It's Still January...

... so technically, I can still post a New Year meme! :p

(and how lame is that? my first entry for the year is a freakin' meme?)

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

A lot of things, but the best would be that I traveled abroad for the first time! I also celebrated my birthday away from my family and closest friends, also a first time.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don’t exactly make resolutions, because I find it kinda limiting (does that make sense?). I remember though that I gave myself 2-3 years to plan for a trip in Japan and guess what? The trip unexpectedly happened last year! (well, it's job-related but, Japan dude!)

For this year, I'm again not making any resolutions. On the other hand, last year gave me more reasons and motivations to make new dreams. I don't expect everything to come true this year, nor do I expect that all of my dreams will come true. I just want something to aspire for, and enjoy the experience as I try to reach that goal.


3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

My sister-in-law; my niece is now 8 9 months old and already basking in her status as our family's princess. Not that the previous not exactly family princess is complaining.


4. Did anyone close to you die?

No one, but there were so many deaths in 2009 that shook me up. :(

5. What countries did you visit?

China and of course, JAPAN *hearts*


6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

Time and money! Also, not necessarily lacked, but I felt I was kind of gutsy in 2009 and I want to have that same gutsiness this year.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

The day I tendered my resignation, my birthday in China, my first day in Japan and of course, my Tokyo Dome adventure!


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Moving to a new company; being alone in a foreign country.


9. What was your biggest failure?

Not being able to watch Arashi's concert in Tokyo :(

I can't say if this is really failure, but there were some opportunities that I missed last year. But when I think about it, if I didn't miss those opportunities, I wouldn't have experienced most of my best memories last year!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I really can't remember! Maybe not.


11. What was the best thing you bought?

Arashi concert goodies!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Filipinos collectively, when we paid tribute to Cory Aquino and when we gave help and support to our countrymen devastated by the calamities last year.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Ampatuan, for starters. The shameless politicians who took advantage of the calamities to advance their political mileage.


14. Where did most of your money go?

Food, travel, car loan :(


15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Japan trip! And the slightest, minisculest chance I would bump into Arashi or Toma!


16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

Arashi’s Still… <3>


17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder?

The last half of the year made up for what could have been a lousy year, so yeah, happier.

b) thinner or fatter?

Fatter

c) richer or poorer?

Poorer OMG


18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Read books, travel

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Work! Hahaha! Bum around


20. How did you spend Christmas?

The usual, with family, waiting for my inaanaks to pay me a visit and receive their gifts.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?

I fell in love with Japan!


22. What was your favorite TV program?

I realized I watched a lot less TV last year because I've been busy elsewhere. My new finds last year that I really enjoyed were Leverage and Big Bang Theory.


23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

No

24. What was the best book you read?


I can't even remember what books I've read last year! I think I only read Kazuo Isiguro's Never Let Me Go last year? So that's my answer.


25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Greatest?! Isn't that a bit high a qualification?

Anyway, my new musical discoveries last year are Kings of Leon and Tokio Hotel (I know they've been around much longer but I seem to be far behind on what's current in the music scene!). Also, I'm not exactly fond of Lady Gaga, but I like Bad Romance so in a way, that's a musical discovery.


26. What did you want and get?

A new job! Trip to Japan!


27. What did you want and not get?

A new iPod; although it's more of me deciding to stick with my iPod until the very end :). More time in Japan as well. Gosh, I really want to go back!

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

Geez, I did not keep track of the films I saw last year! I'm totally biased, so Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is in my list. I also like Hurt Locker, Taken and Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist (which was released ages ago but I've only seen last year).

29. What did you do on your birth day, and how old were you?


I was in China for work, so during the day I was working, but later that night my officemates threw a party for me at the hotel. I learned how to play Texas Hold 'Em poker. To cap the night, I washed my clothes using the Chinese washing machine.


30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Maybe if I had more time to do other stuffs? Oh, if only I could have gotten inside Tokyo Dome and see Arashi in the flesh!


31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

Comfort? I'm not exactly into fashion...


32. What kept you sane?

Arashi! My family and friends.


33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Need I say it again? Arashi! But most especially Sakurai Sho. Ikuta Toma. Ryan Reynolds in The Proposal. Hugh Jackman, dammit, Hugh Jackman in Wolverine. Joshua Jackson in Fringe. Sheldon in Big Bang Theory! Paul Jake of PBB <3


34. What political issue stirred you the most?

The never ending battle to change the constitution, Erap's political comeback, if Korina Sanchez would someday be the First Lady OMFG. Obama swatting a fly hahaha!


35. Who did you miss?

My brother, nephew and sis-in-law in New Zealand. My friends who I haven't seen for a really long time.


36. Who was the best new person you met?

I'm happy to found new friends at work! I also think that my Japanese colleague was nice. She asked me to call her by her first name and to not suffix it with -san. :)

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.

I've learned this a long time ago but 2009 reinforced it - just a little courage is all it takes; to go where you want, to take a chance, to change things, to make your dreams come true.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

From Arashi's Still...:

(English translation)

This isn't goodbye, it's the beginning of many new meetings

But, I still want to see you again

Still...

Someday we'll meet again smiling, yes, I know it.

That was probably the day we set off walking, each on a different path

Until the time when we understand why we met each other

When the wheel starts to turn, the journey begin

So I'll gently embrace the past so I won't go astray again

100 Songs To Save Your Life

I got this from Manuel Quezon III’s blog, but it actually originated from Big Baddie’s blog. The general idea is to create a playlist that you would want your future child to listen to. ONE HUNDRED looks like a big number, but trust me, it’s not easy to limit the list to just 100 songs. My first draft reached 174 and I only listed one song per artist. And it’s harder to choose one song for each artist, especially my favorite ones! The songs I chose aren’t exactly the artists’ best, in my opinion, nor my super favorites. These are the songs that played some significance in my life.



