10 Shows I’m Watching That You Might Not Be Watching But Should Be Watching

(aka Why It’s So Hard for Me to Sleep Early and Get Up Early)

Modern Family
If you happen to sleep in the same room as me and you hear me laughing in the middle of the night, chances are I’m watching this. Nuclear family + Gay family + May-December family = numerous chances for intelligent, situational and yes occasionally pratfall comedy

Better Off Ted

It’s Fringe meets The Office and 30 Rock. Ted is a handsome and suave guy-next-door who works for an insane R&D company called Veridian Dynamics that makes up the craziest inventions. Hilarity and office hijinks ensue

So You Think You Can Dance

The dance cousin of American Idol, but for me, way way better and more addictive. Hiphop, classical, contemporary, ballroom, and yes, even tapdancing. It’s a mixed bag of dancers and choreographers all trying to outdo each other every week. And yes, I am very much a frustrated dancer, hence the appeal. Oh, and did I mention the hot guys (and girls)?

Castle

Arguably, the funniest crime procedural on TV right now. When the real detectives wear a police vest, mystery writer Richard Castle wears a writer vest when tagging along on a police bust. And of course I will watch anything that has Nathan Fillion on (Buffy, Firefly, Serenity, Dr Horrible, heck, even The Waitress)

Lie to Me

Even if the idea of human lie detectors may seem legally incredulous, this is still addictive tv. You learn something new about non-verbal communication every episode and you get to see Tim Roth as a good guy for a change

The Mentalist

Simon Baker is gorgeous. The Red John case is riveting. Simon Baker is gorgeous. The CBI team has great chemistry. Simon Baker is gorgeous. The show has the perfect blend of quirkiness, violence and intelligence. And lastly, Simon Baker is gorgeous

Make It or Break It

What Friday Night Lights did for football and One Tree Hill did for basketball, this show is hoping to do for gymnastics, complete with over-the-top acting, token gorgeous guys to support the gorgeous girls, and of course, the obvious body doubles during the actual gymnastics. In other words, guilty pleasure

Fringe

JJ Abrams (Felicity, Alias, Lost), together with Joss Whedon (Buffy, Firefly, Dollhouse) and Alan Ball (Six Feet Under, True Blood) form my triumvirate of TV gods. And Abrams’ newest masterpiece, the grandson of The X-Files is no exception. And he made me forget that Joshua Jackson was once a Mighty Duck

Flash Forward

The concept is simple enough. According to Wikipedia, A mysterious event causes everyone on the planet to simultaneously lose consciousness for137 seconds, during which people see what appear to be visions of their lives approximately six months in the future—a global “flashforward”. But getting to the how, why and who of the premise is almost like a Lost-type head trip. I said almost. Nothing can beat the Lost head trip. Oh, and Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) and Penny and Charlie from Lost are here. And Harold from Harold and Kumar

V

One of the most indelible images from my childhood is watching this TV show where Diana, the gorgeous leader of the “friendly” alien race visiting the earth rips off her human mask and reveals herself to be a….okay, I won’t spoil it for you, just watch the remake, which has the potential to be just as exciting as the original. And Juliet from Lost is here, woohoo

Top 10 Things I’m So Sick of Right Now

WARNING: Excessive whining straight ahead

1. Manny Pacquiao – granted, he’s a great boxer. But do I have to see his mug in every billboard, tv commercial, newspaper, youtube video. Gah, the madness has to stop. I sure hope he wins on Sunday, otherwise there will be another flood…of tears

2. New Moon – the first movie sucked (no pun intended). all the books sucked. go on, hate on me all you twilight fanatics

3. Commuting from QC to Makati and vice versa – commuters just can’t catch a break. EDSA is a parking lot. The MRT is a can of sardines. People with BO sit next to you. Perverts try to cop a feel. Snatchers wait for the perfect opportunity. Can somebody invent a real floo network?

