So ...

John Stevens is finally out of American Idol. I have to admit his voice suits a certain genre of music. So that kind of limited his range, and he did struggle quite a bit when the theme didn't suit his personality.

The spoilers about the final four in Survivor: All Stars was wrong. I read online that Big Tom, Shii Ann, Rob & Amber were the final four. I wish they liven it up a bit it gets kind of predictable at this point. I still watch it though.

Erin Brody made her choice: Chad V. On For Love or Money 2: a reality show with alot of twists and turns, it gave me a headache. Rob was rejected twice, Erin gets US $1.5 million and wins Chad's heart. She took a risk by choosing Chad who didn't really express his true feelings. Isn't that TYPICAL of men? Pffft

This bank keeps calling me up, offering me a cash advance of P205,000. Since according to them, I have a good credit standing and always pay my Mastercard bill on time. If they only knew how many hours I spend pondering where to get the cash to make my payments.

So what if the interest is only 0.99%? I rather remain debt free. But there is an exclusive sale for GIRLFRIENDS members now on at Sari Sari Glorieta. Everything for only P99. Oh dear Lord, I better stay away from that mall

Daily Dirt: You, your feelings and thoughts...
1. If you could change one thing about you what would it be?
Physically, my height.
2. Do you ever ask yourself if you're good enough to belong?
I've always been the one trying to fit in. Being a 'diplobrat' wasn't as glamorous as it seems.
3. Do you ever feel like you're alone?
Sometimes. So I talk to myself.
4. Who do you turn to when things get rough?
My friends - Pinky, Donna, Carr & Iyad. And of course, la familia!
5. What would your perfect day be?
Online, eating chocolate ice cream, chatting & reading websites. Hey except for the dessert part, I do that everyday. So I'm boring but blessed.

LULU'S LINES
TRIGGER::::: I waited..... for my sister to finish checking her emails. On my computer. Her Fujitsu lifebook is broken. She accidentally spilled water on the keyboard. But they were able to salvage it and we will get it from the service center, tomorrow. Bless them!
I also waited at the Highway Hills barangay hall to get my voter's ID. Outside in the heat! But, OF COURSE, it wasn't there yet! Freaking bureaucracy! To think that the elections is just a couple of weeks away. May 10! Damnation!

Thursday's Thattle
Do you sing in the shower?
Yes, I even have a radio in the bathroom.
Do you sing in the car?
Sometimes
Do you ever cry in the car while listening to the radio?
Ah nope
Have you ever been singing in the car and realize the car next to you is watching you?
The windows are tinted so no one can see me.
Do you listen to the radio loud or soft?
Just about right but I make the volume louder if I hear a nice song.

Wednesday Mind Hump
First, as a warm up, using the letters G-A-R-D-E-N reveal six things about yourself.
Now that you're warmed up ... Let's hump, shall we? Below are a list of words. Respond with the first words, words, phrase or insane idea that pops into your head!
Gentle
Argumentative
Reasonable
Docile
Enduring friend
Naughty but Nice
1. Hoe - harvest
2. Lips - kiss
3. Butter - melts
4. Pie - creamy
5. Groovy - dance
6. Hook - fish
7. Believe - faith
8. Fountain - Trevi
9. Bush - shrub
10. Sprout - Brussels

Daily Dirt - Age Ain't Nothin' But A Number...
1. Have you ever dated a younger guy/girl?
Yes but I don't look my age so it was fine.
2. If yes, did it work out? If no, would you?
Nope, it didn't work out
3. Have you ever dated an older guy/girl?
Yes
4. If yes, did it work out? If no, would you?
It didn't last.
5. Which do you prefer: dating an older or younger guy/girl?
Well younger guys don't like to commit and older ones have 'issues' to settle but either way age doesn't matter.