Dear future spawn,

At this point, I still have not met your future dad (or maybe I have but I don’t know it yet!). I don’t have a clue whether he’s going to be rich, gorgeous, intelligent and tall. I wish he would be. But most of all, I wish that there’s really a future dad for me to meet and mate with so that I can actually produce a spawn. Don’t you wish that, too, little yet-to-exist one?

ANYWAY. If there’s anything that I can share with you now, it won’t be riches nor strikingly good looks. It certainly won’t be HEIGHT (for your own sake, pray that future dad has oustanding height genes!). What I can share with you is my passion for three things: music, books and movies.

Let’s talk about music first. Music is like a best friend. It will always be there for you no matter what. There’s music to celebrate your milestones and triumphs, there’s music when you feel down and blue, there’s music when you fall in love, there’s music when your heart gets broken, there’s music to get you through nights when you want to hide out from the world. Music breaks down walls. Music puts into words the thoughts that you can never say.

I’m sharing with you 100 songs that saved my life. Actually, there are more than 100 songs that saved, and has continued saving, my life. For now, these will do. Someday, I will sit down with you and tell you the stories and memories I associate with each song. And I hope someday you would love music the way I do and find those songs to save your life.

Love, your future mom (IF and WHEN that moment comes!)

100 SONGS
001. 5ive, Until The Time Is Through
002. 98 Degrees, The Hardest Thing
003. Ace Of Base, The Sign
004. Adam Sandler, Grow Old With You
005. Aerosmith, Cryin'
006. Alamid, Your Love
007. Alanis Morissette, That I Would Be Good
008. Aqua, Turn Back Time
009. Arashi, Sakura Sake
010. Arkarna, So Little Time

011. Ash, Lost In You
012. Band Aid, Do They Know It's Christmas?
013. Beach Boys, Wouldn't It Be Nice?
014. The Beatles, I Will
015. Bic Runga, Sway
016. Bon Jovi, Always
017. Boyzone, And I
018. China Crisis, Wishful Thinking
019. Crowded House, Don't Dream I'ts Over
020. The Cure, Boys Don't Cry

021. Danny Wilson, Mary's Prayer
022. Dave Matthews Band, Crash Into Me
023. David Pomeranz, King And Queen Of Hearts
024. Dead Or Alive, You Spin Me Right Around
025. Depeche Mode, A Question Of Lust
026. Dishwalla, Angels Or Devils
027. Divinyls, I Touch Myself
028. Elliott Yamin, Moody's Mood For Love
029. Eraserheads, With A Smile
030. Fat Larry's Band, Zoom

031. Foo Fighters, Walking After You
032. The Foundations, Build Me Up Buttercup
033. Fra Lippo Lippi, Stitches And Burns
034. Francis Magalona, Kaleidoscope World
035. Franz Ferdinand, Take Me Out
036. From Autumn To Ashes, Short Stories With Tragic Endings
037. Gin Blossoms, Till I Hear It From You
038. Goo Goo Dolls, Name
039. Green Day, She
040. Hanson, Mmmbop

041. Harem Scarem, Something To Say
042. Heart, These Dreams
043. Hirai Ken, Canvas
044. Hoobastank, The Reason
045. Imogen Heap, Goodnight And Go
046. Introvoys, Kailanman
047. Jars Of Clay, Fly
048. Jason Mraz, I'm Yours
049. Jeff Buckley, Last Goodbye
050. Keane, Somewhere Only We Know

051. The Killers, Mr. Brightside
052. Live, Selling The Drama
053. Maroon 5, She Will Be Loved
054. Matchbox 20, Unwell
055. Metallica, The Unforgiven
056. Michael Jackson, Smooth Criminal
057. Mr. Big, Wild World
058. Muse, Can't Take My Eyes Off You
059. Nelly, Dilemma
060. New Radicals, You Get What You Give

061. Nickel Creek, This Side
062. Nirvana, Lithium
063. Noel Cabangon, Kanlungan
064. Oasis, Wonderwall
065. The Other Two, Selfish
066. Our Lady Peace, Clumsy
067. Parokya Ni Edgar, Silvertoes
068. Paul McCartney, This Never Happened Before
069. Pearl Jam, Black
070. Peter Cetera, Glory Of Love

071. Phil Collins, Groovy Kind Of Love
072. Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here
073. Radiohead, Karma Police
074. Rivermaya, 214
075. Rob Thomas, Smooth
076. Sandwich, Butterfly Carnival
077. Siakol, Lakas Tama
078. Sisqo, Incomplete
079. Smashing Pumpkins, 1979
080. Snow Patrol, Run

081. Sponge Cola, Dragonfly
082. Stonefree, Listen
083. Sublime, Santeria
084. Sugar Hiccup, Five Years
085. Survivor, Eye Of The Tiger
086. Tears For Fears, Mad World
087. Third Eye Blind, Deep Inside Of You
088. Toad The Wet Sprocket, All I Want
089. True Faith, Hi
090. Two Minds Crack, Upside Down

091. U2, Pride (In The Name Of Love)
092. Ugly Kid Joe, Cats In The Cradle
093. Urbandub, First Of Summer
094. Vertical Horizon, Everything You Want
095. Verve Pipe, The Freshmen
096. The Verve, Bittersweet Symphony
097. VST and Company, Ikaw Lang Ang Aking Mahal
098. Weezer, Buddy Holly
099. Wilson Philips, You're In Love
100. The Wonders, That Thing You Do


P.S.
After this, you should check out the other songs of the artists I bolded.

15 Books

Instructions:
You're not supposed to think too long or too hard on this one. List 15 books you've read that will always stick with you -- list the first 15 you can recall in 15 minutes. Don't take too long to think about it. Then tag 15 friends and see if they write their own lists (part of the challenge is to think about which 15 friends would have the weirdest or most interesting book list).

I posted this in my facebook. Feel free to post your own list and tell me about it!

