Remembering Tim

I can't believe it's been almost a year. I can't believe I'm still here, laughing most days away or enjoying the new football season. And he's not.

His best friend, Ge, introduced us when she found out I'm as big a David Beckham fan as he was. I met her online since we were both avid members of G-Wall at that time and we eventually became textmates. It was during one of our many text exchanges that she gave me his addy.

It was fun knowing someone, and I mean a guy, who didn't scoff at the thought of Becks and just admired him for what he can do on the pitch. We were both so disappointed when Becks was sold by ManUtd but were thankful he didn't sign with Barca. And there definitely were times when I had to shush him about his not very nice opinion about Victoria.

Tim had an Al Pacino movie collection and he loved the Dave Matthews Band. I would continually tease him about his Lakers and he would tell me what he honestly thought of my Linkin Park--he didn't have anything bad to say about the Kings. Those were good times. I think.

By the time I knew Tim, he had been in the US for several weeks, on leave from his job as a web designer. He was nursing a broken heart heart after a bad break-up. Ge and I never failed to tell him to move on--even hounded him to hook up with a blonde. He would just laugh it off and just when we thought everything was going to be fine, tragedy struck. This one broke his spirit--and it was downhill from there and he never recovered.

There are times when I still get angry at him--why be so willing to die for love and not live for it instead? But I'd rather focus on the poignant and short, yet meaningful and lasting friendship we had. When he coined the word Beckhamist for me, I told him there were two of us. Then a year ago, it was back to just me again.

New Bites

The Kookie monster bites the blogging bullet again. Two more times. Whew! I didn't find anyone to customize any templates for me for these two babies but I found a couple that I liked so...

Admittedly, I am a crap book reviewer. But I want to try my hand at book blogging since I think it's the natural progression after reading. So I hope you have time to check out my Bookabulary.

Hahaha! This one's an experiment, really. I have always liked music and I used to post a monthly song choice in my old blog. I missed doing that so I thought of doing it again. Only this time, it won't be a monthly thing. Check out the disclaimer in the sidebar though when you visit SongGeist.
Hope to see you there, peeps. And hope you have a wonderful weekend. I know I will--got a date with Becks (David Beckham: A Footballer's Story on Star World). Cheerio!

Silliman Beside the Sea

It's that time of the year again when it's only natural to feel nostalgic about dear old Silliman. Founders' Week is here again and I can just imagine the booth area lively with music and activities that are already part of the Silliman tradition. Student orgs spend close to a month to build these booths and God knows how much money in a bid to outdo every other frat or sor for this week long celebration.Ever the wet blanket I was in college, I didn't go to any of the Miss Silliman beauty pageants--just like most of my friends. Who cares? And I only did the annual parade in my freshmen year (what did I know?) and since the route is the same year after year after year, I inserted at the halfway point in my second year (I was too lazy to do it but with the centennial spirit everywhere, just had to). But we never missed the cheering competitions in all our four years--if only to see who outperforms the other between the College of Business Administration and the College of Arts and Sciences. Oh, but I do miss those times. Go, CBA!There's a lot to miss about Silliman University. One that stands out is the Library. I used to sit on the Lib lobby steps waiting for friends--and watch whatever football, baseball, etc. game in the open field out front. Or freeze my butt off in the Cyberlibrary--I had SA friends there who would hide my log-in folder so I could net surf more than the 40-minute per-student per-day allotment. (Thanks, guys!) Or hanging out at the reference section in the company of atlases; and of friends who acted as if we hadn't seen each other in years instead of hours. Then the next thing we knew the devil lady was bearing down on us. I think we might had overdone it most of the time just to see how the lady in-charge of that section would react. I say that the three-storey building holds a lot memories--especially of me finding out-of-the-way (of the AC blast) cubicles in the second floor and just...fall asleep. Hahaha!Oh, I miss sitting at the amphitheater--whether for a group meeting or just hanging out after exams--while acacia leaves fall around us. Or rehearsing group presentations at the Luce lobby--but I wasn't of the Luce lobby crowd who had the in clothes, in rides, and in boy/girlfriends. Or watching plays at the Luce Auditorium (I still regret missing The Vagina Monologues). Or playing Trivial Pursuit with my best friends at the recreation level of the Hibbard Hall while keeping one eye on the crush of the day, week, or semester watching TV at the far end of the room. Or being thankful I don't have a third eye while rushing through the hallways of Katipunan Hall. As a hospital in WWII, doctors, nurses, and patients' spirits still rush about--or so reports say. Or shouting myself hoarse during intramural gold/black and red/white battles between CBA and CAS; while never really caring if the College of Engineering had already won in the medal tally. That's okay 'cause they hate CAS, too.I can't believe the campus by the sea will be 105 this year. Time flies. I heard there had been a lot of changes since I was there last. I can't wait to go back for a visit. But for now, reminiscing will do before nostalgia drowns me.

