Just got lucky.

I've never bought a lotto ticket but I think I better consider that now.

haha.

Let's just say somehow I had already tested my luck with regards to raffles although not all the time of course. I won a Lighthouse Family poster and cd back in high school from a radio station's raffle. I won again from that same radio station 1 grand for a brand of lotion's promotion. When I was on college, my classmate forced me to buy tickets for our IECEP night acquaintance party raffle promo and I purchased 2 tickets and guess what? I won the first and 2nd prize! 21" TV and DVD player. lol. Only got 2 tickets and both were picked. I did not even attend the said event. Such luck.

Yesterday, we had our company Halloween party and I was so sleepy that I decided not to attend. And when I went to work last night, I was surprised when the guard handed me a paper bag and let me sign a paper (I think the guard was more excited than me.haha) And when I checked on the bag, wow, it's a new wristwatch and a cash gift certificate! I can't remember buying any raffle tickets. Then I learned that it was a raffle for those agents who had perfect attendance for the last quarter. Just got lucky, my name was picked.

But the moral lesson of the story is, don't attend an event if there's a raffle promo portion. lol

Come to think of it, it's been over 2 years already since the last time I wore a wrist watch. After my last watch's battery died, I stopped wearing one. Maybe this is a sign. Sign of what? That I am running out of time or I still have plenty of it? hmmmm....

But weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

Just got lucky indeed.



I hope I'd be lucky in love too.XD

wearing her newly won watch.^_^

Confessions of a "Bookaholic"

I love books.

Old and new. I just love looking at them especially if they are piled in a ceiling high book shelf. I love feeling them. The texture of the paper used. Some have embossed title cover. Some are shiny. Some are rough. But mostly smooth. I love running my fingers through them But most of all, I love smelling them. I don't know but books have a certain distinctive smell that when you enter a library or a bookstore you can't help but mutter: "Ahhhh! It smells like books!" =p

Even old books have distinctive smell. Yung tipong galing sa baul tapos pag inamoy mo sasabihin mong ang bango! (may kasama pang achoooooo!) XD

Kidding aside, what makes its smell distinctive is its smell of knowledge. Cause you know in between those pages is a world of its own. Some authors spent years to complete a book. Some only spent a matter of days. But every book promises knowledge. And if I'd mix that smell of knowledge with coffee-aroma ---- wala na. "I'm on a high!"

My knack for reading did not start at a very young age. When I was a kid, I was more of a TV/Comics fanatic. Books looked boring for me. They are literally full of words. No illustrations, just pure sentences. Plain Boring.

When I was in high school, I joined the bandwagon of reading Hardy Boys and Nancy Drews. But those did not lauch my book addiction. Third year high school: we had to submit a full novel analysis and I had no idea which novel I must read. My aunt suggested Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. It took me 3 months to finish the entire book. It's not because I didn't have ample time. It was maybe because the book is just really thick (it have 1448 pages!). Maybe because my reading comprehension during those time was not yet good that I needed to reread every chapter and since it was a long term project, we had to give chapter by chapter analysis.

Looking back, I realized I should had chosen a different book. That experience even made my likeness for books slimmer. After that, I was back to being stuck with reading academic text-books. And we all know that academic/school books are seasonal. Peek seasons are during quizzes and periodical exam time.

So of course the obvious question is, "What book made me love books?"

Well, as much as I want to say that it's the Electronic Communications System Fundamentals Through Advance by Wayne Tomasi, I have to give the credit to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter for the book that started it all-award. I was hooked. I badly wanted to read the books one after another. Sorcerer Stone, Chamber of Secret, Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire and the Order of Phoenix --- I wanted to devour all of them over night (during that time Book 6 and 7 were not yet released). It was a newly found addiction. And when I finished book 5, I was left wanting for more.

That was also the time when I was nurturing some first-love-romance-state. I found my hopeless-romantic salvation from Nicholas Sparks' The Notebook. From magical adventure to romance. That's when I started experimenting, widening my book preferences. I tried tested-through-time/Best-seller authors first: John Grisham, Mary Higgins Clark, Tom Clancy, Dan Brown, Paulo Coelho, Mitch Albom or pretty much those authors whose books are available in our school library or a classmate has in possession. After that, I practically read anything (academic books are still exemptions here of course). Books from famous authors, new authors, controversial books, self-help books, fictional and non-fictional books. My pace gradually increased, comprehension was developed. Books that I can finish off in one sitting. Although there are still those that took me months to finish but it's either because I don't like the story or it's just badly written. But at least I still finish them anyway.

So my point here is: It's never too late to love reading, never too late to love books. You just need to find the right book that could change your perception. Don't be intimidated by the number of pages. The lines are more detailed and intricate than any illustrators can draw. The words are more truthful and painful. It's your time alone. It'll make you travel. It will let you get lost but it will also let you find an entirely new world.

A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in your face. It is one of the few havens remaining where a man's mind can get both provocation and privacy. ~Edward P. Morgan

This is It!

he definitely still had the moves.

I'm trying to find the right words to describe the movie. It could be considered as a tribute to Michael Jackson. It could be considered as a last memoir for his fans.