1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (J.K. Rowling)
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (J.K. Rowling)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Never Let Me Go (Kazuo Ishiguro)
5. A Long Way Down (Nick Hornby)
6. The Chamber (John Grisham)
7. Artemis Fowl (Eoin Colfer)
8. Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas (Bob Ong)
9. Haunted (Chuck Palahniuk)
10. It (Stephen King)
11. Protect and Defend (Richard North Patterson)
12. Presumed Innocent (Scott Turow)
13. The Book Thief (Markus Zusak)
14. Battle Royale (Koushun Takami)
15. Case Histories (Kate Atkinson)

Now I Know My ABCs...

I'm trying to write and failing spectacularly. So, interactive meme time again!

Alphabet Meme

1. Comment with something for me to talk about that starts with any letter of the alphabet. Anything.
2. One topic per letter. I will update the list with which topics/which letters have been requested.

Blogs Are Made By Fools Like Me

I am going to post something, uh, more paragraph-y, but I still don't like what I drafted so far, so stupid meme to tide me over.


Instructions: Go to www.urbandictionary.com and type in your answer to each question in the search box, then write the FIRST definition it gives you. I guarantee you're gonna find some pretty hilarious results.

***YOUR GIVEN NAME: Jela
Being jealous of someone

*chokes*

*** AGE: 27
the age all rockstars die at:
jimi hendrix
jim morrison
janis joplin
kurt cobain
alexander the great
james dean
river phoenix
brad nowell (lead singer to sublime) died at the age of 28 years and 2 days (2 days from joining the club)

I knew about the 27 Club this a long time ago, and that knowledge is making me paranoid ever since I turned 27! (nyek feeling rock star!)

***ONE OF YOUR FRIEND’S NAME: Joy
Polite nickname for the female genital area.

Oops, sorry Joy!

***WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING: Sleeping
To masturbate furiously in your room while praying that your grandma doesn't come in.

*chokes some more*

*** FAVORITE COLOR: Blue
The hue of the portion of the visible spectrum lying between green and indigo, evoked in a human observer by radiant energy with wavelengths of approximately 420 to 490 nanometers.

Okay...

*** FAVORITE NUMBER: 8
The ordinal number '8' is often used in place of the phonemes that would make the sound 'ate' in written English.

"He was a sk8r boi..."

*** MONTH OF YOUR BIRTHDAY: August
The idea of perfection. The 8th Month of the year in certain European and Asian cultures signifies greatness in achieving perfection, or something close to it.

*** LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO: Lorenz
A unit of measurment equal to .5 inches.

***YOUR NICKNAME: Je
French for "I."

Fivesome, Again

Five things, this time from Mak:

1. Eraserheads

Right now is not a good time to be an Eheads fan. They'll be having their Final Set this Saturday and I'm not going. Boo hoo.

Eraserheads' music was part of some of the bestest years of my life. I can write the soundtrack of my life using Eheads' songs. I looked at their discography for inspiration when I started blogging - from Tindahan ni Aling Dyela to Buttercup and Butterscotch to mylemonlime.

So, no, I'm not a big Eheads fan. *is bitter*

2. The name JR. Don't ask me why.

WHAT. THE. HELL.

Fine, I'll ride along. JR is the name of one of my former crushes. You could say that he was my almost-bf, but nothing came out of it because I was only 14 years old when I met him and he was so torpe. He moved away when I was 16, never communicated until I was 18 and (supposedly) allowed to have a bf. Problem was, I already have a bf then (if only I could turn back time, hahaha...). He literally hanged up on me when I told him my news and I felt slightly guilty over it. A few months after that he called again and asked me to speak with someone who he said was his gf. I was genuinely happy for him (not to mention, relieved) but it was NOT the reaction he was looking for. So on that same phone conversation, he admitted that he's a big fat liar and that girl was not really his gf and he was just trying to get a reaction from me. Jerk.

We met again after a few years and had one of our best conversations and time together. We met again during that time when my relationship was on the verge of hitting rock-bottom. We met again and I was happy and for a moment was willing to give up what I already have (and maybe I should have, and all those stupid dramas might have been prevented. Ah, the could-have-beens). I rejected him for the second time and it's harder than the last time.

And then, he learned that I was single again and we communicated again. And then he was gone again. Sigh.

So, Mak, what part of this answer you don't like? *sticks tongue*

3. Starbucks Greenbelt 1

Place to unwind after office hours and place to meet up with friends. The place underwent a renovation last year, which was a good move since it's always full, although the additional tables and chairs in the open area make it look too cluttered.

Also, a place where most pretentious social climbers hang out to be seen. Which means "mock them" time for me.

4. MCS

The quick fix. I go there with friends to search for "want-now" dibidis, although more often than not, I fail to find what I was looking for. So I end up buying dibidis not on my list. I still prefer Quiapo.

5. Korean guys

Wait, what? Do you mean Japanese guys? Well, if you must ask, I like the lead actor in the kdrama My Girl, but other than him and Rain sometimes, I don't lust crush on Korean guys.

NOW JAPANESE GUYS are a different story. If I create a guide meter on my celebrity crushes, Japanese guys will be on one extreme of the spectrum. To use that analogy, the other end of the spectrum will be populated by guys like:

whose every ripple of muscle screams sexMAN.

Now, the extreme end of the spectrum where my Japanese guys fall will have someone like:

my Arashi boytoy, Sakurai Sho, who looks prettier as a man dressing up as woman than I am, even on my best day.

That's not to say he can't bring the sexy:

(still a long way to go compared to Hugh Jackman's Biceps Of Swoon-inducing Masculinity)

(a-also, I have a picture of Arashi's latest calendar where he is posing like a stripper, but I might be disowned by my friends if I post it here)

Desert Island Time!

Over at Livejournal, there's this feature called Writer's Block, which features one topic prompt daily, something like a one-shot meme. I like the question for yesterday and today so I'm posting it here!