Lucky Number Slevin

This is a crazy-ass movie. Another surprisingly good one this year. I did hear about it being mentioned here and there but the promotion wasn't over the top. Thank God for that or I might have hated it before I even saw it. I practically forgot about it but when I got the chance to see it, I'm glad I took it.

At first I felt so dizzy. At times I felt that the plot got too murky and mysterious for me--which was more than half the fun, really. And as the film goes and the cliche 'the plot thickens' was put into good use, there was no other choice but to get hooked.

Who in bloody Mary is Nick Fisher? So Josh Hartnett's character got mistaken for Fisher--who owed The Boss $96000. Morgan Freeman played The Boss--who offered 'Fisher' a job to pay off the debt. The job was to kill the fairy son of The Rabbi. Ben Kingsley was The Rabbi--who the Boss thought had his son killed. And then The Boss hired a professional to kill Fisher--without him knowing that the professional was also working for The Rabbi. Bruce Willis was the hired assassin, Goodkat--who was actually working with someone else to do in both The Boss and The Rabbi. Apparently, the two former close friends had a family killed in 1979 when Slevin turned out to be not so lucky. And yeah, Lucy Liu was Lindsey--Nick Fisher's neighbor who keeps us from totally forgetting that Josh's character is not Fisher. What a mess. Crazy, crazy, crazy!

Josh Hartnett is just too angelic looking that I couldn't believe he agreed to kill The Fairy. And Morgan Freeman is an absolute teddy bear and seeing him as someone villainous is always weird. Ben Kingsley was intense as usual--have you seen him in a bad acting job? Just a one? And don't forget Bruce 'No, Harry, No' Willis.

That's already four reasons to see this movie. If that's not enough incentive, then check out the production design. The wallpapers in Nick Fisher's apartment were absolutely 110% whacked! And the dialogue...I just cracked up I almost forgot this was not supposed to be a comedy.

And then you ask, who is Nick Fisher?

Goodkat will tell you: " He's just a loser."

Boybands Suck!

Gotcha!

Of course not. I just felt like saying that. It's all wishful thinking for me to be able to say that in all honesty. And it took me hearing three straight boyband ballads on the radio to pen down these boyband thoughts. I've been meaning to say something about the topic ever since two Sundays ago. But I was in too much of a funk (about the topic) to do something about it. So two Sundays ago was when I saw the TT special on Star World, Take That For The Record. Of course, it was done several months back because I do know that TT had a comeback tour of some sort earlier this year. Well, it wasn't really a comeback tour but (was supposed to be) a formal bid of farewell after their abrupt breakup more than ten years ago. (But they are back in the studio doing songs again. Yey!) The said breakup was naturally the focal point of the show as the four remaining members of the group--Gary, Mark, Jason and Donald--go on the record of what really was the lowdown of their disbandment. I can't imagine how true blue Thatters fans reacted to the show but for me (who only became a fan of he group in 1995 and learned that Robbie had left the group only a couple of months later), it definitely answered a lot of questions.

Two months of being a fan of Take That as an original fivesome wasn't much. But they happen to be my most fave boyband even up to now. They didn't have fancy dance moves like N'Sync or Billboard-topping singles like the Backstreet Boys. And I know that boyband fans of the later '90s would definitely call them hokey--the Pinoys would've have aptly described them as jologs. But they were a phenomenon in Britain--no doubt sparked the birth of many other groups such as Boyzone or the Spice Girls. Seeing their video for "Back for Good" most likely initiated me to pop culture because I can't remember ever seeing so much MTV prior to that.

For me, they set the bar for everyone else who followed. My all-time fave song is by them--"Holding Back The Tears"--and their Nobody Else album is still one of my most played tapes (yes, tapes). And I still get goosebumps whenever I hear their "Never Forget" single, released coincidentally with Robbie's leaving the group.

Yes, Robbie--who has entertained the world with his solo hits like "Angel" and "Rock DJ," whose own greatest hits album is no doubt the soundtrack of my life. That Robbie. It was disappointing that he didn't meet up with the other guys for For The Record. I guess it was enough that he actually agreed to be interviewed for it and even aired his dirty laundry--how his depression and drinking affected his work leading to the other four to confront him, then eventually have that confrontation as the last time for the five of them to be in one room at the same time. Tiffany whispered to me that Robbie prolly thinks he didn't really need to meet with the guys because after all, he's bigger than Take That was in the global scale. I half agree with her but hope that isn't true.Nevertheless, the show was a greatly needed closure. At least now I won't be wondering Why? when I listen to TT's greatest hits album. Other successful boybands should take a leaf from these lads and give a proper farewell before they disappear into thin air. No matter how late it is. They owe it to their fans, at least. (Hear that, N'Sync?)

