The Alchemist: Take 2

January 29, 2008

I am now reading again Paolo Coelho's The Alchemist. I did not understand the book quite well the 1st time I got a taste of it a few years back. I remember I had read it around April or May of 2005 before I went to Taiwan for my 1st living-abroad experience.

I also remember liking Coelho's writing style. There is a sense of adventure that gave me the momentary laps of wonderment and imagination, as well as enough touch of quotes about life that left me grounded.

After taking FLEX, ALC, LEAP, staffing thrice for FLEX and twice for ALC, and chiefing a FLEX, I am again taking another leap of faith as to what this book now has to teach me.

The words now about universal conspiracy to one's declarations of heart do not sound as alien as before. Previous images of cult practises now provide images of a graceful spiritual flight. Through the life of a young shepherd, I was allowed access to reflect on my own life.

My father used to mock me about keeping books for the purpose of rereading them in the future. I look back and see he is wrong.

Question Marks in the Air

These past few days I've been feeling simultaneously restless and sluggish with my work. I don't know if it's because I've started working full time or because I don't find enough excitement to going to office. The only reason I look forward to each day is because... heheh that's for another blog entry...

I've been thinking how this work is not cut out for me, and vice versa. A few days ago, I rediscovered where I had placed my Alchemist book, and I decided to reread it again. I do feel that books like that are meant to be read and reread and reread...

"Visitors"

Suddenly the guard here in Ateneo Professional Schools decided to recommend our Confucius Institute office as an unofficial library to graduate students who are going to have their midterm exams.

I did allow them to use the facility; however, I am really feeling uneasy about this whole arrangement. Processing myself, I realized that I felt I was taken advantage of. At first a couple students felt comfy then another came, then another, then another. Before I knew it, I am a librarian to half a dozen crammers. >:/

Later I plan to talk to the guard or whoever's in charge... Hay, "I" message...

I Am Legend not so legendary

Recently I got the chance to experience the cold ambiance of the movie houses again. Choices were the MMFF candidates plus a couple of foreign movies.

I remember when I 1st watched a movie. I was with my mom. She used to tell me when she was young, her eldest sister and she will go to Avenida to catch some Susan Roces flicks back I think when movies were still in faded colors or in black and white. I really like it when Mama goes nostalgic and tells me some stories of her younger years.

My friend and I chose to spend quality time with Will Smith's I Am Legend. And I perfectly agree with Julianna Palermo's write-up on that movie. The director/producer could've done better with the ending. Honestly, not the best movie I have ever seen. Sure the effects were not bad; however, I wouldn't recommend it to friends. Good thing I have someone special with me, so my night was still well-spent. ;P

New Year, New What?

As I sit here coming up with a new entry for my blog, I see the evening sky from my 2 bedroom windows bursting with flavorful colors of violet, pink, red, yellow, green. My ears are ringing from the explosives and my back's hurting from sitting too long on this chair.

The lights and booms appear too close for comfort, as if when I reach out of the window, I can easily cup in my hands these puffy colorful flowers of the night.

Since this morning, I kept shaking this irate feeling of fear, uncertainty, anxiety. I kept trying to bring back the loving Haidee, the one who believes that love is the answer, no other way to do it.

On my right window, I watch red strikes glide the walls of my room. On my left window, I watch red and green bullets attack the serenity of a regular night. I lowered the volume of my TV to bask in the thunders. I feel my floor shiver now and then. I can smell the residue of fireworks powder even with tightly closed doors and windows.

Looking back, I have never experienced New Year like this, feeling alienated, alone, incomplete. Looking back, I have never witnessed New Year like this. Usually, I turn the TV and music from my laptop full blast to drone out the unwanted sounds.

But now, I feel like a child again. A continuous replay of "Seasons of Love" serves as the perfect background to the pitter-patter of the celebrations, the sprinkle of Trix-colored night pellets.

I guess 2008 is very promising after all. :)

Equine Experience

Mom said yesterday to wake up early coz we still need to buy fruits and flowers yada yada before her opening shop yada yada.

I was jolted out of dreamland when she barraged into my room picking up clothes to wash for her early morning laundry. Ungodly 4:30am, when I set my alarm at 5am. I was robbed, I tell you, ROBBBBEDDDD!!! So here I am watching Travel & Living again at 5:30am while waiting for my mom.

Every time I tune in to this channel, feels like I'm being transported to another world, to their world: their travels, their adventures, their luxury... *sigh*
Anyway, I caught Angus Fontaine living the life of the rich & famous... and not-so-famous, yet still lavishly wealthy. He's now checking out Miraval Resorts at Arizona. Now, I'm more of a Bobby Chinn and Anthony Bourdaine fan (I wonder why...), so whenever I catch Angus Fontaine on TV, I tend to switch back to Disney Channel or what other show caught my fancy.