Writer's Block - March 3
You're packing your bag for that magical desert island that happens to have electricity, a TV and a DVD player - what five DVDs do you take with you?


1. Lord Of The Rings trilogy (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and Return of the King)
- I'm kind of cheating here because this one is worth 3 movies! I'll never tire of marathon-watching the three films, it feels so satisfying when I finish re-watching all in one day. Plus, dirty, dirty Aragorn is so appealing! (Viggo Mortensen looks hotter the dirtier he gets in his films. Wait, that sounds wrong.)

2. The Ring (Japanese version)
- When you're stuck in an island, you need to practice CONSTANT VIGILANCE! There's no better way to keep me on my wits (and keep me up all night) than the image of Sadako climbing out of that well and out of the TV screen! But if there's a well on that island, I might re-think bringing this DVD along.

(Digression: my family prefers watching TV thisclose to the screen. When I made them marathon-watch the three Ring films, all of them stayed as far away from the TV screen as possible. I might have laughed at that, if not for the fact that I was on the farthest corner of the room myself and totally freaked out when my cousin gently poked me.)

3. Air Force One
- This is such a cheesy action film, but Harrison Ford was full of charisma and very believable as the President of the United States. Plus, Gary Oldman. Fake accent. YUM. This was shown around the time Erap was still the country's President and we laughed ourselves silly imagining if Erap was in Harrison Ford's position ("Kaya ba ni Erap yan?").

4. The Wedding Singer
- I just want to grow old with Robbie Hart, knowing that he can always entertain me and sweep me off my feet with his funny yet endearing songs. His concept of money will never be not funny! ("I'm a big fan of money. I like it, I use it, I have a little. I keep it in a jar on top of my refrigerator. I'd like to put more in that jar. That's where you come in.")

5. Ice Age
- I can appreciate the irony here: I'm alone in an island watching a film about how no man (or extinct animal, for that matter) is an island. :D

Runners-up: The Usual Suspects, High Fidelity, A Knight's Tale, The Dark Knight, Memento



Writer's Block - March 4
You're packing your bag for that other desert island - the one with no electricity - what 5 books do you take with you?


1. Harry Potter series (J.K. Rowling)
- Ha! I cheated again! This one is worth 7 books, and I could spend my entire desert island life re-reading all 7 books and not get bored by it.

2. Battle Royale (Koushun Takami)
- As much as it sucks to be stranded in an island with no electricity, at least I'm not stranded in an island and engaged in a literal battle for survival against my classmates!

3. A Long Way Down (Nick Hornby)
- A novel about 4 suicidal people should not be funny, but this book just cracks me up each time I read it! It's amazing how the author managed to make 4 losers such compelling and likable characters, flaws and all.

4. I Hate Myself And I Want To Die: The 52 Most Depressing Songs You've Ever Heard (Tom Reynolds)
- I tend to like reading depressing stuffs, don't you think? Well, this book is not really that depressing. It's actually funny. What's kind of depressing to realize, though, is that the some of the songs listed are songs that I enjoy listening to.

5. Foxtrot comics (Bill Amend)
- Yey! Something not depressing! I know I can always count on my favorite fictional family and their misadventures to cheer me up and keep me company.

Runners-up: To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee), Haunted (Chuck Palahniuk), Artemis Fowl series (Eoin Colfer), Protect And Defend (Richard North Patterson), It (Stephen King)

Fivesome

Honestly? I had a hard time elaborating on these because I’m pretty sure I’ve talked to death about these things a lot of times already and I don’t know how to make this post a little bit more interesting without me just repeating myself. Either Jen knows me too well or I’m way too predictable! Either way, let’s give this a shot!

(Comment to this post to get your own 5 things from me!)

5 Things From Jen:

1) Post-it
I started collecting post-its when I was reviewing for the board. The review school was near the Corona store in Recto and they have local post-its and flags that were cheaper than the trademarked Post-It by 3M. I used the post-its and flags to organize my review materials and notes, and I want to believe that those helped me pass the board! I haven’t bought any kind of post-it or notepad in more than a year (Woo hoo! Be amazed at my self-restraint!), although I can’t help but make sad little noises whenever I see new post-its at National Bookstore.

2) Apple
I don’t hate apples, I just don’t… like it!

3) Dangling Earrings
My preference in earrings used to be simple and uncomplicated. I wear small silver hoop earrings pretty much all the time before. Along the way, I discovered that dangling earrings are the easiest way to look lady-like! I prefer cheap earrings with playful designs, different enough but not too loud or clunky to draw too much attention.

4) Harry Potter
Do I even need to elaborate on this? :D I LOVE Harry Potter ridiculous amounts! I lost track of the number of times I’ve reread ALL 7 books (Book 3 being my favorite, is the most tattered and battered). Aside from the 7, I also have Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through The Ages, and Tales of Beedle the Bard. I plan to collect the UK adult edition books. I have DVDs (original) of movies 3 to 5. I joined an HP-related contest!

But by fandom standards, I’m just an average fan – I haven’t created an HP fansite, I haven’t written an HP fanfic, I never supported a ship and have not engaged in shipping wars with wankers fans. And yet, I spent way too much time creating my own theories about the series, overanalyzing characters and scenes, memorizing lines and spells, and inserting HP references in normal conversations.

5) JDrama
My current crack of choice! There are days when I can sensibly explain why I like jdramas and prefer it over pinoy telenovelas: jdramas are shorter (usually 9 to 11 one-hour episodes) and have fixed storylines that even if the drama became popular or highly-rated, the series will not be extended or the plot suddenly veer away from its original intentions just to satisfy fans’ clamor.

