Bookwhoring: Jeffrey Archer's A Prisoner of Birth

I just came from SM Centerpoint and lookee what I found:

Oh I just can't resist a Jeffrey Archer book, especially when it's hardbound and just Php99!!! This will be my read starting tonight.

Feeling: happy
All ears to: Millennium Backstreet Boys
Curled up in bed with: A Prisoner of Birth Jeffrey Archer

Meet my Dobby! ♥

Still on a Harry Potter high, I have named my newest stuffed companion Dobby (The Zombie). ♥

Feeling: happy

All ears to: Fuckin' Perfect Pink

Curled up in bed with: Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part II: A Review

WARNING: Contains some spoilers.


Rating:


I'll put my limb on the line and say: BEST MOVIE EVER!!!

Because it's the last Harry Potter film, I had high expectations for Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part II. And boy, was I NOT disappointed. Only five minutes into the film, I was secretly kicking myself (of course not literally) for buying popcorn as it was only interfering with my concentration on the movie - a first in the longest time.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part II is everything a movie fan could ever hope for. It had everything: drama, action, suspense, romance, and even a touch of comedy. From its opening scene down to the last one, David Yates (director of the movie) sure did wonders in capturing the audience's attention. There was no dull moment indeed.

For die-hard Harry Potter fans, there was one concern prior to the screening of the movie (and a huge one at that). Seeing the trailers, we feared that Deathly Hallows Part II will just be another action film, leaving out important emotional details from the book - and the book was terribly emotional; after all, a lot of the characters we have come to know and love were injured and some even died. After watching the movie, I can say the fear is not unfounded. And perhaps that is my only criticism of the last movie installment in the Harry Potter series.

Not that the last movie is unemotional - believe me, the huge iMax theater was echoing with moviegoers' sniffles and sighs - just that there were some pretty emotional scenes that didn't get much exposure, like Fred's and Lupin's and Tonks' deaths. I felt cheated of my moment to grieve. The scene showing their deaths felt like this: "PAK. Fred's dead. PAK. Lupin and Tonks are dead. PAK. Next scene." I didn't even notice the Weasley family was there grieving. Or that Harry Potter felt ultimately guilty for the deaths. I also felt that the Ron-Hermione love team could've gotten more scenes. When they kissed, I felt the whole cinema go jittery, excited, and in love - just as those emotions were building up, the kiss ended. I remember thinking, "That was it???" But then again, maybe that's just the fan girl in me speaking.

But like I said, the movie is not unemotional. It was, au contraire, very high in emotions. Many times while watching the film, I kept thinking to myself, "Why did I even bother putting on eye make-up? My tears are wiping it off!" The movie was just so darn emotional that at one point, just after the dead were shown and just as Harry was entering the headmaster's office to 'look' at Snape's memory, I looked to my sister and said, "Ayoko na!" because I feel like I can't take any more tear-inducing scenes...and I knew the next few scenes would have to be the most emotional of all. And I was right.

In fact, my favorite scenes would have to be those of Snape's memory. At first, it felt a little bit too rushed that I thought Yates will not be able to give justice to just how much Snape loved Lily Potter. But he was able to do so...and those scenes erased my make-up for good! Alan Rickman, who portrayed Professor Snape, sure made every girl in the movie hiuse wishing for a Snape of their own. My heart broke into a thousand little pieces when, after Dumbledore asked him about loving Lily "after all this time", Snape answered, "Always" and tears started falling down his cheeks. The scene when he was crying (or more, bawling) as he holds the dead Lily was just very heartbreaking. One could just feel Snape's grief jumping out of the screen. Very very memorable.

After Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part II, I walked out of the cinema feeling like I lost a friend but that I know that I had very good memories with that friend and that I will always look back into those memories. That only means David Yates and the rest of the production team did a good job with the final Harry Potter film.

All in all, I'm a happy Harry Potter fan. The last movie is something that will be etched in my mind for a very long time. So long, Ron, Hermione, and Harry. It had been a long but fun journey.

P.S. I also just have to say this: Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort rocked my world! So evil. ^__^


Feeling: sick
All ears to: Paghilom album Dicta License
Curled up in bed with: Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows J.K. Rowling

A Journey To Stellar-hood

When I first attended pole classes in March, all I wanted was to learn a dance so sexy it will make me forget about my broken heart. A little over two months later, I can say that I got more than just that.