I was hesitant at first to watch this cinema. After all, this could just be another one of those concert-movies that centered on the self-centeredness of the artist/s. Also, a lot of people are fighting over MJ's royalty right now and this flick might be one of those desperate means of leeching money from the grieving fans. But whether that's the reason for the producers or not, MJ is just so great you'd forget about it. You'd even forget for a while that he was fifty. You'd think he's still alive. It will leave you hoping the concert became a reality.

This Is It is indeed a compilation of the rehearsals for the suppose to be concert of MJ. I am not a fan of MJ. But I do like some of his songs and he is the best dancer I've ever seen performed.

Forget the controversies. Forget the eccentricity. Forget the stained reputation. Michael Jackson is the best performer the music industry ever had. His originality, creativity, and even his humility, it's just amazing. He knows his music. That makes him even greater. That's what separate good from great performers. And MJ totally deserves to be called as the King of Pop.

It's somehow depressing during the film when his audience were just his own few back up dancers and concert crew. But Michael Jackson definitely still had it. Too bad though, he no longer get to live to hear all the praises.

But like those great artists that had gone ahead of us, MJ's legacy will live on.

Rating: ★★★★☆

I beg to differ.

What was your childhood dream?

Funny isn't it that when we are already old enough we are often posted with questions that are totally opposite of what were asked to us back when we were young.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

You will probably think that I am lying if I will say that I don't have a childhood dream. All of us must have had one at one point in our lives. Well, let's just say that I am not one of those lucky bunch who at the age of 6 had already realized and said to themselves that "I will be a professional singer someday". I always sing out of tune. My body stiffens whenever I'm in the dance floor. I have tendencies to be stoical. In short, the world of entertainment is not for me. I never imagined nor see my self auditioning. That'll be the end of the world if I do that. lol. I also have no talent for drawing. I can only do basic shapes so fine arts, architecture or becoming a painter were out of the picture as well. Back then and maybe till now, I am still trying to find myself a place under the sun.

But when we were graders, our teachers were like broken record, always asking us what do we want to do with our lives. And believe it or not, as for me, first dream was to be a traffic enforcer. lol. I was just amazed as to why is it that a person standing in the middle of the street can avoid being ran over by a track or getting hit by a car. Leaves me chuckling with the thought of me wearing a white glove under the heat of the sun at the center of a cross road. What a sight. haha.

I also thought of becoming a teacher so I could wear those mono-colored uniform, terrorize "little people" and how fun it would be giving tests instead of taking them!

But yes, I never become one of these.

When I reached high school I get to know more of my skills more than my talents. I had set my mind to take up accountancy. I've been acing our bookkeeping subject and as a hard proof, if you'd look at my high school year book, you'd see under my profile: "She's going to be an accountant."

But yes again, I'll never be one.


I found myself enrolling for an engineering course. The path I had chosen was tough and uncertain. But then somehow I finished college. Though in the end I failed to get the title I thought I'd have after 5 years and 6 months of preparation. I could say that that was one of the darkest and saddest days of my life. Then you might even wonder what the hell am I doing. Staying in this place that would constantly remind me of my failure. Staying away from the comfort of my family and friends.

But well, just like what they say: you got to cry a river, build a bridge and then get over it.

I think I am stronger than I ever gave myself credit for.

True: Life right now doesn't include a professional license card, an entire 25th floor with the view over looking the city as an office, no product design projects, no yellow beetle as a car, no dozen credit cards. Maybe I am not cut-out to be a company project engineer (or maybe not yet) but then, so what?

All I know is that right now I am blessed. Truly blessed.

And that in this worldy-world whose tenants always try to impose and put you in a box, I am just glad I did not turned out to be someone's I-think-you'll-be-this.

Yes, I beg to differ.

The Ugly Truth

The Dream Guy.

Hmmmm....He must at least be 6 feet tall with washboard abs, a man who orders tap water with dinner and not an overpriced bottled water, blue-eyed with a high paying job. Hmmmm....Maybe a surgeon, lives next door and must love cats.

Wait.

That is not my description of my dream guy. That's just my conclusion of Abby Richter's (played by Katherine Heigl) apt description of his ideal man after watching the movie The Ugly Truth. In a way, this chick-flick attempts to portray the modern kind of dating especially for modern/professional/independent/Type-A career women are having --- the common dating problems faced by professionals --- dealing with a date much like a job interview: set an appointment, have the guy's full-background checked and qualifications must be met. The only problem is, one can't seem to tell a certain guy "You are Hired as my partner" straight on. That would sound so over-the-top. In a way we can say that it's definitely outrageous but in a way as well, we can say that it's true. Not with all these women, us women (I have to include my self), never ending fight for equality over men. Oh, we can say we do have tendencies to be control-freaks. But this perfectionist Ms. Producer though living in the 21st century still believes in Mr. Perfect.