Also, I’m yet to see a jdrama that features clichés I hate, to wit:
- baby-switching
- “we are siblings we can’t be together” angst angst angst “oops, no son, I was an adulterer, he’s not your dad so she's not really your sister”
- I will SUBTLY oppress you by slapping you and pulling at your hair every scene we’re together, dialogue-ing “wala kang utang na loob!” when you so much as fight back a little, throw food at you, finally throw you and your clothes out of the house (which I should have done A LONG TIME AGO if I really hate you that much)
- you can tell I’m poor because I lack table manners
- you can tell I’m the kontrabida because I dress better than the bida (even if she suddenly becomes rich, her fashion sense is still godawful) and I CACKLE when I’m evil-ing

That’s not to say that jdrama don’t have their own clichés; it’s just that so far, I can take those clichés better.
- rain scenes of doom (leads break up in the rain, male lead angst beautifully in the rain, etc etc)
- squee-inducing embrace from the back (bonus if done in the rain a la Hana Yori Dango)
- batshit crazy antagonists (so you don’t feel bad for laughing at them because you’re not supposed to take them seriously)
- gratuitous parade of androgynously pretty guys, with bonus gratuitous nudity (how can anyone NOT like that???)

Obviously, today I’m coherent about my affair with jdramas. Often, I’m too caught up with either its soul-crushing angst or massive suspension of disbelief or pure crack-iness to explain properly why jdramas tick. Jdramas taught me that “WTF?” and “W-wait. What?” are completely acceptable reactions that convey the awesomeness of the drama.

(for someone having a hard time elaborating, I sure have some long answers!)

I Can Has Nothing Better To Do

Comment to this post and I will give you 5 subjects/things I associate you with. Then post this in your blog and elaborate on the subjects given!

How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?

Tagged by MakMak.

Click copy/paste, type in your answers and tag four people in your list. Don't forget to change my answers to the questions with that of your own.


4 PLACES I GO TO OVER AND OVER
> Powerbooks Greenbelt 4
> Starbucks, Standard Chartered Bank Building
> Bibliarch, Glorietta 2
> Ton Ton’s Massage


4 PEOPLE WHO E-MAIL ME REGULARLY
(excepting work-related emails)
> Comics.com (weekly Foxtrot comics)
> QuiapoDVD yahoo group
> Mark, Jen and Bom
> Jojie


4 OF MY FAVORITE PLACES TO EAT
> Nanbanttei
> Java Man (Powerbooks)
> Recipes
> McDonalds


4 PLACES I'D RATHER BE
> my room (I’ll just sleep, read or watch and forget about the world!)
> Japan (go to Akihabara to satisfy my otaku-ness, visit Mt. Fuji, stand under a sakura tree, and of course, stalk Toma and Matsujun!)
> London, England
> Baguio


4 TV SHOWS I COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER AGAIN
> Friends
> House
> Ghost Fighter
> Hanazakari no Kimitachi e Ikemen Paradise (NAKATSU!)


4 PEOPLE WHOM I THINK WILL RESPOND
> hmmm…
> don’t know.
> anyone who
> wants to! :)

Meme Killed The Radio Star (The Clues)

Sorry! I was not able to post the clues yesterday! Here they are - bonus points to those who can guess the artist and the song title. :)

1. Cause all I really want is to be with you / feeling like I matter, too / if I hadn't blown the whole thing years ago / I might be here with you
   
2. All these rhythms that you hide / only love can save us now / all these riddles that you burn / yeah, yeah, yeah
3. Swimming through sick lullabies / choking on your alibis / but it's just the price I pay / destiny is calling me / open up your eager eyes
4. I thought I was fool for no one / Oh, baby, I'm a fool for you / you're the queen of the superficial / and how long before you tell the truth
5. He's the one who likes all our pretty songs / and he likes to sing along / and he likes to shoot his gun / but he don't know what it means / don't know what it means and I say
6. 5ive
   
7. You realize that / sometimes you're just not okay / you level out, level out, level out / it's not alright now / you need to understand / there's nothing strange about this
8. The Beatles
9. Imago
10. But I'm a million different people from one day to the next / I can't change my mold, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
11. We're just two lost souls / swimming in a fishbowl year after year / running over the same old ground / what have we found? / the same old fears
    
12. Must you make me laugh so much? / it's bad enough we get along so well
13. I've realized that the reason I think / the changing seasons are beautiful / is because you're there / I'm going to tell you now (Obviously, it's either you know them or you don't! I posted the English translation of their song, just in case. :p)
    
14. Kiss me, please kiss me / but kiss me out of desire, babe, not consolation / you know it makes me so angry cause I know in time / I'll only make you cry
15. I'm lost in admiration / could I need you this much / Oh you're wasting my time / you're just wasting time
    
16. Di magawang alisin ang aking mata / sa anghel na nakikita / iniibig na ba kita / Oh ewan ko ba
17. Paul McCartney
18. When you're on a golden sea / you don't need no memory / just a place to call your own / as we drift into the zone
    
19. Green Day
    
20. I would say I'm sorry / if I thought that it would change your mind / but I know that this time / I've said too much / Been too unkind
    
21. Drive me away / cause the night just feels right / take me away with you tonight / anywhere with you
    
22. David Cook
    
23. I'll sing it one last time for you / then we really have to go / you've been the only thing that's right / in all I've done
    
24. This is what you get / when you mess with us / and for a minute there / I lost myself / I lost myself
25. I got shit running through my brain / it's so intense that I can't explain / all alone in my white-boy pain / shake your booty while the band complains
    

Meme Killed The Radio Star

Meme again! After a long while!

The rules:

1. Open a music player.
2. Go to all music/library.
3. Hit shuffle/randomize.
4. Find photos of the first 25 artists/bands that come up (no repeats and no cheating).
5. Have people guess who the artists/bands are.

Additional rules:
1. Additional clue (artist's/band's song) will be posted on August 1 for unanswered numbers.
2. Correct answers will be posted on August 3 12nn. :) Enjoy!

(warning! lots of pics!)

