Random Snowflakes

Eiga Sai '08

2008-06-26T18:15:00.003+08:00

Just a quick post right here.

In celebration of Philippines – Japan Friendship Month, the Japan Foundation, Manila, in cooperation with the Embassy of Japan, the Shangri-La Plaza Mall, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and the UP Film Institute presents a glimpse of the Japanese culture in Eiga Sai ’08.

In line with the celebration, the J-Pop Anime Matsuri to be hosted by the Embassy of Japan will be held on July 26 and 27 and the event includes the preview screenings of Chibi Maruko Chan (1990, written by Momoko Sakura) and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (Toki o Kakeru Shōujo, 2001, directed by Mamoru Hosoda) . . .

HOLY— TokiKake on the big screen?! I'm THERE!!!

Venues are:
Shangri-La Plaza Cinema 3 (July 8 to 13, 26 & 27)
CCP Dream Theater (August 7 to 10)
UP Film Institute (August 11 to 14 & 16)

ADMISSION IS FREE so let's go!!!

Eiga Sai Screening Schedule
Eiga Sai Film Synopsis

Source: Japanese Film Festival “Eiga Sai ‘08” opens on July 8

my new pet

2008-06-23T18:00:00.006+08:00

Finally, one of my childhood dreams has come true.

Presenting...

my new pet...

pandaaaaaa!

Ain't it ever so cute? I luv it!!! It's so small it can stand on my hand and look at me with those adorable bead eyes. Heeheehee... It now stands on my office desk and watches me while I work.

I'm still trying to think of a name, though... I started looking into Japanese names, but I considered using Chinese for this little one since it did come from Beijing. So far the possibilities are:

Xiao xiao - means "small"
Su Lin - means "a little bit from something cute". Also the name of a panda in San Diego.

Or simply Panda. Go with simple but effective. LOL!

Any suggestions? :)

//EDIT
He now has a name! The suggestions that came in were:
Bruno, Bantay, George, Kot (as in Pandakot), Kekok (as in Pandakekok), K (as in PANDAk), Zebra (kasi black and white), Zhebra (kasi Pilipino, so may 'h' na siningit kung saan), Penda, and Mangix (hindi ko alam kung saan galing to).

But the winning name suggestion is: Coco, as in Panda Coco. Some might get the pun, others might not, but either way, it sounds...fitting...for some reason. It doesn't have any deep meaning, which is strange for me, the one who always picks names for their meanings. Hehe.

The other name that I got a kick out of was the Kekok suggestion, but I will not name my panda that. I allowed people to use that nickname for Coco, though.

Many thanks to my Plurk friends who gave me the suggestions!

Get Smart

2008-06-20T11:51:00.003+08:00

Get Smart was originally a TV series in the 1960s about Maxwell Smart, a top secret agent who's a bit awkward and clumsy while being confident and talented.
Read full post...

Last night, I watched the 2008 movie version, and it was hilarious! The action was well-done: some parts are seriously serious action, but they managed to make it look so funny. Cameo appearances abound, but I daresay that they weren't at all distracting. The acting was great: Steve Carrell and Anne Hathaway act so naturally but deliver rofl-worthy lines effortlessly. I love it how they used most (if not all) of Max's catch phrases, and how everything was so modern but you can still see 60s details here and there.

My rating: 4 out of 5!
This isn't really a must-see-in-the-big-screen movie (unlike Iron Man and Narnia, maybe), but I totally recommend that you don't wait for the DVD, especially if you're in need of a break. Best to watch it with someone who's not afraid to laugh out loud in a theater, too! I generally like quiet, behaved movie audiences, but for THIS movie, I say laughter is inevitable. And it'll make the movie even more fun!

Buhay Coke ng Bloggers with SM Hypermarket

2008-06-18T13:52:00.001+08:00

Aha~ So my favorite softdrink is having a bloggers' party! Yahoooo!

Reasons why I want to go:
- to see my blogger friends
- to par-tey!
- COKE!!! That in itself is a world of difference.

Got this info from
Aileen's blog:

What: Buhay Coke ng Bloggers with SM Hypermarket
When: 27 June 2008, Friday, 7:00 PM
Where: Taste Asia at the Mall of Asia

Come in an angel or devil attire (or wear black, red or white) and get a chance to win more prizes!

To join, kindly REGISTER HERE. All bloggers who register and come also get a case of Coke Zero 330ml.

Ten Favorite YouTube Finds

2008-06-09T11:19:00.016+08:00

I was revisiting my YouTube faves today, and decided that it's high time I listed them down on here. While this isn't really a Top 10 Youtube list based on popularity or anything like that, these are the vids that I've watched recently (and... not too recently) that I kept going back to.

Smooth E
A series of facial foam commercials from Thailand. But it's not your typical beauty commercial. Why? Because it has comedy, action, romance, suspense...Read full post... and even more comedy! Check it out!

Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4
Season 2 Trailer | Everyday Use | Boring Face | Materialism | Daddy | Brand X | Foam |

The Season 2 espisodes are shorter than the first four, and they don't have one continuous story, but they're equally amusing. By the time you're done, the theme song will be playing over and over in your head, and you'll be smiling just remembering the commercials. Haha!

Kung Fusing
This martial arts video is made so well that I watched it over and over even though I knew what the punchline was going to be. But aside from being hilarious, I think the commercial has a good message, too :) Watch it!

Hero Ha
Being a Beatles fan, I'm very picky about amateur remakes. But this... this remake is something else. Hero is, at the time of writing, only four years old, but his Hey Jude rendition is already has a phenomenal following. And he has even performed on-stage! This kid is so cute, you're going to want to make baby sounds at him through your computer screen. Haha!

Ken Lee
I won't say anything else for this, except: watch Ken Lee being performed at Music Idol.

Reynaldo Lapuz
Honestly? I firmly believe that this guy didn't show up to audition to be the next American Idol. I think that he went there to make a comedic impact in the auditions... And that impact, he truly did make. Simon Cowell is always right, I think, and it can't be more obvious when he predicted that Reynaldo Lapuz's Brothers Forever would be a smash hit!

iBand
You can do everything with your iPhone! Send text messages, make voice calls, take photos, watch videos, store music and... form a band! Haha! Watch the iBand as they perform Life is Greater than the Internet.

OK Go
A rockin' band with a couple of rockin'ly hilarious videos (and several seriously rocking videos, too). If you haven't heard of them, click the links NOW. Here It Goes Again is my ultimate favorite OK go video, although One Million Ways is ingenious, too.

Moymoypalaboy
This channel is my stress reliever. I LOVE how they make their videos, and they never fail to make me smile (and laugh, most usually). My favorite of their videos is Wannabe. But check out all their videos!

Algorithm March
Based on a Japanese children's show called Pythagoras Switch, this algorithm march is incredibly random while being amazingly intelligent at the same time. It has sent hundreds (or even thousands) to doing the same thing; just search for "algorithm march" in YouTube and you'll get dozens of versions aside from the original ones.

Cheers
And for today's finale, one of the most awesome commercial series I've ever seen! This series of Cheers ads are Thai-made, just like Smooth E, and encourages us to say "Cheers!" to every good thing in life. :)

What about you? What are your YouTube favorites?

Kung Fu Panda

2008-06-06T23:58:00.001+08:00

Kung Fu Panda is a tale of...well...a panda. That panda was named Po. And that panda loved kung fu. And that panda was the legendary Dragon Warrior. But... the panda is the laziest animal in ancient China...right?Read full post...

The first time I saw the trailer I said, "Ohoho, this is gonna be good."

I watched Kung Fu Panda with Lori tonight, and it wasn't good. Not really.

It was AWESOME.

Haha! I already had high expectations for this movie, given the ingenious trailers, but MAN it was way better than I thought it'd be.

From the opening sequence to the last scene of the movie there was only either hilarity or awesomess, and only about 10-second intervals in between that are needed to build up the plot and prepare the way for more awesomess!

The animation was great, the cast was superb, the direction was top-notch, and the script? Oh my goodness. Four thumbs up.

My rating: 100 out of 100!!!

I can say a lot more about this movie, but I can't really do it without spilling out spoilers, so...yeah. Yey for pandas and yey for awesomeness!

the kind of bride I'm gonna be

2008-06-06T12:20:00.001+08:00

During lunch break, for some unknown reason, the topic of conversation is weddings and proposals and what we're looking for in a guy. Funny that while we were doing that, one of my Facebook friends invited me to try the "What kind of bride will you be?" Quiz. Haha! I got this result:

While you aren't ready to throw away all wedding traditions, you want a wedding with a twist You're more inspired by celebrity weddings on E! than from bridal magazines Whether this means getting married on the beach barefoot or a mariachi band for the reception... Your wedding will be a blend of old and new - white dress cocktail, personalized vows, whatever suites you!!!

Can I just say that I LOVE that dress?

for the love of Habagat

2008-06-05T14:01:00.002+08:00

Because of a recent blog post by Kix, I got Sara to sift through old photos to unearth a particular shot taken in December 4, 2005. Sara and I were on our way to the MRT when we passed by:

...Habagat! ^_^Read full post...

The sign says:

Donasyon lang po para sa dog show... "Habagat"
Salamat po...

which translates to Donation please for the dog show, "Habagat". Thank you...

At first I thought that he was simply an amusing dog (I mean, seriously, that red hat and shades outfit is irresistible!!!), but when we read the piece of paper attached at the back of his throne, it turns out that Habagat performs dog tricks in several venues. Too bad that there wasn't a show when we were passing by.

Fast forward to two and half years later, Sara sent me a photo she took in Morayta of Habagat and his partner in crime, Bagwis!

Heeheeehee...

I did a little research and saw this photo album of a girl who had the privilege of watching those two in action.

Notes about the names
I've always loved names—remember the Name Project?—so naturally I'm going to write about this.

