: ...of course, I could be wrong...

Sigh...

.:Today's LSS:.

Don't let anyone fool you. She's always a woman to me...

She's Always A Woman To Me
by Billy Joel

She can kill with a smile, she can wound with her eyes
She can ruin your faith with her casual lies
And she only reveals what she wants you to see
She hides like a child, but she's always a woman to me
She can lead you to love, she can take you or leave you
She can ask for the truth, but she'll never believe
And she'll take what you give her as long it's free
Yeah, She steals like a thief, but she's always a woman to me

CHORUS
Ohhh... she takes care of herself
She can wait if she wants, she's ahead of her time
Ohhh... and she never gives out
And she never gives in, she just changes her mind
And she'll promise you more than the garden of Eden
Then she'll carelessly cut you and laugh while you're bleeding
But she?ll bring out the best and the worst you can be
Blame it all on yourself 'cause she's always a woman to me

CHORUS

She's frequently kind and she's suddenly cruel
She can do as she pleases, she's nobody's fool
And she can't be convicted, she's earned her degree
And the most she will do is throw shadows at you,
But she's always a woman to me

CHORUS

.:Vid-Ok:.

Just finished transcribing stuff for my profile segment, and it was definitely a head-scratcher for the most part, as I'm still missing bits and pieces for some parts of my script. Add to that the fact that I've never really transcribed stuff like that for scripts before, so I'm a bit disoriented, to say the least.

Nonetheless, I decided to join my co-workers and unwind a bit with videoke. It was hilaroius, to be honest, but I'm still stuck on my script.

Our boss was acting out being a stage father at one point while someone was singing, as he was practically dictating stuff to the guy, and it was hilarious to see him do that...

Anyways, I owe you guys a better blog entry than this. I guess tomorrow or something... I just need to finish my script then get some rest.

Ohhhh...

I'll skip today's LSS for this extremely funny strip...

.:A WTF Strip...:.

We had Norman Osborn, then Harry Osborn. Who's the next Osborn to step into the Green Goblin's legacy?



.:Weekend Recap:.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday were fairly eventful days, so I guess we should get things started with a bit of discussion here and there about what's been going on... heh.

For the most part, you might say that I've definitely been having a lot of stress under work as of late, but so far, it's been manageable. Last Friday, I literally spent eleven hours working on mastering for the fourth episode of our TV program, and then I forgot to plug my TV appearance too well outside of WAVE and my blog. I could've plugged it further in my other forums. Heh.

.:Friday: Radio Ranting:.

Friday was all about the boardwork. My partner, Gia, was there, and we had a very amusing on-air talk about what our show title should be. You see, the fact of the matter is that we've been meaning to get ourselves a program title, and the first thing that came to mind for me was “Insomaniacs”, which has a nice ring to it. It could work, I suppose, if you give it a chance and all.

.:Saturdate: Frustrating Fiasco:.

How many times have Pomelo and I tried to go bowling, only to have something come up that completely prevents that from happening? Today was no exception, as we ended up going to Megamall to go bowling, only to discover that GMA, of all companies, was having a bowling tournaments, which meant that the alleys weren't available for Pomelo and I to bowl in... ah, well.

Even more amusingly, while we were there at the place where I get my PC games from, one of the salesladies motioned to Gyn and then asked me: “Kapatid mo?”

Pomelo kept on calling me “kuya” from that point on. Heh. It was fairly amusing how that worked out. I was just particularly amused that they mistook us for siblings, because I don't particularly think we look alike... do we?

.:Sunday: Tournament Tales:.

I came out with a more than respectable 4-2 performance for last Sunday's tournament, but it wasn't enough to get me to the top 8. Cheng won the tournament, regardless. Death Long didn't pull through for me, but that was simply a result of utter hosing and god hands, respectively. I guess it' all good... heh. I wasn't too interested in the prize, anyways. I already have my pass, and I still can't quite get over that bit where I hit my opponent's Yawgmoth's Bargain with a Duress, only for him to topdeck a Yawgmoth's Will and play it, regardless. That was just crazy.

People were laughing their heads off over the videos I showed them on my PSP, though. I guess they definitely found that stuff amusing, particularly the Kung Fu video. Paolo Go, in particular, was enjoying NBA Live a lot. It's definitely a great translation of the game, despite the lack of direct passing.

In any case, it was a load of fun. Conversations about certain annoying players were also heavily discussed, and that was quite amusing, really. Funny how someone can claim to be “the best Oath player around”, only to be shown up to be quite the netdecker who doesn't even understand the card choices at all...

Meh...

.:Begrudgingly...:.

... my LSS for today is "Pinoy Ako", as McDonald's Emerald Avenue was playing an album that had a rap version, a Christmas mix, and the original version of the ruddy song.

And that's considering I walked in at the tailend of the album. Could I have missed seven other tracks of the same song?

I consider myself lucky if I did.

With that, and the fact that I've only had three hours of sleep since 2AM yesterday because somebody decided to keep me waiting instead of letting me sleep, I am not in a blogging mood. At all.

Hey...

.:Today's LSS:.

I only have one topic for today, but boy, it's worth talking about.

100 Years
by Five For Fighting

I'm 15 for a moment
Caught in between 10 and 20
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are

I'm 22 for a moment
She feels better than ever
And we're on fire
Making our way back from Mars

15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to lose
15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live

I'm 33 for a moment
Still the man, but you see I'm a they
A kid on the way
A family on my mind

I'm 45 for a moment
The sea is high
And I'm heading into a crisis
Chasing the years of my life

15 there's still time for you
Time to buy, Time to lose yourself
Within a morning star

15 I'm all right with you
15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live

Half time goes by
Suddenly you're wise
Another blink of an eye
67 is gone
The sun is getting high
We're moving on...

I'm 99 for a moment
Dying for just another moment
And I'm just dreaming
Counting the ways to where you are

15 there's still time for you
22 I feel her too
33 you're on your way
Every day's a new day...

15 there's still time for you
Time to buy and time to choose
Hey 15, there's never a wish better than this
When you only got 100 years to live

.:Neil Gaiman?:.

Are the jokes about his family limited to the Philippines, or do people still make stupid puns about it even internationally?

I'm just curious.

.:Yesterday's Topic:.

"If your teacher were hot enough, would you go for him or her?"

Sounds familiar?

.:Today's Topic:.

Actually, every Thursday's topic, to commemorate our co-jock's immortalized phrase, "It's so juicy, eh."

Something Juicy Thursdays.

Now's your chance to talk about your deepest, darkest secrets, every Thursday. It was a pretty amazing day, what with so many people who eagerly gave out their secrets today. I guess 2-6 AM is the best time to do stuff like that...

.:Mortality:.

As I said, just one particular topic I'd really focus on today.

But boy, what a mouthful.

I met Pomelo the other day, and then we went to Let's Face It before she went home, so I can have my facial appointment. For some weird reason, while I was there, the weirdest idea struck me, and it was about death.