The Birthday Weekend

FRIDAY
The weekend didn't start well. I should have known then that the weekend would be a crappy one. I learned that the Yankees lost to the White Sox by one run. And then I saw on the news that new England coach Steve McClaren named John Terry as new England captain. I was hoping it would be Stevie G but I really can't complain--only props for Terry. After all, he led Chelsea to win the last two Premiership titles. So I decided to finally post my thoughts about the Becks captaincy--because it really, really is over.

SATURDAY
I'm finally 16. Woohoo! Well, I always say I'm stuck at 16. LOL. And birthday or not, I finished the laundry I started the day before before I got sidetracked by blogging. Then I talked to Lee Ann on the phone for more or less two hours. Obviously, there's nothing new to do on our Saturday mornings. I nagged her to watch She's the Man when gets the chance. By midday, there was text traffic on my mobile and I thought that the weekend was really gonna improve. (Thank you, thank you, thank you, peeps, for remembering mundane August 12th.) I didn't even let the Yankees loss to the Angels get to me--even if I can feel the Red Sox breathing down our neck.

And then I heard the news of the day: Becks got dropped from the England squad for the midweek Greece friendly. Why couldn't I have learned this on the 11th? Or the 13th? Now, August 12th is reduced to the day Becks got "axed" from the England squad ever since he started his international career. McClaren did say, after he's "looking forward into the future" speech, that Becks told him he's gonna continue to fight for his place in the team. Good on ya, Becks! I want them to win against Greece but if they lose tomorrow, I'll be the first one to let out a big laugh. The future, my ass!

Well, the day passed in a blur after that. I know my sis called early in the evening and then there were more text greetings but I don't know where my mind was, really.

SUNDAY
I was counting on Sunday to save the weekend. I was planning to make some tuna macaroni for the family (I'd decided Sunday was a good time as any to do the celebration thingie) but I didn't feel like cooking so we had to make do with chicken and taters, plus something usual in our side of the Typhoon Belt and a fave of mine for as long as I can remember (but I'm not telling you what it is 'cause I don't wanna gross you out!). Then we had some ultimate chocolate ice cream and then the usual three hours of of CSI Supreme Sunday on cable. Eating ice cream and watching Jon Togo gave me ideas. Whew!

Sunday pretty much saved the weekend, I guess. There were more belated birthday greetings. Then I watched the live broadcast of the FA Community Shield as Liverpool defeated Chelsea 2-1. What a present that was. And right before midnight, too! I went to sleep thinking about doing a book blog even if I'm a crap reviewer...but I have to find someone to do a (free!) customized template for me for this one though. AiAi is still working on the other one even if she's very busy (Hi, Ai!).

I say, 24 doesn't feel any different than when I was 23. Not even when I was 16! I still haven't decided if that's good or a bad thing.

Living Goldenballs -- 11.15.2000/07.02.2006

"Good ole baldy Becks has just been chosen by new England coach Peter Taylor as captain of the national team! Aye, aye, Cap'n!"

This was an entry dated November 15, 2000 in my Things That Make Us Happy notebook. I bet I got teary eyed the moment I got this piece of news. This announcement came after England's early exit in the Euro 2000 and then squad captain Alan Shearer retired from international duty. And what an honor that announcement it was.

And in the close to six years that followed, I would see Becks lead England from one win to another. There were times when he would get fingerpointed after a disappointing result. But what a wonderful five and a half years it had been. A trip down memory lane is an absolute treat. Countless memories abound but there are some that stand out for me. Two of my faves being the 5-1 rout England dished on Germany on September 1, 2001 during the WC 2002 qualifiers; and Becks' free kick against Greece a little over a month later that sealed their trip to Korea/Japan.

But that trip hadn't been smooth-sailing. During the ManUtd-Depo Champions League quarterfinals in 2002, Becks almost lost his chance to captain his country that summer. In the first leg, he scored in the fifteenth to help ManUtd to a 2-0 win over the Spaniards. But then a tackle had sprained one of his ankles and fears of a more serious injury surfaced. It was reassuring to see him start in the second leg. But what didn't succeed in their first match was accomplished in the second--as Becks got stretchered off right before halftime. Another tackle (from an Argie , no less) broke a metatarsal bone--that wasn't something an England fan (or a squad captain!) would like to have with the WC in the horizon. A lot could relate to that experience to this year's Wayne Rooney injury saga. (Did the Argies have a grudge against Becks? After France '98 and this unfortunate incident, my personal grudge against Argie footballers--except for Juan Sebastian Veron because he played alongside Becks at ManUtd and Seba is just unhateable--had become the size of old USSR.)

Thank God for modern medicine and technology because Becks was back on his feet (casts off!) and running again a month ahead of schedule. He then led his country to the quarterfinals of Korea/Japan 2002. They might have lost to eventual winners Brazil but not before the England captain exacted revenge on the Argies. England defeated Argentina in their group match, 1-0. It was a penalty awarded to Michael Owen after he was brought down inside the box. Guess who converted it? It was a long time coming but revenge was nothing but sweet. It ended four years of pain and was an exorcism of sorts. (Of course, after this match and just last November 2005's 3-2 friendly win over the Argies have reduced my grudge against them to the size of modern day Russia.)