But of course this is a chick-film and the up and coming scenarios are pretty much predictable. There's this guy who is the total opposite of all these qualifications, thus totally not her Mr. Perfect: a male chauvinist, rugged, brash, full of bravado guy whose philosophy is for men and women to look for lust and not love (but I have to add extremely good looking as well) >>> Enter Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler). Let's just say they've finally found their equal. Equally dominating, equally domineering, equally commanding, equally suffering from superiority complex. Ooooops. I think they all mean the same. But at least now you get the picture. But at least as well, in that sense we could deduce that they are definitely compatible. *wink

The movie posted couple of stereotypes. How men differ from women. Like "Rule #4: Never talk about your problems 'cause men don't really listen or care." Huh? Really now? That is so crazy. I wonder if any guy would admit that that is true.

It also presented the never ending battle of the sexes, superficiality, and the there's-no-such-thing-as-Mr.-Perfect-cliche or the old romantic-comedy formula. But nah, sometimes a movie is just a movie ---- some guilty pleasure, something to lull our selves.

On a personal note, in a way I had identified myself with Abby. Let's just say just like her I am romantically challenged and I too sometimes tend to be a walking checklist. But then the more I am exposed to reality the more that my checklist is becoming a description of a certain person. lol. But the bottom line here is that that's why it's called a dream guy because that's exactly how it is defined: a guy we dreamed up and wished to have.

I don't know if you would say that that is an ugly truth. But the cliched truth is there's no one here on earth who could fill out all the items in our checklist. And the only way to make that dream a reality is to realize that some dreams are realities we simply failed to recognized.

Sometimes the truth is: He was right there all along.

great combination!

Rating: ★★★★☆

Dance, Dance, Dance till you drop.

I don't dance.

I mean, I do if it's compulsory but I just can't. I'm referring to the real "dancing" and not just moving.

I wouldn't mind singing off key or even try sketching, just don't let me bust some moves.

Dancing and me are like oil and water that just don't mix. Maybe it runs in the family. I mean I haven't seen my mom and dad dancing at all. As in ever. Although when I was still in school especially during elementary days, dancing is part of our P.E. classes and I wonder how the hell did I pass. haha.

Truly, not that I have a low self-esteem. It's just the truth. One word: Horrible.

That's why I have high respects for those people who could really dance because I know it's something I really can't do. In a way I do envy those people and thoughts of I would do anything to dance like that is totally inevitable. I wonder if if I'll enroll myself in a dance class will I still have a chance of softening these bones? Maybe it will be the first time ever that I'd be kicked out from class. lol.

Well, recently I've been a fan of a certain music video. It's a clip from a performance from So You Think You Can Dance. I watched it for the nth time already. I just found their interpretation for the song Mad by Neyo so amazing. And I find the snuggling part dreamy. ^_^

Oh, I sure do want to dance like that. haha. I appreciated the song Mad because of this. Watch the video. It's really cool.

Time Traveler's Wife

Time Travel. Love. Infidelity. Sex. Age. Fate. Death.

Those are the top things that will first come to mind whenever I'd think of The Time Traveler's Wife at least if I'd think of the book more than the movie. It's one of those books that I wanted to read in one sitting simply because it's definitely a page-turner. However, the number of pages won't allow me to do so.

The plot is complicated, ambitious but that's when you know the author is great. That although you know that a story such as this is totally impossible in real life, you'd end up believing it anyway.

From the book synopsis --- This is the extraordinary love story of Clare and Henry who met when Clare was six and Henry was thirty-six, and were married when Clare was twenty-two and Henry thirty. Impossible but true, because Henry suffers from a rare condition where his genetic clock periodically resets and he finds himself pulled suddenly into his past or future.

Weird isn't it?

That's why in a way I was wondering how will the film-makers be able to materialize the book in to a movie with-out confusing its audience especially those who have not yet read the book. And I'm satisfied with the movie outcome.

Of course there's a lot of scenes that were omitted. Not all characters were given much spotlight. Not all topics I've mentioned were included. This is not a sci-fi movie by the way. So don't think this is one of those sci-fi movies that dwells more on the possibility, rationale and theories behind time traveling. And although if you had read the book, there's a lot of explanations about that subject, it helped that in the movie, they did not dwell in to that much.

It focuses more on how Clare and Henry cope and tried to live a normal life. It showed us that true love can definitely wait over and over again. And though in reality time passes, if you're with the one you love, you can make Time stand still.

Waiting.

Sometimes I wonder if waiting is a unique gift given to women. Like princesses in fairytales simply wait for their prince charming to come not that they'd go looking for prince charming themselves. That reminded me of a friend getting reprimanded by her mom cause she said she'd go looking for love. Her mom rebuked her and said no, you don't go looking for love. Love looks for you. Let it find you.

But what if Love finaly finds you but it always come and go? Would you rather keep on waiting or look for someone who can stay?

Clare always finds herself in such predicament. She don't know when Henry would disapper and when would he come back. Who would want their husband disappearing during the first night of their marriage or during Christmas and New Year's eve? With-out any means of contacting him. Or in your ordinary lives as husband and wife, you'd find the shower left open, the stove still on fire and you always find your self picking up the pile of clothes left by the time-traveler. One can't help but admire Clare's patience and undying love for Henry.

A time-traveling husband is definitely not possible but a love shared by Henry and Clare is definitely to die for.

Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana did an excellent job!

Love indeed transcends Time.

Rating: ★★★★☆