I know. How morbid.

But you see, there's always that lingering fear about what happens to you after you're gone. I'm not atheist, so I'm not comfortable about an infinite nothingness after your life. As such, I'm more comfortable with the concept of an afterlife.

As a pluralist, I tend to accept a lot of different notions about beliefs in the afterlife, but practically all of them have a caveat. None of them guarantee happiness after all has been said and done, from the concept of Hell in the Christian faith to the concept of reincarnation in the Hindu religion. Furthermore, simply because nobody just walks up to you from the dead and tells you exactly what's up with it, you have virtually no idea what's in store for you afterwards.

It's scary, that much is true. But it's also the greatest possibility for all of us. A possibility that is our only cure to our sickness unto death, despair. A possibility that we shouldn't ever take in our own hands, lest we deny ourselves that possibility. It's one of the few things certain in this world, along with taxes. I won't pretend that I'm particularly eager to pass on anytime soon. There's just so much left for me to do. So much I have to accomplish first. And that element of time is, for the most part, working against the human person.

One of the most compelling causes that humanism has managed to champion for the longest time was the ability of the human person to transcend himself. One of the means of doing this is with the presence of a human soul that moves beyond the physical aspect of the human person. But what if that was all wrong? What if the human being simply doesn't transcend the physical aspect once the physical aspect is cut off? Where does that leave the more spiritual-inclined of the humanists, such as myself?

Thoughts on the afterlife can be quite numbing. One moment, you can be as happy as can be, the next, your heart can just stop while you're brushing your teeth. Life is too fleeting for anyone to truly determine if it's worth as much as we conventionally subscribe to, or if it's really just a "vanity of vanities", as after all has been said and done, life comes down to a zero sum.

I'll write more about this after I've reflected on it some more.

More Shenanigans

.:Today's LSS:.

Such a power indeed...

Power Of Two
by Indigo Girls

Now the parking lot is empty
Everyone's gone someplace
I pick you up and in the trunk I've packed
A cooler and a two-day suitcase
Cause there's a place we like to drive
Way out in the country
Five miles out of the city limit we're singing
And your hand's upon my knee

So we're okay, we're fine
Baby I'm here to stop your crying
Chase all the ghosts from your head
I'm stronger than the monster beneath your bed
Smarter than the tricks played on your heart
We'll look at them together then we'll take them apart
Adding up the total of a love that's true
Multiply life by the power of two

You know the things I'm afraid of
I'm not afraid to tell
And if we ever leave a legacy
It's that we loved each other well
Cause I've seen the shadows of so many people
Trying on the treasures of youth
But a road that's fancy and fast ends in a fatal crash
And I'm glad we got off to tell you the truth

Cause we're okay, we're fine
Baby I'm here to stop your crying
Chase all the ghosts from your head
I'm stronger than the monster beneath your bed
Smarter than the tricks played on your heart
We'll look at them together then we'll take them apart
Adding up the total of a love that's true
Multiply life by the power of two

Emily:
All the shiny little trinkets of temptation
Something new instead of something old
All you gotta do is scratch beneath the surface
And it's fool's gold
Fool's gold
Fool's gold
Amy:
Make new friends but
Keep the old
But remember
What is gold
What is gold
What is gold

Now we're talking bout a difficult thing
And your eyes are getting wet
I tookus for better and I took us for worse
Now don't you ever forget
Now the steel bars between me and a promise
Suddenly bend with ease
And the closer I'm bound in love to you
The closer I am to free

So we're okay, we're fine
Baby I'm here to stop your crying
Chase all the ghosts from your head
I'm stronger than a monster beneath your bed
I'm smarter than the tricks played on your heart
We'll look at them together then we'll take them apart
Adding up the totals of a love that's true
Multiply life by the power of two

.:Fighting Writer's Block:.

With each passing day, it gets more and more tempting to just laze away and not write a blog entry, no matter how interesting my day may have been, or no matter how insightful an idea that strikes me happens to be. In spite of that, I still persist in doing what I do, in writing for as long as I see that it is relevant for me to do so.

In any case, I have to list down the things that I should've already done a long time ago, and hopefully, moments of inspiration here and there would allow me to find the time to write about these things...

1. My attempt at a novel/fanfiction on Battle Royale.
2. A paper on Emmanuel Levinas, for Philosophy class.
3. More issues of “Pamantasan ng Capiz”, and a way to scan them and whatnot. Unlike the better comic book artists here, I have no choice but to draw by hand. I don't know how to draw using computers just yet...

For now, I will just content myself with having regular updates again of Suman Wednesdays, although this Wednesday will be merely devoted to re-explaining the whole bit about it because I inevitably get the question every single time I come up with a Suman post and it's already getting a bit annoying...

.:What’s With Marcelle And Suman?:.

Every Wednesday, I try my best to come up with a post about Suman. While I can be delinquent at times, I definitely pull out all the stops to come out with one on a weekly basis.

Whatever topic. Whatever idea. Whatever format. As long as it’s about Suman, and as long as I cooked it up myself, I’ll go ahead and write it.

But then, I do get the rather frequent question of why I write posts about Suman every Wednesday, and I can’t be bothered to explain again what I already did when I started this.

Until now.

Truth be told, I’m not the only guy posting about Suman. We used to have a few people like Charo, Clair, Jonas, Jac, Sean, and Dominique. Currently, that’s down to me, Sean, Clair, and I believe Dom.

So why were we doing this?

Sometime ago we were part of the first ever Philippine Blogging Summit, held in U.P., and one of the speakers there was Dean Alfar, who was giving a talk about creative blogging.

A topic he touched on was about how blogging can be so mundane at times, and all you do is say, “Ang sarap ng suman!”, but don’t bother to talk about what makes it good, what ingredients there are, and then your commenters will just reply with a very lackadaisical “Yeah!”

The idea was funny, but I personally thought it would be funny to turn the tables on Dean and have everyone in his blogging circle just post “Ang sarap ng suman!” and then have everyone else comment “Yeah!” to the posts. But then, I believe it was Jonas who had an insight that just snowballed from my joke suggestion.

As an exercise in writing, every week, we will try to come up with a post about suman. It doesn’t matter what it is. Artwork, a poem, an essay, a short story, a comic strip, heck, even knock knock jokes, as long as it’s about suman.

Essentially, if it’s suman, it’s cool, man.

So there. A tradition that has persisted for months now, and one that I’ll occasionally uphold whenever inspiration strikes me.

Not a bad way to get someone out of a writing funk, if you ask me. At least, it ensures that I will definitely make an effort to write, no matter how bored or lazy I feel. That way, I can safeguard the quality of my blogging somewhat, by getting my creative juices flowing…

.:Missing Out:.

I would be lying if I didn't confess that I'm just a bit saddened I'm not going to be going to Cagayan with my other co-workers in GMA for the shooting of the fifth episode of Day Off. Despite that, I guess I can't say it's too bad, simply because I won't be able to go there and not miss a couple of days of work for WAVE, after all, which isn't a particularly great thing, since I know that they wouldn't appreciate that at all.

