R.I.P. Mr. J.D. Salinger

The person who introduced me to my immortal Holden Caulfield has passed away.

According to reports, J.D. Salinger died on January 28, 2010 of natural causes at his secluded home in Cornish, New Hampshire. He gave life to the concept of the modern-age youth with the birth of Holden's character in the midst of the cold war.

I remember reading Catcher in the Rye when I was already in college and I feel for and fell-inlove instantly with Holden Caulfield- the anti-hero. Aside from seeing myself in him (I blogged about it before but I couldn't find the link... haay), I guess I just really have a thing for bad boys because when I was in highschool, I was infatuated with Huck Finn.

Anyway, Mr. Salinger lived a life that he wanted - peaceful and away from the harsh spotlight. Rest In Peace...

PUSANG GALA: BFFs and NFFs

So last weekend was a busy one... and a tiring one too! (bones and muscles still aching big time!)

As per my last post, I went on another climb. This time it was in Mt. Batulao in Nasugbu, Batangas. Ironically, we were only five in the group but it's the most enjoyable for me so far.

My boondock friendly friends (BFF) and I met a group of [newbie] photographers who call themselves 'Eon' whom we shared the campsite (or Camp 5 at least) with. They are a bunch of very nice and generous people (because they shared their breakfast and granma [tador] with us during the socials... hehe!)

I brought my point-and-shoot camera with me but it's broken so I can only take videos from it. Good thing Keicee brought hers. Our new found friends (NFF) took some photos of us (with their saliva-inducing DSLRs):

I can only say: Capital ASTEEEG!!!

Them guys... thank you! =)


Photo Credit: Eon Photography

Mt. Batulao, Here I come!

This is one of those most spur of the moment decisions I've done so far. Amid the frenzy during this afternoon's presswork, our little teasing with our mountaineer friend over YM turned out to be a weekend activity. We'll be climbing Mt. Batulao tomorrow... errr... later? (it's 2am already!) I missed out on the first climb so I am so eager to go this time.

I am so excited... I'll get that feeling again of kissing the sky. =)

Pondering and wandering thoughts

What am I doing, really?

I've been asking myself this question this past few weeks... months or hell yea, years... and I think I know the answer all along. I just don't want to admit it to myself and feel like a total loser. As my friend puts it, the cards have long been laid out on the table, its just that I always refuse to draw.

Still, I am praying for enough courage, for enough support, and a pat on my shoulder. Baby steps. That's what I'll do in the meantime. Then probably I might get surprise on where I come through.

Positive thoughts can get us a long way! =)

FANMODE: Vanness Wu's "Smexyness"

OMG! I could get thrown to the 6th level of hell just by looking at this pic:

My F4 puppy crush is no longer a boy... he's already a man... a SMEXY man, that is! For those who's currently raising their brows as to what this annoying term means, it is word mash-up for the Smart and Sexy (Intellectually Sexy) which is what Vanness is. Sorry guys, I am turning on my juvenile obsession mode and I am setting it real high.

I so wanted to watch Vanness' new drama called Autumn's Concerto (opposite Ady An) but I can't seem to find the time (and the pirated DVD yet...hehe) =)

Writer's BLACK

Normally, when I'm having a writer's block, it spans two hours at the most. These days, I've been having it for almost the entire week already. I can't seem to finish the articles I'm assigned with for our February issue and what bothers me is, I don't seem to bother that much.

I prefer writing senseless stuffs in my blog than fry my braincells with the technical terms I don't really understand. Not to mention, it's been a very rough day yesterday (and week for the past week actually) for me at work. I feel like I am in a black hole (because of an A-hole). . Again, I refuse to elaborate.

This afternoon, I chose to recuperate. I started laughing senselessly again and drown myself in music (it heals me, I don't know how). So far, I'm nearly done with the first of the three pending articles and I wanna hug myself for that. Positive thoughts can really get you far.

Oh, well... just trying to have a break (I've been having it the whole day!)
=)

And the 2010 Golden Globe Goes to...

I just finished watching the delayed telecast of the Golden Globe Awards 2010 and I am still ecstatic about GLEE winning the Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical category. Very impressive for their very first season with only 13 episodes to boot! Plus, the ever-charming Mr. Schuster (Matthew Morrison) was also nominated for the Best Performance By An Actor in a Television Series -Comedy or Musical but the award went to 30 Rock's Alec Baldwin.

The big winners included Avatar for the Best Motion Picture-Drama

James Cameron for Best Director-Motion Picture for Avatar and Sandra Bullock, Best Performance By an Actress in a Motion Picture-Drama for The Blind Side

Jeff Bridges, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture-Drama for Crazy Heart, Meryl Streep, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical for Julie & Julia (both not in photos), and the winner of all winners (tee-hee!) Robert Downey Jr., Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical for Sherlock Holmes!!! =)

For the complete list, see this.

Photos from filmofilia.com

Will this get me organized?