- 1 -- 2 -- 3 -
- 4 -- 5 -
- 6 -
5ive (c/o MakMak)
- 7 -- 8 -
The Beatles (c/o MakMak)
- 9 -
Imago (c/o Jen)
- 10 -
- 11 -
- 12 -
- 13 -
- 14 -
- 15 -
- 16 -
- 17 -
Paul McCartney (c/o MakMak)
- 18 -
- 19 -
Green Day (c/o MakMak)
- 20 -- 21 -
- 22 -
David Cook (c/o MakMak)
- 23 -
- 24 -
- 25 -

Movie Quiz

- Pick 17 of your favourite movies.
- Go to IMDb and find a quote from each movie.
- Post them here for everyone to guess.
- Fill in the film title once it's guessed.
- NO GOOGLING/using IMDb search functions.


01. I appreciate this whole seduction thing you've got going on here, but let me give you a tip: I'm a sure thing. - Pretty Woman (c/o Jen)

02. If it was forty below and that button meant the difference between a long satisfying life and a cold horrible death from hypothermia, I still wouldn't give you the satisfaction! Skate! - The Cutting Edge (c/o Karen)

03. And so without further gilding the lily and with no more ado, I give to you, the seeker of serenity, the protector of Italian virginity, the enforcer of our Lord God, the one, the only, Sir Ulllrrrich von Lichtenstein! - A Knight's Tale (c/o Karen)

04. My desert island, all-time, top-five most memorable breakups, in chronological order, are as follows: Alison Ashmore; Penny Hardwick; Jackie Alden; Charlie Nicholson; and Sarah Kendrew. Those were the ones that really hurt. Can you see your name on that list, Laura? Maybe you'd sneak into the top ten. But there's just no room for you in the top five, sorry. Those places are reserved for the kind of humiliation and heartbreak you're just not capable of delivering.

05. You're being really immature... You have no reason to be mad at me, I mean, you know, you broke MY heart. I should be royally ticked off at you. I should be really cheesed off, I shouldn't want to talk to you anymore. - Juno (c/o Karen)

06. First off, let me just add another congratulations to Evan Backstabber - pardon me, Bastard. Baxter, rather. It is good to see what someone with real talent can do when great opportunities are given to them instead of me. Anyway, I'm here with Katherine Hepburn's mom. Tell me, why did you toss the "blue heart of the ocean" jewel over the railing of Titanic? Did you feel bad at all letting Leo DiCaprio drown, while you were safe floating on the big door? Could you have taken turns, or were you just too afraid to freeze your big fat ass off?

07. Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you're crazy to make an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us... In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain... and an athlete… and a basket case… a princess… and a criminal…

08. No, sir, I have no experience but I'm a big fan of money. I like it, I use it, I have a little. I keep it in a jar on top of my refrigerator. I'd like to put more in that jar. That's where you come in. - The Wedding Singer (c/o Jen)

09. As I've gotten older, I realize I'm certain of only two things. Days that begin with rowing on a lake are better than days that do not. Second, a man's character is his fate.

10. I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories... The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something. The Lord Of The Rings - The Two Towers (c/o Karen - finally! hehehe...)

11. I'd say that she gets under your skin as soon as you meet her. She drives you so nuts you don't know whether to hug her or, or just really arm wrestle her. She would go all the way to Europe just to get a stamp in her passport. I don't know if that amounts to insanity, or just being really, really... likable. - While You Were Sleeping (c/o Jen)

12. No fucking shit, lady. Do I sound like I'm ordering a pizza?

13. If you wake up at a different time, in a different place, could you wake up as a different person?

14. Why gamble with money when you can gamble with people's lives? That was a joke. All right, I'll tell you. I believe in the notion that people are innocent until proven guilty. I believe in that notion because I choose to believe in the basic goodness of people. I choose to believe that not all crimes are committed by bad people. And I try to understand that some very, very good people do some very bad things.

15. "You believe a man can change his destiny?" "I think a man does what he can, until his destiny is revealed."

16. If you find a mate in life, you should be loyal. In your case, grateful. - Ice Age (c/o Karen)

17. Aye, fight and you may die, run, and you'll live... at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!

Shuffle, Schmuffle

Do I still have to explain the mechanics?! Questions. Music Player. Shuffle. Answer. Oh, you know the drill.


- If you reached the top of Mount Everest, you would shout:
“Clumsy” - Our Lady Peace (Brilliant! The clumsy has conquered the highest peak in the world!)

I’ll be waving my hand, watching you drown, watching you scream quiet or loud…

- The next time you stand up in front of a group of people, you'll say:
“You Get What You Give” – New Radicals (Don’t let go, you got the music in you!)

This whole damn world can fall apart, you’ll be ok follow your heart, you’re in harm’s way I’m right behind, now say you’re mine…

- Your favorite thing to say when drunk is:
“One Step Closer” – Linkin Park (Ha! Shut up while I’m talking to you!)

All these words they make no sense, I found bliss in ignorance, the less you hear the less you’ll say, you’ll find out anyway…

- Your message to the world:
“Tea and Sympathy” – Jars Of Clay

Fare thee well, trade in all our words for tea and sympathy, wonder why we tried for things that could never be…

- When you think of your best friend you think:
“Lonely No More” – Rob Thomas

Now it seems to me that you know just what to say…

- Your deepest secret:
“Come Around” – Rhett Miller (Ouch?!)

Am I gonna be lonely for the rest of my life?

- Your innermost desire:
“Enter Sandman” - Metallica

I tuck you in, warm within, keep you free from sin, 'til the sandman he comes…

- Your oldest memory makes you think:
“Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?” – Culture Club

Give me time to realize my crime… (Wala lang, hindi ko marelate yung song sa category eh!)

- Somewhere in your wedding vows, you should have included:
“About A Girl” – Nirvana (I Do!)

I’m standing in your line, I do hope you have the time…

- On your deathbed, you'll whisper:
“Upside Down” – Two Minds Crack

Baby you don’t understand, our love lies lost but you’re still holding my hand…

- Your friends say behind your back:
“You’re A God” – Vertical Horizon (I know! Hahaha!)