However, something he was trying out at the resort caught my attention. He was enrolled at a program involving horses. *Eyng* Wrong guess. He's not horseback riding.

Doing a quick search on the web, he was enrolled at Wyatt Webb's Equine Experience program. Wyatt tasked Angus to simply give a horse a ... "hoof scrub." As you've seen in cowboy movies, one does not immediately grab a horse's hoof, unless one wants to instantly become a 4th of July show.

So Wyatt guided Angus to slowly move down the horse's leg, gently squeeze its ankles, and wait for a few seconds for it to raise its hoof; if not, back off. Kinda like wooing a girl to dance with you in the old 16th century balls. Anyway, I guess Angus' charm only works on women coz the horsie refused him its hand... er, hoof.

Before backing off, what Angus did was to slowly glide his hand again up to the horse's shoulder. What was fascinating; however, was how Wyatt detected a lot of Angus' traits/mannerisms/behavior/attitude with that simple scene. He asked how long had Angus been using his charm to get his way, to get what he wants.

Wyatt told Angus to try the whole task again... but with his eyes closed. Angus obliged, and as a viewer, I can see how Angus became more unsure of himself. He only relied on his senses and on Wyatt's voice and instructions, "move a bit more to your left, squeeze lightly..." I can see that though it seemed a bit awkward or unnerving, it was a practice of trust for him then and there: trusting himself, trusting Wyatt, trusting the horse. He has no other way but to abide to the rules of a different game.

After a few seconds, the horse raised its hoof up for a quick scrubbing from a well-traveled journalist who probably has never scrubbed someone else's foot, let alone an animal's. Wyatt processed him and Angus admitted that what worked was him following his instinct.

That program really grabbed my interest because since I've finished LEAP, I've been into similar things: clawing deep down and discovering untapped natural capabilities, which are basically the only qualities one would need in this world.

Someday I'd like to experience that and learn from that man, Mr. Wyatt Webb. What's the value, you say? Well, I should say: learning, growth, excitement, adventure, humility.

On the Look-out: Drum Tabs

Anyone knows where I can get drum tabs of songs like Linkin Park's "Faint?" It would be helpful also if there's a website where solo drumming vids are available.

P.S. Linkin Park seems like they're evolving. A bit U2-ish now, esp with their new "Shadow of the Day."

Maury Show

I'm watching Maury now at 2nd Avenue. Yeah, it's obvious I'm a TV addict. I guess I'm just compensating for the times I was too tired to even turn on the TV.

Boy, these Americans can be freaky. I hope the freakiest ones are just fabricated, but it seems that people can be...er, creative in their lives also. So far what I caught in the show are:

• A 38 year-old white woman is engaged to a 24 year-old black dude. Her instincts are telling her he had been cheating on her, and that he might be a man-whore for free cigarettes, mp3 players and a laptop. She said she's been too distressed that she can't eat, can't sleep.
  
• As a trap, Maury's team put the guy into a limo with a lady-decoy pretending that she's one of the guests for the show. It took the guy 13 minutes before he started lip-locking with her.
  
• So no surprise when lie-detectors divulge that this guy had cheated with 5 women, 25 times.
  
• 
  
• A woman's husband is a pimp and had been cheating with her.
• 
  
• An angry man subjected his wife to Maury, and his lie-detecting machines, to check if she had cheated and is cheating on him.
  
• He believes that their 3 children are not his, and has been alienating them.
  
• Guess what, his wife never cheated.
  
• Well, in support of his truth, I hope he settles his issues before his children end up like him or like the other freaks featured in the show.

What I can't get is why do some of these people need to bring their case to national (and international TV) when they know that they would revealing embarrassing and degrading facts and secrets about themselves. Can't they just settle this in court or with a family or marriage counselor?

Declare and Deliver

It had been sometime since I last thought of coming up with a list of things I want to do while I'm still alive. I guess I've been thinking of a limit when in fact I should be open to additions subtractions multiplications divisions (to the list) as life rolls.

Since it's free to dream:

• write a book
• learn wakeboarding/surfing/water skiing/wind surfing
  
• buy a Nikon DSLR (still hesitating with D40)
• buy a video camera
  
• own a car (still drooling over Mazda 3... occasionally tempted by the stocky Mazda 6)
  
• go to Singapore to visit friends and relative
  
• explore the bazaars of Thailand
• adventure the lands of Australia and New Zealand
• taste the flavours of Europe
• scuba-dive the local waters of the Philippines
• own a house with bookshelves for my babies, a bathroom lounge, a walk-in closet, a room for my drums
• paint
• host an exhibit of my photos and paintings

That's all for now. I have another topic in mind for my blog revival. :)

Seasons of Love...?

Today's Christmas, and I was watching Christmas toons on Disney Channel while surfing for Wicked songs. I found out that the lead Idina Menzel was on Rent also. This reminded me of the song "Seasons of Love," which reminded me of 3rd Intensive. How it was just overflowing with love.

