Gift giving
I had a rather mellow weekend. In fact, too mellow all I did was eat sineguelas, read a book and sleep. I even skipped the customary Sunday brunch with my parents at their place.
I'm a lazy poke, yes I am!

Tomorrow is my mother's birthday.
The procrastinator that I am, I still don't have any gift for her. But the practical side in me always ask the recipient what they want. So I don't end up roaming the malls, hurting my feet, dashing all over the shops for gifts. Of course, my mother being the humble soul told me she doesn't want nor need anything, really.

Well that simply won't do!

After prying and probing and bombarding her with a million questions, she relented and told me a few essential items, she is now in short supply of.
Voila. Problem solved! I know exactly what to get her for her natal day and exactly where to find it and which mall to go to later, today.
Aren't I the clever one?

This idea of mine stems from the fact that I am pretty indecisive. (Along with being lazy yet practical, a procrastinator and a clever soul). I remember several years ago I asked my smarty pants ex ex BF what he wanted for his birthday.
He blurts out ... "A BMW Roadster"
I naturally replied back ... "I can't effing afford that!"
He goes ... "Well duh you asked, didn't you?"
Touche!

So not to be outsmarted because I'm such an argumentative (yes another adjective to describe myself, just indulge me ok?) brat, I went to Toys R Us. I bought him a shiny red toy BMW roadster wrapped it in a box with a big ribbon.

Teehee!

I woke up this morning ...
... With a splitting headache and a song that kept creeping up into my mind.
Thankfully, Biogesic took care of the pain.
CNN drowned out the pesky song.
I barely made it to the bank before 3 pm.
The security guard was about to turn the sign on the door from "Open" to "Close". But I charmed my way in.

I finally watched The "Da Vinci Code", yesterday.
In a cinema where there were about only 30 people. Hurray!
I found it to be a relatively good movie. Despite the negative reviews and the media hype surrounding the controversy, I liked it. But then that is just like me to actually go against the norm to like something/someone everybody hates and vice versa.

Oh by the way, the song was:
Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain,
Telling me just what a fool I've been.
I wish that it would go and let me cry in vain,
And let me be alone again.

Strange because it isn't raining nor do I feel like crying, at all.

"Do I make you proud?"
2 hours of great songs from relics stars like Prince, Burt Bacharach, Meatloaf, Dionne Warwick, Mary J. Blige, the band Live, Toni Braxton, Al Jarreau performing on a well lit stage.

Their own version of the Academy Awards given to inane and silly rejects.

Group ensemble production numbers, solo performances from the 12 finalists. A great bunch of talent, this year.

Over 63.4 Million voted.
To answer the above question.
Yes, I'm definitely proud of you. =)

Wooohooo way to go.

Congratulations!

Bono
I know the show is shown rather late, at midnight.
A time when most are already in dreamland.
But did anyone watch Conan O'Brien, last night?

Anyone?

No one?

Anyways the group U2 were his guests for the whole show.
They sang a few songs from their albums, did that silly portion of "In the year 2000" which was hilarious. Then Conan interviewed Bono about his admirable charity work in Africa and debt relief among the poorest nations in this planet.

They ended the show with the acoustic version of this beautiful song. I believe it talks about being optimistic when you feel like you are in the doldrums. You feel like nothing is worth living for. I've been in that situation countless times in my life. But nowadays I *try* to develop a more positive outlook in life. =)

Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
I'm not afraid
Of anything in this world
There's nothing you can throw at me
That I haven't already heard

I'm just trying to find
A decent melody
A song that I can sing
In my own company

You've got to get yourself together
You've got stuck in a moment
And now you can't get out of it

Don't say that later will be better
Now you're stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it

I will not forsake
The colors that you bring
The nights you filled with fireworks
They left you with nothing

I am still enchanted
By the light you brought to me
I listen through your ears
Through your eyes I can see

And you are such a fool
To worry like you do
I know it's tough
And you can never get enough
Of what you don't really need now
My, oh my

You've got to get yourself together
You've got stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it

Oh love, look at you now
You've got yourself stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it

I was unconscious, half asleep
The water is warm 'til you discover how deep
I wasn't jumping, for me it was a fall
It's a long way down to nothing at all

You've got to get yourself together
You've got stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it

Don't say that later will be better
Now you're stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it

And if the night runs over
And if the day won't last
And if your way should falter
Along this stony pass