But I’ve been unable to put you down, I’m still learning things I ought to know by now…

- You say behind your friends' back:
“Where Did You Sleep Last Night” – Nirvana (Because my friends sleep around?!)

My girl, my girl, don’t lie to me, tell me where did you sleep last night…

- Your opinion of Blogging:
“Mad World” – Tears For Fears (It’s truly a mad, mad cyber world out there)

I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad, the dreams in which I’m dying are the best I ever had...

- When you wake up in the morning, you mutter:
“Name” – Goo Goo Dolls

You grew up way too fast and now there’s nothing to believe, and re-runs all become our history…

- If you found yourself lost on a desert island, you'd yell:
“Trouble” - Shampoo

Oh oh! We’re in trouble!

- Right now, your feelings are:
“Crash Into Me” – Dave Matthews Band (I’m in stalker mode!)

Lost for you, I’m so lost for you, you come crash into me…

- What's your excuse for reposting this music survey?:
“Beat It” – Michael Jackson (Beat It! I want to post this and there’s nothing you can do about it!)

You wanna be tough, better do what you can, so beat it, but you wanna be bad...

- Your life's soundtrack:
“Perfect” – Smashing Pumpkins (Just perfect!)

Perfect, you know this has to be, we always were so free, we promised that we'd be perfect...

- The day you fell in love was the day that:
“You Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” – Hall and Oates (Syeteks! The day I fell in love was the day he fell out of love?!)

You never close your eyes anymore when i kiss your lips...

- You Scream During Sex:
“Lithium” - Nirvana (Yeah, yeah, yeah!)

I'm so horny, but that's okay, my will is good, yeah, yeah, yeah! I like it - I'm not gonna crack!

- Your farewell message to the readers of this music survey:
“One Way Or Another” - Blondie (one way or another, I know you'll be answering a meme of this sort, too!)

One way or another, I'm gonna win ya, I'm gonna getcha, getcha, getcha, getcha!

Tuesday Tunes - Week 15

Better late than later!!!

Tuesday Tunes is back for the new year. I had a request for a music bit of word association. You know the drill. I'll post 10 words and you tell me the first song/album/band etc that comes to mind.

Cruel: Cruel Summer – Ace of Base
Drunk: Laklak – The Teeth
Scared: If You’re Gone – Matchbox 20
Cover: The Man Who Sold The World - Nirvana
Color: Seven Black Roses - Chicosci
One: One – Metallica
Young: 1979 – Smashing Pumpkins
Punk: I Wanna Be Sedated – The Ramones
Age: So Little Time - Arkarna
Believe: As Long As It Matters – Gin Blossoms

Last Survey For The Year (Maybe)

50 ODD things about you!

1* Do you like cheese?
I like it on my spaghetti and pizza and as ‘palaman sa tinapay’ but I don’t like eating it on its own.

2* Have you ever smoked heroin?
Nope

3* Do you own a gun?
Nope. And I make it a point not to give toy guns to my godsons.

4* Your favorite song?
Top of the head? Upside Down by Two Minds Crack

5* Do you get nervous before doctor appointments?
Sort of. I think I’m just naturally paranoid.

6* What do you think of hotdogs?
I love them! Unlike cheese, I can definitely eat hotdogs without embellishments.

7* Favorite Christmas song?
Right now it’s Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”. Also, Jars of Clay’s version of “Little Drummer Boy”.

8* What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
Cold water

9* Can you do push ups?
Yep, but who actually enjoys doing it?!

10* Favorite super-hero?
Wolverine

11* What's your favorite piece of jewelry?
Earrings. I feel naked if I don’t wear any.

12* Favorite hobby?
Daydreaming!

13* Secret weapon to get the opposite sex?
Syempre secret hahaha! I don’t know really but when I usually become snappish towards a guy, it means I’m starting to like him.

14* Do you have A.D.D.?
Hahaha… I don’t know. There are times when I’m hyper but it’s not consistent. I don’t think that counts.

15* What one trait do you hate about yourself?
I overanalyze. Sometimes things are simply what they are.

16* Middle Name?
B as in boy!

17* Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment
1. Why do these things always happen to me?!
2. I want to smack my brother for what he did to my car again.
3. I think I need to comb my hair all the time.

18* Name 3 things you bought today?
1. Boxer shorts for my brother
2. A new top
3. Office desk mirror

19* Name 3 drinks you regularly drink?
1. Cold water
2. Cold water
3. Iced cold water

20* Current worry right now?
That the world is getting smaller damn it!!!

21* Current hate?
Myself.

22* Favorite place?
My room. Starbucks in Standard Chartered Ayala. Powerbooks.

23* How will you bring in the New Year?
Fireworks, videoke and dancing in the streets!

24* Where would you like to go?
Baguio. Back to Bora again. Ilocos (Joy!!!). LONDON!

25* Name three people who will complete this and return?
Easy – Bom, Mark, Jen. You three better do this! Hahaha!

26* Do you own flip flops?
Yep.

27* What shirt are you wearing?
My Beatles shirt.

28* Do you like sleeping on satin sheets?
Not really.

29* Can you whistle?
Big fat NO.

30* Favorite color/s?
Blue.

31* Would you like to be a pirate?
As long as Jack Sparrow is my captain!

32* What songs do you sing in the shower room?
Whatever’s stuck in my head.

33* Favorite girl's name?
Amanda

34* Favorite boy's name?
Anthony

35* What's in your pocket right now?
Loose change.

36* Last thing that made you laugh?
My brother’s friend. He’s such a character!

37* Best bed sheets as a child?
Hmm… couldn’t remember.

38* Worst injury you've ever had?
Probably the sprained foot back in college.

39* Do you love where you live?
I love our home. However late the time is, I still will choose to go home than sleep someplace else. And for all its faults and excesses, I’m alright with living in Tondo.

