Diversion
Nothing like immersing myself in another marathon DVD-viewing to take my mind off of the demands of real life! :D
My latest excursion:
24 - Season 2.
I know, I know... I should have watched this a long time ago. Heck,
24 - Season 4 will be out on DVD by December! I guess things have a habit of getting in the way. hehe!
It's the usual heart-pumping, gut-wrenching roller coaster ride that we've come to expect from the makers of this TV series. I have to say, though, that it lacks the mysterious urgency of
Lost.
Tags:
TV
Posted by CF at 3:20 PM
Long Awaited Break
I'm glad that a we've got a long weekend coming up.
Have been so out of it lately that I've basically just been going through the motions of living. Haven't had much motivation to think, reflect, or do anything productive. Even my TV watching and reading have been curtailed somewhat.
Bottomline, all I want to do these days is vegetate. I've even taken to waking up at 10am or 11am almost daily the past week, and obviously, that means I've been arriving late for everything. :(
Inertia is very much at work in my life right now. Starting anything or getting up to do anything requires considerable effort. Even writing this blog entry is taking a supreme act of will.
* sigh *
I hate it when I'm moody without knowing why... because it is always,
always followed by a realization a few days later that I'm upset about something without really being aware of it. My subconscious mind has picked up on some incident / comment / conversation and is obsessing over it, while my conscious mind is obliviously moving along in its usual slower, plodding pace.
Until I figure out what it is that's bothering me, I'm stuck in this state of metaphysical unease.
____
Sidenote: New Delhi just suffered three large bomb blasts. Ayayaay.
Tags:
Personal
Posted by CF at 10:20 PM
Blur
Now that I've been watching TV shows on a marathon basis (through DVDs) the past couple of weeks, I've been getting a lot of unproductive moments.
There will be times during the day when I feel like a lot of different images are whirling around in my head... and despite concerted effort to focus on whatever task is at hand, my mind just drifts away for a few minutes before I even realize it.
I guess the best way I can explain the feeling is to liken it to those scenes in
Minority Report, where
Tom Cruise's character, John Anderton, is sifting through the images that are being served up by the pre-cogs, and he gets disjointed scenes flashing in rapid succession, and has to somehow make sense of it all. That's more or less how it feels when I slip into this mode.
I wonder if what I'm experiencing is normal, or if I'm suffering from some kind of sensory overload. Or maybe it's just my mind amusing itself by toying with the plotlines from all these shows that I've been watching. Heck, for all I know, maybe I just lack sleep! hehehe!
Whatever it is, I hope I snap out of it soon. The whole experience is somewhat disconcerting.
Tags:
Personal
Posted by CF at 10:25 PM
"He's Just Not That Into You"
I was actually able to watch the
Sex and the City episode where this line was first used, and back then it didn't strike me as being anything special. It wasn't until many many months later, while watching the Oprah Winfrey Show, that I realized how big a furor that simple 6-word sentence had caused.
Oprah's guests were Sex and the City writers Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, who together have authored a book with the title, you guessed it,
He's Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys.
Greg was brutally frank when he said that guys simply don't have the guts to tell a girl to her face that they're not interested. So they try to be subtle and women sometimes misunderstand the signals. Bottomline, says Greg, if a guy is really into you, you'll know without a doubt.
Some memorable examples:
- Not Into You. Guy says he's leaving the country on an early flight out the next day, so he can't see you tonight.
Into You. If he were really into you, Greg says, the guy would be spending the evening with you because you'll be apart for a few days. - Not Into You. Guy says he's swamped this whole week so don't expect him to call.
Into You. If he were really into you, Greg says, the guy would squeeze in a couple of minutes each day just to say hi, because it will actually help him get through the day. - Not Into You. Guy says on Sunday night he'll call you within the week to set a date for the next weekend and you finally get a call on Friday.
Into You. If he were really into you, the guy would have set a date before you parted ways on Sunday night, or at the very least, he would have called you on Monday. If you get a call on Friday, it's because the girls he really wants to date are busy and you're the next best thing to having no date for the weekend.
As I said... brutally frank! hehe!