Wednesday Whatevers
1. Who is your biggest fan?
Fans? No idea if I have fans.
2. Do you look in the toilet when you're done?
Yes, sometimes. Who knows? I just might find the holy grail.
3. In your group of friends, what is your role?
I give pieces of advice (sometimes unsolicited), a shoulder to cry on (so I have wet shoulders), their personal cheering squad (complete with pompons)

Memes Galore
TV Tuesday
Stop me if you've heard this one...
1. Who is your favorite stand-up comedian of all time?
Jerry Seinfeld
2. Which one could you do without? (Not your type of humor, or just plain stupid!)
Paul Shore
3. Which comedian do you think has gone on to have a great career aside from doing stand-up?
Robin Williams
~Bonus~ If you went to a comedy club on amateur night, and they gave you some jokes and a microphone, would you go onstage?
Oh my God, no way! Pick someone else.
Thanks for playing - you are one wild and crazy guy!!!

Tuesday Twosome
Sleep:
1. Side of the bed: Left or Right?
I have a single bed so I sleep right smack in the middle.
2. Sleep with or without covers?
With covers, nice and cosy with aircon.
3. Sleep with or without night light?
No lights, no music please.
4. Deep or light sleeper?
Light, that is if I do sleep at all.
5. More annoying to be awoken by: alarm or phone call?
Alarm. I don't hear the phone ringing. My cellphone is on silent mode.

Daily Dirt
Around the Globe...
1. Where do you currently live?
Manila. Philippines
2. Name all the places in the world that you can think of that you've been to.
I've been to 25 countries. To cite a few - Belgium, India, Singapore, U.A.E, Italy.
3. What place in the world do you want to go to that you haven't been to yet?
Spain
4. What's your favorite place in the world, so far?
Paris, France
5. What's the worst place you've been to, so far?
Luxembourg - darn racists!

Tuesday is chooseday
Would you rather:

have the lifetime channel make a movie out of your life OR the playboy channel?

Lifetime channel with Winona Ryder playing the role.

lick a cat's nose OR give it a proctology exam without gloves?

Neither, I don't like cats!

find a bag containing $20,000 and turn it in before you find out it belonged to an known mob boss OR not turn it in, spend it all, and find out it belonged to an orphange?

Turn the bag in before the mob hunts me down, I don't take things that don't belong to me.

find out your parents kidnapped you when you were a baby and raised you as their own OR find out you had a twin that died at birth that they never told you about?

Find out I had a twin so that way I don't have to go find my real parents. Too much drama.

"Client for Raul"
For the next 2 days my hair will be straight.
I had my protein hot oil treatment.
Plus haircut yesterday.
Last time I had one was December 2003.
Yup this proves I'm not vain.
I'm not a parlor habitue.
Being stuck in one for 2 hours is SO tedious.
Of course , they said I needed a rebond.
My answer was No thanks, as usual.
I love my natural curls.
I rather spend P8000 on something else.

Monday Madness
Using the letters in the word 'blogger' describe your blog for us.
Boring to read
Long
Outlet for my thoughts
Germane
Gushy
Entertains me
Rambles on and on

Daily Dirt
If...
1. you could have a lifetime supply of something, what would you want?
Contact lens solution
2. you could be an object, what would you be?
Chair so people won't get tired standing
3. you could steal something of your crush's room, what would you get?
I don't have a crush
4. you could travel right now, where would you go?
Oh mmm Paris, France
5. could date someone famous, who would you date?
Johnny Depp lives in France. So we can date in Paris

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Elastic:: Flexible
   
2. Intervention:: Divine
   
3. Risk:: Safety
   
4. Junk food:: Potato Chips
   
5. Arrogance:: Trait
   
6. Responsibility:: Maturity
   
7. X:: Factor
   
8. Marshall:: Sheriff
   
9. Kill:: Death
   
10. Brother:: Sibling
    

Royal Wedding
I've always been fascinated with royalty. So this news article caught my eye.
Talk about meeting your Prince Charming and marrying him too. *Sighs*

(CNN) -- Former CNN correspondent Rym Brahimi is engaged to Jordanian King Abdullah II's half-brother, Prince Ali, the palace announced Friday.