But something happened here at home that's no season of love.

Today's Christmas, the day our maid of 5+ years left. She had a fight with my aunt, packed her stuff and stormed out of our home. Mom had been declaring to the universe that our maid will leave. Ask and it shall be delivered.

I just felt bad that it was Christmas and it was evening. No taxis are passing by and she hadn't caught herself yet to think where she'll be staying.

I'm not writing a MMK special here. I just feel sad with what had transpired.

I feel that in a way, I am also partly responsible for not taking action. I could've counteracted the flow of events but I chose to stay in the comforts of my room when things are getting loud outside. I thought it's the usual hoolabaloo. I should have heeded when my intuition's "wang-wang" started screaming.

Man, I should stop this. It's really hard beating myself up. Pakshet mga belief system na ito! Every time I realize where these all came from, I find myself distancing my source of thousands of BSes: my mom.

I know I still feel...incomplete, so everyday I work on concretizing myself, that someday I can take back my lost childhood characteristics, and live life as life and God had intended.

Christmas Eve

On some days aboard a jeepney or an LRT, or when I'm just lounging in a cafe somewhere, I always have a topic in mind to write in my blog page. I feel I always have things to share, but when the blog template's staring back at me, my mind seems to run out of gas.

In the meantime, half of my attention's directed to the TV. While channel-hopping among the cartoon stations, I noticed that Christmas 2007 is a few minutes away.

I looked back to my past Christmases.

I remember the times back in grade school and high school when school will go on a break days before Christmas. Whenever I get up in the morning, sans breakfast, I heartily enjoy marathons of Christmas toons on Cartoon Network and other channels. No matter how many times I've caught different versions and variations of Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol (Flintstones, Scooby Doo, Mickey Mouse, Tom & Jerry, etc.), it's still amazing how I still enjoy watching them even in replays.

Now, I get to relive my childhood anew with cartoons with refreshingly new stories, as well as well-loved ones with wonderful twists. And now we have 3 channels that play these creations 24/7. (Tip: I find primetime, around 8pm, more enjoyable.)

One other Christmas that stood out was a bit recent. 2005 to be exact.

Unlike Philippines, Taiwan does not celebrate Christmas as a major holiday. So after 21 years of lounging my Christmases Manila, I was suddenly thrust in a society that works their Christmastime off. Man, how I had missed everyone back in Manila: my friends, my family, the food, the festivities, driving to familiar places, the comforts and conveniences.

I had been immersed in Taiwan for more than 6 months already, yet all of a sudden, everything felt so foreign again. As if this season to be jolly had recharged the feeling of isolation, hollowness that I had tried to beat by diving myself into work and more requested work. There were more "Hay..." than "Falalalala lalalala..."

I used to rationalize then that our Christmases was nothing extraordinary. We don't have noche buenas. Exchanging gifts is optional. "Kung hindi kailangan, wag nang bilhin. Mahirap panahon kelangang magtipid." Partly I bought my own rationalization. It took some of the sting away.

Coming back to the present, with that memory replaying like old Christmas cartoon reruns, I felt really grateful for being here, for spending Christmas here.

Sure, I'm back to our eventless Christmas "celebration" here at home. However, the feeling's like rebirth. I enjoy things differently. Merely ordering food, in my native tongue, at a restaurant brings an inner smile. Driving around feels comfortable. Seating shotgun while chatting with a taxi driver awakens me even after a claustrophobic experience at a packed Mall of Asia.

It's heart-warming... and scary at the same time. It's like falling in love again yet knowing the risk that it wouldn't last. I see myself living and thriving abroad, and it's a bit scary to think that some day I will have to relive again those same emotions I had felt back in Taiwan.

But that's still in the future, and as I've learned, live in the moment. And borrowing a theme from moments of past, this moment calls for a cup of hot chocolate, a remote control and some classic Disney cartoons.

krish-krish-krish

Dice Gaaaame!!! No, not the Mooncake Festival Dice Game. But the same dice game that got me drunk a few weeks ago... or was it a month ago.

This time around, my aunt and I, the ladies get to drink a alcoholic plum drink. At first glance, you'll think, is that honey? It's not bottled fancifully. It's contained in a, yup, a honey jar: small jar probably around 50oz, yellow cap, simple label, honey-looking color. Above all that, the drink's great!

The moment the drink touches your lips, you'll feel nothing can taste sweeter than this. Then sourness rises over the sweetness. But it's not too sour that'll make you long for the heavenly taste of a lemon. Tama lang ang asim. After all the regular plum flavors settle, the alcoholic taste kicks in.

The trick here is to sip it or take it in small shots. Sure, it's hot down the throat, but the lingering sweet-sour-alcoholic zest makes it more than bearable.

heheh And as for the guys?