Nonetheless, Day Off has been doing extremely well for the two weeks it's been on the air so far. Last Saturday's episode came away with an impressive 5.2 rating, up from the previous episode's pilot rating of 4.4., especially considering your opposition on Studio 23 is related to Pinoy Big Brother (It got a 1.2! Howdya like them apples?).

The show is really good, to say the least. I'm not merely pimping it out because I'm producing the show, but more because this is a hybrid of reality television and public service. Giving day-off packages to deserving women on a weekly basis is, after all, something that gives one the opportunity to give due recognition to the hard work being put forth by women in general. It's no mean feat, and much effort has clearly been put into this program, a far cry from the general and dismissive attitude most of the more “sophisticated” Filipinos have when it comes to Philippine television.

Give the show a try. I'm sure that no matter how bad you'd find the program, you certainly won't sue me to get back that hour of your life you spent watching it... :P

.:Shameless Plugging:.

And since I was talking about this show already, I may as well mention the fact that come Saturday, 8-9 PM at Channel 11, I'd end up having a lot of cameo shots in the upcoming Day Off episode. It'd be a fairly good idea to watch it... heh.

Didn’t realize that accepting freebies from your ex-deal partners wasn’t allowed, though. Lol. I guess I shouldn’t have taken that facial from Let’s Face It, then. Heh.

What?!?

.:Whattan Idiot:.

::slaps forehead::

I left the mic on after an ad lib I had for the show.

This is the first time this has ever happened to me, considering how careful I've always been due to the fact that I see Chico and Delle leave their mics open during their show so often that I end up being paranoid of having that happen to me.

So I guess that'd explain the crunching sounds you guys heard while a song was playing... the mic was still on... ah, well.

.:A Few Changes:.

I already made a few additions and subtractions to my movies to watch and my games to get in my memories... check them out, if you're so inclined.

Now, to work on my wishlist...

.:Best Of Luck:.

... to someone familiar. Hope the cramming turns out well.

.:I Hate This...:.

... My blogging is so... lackluster. Meh. I guess there really is little for me to write about as of late.

.:But Then, Something Caught My Eye...:.

A third of people believe a woman is partially or completely responsible for being raped if she has behaved flirtatiously, a survey suggests.

The Amnesty International poll of 1,000 people also found over 25% believe she is at least partly to blame if she has worn revealing clothing or been drunk.

Amnesty says the "shocking" findings show government policies are failing.

And the director of public prosecutions told the BBC the report "highlights some areas of real concern".

Ken Macdonald QC, who is in charge of prosecutions in England and Wales, spoke to BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour.

"The idea that a third of our people think that if a woman flirts she has only herself to blame if she is raped is, I think, quite shocking," he said.

"These are jury trials. The jury is the community in the courtroom and it is reasonable to suppose the jury brings into the courtroom a lot of the attitudes we have been reading about."

The Home Office says it has changed the law to try to improve conviction rates.

"We have made a number of changes to the legal system and to how the police and Crown Prosecution Service work, to put victims needs first and to make it easier for cases to get to trial and secure convictions," a spokesman said.

"We are determined to close the gap between the increasing number of rape cases reported and the low number of convictions."

However, the Amnesty poll, carried out by ICM, found that most people in Britain had no idea how many women were raped every year in the UK or how few of the cases reported to police resulted in a conviction.

Almost all, 96%, said they either did not know the true extent of rape or thought it was far lower than the true figure. Just 4% thought the number of women raped exceeded 10,000.

The number of recorded rapes of women in 2004/5 was 12,867 - up 4% on the year before - although police estimate that just 15% of rapes come to their attention. Only 6% of reported rapes result in a conviction.

'Disturbing attitudes'

Amnesty International UK director Kate Allen said the poll, part of its Stop Violence Against Women campaign, had uncovered "disturbing attitudes".

She said: "It is shocking that so many people will lay the blame for being raped at the feet of women themselves and the government must launch a new drive to counteract this sexist 'blame culture'."

The research exposed the scale of public ignorance over rape as well as the "dreadfully low" conviction rates, she added.

"The government has an international duty to prevent this gross human rights violation yet it's clear that the government's policies on tackling rape are failing and failing badly."

Joanna Perry, policy manager at Victim Support, said it was alarming to read that so many people appeared to believe that a woman was responsible for inviting a rape or sexual assault.

'Devastating effect'

"Rape is an appalling crime and has a devastating effect on victims and those close to them. In other words, nobody asks to be raped," she added.

And Ruth Hall, from the support group Women Against Rape, criticised "prejudices" in the court system.

"They still put the woman on trial, including her sexual history with other men, which is supposed to be banned and blame the woman for what happened to her and hold her accountable," she said.

Amazing. Simply amazing. You mean to tell me that there are as many people as these who are willing to believe that women deserve to be raped just because they acted this way or dressed that way? It really boggles my mind how people can pin the blame on the woman, especially when the word "rape" means it was anything but consensual.

I see it this way... you come from a party, and you walk into a dark alley where you end up in the middle of a frat rumble and get knifed. Should you have gone to the dark alley? No, probably not. Does that make the guy who knifed you any less responsible for it? No, definitely not.

Rape is an abominable, despicable crime that tramples upon the beauty of sexuality by twisting it into a perverse, one-sided, and vicious affair. It's just beyond me how someone can actually think that a woman is soooo responsible for the rape that the culprit should be acquitted from any wrongdoing. I don't know about you, but I find that not only reprehensible, but downright retarded...

... except I'm sure even retards (Yes, I'm not being politically correct. So sue me.) would know that it doesn't work that way.

Women don't "ask" to be raped. To assume something like that is plain inanity. In fact, since statistics show that most women who get raped are raped by people they know, there goes that argument that "she was asking for it", in most cases. You can't toss in a defense like that to a girl who calls you "uncle" and never so much as showed you a hint of cleavage simply because she's five effing years old.

I'm sorry if I'm a wee bit graphic on some points, but I think I just needed to illustrate my point clearly enough: to say that women deserve to be raped because they asked for it, and to have 25%-33% of people who could be in juries believe so, is cause for alarm.

Weekend...

.:Today’s LSS:.

If you don’t know about the He-Man video, ask Jonas about it. He’d know.

What’s Up
By Four Non Blondes

25 years of my life and still
I'm trying to get up that great big hill of hope
for a destination
I realized quickly when I knew I should
that the world was made up of this brotherhood of man
for whatever that means

chorus:
'n so I cry sometimes when I'm lying in bed
just to get it all out what's in my head
'n I, I'm feeling a little peculiar
'n so I wake in the morning and I step outside
'n I take a deep breath
'n I get real high
'n I scream from the top of my lungs
what's goin' on
and I say hey-ey-ey... (jodel-di-dodel...)
and I said hey what's going on
and I say hey... etc. (uh! uu-uuhu-huhuuuu...)
I said hey what's going on

and I try, oh my God do I try
I try all the time
in this institution
and I pray, oh my God do I pray
I pray ev'ry single day
for a revolution

(chorus)

25 years of my life and still
I'm trying to get up that great big hill of hope
for a destination

.:A Restful Week:.