Becks has always played key roles wherever he happens to be playing. But also because of his lifestyle and popularity outside of the game that he has become a target for footballers prone to sophomoric displays. Like being spat at by a Turkish player after their 0-0 draw against Turkey, sealing qualification for Euro 2004. But skirmishes like that had to be forgotten on November 2003 as David Robert Joseph Beckham finally received his OBE, the first step into becoming a Knight of the British realm. It could either mean Order of the British Empire or Order of the Big Earners.

Euro 2004 in Portugal was another disappointment--in English standards, that is. We lost to the host country in spot kicks in the quarterfinals. That's the downside of a country whose club football scene is the most popular in the world. Because popular does not automatically translate to being the best. And that's what the England squad have to always endure during every major international tourney. They are always favorites early on, which might be justified by a constant supply of young talent (that somehow just couldn't get it together under pressure). Whenever their performances fall short of expectations, Becks has learned at weathering criticism especially from the vicious British media. Not only did the leadership end there. He has proven doubters wrong time and again--about his personal performance as well as about the national team's.

Sure, there were a lot of times in the Beckham captaincy that I look back on with triumph and pride--and sometimes with a shake of my head. During England's Germany 2006 qualifier against Wales in October 2004, he scored a free kick from Beckham country that turned out to be the game winner. But that win was overshadowed by his admission later on that he committed an intentional foul in the second half of the game so he could serve the ban while being sidelined for a plaguing injury. Unethical, some say. I say, no more unethical than Maradona's Hand of God in the 1986 WC was. Even up to now, I still don't know whether to admire him for having the guts to commit the foul or the fact that he admitted to doing it on purpose.

He rallied a rather despondent England team and scored another trademark free kick against Ecuador in the knockout stage of WC 2006, winning 1-0. Becks became the first Englishman to score in three consecutive WCs (he scored against Colombia in '98)--that definitely beats the heck out of being the first player to be sent off twice in his England career after a questionable second yellow during a WC qualifier in late 2005. For me, I have seen my gold squad play in Germany 2006. Oh, I'm sure there will be other golden squads for other England fans in the future (who knows, that selection could finally bring home that golden trophy) just as the WC-winning team of '66 was the golden squad of that generation.

It was sad to be eliminated through penalties (Portugal is fast becoming a pain in my neck). It was even more heartbreaking watching an injured Becks being subbed in that quarterfinal game. But all through those mind-numbing defeats, we always see the leader in him trying to console the other members of his squad. Becks never failed to approach each and every teammate to offer some sort of comfort. he might have been captain but he's still human, too. Even if he himself obviously had his hopes dashed, he was never too selfish as to offer word, or even a little pat on the back, to alleviate disappointment.

I never thought then that July 1, 2006 would be the last time I would see him wear the captain's armband. When I read: "Football: Beckham resigns as England captain" on the sports tickerbar the following day, I almost felt nothing. Almost. But in my mind were images of him in white and red over the years--either I think that or start crying my heart out. I hope he will still be able to get his wish of capping 100 for his country though--he's currently at 95. After all, he's still the squad's free kick specialist. And I hope that he realizes that winning a WC does not measure a player but what he has done to impact the game--and you can't find him wanting there.

On July 2, 2006 in Baden Baden, Germany a David Beckham barely able to hold back tears read:

"On 15 November 2000 Peter Taylor gave me the greatest honour of my career in making me captain of England and fulfilling my childhood dream. Now almost six years later, having been captain for 58 of my 95 caps, I feel the time is right to pass on the armband as we enter in a new era under Steve McLaren.

It has been an honour and a privilege to have captained our country and I want to stress that I wish to continue to play for England and look forward to helping both the new captain and Steve McLaren in any way I can. I came to this decision some time ago but I had hoped to announce it on the back of a successful World Cup - sadly that wasn't to be.

This decision has been the most difficult of my career to date. But after discussing it with my family and the closest to me I feel it is the time is right.

Our performance during this World Cup has not been enough to progress and both myself and all the players regret that and are hurt by that more than people realise. I wish to thank all the players for their support during my time as captain, as well - Peter Taylor, Sven and all the coaches. I would also like to thank the press and of course the England supporters who have been both great to me and my teammates and I want them to know for me it has been an absolute honour.

Finally I have lived the dream. I am extremely proud to have worn the armband and been captain of England and for that I will always be grateful.

Thank you."

Thank you for five years and a half worth of leadership, of both good and bad memories, of lessons learned, of proving critics wrong, of the never-failing tonsorial entertainment in the international stage. Life goes on from here but the near to six years past are worth reliving.

Loves and Hates in ABCs

I borrowed the idea from Dee and Grace's blogs but I just sorta revamped it. So, I love...