Well, my cousin had this huge jar of medicine kuno for his aching back. Dunno where the hell he got the Chinese herbs doused and sitting in 20g of huangjiu (yellow wine). For the uneducated, un-baptized, untrained out there, huangjiu is probably the local wine with the highest alcoholic concentration. So imagine the strong punch with an even stronger punch from the herbal concoction.

I met this INTOXIFICATING potion first time when I was sweeping our pad. My bloodhound nose picked up this weird smell, which eventually led me to this hellish mix. It was sealed and wrapped in plastic then, mind you. I think even without my inane smelling talent, its smell would've caught my attention. And we're just on smell there, care to taste?

Going back to the dice game, hehe, our beloved guys, my uncle and my cousin had to drink this for their consequences. And if the game was imbalanced enough, their shots are greater than our shots. hahaha

It's priceless to see my 52-year-old uncle squirming and making faces like a 5-year-old who got a surprise injection or pulled by the ear by a tyrannical granny. Even more priceless to see my cousin got caught in his own bluff 3 times in a row! Here he is with a Santa Claus body, jumping (with his man boobs and tummy blobbing up and down with him), flinging-flanging his arms like a wet bird flinging-flanging water from its wings, flopping down on the sofa like a whacked fish.

hahaha Man, I should've known there was a camera on top of microwave. Those 2 men-of-the-house are just hilarious!

I played the game real well tonight! I'm proud to say I didn't end up drunk as my uncle had expected and I played the rounds real well. I lost more than a couple of times but they were worth it. Learned a few tricks and like I said, the drink's great!

Not too good for my cuz though. We went home and on our way, he said he feels like throwing up. I said, no you're not going to blow up at our pad. (That would mean I would've have to clean it coz he's too messed up.) So he said, ok he'll throw up along the way since there are patches of grass behind low-lying bushes. And throw up he did. His "lwoeu...bu-lah..wul-lah.." can be heard resonating from the tall buildings in the silent 1am cool night. The moon's perfect for werewolves, bright but hidden in passing clouds, making it more weird for this type of scene.

Casually, I took the keys to our pad and his man-pouch, walked past him, up the stairs, into the elvator and into our pad. I could still hear his "bu-lah... wul-lah..." a minute after I settled into the couch.

When he came in, he said, This is my advantage (comparing himself to locals or to his peers). I could get drunk, continue what we're playing, then throw up after the game, and feel refreshed and alert afterwards. Ain't I amazing?

Hmm... It is pretty amazing he doesn't need to tickle his throat to barf. He does not lie when he said he's so gotten used to throwing up, he just bends and force the ghastly contents out.

Other than that regurgitating skill, I don't really see what the amazing thing is. Why would you pay someone to make that hellish "pain-reliever" in the first place?

Film of Your Life

Just a thought:
If you were to direct an autobiographical film, how would you direct it?

Relating with Rose Is Rose

This is from the comics Rose is Rose. My favorite character there is her son Pasquale. He's cuter back when he was 2, I think. That was when I first met Pasquale and Rose and her husband Jimbo.

My brother studied at a different school back in grade school and high school. Their school had a booksale nearby. He bought a couple of books, one of which is Rose is Rose. At first, I thought, "Man, this looks like it's going to be boring." If I remember correctly I even scolded him for squandering his money. We're only in grade school then! And he's 3 years younger than me! So at most he would've been only 9.

Eventually, after reading the comic once, I found myself reading and rereading it from time to time. And through the years, I'm finding bits of pieces of myself in Pasquale and bits and pieces of my mom in Rose.

There was one strip wherein Rose said, "Ok, Pasquale, if you must." Then she dressed up for rain outside, rushed out to the grocery, lined up for what seemed like an eternity, rushed back home. Still dripping wet, she gave Pasquale the bag of chips. Then she asked Pasquale, "May I have one." Pasquale, adultly replied, "Ok, Mama, if you must." hahahaha

That's probably one of the most critical things we have to learn while teaching kids. Now that I have a baby cousin who I get to see everyday, I am always reminded of scenes I once saw in that comic book. The scene I just narrated is just all too familiar.

What we do to him back home, reflects itself when he interacts with others or how he responds to us on different occasions. My aunt and I sometimes would try to discipline him by threatening to spank him (lightly, of course) by saying "da-da" (Chinese for "hit, hit") whenever he would throw tantrums. Little do we know how much he's been absorbing until we arranged a playdate with one of the managers' kid, who's the same age as him older by just a month.

He was playing with the kid and he wanted a toy that the kid's playing with at the moment. When the kid won the toy after a short tug-of-war, my cousin smaller by a few inches suddenly raised his hand and said "da-da." I was shocked and forcing back a laugh. I didn't look at my aunt but I got a feeling she's a bit appalled by the incident.