I finally got a planner! I am so stingy these days that I refuse to buy myself anything that costs more than Php200. My Belle de Jour last year was a gift from my unni. I was itching to buy the Moleskin rip-off I saw in Powerbooks, which looks decent enough but it costs about Php300 plus so I decided against it anyway.

I'm so glad I did because in-between window-shopping for cosmetics and actually buying some toiletries, my unni saw Watson's planner which one could avail for only Php149, provided you buy one of the products it sort of endorses. I bought a Safeguard bar soap (probably the cheapest there) just to avail of the planner.

The planner is not bad actually. Aside from being hardbound, it has also colorful pages with some inspirational quotes to lift up your mood everyday. It also has some beauty tips and trivias and a lot of pages to doodle and jot down notes. Sans the occassional Watsons products and other endorser products that are generously sprawled among its pages, I lurveee it! =)

Oh, and there are lots of coupons too!

Jeong Il-Woo & Joo Ji Hoon, Twin Brothers?

I seriously think these two guys look alike. Il Woo is the guy on the left, and Ji Hoon, the one on the right. The latter is senior by five years and last I heard, was serving a 6-month jail term and community service because of drug use and would be entering the military next month. I think that's just what he needs. I hope when he comes back, he'll be a reformed man. What a waste!

Twin brothers? Almost.


Both worked opposite Yoon Eun Hye in Princess Hours and last year's My Fair Lady.


Photos from hancinema.net

Waahhh... is this true?

I read from Drama Beans that Jang Geun Seok will be having an Asian tour and there are talks that he'll be going here in the Philippines as well.

In this case, I'm letting out my inner fan-girl... tee-hee! v(^__^)v

What's New

I am trying very hard to make this blog look like it's being maintained by someone my age but it's just so hard to do that... geez...

So here's what I cam up with - a change in my template after four-and-a-half long freakin' years. I like it actually. But it feels like it's so... BIG.

Incohesive piece of sheet

I wanna go home and just lie on my bed and stare at my ceiling again... in the dark and just numb my thoughts again. I am going crazy, I knew it!

Or... watch American Idol.

I am still at work but I am barely working as my mind refuses to do so but my conscience is tugging hard on it and stirs it on the other direction. So I am trying my best to write at least one paragraph for my next article. So far, I've succeeded typing the section title... and I've been struggling for half an hour already.

I am angry.

The weekend that was.

High! Haay... pretty much the same. How the weekend flies so fast. And now, it's already 9pm on a Sunday night and instead of getting ready for bed, I am buffering this Korean movie (The Case of Itaewon Homicide where the beautiful Jang Geun Seok plays a bi-polar psychopath... *dreamy*) I've been dying to watch (on youtube since mysoju.com is not that brilliant these days).

I just cleaned my room and it looks just the way I want it so even though I'm tired, I think I deserve a little Hallyu indulgence. v(^__^)v I have a lot of plans in this room but since it's not technically mine (long story), I've been having second thoughts investing on it. Oh well...

I didn't do pretty much this weekend. I just watched movies and the second season of Ugly Betty which I find more and more interesting. I like the character of witty gay guy Marc St. James (played by Michael Urie, hopefully not gay in real life but I seriously doubt it). I was planning to go out last Saturday but I stayed home and tried to work instead. My unni, her hubby, and I tried this diner in Burgos (yes, Burgos the red freakin' district near Makati Ave.) after hoarding some Korean food at this newly-opened Korean shop/store with a very nice ajumma* (middle-aged woman) for an owner.

We were actually surprised at how great the atmosphere is inside that diner (The Filling Station if I remember the name right). Too bad I don't have my digicam with me (which is actually broken...grrr) and nobody thought of bringing their camphones. The interior of the diner was pretty amazing, with collections of old memorabilias from the 50s, mostly posters and compiled photos of Elvis Prestley and The Beatles, LPs, bottles, movie posters, old telephones, radios which looked like oven toasters, and life-size Justice League figures (and Elvis too!). It actually reminded me a bit of 50s diner, one of my most favorite hang-out spots when I was in Baguio. The food was great and have large servings but pricey too. Probably because most of the patrons there are foreigners... with (really sorry for this for lack of a better term) Pinay GROs in tow. That's the sad (and annoying) part for me. But if you can look past that, you'll really enjoy the place. So after filling our tummies wiht ginormous nachos (filled with salsa, ground beef and my newly-found favorite - Jalapenos) and fries servings, with my favorite Cranberry juice, we cut the 'Burgos field trip' short and just went home.

I also entertained myself 'experementing' on what my and my ultimate eyecandies' babies would look like through morphthing. Try it, it's really fun! So this is how my babies would look like:

With Faffy Daniel Henney

With the true father (haha!) Kim Jae Won

With super cutie Won Bin

Then, I tried morphing Rob Pattinson and Daniel Henney, this is how it appeared... not bad I'd say!

thoughts

Someone got served today and I'd say it's been long overdue. I don't want to feel bad but no matter how much I try, there's still something inside me that says "oh, shucks!"
Oh well...