Armageddon..my all-time fave movie.
Bo Bice...my all-time fave AI alum yet.
Chocolates...my poison.
David Beckham...is a demigod.
England...aight, I'm an Anglophile.
French fries...thank God for small things.
Green...my most fave color (although not for reason Lee Ann and Olive say).
Hawaiian spare ribs...the yummiest easy-to-cook food ever.
Ice cream...yum-yum-yum!
Jigsaw puzzles...the 500-plus-piece kind is perfect for Sunday afternoon fun.
Knights...don't you just wish you were there when chivalry was well and truly alive?
Lee and Red...my ever reliable and ever present therapists.
Monster Radio...my current fave radio station.
Nuts...almonds, pistachio, peanuts, cashew...coconut? Hahaha.
Original...how I like my Pringles and Pik-Nik snacks.
Perfect...my most fave Judith McNaught book.
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy...and the straight girl, too.
Real Madrid...or wherever Becks happens to be playing.
Sacramento Kings...I save my loudest basketball cheer for this team.
Trivia shows...one of these days, you're gonna see me in one.
Uno...my kind of card game. It's cool to be six again.
Vikings...one of my most fave heroes in historical romances.
Winnie the Pooh...has the cutest tummy in the cartoon world.
X-men movies...lovely trilogy--and not just because of Hugh Jackman.
Yankees...my baseball team of choice.
Zitti with meat sauce...my staple Sbarro order.

...and I love to hate...

Argentina's football squad...I might respect them but could never cheer for them.
Blogging....not!
Cigarettes...the smell is atrocious and they kill, too.
Dancing...because I know that I'm more than uncoordinated, I'm hopeless, when it comes to it.
Electrical blackouts...because life comes to a halt. Well, almost.
Formal affairs...no flip-flops or trainers or jeans. Help!
Goodbyes...who doesn't?
Horror movies...they all have the same freakin' plot.
Infidelities...as attractive as shit.
Jose Mourinho...he's a good manager (maybe) but still comes across as too cocky.
Katie Holmes...for hooking with Cruise and having his 'alien' baby,
LA Lakers...or whatever team Kobe plays for.
Milk...they say I've had too much of it as a kid.
Numbers...and they hate me back.
Okra...is worse than squash.
Physics...so no wonder my lowest grades come from this subject.
Queer haters...narrow minds are them.
Racism...because I have been a victim of it countless of times already.
Sci-fi books...the type of book I wouldn't even touch.
Tom Cruise...especially after the divorce--and jumping on the couch didn't help the (nut)case.
Umbrellas...unless I don't have to hold them.
Vanity...the world doesn't need it right now or any other time.
Wearing non-flat footwear...you have to pay me to change that.
X-rays on the chest...because it doesn't feel good to wear no bra while someone tries to see through you!
Y Tu Mama Tambien...I'm sure the story didn't really need all the mink action.
Zigzagy roads...because sooner or later it will cause someone to do the psychedelic yawn. Yikes!

Quick Reviews

I haven't been to the video store in a while so it was only natural to practically raid it the first chance I got. There were some movies that were surprisingly good; while some didn't live up to the hype.

--Tristan + Isolde
I wasn't familiar with this story so I was pretty excited when I got my hands on this one. After all, my sister was gushing about it after she saw it in the cinema a while back. And now I'm glad I didn't go on her recommendation. I mean, it was fine at the start because the period piece thingie is always a big thing for me. But when Isolde (Sophia Myhles) got married, it went downhill from there for me. Infidelity, adultery, and the rest of their lot just turn me off--whether I find it in a book or a movie, whether it's fictional and most especially when it's not.
Saving grace: James Franco. Because, well, he's hot James Franco.

--Eight Below
Mixing Paul Walker with those huskies was absolutely lethal! I love dogs and watching the kind of ordeal that those guys went through was heartbreaking. It was impossible for all eight to have survived but I would have preferred the story to have ended that way. Although it was wonderful enough that there were six left. And Mr Walker was hot (as usual) even in frigid Antarctica.
Verdict: Will watch it again and again.

--Casanova
I was hankering for this one since I so loved its trailer. But it took so long to get to the local theaters. And then I found out their run was over. It only showed for a week--and justifiably so. The visual FX were too rough and the plot was kinda weak.
Chemistry: Definitely lacking between Heath Ledger (Casanova) and Sienna Miller (Francesca Bruni).

--Nanny McPhee
Another movie that turned me off from having children--especially more than one. It will be an absolute nightmare. Although the movie came short of my expectations, it was still a good one. I liked the colorful sets and costumes. Outrageously funky! But I personally don't want to see Colin Firth in a father role in a while yet.
My own ending: The father should have married Nanny McPhee!

