Merci

Seeing as I forgot to put some entries, I have to do this in bullet form.

Mar. 22
- I got my period. I had a cancer scare last November and I've been monitoring my period and thankfully it's normal again. But I still have to go to the doctor to be sure.
- The grocery. Well, shopping in general, really.
- My sister came home. Still not talking, but I already emailed her and told her what I felt and that I've let go of any ill will. The 27th will be the last day we'll be together in one roof.
-

Mar. 23
- Spending a few hours with Kat and her "friend". I love catching up with close, dear friends.
- Joel Edgerton and Blue-Tongue Films. I've never seen so many great movies! Truly worth the watch.
- The nice cab driver who took me home and chatted me up.
- Public transportation again :)
- Bookstores. They're heaven-sent!

Mar. 24
- Sleeping in.
- Watching movies all day.
- YouTube.
- Books.
- McDonald's delivery :)

Mar. 25
- I got a postal ID! Well, I'll get it by tomorrow, but I finally had it processed.
- Food trucks.
- An airconditioned bus.
- The Walking Dead. DARYYYYYYYYYYYYLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- My external HDD.

Mar. 26
- Kuya coming home.
- Me cleaning my cabinet.
- The help.
- Daddy texting me.
- Having load for text messaging.

Thank you entry #1

So I completely forgot that I still had this blog. As I pondered if I should keep or delete it and found myself leaning towards the latter, I felt a pang of sadness, like all the thoughts (a lot of them dumb) I wrote in the past decade would mean nothing - at least to me - and I just refused to do that.

Now, in the spirit of well-being and just being an overall "good" person (at least I'm trying to be), I'm going to start making this my thank you journal. I spend a lot of time online anyway, so might as well use it to spread good cheer and leave the ranting on another blog (LOL).

For today, well, yesterday really, I'm thankful for the following:

1. My dad - he's the selfless one in the family. He came from a very modest family and upbringing but he did everything possible to give us, his children, good education and a roof on our heads. He always means well and teaches me to do the same. He's also borderline martyr - he doesn't say anything bad to anybody because he doesn't like conflict. That's good to a certain extent, but IMO, I think it's also healthy if you let out your feelings once in a while and not bottle it up inside and wait for it to eat you up. Anyway, he's the best dad. I can't really thank God enough.

2. My Auntie Solie - I've gotten to know her so much better in the one month we spent together going out and traveling than when she would visit intermittently with her late husband - and I'm really grateful for it. Besides being generous not just with money but with her time, she's more energetic and healthier than me! Her passions include writing and painting, reading and researching; and now that I've enumerated it, I'm even more pleased because we have a lot more in common than I thought. One thing I want to emulate that she's perfected is to be more frugal. When you're brought up a certain way, live a certain lifestyle for most of your life, it's very difficult to adjust. But I'm hoping that with some budgeting, I can nail it too.

3. Our help - she's there to wash clothes, cook food, clean dishes, help with feeding and taking care of the kids and dogs, whatever I ask of her she does it. It's very easy to take something and someone for granted, so I'm saying this to the whole of the Interwebs so that they may know that the help will always be important and valued.

4. My ear doctor - besides being incredibly nice, he's always so happy and warm, I can tell he cares for his patients, he's not just in it for the money - and that's important when you're handling people from all walks of life. We all want to feel special and it takes a lot to do that genuinely.

5. Public transportation - Sometimes I do complain about the drivers of said vehicles, but there will be some drivers who will surprise you. It's those good guys we need more of on the road.

Oprah inspired me to start this up again, so I guess my last thank you would be to her. Thank you, Ms. Winfrey for instilling the value of gratefulness in me. It's been years since that episode where you encouraged your viewers to write five things that you're grateful for every day. Sometimes, for some people, it's hard enough to look for one thing to be thankful for in a day, let alone five, but this entry just proves that you *can* find goodness in the simplest ways, from people you encounter once or every day of your life.

Smallville Finale - A Goodbye that Lasts Forever

Any (tumblr) Smallville fan out there would tell you that anticipation for May 13th 2011 has been something of a rollercoaster of emotions that we can't seem to bottle up inside, hence the constant blogging and reblogging of posts that try to convey what we really feel inside. And yet, we all know that no words would truly sum up feelings we have after being witness to Clark Kent's final journey and Superman's reinvented introduction to the world in this, the final episode of our beloved television show.

Below is not a review of the episode, it is a simple thanks.