An engagement ceremony was held Friday in Paris and the wedding is set for September 7.
Brahimi, who worked from CNN's London and Baghdad bureaus, notified CNN Friday that she is resigning. After the wedding, she will be a princess.
The Jordanian royal palace issued an announcement Friday congratulating the couple, wishing them success and happiness.
The head of a special force in command of protecting the monarch, Ali is the son of the late King Hussein from his third marriage to Queen Alia. She died in a helicopter crash in 1977.
Brahimi is of Algerian and Croatian heritage. Her father is Lakhdar Brahimi, the senior U.N. envoy to Iraq. She has covered major events including the Iraqi war, the Saudi response to the 9/11 attacks, the Kosovo war, the Hajj pilgrimage, and the bombing of the USS Cole. She is fluent in English, French, Italian and Arabic.

CNN Arabic.com editor Caroline Faraj contributed to this report.

This and that

I just came back from Rockwell. We took dad out for a stroll. First time he went out after his illness. It's always pleasant to entertain dad. He is a certified mall rat. It lifts his spirits up. He's getting bored cooped up in the condo. He gets annoyed when we pamper him too much. He keeps claiming he is ok now. But we girls don't like to take our chances.

I couldn't care less now who wins Survivor: All Stars. After Ethan, Lex & Kathy got voted off. But I still watch it religiously each week. Kudos to Shii Ann for persevering in the immunity challenge. But frankly, I never liked her even when she was in Thailand. I wonder why they don't see how Rob & Amber keep controlling the outcome of this game.

Last night's American Idol was a revelation. Now I know why Camile was voted out. She did not do justice to the song. But, no way can she be as bad as John Stevens. I mean, come on, week after week, he makes a fool of himself yet still NEVER gets to the bottom three. He looks pathetic. Sometimes too painful to watch.

Based on its website, Jennifer Hudson didn't make it. Now that's shocking. And what do you know? JPL is gone as well but John Stevens is still around. Argggh!

I wish they broadcast it live here. So I don't have to keep visiting their website to see if George Huff, my favorite is still around.

Next month, Star World will start showing NYPD Blue & The Practice again. Two of my favorite shows. Yippee

TRIGGER::::: I did not enjoy...... waking up this morning to the sound of hammers pounding on my wall. The unit next door is being renovated and the constant noise barrage is giving me a headache.

This week a "getting to know you" theme with an insane twist.
First, as a warm up, using the letters I-N-S-A-N-E reveal six things about yourself.
Insomniac
Nice
Sensitive
Adorable
Neurotic
Emotional
1. What's the best pickup line you ever heard and did it work?
Hi cuteheart instead of sweetheart. At first, it irritated me then I learned to accept it. He convinced me I was really cute.
2. If you were a character in The Wizard of Oz, who or what would you be?
Cowardly Lion - I need courage so I will be willing to take more risks.
3. If you were an element of weather, what would you be?
Snow to blanket the world and make it cooler.
4. If you were a breed of dog, what would you be and why.
I don't like dogs.
5. If you were a toy or a game, what would you be and why?
Scrabble - I can use the letters to express myself.

Ready? Set. Do the Hump, you loons!

1. What era would you have liked to live in?
Europe, 1880s so I can wear corsets & gowns
2. Why does history repeat itself?
Because we never learn from our mistakes
3. Why did you choose the email username that you did?
It was the initials of a former bf + 143 = I love you. Yes, very corny! Now I use my initials/my name.

Sleepless in the city
Blame the iced Cappucino I had yesterday at Cibo. Just lying in bed listening to the aircon buzzing.
I wanted to go online but my sister was asleep.
No, she doesn't sleep in my room on a regular basis. Only when my parents are around.
Anyways, it got me thinking about my life.
It seems to have come to a standstill.
Ever since I got back here September 2001.

NO diplomatic receptions to attend

NO Filipino community events to enjoy

NO travels

I most especially miss:

bar hopping with

my 'international' circle of friends

my partners in crime

exploring different cuisine

socializing with different nationalities

Nowadays, my world revolves around my family.
My few friends here have their own lives.
I hardly see them.
I've also given up making plans.
It only leads to frustration.
Ponders. Ponders. Ponders.
Before I knew it ... It's 6:30 A.M.
Time to get up and BLOG!