When I first stepped in Gen Studios on March 22, 2011, I really had no high expectations out of pole classes as I wasn't even sure I'd be coming back for a second class - I just wanted to try it out as something to occupy my then muddled mind and as an item to tick off my bucket list. But the high of my first spin and lift and "attempt" at climbing the pole was something that I knew I'd want to feel over and over and over again.

And so the first session rolled into the next and the next and...as they say, the rest is history.

My lovely teachers, the Polecats, have recently decided to have their very first ever summer recital featuring their students. The show, aptly named "Stellar", had some of my classmates excitedly signing up for the various numbers. I, on the other hand, was not confident enough to do so. But as weeks go by and I start seeing them rehearse - and teacher CD keeping on pestering encouraging us to join - I hesitantly signed up. It was a decision I will never regret.

Suffice it to say, it was fun learning the dances. It was fun knowing that, in a few weeks' time, people will get to see where our hard work has gone to. But more than the vanity of being in the spotlight, "Stellar" has given me access to a wonderful group of people who all believe in their own beauty and their own abilities. These women who were once just strangers to me, who are of different age groups and sizes and background, and who are determinedly climbing and spinning on those poles to prove that they can do it - their energy was so contagious. It was hard not to get excited about this show.

A week before the show, just a day after I signed up for "Stellar", tragedy struck: my great-grandmother (whom I was very close to) died. And I had to go to Catanduanes and see her for the last time. I intended to be back by Thursday, the day of the dress rehearsals. But as fate would have it, Typhoon Chedeng hit the southern part of Luzon and I was stuck in Bicol. I initially thought of backing out, but I reminded myself of the thing that really attracted me to go ahead and sign up for the show: the smile that seemed to be eternally plastered on my classmates' faces everytime they start talking about the show. So I got back on Sunday, with only less than five days to learn the new dance assigned to me. But learn it, I did - thanks to the help of my lovely teachers Myla, CD, and Kayleen and groupmates Pauline and Mara.

But learning the dance is the easy part. Calming myself for the big day was the hard one. Stellar Summer day has come. And down to the last minute, I doubted myself that I could do it. The horror of not being able to climb my pole during the final practice was just so nerve-wracking! But everybody had their own 'horror' stories and everybody served as each other's support group. We all kept telling not just ourselves but each other that, "We can do this! Everything will turn out just fine during show time."

And everybody was proven right. The show started and ended with no one falling off the pole. And the look on every pole kitten's face after their own number said that each one was satisfied with how their performance went. And they should be. The audience loved the show! You can tell it by the way they screamed and cheered and oohed and aahed.

But you see, at the end of the show, each one was not just happy with her (or his, in the case of Tomcat AJ) performance. S/he was happy with the entire show. What one kitten felt was not just the satisfaction of having done her part, but the happiness that everybody looked great and stayed safe. Safe to say, there was an air of friendship, almost close to a family, that wafted through the venue. It was a high that most - if not all - of us would surely want to feel again and again and again and still with the same batch of people and some new kittens that will be joining us soon.

(picture from Mara Andres' Facebook)

Pole dancing has made me reach heights - literally and figuratively - that, just a few months ago, I never thought I would. I am still a few classes away from mastering the Plank and the Skater and from learning those wonderful tricks some of my beautiful fellow kittens can already do. But in just two months of attending pole classes, I have gained more than just a new form of keeping myself fit. I have gained a new sense of confidence and - more importantly - a new family I will forever cherish and love.


Feeling: happy
All ears to: F*ck You Lily Allen
Curled up in bed with: A Monk Swimming Malachy McCourt

Get Published: The Antithesis Collective

The Antithesis Collective is a newly formed publishing group composed of five individuals with varying literary tastes. Differences aside, all five members agree on the premise to publish quality books by unknown writers, and to give those writers as much creative freedom as insanely and grammatically possible.

The Collective banks on blind faith with the writers’ inherent talents – a concept not entirely unheard of, but one that finds itself loosely practiced. It is the collective’s aim to reduce the bottlenecks and to widen the venue with which a piece of work can be read by the world; a feat in itself, but one that the collective aims to pursue.

Currently, the Antithesis Collective is accepting submissions for its first Call for Manuscripts.