The moment the finale started I knew that I was going to be in for a really great ride - and I wasn't disappointed. Smallville sure delivered and it packed the first punch in the "previously on". It was such a great treat seeing all the super moments that led to this finale. And then we see Chloe reading a (of all things) DC COMIC BOOK entitled "Smallville" to her young son. Cut to "SEVEN YEARS EARLIER" subtitle and a shot of what looked to be like the sun hurtling towards Earth, and we're off! Cue Smallville theme song.

Credits included Allison Mack - that made me very happy!

And thank you, Smallville for bringing back Jimmy's brother in the form of Aaron Ashmore =) Very poignant.


Chloe Sullivan - Queen and Oliver Queen / Chlollie

I admit that I wasn't a Chloe fan when Smallville debuted back in 2001, but Allison Mack's performance endeared this character to me very much; and I absolutely adore the actress! And so it is with great appreciation that I give Al, Turi, Kelly and Brian a tip of the hat and a warm embrace for giving my Chloe a truly fantastic goodbye. Speculation of whether the boy in the promos was her son should have been certainty because it was pretty obvious he shared her and Oliver's genes =) The moments she had with Oliver were all blissful, especially the the-world-is-ending-again kiss they shared. The last hug she had with Clark had me hugging my own pillow and muffling my sobs because it was just too damn heartbreaking.

Oliver overcoming the darkness with Clark's help proved just how deep their friendship has become and how much they both value the relationship. For a character that's well-known for smart-ass quips and one-liners, Oliver is very much the consummate best friend/best man/hero/go-to guy - and he's the best at it =) I actually loved the character development of Oliver Queen and how it played into his future with Chloe and Clark, even Tess and Lois. It's very admirable to play a hero without superpowers alongside the most powerful and well-known and beloved heroes of all time and still be meaningful. What Justin Hartley did with Oliver Queen as the invisible yet omnipresent friend has always been underrated but has forever been appreciated and loved and in this finale, his star definitely shone bright.

Tess Mercer/Lutessa Luthor

I actually gasped when she died. I DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING! I thought the promos were misleading! I thought she'd have her happy ending too! But I understood now. Smallville wouldn't be Smallville without heart-wrenching scenes like this. Cassidy Freeman acted her heart out - and I have to say, what a way to go! To die in the arms of Michael Fucking Rosenbaum - wow. The last words Tess uttered were just a beautiful tribute to Clark; she'll always love him, whether romantically or as a friend, I don't really care at this point. I just know that because of Clark, she was a better person and I'm glad she went out guns blazing (i.e. her final payback - giving Lex a complete memory makeover). She was the best BAMF introduced to the show and in a weird way, I loved her death because it was so poetic. In my world, Clark and Tess have dozens of flying babies and live happily ever after =)

Lois Lane / Clois

If you've seen my blog, you would know right away that I am not a huge Lois Lane fan. But given that this was the finale, I gave her a chance =) The parts that stood out for me were the door scene, the aisle scene and the Air Force One scene. First things first: that door scene could have gone so wrong and so cheesy, but Tom and Erica made it work and I thank them for that. And then there was the walk down the aisle scene. It's beginning to be one of my most favorite moments in Smallville ever and it's partly because of the song used: Sara Bareilles' Breathe Again. It's a song I associated with another tv show, but now I will forever remember Smallville by. Right from the moment the music started and Clark touched and held Lois's hand and then they started walking down the aisle together, I was a miserable, watery, bloodshot eyes mess. By the time the camera showed Pa Kent, I literally lost it and started really sobbing then. Thank God I was in my bedroom because if somebody saw me, they would think I was crying over someone in my family dying. And lastly, the sweet scene of Lois pressed against the airplane window seeing Clark FLYING in the suit for the first time and Clark coming over and they share a smile. Sweetest. scene. ever.

Michael Rosenbaum and John Glover

I admit I wasn't expecting Lionel 2.0 to be back but I was glad he was there for the end. I've never loved and hated a character as much as Lionel and it was fitting that he ushered back Lex from the dead and be the body that Darkseid possesses. That scene with Clark in the barn was just unbelievably phenomenal!!! I loved every second of it!