My cousin's cute as far as cuteness can go. But man, you have to have more than a PhD in dealing with this lil monkey. (He's born under that sign.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's another classic strip that I very much relate to:
http://www.comics.com/comics/roseisrose/archive/roseisrose-20060910.html

Back when we used to play bump cars, I didn't really understand the word "bump;" moreover, the concept of bump cars. That was my favorite carnival attraction though: It's the nearest I can get to driving a car when I was young.

I thought the concept was others would try to bump you and you have to test your skill by escaping those bumps (and headaches). When our minute's up, I would walk out proudly saying, "Didn't you see how great I was? I didn't get bumped!!!"

It took me more years, an older cousin, a nearly vacant carnival, and a ride-all-you-can card before I learned, "Oh the point is you bump them, they bump you, you all laugh semi-hysterically."

Fine, judge me!

Hungry's Movie Comments: Mission Impossible: III

First and foremost, I'm revising the title of my "Movie Reviews" blogs to "Movie Comments" coz that's all ever there is. I give away the whole movie and just give thumb/s up or down. Sometimes I even forget the characters' names (not to mention sometimes I don't even know the actors themselves)! So not really professionally reviewing. hehehe

Anyway, on to our Movie Comments of the day...

Just caught Mission Impossible III last Friday, and you can imagine me at the end of the movie shrugging my shoulders and saying, "So?"

Yep, I would say, it's better than MI: II coz it's more "action-packed." (If you deemed crashing through windows action-packed.) Actually I thought Ethan's wife's instinctive shooting skills are great - more appealing than Tom Cruise's portrayal of Ethan Hunt.

At first I thought it was ok and I didn't have much judgment almost throughout the entire movie. I thought it lived up to a sci-fi/action/suspense, and my constant comments are just "This is better than 2." Yep, my thoughts are just that up until I saw Ethan's wife revive him and his first impulse was get the gun, hug his wife, aim the gun.

Lame.

It's so... chauvinistic. "You did that? Wow!" Wassat supposed to mean? That he married a person that would need his constant protection? Had he informed his wife of his real job, she would've been able to construct a more foolproof plan for both of them. And in the first place, where'd you seen a guy that reacts like that upon being revived? Typical Hollywood. Can't wait til I can get my hands on Euro films. (Suggested: great masterpiece Cinema Paradiso)

Anyway, to each her own opinion.

Next MovCom: Strike It. :D

I Done a Good Deed Today

Did you ever act out on instinct? Like something is telling you to do something and you did it erasing any 2nd thoughts?

Tonight I was planning on munching a few spicy chicken wings I bought from KFC. They're actually more scrumptious than McDo's. Here in Yangzhou, KFC rules! (Well, except for McDo's milkshakes.)

Anyway, after KFC I passed by the adjacent eyeglasses shop and told them my glasses' situation and asked how much if they can fix them. I was told I can get them fixed for free if the glasses' sorry condition is as simple as it sounds.

Glad to hear the word "for free," I walked out with sunshine rays above me. Then I saw this 50-something thin lady scrounging for cartons and plastics outside the glasses shop. I had parked my bike just in front of her. Before I left, voices suddenly swept me:
- Remember how you used to randomly help out people? It's your chance now.
- But it seems absurd!
- Think of The Valkyries (a Paolo Coelho book). Think of your angel. What's s/he telling you?
- If you don't believe in it, believe in your intuition.
- You're too fat anyway! You've already eaten a waffle and had coffee for dinner. So what if you're going to the gym afterwards?!
- Think of it this way, you don't get to add fat into your lousy body, you're helping your heart and someone else.
- Look at her! She's half your size!

So against my tummy's haggling, I walked my bike toward her and said (in Chinese), "can I ask you something?"

She spoke in Yangzhou dialect.

Persisting, I told her, "seems like you haven't had your dinner yet, you can have this." I removed the KFC plastic bag from my bike's railing and handed it to her. She's saying no, and for a time there I was a bit scared that she might lash out at me for taking pity on her, but I smiled and looked at her then looked straight in her eyes.

They told me she's hungry.

Like any typical Chinese, she's refusing, but I know this gesture all too well. It is customary to refuse a couple of times before giving in. I waited for the customary, "no" and "no." Eventually, she gave in asked why. I could not explain it to her that my inside's telling me to help her out, that an angel told me, that I'm leaving Yangzhou and this is one of the ways I want to leave a piece of myself. In the end, I just told her, "I'm too fat anyway and advance Merry Christmas."

I don't know if she understood the "Advance Merry Christmas," or if she had even celebrated it. Looking back, I don't even know where the words came from, but something tells me it's probably more her angel looking out for her than my angel giving me a sense of pride and accomplishment.

I biked away all giddy and feeling like there's a glow around me. The feeling's still here. It's been so long since I last helped a stranger. I felt that I could be bumped by a bus and for all I care - I helped someone! (Siempre todo ingat pa rin ako. It's different here in China.)