40* How many computers do you have in your house?
Two.

41* Who is your loudest friend?
Ketz!

42* How many dogs do you have?
None

43* Does someone have a crush on you?
Maybe! hehe…

45* What is your favorite book?
Excepting Harry Potter, To Kill A Mockingbird.

46* What is your favorite candy?
Skittles. And any mint chewing gum.

47* Favorite Sports Teams?
Ginebra Gin Kings forever and ever. Dallas Mavericks. Manchester United.

48* What song do you want played at your funeral?
I haven’t really thought about it. As long as it’s not Hindi Kita Malilimutan or Habang May Buhay.

49* What were you doing 12 AM last night?
Re-reading one of my Foxtrot treasuries.

50* What is the first thing you thought of when you woke up?
Why am I already awake at 6:12 in the morning?! But of course I went back to sleep and woke up again around 10 am.

Cantitruncated Tesseract

Obviously, this is the type of post that says absolutely nothing about me except that a) I like Wikipedia; b) I like memes; and c) I’m bored. No need to tag anyone. I’m sure all of you have better things to do.

THE INSTRUCTIONS

Go to the Wikipedia home page and click Random Article. That is your band's name.
Click Random Article again; that is your album name.
Click Random Article 15 more times; those are the tracks on your album.

My Band's Name: Koh Boon Hwee

Our Album Name: Grangegorman


The Tracks:

Pablo Popovitch
Charlotte Elliott – our band seems to be interested in making songs about real people!
Portman Building Society
Things That U Do – of all the artist that we could have covered, why Jay-Z?!
Mater Dei
Meering
Johnny Yuma
Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry (European Commission) – whoa! what a long title for a song!
John Nevil Maskelyne
Bishan Stadium
Battle of Brandywine – token nationalistic song
Jadraque
Gate of Heaven Cemetery – token morbid song
Electronic Correlation
Cantitruncated Tesseract – what a lovely title for a song!

Top 5 On Friday - Week 154

Top 5 songs that should never be covered again!

1. Stevie Wonder songs – I understand that a lot of people love his songs because I love them, too. But I just can’t stand listening yet again to a cover of Overjoyed, Knocks Me Off My Feet and Lately.
2. Songs with glory notes, like I Will Always Love You, Love Takes Time, Love Will Lead You Back and any Celine Dion songs.
3. Power ballads – I pity those Metal bands. For all their macho posturing and hedonistic-themed songs, they will forever be associated with their mushy power ballads (which is almost always their most commercially successful singles).
4. Not really a song but can we please stop this pathetic need to make a Bossa effin’ Nova version of every songs?! They did it with Beatles, they did it with VST and Company, fuck, they even did it with Nirvana! And recently I heard in the mall a Bossa Nova album of Christmas songs and it made me want to scream and scream. Enough already!
5. Bohemian Rhapsody by The Queen – should only be sung in karaokes when you’re trying to have fun. Not to be sung in noon time variety shows.

Friday's Feast 172

Appetizer
Make up a word and give us its definition.

Aaiiyeeehi – the sound that explodes in my head when I see my crush unexpectedly.


Soup
What is currently your favorite song?

“Run” by Snow Patrol. It’s one of the songs that I will always associate with this special person (corny…). It’s a sad goodbye song (ouch) but there’s hope behind the sadness.


Salad
What’s at the top of your Christmas wish list this year?

The very first thing I asked for was the DVD of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and hopefully, I will get it tonight! Other things I asked for are books, DVDs and yes, a freakin’ corkboard that I’ve been wanting to buy for, like, forever. Right now I just passed by National Bookstore and they got tons and tons of Post-Its! I want those, too! And I also want a Moleskine cahier notebook. (Don't you get this feeling that I want a lot of things this Christmas?)


Main Course
Name a scent that reminds you of someone special in your life.

The smell of grass and dried leaves and rain and sun-kissed skin.


Dessert
Who is someone on television that you feel probably shouldn’t be, and why?

“Senator” Bong Revilla, because he’s supposed to be a senator and yet he’s acting like a first-class buffoon and he’s not even funny.

Friday's Feast # Whatever!

After a looonng while...


Appetizer
What was the last game you purchased?

I purchased an R4DS for my Nintendo DS Lite which allows me to save downloaded games to a memory card. The last game I downloaded via Torrents was Elite Beat Agents.

So far, I have not purchased any cartridge for my DS Lite. The only cartridge I have (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) was also a gift from my brother.

(wait – did I answered the question correctly or did I misunderstood it?)

Soup
Name something in which you don’t believe.

I’m mostly a skeptic, so there are a lot of things I don’t believe in – which doesn’t mean that I’m closed to the possibility of me being wrong about it. I just need more evidence before I choose to believe.

That being said, I don’t believe in fortune-telling. I’m a firm believer in our free will and I think trying to divine what the future holds can affect a person’s ability to use his/her free will.

Salad
If you could choose a celebrity to be your boss, who would you pick?

I would choose a British actor, probably Sir Ian McKellen or Alan Rickman. I think their dry humor would be a welcome presence on pressure situations. And I’ve heard them talk and they’re witty and articulate and I think I would learn a lot from them. I didn’t choose Gary Oldman because I would too distracted to function.

Main Course
What was a lesson you had to learn the hard way?

That I will always say goodbye to a lot of people, even those, and especially those that I care about the most. It seems like such an ordinary thing and something that one should have known as a fact of life, but nothing really prepares you for the moment when the people you care for leave. It was always hard for me. And it’s not always about another person physically moving away, but also those who move away because you’ve grown apart.

Dessert
Describe your idea of the perfect relaxation room.

I read about this bed and breakfast in Tagaytay called The Boutique and I think their concept! Upon check-in, the customer will go to the Powder Room and select her own shampoo, conditioner, lotion, room scent, etc. You get to choose also your pillows from the Pillows menu. And of course, LCD TV! That would be perfect for me.