As for Rosie, well, the hype for his return did not eclipse the actual return, so I'm happy about that too =) All of his scenes were of course standouts! My favorite part would have to be his very cleverly quipped remark to his nemesis when Clark said his name: "You still say it the same way: astonishment, with a hint of dread, yet... with a hopeful finish." Whoever wrote that line is now my favorite person after Tom Welling. Clark and Lex facing off again and Clark saying sorry for not being able to save Lex (sob!) and Lex calling Tess "sis" were just wish dreams that have come true! Rosie and Cassidy were both so AMAZING in their scene together; they had the right combination of scary, pitiful, loving, evil and vengefulness. Cassidy held her own with Michael and that was something to see, I loved every second of the short time they were together on screen. And even though it was at Tess's demise that Lex rises again, it's OK. Rosenbaum's return really solidified him as THE Lex Luthor of our time. Thank you, Rosie.

The Kents (Jonathan and Martha)

And now I will try my best not to cry my eyes out while writing this part. For someone who values family above all, I have to say that The Kents have been one of, if not the, best written parents on TV in a very long time. The primary reason I started to regularly watch Smallville was not because of Clana at all. Surprisingly, even for me, it was because of Clark and his relationship with HIS PARENTS. It was a relationship that went beyond blood and that's really special. The scene with Martha and Clark in the Kent house started the ball rolling for me... and my tears. Everything Martha said was right, and I did take offense when Clark refused to budge. I couldn't believe that he actually wanted to go through with selling the farm. Maybe it was the sentimental part of me screaming then, trying to shout sense into him. Then there was the walk down the aisle again and a reveal of Jonathan standing beside Martha. Right then, I doubled over with sobs, it was ugly. The scene in the barn with all 3 of them was my favorite because it didn't look like Clark was going nuts, it looked right - it felt safe. It was home. When they embraced and the camera showed the 3 of them huddled together by the window... that was perfect. And when Jonathan said "It's time", I broke down again and tried not to hyperventilate (I have asthma).



The love of a mother and father is the one constant thing that I treasure: it is unconditional. These two people, who were destined to be the parents of the greatest hero the world has ever known, will always be my Ma and Pa Kent - the best thing that could have happened to Clark.

Clark Kent

Being that he is my favorite character in the show, I kinda feel pressure in making this last entry as awesome as he is - but I won't. I'll just tell the truth and write from the heart; so here goes.



Everybody keeps talking about what Smallville was NEVER about: that it was not about Clana or Clois, Chlark or Chlollie, Cless or Clex; or it wasn't about Superman. Let me just say what Smallville actually IS about: Clark Kent. We always have to remember that Smallville was and is an origins show, it always has been. It's about the last son of Krypton sent to Earth by his parents to be saved from extinction and be raised by humans. It's about Clark fulfilling the destiny encapsulated in the crystals that came with his space ship - a destiny that was even drawn on cave walls. It's about Clark discovering that being righteous and just and kind are all the things he would need to fulfill his destiny and find his path; that being raised by human parents made him as much of a hero as it did having superpowers, like what his father Jor-El said.



I've already said everything I could about Tom Welling in my previous blog, but his performance in tonight's finale deserves praise and commendation. Having played Clark Kent for so long can be monotonous and the audience can take you for granted for it since they see you in every single episode. I don't know what it is, maybe it's his charisma, but Tom seems to keep it fresh and look new each and every time he's on screen. The little nuances he's developed and perfected works to his advantage and it endears him even more to the audience. That's why when he stepped onto the rooftop of the Planet and started to take off this shirt to reveal that iconic suit underneath, we cheered, we screamed, we cried.

The Clark-centric scenes that stood out the most for me are a combination of the obvious and obscure, maybe even underrated:

1. Of course I have to go with the shirt rip!
2. The Clois airplane moment. SO SWEET!
3. The walk down the aisle
4. The Kents in the barn
5. Clark and Lex reunion
6. Chlark embrace
7. Clois door moment
8. Clark and Oliver fight
9. Clark and Jonathan in the cemetery
10. Martha and Clark in, what could be called, an argument
11. Bumbling Clark
12. Clark LEVITATING and FINALLY FLYING OUT OF THE FORTRESS! and the quick change!!! yey!
13. Clark's memories/trials in the Fortress
14. Clark and Darkseid!Lionel fight

In the end for me, it comes down to the song that was played several times in the show, Sara Bareilles' "Breathe Again". The way the song starts off, and after seeing how it was used in the finale, I now firmly believe it was made to rip your heart out of your chest while you're choking on tears and bawling your eyes out:

"car is parked, bags are packed but what kind of heart doesn't look back at the comfortable glow from the porch, the one i will still call yours?"