Habagat is, in the Filipino mythology, the god of winds and typhoons. Accordingly, that's the local name of the Filipino southwest monsoon, which is the prevailing wind during the typhoon season.

Bagwis, on the other hand, is the Tagalog term for "wings", specifically those of a bird's (meaning, it doesn't apply to butterfly wings). It's also the name of a winged Filipino comic book hero armed with a shield and sword.

I think it's a perfect pair of names for partners... But I'm betting that the owner named them after the brothers in Mulawin. Nyuuu~

Drawing Day

2008-06-03T17:21:00.005+08:00

I'm thinking of joining Drawing Day this year. It'll be a great way to add another smudge in my long-abandoned sketchpad, and finally break my silence in deviantArt, too.

Hm? What's that? What's Drawing Day, you ask? Here's what the Drawing Day website says...Here's what the Drawing Day website says:

Drawing Day is a worldwide drawing event encouraging everyone to drop everything and draw for the sake of art. The internet is an open canvas. Help create 1 million drawings online this day and boost online art communities.

When is Drawing Day?
Drawing Day this year is June 07, 2008. Unless otherwise noted, Drawing Day will be the first Saturday of June each year.

What is Drawing Day?
One day a year, the world stops to remember that joy we had when we first picked up a pencil and created our first piece of art - that's what Drawing Day is all about. The goal for Drawing Day is simple - to create enough drawings to make some noise worldwide for the sake of art. 2008 is the first year of this initiative. The goal this year is to aim for 1 million drawings worldwide.

Why is Drawing Day important?
Illustrators and artists alike often go unappreciated. The creation of art and illustration captured our minds ever since we were children and our parents turned the pages of our first book. These stories came to life via the illustrations that took us to an imaginary world full of inspiration.

Whether you're a professional illustrator or you just enjoy the occasional scribble, you can give back to the illustration community by drawing on this day. By injecting more and more illustration and art into our community, we are not only showing our appreciation to our fellow artists, but we are spreading awareness of the joy of drawing. It is important that you contribute - Drawing Day will only be a success if we all participate and make some noise. So, please tell your friends and spread the word.

How do I participate?
To join in on this event is simple - as simple as picking up a pencil and drawing. However, the most important part is sharing your art with the world.

In today's age of technology, the ability to share your art with the world is easier than ever. These are some of the of the best ways to reach a broad audience.

Nodame Cantabile Pari-Hen, coming in October!

2008-06-02T14:30:00.012+08:00

leGASP! Is this true?! Yes, it's true!

Come October 2008 there will be more gyaboooo~! Read more, mukyaaaa!

According to Anime News Network

The official Japanese website of the Nodame Cantabile anime series has announced the October premiere of the Nodame Cantabile Pari-Hen (Nodame Cantabile: Paris Chapter) sequel. The new story arc will run in Nodame Cantabile's former late-night Noitamina timeslot in Japan. Both Tomoko Ninomiya's original manga . . . and the 2006-2008 live-action drama adaptation have already set their later stories in Paris. All versions of Nodame Cantabile have the common plot threads of two music students who drive themselves and each other to greater artistic heights in Japan and later Europe.

Mukyaaa! Hehe. I'm sure all of you already know how much I love the Nodame Cantabile manga, and how much I enjoyed the Nodame Cantabile TV renditions.

I liked how that anime ended, actually, and I wasn't expecting a second season. But, hey, I'm not complaining! I can't wait! *giddily excited* ^_^

Campus Harvest Manila 2008 : from the outside

2008-06-01T13:18:00.007+08:00

A little bit delayed, yeah, but whatever. Campus Harvest Manila happened the other week and I'm still feeling the echoes of the excitement during the event. (The tag "campus harvest" still remains to have the biggest font size in my Multiply tag cloud.)

So here I am, jumping into the fun.

Read more...In Campus Harvest Asia in 2006, I was part of the worship team, and I always said that my favorite part of it was getting a spectacular view of watching people---thousands and thousands of people---worship God passionately. In 2003 when I was part of the production team, I only got to peek from behind the curtains to see the people. But being on stage during worship time, and openly hearing songs of praise from around me was... it's like a taste of heaven. Overwhelming, really, and sometimes I didn't have time to wonder if I was still hitting the right notes...

This year, though, I wasn't able to stand on that stage and lead worship like we did the last time. This time, I was working for the media center, and we were doing (almost) real-time updating of the site. But it's funny: even though I wasn't actually there in the venue, I felt like I was there, too, because I got to hear all the messages, and I was able to see all the photos. (And before anybody else outside the event, too! Haha!) The messages were GREAT, and even though the event was primarily for students, everyone of all ages can pick more than one or two things from them. Look at a few of the blog posts submitted in LA Mumar's blog to see what I mean.

But, finally, in the last day, Saturday, after doing some more work in our Fort building, I ran to the venue and I was able to attend the worship time after the last session.