While I realize I'll be doing editing and mastering for Day Off this week, the nice thing is that I don't really need to work in GMA until around Thursday, so I can just get a bit of transcribing done for the profile, and then finish writing it by the weekend. I just have to take the time out to finish my article for EYP, and then I’ll be all right otherwise for the most part, considering how much time I’d actually have to pull everything off just right.

It’s been great working for GMA so far. I know it could be better, at least monetarily-wise, but it’s all good, as I realize it’s a starting point if in case (Emphasis on that fact.) I really want to continue a career in broadcasting.

Regardless, I hope things turn out well enough for me… I have the rest of this month to prove my worth to the company, and there are no guarantees that I keep my job after two months. Ergo, I have to work for it.

.:Showoff:.

I decided to indulge and purchase both X-Men Legends II and NBA Live 06 for the PSP the other day, and then I used my free Sunday to drop by Peppy’s house and just say howdy. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary, as I was just mainly finishing a script I had to do for GMA. Regardless, he found the games I had particularly amusing, especially Burnout Legends, which was definitely a fun game that I don’t regret picking up for one second at all…

I then showed him the He-Man video, and he was laughing his head off at it. I currently have the said video in my laptop, so people who are curious about it would be able to see it if they want to. Heh.

I obviously don’t have much to blog about lately. Well, no worries. That’s mainly because I haven’t really been at work, since nothing much has been happening with my life otherwise.

I can’t believe it. Outside of work and school, I officially have a very boring life.

W-ell, on second thought, maybe not…

.:Did I Talk About Doom Yet?:.

Pomelo and I watched that movie, and I must say that the last bit where they had an FPS-like sequence really made me laugh... it was a pretty fun movie. Not particularly the best movie that I could recommend for a date, but a fun one, nonetheless.

Besides, it starred the effing Rock. That should count for something.

Whee!

.:Paging Sacha and Clair!!! Heck, Paging EVERYONE!!!:.

You have to watch the trailer. You absolutely must.

Click here.

Actually, everyone, check it out. :P

.:Lunch Call:.

Lunch Call goes out to Clair, Chris, and Pomelo...

Any of you free for lunch this coming week or next? It'd be great to have lunch with you people. :)

.:Serenades:.

I guess I'm fairly glad that Pomelo and I have been finding time for each other as of late, and it's definitely been great, to say the least.

Well, considering the stuff I've been up to lately, it's amazing we still get to see each other. Just so we could make things a bit extra special, I just played a couple of songs from my PSP and sang along with them. You might say that she definitely enjoyed the mini-serenading that went on, and as far as I'm concerned, it's all good.

So maybe things aren't going perfectly for us with all the obstacles in our way. It doesn't matter. These trials would do little more than make the both of us stronger for each other.

.:Overexhaustion:.

I really need to find a way to make up for my lack of sleep, because I inadvertently missed going to WAVE this morning again because I woke up at five in the morning. We had an all-day taping yesterday for GMA, and after the free facial I got from Let's Face It, I promptly went home instead of going with the rest of the team to Intramuros for the dinner and all.

I slept around 7, woke up around 5. Close to 10 hours of sleep, and while I appreciate the added rest, it won't help my cause for when I push for a raise with WAVE starting next year. I've been losing a lot of money as of late, from the fact that I got around 800 bucks lopped off my last WAVE paycheck to not being able to find my GBA cartridges anywhere, which is just immensely frustrating, as I'm supposed to sell those to Elbert...

Oh, well. At least I'm not that horribly short on cash nowadays. Still, I don't quite know what to do about my teaching career, if it's still what I'd want to pursue or if I'd rather put that on hold until further notice.

.:More Annoyances:.

My stepdad has officially lost it, in my humble opinion.

A few months ago, I wrote a post, essentially praising my younger brother, Francis, for the clear-cut changes he's made in his life. Ever since he went to Victory Center, the kid has changed himself immensely, and become a much better human being, to say the least.

For some odd reason, my stepdad has been picking on Francis lately. Oh, I dunno... maybe it's because I'm not around to pick on? And it's odd that it has to be Francis, because there are three other kids he can pick on in that house... oh, right. Francis is not his flesh and blood.

Am I the only one seeing a pattern here?

I hope my mom stops putting up with this crap, because her kids deserve better. And I take a personal slight against my stepdad for berating Francis, and telling him that he's acting just like me. You mean the guy who's making a moderate success of himself right now? You mean your mind is still too warped to recognize he's doing well now?

And the irony of it all is that no matter how good I'd do in life, he'll claim credit for it, because he'd claim that he lit a fire under me by being a prick. Well, some random killer shot Bruce Wayne's parents. I don't think that guy deserves praise for creating Batman, either. Funny how he'd recognize how well I'm doing when it benefits me and conveniently neglect that when comparing me to my brother to insult him and put him down.

One of these days, he'll get what's coming to him. I can feel it.

.:Film Review: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire:.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire:.
It just gets better and better...

While Goblet of Fire isn't necessarily my favorite book in the series, I have to say that the film definitely pushed the envelope and is arguably the best film in the series right now, despite of what was going against it.

Instead of drowning you in a story I'm sure you've read about or will watch in the near future, let me just talk about random points of divergence between the book and the film, and what I think about the film as a whole.

For one, the original book clocked in at close to 800 pages. I consider it a testament to good editing that the film didn't have to incorporate every single subplot of the book onto the big screen, most notably the absence of two very high-profile characters: Ludo Bagman, and Pinky, the house-elf. The absence of the former was not missed much if at all, while the absence of the whole House-Elf Liberation Movement essentially removed the need for appearances from the likes of Dobby and any other house-elf. Good move, in my humble opinion, and it underscored how superfluous Rowling's writing was in both book 4 and 5 (I'd love to see how book 5 could get cut up...).

Furthermore, they didn't mind showcasing Barty Crouch Jr., from the get-go of the film. While his dad looked a lot like J. Jonah Jameson, his escape from Azkaban was never explained at all. Neither was he dead in the movie's storyline. Instead, he simply escaped from Azkaban.

Voldemort's look was pretty much how I imagined it to be. It was all good, and Ralph Fiennes played a very good Voldee. My only gripe with the film would have to be the lack of showcasing the Quidditch World Cup, as well as not showing how the other champions dealt with the dragon in the first challenge. Dropping the whole half-Veela subplot from Fleur Delacour wasn't so bad, really. Dropping the Rita Skeeter subplot, however, is questionable, depending how they intend to play out things for the next installment, where she'd make another appearance. Dropping the whole face-to-face meeting between Black and Harry, as well as the explanation of the link between Harry's and Voldee's wands, would mean that again, there is an assumption that you have been reading the books. Not a very safe assumption to make, sadly.