IMO, Smallville producers picked the song, not just for Clois, but as a goodbye FOR THE FANS. The lyrics but what kind of heart doesn't look back I think is the producers' way of saying thank you to the fans, looking back on the memories, looking back to the people who loved the show before they move on. I thought it was a beautiful tribute and while I was writing this, I got choked up again and am now fighting back tears because I'm afraid that I'll get sick after crying so much.

As I myself try to move on from 10 years of watching the best show on television, I am also looking back. I look back at myself, then a 19 year old college student just doing my thing, not a care in the world, not knowing that something as simple as a TV show would change my life forever. A decade later, I still feel the 19 year-old in me. She's older now, hopefully wiser, and yet the wonder of that night in October 2001 still lives in her memory, triggered by the final scenes of a beloved show. Smallville, you've been my life, you've been my crutch. This blog entry may end but in my heart, I will always say a goodbye to you that lasts forever. Thank you for the memories and I'll see you around.

the death of a terrorist

i awoke to notification on (of all places) tumblr saying that osama bin laden was dead. like everybody else, i thought it was another false alarm since there wasn't any announcement from the president or pictures backing up said claim. but then obama came on tv and proclaimed that special ops agents did indeed kill bin laden and (at that time) had his body at a nearby u.s. airbase in pakistan. below is obama's historical speech:

"Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.
"It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory - hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.
"And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child's embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.
"On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people came together. We offered our neighbours a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country. On that day, no matter where we came from, what God we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family.
"We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice. We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by Al-Qaeda - an organisation headed by Osama bin Laden, which had openly declared war on the United States and was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe. And so we went to war against Al-Qaeda to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies."Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we've made great strides in that effort. We've disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defence. In Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban government, which had given bin Laden and Al-Qaeda safe haven and support. And around the globe, we worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill scores of Al-Qaeda terrorists, including several who were a part of the 9/11 plot.
"Yet Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan. Meanwhile, Al-Qaeda continued to operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world.
"And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against Al-Qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network.
"Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.
"Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.
"For over two decades, bin Laden has been Al-Qaeda's leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat Al-Qaeda.
"Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There's no doubt that Al-Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must - and we will - remain vigilant at home and abroad.
"As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not - and never will be - at war with Islam. I've made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, Al-Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.
"Over the years, I've repeatedly made clear that we would take action within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was. That is what we've done. But it's important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people.
"Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates.
"The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores, and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 years of service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who's been gravely wounded.
"So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed. We will be relentless in defence of our citizens and our friends and allies. We will be true to the values that make us who we are. And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to Al-Qaeda's terror: Justice has been done.
"Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who've worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. The American people do not see their work, nor know their names. But tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice.
"We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day.
"Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores.
"And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today's achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.
"The cause of securing our country is not complete. But tonight, we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it's the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place.
"Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
"Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America."

i've watched and rewatched this 5 times already and each time i always say "thank you, mr. president." i don't need pictures to prove that osama's dead. just like bin laden's death not being able to bring back the victims of september 11th, a photograph of a dead bin laden will not bring back the dead or change the past. it's just true confirmation that he was killed. i still have faith in the goodness of people, i still have faith in a man's word - in this case, obama's word. his speech said everything; he wouldn't have said all of those things were they not true. why would he fabricate something like this especially now?

despite what conspiracy theorists, critics or cynics say, i am just thankful that justice was finally served. it may have been a long time coming, but it's here nonetheless. i hope that this is the start of PEACE, not more war. God knows we need more of the first.

thank you, tom welling

it's nearing the end of smallville and i am extremely sad, especially after having read interviews from kelly souders and brian petersen about the finale. being emotional about a tv show is dumb for some people but i found out that i am not alone in feeling morose about all this. there are 6 million people, give or take, who watched the show and loved it and are probably also saying their goodbyes in their own ways, bidding adieu to a tv show that was more than a tv show. this is my goodbye.

looking through different sites and blogs and social networking webbies, i'm struck that fans are quick to thank supporting cast members first and not the main star of the show. we all have our "ships", but i am respectful enough to acknowledge the one person who deserves the most thanks: tom welling. from the very beginning, he had made it clear that he didn't want anything to do with smallville, citing that producers were not giving enough details about the plot and theme of the show. totally understandable, given that during that time, he was known as ashton kutcher's model friend who had bit parts in sometimes forgettable and uninspired shows. he was a nobody, by industry standards. but thanks to the wb's persistence, and tom's inevitable acceptance of the iconic role, the new pilot now had a young clark kent.