Anyway, that phrase has been hovering around the back of my mind since I saw that show a couple of months ago. But it was only tonight, while I was chatting with a friend at Starbucks, that I fully grasped the meaning.
My friend was doing her damnedest to convince me that I have a potentially great relationship with one of our common guy friends. I wasn't quite sure where the conversation was going, but nevertheless, I spent the next half hour or so shooting down her statements one by one. I told her that a relationship with that guy really looked iffy because:
- The guy doesn't text or call. We bump into each other on a regular basis, but he doesn't make any attempt to engage in conversation beyond the times that we see each other.
- The only time he gets in touch is when he needs a favor. The whole interaction feels very "user-friendly" to me.
- The guy doesn't remember conversations we've had. He'll ask me questions that he has already asked me before -- on topics that we've already had long discussions about. If he wasn't just making conversation, surely he would remember what I thought about a particular issue.
After we had been discussing this for about half an hour, I honestly felt like telling my friend that if she thought he was such a great guy, then she should go after him with my blessings, because it sure looks like the most that he and I will ever be is friends.
And finally, to drive the point home, I used that simple 6-word sentence to express in no uncertain terms why I thought my relationship with the guy was heading nowhere, and that it would be much better for me if I didn't think of him in that way, even though my friend was trying to convince me otherwise.
One of these days, I'm going to have to buy a copy of that book and actually read it!
Tags:
Personal,
Relationships,
Books
Posted by CF at 12:05 AM
Vipers and Cylons
Just finished watching
Battlestar Galactica, the mini-series. It was three hours long without commercials, so I'm guessing it was originally intended as a four-parter.
Some of the acting is still a bit raw, and the dialogue gets a bit hokey at some parts, but it was good show! I'm really glad they decided to push through with an actual tv series, using the mini-series as the pilot episode.
I like the mix of modern special effects with not-so-modern sci-fi technology. And the way the viewers find out right at the very end who the cylon is... coolness!!
And 'Starbuck' is now a girl! Who would have thunk?!
I guess I'm in for a few more sleepless nights since the
first season DVDs are now available.
Tags:
TV
Posted by CF at 2:05 AM
Sounds Greek to Me
While watching
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants tonight, I couldn't help but wonder --
is the modern Greek language anything like ancient Greek?Note to self: Must add
Santorini, Greece to my
list of places to visit.
Tags:
Movies,
Travel
Posted by CF at 7:50 PM
Publish!
It took longer than expected, but I finally put my org's latest newsletter issue to bed last night.
It was tiring work, but nevertheless, I am happy with the result. Hopefully, the other members of the org will be just as happy. :D
Tags:
Editing,
Organization
Posted by CF at 5:05 PM
Foisted
I hate it when people try to dump their responsibilities into my lap.
I
especially hate it when I've already said 'no' and people still don't take 'no' for an answer. To quote the Spice Girls:
What part of "NO" don't you understand?!
I find the whole experience insulting. How can other people be so presumptuous, and how do they find the nerve to so brazenly foist their personal obligations onto someone else?
Sorry, dude, but you're going to learn that you picked the wrong person to mess with.
Tags:
Personal
Posted by CF at 4:05 PM
Good news, Bad news
The good news: the
JaRla Labsteam has a mallshow!!
The bad news: it's today, 3pm at SM Southmall, and I can't go! Ayayaay. Why hold it on a Friday afternoon?!? * sigh *
Tags:
JaRla
Posted by CF at 3:35 PM
Worn out
I woke up feeling tired today. So I was a bit surprised when I looked at the clock and realized it was already 11am.
Felt like burying my head in the pillow and going back to sleep, but my phone beeped, and I realized then that the incoming message tone was what had awakened me in the first place.
Duty is calling again, and I am growing weary of answering. * sigh! * I wish there were some other solution, but it appears this is the road that must be traveled.
A little more than 3.5 months to go...Tags:
Personal
Posted by CF at 1:20 PM
Stop and Go
Had a funny experience today at lunch.
Just before crossing an intersection on foot, I looked up to check the pedestrian light. It had both the
Walk and
Don't Walk signs lit at the same time. Haha! Ended up having to look at the traffic light for the cars to decide if it was safe to cross.