A bit of commentary on Cho Chang... given how she looks, and the fact that she has a British accent, she's hot! And I also found Moaning Myrtle remotely attractive all the same when she was sidling up to Harry in the bathtub scene... Fleur wasn't too bad in her swimwear, either, but Hermione definitely looked good during the Yule Ball scene. Cuaron's being v-ery naughty in this installment... and it's all good.

The casting choices were okay for this film. There were no questionable choices for the new cast members, although I was hoping the Beauxbatons headmistress would be wider than she was taller. Still, it wasn't a problem at all.

All in all, you have to watch it if you're a Potter fan. The special effects are pretty good as well, and I can't blame them for dumbing down the plot all the same. It would seem to me that they made it obvious that Mad-Eye Moody wasn't who he really was... regardless, it was a very well-made film, although I can't help but feel that they'd have to do another casting call for the fifth installment now.

Fun Evaluation: A+
Critical Evaluation: B+

Sigh....

.:Today's LSS:.

I guess there are things better left unsaid, except for this...

Thank You
by Dido

My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why
I got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window
and I can't see at all
And even if I could it'd all be grey,
but your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it's not so bad,
it's not so bad

I drank too much last night, got bills to pay,
my head just feels in pain
I missed the bus and there'll be hell today,
I'm late for work again
And even if I'm there, they'll all imply
that I might not last the day
And then you call me and it's not so bad,
it's not so bad and

I want to thank you
for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with you
is having the best day of my life

Push the door, I'm home at last
and I'm soaking through and through
Then you hand me a towel
and all I see is you
And even if my house falls down,
I wouldn't have a clue
Because you're near me and

I want to thank you
for giving me the best day of my life
Oh just to be with you
is having the best day of my life

.:It's A Bit Exhausting...:.

I overslept the other day. I actually slept around 7 or so in the evening, and ended up waking up at 5 in the morning... oh, well.

Nonetheless, while work has been exhausting, I'm still happy over how well things have been going for me so far. I'm also grateful for a lot of things, and so I should be coming up with a Top 10 people I'm most grateful to this year again soon enough...

I just wish that my blogging becomes more consistent again come next week. I've been very delinquent with it, and I don't think I can still consider myself one of the most prolific bloggers around, what with the severe drop in productivity lately, blogging-wise.

Still, I hope my few entries still manage to pique people's interest and all that...

Sigh...

.:Oh, No!:.

I had a post all ready here...

... but for some odd reason, my Flashdisk just went bonkers on me again!

Dammit, this is really bad...

... I have to find a way to fix this. And fast.

Dammit...

.:Appalling:.

From Lords Of Pain:

Anthony P. Landrosh sent in the following letter to me. He said that he was listening to ESPN radio earlier today, "The Herd With Colin Cowherd", and Colin Cowherd said some rude comments about Eddie Guerrero's passing. He accused Eddie and other wrestlers of steroid use. Cowherd said, "who cares that he died" and that Guerrero's death was not "newsworthy." He also started speculation on the "unknown causes" of his death.

There are very few things people can do that trample even on Marcelle's own sensibilities, but tastelessly insulting the recently departed would be one of them.

Colin Cowhered is an idiot and a jackass if he thinks that he has the right to assume nobody cares that Eddie Guererro, one of the best athletes of the wrestling business, has passed on. For him to say that a death, any death at all, is not "newsworthy" sidesteps the issue that this is someone's life we're talking about, and it's not the "newsworthiness" of one's death but the fact that this person is, for all intents and purposes, no longer with us.

Marcelle, being one of the biggest wrestling fans you'd probably know of, will forever miss Latino Heat. He was a great wrestler, and definitely made an unbelievable comeback after having beaten drug and alcohol addiction. He ascended to the top of the WWE and finally won the World Title after close to twenty years in the business, and was conceivably in line to win it again before Wrestlemania, what with his storyline with Batista and his resurging popularity as a babyface character.

Was Cowherd even watching any wrestling when he made these heartless comments? The RAW this Monday in the U.S. has all those wrestlers trooping out and baring their souls, regardless of character, about Eddie, and how they managed to touch his life. If Cowherd had no idea about all this, then how dare he make these tacky comments?

How dare he judge someone's death as something people "don't care"? If a random baseball player died, you think Cowherd would try to say something like that? Hades, if Cowherd died, you think people would try to say something like that (After this, they just might.)? Does he know how many fans Eddie has? Does he realize Eddie has a family? People who call him "Papi"?

How dare he insult someone's name by insinuating talks about drugs about a man who made himself an example of battling against one's own personal demons and ultimately winning because of faith and perseverance? Would he try to insinuate steroids or drugs as a cause of death if, say, Kobe Bryant suddenly dropped dead next week (I don't wish ill will on Kobe, though. Just as a point of illustration.)? Does he even know the story behind Eddie? The kind of things Eddie had to go through just to overcome his addictions?

Fuck you, Colin Cowherd. May you lose your job at ESPN for this atrocity you have committed. Fuck you, indeed, you ignorant, idiotic little prick.

Ooooh...

... I just saw Harry Potter IV.

A few comments before I write a review:

- Katie Leung is Chinese and is blessed with a British accent. How can you not like that?
- Moaning Myrtle was getting really naughty in this movie...
- Bathing suits scenes, innuendo... hmm... this movie is pretty naughty.
- A topless Harry (Nope. Not Hermione.) will have fangirls screaming. I can imagine it now.
- Justin Timberlake lookalike Krum and Cedric Diggory will provide more of the same screaming.
- Lots of characters in the book were nowhere to be found in this film. I won't spoil anything here, but be warned that characters who were introduced in the book will not necessarily show up in the film. Lots of fat got trimmed, and I can't say I'm complaining about that.

Hehehe.

.:Amusing:.

Maia and I were talking about it, and Mariah might have been singing about her pair when she sang "We Belong Together". Think about it.

.:Wha...?!?:.

So Gia and I were boarding this morning. I get a phone call on our hotline, and...

... it's Ingrid and Jose.

Yes. The jocks from RX called us up during their show. It was a riot, to say the least, as they were doing announcements while they were on the phone with me.

Heh. That was definitely hilarious...

Level Up Dance!!!

.:Today's LSS:.

Can't believe I mistook the artist of this song to be Gary Valenciano...