4. Politicians’ TV commercials – do I really need to explain it?

5. A certain so-called friend who duped everyone from here to Timbuktu – let’s just stop talking about him okay? As if he will show his ugly mug and apologize and pay everyone he owes money just because we keep ranting about him

6. Certain friends who have betrayed certain friends – again, let’s just stop talking about them. They will get theirs someday

7. Not having enough money – And yes, this is totally my fault

8. Using Internet Explorer because they don’t allow anything to be installed in the office-issued laptop – Seriously, Internet Explorer? That is so 2000. Give me Firefox or Chrome anyday

9. Being ignored by the IT Department – People, I’ve been asking you for weeks for access to sites that are part of my job. If I fail my stupid evaluation, I’m gonna raise heck – FINALLY, THEY GAVE IT! (but only because I told my boss. tattle-tale)

10. Waking up at 5AM everyday – what am I, a college student?

Things That I Miss

Before all the databases and registrants swallow me alive, let me just enumerate the things that I miss. I am not at all eloquent right now, but let me just say these things to get it out of my system (and to let people know that I do miss them)

sleep
Lola, Mama and Carlo
eating properly (and not late night binges which are sooo bad for the diet)
my high school friends
my college friends
heck, all my friends
leisurely choosing my playlist. i just rely on the genius button nowadays
window shopping
reading a book in one sitting
binging on all my crime procedural shows
lost
dvd shopping in the mrt central station
scrounging the internet for stuff to download
sleep
sleep
sleep

And so it ends…

I’m closing another “there was this guy” chapter in my life
Don’t ask me yet who, when, where, why
The pain isn’t overwhelming, but it’s there, my constant companion
Maybe in 6 months time, I will look back and laugh about it (laugh at him perhaps)
But until then…I am going through another “funeral” of sorts
And I am once again making a promise to myself that there will be no more “there was this guy” stories
Let’s hope this time I mean it

“My Salvation Lies In Your Love”

*best read while listening to Alexis’ Murdoch’s Orange Sky

I see her lying on the bed, physically helpless and weak, the energetic woman now ravaged by the disease that has stolen countless women from our lives. Her family is around her, hopeful but accepting, scared but supportive, in pain but their strength surrounds her. She is hurting, but she’s at peace, knowing that her parents, her sisters, her brothers in law, her nieces and nephews, they will all be there for her kids. And she is at peace, knowing she will soon be with her Maker. And she will never be forgotten

I listen to them raving about their babies, as if they are the most precious beings on the planet. And they are. Every little cute movement, every funny thing they say, their mothers think they’re geniuses and the cutest things. These are women I grew up with, girls I shared my youthful confidences in, girls who were with me during the stupidest and most profound moments in my life. And now I see them turning into the strongest of God’s creatures: mothers

I see a nation awash in yellow, people grieving for the loss of a beloved former president. Politics are forgotten for the moment, differences set aside, and we mourn as one. If only for a few days

I hear them constantly fight, bicker, tease each other, irritate each other. But at the end of the day, when one asks for ice cream at 2AM, the other one immediately goes to 7-11. And when the other wants desperately to change jobs, the other one revises his resume and personally goes through jobstreet everyday. It goes beyond what society deems acceptable, but they accept each other the way they want to be accepted

I see them around me, some crying, some still not understanding why I’m leaving, some trying to lighten the mood by cracking corny jokes and eating like there’s no tomorrow. They have been my family for 3 years, and will continue to be my family, whatever way I choose. They will continue to be my home away from home

I see her eyes glow whenever I come home unannounced and Lola’s frail body envelopes me in a fragile hug. I kiss her cheek and I smell the scent that has enveloped me from the day I was born and Mama asks until when I’m staying. I hear him play his inane songs to annoy me but in the next breath, Carlo asks me if I want Coke and that there’s chocolate in the ref. I spend more time away from home, but when I do go home, I know that I am truly home

That is love

10 Reasons Why I Loved/Hated The Half Blood Prince

5 Reasons Why I Loved It

1. The cinematographer was Bruno Delbonnel, who was also the Director of Photography for Amelie and Across the Universe

2. The script had a good mixture of humor, romance, action, magic and melodrama. I found myself reacting to all elements, unlike with Transformers, which had all the elements above but failed miserably

3. Gandalf, ah, I mean Dumbledore, was becoming more and more like Gandalf. Which is always a good thing in my book

4. Luna. Bellatrix. Snape. Caricature-ish characters, yes, but I found them fascinating. Only Luna can pull off wearing a lion’s head in a Quidditch match. Only Helena Bonham Carter can give justice to the insanity of Bellatrix. And I adore Alan Rickman in whatever role he inhabits. And yes, Snape is my favorite Potter-verse character.