I answered these memes while listening to Lea Salonga & Brad Kane singing "We could be in love" repeatedly. Nope I'm not in love, I don't have anyone in my life right now. Not even any prospects. Oh well! I'll survive.

TV Tuesday
Just the facts, m'am
1. Who is your favorite (past or present) TV cop?
Bobby Simone - NYPD Blue (Jimmy Smits)
2. Which TV cop do you think was the most crooked, or the most inept?
Det. Vic Mackey - The Shield (Michael Chiklis)
3. Which TV show had the best ensemble cast of police officers?
Hill Street Blues

~Bonus~ You need to hire a bodyguard for yourself. Which TV cop do you choose?
Andy Sipowicz - NYPD Blue
Thanks for playing ... Let's be careful out there!

Tuesday is ChooseDay
Would you rather:
1. Eat pickled herring with every meal for the next year OR eat just one live monkey's brain?
Eat the monkey's brain just ONCE, to try it.
2. Assuming they paid the same, clean up elephant poop at the circus for a living OR be a senator's aid?
A senator's aid. I won't be able to stand the stink of the poop oozing out of my pores. Yucky!
3. Have every joint on your body be double-jointed OR be able to jump 6 feet straight up from standing?
I will jump 6 ft and go weeeee!
4. Choke the very life out of a cute, little bunny rabbit OR sleep in a vat of maggots for a month?
Choke the poor bunny then cry my heart out. Maggots? *Squirms*

Monday Madness
Pick a letter; any letter.........Got one?
Ok, for the following questions, each of your answers must begin with the letter you chose
1. If you were limited to 3 things to pack for an overnight trip, what would you pack?
Denim jeans, Deodorant, Duffel bag
2. What 3 things would you pack in your picnic basket?
Diet Coke, Deck of cards, Desserts
3. What are 3 things you'd rather do than go to work?
Go out on a Date, Drink strawberry margaritas, Doze off
4. Name 1 song.
Don't you forget about me [Simple Minds]
5. Name 1 movie.
Dave [Kevin Kline]

You might as well be walking on the sun
SO darn hot, I can't think straight.
I'm melting like ice cream.
I wasted water by taking too many showers.
I controlled the urge to ALWAYS keep the a/c on.
I just paid the Meralco bill today.
It was astronomically high.
Geeez! I miss the central a/c in Dubai.
As usual on weekends I go grocery shopping.
Something about the heat makes me hungry.
All the time.
I made sure my father was 'occupied' by renting DVDs for him to watch.
He is getting restless, raring to drive and go out.
But, it has only been a week. He stays in!
While we were at Robinson's Galleria.
He went down to get the newspapers.
He also had his hair cut at the parlor on the lower level of the building.
I almost fainted when I read his SMS!
Arggh, it is harder to raise a parent than a child.
After dinner, I have been blog hopping.
I discovered this site
Now I won't run out of topics to blog about.

Unconscious Mutterings

1. Virginia:: US State
   
2. Soft:: Baby
   
3. Carol:: Christmas
   
4. Vanity:: Case
   
5. Feminist:: Movement
   
6. Alias:: Nickname
   
7. Coward:: Yellow
   
8. Beer:: Tiger Beer
   
9. Chance:: Encounter
   
10. Honest:: Truth

Gratitude
From the bottom of my heart, I want to say thanks to everyone who offered their prayers and good wishes for my dad.
He's home now staying at my place.
He feels better but still weak from the meds.
Still the 'life' of this family with his boundless sense of humor.
He is the only one who can make my mother laugh.
But he doesn't like feeling 'useless'.
Being the only guy in this family, he takes it upon himself to do everything.
He kept apologizing for ruining our Easter by getting ill. Like it was his fault! GOSH!
Now, he has 3 strong willed women on his case 24/7 telling him to take it easy.
We have always been very close because being abroad most of our lives we only had each other.
Ultimately, it is my parents' devotion to each other which defines this family.
Whenever we girls go out, Dad would SMS me: Pls say hello to my beloved & take care of her.
Mom whispered to him as he was lying on his hospital bed: "You are not going anywhere, we are going to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary together."
These heart warming thoughts sustain me every single day as the sun rises.