While it was funny at the time, I now can't help but wonder why there are street lights like this in the Philippines. If we can't keep something as simple as a pedestrian light working properly, what hope do we have of climbing out of the economic hellhole that generations of incompetent leaders have dug us into?
To quote one of my friends (when she saw the malfunctioning light):
Only in the Philippines.
Tags:
Philippines
Posted by CF at 3:55 PM
Thoughts on Blogging
It's been a little over three weeks since I started this personal blog, and I have to admit that it has changed the way I think about things.
It didn't start out this way, of course. But lately, when I'm gripped by some emotion or preoccupied by some random thought, I will suddenly find myself thinking,
Hmmm... I'm going to have to post a blog entry about that.
Sometimes, the thought is so fleeting and my mind wanders away so quickly that by the time I'm in front of the computer, I've forgotten what it was that I wanted to blog about in the first place. There are times, though, when the idea just nibbles away at the back of my mind, almost to the point where I feel like it's nagging me to get online and post an entry.
I do find myself thinking a lot more these days. It might be that I now have more time on my hands, and therefore can easily find time for reflection. But something tells me that the habit of blogging has also managed to alter the way I deal with events, the way I sift through thoughts, and the way I process emotions.
Socrates did once say "
The unexamined life is not worth living." Does that mean my life is now more worthy to be lived? Hah! Hardly. But it does make those quiet moments alone a lot more entertaining.
Tags:
Personal,
Blogging
Posted by CF at 8:05 AM
Lost, Season One
Am still in a bit of a daze from watching the 24 wonderfully crafted episodes of
LOST, Season One within the past two days.
It's such a fantastic show! I
loved, loved, loved every bit of it -- the way the main story arc moved forward with each episode; the way new questions were raised as answers to old questions were gracefully revealed; the way the flashbacks peeled away more layers and shed some light on the motivations of each of the characters; the way that ensemble cast delivered their individual performances... I could just go on and on!
It's such a truly wonderful piece of work, and it gets a lot more impressive when you finally get to watch the Behind the Scenes DVD and realize what they had to deal with to produce it.
I can't say it enough! I am so thoroughly impressed... and unfortunately, I'm also just as thoroughly bummed at the thought that I have to wait another year before the second season will be available on DVD. :(
Side note: It's also a pleasant change to have a tv series where female viewers get a lot of eye candy. ;) I think I now have a crush on
Josh Holloway! LOL.
Photo Credit: Second season cast photo from the
official site.
____
Update (Oct 17): Man, I thought I was a die-hard fan while I was maintaining the
Qpids Blog, but that was nothing compared to these fansites devoted to LOST:
Even more interesting are these sites which are believed to be 'official' LOST sites, because they contain too much stuff that can only be available from the show itself. Coolness!!
Tags:
TV
Posted by CF at 9:20 PM
Being Discreet
It really drives me nuts when someone who is in my "inner circle" betrays my trust, especially when I am very explicit about my expectations when it comes to matters that I consider private.
He justifies it by saying he only told his girlfriend, whom he trusts completely. My counter-argument to that, of course, is that
I don't trust his girlfriend. She hasn't made it into
my inner circle. Besides, God only knows who
she trusts completely! At the end of the day, when it's something that concerns
me, the only inner circle that counts is
my inner circle.
After the initial flash of anger faded away, this incident really got me thinking. After all, is it right for me to expect someone to be discreet to the point that they would not tell their girlfriend or boyfriend? What if it were not a girlfriend, but a fiancee? What if it were their spouse? At what point does revealing something to one person automatically mean revealing something to a couple?
More importantly, am I inadvertently driving a wedge into a relationship by demanding that one person keep a secret from his/her significant other, even if the information has no bearing whatsoever on their relationship?
Well, whatever the answers may be to these questions, it saddens me to realize that my inner circle just got smaller this week.
Tags:
Personal,
Relationships
Posted by CF at 6:50 PM
Lab Rats
I was channel surfing last night and came across a show that featured an experiment with lab rats. Scientists had wired electrodes directly into the brains of lab rats and had taught them to respond to instructions to turn left, go straight, or turn right based on stimulus to the brain, delivered via those electrodes.