--Aeon Flux
And there goes the curse of Oscar! Well, that's what they said but I thought the movie was kinda nice even if the genre wasn't my favorite. It didn't exactly have the wallop that other sci-fi movies have but the Charlize Theron stunts make good company for popcorn. And there was a love story, too.
Look for: the Stuart Townsend cameo.

--Brokeback Mountain
Olive still cannot get through the whole thing without turning the player off. What's up with that, girl? And boys (I can't call them men for this very reason) getting grossed out by the movie was just ludicrous. I bet they have the exact opposite reaction on lesbo scenes when the truth of the matter is: this movie has more soul than five regular love stories put together.
Shoutout: Grow up, people. And then watch this one.

--Green Street Hooligans
As a football fan, I thought I had an idea about hooliganism. Then a friend who's currently in England told me how absurd the situation really is. So when I saw this flick, everything clicked right into place. Although it wasn't a surprise at all because footy fans are passionate about their sport. Charlie Hunnam was hot but I still have to unFrodize Elijah Wood.
Afterthought: I hope I will have the chance not to wear the ManUtd jersey other than at old Trafford when I wake up and find myself in England one of these days.

--Reeker
Even if I hate horror movies, I do rent out one from time to time for the peeps at home. As usual, the general plot in this one was just the same with the rest of all the gazillion horror flicks out there. The antagonist here was a reeking spectre who, well, kills. I dunno what was the point of that exactly. Did that make him any worse than the other serial killers who didn't reek before they went for the kill? Suffice to say it stunk like the title. And I'm embarrassed to say that I crushed on Scott Whyte when he was on Mighty Ducks 2 and seeing his name on the cover was the reason I chose this one over the other available 'scary movies.'
Scott Whyte: Was a bloated disappointment.

--When A Stranger Calls
I have seen Camilla Belle in two previous movies and think that she's hot. She's a great actress and a beautiful kid, too. Here, she was all grown and did a convincing job as a scared babysitter trying to brave out some scary calls. I pretty much enjoyed the movie until the end proved to be an uber anticlimax.
Fallout: With the caller's ubiquity during the runaround, what turned out to be a lack of character history and build-up left me breathless--with disappointment.

In Sevens

Seven things--

--I want to do before I die.

1. Have absolute peace in my life for a full month at the very least.
2. Fall in love for real.
3. Be loved in return and unconditionally--scars, cellulite (cellulite?) and all.
4. Backpack through Europe.
5. Bungee jump.
6. Do serious volunteer work for a charity organization, especially for children.
7. Learn how to drive.

--I can't do.

1. Drive.
2. Swim.
3. Drink myself to oblivion.
4. Have any of my dream pets.
5. Hurt anyone intentionally.
6. Live my life just to please others.
7. Lose faith in God.

--That attract me to opposite sex.

1. The physical--especially the eyes and the smile (I don't care if that came out too shallow).
2. Intelligence.
3. Character.
   
4. A sense of humour.
5. Doesn't smoke and probably doesn't drink alcohol (I am looking for a saint!)
6. Definitely not a party animal.
7. Knows and doesn't diss Becks on his every other breath (or thought!).

--Say most often.

1. What the...!
2. Helloer!
3. Yeah, right.
4. Aight.
   
5. Holy guacamole!
6. So sorry, so sad.
7. Sh!t.

--Celebrity crushes.

1. David Beckham. (the rest are always second best and could change by the minute you read the last name)
   
2. Orlando Bloom.
3. Enrique Murciano
4. Channing Tatum
5. Wentworth Miller
6. Paul Walker
7. Shane Ward
   

(Idea borrowed from the ladies of Sanctuary's Finest.)

100 Random Things

Got the idea from Dylan's blog--thanks, girl. And I felt like yapping about myself right about now so here are the yappy thoughts.