Friday 5 October 17, 2003
1. Name five things in your refrigerator:
Mineral water, Kitkat, Nestle cottage cheese, eggs, leftovers
2. Name five things in your freezer:
Ice cream, ice cubes, shrimps, German franks, frozen meat
3. Name five things under your kitchen sink:
Tools, detergents, plastic bags, garbage can, broom
4. Name five things around your computer:
Printer, my bag, mineral H20, cellphone, kleenex tissue
5. Name five things in your medicine cabinet:
Cotton balls, Q tips, contact lenses solution, sanitary napkins, dental floss

Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Room 328
It's where I've been holed in these past 3 days.
Watching over the most important man in my life.
My father.
My worst nightmare happened on Easter Sunday.
First comes the shock. Then panic sets in.
Rush to the hospital.
His blood pressure is way too high.
He has lost sensation in his right arm.
Initial findings - mild stroke.
I calmly try to settle down.
Hard to do when my mind clouds up.
My heart sinks. Mixed emotions setting in.
CT Scan. Battery of tests.
Official result - not a stroke.
But a suspicion of it.
Medically known as a brain spasm.
A Transitory ischemic attack.
I try to absorb what that means.
I put up a brave face. In public.
In front of my mother and sister.
At Home. In my bedroom. At nights.
I give in to grief. Cry. Loud sobs.
Heart breaking. Gut wrenching sadness.
All alone in the silence. Reality sinking in.
Scare invading the silence.
I know that despite the well wishes.
Of friends.
I am truly all alone to face my deepest fear.
That life would never be the same. Ever.
Yet still very hopeful.
For tomorrow is indeed a new day.

Happy Easter


S emailed me pictures of idyllic spots.
Great wallpapers for my desktop.

Try this
1. Open your browser.
2. Type http://www.google.com in the Address field & press enter.
3. Click on "Language Tools" link.
4. In the Translate text field type "my mom is nice and cool."
5. Choose from "English to Spanish" & click Translate.
6. Copy the translated Spanish text. It should be "mi mama esta agradable y fresca." Paste it into Translate field again.
7. Choose from "Spanish to English" & click Translate.
What do you get?

Maundy Thursday highlights

5:00 pm - 7:30 pm - Heard Mass at the Manila Cathedral officiated by Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales. We were there by 3:45 pm. Just in time to get good seats and a parking spot. The cool aircon was a welcome relief from the stifling humidity caused by the slight rain.

7:45 pm - We walked all the way to San Agustin Church, sweating, drinking mineral water. It is a beautiful quaint little church but really stuffy inside.

8:30 pm - We skipped Malate Church because we couldn't find a parking slot.

8:45 pm - We reached Santa Cruz Church somewhere in the Binondo area. This is the first time I visited this church but my mother reminded me we would hear Mass there when I was a kid.

9:15 pm - After getting lost in the streets of Manila, we finally found Quiapo Church. I remember this church fondly because my mother and I would take a Boni - Stop n Shop jeep to Santa Mesa. Then hop on a Punta - Quiapo jeep every Friday way back then. A time when I still rode jeeps and still went to church. A time when my mother and I would fearlessly brave the crowd to have our little adventures.

9:45 pm - After munching on hard boiled eggs, diet coke and tuna sandwiches in the car, we entered the UST chapel . My alma mater and although I rarely stepped into this chapel except during my baccalaureate Mass, UST will always be special.

10:15 pm - By now, my sister takes over as 'transport manager'. My dad has difficulty driving at nights especially on unfamiliar routes. We get to Santo Domingo church. At the right side of the church, they had set up an beautiful area for the adoration. My feet hurt, my contact lens very dry, my body was drenched in sweat but I kept at it. My prayers more fervent.