Scientists gave the rat the instruction to turn right by stimulating the appropriate part of the brain so that the rat feels like someone had touched its right whiskers. No one physically touched the rat, of course, but the appropriate part of the brain was stimulated so that the rat
felt it. If the rat did actually turn right, then a different part of the brain -- the "happiness" center -- was stimulated as a reward.
Watching that show made me feel creepy. I understood the purpose of the experiments, so it's not like I'm questioning the value of what was being done. And I didn't feel weirded out because they were dealing with rats, even though the poor animals did look kinda weird with those electrodes and equipment sticking out of the tops of their heads.
No, what made me really uneasy while watching the show is the fact that I'd often wondered whether we -- all the people on earth -- are really just lab rats for some higher, more powerful being. And whether the challenges that life (or fate... or destiny...) throws at us are artificially manufactured in some cosmic laboratory just so our reactions can be observed.
Remember William E. Henley's oft-quoted line from
Invictus? -- "
I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Does that statement actually reflect reality? Are we really in control of our own destinies? Or are we just ignorant little lab rats trapped in some grander experiment that is beyond our comprehension, with no hope of escape?
Paranoia will destroy ya.... Tags:
Personal,
Religion
Posted by CF at 8:20 AM
Energized
Woke up today with a clear idea of what I wanted to accomplish.
My list of to-do's wasn't particularly earth-shattering or life-changing. It was simply a list of all the things that had gradually been accumulating the past week: mostly deadlines,
habilins, and chores that I had been stubbornly ignoring. I guess if I were to be more precise, it's all the stuff that I'd simply lacked the motivation to tackle.
I don't know about you, but I find something very satisfying about ticking items off a to-do list. I guess it goes back to my "let's-do-something-about-it" personality. That small, simple checkmark on the list is a visual reminder I've done my part, that I've fulfilled my end of some bargain. There's a small but undeniable burst of satisfaction -- just enough to get you energized and ready to tackle the next item on list.
Stray thought: Perhaps that explains the popularity of the site
43things. ;)
Happy thought: May we all get a chance to work our way down a long checklist of pleasurable to-do's. And may our lives be regularly punctuated by satisfying little check marks.
Tags:
Personal
Posted by CF at 7:05 PM
Reprieve
After almost six tense days of waiting, I got my first glimmer of hope this afternoon.
Hope is amazingly powerful... that's one thing I realized today. Not only powerful, but
essential. Having hope is so integral to being a functioning, flourishing human being that to be deprived of it for prolonged periods of time weakens you insidiously, without you really being aware of it. Until one day, you are so lost that the smallest challenge will easily knock you over, like the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back.
I think I was so overwhelmed by relief today that I just had to have a good cry, much to the dismay of my friend. He didn't really know how to deal with it, other than asking repeatedly if he had said or done something to upset me, and handing me a box of tissues. I'm really grateful for his patience. I should make a point of expressing my appreciation tomorrow.
Thankfully, the challenge of the next four months seems a lot more bearable.
Tags:
Personal
Posted by CF at 9:35 PM
Aaarrgghhh!
I hate the feeling of helplessness.
I'm too much of a "let's-do-something-about-it" type of person, and I hate wasting time, emotions, and energy on things that I can't change or can't do anything about.
So when I have to deal with something that's just always in my face, and I can't do anything about it, and no actions or thinking on my part will make the situation any better...!
Aaarrgghhh!!! It drives me nuts!!I wish the next four months were over and done with already, so this period will have passed, and I will not have to face this anymore.
God, if you're listening, please help!
Tags:
Personal
Posted by CF at 12:15 AM
New Addiction
For the longest time, I was a Diet Coke drinker.
Long before they changed the name and started calling it Coke Light, I already had a love affair with Diet Coke. Despite all the warnings about the carcinogenic properties of the sugar substitutes, and all those silly emails warning about Coke eating away at your guts, I didn't really care. Gimme a Diet Coke and I'm happy.
For most of 2005, however, Coke Light was disappointing. It tasted flat (lacks fizz, even when the can is freshly opened) and it actually tastes terrible (it's simply not sweet enough). A quick check on the bottom of the can usually reveals that the product is two or so months away from the "best-before" date. Makes me think that Coke Philippines had manufactured too much of the stuff and so it's taking forever to sell their old stock.
