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Showing posts from 2013

12 Random Things I Learned This Year

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12. It's not too late to turn life into a musical. 11. It's easy to be in the same place as someone and still not be with someone, easy to keep quiet and still hear the noise in your head. 10. Friends come and go. True friends come, go, come, go . . . 9. Ignorance is bliss. Being ignorant by choice is stupidity. 8. Conferences don't change people. People change conferences. 7. When people disappear, they usually don't want to be found. When they are found, they usually are better off gone. 6. Drugs kill people.  5. Planning is more enjoyable than the actual execution. 4. Weddings are awesome.  3. Coffee is not more important than your cell phone and house keys. Priorities. 2. Typhoons pretty much look like the inside of my room when I don't clean up for, like, a month. 1. Rising from adversity is a process that doesn't just take a hop, skip, and some clicking of the heels. The song from the famous movie  Land Before Ti

Tada!: A Tribute to Loki’s Movie (oh, wait, it was Thor’s movie)

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Those who have not seen the movie yet, please turn away because spoilers aren’t fun, and I’m about to say some things that may ruin the fun in it for you. Okay? Good. Now, for those who have seen the movie, wasn’t it awesome? I’m just going to do the obligatory “I like this movie because . . . but I’d like it better if” here, then I’ll start my raving on the wonderful world of Loki. Thor 2: The Dark World The movie was okay. I’m one of those moviegoers who haven’t exactly read the Thor stories, who don’t know the Asgard histories, and who don’t really follow everything Thor (origins, plot of the story and not the movie, film stats, cast). Having said that, I’m still going to say that I love the movie for its execution. As far as I’m concerned for the aesthetics, I love the CGs, the layout of Asgard, the stars, the universes, the realms, the costumes. I even love the 3D effects because they got the parts that can be in 3D right. (Mind you, some movies just put everyth

I Have a Bad Feeling About This Mission: A Gravity Movie Review

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First and foremost, a disclaimer for those who think I did not understand the movie or think that I don't know what I'm talking about. I know what I'm talking about. And for those who haven't seen the movie, I may end up spoiling things . . . but then again, the movie's trailer pretty much shows you everything that happens in the movie. But I still encourage you to watch it (in IMAX 3D if possible). Have fun! Now I just want all of you to be reminded that this is based on my opinion alone. If you want a better, more reliable review of the movie, read Buzz Aldrin's review from the Hollywood Reporter. Gravity , a movie that has the simplest, most profound plot that I have ever seen in a long time. It buries itself in the long-questioned thought of what happens in outer space. What happens if we end up floating away? And the movie is amazing in that it employs very little to show a lot. I'm quite in conflict as to saying that this is a low-budget movie

Redemption Series: And Peter

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"But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. there you will see him, just as he told you'" (Mark 16:7). *The verse above is a reminder for me not to forget what I'm supposed to be writing about.* See What Drugs Can Do? First of all, my condolences to the family and friends of Cory Monteith. I'm sorry for your loss, and I pray that you find comfort in the One who has a plan for everything through everything. I'm also sorry for harping on the topic of Cory's death like this. there must be a million other writers out there talking about it and how drugs can steal a person away from his full potential. And although I don't exactly have the facts straight, I guess there's no better time than this to talk about how this world is turning into a death trap. And maybe somehow Cory's death can eventually save other people's lives. A Natural Response I was scrolling down my FB's news feed when I fi

Comfort in a Stranger's Smile

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Blinking cursors waiting for attention. Nodding heads fighting sleep. Restless feet seeking adventure. Aimless wandering to not really anywhere. Another day ended; a new one will soon begin. Yet the day's tiresome, mundane routine has exhausted the life out of the girl. She walked to nowhere, wanted nothing, and had no one. So she went home. The crowd was packed. Apparently, there was a celebrity. She didn't care. What happened to me?  she wondered. In a time long past, she would have been the first to have waited, the first to have showed up to that gathering. Now she walked alone to the authorized and designated PUV stop. Seriously, this jeep can fit five more people?  Her musings might have deafened her if the driver's voice was only a bit softer. She scooted to the side and let someone else sit properly on the jeep's too-narrow seat. "You can make yourself comfortable. I'll be getting off soon," she told the girl who had to walk with careful de