i remember seeing promos, reading articles and hearing from my classmates in college about smallville back in 2001. september 11th hadn't happened yet and everything was easier, calmer, a better place. i was getting excited for this, preparing my vcr to tape my shows and adding this to a long list of things to watch. as a girl who only had homework, thesis papers and projects to worry about at the time, i was content with watching my shows and expounding on them, giving my opinions and complaints to my journal - eventually discovering blogging and continuing my uninhibited criticism of them there.

when the twin towers were bombed and america was attacked, i remembered feeling desolate, lost and depressed. even though i didn't lose anybody in the tragedy, i was still empathetic. i was still grieving. i was still crying for people i never knew and yet hearing about things they did before they died made me ache. i needed a distraction, some sort of solace.

i remember mayor giuliani giving this speech at one of the countless events he was invited to to commemorate september 11th victims. he said continue with your lives. reopen broadway, we NEED normalcy, we NEED entertainment. we NEED our lives back. and so it did. broadway would eventually turn its lights back on, new yorkers would return to work and the everyday hustle and bustle would come back, albeit slowly. and that's where i found my solace. my savior. my superman.

having rewatched the pilot episode last friday, i was awash with emotions as i mentally time-traveled back to that moment when i first turned on my tv and saw little lana lang granting martha kent a wish. i cried. i cried so much, my body was shaking, my tears were flowing non-stop and i may have felt my heart ache for a second. i cried because i was so grateful that at a time when we needed heroes, there was this show reintroducing us to one, making us forget that there was a world in chaos and in mourning. i was so overwhelmed that i doubled over and sobbed my heart out, i couldn't watch the first half of the show.

when i calmed down, i mentally thanked jerry siegel for creating this character; this lovable, respectable, inspiring character who is now, more than ever, a great symbol of hope. then i thanked him for creating the kents. as much as i watched the show for welling, i also watched the show for john and martha. like any other child who loves her parents, these two endeared themselves to me. i wanted to be like them when i became a parent myself. there's something admirable about raising a child right, and a superhero at that! i respected the fact that they didn't cut clark any slack, even though he could (if he wanted to) disobey them and just do anything he wanted, regardless of the consequences.

after the characters, the actors got my attention. jonathan scheneider and annette o'toole gave john and martha kent such souls and hearts that it was difficult to identify them as individuals portraying characters onscreen. i loved and adored them as clark's surrogate parents. i missed them terribly when they were written off the show, paving way for the other half of clark's journey to being superman. but the foundation they built will never be diminished: it lives in clark.

thanking tom for accepting this once-in-a-lifetime role is proving to be a difficult task to complete. i don't even know where to begin! let me start with the first image that popped into my head just now: an older, wiser clark kent walking towards a seemingly just-ended funeral for a friend, a fresh grave was dug and a lone man was standing beside it, possibly paying his last respects. fans know that this is a pivotal moment in smallville: clark kent going to a closed off funeral for the murdered lionel luthor, who died at the hands of his own son - the same man standing, possibly gloating, over his father's grave. the fact that this scene was shot with no dialogue only made it even more compelling. at this time, clark and lex have already drifted apart as brothers/friends. they are now truly arch enemies facing off and throwing invisible gauntlets at each other. it worked because michael rosenbaum threw in a smirk, as if to say, "i dare ya. kill me." it worked because tom welling faced him dead on, angry and formidable. they were truly superman and lex luthor in that moment.

there have been many memorable moments in smallville that i can recount for you, but i would just have you buy the dvds and watch them all - as i know that they will definitely change your attitude towards life after watching. i cited the above scene because it's scenes like those that make me appreciate tom welling each and every time i rewatch an episode. yes, he's cute, undeniably so - just visit my blog! it is one of the prerequisites to being the man of steel. but aside from his looks, he brings so much more to the table.

some might say he can't act properly to save his life, but i beg to disagree. not because i'm biased, but because i've come to a realization - that his incredible acting abilities are completely eclipsed by his super handsome good looks. but once you get past that (it may take a decade!), you realize that he has perfect timing, exquisite execution and undeniable fearlessness. his ability to be puppy dog clark, sad clark, sweet clark, angry clark, stumped clark, scared clark and any other emotion tends to tug at your heart, feel his pain, melt with giddiness and just appreciate that he goes the extra mile to evoke those feelings from the audience.