Anyway, I am digressing. Bottomline, for most of this year, I switched to Diet Pepsi. Its predictable, consistent taste is something I've grown to love, and it's actually cheaper than Coke Light in grocery stores!
I happily became a Diet Pepsi lover...
... that is, until I tasted Summit Clear around three months ago. Yup, that's my latest, newest addiction: flavored, carbonated water with zero calories. The Peach and Tangerine-Lime flavors are my favorites, although the other flavors are also okay.... except maybe for Grape (didn't quite like that one). Very refreshing and fruity... and with zero calories, it's a great thing to have during work-outs.
Tags:
Personal,
Eats
Posted by CF at 6:15 PM
Compliments
They say imitation is the best compliment.
So I'm smiling a bit because I finally found a blog for the PawEl loveteam today. With this latest find, it's safe to say that each of the final 4 Qpids loveteams now has a fanblog.
- Carla Loren Fanblog - opened April 2005
(de facto JaRla Fanblog)
- JilWyn Shrine - opened July 2005
- MhyZel's Paradise - opened August 2005
- PawEl Blog - opened September 2005
Of course, the blog that really started it all was the
Qpids Blog, which officially opened in March 2005.
Many, many thanks to
Pyra Labs for introducing blogs and making life so much easier for fans everywhere. You guys totally rock!
Tags:
Blogging,
JaRla
Posted by CF at 1:00 AM
Introspection
Something about the gloomy, muggy, rainy weather that we've been having is putting me in an introspective mood.
I don't enjoy being introspective. I'd rather not be thinking or brooding or obsessing about things, especially since my thoughts inevitably turn to things that I cannot control.
But the thought of going out gallivanting about town when the weather has been as wet as the past few days is just totally unappealing. And staying cooped up at home for days on end is enough to give just about anyone cabin fever.
So I'm forcing myself to go out and have dinner with friends tonight. At the very least, I will get a sumptuous meal to nourish the body. And with this group of friends, there will always be something to nourish the mind. Perhaps if I'm lucky, there will also be something to nourish the soul.
Tags:
Personal
Posted by CF at 5:30 PM
Hauntingly Beautiful
Stumbled across the
Operation: Eden blogspot site of photographer
Clayton James Cubitt (aka Siege), via the "Blogs of Note" section on the
Blogger main page.
His photos on the
Operation: Eden blog are hauntingly beautiful. They showcase scenes and people from his mother's town, Pearlington, MS as they appear now, ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.
I feel like crying.
Tags:
Blogging
Posted by CF at 11:30 PM
Clever play on words
Just caught the tail-end of a Discovery Channel feature on the Boeing manufacturing plant where all their planes are made. As the show was ending, the voiceover delivered a really clever play on words:
It's ironic, really. The biggest building in the world turns out the biggest airplanes in the world, and the world becomes a smaller place because of it.
Figured that was worth writing down.
Tags:
TV
Posted by CF at 11:55 PM
Truth: Literal or Literary?
Stumbled across this interesting article from the UK Times today:
Catholic Church no longer swears by truth of the Bible.
Here's an example of the things that are said to be UNTRUE, i.e., not to be treated as "
full scientific accuracy or complete historical precision:"
Genesis ii, 21-22. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; and the rib which the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man
Lots of interesting reactions on the
UK Times debate page for this topic. I can just imagine Theology classes all across the country reacting to this.
Tags:
Religion
Posted by CF at 7:45 PM
Cancer Awareness Month
Learned today that October is cancer awareness month. Figured I should do my part by surfing around a bit and making myself more aware.
My stops today are all Breast Cancer related:
- Komen.org. Interesting site. Their "Anatomy of Breast Cancer" walkthrough is worth a look if you know nothing about this disease. I also like the way information on the site is organized for Patients, Survivors, and Co-survivors.
- BreastCancer.org. Non-profit organization for breast cancer awareness. Found it through Google but did not have much of a chance to look around.