Guidelines are as follows:

• All submissions must be author’s original material, have not been previously published, and are not currently under review by any other publisher.
• Submitted works should not be essays, poems, school term papers, snippets of thesis etc.
• Submitted works should have a total of 1,500 words or less.
• Submitted works could be in English and/or Tagalog.
• Authors can submit a maximum of five (5) works or materials.
• All submissions must be sent via email to:
  theantithesiscollective@gmail.com
  or
  submissions@theantithesiscollective.com
• When submitting your manuscript/s, please do not forget to include your name and contact number.

To know more about the Call for Manuscripts, visit www.theantithesiscollective.com<

SBG Series: Not Again!

One YM evening...

SBG: Kagigising ko lang, naghahanap ng inuman.
Hailie: It's still early, I'm pretty sure there are still lots of inuman open.
SBG: Nasa work ka ba?
Hailie: Nope.
SBG: [street where I live]?
Hailie: Yep.
SBG: Tara, inom tayo!
Hailie: Ahaha, pass ako.
SBG: Andami mo nang pass sa'kin ah!
Hailie: Hahahahaha.

Hailie logs out.


Feeling: tired
All ears to: Gimme More Britney Spears
Curled up in bed with: Angela's Ashes Frank McCourt

Harry Potter and Voldemort's final face-off

...is up this 15th of July.


Yay!

Thanks to ChinkyChinky for the info!


Feeling: mellow
All ears to: Criminal Minds on TV
Curled up in bed with: Angela's Ashes Frank McCourt

Perfume: A Movie Review

I first heard of "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" as a book. In fact, I grabbed it the instant I saw it sitting on its shelf in Powerbooks. But like most of the books I hoarded in the last few years, it has remained untouched and unread.

Fast forward to 2011 and a friend gave me a copy of the movie. Yesterday, I found the time to insert it in my daily TV series marathon. And I'm glad I did.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, based on the novel by Patrick Süskind, relates the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille. Jean-Baptiste was orphaned at a young age and proved to be a peculiar child - he rarely spoke and was gifted with an extraordinary sense of smell. Every smell around him is heightened because of this "gift"; and it is through this gift that he found that thing that will change his life: perfume. And as he apprentices with a once-renowned perfumer, he becomes obsessed with preserving the most intoxicating scent he ever encountered: the scent of a beautiful, young woman.

The movie was done beautifully. The cinematography captured the emotion perfectly - dark, very dark with bursts of color for scenes depicting self-discovery and festivities. And the acting was nothing if not amazing! Ben Whishaw, who portrayed Grenouille, was a complete unknown to me but he sure made a fan out of me after the movie. Even with big names like Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman in the cast, Whishaw still shone as the true star of the movie.

When the movie wrapped up, though, I admit that I was left baffled. At first, I didn't quite get what the town scene was supposed to mean. Though the scene made me cry. Then I eventually got it - or at least had my own interpretation. I don't really understand what Patrick Süskind wanted to convey when he wrote the book, but here's my own take: "Power is nothing if you don't find someone who'll love you. And that perhaps forgiveness is the most powerful thing in this world."

Grenouille had the most amazing perfume in his hands, one that had the power to bring the most powerful men on their knees, yet he was not happy. Seeing the townspeople ravaging one another, all he could do was think back to that first beautiful woman he saw and killed. He thinks of the possibility that perhaps she and him could have had a chance had he not murdered her. And when his last victim's father forgave him, that's when he realized how futile all the murders were. And he decided to bring himself back to his place of birth and surrender to pure ravage and die.

But maybe that's just me. How about you? Have you seen the movie? Did you like it? Thoughts.


Feeling: mellow
All ears to: Happy Ending Avril Lavigne
Curled up in bed with: Angela's Ashes Frank McCourt

Vanity Kit: CoverGirl NatureLuxe, when will you be within my reach?

I'm a huge Taylor Swift fan - probably not as huge as my friend Nette, who always claims Taylor Swift as her celebrity lookalike during our training first day intros but huge enough to pine over this:

Taylor Swift is the newest CoverGirl and she's representing the new NatureLuxe collection. Despite the name, the newest CoverGirl collection is not an organic/minerals line. It is a drugstore label's attempt at targeting high-end consumers by releasing "lighter make-up" with "natural qualities". The collection will only have two products: liquid foundation and Gloss Balm.

From the CoverGirl webbie:

NatureLuxe Silk Foundation

• Luxurious, lightweight feel
• Infused with jojoba and cucumber extract
• Silky formula goes on smooth for a polished finish

NatureLuxe Gloss Balm

• Luxurious, sheer color with a hint of shine
• Lightweight feel of a balm
• SPF 15

The NatureLuxe collection is not yet available here in the Philippines. Or is it? If anyone has info, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me know!