5. For all her faults and her “borrowing” elements from Tolkien, CS Lewis and all other fantasy writers before her, JK Rowling is a pretty good storyteller

5 Reasons Why I Disliked It

1. No Bill/Fleur. Barely a Remus/Tonks sighting. If you’re gonna put in romance and the likes, why not include the two stories, even briefly. Yeah, I know you have to trim down the book to make it fit into 2 1/2 hours, but I would have loved to have seen the annoying Fleur stand by her man after Fenrir ripped Bill’s face. Or seen Tonks’ new Patronus and hear her declare her love for Remus Lupin, werewolf and all. Oh, and where was the fight scene in Hogwarts? An Order of the Phoenix and Death Eaters showdown is always very much welcome

2. Why didn’t they show the funeral? The merpeople, the centaurs, the giants, even Dolores Umbridge paying tribute to….the one who died (yes, there are still some people who dont know the one who died), that would have been an awesome ending to the movie

3. The Inferi were much scarier in the book and in my head. Here they were just…meh. Oh yeah, the Inferi were the undead who tried to drown Harry in the caves. Which is too similar to the Dead Marshes scene in Two Towers. Which leads to…

4. Is it just me, or does every fantasy movie now “borrow” (steal) scenes from The Lord of the Rings trilogy? Being a Tolkien purist (fanatic), it’s becoming annoying. Except for the Dumbledore/Gandalf comparison, I found myself scoffing (snorting) everytime I notice an LOTR reference (copycat)

5. Too long. Could’ve done with less Lavander. Less Slughorn. And that chase scene in the cornfields and the burning of the Weasley house? Pointless and unecessary

But I’m probably just nitpicking. I liked it more than I disliked it, and I wouldn’t mind watching it again. So yeah, go and watch. Otherwise, you will have no contribution to the watercooler conversation

Music Pimp # 1

A lot (okay, maybe not a lot, maybe 5) of people say that I have good taste in music. And I love recommending new and/or obscure artists to my friends. Making mixed CDs is one hobby of mine which I really, really love (please, ask me for a mixed CD, it’s been a while). So, why not make regular blog posts about artist that may be old, new, obscure or popular, which I hope you’ll enjoy. Bashing is also allowed, although for the most part, I hope you’ll agree with me

TECHY ROMANTICS

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not the biggest electronica fan. But the first time I heard them live, I fell in like with the genre, and I fell in love with the band. Just a few gigs more, and I might become an official groupie. Camyl’s voice is just heavenly, Ryan’s guitars are understated but effective and Dondi’s sampling is groovy. Their music is perfect for that moment when you’re sitting in the dark, a drink in one hand, friends around you, just silent and letting the music sink in. And no one will blame you if you suddenly want to jump and dance. Check out their music here. Be a fan also in their FB fan page here. I cannot wait for their album, coming soon. Oh, and did I mention that their song Photos Fade is my message alert tone? Right, Im a groupie alright.

IDA MARIA

Okay, I am not a fan because her name is one name short of becoming my exact name (yes, my real name is Maria Elena Ida). I am a fan because her music is F-U-N!!! She has this song called “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked” and it doesn’t get fun-ner than that. Her songs are as cheeky as Lily Allen’s, but she has this deep, raspy voice that reminds me of Katrina from Katrina and the Waves. Oh and she’s Norwegian (always a cool factor for me) and she looks like she’s from the 40s, but with eyeliner

(for some reason the Naked video is not available due to copyright stuff, so here’s another song)

STARS

Indie music darlings Stars have been around for a few years now, but except for a few indie music aficionados here in the Philippines, they’re still relatively unknown. And I guess that’s one of the appeals of this group, that they make beautiful, eloquent music, and that they belong to only a handful of us. But I don’t want to be that selfish, so I want to share them with you. I can’t even pick a favorite song, because all of their songs speak to me; atmospheric, lush instrumentation, haunting melodies. But if I had to pick one, it would be the song below, my ode to that non-existent person who was supposed to be my destiny, but got lost along the way, and may never be found

Until the next edition….