In response to Ea's Campus Harvest blog post, I had said:

. . . as great as it is to help in leading people worship, it feels just as good (or even better!) to see the next batch continuing what God did through us. Kahit pa parang nakakapagpatanda pa sa atin. Haha!

And it really did feel great. Actually, it felt amazing. And to top it off, I was able to look around the stadium again. I was able to get a 360 degree view of thousands and thousands of worshippers... and I didn't have to bother if I was still singing the right lyrics.

Campus Harvest 2003 was great, and every year, it gets better. What more next year?
Campus Harvest 2008 was awesome for me, even though I mostly experienced it from the outside: through photos and podcasts. What more if I was actually there?

Hehe. Campus Harvest Manila just ended, but I'm already excited for next year!

I'm Yours in reggae

2008-05-29T14:29:00.003+08:00

Okay, so you're right: Jason Mraz's I'm Yours already has a reggae beat. And although I still think that nothing beats Mraz's original version, no one can deny that Ten Feet's version is good, too. ^_^ And with them being actual Hawaiians, I think their rendition gives it a dash more of that aloha feel. Hehe.

Im Yours - Ten Feet

Ha! Resist nodding your head to the rhythm, I dare you! (I know I can't!)

Yael Naïm

2008-05-28T13:23:00.006+08:00

After the dust settled after American Idol, this is the artist I went repeat-play on.

I first heard about Yael Naïm when I was looking for the name meaning of "Yael". I was going to use it for one of my books... but that's another story for another time.

After a bit of reading on Wiki, I found out that Yael has been around since 2001, but only hit the big time when her song New Soul was used for the advertising campaign for MacBook Air.

Best thing about Yael? Her sound. She uses bare acoustic guitars or piano, occasionally inserting violins and Middle Eastern-sounding instruments. Her voice is smooth and a bit husky at the same time. Her music can feel like Edith Piaf in one track, Tori Amos in the next, and then you get Norah Jones meets Natasha Bedingfield meets Regina Spektor... and it all feels so.... right. If her CD was a fruit, it would have an addicting exotic taste that makes you go for seconds.

Read full post...I love how she renders her songs; she gives each one a very unique mark. Okay, fine, so most of her songs really are hers, but I love it how they all sound similar, but unique at the same time. I think this becomes obvious in her stripped down version of Toxic. Which "Toxic", you ask? Well, that Toxic. The one that is Britney's. Yeah, that one. I never really liked the original song, but MAN I loved Yael's version. It's not only completely unexpected but it's just amazing how anyone can turn a song like that into something cool and jazzy and elegant.

Oh, and her French-Israeli accent doesn't hurt, either.

Initially, my favorite song in the album was New Soul. It's just so... so... loveable. Haha! The tune is catchy, the phrasing is amusing, and the way Yael sang it just makes me smile. Paris comes in a close second. But I just have to say this again: the whole album -- the songs be English, French or Hebrew -- is completely repeat-play worthy.

I put up my playlist to let you have a taste of Yael Naïm. (New Soul lyrics follow after me playlist.)

Yael Naim

I'm a new soul
I came to this strange world
hoping I could learn a bit about how to give and take.
But since I came here
felt the joy and the fear
finding myself making every possible mistake

la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la...

I'm a young soul
in this very strange world
hoping I could learn a bit about what is true and fake.
But why all this hate?
Try to communicate.
Finding trust and love is not always easy to make.

la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la...

This is a happy end
'cause you don't understand
everything you have done
Why's everything so wrong

This is a happy end
come and give me your hand
I'll take your far away.

I'm a new soul
I came to this strange world
hoping I could learn a bit about how to give and take
but since I came here
felt the joy and the fear
finding myself making every possible mistake

la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la...

la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la....

The Time of my Life

2008-05-24T09:41:00.006+08:00

American Idol Songwriters Contest winning song by Regie Hamm, sung and recorded by the winning Idol, David Cook.

Time of My Life

I’ve been waiting for my dreams
To turn into something
I could believe in
And looking for that
Magic rainbow
On the horizon
I couldn’t see it
Until I let go
Gave into love and watched all the bitterness burn
Now I’m coming alive
Body and soul
And feelin’ my world start to turn

And I’ll taste every moment
And live it out loud
I know this is the time,
This is the time
To be more than a name
Or a face in the crowd
I know this is the time
This is the time of my life
Time of my life

Holding onto things that vanished
Into the air
Left me in pieces
But now I’m rising from the ashes
Finding my wings
And all that I needed
Was there all along
Within my reach
As close as the beat of my heart

So I’ll taste every moment
And live it out loud
I know this is the time,
This is the time to be
More than a name
Or a face in the crowd
I know this is the time
This is the time of my life
Time of my life

And I’m out on the edge of forever
Ready to run
I’m keeping my feet on the ground
My arms open wide
My face to the sun

I’ll taste every moment
And live it out loud
I know this is the time,
This is the time to be
More than a name
Or a face in the crowd
I know this is the time
This is the time of my life
Time of my life
More than a name
Or a face in the crowd
This is the time
This is the time of my life.
This is the time of my life.

