Top 10 Things I’m Looking Forward to in 2010

Okay, I know it’s a month too late to be making Top 10 lists, but hey, I still have 11 months to go anyways

1. Challenges and Difficulties ahead in my new job – 3 days into my new job and I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. But for some reason, I’m looking forward to it because I feel like I’ve been stagnant for soooo long and it’s time for me to get off my butt and challenge myself. Now if only I can wake up early in the morning…

2. Weddings – 3 really good friends are getting married this year (i need not name names, you know who you are) and while I’m not marriage’s biggest fan (well, at least for myself) I am so excited for them because weddings are always fun and at least it’s proof that love still works for some

3. Upcoming movies – call me “mababaw”, but the anticipation for these movies is something i so look forward to. Percy Jackson, Clash of the Titans, Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland, The Last Airbender (aka the real Avatar), Toy Story 3. The list goes on and on and on

4. Concerts and Gigs – although it will make a dent in my pocket, having some of my foreign acts come here is something I don’t want to miss. Kris Allen and Paramore are the only ones confirmed so far, but I’m sure there will be more. And gigs, gosh I miss gigs: Taken by Cars, Techy Romantics, Sino Sikat, Urbandub, Up Dharma Down, Cynthia Alexander

5. Going Back

“And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time” – T.S Elliot

6. Stepping Out of the Country – I’ve been making this promise to myself for five years now, and five years I’ve failed myself. Let’s try again this year okay? Now about that passport…..

7. Meeting New People – while I dearly love the friends that I have right now, I still feel like my world is too small. I’ve just been always too “shy” and, well to be honest, tamad, to go out and socialize and explore. But I am now “forced” to do so coz my new job requires me to, so I have no choice. Who knows, I might learn something along the way

8. Stepping Out of Myself – i think it’s about time i do something about all the injustices in this world. So I’m gonna put on my superhero costume and fight crime and….okay, so of course I can’t do that, but I can take small steps by volunteering and doing something, not just rant about it

9. Moving – I hate the overcrowded MRT, the never ending parking lot of EDSA and the mad dash to get to Makati from QC. So apartment hunting is the first on my list of goals for 2010. I’m gonna miss my current pad terribly, but sacrifices have to  be made

10. Meeting Bono – dreaming is free. And if I do go to Ireland for someone’s 2nd wedding, I just might be a few miles closer to him

Top 10 Ways to Be More Creative This 2010

The New Year is the perfect opportunity for you to unleash your creativity! With just a few strokes of a pen, you can liven up your surroundings and belongings, without having to spend a fortune on materials and creating designs that are personalized and just totally you! With Dong-A Shavet Deco Color Pen, you can make your life more colorful and interesting, because the pens can write on any surface imaginable

Here are some suggestions on how you can have fun designing your own stuff with Dong-A Shavet

1. Quirk your nails up!

Nail polish isn’t the only way to color your nails. You can use Shavet to create your own quirky designs with its felt tip which makes designing easier than using the normal nail polish brush. And you can blend colors and combine designs like there’s no tomorrow!

2. Pimp up your planner!

You don’t have to get stuck with the plain and boring designs of planners available in the market. Pimp up the cover and even the pages of the planner by styling it according to each month’s special occasion. For example, red theme for February, floral for May and Halloween for October

3. Make your own designer jeans and shirts!

Who says only celebrities can make their own fashion line? Use Shavet to add your own style to plain pants and shirts. And since the ink is washable, you can change designs as often as you want, without buying new clothes!

4. Colorful Mirror on the wall!

If you’re one of those people who look at the mirror first thing in the morning, then designing your mirror will surely start your day right! You can adjust your mirror art to your mood and preferences for the day. Caricatures, rainbows, flowers, even abstract art will do because anything goes!

5. Save the earth, design a mug!

If coffee shops are your second home, you can help save the planet by bringing your own mug so that you lessen the use and purchase of paper cups. And you can be stylish while doing so by adding cute touches and designs to your mug.

6. Graffiti is not always bad!

If your parents would allow you or if you live on your own, choose a small nook in your house and create your own wall graffiti. Shavet is permanent when dry, but easy to wipe off when wet. So give in to your inner street artist and give graffiti a try!

7. Watch and Learn!

Watches aren’t just time telling devices anymore. They’ve evolved into fashion accessories over the years. And you don’t need to buy 20 watches just to have variety on your wrist. Buy a plain colored watch, preferably black or white, and change designs whenever it suits you!

8. Wear your Heart on Your Head

Gossip Girl revived the headband trend, and now you can create a trend of your own. On your next girls’ day out, buy all your friends white head bands and Dong A Shavet Pens and see your friends’ inner Blair unfold.