Someday, You, and Me

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Elusive. That's what you are. Cunning. Clever. Downright hard to catch. You are there when I want you, but you are never there when I can have you. I desire you, but you are just too elusive. They told mE to pursue you. "It's not enough," I said. "It's never really enough." They shook their heads but smiled, knowing someday I will break my resolve. "Why don't you?" they asked again. I looked down and pretended not to hear. It was eXasperating. I was alone today. The throngs of people walked by, immersed in their own worlds. They looked happy. I smiled. I was happy, but I wanTed you. I shifted my bag on my shoulder. "I shouldn't," I told myself. "I should just go home." I followed my feet. My steps took me where I should not have gone. My steps took me to you. "Just once. Just tonight." That was it. I couldn't take it anymoRe. I couldn't wait, but they made me wait. I had no choice. You were pr

A Year Ago

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One year ago, I woke up and got ready to fly to Cebu. We went to the airport, and I got on a plane. I arrived and got to my first boarding house. First in both senses: It was my first boarding house in Cebu. It was my first time to live in a boarding house. Since it was a Good Friday, most shops were closed. There weren't a lot of cars. I had to explore. I walked around. I crossed the street to Jollibee, which is always a reliable store. I walked around some more. Then I went back to my room. I didn't have any beddings, so yeah, I slept on a wooden bed with only the bedsheet to soften my bed. I didn't have my own fan. I had my laptop to keep me company though. I wrote a song. Then that was basically it. That was a year ago. A year later, that is, today, I woke up and rolled around on my very comfortable bed. I stared at the ceiling, the one that always seemed to surprise me with indoor rain, and wondered what I should do today. I finally got up and cleaned the bathroom.

Time Travel: Graduation Season

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Official photo? Every time we talk about graduation, this photo seems to pop up. Four years ago on this day, we stepped out into the real world, full of hope and excitement for the things to come. We stepped out and away from the portals that have cared for us and equipped us for what we might face. Futures were about to be taken hold of. Lives were about to change. A generation of beginnings was to be born. Four years ago on this day, we transferred the cord of our hats from one side to the other to signify our crossover from who we were to who we will be. Four years ago on this day, we graduated. For some people, leaving the confines of student life was simple. They had plans. All their dreams were lined up and ready for the taking. Some people had careers waiting for them. Others had a season of leisure and rest. Still, there were those who had no idea what to do next. Where do we go from here? What's next? I've had friends continue their pursuit of education (an

Signs: No Stopping Any Time

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I am no expert at traffic signs, but I'm pretty sure of what this sign means. So if this sign is pretty clear, then explain this. From Carlo Montoya's Flickr For some weird reason, I was drawn to writing about stop signs. Actually, lately I'm drawn to writing about any kind of sign. (Cue background singing: I saw the signs, and it opened up my eyes * Pitch Perfect version.) And to start my series of traffic-sign-inspired posts, let's talk about the No Stopping Any Time sign. Is it human instinct that we just want to break rules? Is it really that hard not to stop at a No Stopping Any Time sign? Does that sign just make us want to stop, contrary to what it actually means? Is there a program somewhere in us that steps on the brakes and suddenly halts us from whatever we're doing just to stare (mockingly) at the No Stopping Any Time sign? It's like saying to someone, "Hey, don't look now, but that strange person has been staring at you

Unboxing BDJ Dec-Jan Box + 7-Day Challenge

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Don't you just love receiving presents? I know I do. This post will mostly talk about this blogger's attempt at being a beauty expert. Let's start with the experience of receiving my first BDJ Box. If you're wondering what a BDJ Box is, think Christmases past when as children we get to open loads of boxes of gifts with all sorts of toys and chocolates and goodies. Yep, that's exactly how I felt when I opened my box. If you want a better description (that does not include toys and chocolates), you can check their website . That's a more reliable source than I am. =) Now, on to the seven-day challenge! BDJ has asked subscribers to use the products in the box we received for seven days and to document the process. Being a little lazy on the documentation part, I decided to make this instead. Presenting the process of trying to be girly with the help of BDJ. (PS, You have the right to skip this video. =) What video? haha removed the vi

Love Letter to Les Misérables

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(Note: May contain spoilers. Be warned.) Dearest Les Mi s érables , You took my breath away. There is no better way to say what you've done to me. No, I didn't die because of it, but I do remember literally holding my breath (as with everyone else in the cinema) while watching. You made us cry. I could hear my seatmates sniffing during the movie. I was a little more hesitant to let my feelings go, but in the end, when I stepped outside and finally realized the movie was over, well, you made me cry too. You were so beautiful. I must admit that I am not your biggest fan. I haven't read the book. I have only seen the movie with Liam Neeson just last year. I have only listened to the musical last year also, and it was the tenth anniversary version, so everyone was either just standing or sitting down. This latest movie, however, is simply divine. You have melded together the plain movie and the musical seamlessly. You have shown that you are ambitious, and yet you