In This Moment

2008-05-21T14:12:00.007+08:00

Now I can say it with conviction: the song rocks. Ryan Gillmor's music and lyrics made me root for it ever since the songwriting contest... And when I heard David Archuleta sing it, MAN! I admit I didn't think it would sound this good, but wow, it gave me goosebumps @_@

In This Moment

Mother, can you hear me for the first time I see
born into eyes not by my own decision
take me away from a life with no vision
step down from the subway,
climb the staircase to the street
spinning in circles and holding on tight
to this moment forever
if only tonight

I wanna be in this moment, no one can take it from me
I wanna stay in this moment, no one can take it away from me

Driving through the city for the first time you and me
staring through windows at my own reflection
how can a window encompass perfection
now that I know what it's like to be living
this beautiful world will never stop giving
I can't return to a life with no vision
born into eyes not by my own decision

I wanna be in this moment, no one can take it from me
I wanna stay in this moment, no one can take it away from me

Watching the world through the eyes of a child
sitting alone in my room
wishing that someone would take me away someday
give me a chance and I'll show you what's real
open your eyes and you'll see
that I'm stuck in a moment and no one can take it from me

I wanna be in this moment, no one can take it from me
I wanna stay in this moment, no one can take it away from me

David Archuleta Top 3 night

2008-05-14T13:46:00.010+08:00

Why, yes, I've turned into fangirl mush. Seriously.

It's common knowledge that I'm a David Archuleta fan. And it's also common knowledge that most of his performances make me grin like a doofus, but MAN. This one takes the cake! David A sang And So It Goes (Billy Joel), With You (Chris Brown) and Longer (Dan Fogelberg) for the Top 3 night.

David's performance of And So It Goes was brilliant! GENIUS. Mhay ghulay, muntik akong maiyak sa kinauupuan ko. Paula, thank you thank you for choosing this for him! The song is already beautiful, and I've always like Sara Gazarek's version, but David's rendition was... was... ARGH! (I would've liked David to linger a bit more on the pauses, but, hey, that's just me.)

With You was okay. My favorite fast-paced song for David still remains to be Shop Around (60's week), though.

Longer pales in comparison to And So It Goes, but I'm not really complaining.

That kid should win, I tells ya!
(But you know what? I actually think that Cookey will win even though I life Archey better. But let's keep that a secret. Sssssh!)

fare thee well, my friend

2008-04-27T23:05:00.004+08:00

This morning, a tragic thing happened.

One of my earrings fell down the drain.

Okay, before anybody laughs at me (although I'm pretty sure someone already did), let me explain the significance of this loss.

First of all, it's a starfish earring. A starfish. Most people know by now—and if you don't, well, now you do—that I absolutely love stars.

Secondly, I like that earring because it's small, and it works with whatever I wear: be it office clothes, formal dresses or the all-around shirt and jeans power combo.

Thirdly (and most importantly), it was given to me by Lori, one of my best friends.

Rawr.

*sigh*

Well, at least I still have one of the earrings... I guess I'll just look for another star earring with which I can match the remaining starfish.

I'm lonely. Meneeds a hug.

iBlog4 ramblings

2008-04-26T19:03:00.013+08:00

Just got home from iBlog4... Sorta. Actually, I've already taken my shoes off, sighed the Metro Manila pollution out of my lungs, and gobbled up (literally) my dinner. Sorry, but I was hungry. I didn't even know I was that hungry until I noticed that I was stuffing my mouth with food in a really Eun Chan-ish way, which is totally NOT what I normally do.

So, anyway. iBlog4. Good talks. Friendly bloggers. Organized...organizers. Fun event.

When I got to the venue, I scanned the room to look for familiar faces only to find...none. Well, actually, Tess was already there, but I guess I missed her the first time I looked. I got a seat and, while waiting for my friends to arrive, I got my camera out to take photos of the venue.

Except my camera's battery was, as it turns out, empty. Argh # 1.

Read full post...

A little past nine the event began, and still my friends who were supposed to come with me weren't there. Ah, well. The guys beside me (Vincent, Arthur and Josh of ChickenMafia.com) and I talked a couple of times, a couple of sentences a time, anyway, so... Yeah.

In between speakers (the first ones were Charo Nuguid and Brain Gorrell), bloggers were allowed to pitch for their blogs, and one pitch that stood out is a girl (can't remember her name!) who advertised her brother's site, PinoyIdol2008.com and SurvivorPhilippines.com. Haha! The guy is a genius for getting those domain names first before GMA Network did.

By 10 AM, we had a 30-minute break. While I was writing notes for this blog post, this cameraman began taking a video of me. It was hard to pretend not to see the camera when the spotlight was glaring straight into my eyes. Haha!

I went outside to look for people, and saw Tess and AJ, whom I've only talked with on Twitter but never met personally.