It's such a good feeling that everyone should do it! It should be made a daily challenge. :D

I hope I had made a difference in her life. Weird as this may sound - she made a difference in mine by letting me help her. On my way home, I thought, I hope this could start a pay-it-forward thing. You know, where regardless of your standing in life, you have the means to help someone if your heart's in the right place.

I suddenly remembered something I read or heard somewhere (not exact words but you should get the meaning): Praying and claiming world peace won't accomplish anything. It can't be done in a day. The miracle of world peace is achieved by doing your share little bit by little bit.

:)

Hungry's Movie Reviews: RV

This one's funny. I mean, not the type you'll watch over and over again until you pass out, but it has some scenes that will really catch you off-guard, and you just can't help but roll.

As always for all my humble movie reviews, for those who hadn't watched it yet, please don't read this blog, it'll be a spoiler.

I first read about RV when they interviewed Cheryl Hines (Jamie Munro). I was a bit intrigued coz it had been quite some time since I last watched a Robin Williams film. (For me, the most memorable one is Birdcage.)

I dismissed it thinking it must be another one of those family flicks with a happy ending and is just a waste of your time. However, when I saw an officemate watching it and cannot withhold his laughter anymore (in the office), I thought, there must be something to this film. Curiousity got the best of me and upon coming home, watched it online too.

Though as predicted, a happy ending, I still enjoyed a few clips along the way. These are some of my favorite scenes:

• The scene where Bob's clumsily manuvering the big "rolling turd" out of their lane is a bit funny. At first he refuses to move the RV until he successfully straps on his seat belt. The look on Jamie's face is priceless, and Robin's veteran acting is so on the dot. It's like "ok we're going now... now... now... now..." And Jamie's expression is, "Will you please stop it with the belt already?! You can strap that on later!" or "Swear to God, if you don't strap that on soon, I'm going to twist it round your neck!" but still say "I love you, dear, take all the freakin time you want!"
• 3 family members singing 3 different songs from 3 different genres. Must be one hell of a headache! If I were him I would've yelled "SHUT UPPP!!!" however, given that he undermined their Hawaiian trip, it's understandable why he's just gritting his teeth. This got into my fave list coz it's so amusingly common in almost every household. Very self-centric, and you would be a hypocrite to have not experienced that.
• Yucky as you can imagine it be, you still can't help but laugh at Bob's distress when he has to drain out some stranger's poop that's left in their rented RV. As a 3rd person and consciously knowing, "Nah, they wouldn't put real poop in there. I mean, it's Robin Williams!" but still you can't help but "Ewww..." even if nobody's agreeing beside you.
• How the hell can a raccoon get into an oven?! I mean, even if it stretches its body to open the lid, upon sliding in, the oven would've snapped its tail or something, right? Do inform me on the latest oven features, coz that's the only oven we have.

I thought Bob was exaggerating when he said there was a family of racoons and came out all tattered holding what's left of their umbrella. But when he attacked the RV with a stink bomb, seeing a gang of 3 raccoon critters surrender then seeing the Munroes' expression made me lol. And just when you think Lord Bad Luck had left them, they rain-basked in their plastic ponchos. hahaha

• Robin Williams playing Bob had me chuckling when he was speaking all this gangster-rap lingo. Only he can pull something like that. Imagine Jim Carey or Billy Crystal or Rob Schneider or Adam Sandler doing that; it just won't be the same.
• Who can ever forget the treacherous mountainside trek Bob has to take to escape a bumper-to-bumper jam on the highway? That poster perfect scene is really something that'll have your laughing grandma spit her false teeth out.
• Check out the part where their RV rolls into a lake and Bob's adamant about giving his marketing pitch so much that he proudly walks into the lake, bubbles inside it, and came out wearing a helmet and peddling a tiny bike that even my 10-year-old cousin already graduated out of. Now, that's hilarious! Who would've thought of that? hahaha Absolutely unique! hahahaha

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is Jojo's first acting debut, right? She's done a good job, I would say - she looks real comfy in her role as Cassie. I believe there are some scenes wherein she looks like she's holding back a chuckle or 2.

Couldn't say the same for the spunk who played Carl. The kid's young though and has all the years to raise his acting to the next level. He must've felt real honored acting alongside Robin Williams and Cheryl Hines (Jamie Munro) though.

Albeit I think Diane Keaton can also play the mother in a dysfunctional family, I don't think the entire movie's Diane-Keatony. Cheryl Hines is so fitting for these kinds of roles. She attaches well as a mid-aged mom who still maintains a healthy sexlife...er, relationship with her hubbie. I sure hope her career picks up and we can see more of her in movies to come.

Last but not the least: This movie's fittingly made for Robin Williams! You can say that a lot of the scenes wouldn't be the least funny if not for his facial expressions or Robin William trademark performance (return to the rap lingo). A role I'd like him to fit into is a striving superhero. Just imagine him racing to the rescue and then fumbles with his gadgets or hits someone accidentally strikes someone with his puncheroo (heheh something I just made up) or clumsily trips on his cape. I know it's very very slapstick, but I know Robin Williams can just rise up to the challenge that any comedy-drama will bring and more.