Sa Kanya
by Ogie Alcasid

Namulat ako at ngayo'y nag-iisa
Pagkatapos ng ulan
Bagama't nakalipas na ang mga sandali
Ay nagmumuni kung ako'y nagwagi
Pinipilit mang sabihin na ito'y wala sa akin
Ngunit bakit hanggang ngayon, nagdurugo pa rin

Chorus:

Sa kanya pa rin babalik sigaw, ng damdamin
Sa kanya pa rin sasaya bulong ng puso ko
Kung buhay pa ang alaala ng ating nakaraan
Ang pagmamahal at panahon alay pa rin sa kanya

At sa hatinggabi ay nag-iisa na lang
Ay minamasdan ang larawan mo
At ngayo'y bumalik nang siya'y kapiling pa
Alaala ng buong magdamag
Kung sakali man isipin na ito'y wala sa akin
Sana'y dinggin ang tinig kong nag-iisa pa rin

Repeat Chorus:

Adlib:

Ang pagmamahal at panahon alay pa rin
Sa kanya, sa kanya, sa kanya, hah-ooh

Sa kanya.

.:The Premiere:.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire will be premiered by WAVE 89.1 on Tuesday, 7:30 PM at Glorietta 4, Cinema 6.

I will most likely have two or so tickets, and most likely, Pomelo isn't going.

Now, I would've offered tickets to someone, but I'm sure pride would get in the way, so I'll lay off on offering the "non-fat suman", neh? ;)

.:A Hilarous Thought:.

In the WWE Fantasy league, they usually show every week a picture of their highest-scoring player, along with the words, "Was (SUPERSTAR) in your RAW/Smackdown fantasy?"

Having "Kane and Big Show in your RAW fantasy" sounded bad enough.

But having "MNM in your Smackdown fantasy" pretty much takes the cake.

You don't get it? Then count your lucky stars that you don't. :P

.:Glad To Have Met Up:.

Had a very good meeting with Clair yesterday. We just really talked, as I had to air some grievances out, and then be done with it.

Oohh, look. I can move on a bit now.

.:Wednesdate:.

Had a wonderful lunch date with Pomelo, and we ate at LKG towers. It was great, really, since I've been dying to try out Lechon Macau from Tang City ever since I made the sorry mistake of eating their horrible roast duck...

Thanks for the wonderful time, Pomelo! You know you never fail to brighten up my day just by being there for me... :x:x:x

.:Editing Is Done!:.

I'm glad that my editing work is done with now. It took me around four hours, though I heard that with less competent editors, it can take over twice as long. That was a bit of a baptism of fire, but at least I know that come next week, I don't need to completely conk out of work to get things done, particularly because it's all doable if I just put my mind to it... I'm really glad.

In any case, I was absent from WAVE today. Can't do that on a weekly basis, so I hope that this is the last time for this year I'd be absent from WAVE on account of GMA. I can do without that kind of conflict...

A Suman Post And Then Some...

.:Today's LSS:.

I love this song. I'll play it in a couple of hours...

Hiding Inside Myself
by Kenny Rankin

I've been so alone all my life
I couldn't give my heart to anyone
Hiding in myself was a man
Who needed to be held like everyone

The days moved into years
I look for warmth between the tears
It never ever found me
Never ever found me
Yes, I did seem to grasp at straws
They surely broke all the time

Chorus:
So I hid inside
(Till) I almost died
Yes I hid inside and I cried
A loving heart in a sensitive man
Hiding inside myself

Then you came out of nowhere
I could not believe my heart
I didn't know how to tell you
Didn't know where to start
I know you understand

(Chorus)

.:Confucius Say, And Then Some...:.

In the courtyard, while Confucius was lecturing to his disciples, a young man approached him and began insulting him. Patient as Confucius was, the young man refused to cease with his insults, until Confucius felt the need to speak to him...

"My child," Confucius said. "If I gave you a present and you refused to accept it, who owns the present now?"

The young man quickly replied. "It would still belong to you, of course."

"My child," Confucius calmly responded. "I refuse to accept your abuse."

An animated film called "The Iron Giant" once captured my fancy with the line from the Giant, where he said that "You are who you choose to be."

In a lot of ways, that statement is certainly correct. You are who you choose to be, insofar as once you make the choice, you do what you can to make it happen.

And I choose to be happy.

I choose to be happy with who I am today, with who I have with me in my life, and with what I do from day to day in my life.

I choose to be happy without consciously willing anyone else to be unhappy at my expense. On the contrary, I would have to say that I sincerely wish the worst of my detractors right now the best. I can't wish such a person any ill will. It just solves nothing, and I know all too well that I had a heavy hand in creating that harsh critic of mine.

But I will refuse to accept the abuse. Let the abuse remain to be their property, not mine. I do believe that's fair enough a tradeoff.

.:Non-Fat Suman:.

An allegorical dialogue by Marcelle T. Fabie

Hey there! Would you like some non-fat suman?

Excuse me? Are you insinuating that I need my suman to be non-fat because I'm fat?

Of course not!

But you called me fat!

You mean seven months ago?

Yes, I mean that!

And you still can't get over that?

I don't forget, you know. You always called me fat.

That's odd, because you seem to be conveniently forgetting that I didn't ever call you fat before that.

But you did. Ask my friends. They'd tell you.

Of course. Because they're the paragons of impartiality, right?

You always called me fat. You never had any compliments to spare me.

Excuse me, but that's a load of revisionist history. I also distinctly recall you calling me a prick and a jackass after shaving off my eyebrows for having called you "fat", but I haven't lost any sleep over it.

That's because everyone knows you called me fat.

That's because you practically announced it to everyone who'd care to listen while I bloody shut up about it since I didn't want them to think any less of you. This revisionist history is getting real silly real fast.

Ha! The only reason you called me fat anyway was because you finally found a thinner and hotter model for your photo shoots. Otherwise, you wouldn't have the balls because you needed me there and nobody else would pose for you.

That's very impressive of you. Except that kinda runs aground your earlier statement about me always calling you fat and never sparing you any compliments.

But it works the same way. You always called me fat, you know.

No I didn't. I did seven months ago. Now, are you going to have this non-fat suman? Or are you really going to continue testing my patience with your amazing 20/20 hindsight?!?

Ever since you called me "fat", I've been depressed. I stopped eating altogether, and if I ever had to, I ended up becoming bulimic anyway.

That was seven freaking months ago! How am I still responsible for that?

Everything wrong with my life right now can all be pointed back to you. And I know you're offering me non-fat suman right now only because you want something from me. You moocher!

No, I don't need any new models for my magazine spread this month. You must be mistaken. I just thought it'd be great to offer you non-fat suman, that's all.

Ha! I'm onto you already. Don't think for one moment you can pull one over me, because I don't forget!

I can see a lot of things that you've forgotten, such as the numerous great photo shoots you had and the magazine covers you got featured on thanks to me.

Oh screw you!

And now you turn to ad hominem attacks because you can't prove your point without being irrational? That's just bloody brilliant! I distinctly recall apologizing to you for having called you "fat", and it was more than just a little profuse an apology, you know.

Who cares? I don't care about you anymore!

So why all the veiled attacks against my person in every interview you give? The kind of attacks that are just ever-so-vague enough for you to feign ignorance if I call you on them, yet clear enough for everyone to know you're lashing out at me again? If you so don't care about me anymore, why is it you keep on talking about how your contract wasn't renewed after it was up every single time you talk to me? Isn't there anything better to talk about?