The break ends, and we go back in to listen to Pinoyblogero Karlo, who slipped and disclosed his online earnings when his mother was in the audience(Haha! Bye-bye allowance from the parents?) and Juned, who kept fishing camera after camera out of his pockets (how on earth he fit all those in his pockets, I cannot imagine). Juned made me want to buy a fisheye camera. (As If I can afford it.)

Just as Jonas Diego started on web comics, my laptop's battery died. Argh # 2. And then my power cable's adaptor wasn't in my bag. Argh#3!!! And I wanted to read his comics, too! I shall do that after I finish this post.

Beth arrived during lunch break. Strange that she wasn't included in the participants' list, when she was in the list online. Hmmmm. She didn't get an ID. Too bad.

After Marcelle pitched for his blog he did a magic trick (by popular demand). I think this is now a staple in blogger events. Haha!

The afternoon went by pretty quickly: Aileen and Coy's amusing informative video/talk on podcasting and vlogging, the three speakers on Blogging and Elections (Luz Rimban, Manuel Quezon III, and Janette Toral), and Atty. Disini's open forum on legal concerns in blogging. All three talks were interesting and important ones, but I just have to say that Atty Disini's portion got my attention the most. Hehe. Copyright infringement and such.

We had another break (I just stayed in my seat and closed my eyes) before Noemi Dado's talk on blogging for a cause.

The last speaker of the day was Ria Jose from Davao, on the Mindanao Blogging Experience. It was a really fun talk, and it SO made me want to go ahead and try making a blog on Quezon City (or any niche blog, really) like what the Mindanao Bloggers did. Hmmm... I'll think about it and weigh the possibilities. It was a really fun talk, methinks, and the Mindanao people were a fun bunch, even from where they sat.

And, my goodness, the whole of Davao has free WiFi?! ARGH! Why can't it be like that in Quezon City?!

Aaaaanyway. The iBlog4 came to a close with me winning an iBlog4 shirt (along with 50 other people), and all the (remaining) participants climbing on the stage for a group photo. After that photo session, I got to have a picture taken with Arthur in the Chicken costume. Dude, you rock!

I was beside Aileen (in a rocking Pinoy Blogger shirt) and BA during the stage photo... Seeing him now (and comparing how he looks like now to how he did during the last time I saw him, which was in the first Blogger Food Fest in MOA) made me realize how long I was absent from offline blogger events. Yikes. I should go to more events and meet my blogger friends!

...I say that, and yet I didn't go to the after-event party at Katipunan. Haaaay. It's so hard to be in demand and I have to be in several places at once. Hehe.

Wrapping up, again, I say: iBlog4. Good talks. Friendly bloggers. Organized organizers. Fun event!

Nodame Cantabile TV

2008-04-20T17:24:00.011+08:00

Since my HanaKimi TV post last year has been, as it turns out, helping a lot of people in deciding which HanaKimi rendition to watch, I thought I'd write a similar post for another one of my favorite manga, whose TV renditions I absolutely adore.

I've written a short Nodame Cantabile review, actually, so let's consider this a part 2.

Extremely talented pianist and naturally gifted conductor. Another extremely talented pianist and your all-around weird girl. Put them together and what do you get? An impossibly addicting manga on classical music, love, and the love of music. And, yes, it's hilarious, too.

Obviously, the main ingredient of this manga is music, but non-musicians should not shy away! No, no, you won't drown in jargon, and, believe me, this series will enrich your knowledge in music. Also, there is an ample amount of comedy and a dash of romance to taste. Read full post...

Nodame Cantabile is originally a manga by Ninomiya Tomoko, running since 2001 and is currently ongoing. It now has a J-drama adaptation, an anime series, and a handful of OSTs. The anime and regular J-drama season both take from the manga's first to ninth volume. The J-drama, though, has a Special, which follows the manga a little bit further.

Most people know that I usually say that manga is the best, and, I guess, I think the same applies for Nodame Cantabile. But I think both the anime and the J-drama are a couple of must-watch renditions. Both have their pros and cons, though...

Cast and Characterization
Both anime and drama were SUPERB. I mean, seriously. The art in the anime was easy enough to adapt from the manga, but I just have to say that the voice dubbing was excellent.

As for the J-drama... ARGH! PERFECT! When I first saw the photos, I was, like, "Whoa! Nodame came to life!!!" But it doesn't stop there. When I watched the J-drama, right from the first episode, Ueno Juri and Hiroshi Tamaki (and everybody else, really) acted exactly as I imagined Nodame and Chiaki (and everybody else) to act. Not only did they capture the characters' look, but also their personalities, attitudes, mannerisms, speaking patters, everything! Kudos to the cast, and especially the director, Takeuchi Hideki-san!

Plot execution
The anime is, from start to finish, faithful to the manga; the pages were literally transferred to the screen. As for the drama, it's also as faithful as live dramas can go. Okay, sure, there were tiny tweaks here and there (some characters appeared earlier than they should, some events were merged into one, some pieces were performed at a different time) but I suppose it's understandable, since they had to make adjustments to fit 9 volumes of manga into 11 episodes. Still, there's only a hairsbreadth of difference, small enough for me, a purist, to actually let it go. About the J-drama Special... Hm... Now this one takes more events out of the plot, but, again, I'm willing to let it slide, since the parts they focused on were important, and the story flow wasn't disrupted.