An interesting set of guidelines comes out of both sites, though:
- If you're between 20 and 34:
- Perform self-examination monthly
- Get a physician to examine you every 3 years
- If you're between 35 and 39:
- Perform self-examination monthly
- Get a physician to examine you every 2 to 3 years
- Get your first mammogram (if you have history of breast cancer in the family)
- If you're between 40 and 49:
- Perform self-examination monthly
- Get a physician to examine you every year
- Get a mammogram every 1 to 2 years
- If you're over 50:
- Perform self-examination monthly
- Get a physician to examine you every year
- Get a mammogram every year
Regardless of your age, you'll want to know more about how to perform self-examinations. Luckily, anyone can
visit this page on the Komen.org site for detailed instructions.
Tags:
Health
Posted by CF at 9:00 PM
Waiting for Serenity
I just learned today that
Serenity, Joss Whedon's movie sequel to the TV series
Firefly is already out in theatres across the US and Australia!
I'm so excited! It's been less than a year since I watched
the complete Firefly series on DVD, and while the format (it's a space western!) took some getting used to, I quickly fell in love with the story and the characters. Truly
Whedonesque!
Wonder when the movie will reach Philippine shores? If it doesn't get here as part of its regular run, I think I will go nuts waiting for the DVD release!
Note: Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures. You can also visit the official motion picture site.
Tags:
TV,
Movies
Posted by CF at 8:25 PM
Awe
Have you ever experienced meeting someone whom you thought was just an ordinary person, whom you treated like an ordinary person, and who also treated you like they were ordinary... and then one day you realize, they're special?
Not "special" as we sometimes refer to the handicapped or mentally challenged. But
special, in the real sense of the word: not ordinary, not typical, not run-of-the-mill... but
special.
When that happens, you can't help but be overwhelmed by one emotion: outright, deep-down, feel-it-in-your-bones
awe.
That's how I felt today.
Tags:
Personal
Posted by CF at 9:15 PM
JaRla Withdrawal Symptoms
I hate to admit it, but I'm going through some major JaRla withdrawal symptoms.
Felt a bit at a loss from not having Qpids to look forward to this afternoon. I guess it would be easier to accept not seeing them regularly these days if I knew that they had been cast in something, whether it be a soap or a movie, lead role or a supporting role.
The only nice thing lately is that
Janus now has Ktext [thank you soooo much, Bratty! MWAH!], and he seems diligent when it comes to sending messages. Carla, as usual, is rather unpredictable... her stuff comes in stops and starts.
Tags:
JaRLa
Posted by CF at 9:35 PM
Nuts
Lately, I've been obsessed with garlic peanuts.
LOL.
I simply had to laugh out loud right after typing that first line. But seriously, someone gave us three large canisters of salted, garlic peanuts (the brand is "
Wow Mani" --> worthy of another LOL) and it's like an addiction all of a sudden. TV doesn't seem as fun without something crunchy and garlicky to munch on.
I realized today, though, that I should probably stop eating them because I'm getting acne breakouts! Bummer.
Tags:
Eats
Posted by CF at 9:05 PM
New Template
Finally had some time to surf around a bit and look for a new template for this blog. I was using one of the pre-existing Blogger templates, and wasn't particularly excited by it.
So after a bit of Googling around, I found
Beccary.com and immediately fell in love with the Serenity template that was listed under her
Blogger Templates section.
Took me a while to figure out how to get it right. I wanted to make a few changes, particularly:
- Reduce the width of the post area, and increase the width of the sidebar;
- Switch the fonts of the headers and body text;
- Increase the overall line-spacing; and
- Increase the font sizes used.
There are two changes that I want to make but I haven't quite figured out how yet:
- Reduce the top margin so that the top of the blog is closer to the edge of the browser window; and
- Increase the overall width of the blog frame (sidebar + body)
I guess those final two changes will have to come later.
Update (Oct 2): Figured out how to reduce the top margin. One down, one more final modification to figure out.
Update (Oct 3): Just realized today that the sidebar disappears to the bottom of the page when you use Internet Explorer to view this blog, even though it looks fine in Firefox (which is the browser I use). Took me over two hours to figure out how to fix it! * sigh *
Tags:
Blogging
Posted by CF at 11:35 PM
