How Can I Ever Get Around...

... to concentrating on all the work I have to do, when they always have some kind of obsession-inducing update??? (Easy Kathy... DON'T GO ONLINE! duh...)

Actually I had started keeping an eye on the making of the Twilight movie because of initial fan reactions expressing strong objections to Robert Pattinson being cast as the vampire Edward Cullen. Reasons revolved around the general theme, "He's not hot enough!" and I felt so sorry for the poor boy. (In case you didn't watch Harry Potter: The Goblet of Fire, Robert is the British actor who played Cedric Diggory) So I started looking up his acting creds and found out that in between he's been trying out all kinds of roles: really weird roles --- deliberately. Like nerds/losers, tortured WWII bomber pilots, and sexually ambiguous artists (i.e. Salvador Dali). The kid's not bad! That plus the facts that in interviews he's always disarmingly unpretentious, a-dork-ably shy and poking fun at himself, have naturally transformed me into one of his legions of followers! (read: fan). I do wish for him that he can prove all those shallow-haters wrong. :D (Although I'm afraid that even if he does deliver, they will still refuse to acknowledge because they don't find him pretty enough. sigh.)

In the meantime, here's a promo video from Summit on the Twilight movie. Robert's American accent kind of reminds of Tobey Maguire's. Which is funny because of what he says. Listen to it.



Credit for the youtube video goes to movielover247.

P.S. Since I am fangirl-ing, I might as well do it thoroughly. Robert Pattinson pictures for your reference. The many faces of... :) I like that he has been deliberately choosing odd roles after his Harry Potter stint (read: non-pretty boy roles).

As Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter:


The closest look I can get you for how he looked in The Haunted Airman:


As Daniel, the nerdy guy friend in The Bad Mother's Handbook:




As Arthur, the down-and-out guy trying to come to terms with who he is in, How To Be:



As a young Salvador Dali in, Little Ashes:



My sister is scolding me already for blogging too much. Bye!

A New Spin on Old Horrors

There's going to be a movie version of Twilight coming out in the US on December 12, 2008. I hadn't realized that I'd stumbled on a book with such a huge fanbase. Apparently, Twilight stayed on the bestseller list for 56 weeks and has sold 5.5 million copies worldwide.

So I would like to correct myself. This story isn't Romeo and Juliet crossed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In terms of emotional impact, it's probably more like Titanic crossed with Interview with a Vampire.

Here's an MTV report on the movie.



Robert Pattinson looked embarrassed to play the dazzlingly attractive vampire. How cute.

Mad Skills

This is just too cool not to share. It's a fan video for Avatar though... you have thus been warned!

Video was made by ravenhpltc24.

The Other Fish

Now, to take away some of the edge off the previous post I will talk a bit about some worthy (though fictional) men. Haha I mean, my past and current pleasant cartoon distractions.

Geek alert. Do not proceed if you are allergic to fandom.

----o0o----

This is Kenshin, ex-assassin turned housemaid. He looks like a girl, but he can kill you in flash. The story of his conversion, from killer to cook, is what Rurouni Kenshin's all about. Aside from the compelling lead character, RK is also great because of how well it blended fiction with historical fact. A pseudo-historical romance, this manga/anime actually helped me answer one of the items in one of the STS exams (the mandatory subject all UP students hate). What's not to love? If you want to talk some more about Ken-san, I would happily smother you with all the information I have. And the geek steps fully out of the closet. Not that I was ever really in the closet...

this graphic was taken from www.romantation.com --- it's actually fan comic illustration (doujinshi), Spark! But it's remarkably similar to the (later) canon drawings.

Now below is my newest idol, Prince Zuko.



Zuko is a surprising, sexy, study in contradiction (yeah, go alliteration!). The caricature bad-guy in Season 1 of Avatar the Last Airbender, Zuko is slowly revealed to be a complicated character. Branded and banished by his own father, a lesser man would have succumbed to cynicism or cruelty or despair. But even in his darkest moments, Zuko found the kindness in his heart to teach a poor boy how to defend himself, and risk discovery in enemy territory to light candles for a girl. He's strong, brave, angry, and conflicted. But he's also sweet, in an awkward, boyish sort of way. Finally in Season 3 he sees the light and defects from his father to join the Avatar's group in their fight to end the war. And with that, you know that the very tenacity with which Zuko hunted the Avatar in the first season is the very thing that would make a damn loyal friend. That's mah-boy Zuko. (Zuko is voiced by Fil-Am actor Dante Basco.)

Okay fangirl drooling over.

----o0o----

Geek alert out.

T - for Troll

Moments like what happened tonight are what make me think that maybe there is a Harry Potter world out there and JK Rowling hadn't made it up --- she'd actually been there. You know why I think this? Because some TROLLS have escaped the Potterverse and are WALKING AMONG US.

Sure they look like ordinary men. But their offensive crudeness unmistakably gives them away as the progeny of trolls, or a troll and a centaur. (Guess the horse-man couldn't find any women to kidnap).

Here's the scene. I got into the elevator on the second floor of Paseo Center to get down to the ground floor (because the escalators were under repair and there weren't stairs in sight). Three men were already in. There was just me and the three men (trolls). As the door closed on us, one of them sniggers to his friend, "Oi pare saan na nga pala yung babaeng ni-rape mo kagabi?" And they laugh.