then there are the costumes. the show had a "no tights, no flights" rule - which i thought was so ingenius; but they compromised by incorporating the superman colors onto clark's definitive wardrobe making his shirt collection limited as to what colors he can wear. but tom bore it all. at first, the colors (red and blue primarily) were subtly added - he wore a yellow shirt once, but as the years went by, he was recognized by a blue shirt and red jacket, with the colors interchanged sometimes. enduring that for a year would have been admirable. doing it for 10 is very much respectable. it's not that tom didn't have a say - he would become one of the executive producers of the show after a few years - but he didn't shy away from wearing the iconic (primary and boring) colors. and that's one other reason why i love him.

and then there are those scenes. you know! the scenes where he's making strange faces so that his reactions are more realistic and believable? so that we'd buy into whatever is supernaturally happening to him? those scenes. when you talk to yourself, you may think you're crazy or eccentric. when you react to nothing, you may be crazy, not even eccentric. and that's what i admire so much about tom. he makes the scene work. he makes you believe that he really is in so much pain because the green kryptonite is slowly killing him. he makes you believe that the kryptonian symbol scarred on his chest was burning and hurting him. as bizarro, he makes you believe that he's getting extremely powerful by reenergizing using kryptonite. his googly-eyed face, his crazy in love face, his confused face, his panicked face... they're all now etched in my brain's file cabinet labeled as such and is part of the reason why i adore tom so much! he makes you believe that he really can see through solid objects; that he really does have super hearing, super strength and super breath! as kal-el, he made you believe again that a man CAN fly. and i am thankful for that. because he made me believe, he also made me forget. forget about whatever was troubling me at that time, forget that i had problems for an hour. forget that i was me.

lastly, i'm thankful that he never tired. sometimes the continued success of a tv show depends on the lead star. remember when johnny depp left 21 jump street and it was never the same? if tom had left smallville early on in its inception, it would've been a goner. yes, the producers could have picked some other tall, dark and handsome guy to play ck, but no one can compare to tom's charisma and ownership of said iconic role. ten years working on a show is a feat. you can get burned out, exhausted, irritated with your co-stars, etc. but tom hung in there. and despite what others think, i say that that is tom's greatest gift to the fans, it showed he cares for us, for the character he's portrayed and for the overall well-being of the show. it's a testament to his dedication, loyalty and foresight - he knew where the show was going and he stuck with it =)

i could ramble on and on and on but bottomline is really also just the simple truth: smallville lasted 10 years because of tom welling. and now that the show is 16 episodes closer to its series finale, i am in awe and very appreciative of the time, effort and hardwork that tom put in to all of this just so we could have an hour of forgetting our own problems and living our superhero fantasies. 30 years from now, i will be proud to say that i was witness to this man giving our generation inspiration and reason to believe, once again, that a man can fly.

thank you very much, tom welling. we really do owe you.

song of the day - one republic, all this time

young victoria

i initially didn't want to watch this because i thought this would be another boring old period film. proved me wrong because although it was about a piece of english monarchy history, the way it was edited/directed wasn't so boring at all! i wish ALL period films are done the same way.

i had already seen the devil wears prada and a knight's tale so i knew who emily blunt and paul bettany were. i didn't know the guy who played prince albert was though so i was curious. high praises are in order for her majesty, emily blunt. it's a tour-de-force performance and she deserved a golden globe/oscar for it. she portrayed the role with such tenacity and complexity but it was difficult not to fully empathize and sympathize with her (victoria's) plight. based on what i found out from the movie, victoria was a descendant of kings george and william. before she was 18 and old enough to be a queen, her mother and sir john conroy was trying to force her to sign papers that would turn over power to them but in her sickbed she refused.

she ended up corresponding and meeting prince albert of saxe-coburg and eventually they fall in love.

there are several notable scenes/moments in the movie i adore, one of which was victoria's proposal to albert. the way that it was executed was so cute and sweet and very emotional. you can't help but fall in love with them.

another was between victoria, john conroy and victoria's mom - victoria maria louisa of saxe-coburg. it was so powerful and i really loved emily's line delivery at the end. john was manhandling victoria because he wants her to give over power to him and be her executor for everything since she was too young to be queen because king william had volunteered at that time to give her extra allowance. victoria's line was:

Princess Victoria: [to her mother]

Oh, and if you think that I will ever forget that you stood by silent and watched him treat me thus, you are dreaming!

then there was the assassination and prince albert taking a bullet for queen victoria and how victoria professes her undying love for him and him for her and they live happily ever after. a true fairytale and it was so satisfying to watch!