Oh, shut up! That's what you're good at, anyway! Twisting the truth, trying to make me look like an idiot.

I don't need to try too hard, you know, if that were my intention.

So you're calling me an idiot?

Your words, not mine. I apologized before, and I'll apologize again.

Well, tough. You know I won't take that non-fat suman unless you apologize to me on national television during your next interview with Oprah, write my biography, and give me a new and better contract.

And if I do all of that, out of the kindness of your heart, you and I would be cool again?

Not quite. There's one more condition I have to ask of you... but you have to figure that condition out yourself.

Remind me again why I still deserve this kind of abuse from you?

Because you called me fat!

I know! SEVEN MONTHS AGO, DAMMIT!!! Will you just take the non-fat suman and I'll be on my way?

No! Not without you fulfilling what I asked!

Get over it, will you? You keep on telling me you don't give a damn, but you act like you're bloody world revolves around me. Don't give me too much credit, because I can do without it.

Oh, how presumptive of you!

I don't have to presume a thing. Your actions betray you.

Oh, shut up, will you? You're so full of yourself!

Jesus H. Christ! If you don't want to take the non-fat suman, I'll just eat it myself and be on my way. Bye!!!

Pictures!!!

.:It's About Time:.

Finally got around to gather some pictures from the Tagaytay ocular. The infamous venue where I got kicked by a horse.

On a boat ride...


Talk about scenery...


And we have the culprit.

A Placeholder...

.:Today's LSS:.

Ang tamaan, guilty.

You're So Vain
by Carly Simon

You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht
Your hat strategically dipped below one eye
Your scarf it was apricot
You had one eye on the mirror as you watched yourself gavotte
And all the girls dreamed that they'd be your partner
They'd be your partner, and...

Chorus:
You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you
You're so vain, I'll bet you think this song is about you
Don't you? Don't You?

You had me several years ago when I was still quite naive
Well you said that we made such a pretty pair
And that you would never leave
But you gave away the things you loved and one of them was me
I had some dreams, they were clouds in my coffee
Clouds in my coffee, and...

(Chorus)

I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee
Clouds in my coffee, and...

(Chorus)

Well I hear you went up to Saratoga and your horse naturally won
Then you flew your lear jet up to Nova Scotia
To see the total eclipse of the sun
Well you're where you should be all the time
And when you're not you're with
Some underworld spy or the wife of a close friend
Wife of a close friend, and...

(Chorus)

In this post, once completed, you will find out:

.:1. What happened in our shooting last Sunday and how difficult it was to both write the script and figure out how to field produce on the fly:.

The day started for us at around six in the morning. I had to leave my place early, and well, the alarm clock was the last straw for my housemates. Anyone has any ideas how I could get a quiet alarm system for myself or something? Do note that I don't want to sleep with my phone beside me or something like that, simply because I move too much when asleep and I might end up knocking it off or something.

Anyways, when I got to GMA, I learned I was going to be with William, a co-segment producer, and Allane, our researcher. It was going to be an interesting day from the moment we pick up Ate Weng, our Day Off package winner, along with our host, Pekto.

So off the three of us went to Bulacan, except for the small hitch that we were behind schedule, so we had to do the photo session segment of the package last instead of the zoo visit itself. We drove all the way from GMA, to Bulacan, and back to GMA again, and our first actual surprise for our winner was going to be one of her biggest ones...

.:2. Which celebrities I met in said shooting, and which one I met in particular who was IN COSTUME:.

You see, Ate Weng is a huge fan of Kyla. That being said, we wanted her to meet Kyla, and so when we went to get Pekto, one of the hosts, we blindfolded Ate Weng while she was in the van, and Pekto was poking fun at her all the time. He was scaring her half the time, and then asking if her family name was Fer, and her daughter's name was Lucy, while her sister's (Who was there with us.) name would be Neri, and her husband's name would be Ottori. If you got those jokes, you're damned corny.

Furthermore, Pekto took the boom mic from the back and asked her, while she was blindfolded, to hold it. When she did, she was understandably taken aback by it. Heh. Of course, Pekto had to explain that it was actually a mic, and not anything else long and round... ;)

So we got there, and Ate Weng was joking about how smelly her blindfold was. William apologized profusely for that. Heh. Afterwards, we took her to the lobby, where we waited for Kyla. Pauline, Ate Weng's daughter, was extremely cute. She sings along, likes to walk around, and never cried once throughout the whole trip. She was such a dear. I'll have pictures for it next time.

About half an hour or so later, Kyla finally arrived, much to Ate Weng's delight. She was practically speechless, and Kyla was just a natural, considering how really down to earth she was. That's a real person if I've ever seen one. We then headed off to the S.O.P. set, where Ate Weng and Pauline were going to have front seats for the show. So while I did meet the cast of S.O.P. without necessarily talking to them (Except for Dingdong Dantes, as he was my classmate.), what really caught my eye was the Telefantasya segment.

So all the stars of each series in Channel 7 showed up, and this included...

Angel Locsin, in the flesh.

In Darna costume.

.:3. What I spent 1,800 HK Dollars for, and how many games I have for it ;):.

We stayed on for the show a bit more, until a commercial break or two. Mark Herras was on his way out of the stage at the time when Pauline walked up the stage (!), and Mark kissed her on the cheek. Awfully nice of the guy to entertain the girl. Too bad that moment wasn't caught on camera...

So for the most part of the ride, I was just going around there and playing on my brand-new spanking PSP. I didn't bother getting the white one, though. Had to settle for the black one, as it's the only one I can afford in two installments. That being said, we then headed off to our next stop, which was just lunch at The Old Spaghetti House. The food, particularly the pasta, was reportedly not too good.

I guess that's why it's called The Old Spaghetti House. Maybe the spaghetti was three weeks old already. Heh. They even expected us to pay them 10,000 pesos to shoot there, since our show supposedly "profits". Considering how we're a public service program, what an outrage!

.:4. How many horses and other animals I ran into yesterday ;):.

After the lunch, we then drove off to Montalban to Avilon Zoo, which was really amazing. We had fun with lots of animals, including a miniature horse that Pauline rode on quite gamely.

There were different birds, from eagles to cockatoos, and they were all mostly nice enough to just get on your arm and stay there. Pretty amazing. You really ought to see this episode when the time comes. I swear, it's worth a watch.

We even ran into an orangutan named Albert. Of course, our show's executive producer is named Albert...

We also tried to feed the aropeima, which were huge 2-3 feet long fish. The moment we held out our hand, even without dropping food yet, they just started hopping like mad. These fish really took us aback, to say the least.

There were lots of big cats, for that matter. Tigers, leopards, jaguars... I'm sure people like Cheng or Clair would've enjoyed seeing them.

I really have to show you those pictures soon...

.:5. Why a complete stranger asked to take a photo of me:.