9. Gadgets aren’t Exempted

Almost everyone has a cellphone or laptop or music player nowadays and gone are the days when just black or white will do. And you don’t need to put stickers or wraps that might permanently damage your gadgets’ surface. Shavet uses opaque water based acrylic paint so it won’t leave a permanent scar on your gadget, if you want to be as creative as you want

10. Say it with a (very creative) Card

They say that greeting cards are a thing of the past. But you can revive this time-honored tradition by creating your own version of a card, using any materials (corrugated board, Japanese paper, cardboard, etc) that you see fit. And because Shavet can write on any surface, designing your card is a piece of cake!

Those are just 10 examples of how Dong-A Shavet can help you become the creative artist that you want to be, in simple, everyday ways. I’m sure you can think of more ideas if you just let your imagination run wild. Let Shavet fuel your ingenuity!

Dong-A Shavet is available at all branches of National Bookstore and SM Stationery Section

Eleven Songs That Defined 2009 for Me

In no particular order….

“Breaking” – Anberlin – this song is for all those who broke hearts all over the place. You know who you are. I wish that 2010 will be the year of turning your life around so that no more girls (or boys, to be fair) will cry because of you

You make breaking hearts look so easy
Seems like you’ve done this before
You’ve got breaking hearts all but down
And you’ve done this, you’ve done this before

“Use Somebody” – both the original by Kings of Leon and the cover by Brooke White. This is one of those songs that I wish I could have written

I’ve been roaming around, I was looking down at all I see
Painted faces fill the places I can’t reach
You know that I could use somebody

“Stillness is the Move” – Dirty Projectors – It’s at the top of most critics’ year end lists and 10 seconds into the song, I understood why

after all that we’ve been through
i know we’ll make it after the wait
the question is a truth
there is nothing we can’t do
i’ll see you along the way baby
the stillness is the move

“Live Like We’re Dying” – Kris Allen – Even though Adam has been getting all the attention (and the sales), Kris is still my American Idol

and we’re all staring down the barrel of a gun
so if your life flashed before you
what would you wish you would’ve done

“Heartbreak Warfare” – John Mayer - His newest album was long overdue, and he didn’t disappoint, with songs like this one that was ripped from emo people’s diaries

Drop his name
Push it in and twist the knife again
Watch my face
As I pretend to feel no pain

“Magnificent” – U2 – Need I say more? No matter what album they release, fan or critics favorite or both, I still love. And this song was my favorite from No Line on the Horizon

I was born, I was born to sing for you
I didn’t have a choice but to lift you up
And sing whatever song you wanted me to
I give you back my voice from the womb
My first cry, it was a joyful noise

500 Days of Summer Soundtrack – okay, this is cheating of course, but the whole album was just, for lack of a better word, awesome; the perfect musical accompaniment for the perfect 2009 movie. She & Him’s Why Do You Let Me Stay Here stands out

Why don’t you sit right down and make me smile?
You make me feel like I am just a child
Why do you edit?
Just give me credit
I’m just sitting on the shelf

“If You’re Wondering If I Want You To” – Weezer – Geek rock will forever rule! I dare you to not bob your head while listening to this song

So much pain may come my way,
There may come a day when we have nothing left to say!
When the conversation stops,
And we’re facing our defeat.
I’ll be next to you,
And you’ll be right there next to me.

“I And Love And You” – The Avett Brothers – The melody, the voice, the lyrics, are all very simple. But something about the song strikes a chord in me. Maybe because those three words haven’t left my lips in such a long time…

Dumbed down and numbed by time and age
Your dreams to catch the world, the cage
The highway sets the travelers stage
All exits look the same
Three words that became hard to say
I and love and you

“Fireflies” – Owl City – Even my former officemate’s 7 year old daughter was captivated by this song. And I wouldn’t mind having all the toys in the music video too. The perfect song for Insomniacs like me

I’d like to make myself believe
That planet Earth turns slowly
It’s hard to say that I’d rather stay
Awake when I’m asleep
‘Cause everything is never as it seems

All the Songs from Glee - Again, cheating. But it’s hard to choose from among many gems from my favorite new show of 2009. They made uncool songs pleasant to the ears, and some, even more awesome than the original. April seems so far away…

What were your favorite songs from 2009?

I Should Be Working But…

So I’m supposed to be working on spiels for a golf tournament, an article about balance scorecards and a blog entry about different avifaunal species to be found on this property,

But here I am sitting on the poolside, watching longingly as people who are not employees are swimming around, wishing I was allowed to do also.

And dreaming about purchasing one of the precious few house and lots they’re selling that will allow me to retire in this paradise and wake up each morning with the fantastic view of the South China Sea saying good morning to me

And thinking about what it would take for me to actually afford to live here, part-time because of course i would go crazy living here permanently, so far away from the so called “Manila civilization”. As John said, maybe we should start shitting money by tomorrow

Until then…I will dream for a few minutes more, then go back to the “real world”. At least I have the best view possible right now

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