Feeling: happy
All ears to: The Fear Lily Allen
Curled up in bed with: Angela's Ashes Frank McCourt

Vanity Kit: Maybelline Make-Up Remover, A Review

Having recently been reacquainted with the joys of make-up play, I have started to again wear my favorite make-up item daily: the mascara. After a few days of wearing my favorite mascara, though, I noticed that I kept waking up with raccoon eyes. Clearly, my usual honey face and make-up cleanser was not enough to combat the ever persistent waterproof mascara. So I shopped around for a good eye make-up remover.

I had my heart set for the L'Oreal Lip and eye make-up remover since my good friend Bianca highly recommends it - alas, it was out-of stock in the four malls I've been to. And if I wanted to keep wearing my dramatic lashes, I had to find an alternative stat. So I settled for Maybelline's Eye & Lip Make Up Remover. I thought, since it's the same brand as the mascara I use, maybe it will work.

It did. Sort of.

When I first tried out Maybelline's make-up remover, it seemed to have done its job as my mascara (and shadow and liner) was cleaned out after the first swipe. I also loved the fact that it was unscented and didn't sting my eyes. It was mighty effective in cleaning out lipstick, too.

What I didn't love, though, is that I still woke up with hints of black under my eyes. And this happened the next day, as well. I realized that Maybelline's make-up remover doesn't really entirely clean out waterproof mascara. So on the third night, I had to redo swiping my eyes. That did the trick.

Though swiping my eyes twice is but a small price to pay in making sure that I get to bed with a clean face, it also meant that my 70ml bottle didn't last too long. And that sucks for a beauty on budget.

So, will I be purchasing this again? Maybe, when I'm a few bucks short of getting the L'Oreal brand. But ever since finishing up the first bottle, I have started using L'Oreal's make-up remover. And I have to say I'm liking it better. But more on that on another review post.


Feeling: reflective
All ears to: No Aphrodisiac The Whitlams
Curled up in bed with: (still no time to read a book)

Merman got lady pregnant, say whaaaat?

I don't know about you guys, but the ABS-CBN series Mutya just does not make sense to me (or my friends, to whom this post I dedicate).

I have not been religiously watching the show but last night, while visiting my friend Mika's sister at the hospital, I got a chance to see the storyline. It's about a merkid named Mutya. Now get this: she is actually the daughter of a human and a merman. My friends and I were like, "What?" And I ask, "How does a merman get a human pregnant? Does he have a, you know, pikachu?"

So I blog, in the hopes that you guys can enlighten me. But I seriously doubt it.

* * * *

Twitter bore sad, sad news today. Rest in peace, Angelo Reyes.


Feeling: lazy
All ears to: Barbie Girl Aqua
Curled up in bed with: (no time to read books these days)

Darn the love month

Lovapaloser.

That's how my friends and I usually celebrate Cupid's day. Lovapaloser usually consists of talks and drinks and basically anything that will make us forget we are - yet again - dateless on February 14th. And this year, I probably need that day with friends more than I have any other year.

I am not getting any younger, I know that. And recently, I've told myself that maybe it's time I give myself the chance to be with someone who is dead sure he wants to be with me...and not someone who wants to play everything by the ear. But why do I feel like I'm going to eat those very words?

A blast from the past has recently reappeared in my life. And tonight he told me that I shouldn't be expecting anything from what we currently have. That if it's gonna work...it just will. And all I said was, "Okay." Because I realized that it's really okay. That at the end of the day, it's really about who you want and not who wants you.

So I guess it will be another year at the lovapaloser zone for me. Good thing I have friends to celebrate this cursed day of the year.

Kampay!

(Pardon this post. It was done in free write.)


Feeling: melancholic
All ears to: My Favorite Mistake Sheryl Crow
Curled up in bed with: Jitterbug Perfume Tom Robbins

Vanity Kit: My OWN Charm Travel Pro Set v2

For my birthday last year, I gave myself Beauty and Mineral's Charm Holiday Brush Set. I fell in love with it and had this beautiful relationship with it that the set went with me wherever I went (except when I'm just doing groceries and only carry a purse with me). Now stupid little me, having only been recently reintroduced to the wonders of make-up, tried to clean my set some three weeks ago. I used my favorite beauty oil. Big, huge, gigantic (and all adjectives synonymous to "tragic") mistake.