It's just a moment
This time will pass

Mall by the Bay



This is a picture of the SM Mall of Asia I snapped while I was aboard a plane, last month. Today, I was able to explore its newly opened sprawling premises. We made our way through its long spiral ramp at its South Wing parking. Somehow, managed to squeeze ourselves into its tiny elevators. Walked all over its very bright interiors filled with shops, restaurants, cinemas, a hypermarket and its flagship SM Department Store. The usual brands like National Book Store, Marks and Spencers, Lacoste, Toy Kingdom all enticing shoppers to spend, spend and spend. Restaurants like Jollibee, Max's, Tokyo Tokyo, Italianni's and Chow King feeding hungry mall goers. Trolleys filled with goodies at the SM Hypermarket. People lining up to watch the latest movies. Except the controversial "Da Vinci Code" which is banned at all SM cinemas. A film I have yet to watch but I keep procrastinating.
In short, a very common sight at any SM Mall peppered all over the metropolis in this mall loving nation.
The only difference - you get a fantastic view of the Manila Bay area from the second floor of the mall. Quite breathtaking.
It was getting a bit crowded even on a Tuesday. I suspect it would be filled with a gazillion people during the weekends. Eeeps!
Go check it out if you are into the whole malling experience, just don't forget to wear *really* comfortable shoes. Take my word for it!


P.S.

Ah nope, I wasn't paid by Henry Sy or anyone from SM to write this post. :D I'm just a certified mallrat who likes to window shop and people watch.

Nostalgia
It is defined by the dictionary as "a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition".

There I was flipping TV channels and came across a CNN news item reporting the recently concluded Eurovision singing contest.
This year, it was held in Athens, Greece with Finland winning top honors.
I fondly remember this battle of the bands contest held every year in different cities across Europe. So I go check their official website.
Much to my amazement I discover that the songs I'm still familiar with were dated 1979 (Gali Atari & Milk and Honey's "Halleluja" - Israel); 1980 (Johnny Logan's "What's another year?" - Ireland) and 1981 (Bucks Fizz "Making your mind up" - UK).

That's like 27 years ago. Wow, that's just mind boggling!!!
I still vividly remember all the frenzy leading up to the final night. Back then countries like Ukraine, Macedonia were still part of the Soviet Union. While Cyprus and Turkey weren't part of Europe yet.

Hey, I'm not *that* old I was just 11 years old in 1979, ok?
But boy this is like a flashback into my now distant past.

Oh next month, the soccer World Cup kicks off in Germany.

Yes I was a huge soccer fan, back then. I collected all the cards of the players for my special scrapbook and pasted them by team, by category and by country. Now I barely know the players. Let alone which team qualified, which categories are they grouped in. Of course I can always rely on the Internet for information but somehow it just doesn't seem the same.

Oh well.

I'll just hum "Halleluja" out loud and smile. =)

Have you ever been in a situation ...
Where you tend to assume the worst case scenario?

My conspiracy theory tendencies always do!

I realized I haven't heard anything lately from a friend.
A friend who has the habit of emailing me *every* other day.
Maybe my friend is busy with work, family and life in general.
I can't help but wonder if something happened.
But, no news means good news, right?
I don't know.
Something just seems totally off.
I can't put my finger to it.

I figure I can wait till next week to compose a "hey, you ok?" email.
I'm almost fearful to find out what's wrong.
Hmmm. I truly hope my friend is alright.

*** Updated on Monday May 22, 2006 ***

I finally received an email from my friend.

A very long lament about his marital woes.

Yikes, too much information to absorb!

It makes my head spin.

But I feel better now that he finally wrote.

I'm also grateful I'm blissfully single.
Or am I?
I don't know.

I'm just in a weird melancholic mood.

*Sighs*

Reality TV
The Hippies won the Amazing Race after crossing 5 continents, going to 9 countries (Brazil, Russia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Oman, Australia, Thailand, Japan) and traveling over 60,000 miles. Tatow!!

I was rooting for Terry but Aras got the bragging rights as the ultimate Survivor: Exile Island winner. A few venomous remarks from Shane and Courtney at the final Tribal Council, pretty predictable that Danielle wasn't going to win and the hidden Immunity Idol didn't even come into play so it was a blah finale. But heck, yes I will stay tuned for the next installment in this franchise -> Survivor: Cook Islands!

Next week on American Idol, the singing battle begins between Katherine McPhee and Taylor Hicks.
All I can say is go ... Soul Patrol ... Go! =)