1. I am proud to be Filipino.
2. ...but I just don't dig the local entertainment that much.
3. I have been diagnosed to be terminally footballitic.
4. I think athletes look better when they are on the pitch, court, etc. than when they are off them.
5. I don't watch a sport I don't understand the rules to no matter how hot the guys are in it.
6. Tiffany loves to watch WWE.
7. Tiffany is my inner biyatch.
8. Send me a text message. Don't call.
9. I was a big fan of boybands.
10. ...and am not ashamed to admit it.
11. I miss high school.
12. Yes, even the pink school uniform I hated to wear and the countless formulae I had to memorize for the Statistics exams.
13. ...but not the time making investigatory projects.
14. I was thankful we never dissected a frog.
15. I was glad we cultured bacteria in petri dishes instead--more exciting!
16. I fell in love with David Beckham when I was in high school.
17. I am 50% Roman Catholic and 50% heretic.
18. I am a 100% believer in God.
19. I do go to church from time to time to talk to Him but I have not heard mass in a long time.
20. I still listen to my old cassette tapes.
21. I still listen to crappy bubblegum pop is what.
22. I think Ne-Yo's songs are wicked!
23. I hate it when people think I lie when I say I like watching CNN.
24. I have bad blood against liars.
25. I declared that the full name of our pet dog Red is Red Mini-Cooper: because one of my sisters used to collect toy Mini-Coopers; and because Red and Anderson Cooper have the same color hair.
26. I also declared our older dog Lee as Brad-Lee Jolie-Pitt: because I just felt like it and I think that Bradley Cooper is hot!
27. I color books as a form of anger management therapy.
28. My Things That Make Us Happy notebook is now the Things To Be Thankful For notebook.
29. I am the moderator of the sports thread of MTVAsia Graffiti Wall.
30. I have not posted at the forum in more than a year--shame on me!
31. My older sisters are twins.
32. My full initials are ACMCS.
33. I am a chatterbox.
34. I can talk about life experiences to Hollywood to porn to what's happening in the business world.
35. I have not seen porn.
36. Lame. I know.
37. I cry when I hear good and bad news (even on TV) or when I read a sappy book or when I watch an even sappier movies.
38. I read a lot of romances.
39. I can't understand people who doesn't even want to read--not even good ole Archie.
40. I try to learn a new word everyday.
41. I need at least five fashion makeovers.
42. I don't want to have even one.
43. I love my jeans, my shirts, and my trainers just fine.
44. I don't know and don't care how to put on make-up.
45. Powder and lipstick or gloss are the farthest I go.
46. I have the worst disposition when I have to put on more than that.
47. So it would be hard to believe that I ever was an Avon lady.
48. I forgot to claim the prize when I won Letter of the Month of OK! Magazine Philippine Edition's October issue last year.
49. I do have Dory tendencies.
50. I decided to one day travel the world in alphabetical order when I was 10.
51. I changed my mind when I learned that Afghanistan tops the list.
52. I cheated more than once in school but didn't cheat my way through it.
53. I miss hanging out at my old university's amphitheater.
54. I can't remember the number of times my friends and I had been shushed in the uni library a.k.a. the Giant Freezer.
55. I really loved being a Girl Scout.
56. I have serious trust issues.
57. I have low tolerance level for pain.
58. I get faint-hearted at the thought of giving birth.
59. That's why I don't want to have kids of my own.
60. I don't want to get married either.
61. If I find a guy who will love me enough to refuse to let me live in sin, I just might marry him and we could negotiate about number 59.
62. I do love kids.
63. I need to marry a rich guy so we could afford adoption and so I won't have to work for a living.
64. I could volunteer for children's organizations instead.
65. I have a godson.
66. I owe him lots of gifts already.
67. My dream pets: a polar bear, a panda bear, a tiger, a dolphin, and a penguin (I guess, I really need a richer-than-Midas husband).
68. I still find myself sitting on the lower branches of one of the mango trees in our backyard on odd afternoons.
69. I have allergic reactions to booze, too much squid, and very salty foods.
70. Shandy is all my system will allow.
71. I don't care about the booze but I do ready my meds because not even allergies can keep me from calamari heaven.
72. Tiffany really wants to get a tattoo.
73. I tell her that only after she endures the pains of labor can she ink herself.
74. I wake up at odd hours in the morning to watch live European football.
75. I once won an England jersey online.
76. I still believe that raffle contests are crap.
77. One day in high school, the lady beside me on the bus home had a heart attack.
78. I was so scared I almost had one, too.
79. I love fastfood and junkfood.
80. I want mushrooms on my pizza, in my soup, and in my pasta sauce.
81. I hate it when people's message alert tone is a full-length ringtone.
82. One of my most favorite local delicacies, blue egg or the local balot, was once a 'gross food' on Survivor.
83. I say it's more of an attraction than a delicacy because most just like the idea of it but are too grossed out to eat it.
84. I want to have my own book rental system.
85. I only learned that I was done with college a couple of days before the graduation ceremony.
86. I love doing the grocery.
87. Kookie is a family nickname.
88. I want to learn how to speak and write in Spanish.
89. I once had temporary amnesia after a vehicular accident when I was 3.
90. I love the rain--especially when I'm indoors!
91. I miss my girls because the BOORs have not been together all in one place at one time in the past six years.
92. I assure you that noone among the seven of us has boorish behavior and that the name just stands for Babes Out Of Reach.
93. I am still crazy about Becks.
94. I only started eating hotdogs and apples when I was 6--I still can't believe I had I had Yuck! reaction to these two.
95. I have always acknowledged the existence of a social divide--we poor folks can't ever mix with them rich ones.
96. I think I have obsessive-compulsive disorder.
97. I really, really miss my old pal Tim.
98. For Christmas last year, one of my sisters gave a tumbler that said: 'FOOTBALL CRAZY You really are a footy nut You love all kinds of sports And think it's fun, watching men run around the pitch in their shorts!'
99. I broke it a couple of months later. Accidentally, of course.
100. This list is a snow flake on my iceberg.