Music
The drama, I think, is the best version to watch the performances. Not only do you actually see them playing the instruments, but the emotion is also seen better in the performers' faces. But in the anime, since it's understandably hard to animate people to move as they would in real life, the majority of the performances are just stills of the musicians playing. There are, however, exceptionally amazing concert sequences where you can really see the musicians' fingers hitting the right keys at the right time in the right tempo. Those are awesome, awesome sequences, but they rarely happen. In the anime, though, the shown/played excerpts of the music pieces are longer than the ones in the drama's regular season. (In the Special Lessons, though, the musical sequences are longer. Wheeeee~)

In summary:

The anime has 26 episodes (about 25 minutes each ) plus one Summer Detour (15 minutes). The drama has 11 episodes (about 1 hour each) plus 2 specials (about 2 hours each).
The anime is exactly the manga, just moving. The drama changes a few things here and there.
The anime characters can't really move like real people all the time. The drama's cast is composed of real, living, breathing people (like, duh).
The music is the same.
The story is the same.
The level of comedy is the same.

"So," you ask, "which do you recommend I watch, Sarah? Anime, or drama?"

My answer: BOTH.

I mean, really. I've read the manga, watched the anime, and watched the drama. And I still laugh. Every. Single. Time. Although, of course, you can chalk it up to the fact that I love the series, but it's just that each version offers something unique while still remaining so very... Nodame.

So, really, whichever rendition you pick, as long as it's Nodame Cantabile, I guarantee enjoyment. ^^

The Life Before Her Eyes preview

2008-04-09T18:08:00.006+08:00

Because of my Across the Universe review, someone emailed me—hi, Anrdrew!— about their new movie, The Life Before Her Eyes. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Laura Kasischke, and stars Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Wood.

I know nothing about the book, really. But, judging from the trailer, it looks interesting... I'm always a sucker for creative story-telling. Hehe. Read full post...

Release date: April 18th in New York and LA, and wide on April 25th. I'm not sure when it'll open in the Philippines... I guess I'll have to wait.

Synopsis:

Imaginative, impetuous and wild Diana (Evan Rachel Wood) can’t wait for her adult life to begin. Whiling away the final days of high school in the lush springtime, Diana tests her limits with sex and drugs as her more conservative friend Maureen (Eva Amurri) watches with concern. But Diana’s aura of invincibility is shattered when a senseless act of violence erupts at school, forever changing the lives of the two best friends.

Fifteen years later, a grown Diana (Uma Thurman) is still trying to come to terms with the traumatic events of that fateful day.

On the surface, the adult Diana has made a picture perfect life for herself. She’s still living in the sleepy Connecticut suburb she grew up in with her husband Paul, a professor at the local college. Her beautiful young daughter, Emma, is smart and creative, and possesses a fiercely independent streak reminiscent of her mother. But all is not well—as the anniversary of her adolescent trauma approaches, the darkness that Diana has tried to escape closes in. Meanwhile, her husband has become increasingly absent, her daughter has taken to hiding from teachers, and worst of all, Diana’s own grip on reality is starting to falter.

Moving seamlessly through both stages of Diana’s evolution, THE LIFE BEFORE HER EYES delves deep into the crossroads that we all face -- where a simple decision can change the course of everything to come, and where a lifetime can be encapsulated in a single moment. With THE LIFE BEFORE HER EYES, Vadim Perelman, director of the acclaimed HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG, has established himself as one of America’s greatest young directors of serious, probing drama.

Official website: http://www.lifebeforehereyes.com/

That is Why

2008-04-09T14:00:00.003+08:00

Just to feel Your arms around me
Just to know Your grace has found me
Just to hear Your voice surround me
Calling my name

That is why I live
That is why I move
That is why my heart can not go on without You
That is why I sing
That is why I cry
That is why no other love but You will satisfy

Just to stand beside You knowing
Your promise that You're never going
Never leaving, always holding
Holding my hand

That is why I live
That is why I move
That is why my heart can not go on without You
That is why I sing
That is why I cry
That is why no other love but You will satisfy
That is why

Just to hear Your voice surround me
Calling my name...

That is Why
by Christ for the Nations

Google Pranks 2008

2008-04-01T16:44:00.008+08:00

I never really got April Fool's Day. Sorry, but ever since I was a kid, I can only stare blankly (and then roll my eyes) at pranksters. Maybe it was me, or maybe it was the lack of creativity of the pranks... Who knows?

But, recently, Google made me look forward to April Fool's. And that is because of Google pranks. Haha! It gives the statement "Google guys are geniuses" a whole new definition.