***

Should I go? A friend is inviting me over somewhere far away but it's gonna cost me a lot... nyar! but i really want to go. Otokajo? Hmm...

First Day @ Work 2010

It still hasn't sank on me that it's 2010 already so while I was signing something this morning, I put 2009 and it cracked me up. What's in 2009 that I still can't let go, huh?

Anywee... it's back to the world of magazine and non-stop writing and editing for me. February's fast approaching and we need to finish all the contents in a week and a half. Today was my first day (again) and I was really busy. That surprised me a bit. Last year wasn't like this. Last year, our vacation hang-over seemed to last a whole week and it didn't feel tiring at all. But I enjoyed the fact that I was doing something worthwhile this afternoon and that I was productive the whole day.

Some people aren't still up to the challenge I see. Some still don't care and it was honestly frustrating but hey, nothing can bring me down... not today, and not for the rest of the year ( I hope!) The day went by so quickly that after work, I found myself running some errands for mi mom. I was really hoping I could keep this up - you know, not wasting time and doing things that I ought to and can do and just stop procrastinating. I think I'm up for a good start. =)

It's just a total bummer that this laptop charger, which I thought rose from the dead (when it died a natural death last May) didn't after all. It worked the whole day at the office and I was so ecstatic and almost believed that a miracle stared at me right in the face. But no... when I took it home, it refused to work. So, I'm keeping this short 'coz I am running really low on battery already.

Ciao! =) 'till the next happy happy days!

FANMODE: Jang Geun Seok & Park Shin Hye

Sorry but I really can't help but smile& giggle non-stop at this video. They're so cute together v(^___^)v

FANMODE: You're Beautiful

Old habits die hard. I spent the New Year watching this Korean drama called 'You're Beautiful' and my love for watching K-dramas was re-fueled. I stopped watching for quite some time and I kind'a missed it. I don't know what's with k-dramas but apart from the surprisingly inspiring good quotes, the witty dialogues and eye candies, I guess watching it makes me forget how the 'real' world can sometimes be miserable (also translated as: how my lovelife sucks... hehe)


This is how Jang Geun Seok (right) and Park Shin Hye (left) really look. Cute!


Anyway, the story is nothing fancy: it's about a male pop group where a naive girl pretends to be a guy to be able to join it (while waiting for her twin brother who's really supposed to join the group to recuperate from a surgery gone bad) and eventually, the girl falls in-love with the most abrasive (and good-looking of course) member and they went through all kinds of struggles and complications and ended up happily ever after after all.

OMG, and this scene... =)



Just sharing! =)

First musings in 2010

They always say that new year is a new beginning. And for the first time in years, I feel that it is. I am a little bit confused though if this means letting go as well. Or forgetting (or try at least) of the things (and people) that made you feel bad, hurt you, made you cry and feel that life is worthless. But what if these things (and people) are the same reason why you smiled and laugh for quite some time?

It's difficult to argue that but then, I would think of what a friend used to say: "Past is past." And I like to add a bit more to it. "There's no way that it could be present." Thus, it can never be a gift. A gift is supposed to bring out the child in us (not worrying about a single thing and just live life like it has something grand to offer as the days go by). So probably, my friend - in his most innocuous and clueless way - is giving me something grand to think about.

Cheers to 2010! I look forward to loving you! =)

Yey, 2010! You're gonna be awesome!

Okay, peace and quiet at last. Aside from the occasional 'ka-boom' that I'm hearing from afar, the deafening sound of fireworks and clanking of my mom's improvised 'gong' to welcome the new year (and Sean Kingston's riveting Beautiful Girl from the tweenies gathered outside of mom's store) has finally faded. I can only hear my keyboard's own rhythm as I am typing my very first blog this new year.

I finally found our cats - all four of them. They were gone for two hours, obviously terrified of the fireworks. Wonbin, our half-retriever, half-halimaw dog (according to unni's hubby) has pooped and peed as expected. Poor babies. Now, Yumi is contented cleaning herself on my bed, probably getting ready to slumber.

I haven't thoroughly cleaned my room but I tried my best with some of the clutter... it looks pretty decent. I painted my nails red (as in bloody red) just for the heck of it and I am enjoying my new full-banged look. I kind'a thought it looks fake (like Anne Curtis' in Natasha's catalogue) but Kuya says it looks just great.

I am somehow sad that we welcomed the new year without my unni but I thought that's just how it is. That's how it is when someone gets married in the family. And because of it, I am happy I am single. tee-hee... But I gotta find him soon, or better yet, he gotta find me soon! O, speaking of, unni and the hubby just arrived... Happy New Year I guess.

I'm not gonna rant about what might be in store for this new year... NOT YET. But I have this awfully magnificent feeling that it's gonna rain AWESOMENESS this 2010.

Thank you God! And God Bless US all! =)