10:30 pm - On a normal day it won't take 15 minutes to reach San Juan from Manila but we did it last night. Our next stop Santuario Church, the church of my high school days. A place where I always see familiar faces but have no idea who or where I encountered them.

11 pm - Even if we had already visited the required 7 churches, it won't be complete if we didn't pass by the Santa Ana Church. This is my favorite because the adoration of the sacraments is situated outside the church. An area decorated with foliage and solemnly quiet except for the sound of the fountain. It is also the church where my parents tied the knot.

11:45 pm - We weren't sure if we were going to make it before midnight but we did. Since it is located on our way home, we dropped by the Divine Mercy Parish, the chapel located along the roundabout of the Mandaluyong city hall. The adoration was also beautiful. A grotto like effect, with flowing water and lights.

After ordering takeout (boneless bangus & fish in tausi sauce) from Chow King, we headed back home around 12:30 am. Exhausted. Hungry.
But glad, we fulfilled another family tradition - Bisita Iglesia.

Wanderlust
I've lived in 5 nations

New Delhi, India

Brussels, Belgium

Singapore

Dubai, UAE

Manila, Philippines

I've visited 25 countries. 11% of the world.
create your own visited country map

But I have never been to Ireland
You're Ireland!
Mystical and rain-soaked, you remain mysterious to many people, and this makes you intriguing.  You also like a good night at the pub, though many are just as worried that you will blow up the pub as you drink your beverage of choice.  You're good with words, remarkably lucky, and know and enjoy at least fifteen ways of eating a potato.  You really don't like snakes.
Take the Country Quiz at the Blue Pyramid

Lunacy
Bloated. Back aches. Cramps.
Terrible mood swings.
Too emotional. Cries for no reason.
But no emotions when need arises.
Both times I watched 'The Passion'.
I was totally detached.
Hungry all the time.
Eating = upset stomach and Diarrhea.
Perspiration enough to drown a small village.
Imagine living like this, every single day.
Major PMS for the past 3 months!!!
It drove me to do strange things.
I broke up with Iyad, whom I still adore.
Yet somehow felt it was time to move on.
Shortly after, I 'encountered' someone.
My vulnerability made me trust him.
But it faltered as well.
To this day, I still can't understand WHY.
A friend joked it got delayed somewhere between Manila, Dubai & Sydney.
Then on the day that 'relief' comes.
I wake up on a 'waterless' day.
Water service interruption from Monday midnight to Tuesday noon.
And all this for what? So I can bear children?
I have no intention of having kids at all.
Ca, c'est absolutement fou!

Public service announcement
"Please patronize pirated Filipino VCDs and DVDs so that the local movie industry will die and we will no longer have actors and actresses running for public office."

I got this email from an e-groups I subscribe to.
I don't watch local films but it's a good idea!

This coming week
Monday - Go to my parents' place to water the plants & do my laundry.

Tuesday - Attend the annual membership meeting of the homeowners association at 9 AM at the Gym, Penthouse. The agenda includes:

reading of the President's report

election of the members of the Board of Directors

Other matters

.
Something I'm NOT looking forward to. But since I'm the owner of this unit, I have no choice. Last year, it was total mayhem. Bunch of people I hardly know, let alone see in this building all lording it over as if it was their sovereign right. Loads of complaints from owners/tenants, tenants wanting to have voting power, announcement of projects, backstabbing of candidates blah blah blah ...

Wednesday - Go pay my Mastercard bill.

Maundy Thursday - Last Supper Mass at 5 PM at the Cathedral then the traditional Visita Iglesia. Last year we visited 10 churches:

Cathedral

San Agustin

Quiapo Church

UST Chapel

Santa Ana

Santo Domingo

Santuario (San Juan)

St. Francis

San Felipe Neri

Divine Mercy Parish

.
My father and sister chart out the routes. My mother prepares food & refreshments. Me, well, I just tag along. For an 'erehe' as my mother calls me, since I rarely step into a church, 10 churches in one evening is me in my most religious mode. I remember during my 'angelic' high school days, we once completed 14 churches in one night. Those were the days of less traffic, no rerouting, no flyovers and no MMDA.