The once lush brushes now look like...brushes dipped in oil. And no matter how much I rinse them, they are beyond repair.

So moving on from that sad, sad story, I promised myself another set come our sick leave conversion. I was planning on just getting the same brush set but my friend Bianca gave me a better option: she's upgrading to the Charm Pro Set and she's selling her pre-loved Travel Pro Set v2.

Why is it the better option? Here's why:

(photo courtesy of Beauty&Minerals website)

Oh yes oh yes oh yes!!! Pink faux crocodile casing. On top of the pink brush handles. Oh it's what true love really is.

I have only had time to use the angled blush brush but having this set on my bag the whole day was enough to make me happy. I'll post a review soon.


Feeling: giddy
All ears to: Fireworks Katy Perry
Curled up in bed with: Jitterbug Perfume Tom Robbins

"Parenting" 101: When the RAT is away, the CAT plays

I have heard it a number of times from my friends and I, myself, can attest to it: "Mahirap magpalaki ng magulang." I guess almost all adults go through the stage of feeling a role reversal. And though it is so tempting to complain and complain, we all know that this stage is due us for all the headaches we've given our parents when we were young(er). So we all just shrug...and talk about the experience to our friends.

That may perhaps be the inspiration for this series - a venue for me and my friends to share their "pagpapalaki ng magulang" experiences. That and the incident that is the basis of this first post on the topic:

Yesterday, I told my mom that I'm going out to dinner with my teammates. I got home at midnight on a cab. As the cab pulled up the house, I saw my mom carrying a plastic bag and entering the gate. She saw me in the cab and that's why I found it weird that she did not wait for me to alight the cab. As I enter the house, I can hear bottles clinking and my mom sheepishly trying to hide something(s). I knew what was in the white plastic but I went ahead and asked,

Heyli: Anong binili mo?
Mommy: (looking at my feet and pointing to the fridge) Beer. Pagagalitan mo na naman ako, eh.
Heyli: Eh bakit bumili ka pa rin?
Mommy: Alam mo ba si Jeth....

Change topic. Tsk tsk...parents. :p

Feel free to share your own "parenting" experience(s)!

Feeling: tired
All ears to: Just The Way You Are Bruno Mars
Curled up in bed with: Jitterbug Perfume Tom Robbins

Another Attempt At Reviving This Blog + What's Keeping Me Busy

I know I've repeatedly promised to start writing in this blog again and I have also repeatedly failed to do so. I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to keep this one, but let me try. After all, this is the year I swore to myself that I'm going to start going back to the things that kept me busy and happy two and a half years ago - before I became occupied with...other stuff. Like reading books, dating myself, grabbing coffee and dinner with friends, and blogging.

And so I start to blog again.

What has been happening the past few days? Here's a rundown:

1) Fitting in with my new team, who are way hilarious. Being an only girl does have its perks - and disadvantages.

2) Trying to do good in my first official projects.

3) Food tripping with Mikarra.

4) Updating my Belle de Jour Planner.

5) Shopping for cute, 'within budget' mini babies - earphones (the search for which is still in vain) and a portable hard drive (I already got this really cool Cityscape Design Western Digital My Passport Essential).

6) Excitedly anticipating "inheriting" Bianca's Charm Travel Pro Set v2.

7) Thinking of ways to start my Dear Daniel article for "Natanga Lang".

8) Getting into Twitter.

9) Hugging Wallee.

10) Sleeping. A Lot.

It's only the 27th of the month and I'm already - admittedly - pooreza mode. Good thing my boss approved my vacation leave for today. Else it's "bust the piggy bank" time.

Oh payday. Why can't you come sooner?

Feeling: sleepy but refusing to sleep
All ears to: Despicable Me Pharrell Williams
Curled up in bed with: Jitterbug Perfume Tom Robbins

Multi-tasking

I am supposed to be finishing my leadership onboarding practicum whilst processing Bones' unique sense of humor and reading my friends' Twitter and Facebook posts - yet I find myself writing this blog. Prolly because I was reminded that my writing's getting rusty.

And this is it. I am going to have to revive this blog. After all, I have lotsa pretty things to post and review.

Feeling: tired
All ears to: Bones (yes, the telly's on)
Curled up in bed with: Ang Mga Kaibigan Ni Mama Susan Bob Ong