The Struggle in My Bed

No, it’s not what you think (that is, if your mind is in the gutter)

When I was still a working woman (which was like, two weeks ago), mornings are the worst. I’ve never been a morning person. I can stay up really, really late, till 5AM or beyond, but it takes a humongous effort for me to get up at 7AM. When I was still in Laguna, it was a constant battle between me and my Mom to actually get up when I needed to. 3 alarm clocks don’t make any difference, and I’ve abused the snooze button countless times

So one of the things I was so looking forward to now that I am a woman of leisure (aka freelancing aka jobless aka broke) was to wake up whenever I want to and sleep however late I want to

But it has become my greatest enemy

My bed continues to be a magnet, and me, I’m made of metallic material. But now, there is that added bonus of the emotional upheaval I experience whenever I wake up

At least, before, I had a purpose, I had something to look forward to, and yes, even the pressure and stress were reasons enough for me to get out of bed and force myself to step into the shower, when my head still wants to lie on my soft pillow

But now, I wake up, and I think to myself, “No one is looking for me, no one needs me, there is nothing that I should be doing right at this moment”. And those thoughts depress the crap out of me

And so the struggle to get my butt out of bed goes on…but this time, it is without joy lurking just around the corner. I actually dread what is lurking out there, terrified that it will devour me. And no one will be there, or will care enough, to hear me scream

Don’t get me wrong,  I know I still made the right decision, but someone needs to kick me out of this funk of my own making. Someone needs to talk some sense into me. Someone needs to drag me out of this self-pitying mode

And the scariest thought of all…is that no one is there to do all of the above

Let the pity party end

Another Wonderland Post

At a certain part in your life. Probably when too much of it has gone by. You will open your eyes and see yourself for who you are. Especially for everything that made you so different from all the awful normals. And you will say to yourself, “But I am this person.” And in that statement, that correction, there will be a kind of love. – Miss Dodger, Phoebe in Wonderland

Quietly devastating

This is what I was feeling as I watched Elle Fanning’s first starring role in Phoebe in Wonderland. While always relegated to being Dakota’s little sister, I always knew there was something special in her, even as she played a younger version of her sister in I Am Sam and she even stole scenes in Babel, as Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt’s young daughter.

Elle comes into her own as Phoebe, an odd little girl who just can’t seem to fit into the mold that the school and her family want her to be in. Apart from being “different”, she seems to be suffering from either OCD or Tourette’s which causes her to unintentionally hurt herself and break rules and say things she shouldn’t.

It seems to be a Hallmark Disease-of-the-Week movie, but the wonderful performances of the actors in the movie, Elle, Felicity Huffman as her conflicted mother, Bill Pullman as her seemingly distant father, even her younger sister (played by that uber cute younger sister in Bridge to Terabithia) and the luminous Patricia Clarkson as her theater teacher,saves this movie from becoming just another tearjerker.

But boy, were my tears jerked. It’s a good thing I was in my room alone, or else my brother would’ve laughed at me, crying into my laptop once again. What I loved most about this movie, was the metaphor of Alice in Wonderland, which happened to be the play that brought Phoebe out of her shell, (hence the title, duh). I was actually scared that Phoebe would turn out to be schizophrenic because she kept seeing and speaking to Wonderland characters  like The Red Queen and Humpty Dumpty. But I guess, when you are a young girl and  can’t understand and control what’s happening to you, you tend to escape into a world where everything seems wondrous and perfect.

There’s this scene that got me sobbing like a baby. Phoebe inexplicably jumped from the stage rafters, and afterwards, she asks her mother “Am I supposed to feel hope?”. And that is just an utterly sad question coming from a 9 year old. And I may be 21 years older than her, but I find myself asking that same question, given recent events in my life. But that is another blog entry…

Even though the ending was abit too Hallmark movie-ish, this is still a beautiful movie where no one over acted, where there was no big tragedy but it was still devastating enough, where you can find a deeper meaning to Alice in Wonderland, where you find yourself asking why do we still look differently at people who are not of our mold and why do we even want to put them into neat little boxes and categories when we should be celebrating how beautiful it is to be different from each other?

I recommend watching this movie, re-reading Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and then waiting with bated breath Tim Burton’s take (see my previous post) on this wonderful classic.

Passion Pit – The Reeling

I’m not so crazy about the song, but the video is, for me, one of the best for this year. In keeping with the retro-electronica feel of the song, the video looks like a post-prod heavy magazine collage. I love the scratchy texture and the DIY look. Now that I have a lot more time to scrounge around youtube and the web, I will be posting a lot of new and interesting stuff that im discovering (so that the emo-ing will come to a halt)