Good Friday - I'll probably just watch "Survivor" at its earlier time slot of 1 PM.

Holy Saturday - I'll stay indoors away from the sweltering heat. I'm not a summer person, I literally melt. I sweat buckets of perspiration, I feel like I'm drowning. In the family, it's my mother and I who are 'basang sisiw'. So you won't find me at beach resorts. It ain't my thing.

Easter Sunday - Mass then Easter lunch outside.

So whether you are in Boracay, your hometown, in 'tranquil' Manila or overseas, I hope you all have a MEANINGFUL Holy Week.

"The World on your Doorstep"
One of the highlights of my week is retrieving my mail from the basement. I always look forward to getting my weekly issue.
It's like my bible. I read it from cover to cover.
This article provided me more insights on this 'movement'.
I've always maintained a neutral stand on this sensitive issue. But, Wajdi and I would have heated arguments about his beloved homeland and end up not talking to each other for days.

Shocking News
I was really shocked when I read the foreign news section of the Philippine Star today. It had his picture near a story about the brutal ambush of 4 US civilians in Fallujah, Iraq. I remember watching him on the reality show "Combat Missions".


Scott Helvenston: Fallen Hollywood Hero

"The Passion of the Christ"
I watched this movie last week.
It was a pirated copy though.
I plan to watch it again on the big screen.
I'm interested to see people's reactions.
My parents think it would a good Lenten treat.
They have their senior citizen cards.
So they watch movies for FREE.
This is like winning the lottery for them.
We are a family that watches movies a lot.
Even if it is for free, though.
They still choose the films.
It would be a waste of time.
If the movie is totally crappy.
Anyways, my sister emailed me this article.
It is rather long but it provides interesting insights about the movie.

Remakes
At 3 A.M. as I was plucking my eyebrows in the bathroom, I heard Ronan Keating belt out the Kenny Rogers hit, "She believes in me".
Yes that's correct. I was plucking my eyebrows at such an unholy hour.
And yes, I do have a radio in my bathroom.
Anyways, I don't like his version of this song.
I don't like the fact that he changed the lyrics.
But I've always loved his voice & most of his songs.
My favorite is "When you say nothing at all" from the soundtrack of "Notting Hill".
The Julia Roberts & Hugh Grant movie.
For a guy known to make hits from remaking songs, I was hoping he stick to the original lyrics. I guess he rehashed the song to adapt it to his own style.

Verbs
It amazes me

that my parents never run out of things to tell each other

that the 4 of us can talk endlessly

that Filipino guys don't turn me on, no matter how hard I try

that I believe the "15 year old" liquor ad is NOT offensive

It amuses me

that I only eat fruits when my parents stay at my place

when my sister and I talk about other people, in French

to watch CNN all the time

that I never run out of topics to blog about

to eat Lay's BBQ potato chips at 3:30 A.M.

to watch this French movie on TV 5

that it stars Yves Montand & Romy Schneider, actors of my childhood

It frustrates me

that the more I want to forget Iyad, the more I think about him constantly

that certain songs can make me cry in a jiffy

that I will never have closure with Caesar

It annoys me

when hairdressers insist I get my hair straightened

when products I have been patronizing vanish from supermarkets like Pillsbury toaster buns & Prego cream pasta sauce

when sales staff simply ignore me cause they assume I can't afford it

when some people say 'Wala nang pag-asa ang Pilipinas' ['The Philippines is hopeless']

It baffles me

that I'm not 'maternal', kids get on my nerves

that I don't believe in marriage

that I don't care if people think I'm snobbish

that most of my friends are online buddies yet they know me better than my 'real' friends

that despite its economic woes & undisciplined citizens, I still love my country

I would rather

be different than just go with the flow

be different than do things expected from me like get married & have kids

do the complete opposite than 'keep up with the Joneses'

Salesperson: Yes ma'am, your neighbor bought 4 of these items
Me: Oh is that so? Nevermind I'm not interested. Thanks!