Now, even if that was a simple joke among friends and was not some sadistic prank to freak the hell out of lone female co-passengers in elevators, it was just plain wrong. Furious, I got off on the ground floor without showing any sign of annoyance or girl-y terror. What a bunch of asses.

I'm really wishing all of them would wake up tomorrow as girls, barely 5 feet tall, with bad backs. So they can find out what it's like to be small and weak, and have to walk home alone at night, with possible trolls lurking around them. Let's see how that makes them feel. Or they could all just choke. That's fine with me too.

If that scene had come out of a Dark Angel episode, the elevator doors would have opened with the three men lying unconscious on the floor and me walking out with one eyebrow slightly arched, pissed yet bored-looking at the same time.

That scene would have been fine with me too.

I Want to Meet Him

I'm late I know, but I just recently discovered how cute Masi Oka is. The Jay Leno interview with Justin Timberlake beside him would have been a better introduction, because it covers the basics: IQ=180, programmer at ILM, a mime of his mom's reaction when he said he wanted to be an actor...but I can't find it on youtube anymore. This one is good too.

Smart, funny, nice guy. Very down-to-earth. If I were a guy, I'd want to be just like him :))

I Got Mail!

Yesterday, I got a card from one of my grade school teachers. Wala lang. She was just rummaging through her things, found a letter or card I had written her, and decided to write me just to say hi and wish me belated happy birthday (she remembers!!!). Isn't that sweet? She was my grade school Science teacher, the lady who taught us about God and faith using Star Wars as metaphor. Also introduced us (me) to Star Trek. So yeah, she was a pretty important figure in my formative years.

Soon as I get the time I will write her back.

How are you doing Ms. Gusilatar?

Things You've Said Which I'm Annoyed to Find are True

1. We should never let the things that we need to do get in the way of the things we want to do.

2. Life follows Boyle's Law. So it doesn't matter how much pressure there is... our containers' volume will always accommodate it.

3. I work better when someone's breathing down my neck. (That is, if sanity were not an issue.)

4. Making money is important.

5. I'm afraid of greatness. Because I'm afraid of great failure.


There's more I'm sure... I just can't remember them now. For all the jerk you were, you also hit upon some truths. And while I still haven't forgiven you, I guess that doesn't mean I don't love you. Why else would being so angry with you feel so right and so wrong at the same time?

If only you could speak

Dear Kathryn,

I'm hurt. I realize you take me for granted. And for a few years now, I've let it slide because I thought it was supposed to be like that... it seems to be that way for most people. But you and I both have a bad habit of overestimating our strength, and this time it's come back to bite us on the ... And personally, I've had enough. So no more cramming for you you, no more lugging heavy books, no more carrying ALL the necessities with you in 1 or 2 or 3 bags together. NO MORE. You are going to have to start lightening up your act. I MEAN it! Or else I'm going to spasm for the rest of your work-productive life, which will be shortened, because how long do you think I'll be able to keep on spasming... hmmm?!?! Yes, I'm threatening. Take this seriously.

Sino pa ba?
Your Back

Dear Back,

How can you betray me at a time like this? Traitor!!!

I'll never forgive you,
Kathryn

=============================================

Dear A-B,

Peter once said, "Nobody can make you feel bad about yourself unless you let them." I don't want to let you anymore. But I'm too chicken to take you off my Friendster list.

Kathryn

Kathryn,

Huh? Who are you again?

A-B

Raising Sweet Men

Gawd... the titles I write lately...

Two nights ago my brother asked me which is the "more mature" type of man: a) one who just goes after 1 particular girl, [to the utter bewilderment of his peers] or b) one who keeps his options open [which translates in my head as... MARAMING PINOPORMAHAN]. He even has this funny opening like,

"So... you're a girl... <insert question here>."

Now that I think about it, I don't recall actually giving him a straight answer; instead I asked him why he was asking and who said what, and it turns out his guy friends are pushing man-type b. And I respond with something like,

"Hmmm. I dunno, that kind of guy, like the torpe guy, is so <nakakainis> ... ewan, what's the word?..."

And he goes, "wussy?"

And I'm like yeah. That's it. <I'll leave connecting the dots to you.>

And he paces around, thoughtful, and goes on... "It's not a matter of being practical <pace, pace, pace, pace>... I just can't do it that way!"

AND I AM AMAZED. And proud :). My little brother is a romantic! Against peer pressure too! Isn't that sweet?

He's good-looking too. See picture below. That girl he's making porma to better be worth it.






:D Not that us big sisters will interfere...

Implicit Learning

What an awfully boring title.

Anyway, the [annual] company tourney just started last Wednesday, June 20. I think everyone's heads is full of badminton, if not work...

Two years ago, when I first started here, I would have classified myself as a level 4 player. With only 2 levels in discussion, and 1 being the higher level, you can imagine where I stood in 2005. It's a wonder LE didn't feel like murdering me when I was his playing partner against JC and someone I can't remember. Now... GS actually almost assigned me to level 1, and I haven't even been practising in the interim.

So, despite losing my first game I guess all in all, I'm happy. It appears I actually learned something I hadn't realized my body was studying. Given that I'm the kind of student who only got 1.0 (or close) in P.E. when it was PE 101, which had written requirements, or PE-stretching when the teacher was pregnant and so asked for uh... written requirements, it's a pretty big thing :D

Now, I need to work on actually running after the shuttlecock.