So I opened my browser this morning, anticipating a fun Google April Fool's, but because of work, my attention was steered away from Google... It wasn't until Aileen posted about Google AU's prank future search—and, almost at the same time, Joiz asked about it on Twitter—that I remembered about it. And, almost instantly, my eyes were opened. Read full post...

At that moment, I was fixing my GCalendar, and then my eyes strayed to the upper right hand corner, and what do I see? This:

...Ga-huh? So I clicked on the Wake Up Kit link, and here's what the feature is about:

The "wake up" notification uses several progressively more annoying alerts to wake you up. First it will send an SMS message to your phone. If that fails, more coercive means will be used. The kit includes an industrial-sized bucket and is designed to be connected to your water main for automatic filling. In addition, a bed-flipping device is included for forceful removal from your sleeping quarters.

BWAHAHAHA! Nice one.

As if on cue, a friend asks me to look a book up on the net. So I hop on over to Google Books to search for it. But the page loaded, the word Chocolate greeted me, and since I love choklit oh so much, I clicked on the book.

Yummy, yeah? That's not the point. Look closer.

...Wooooooooow! Haha!

I heard there's another one in GMail, but since I haven't seen it myself, I won't post it here until I do.

Though I think this year's Google pranks still won't top last year's GMail Paper, I think they still did good this year. Haha! You go, Google guys!

Own Your C

2008-03-31T17:42:00.007+08:00

This here is a video by Buck, which, as always, totally rocked. Aside from being delicious eye candy, the music is cute, and the message is really, really good.

...Hm, yes. The Lord made some to be teachers, some to be evangelists,... some to be super duper amazingly amazing artists who are just so immensely creative. Ahehe. ^_^

Disclaimer: This video is by the guys at Buck. Visit their site for more awesome work.

Which Programming Language Are You?

2008-03-26T17:50:00.005+08:00

The fact that I took this test in the first place says something. And the fact that I excitedly took this test says something else.

...Does it?

Haha! Whatever.

Which Programming Language are You?

Hmmm... PHP. So happens to be my fave programming language! (Also so happens to be the language I'm coding with right this very second.) Java was my fave at one point in my life, but...yeah. I think that only lasted one semester in college. PHP kicked it off the pedestal.

Aaaaaanyway. Yesh. The first sentence is definitely accurate. But the second one I'm not too sure. I mean, okay, there are times that I change the way I do things, but I still have to check with my co-workers if I really confuse them.

Nyuuuuuu~ I'm such a geek. Haha!

//EDIT I took a couple more. Haha! XD

Which File Extension are You?

Which OS are You?

I retook the OS quiz, changed just one answer and I got:

Which OS are You?

Hmmmmm....

Anyway.

Man, I SO applaud the people who wrote this stuff. The choices are so hilarious.

There's this one question:

Will the answers to these questions really help you determine my personality?
- No, it's entirely random.
- I believe everything on BBspot.
- It doesn't really matter now does it?
- If I end up Windows ME someone is going to be hurting.
- Hey we're the ones asking the questions, you just answer them and shut up!

... "If I end up Windows ME someone is going to be hurting."

BWAHAHAHAHA! Genius.

Across the Universe

2008-03-21T19:08:00.006+08:00

A love story set against the backdrop of the 1960s amid the turbulent years of anti-war protest, mind exploration and rock 'n roll, the film moves from the dockyards of Liverpool to the creative psychedelia of Greenwich Village, from the riot-torn streets of Detroit to the killing fields of Vietnam. The star-crossed lovers, Jude (Jim Sturgess) and Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), along with a small group of friends and musicians, are swept up into the emerging anti-war and counterculture movements, with "Dr. Robert" (Bono) and "Mr. Kite" (Eddie Izzard) as their guides. Tumultuous forces outside their control ultimately tear the young lovers apart, forcing Jude and Lucy – against all odds – to find their own way back to each other.
- Across the Universe official website

Awesome. Superb. Amazing. Despite all the good things I heard about it, I was not prepared to watch something this good. ARGH.

I had originally wanted to watch this in the theater with my friends, but due to schedule restraints, I wasn't able to. Ah, but it's all good, because I got to enjoy the DVD at home with my family, instead.

The plot is realistic, and the song placement is genius. You'd think that the music was made for the story. Most of the musical arrangements of the songs are different from what I've been used to, but they were so original and well done that I loved them all the same. Because of this movie, I loved the Beatles songs even more.

The cast was perfect, methinks, and director Julie Taymor did a spectacular job. The artistic aspect of it was great, as well. Choreography was well-done, and it wasn't overly theatrical. The script was brilliant; the writers' eye to detail is.. ARGH! Hehe. There are a lot of inside jokes for the Beatles fan, too. Haha!

There were a handful of things in the movie that made me raise an eyebrow (or scrunch my nose) or just...simply mediocre, but they were overshadowed by all the other parts I loved.

As a Beatles fan, I recommend it to all Beatles lovers. And also to the very very few people in the world who have no idea who the Beatles are.

My score: 5/5, 100/100.

AMAZING. LOVE IT.