Alcohol use helps boost income: Hungry thinks

I would have to agree that drinking does build up social capital. They do it here in China all the time. And I can attest to that. Read my previous previous blog.

Though it's with my relatives, and though I'm in no contest with my (male) cousin to get their attention and preference, after almost 6 months here with them, I can sincerely say that this is the only time I felt I was able to be myself in front of my uncle and vice versa.

I was laughing hard. My uncle's really his goofy and irritatingly wise-cracking self. He's really showing his jerk side, and that's fine with me coz all he's ever been is this analytical businessman-in-China guru, which made me feel awkward all the time.

I know that alcohol loosens any inhibitions and that may be the reason. It was fun letting loose. But alcohol also helps disorient you.

So there I was getting more and more drunk, more and more disoriented. The more I was disoriented, the more I couldn't bluff. The more I couldn't bluff, the more I lost, the more I took shots. Vicious cycle.

So even if I'm pro-social drinking, what I've just mentioned are some of the factors one has to consider while "social drinking."

(Social drinking for some is just drinking casually without getting drunk. For some getting drunk happy is still considered social drinking. Differs from people to people.)

Factor 1: Alcohol loosens any inhibitions.
Factor 2: Alcohol disorients you.

I don't know where this game originated; however, it typically appeals to Chinese coz it's a game where you outwit and outlast everyone with the help of alcohol:

• You prey on someone you know who can't bluff. Make him disoriented. He loosens her strategic senses. After a few rounds you know he can't bluff anymore.
• You bluff by making the now whoozy people think you're bluffing when in fact you're not (in a way, acting like an open prey). Make them pounce on you. Then you show your hand. Boom! They're wrong, they drink again.
• You bluff. The person who's turn is next bluffs along with you. You catch him/her. Boom! You escaped drinking again.

There are many more possible tricks in this game. In the end, even if the sly one has gotten to drink a few shots, he still is considered sober enough compared to his game mates. It's like going to war.

Sun Tzu might've been a slasher in this game. Of course, he might've wanted more than a few shots himself, but winning may have been in his mind more than the mere enticement of alcohol.

Damn, I wish he's in my team!

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STILL WITH SOCIAL DRINKING

One of the known scenarios here: Clients taken out to lunch or dinner (most of the time dinner) by the sales people they're visiting, and by the sales managers probably (depends on the amount of the sales generated with the customer).

Before eating starts, first round of drinks are raised by the host of the dinner. (Learned this custom in a shameful way.)

Dinner starts lauriat style. Throughout the meal, every so often people will raise the glass. It's a sign of respect they say. So if you're the visiting client or even just a visitor, expect the glass to be raised more for you than others.

But be wary, if you haven't closed a deal yet. Drinking loosens up any inhibitions, remember?

You might find yourself talking and talking, before you know it, you'll saying confidential information that's been your trump card but is now essential obtained to the advantage of other party.

Drinking disorients you: Worse case scenario - you're drunk and blabbering. They produce a contract. You sign. You just gave a way your company.

hahaha Never heard of that happening, esp since contracts are not that widely used here. But a verbal agreement's equally accountable, so it's possible you might say "yes" to something your company's not yet ready for.

Drinking's inevitable here! You're going to find yourself in a social drinking dinner here sooner than later. So before engaging in a drinking war (aka social drinking), better make sure you know your drinking limits, know your partners' drinking limits, test your "opponent's" drinking limits as well as his partners. Then sugod mga kapatid (attack!!!)!!!

Of course, they say the best form of offense is a good defense - just say you don't drink and order juice for yourself. :D

Alcohol use helps boost income: study

Alcohol use helps boost income: study

WASHINGTON (AFP) - People who consume alcohol earn significantly more at their jobs than non-drinkers, according to a US study that highlighted "social capital" gained from drinking.

The study published in the Journal of Labor Research Thursday concluded that drinkers earn 10 to 14 percent more than teetotalers, and that men who drink socially bring home an additional seven percent in pay.

"Social drinking builds social capital," said Edward Stringham, an economics professor at San Jose State University and co-author of the study with fellow researcher Bethany Peters.

"Social drinkers are out networking, building relationships, and adding contacts to their BlackBerries that result in bigger paychecks."

The authors acknowledged their study, funded by the Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank, contradicted research released in 2000 by the Harvard School of Public Health.

"We created our hypothesis through casual observation and examination of scholarly accounts," the authors said.

"Drinkers typically tend to be more social than abstainers."

The researchers said their empirical survey backed up the theory, and said the most likely explanation is that drinkers have a wider range of social contacts that help provide better job and business opportunities.

"Drinkers may be able to socialize more with clients and co-workers, giving drinkers an advantage in important relationships," the researchers said.