While we were taking a breather from the shoot, people were looking at Pekto left and right, and of course, he was attracting a bit of attention, being a celebrity and all.

Next thing we knew, someone shouted, "Uy, si Pekto!", whipped out a camera, and then took a picture.

With me.

Yes. They pulled me into the picture, and wondered why I was so camera shy.

I guess they didn't realize that I wasn't Pekto...

.:6. About the driver from Hades:.

The driver for our shoot was particularly annoying because he just loved to make comments throughout the shoot. While normally, jokes are all good, there were two things he did that we considered foul...

First, he loved to make comments during the shoot while the tape was rolling. We were worried that his comments might've been caught on tape, to the point where we were already joking aloud that we seemed to have a second host in tow during our program. He was just that outspoken, and annoyingly so.

Secondly, and much worse, even, he kept on joking about Pauline's dad. That the dad was the big day off surprise, that Pauline should meet her dad today, and so forth. Ate Weng is a single mom. Way to go, mister sensitivity!

Gawd, I wanted to throttle that guy for all those comments he was making....

.:7. How cute the daughter of our package winner really was:.

Hmmm... maybe next time. I still don't have the pictures with me.


.:8. The wonderful surprise I got from my grandparents today:.

They took me shopping for clothes and pants. How could I not appreciate that, considering how badly I need a new wardrobe and all, neh?

It was a welcome surprise, to say the least, as all I expected was lunch the moment they asked me to meet them yesterday...

.:9. Ethel Booba's new program, Show Ko:.

Ethel Booba has a new program much like "30 Seconds to Fame", and one of the performers was a gay performer who was dressed like Darna. He did splits galore, and for the finale, stood atop two monobloc chairs, and then did a split without falling off.

And most of all, regardless how brief the segment on it may be...

.:10. HOW WONDERFUL BEING WITH POMELO FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS HAS BEEN:.

Pomelo and I had a very special but low-key date last Saturday, and while most of it was spent arguing, I have to say that we've made a lot of headway into our relationship from when we started...

I understand how difficult it will be to deal with her parents, but that is a bridge we'll cross when we get there. For now, what's more important is that we truly love each other and that we'd do everything within our power to make this relationship work. Both of us have our own issues to deal with, and it's up to us to keep on giving way to each other as our relationship progresses.

You just have to admire a girl like her, really. I understand how guilty she sometimes feels having to lie to her parents about me, but even then, I can't help but appreciate the fact that she has been putting more than her fair share of effort into making this relationship work.

Thank you so much, my darling Pomelo. You know I love you so, so much.

For Your Amusement...

.:Baited:.

So sue me, but I recently had the notion that it’d be cool to get an earring for myself. I talked this idea over with a friend of mine, and she was pretty ambivalent to the idea.

The moment I brought up getting a tongue ring, though, she started wondering if that’d be awkward, and for a while, I was clueless what she meant.

Then she referred to Pomelo.

With a flash of brilliance, I promptly retorted…

Just because you enjoy French kissing doesn’t mean every couple you know is fond of it... ;)

Oooohhh… baited! Ang isda talaga, nahuhuli sa bibig… ::guffaws::

.:Work Hazard Number 1: The Dubious Beneficiary:.

When we gave out a Day Off Package to Aling Mila, a conductor for RRCG Transit, we of course assumed good moral character on her part, considering how she was recommended by her employers in the first place.

And then like the beneficiary who received 5,000 pesos worth of groceries to start a sari-sari store and even a sign to boot and instead giving away the groceries and leaving the sign in the hotel, our new subject decided to pull off a couple of swerves upon us that just completely took us aback...

For one, during her spa session, what was happening with her was nothing short of... scandalous. To make a long story short, if we used the natural sound on tape for the program, we would've heard her moaning in delight over the massage, which just sounded wrong.

Secondly, we gave a special surprise at the end of the show... a scholarship, in fact, to their second son, Ryan.

When we got there the other day to record a few bits for the show, Allane was wondering about who that other kid was there in the house. Turns out, that was Ryan.

The question then is, who the Hades was that “Ryan” who went there with the guys to Tagaytay? Allane, our researcher, has only seen the real Ryan for the first time, and is now aware that “Ryan” was actually a nephew of Aling Mila.

I don't know with you, but if the neighbors were to watch this episode, that's definitely going to make us look like idiots, so I don't think that kind of a switcheroo ought to be cool with us, more so when “Ryan” pretended to be Ryan all that time. Simply put, these people were lying through their teeth while they were receiving the Day-Off Package.

.:Work Hazard Number 2: Karma:.

I think the horse that kicked me a couple of weeks ago got killed.

Apparently, one of the horses in Tagaytay bit the horse dispatcher while the latter was drunk. In a rage, the dispatcher took a two-by-four, smacked the horse on the forehead, and the horse dropped dead on the spot.

What a way to start off their horseback trip, neh?

.:Work Hazard Number 3: Sexual Harassment:.

While we were eating in Pizza Hut during the taping last Monday, it was quite amusing while Maey, another segment producer, was joking around with sir Albert, the executive producer for the show, and then he accidentally grazed his hand across her chest.

She then starts complaining about “sexual harrasment” and then asked me to stay still as she demonstrated how the incident happened.

Then she turned to somebody else, and asked me to sit still for her to demonstrate it again.

And again.

And again.

Now wait a minute...

.:Work Hazard Number 4: The Perils Of Celebrity:.
Fact of the matter is, there's a reason why celebrities try to keep a low profile in public. Amusingly enough, while one of our hosts, Carmina Villaroel, was seated in her vehicle over at Antipolo church, the moment the window was opened to talk to one of our other researchers, Jay-C, some random people at the church promptly spread the word to everyone who'd care to listen, and they ended up staring into the van until it left. Carmina joked that she felt like she was some kind of fish in an aquarium.

So after last Monday's taping, we headed off to Pizza Hut for lunch, along with one of our hosts, Pekto. The amusing thing about that is that there was a waitress, someone named Mary Neil, was definitely flirting around with Pekto every chance she got. Of course, it wasn't like Pekto wasn't trying to encourage it or anything... he kept on tossing her double-meaning jokes about her always “Neil-ing”, as well as making hilarious comments whenever he asks for something, such as when he ordered for “500 pesos”.

That being said, the waitress was pretty cool with it and gamely rode along with his double entendres. Then after a while, Pekto left before we got the bill from the waitress, and the moment we asked for it...

... she told me she overheard that I was a DJ at WAVE 89.1 and that she was an avid listener.

Amusingly enough, after that, she then asked to have a picture taken with me, and promptly took my hand to put it around her. Heh. That was amusing... I guess after all has been said and done, there are a few perks and perils to being a “celebrity” of sorts...

.:Impromptu:.

I had a pretty interesting encounter with Sean and Charo last Wednesday. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary, although it was definitely fun swapping travel stories between the three of us. Furthermore, it was incredibly fun to share the jellybeans... I love the bubblegum flavor... heh.