A Look Back at Germany 2006

I practically had to wait close to a month of postmortem before I could list down my own unbiased (I think) highlights of Germany 2006. Although if I had my way, I needed more time than that to decimate my disappointment. But the new European football season is just a few days away so there really is no time to languish in the World Cup what-ifs.

The pre-tourney time was already full of drama: the injury woes of many star players, the Togo coach quitting (only to return to the squad a few hours before their debut), and then there was the criticism rained on Germany's national coach.

Which brings me to my first fave highlight: the host nation's blistering performance in the group stage. They scored a total of eight goals and bagged the perfect nine points. Then there was the 0-0 draw between Sweden and Trinidad & Tobago, the competition's smallest country. Speaking of surprises, how about the USA holding (eventual winners) Italy to a 1-1 draw? That was also when De Rossi got suspended for four games after an elbowing incident drew blood from McBride (and the Italian returned after the ban just in time to play in the Finals). Spain humiliated first-timers Ukraine 4-0 in their first group match. Experts say, and I wholeheartedly agree with 'em, that Spain is the best country yet to be hailed as world champions. And I'm the last thing from being an Argie fan but after Argentina demoralised Serbia & Montenegro 6-0, I really believed that they were a real contender this year. And it was a sad campaign for Serbia & Montenegro this time when they failed to earn any point and scored only two goals--after all, they were one of the pre-tourney favorites. Although they managed to win their group, England still don't know how to break Sweden's game (that's since 1969) after a 2-2 draw in their last group match. And what's up with Ljungberg and Swede cap'n Mellberg having locker room bust-ups for the second straight World Cup? Tsk tsk. And let's not forget the refereeing blunder during the Australia-Croatia 2-2 draw. A player got carded thrice and was never sent off? Unheard of until now.

And in true underdog story, Australia qualified for the knockout stage. I was so happy for them especially since theirs wasn't exactly an easy group and this was their first World Cup since 1972. Beckham saved England again with his winning 60th minute free kick to down Ecuador. I know there was a reason a worship this man. I don't think this was a highlight in the truest sense of the word but it definitely was unforgettable: the Portugal-Netherlands record-breaking cardfest disguised as a football match. It yielded sixteen yellows and four reds. Or was it five? But no matter, I didn't see FIFA's Fair Play in this one. And Ronaldo became the all-time World Cup leading scorer with fifteen goals as Brazil trounced tourney deb Ghana--also the only African country to qualify for the knockout stage.

The quarterfinals was one pretty picture with six former champions in it: Germany, Argentina, England, Italy, Brazil, and France. The only two missing were the Netherlands (bested by Portugal in the previous round) and Uruguay (bested by Australia in the qualifier playoffs). One of the best matches of the tournament was Germany-Argentina in the quarterfinals. They drew 1-1 in open play but spot kicks were the only way to settle the score between the two powerhouses: 4-2 to the Germans. England crashed to Portugal's penalty prowess yet again. I'm getting tired with that, really. And the Rono powers of Brazil wasn't able to hold off a Zidane-led French squad. I remember winning eight years ago when I bet on Les Blues against the Samba Boys in the '98 Finals.

The semis yielded an all European affair. I was fine with that. But my heart just broke for the host country when Italy doubled in the last three minutes of the second extra time. I really thought Germany could all the way. But Deutschland was still flying high at third place--and that was definitely a better finish than fourth. What a letdown for all Klinsmann critics.

But Italy won their fourth title--after a 1-1 draw during open play but downed France in penalties, 5-3. The perfect score from the spot was really something for a country reputed to suck at that. The whole campaign of the Azurri had been overshadowed by the match-fixing scandal at home. And their win was also overshadowed by Zizou's headbutt on Materazzi. We might never know what was said but I'd say it was bad--because I never saw Zizou act that way in the near to ten years I'd followed his career. Both parties had been heard by FIFA, monetary penalties and bans handed out--two for Materrazi. And since Zidane had retired and could not serve his three-match ban, it had been converted to three days of community service...and he got to keep his Player of the Tournament award. Because, of course, he was.

So danke, Deutschland, for a job well done--on and off the pitch. And I'll be thinking of this for months and years to come. Well, until 2010. And probably because as my third World Cup, I've become more than a Beckham and England groupie but a real fan of the beautiful game. Oh, I'll always be a groupie as long as there is a constant supply of hotties, e.g. Prince Poldi. But I do care about the game now. I was just pissed off when Eriksson used just one striker in the quarters. It certainly didn't pay off. But I'll leave the technicalities to the staff though. You won't believe the worry I put myself in thinking about a possible England-Brazil face-off in the semis. Guess what? Neither travelled to Munich for a July 5 meeting. But hey, it's lows like this that'll make the highs even sweeter--and it definitely didn't make me any less of an England fan. That's sports, that's football. Live it, love it.

(And Blogger is really getting me POed!!! I can't put in any pix! Oh, well.)