"Drinking may also provide individuals with opportunities to learn people, business, and social skills."

They also said these conclusions provide arguments against policies aimed at curbing alcohol use on university campuses and public venues.

"Not only do anti-alcohol policies reduce drinkers' fun, but they may also decrease earnings," the study said.

"One of the unintended consequences of alcohol restrictions is that they push drinking into private settings. This occurred during the Alcohol Prohibition of 1920-1933 and is happening on college campuses today. By preventing people from drinking in public, anti-alcohol policies eliminate one of the most important aspects of drinking: increased social capital."

The researchers found some differences in the economic effects of drinking among men and women. They concluded that men who drink earn 10 percent more than abstainers and women drinkers earn 14 percent more than non-drinkers.

However, unlike men, who get a seven percent income boost from drinking in bars, women who frequent bars at least once per month do not show higher earnings than women drinkers who do not visit bars.

"Perhaps women increase social capital apart from drinking in bars," the researchers said in an effort to explain the gender gap.

Hungry's Movie Reviews: The Lake House

I caught The Lake House last night on one of Yangzhou's online movie database. I think currently it's one of the most watched movies, esp under the Romance category.

I normally wouldn't watch mushy stuff as much as I would comedy but I'm curious how they're going to lay-out the story of a romantic correspondence that had transcended time through the help of a magic mailbox and a female dog named Jack.

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*Warning: To those who had watched this, I invite you to come and take a peek and help me assess the movie by leaving comments. To those who haven't watched it yet, hmm... I suggest you leave this page and come back after you have.
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One of the thoughts I had after watching it is: Why did they name the movie The Lake House when its the mailbox who's doing all the work?! Life can really be so unfair even to a rusty trusty mailbox.

Sure, sure the lake house is a serenely isolated perfectly surrounded by nature, a place where you can be yourself. But all it's Mr. Mailbox who's been transporting all these letters and notes. It's like an actress or an executive who has her assistant do all the dirty nasty stuff, but in the end gets the credit. (I hope the creators of Lake House are reading this. Someday when they decide to do an excruciating follow-up movie for this, they should give due credit.)

A thought going through my mind while watching the film is that Alex Wiler (Reeves) must've had a more difficult time than Kate Forrester (Bullock). I mean, he has to wait for Kate for 2 years before she finally catches on with this serenade. While Kate can just go on with her time, as we've seen with the Almario scene. Alex had to wait 2 years for that date, counting the days before the big date, before the first formal meeting.

Kate, on the otherhand, just wakes up the next day, goes to work, comes back home, freshens up, and goes to the restaurant. No agonizing wait.

But then again I thought, "He had seen her once on the tracks, knew what she looks like, kissed her on her birthday. So why didn't he just court her then (meaning 2004) and there? I would've made their lives easier. She returned his kiss so obviously there's chemistry. They could've worked it from there. No more ghost (literally) letters."

Man, if my friends were here, they would've replied, "What can you do? Director's orders!"

Yeah, ok, setting aside my over-sympathy for the mailbox and the then-and-there thing, the really major thing that's been gnawing in my thoughts is that when Alex appeared after her last letter, where she provided him a preview on the life-and-death scene that could change both of their lives, and other lives as well, forever.

Now, I just have to inject something here, and Back to the Future watchers can relate with me: isn't influencing the past affect majorly the outcomes in the future?

So Kate (Bullock) had intercepted, told Alex to wait so they can be together in the future. So by saving his life through a letter, she changed his destiny, her destiny, their destinies... and if you're going to analyze it more, others' destinies as well. And by influencing other people's (who are closely related to them) destiny, they are influencing more people's destinies. It's like a ripple effect.

However, if you come to think about it, what brought Kate back to the lake house in the first place is for her to get away from coping with her first death, which coincindentally is her yet-unknown Alex.

So if he hadn't died then, she wouldn't have needed to go back to the lake house and checked the mailbox, containing Alex's first letter to her. The correspondence wouldn't have occured. Feelings wouldn't have ignited. He wouldn't have left the lake house. He wouldn't have redesigned and reconstructed the lake house for her. The lake house wouldn't have been that beautiful. Kate wouldn't have loved it. Or in another pov, Alex wouldn't have left it for her. He would've raised his own family in the lake house like his dad did. He wouldn't have longed for Kate. He wouldn't have met that terrible accident. So on and so forth...

Like I said from the unseen (Alex's) letter, a lot of things would've spunned. Like for one, Kate might've met some other guy and didn't settle for Nip/Tuck dude (forgot his screen name). Or Alex would've made it real big with or without his brother. He might've successfully carried his subdivision project and married the bimbo, had kids.

Just like what the professor had taught Marty in Back to the Future, affecting one teeny tiny detail in the past could produced a butterfly effect changing his future. Same here with The Lake House. It should've so, but again hearing my friends' reply:

Director's orders!