Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
sam, interrupted
so i saw SAM,INTERRUPTED last saturday and gotta say was thoroughly entertained by it =) based on the trailer and video clips, i was already kinda expecting a take on the cuckoo's nest or something, but it had some really funny and interesting moments.
the faves:
1) when sam and dean were trying to "explain" to the doctor why sam should be institutionalized... LOL!
2) when dean (and then SAM) gets molested =)
3) sam puppy drugged. YES!
interesting point: sam's anger. he displays it upon attacking what he thought to have been the monster of the week. it's like hulk on double shots of steroids and PCP. each. it will obviously be touched on again in future episodes since dean dismissed it after sam brought it up while they were trying to escape the nuthouse.
~~~ two is better than one, now playing =) ~~~
didn't know too much about their guest, john winchester's hunter friend who checked himself into "hotel california" ;)
loved the pop culture references too: one flew over the cuckoo's nest, hotel california, eagles, rain man... i'll try to re-watch to see if i missed any more, but you get it, right? RIGHT?
one disappointment was that they didn't pick up where they left off. i don't know how they (SPN writers, producers) plan the episodes out, but from what i understand and saw from a previous interview, one of the writers/producers said that they follow sweeps. for those not in the know, the U.S. television programming is a lot more complicated than it looks. first off, there's their calendar: summer is from june/july to august (summer hiatus) and new seasons of existing tv shows/new shows start airing in september, then short hiatus maybe between november to december (depending on the network and show, really) and then they continue the series' season from january until april, sometimes may - again depending on how many episodes the show was given.
anyway, before i digress any further, i wish they'd at least brought up what happened the LAST TIME. uh... jo and ellen. died. so the boys can gank lucifer. which they ALMOST did, but turns out, lucifer is invincible to the colt's powers, so there. back to square one. i hope the next episode brings back at least SOME of the main plot. crossing fingers.
all the same, in the end, this was a strong episode =) aren't they running out of ideas already?? you're awesome as usual, SPN team!!! *BLOOP!* (pinches nose) HEH!
Friday, January 22, 2010
night out with friends =)
so my friends from grade school and i met up last tuesday at uncle cheffy's in eastwood. considering that we haven't seen each other for such a LONG time, i would say this was the sweetest gathering ever =)
i was up at 4am already but i couldn't sleep again because i think i've inadvertently converted my body clock back to daytime (long story!)... so anyway, i was up for an interview and contract signing at 8am and was scheduled to meet up with my friend at 3pm. one hitch just screwed my schedule and i was late to the said meeting with friend.
i had to get one last document from my previous employer to complete the requirements i had to submit to sign the contract and start on monday (jan 25th) - so i had to go back to that previous employer, then go back to my new one and wait for the contract signing thing and then meet up with my friend - who ended up picking me up at around 5:30pm. nice huh? yuck.
so we go straight to eastwood mall to meet up wth another friend, chris - who had already ordered a nutella + banana crepe. yum. we then headed to uncle chuffy's where we waited for everybody else to arrive. nina and charlie arrived first, followed by batchi then pam then the guest of honor, ina, then jill, and lastly, isay with her gf =)
my followed a few hours later because she was coming from work, which ended at 10pm. we hung out at starbucks and waited for montero to call, which she did, thankfully.
the evening was fun and funny, i wasn't able to enjoy it that much because i was so dead tired from having to run errands all day and going to and from different locations. sigh!
i hope to have pics up soon. =)
i was up at 4am already but i couldn't sleep again because i think i've inadvertently converted my body clock back to daytime (long story!)... so anyway, i was up for an interview and contract signing at 8am and was scheduled to meet up with my friend at 3pm. one hitch just screwed my schedule and i was late to the said meeting with friend.
i had to get one last document from my previous employer to complete the requirements i had to submit to sign the contract and start on monday (jan 25th) - so i had to go back to that previous employer, then go back to my new one and wait for the contract signing thing and then meet up with my friend - who ended up picking me up at around 5:30pm. nice huh? yuck.
so we go straight to eastwood mall to meet up wth another friend, chris - who had already ordered a nutella + banana crepe. yum. we then headed to uncle chuffy's where we waited for everybody else to arrive. nina and charlie arrived first, followed by batchi then pam then the guest of honor, ina, then jill, and lastly, isay with her gf =)
my followed a few hours later because she was coming from work, which ended at 10pm. we hung out at starbucks and waited for montero to call, which she did, thankfully.
the evening was fun and funny, i wasn't able to enjoy it that much because i was so dead tired from having to run errands all day and going to and from different locations. sigh!
i hope to have pics up soon. =)
fulfilling a dream
ok, so ever since i was in grade school, i've always been fascinated with the world of radio. i remember listening to it for hours on end, killing my walkman's batteries every single time. this was when i was exposed to r&b, hiphop, rock, rap, classical, jazz, the works. then i was intrigued by the prospect of introducing the songs... i didn't know that there's an actual job for that, i just thought people who were on the radio were newscasters too ugly to go on tv or that the music was being played by a lonely robot machine that was programmed at the start of the day. boy, was i WAY off!
so this year, i'm going to try and become one of them. i don't know what they exactly do, but i hope i have what it takes to do it =)
what should the title of my show be? what should my call sign be? i know what i'll talk about on the show, even the music i'll play... should i have guests on? hmm, let me see if i can radio-fy my blog...
tune in next week!
so this year, i'm going to try and become one of them. i don't know what they exactly do, but i hope i have what it takes to do it =)
what should the title of my show be? what should my call sign be? i know what i'll talk about on the show, even the music i'll play... should i have guests on? hmm, let me see if i can radio-fy my blog...
tune in next week!
blog ideas
so i got this idea from when i googled "top blog topics" and i really liked it. the author said to blog about issues on different days of the week. nice. not that i can blog everyday when i start work on monday, but still... so let's see, i'll try and do the list of assignments now...
Monday - what i did over the weekend
Tuesday - movies and music
Wednesday - what i did to make the world a better place
Thursday - pic of the day
Friday - food
Saturday - free for all
Sunday - thank you, God
might change it up depending on a lot of things, but this is a good start. what do YOU blog about? cheers!
Monday - what i did over the weekend
Tuesday - movies and music
Wednesday - what i did to make the world a better place
Thursday - pic of the day
Friday - food
Saturday - free for all
Sunday - thank you, God
might change it up depending on a lot of things, but this is a good start. what do YOU blog about? cheers!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
why haley james scott is my fave oth character
why bethany joy galeotti is my favorite actress on oth:
Ten Guilty Pleasures
i just googled "best blog topics" and this was a suggested topic so i thought i'd do it, given my penchant for lists... ok, i'm really gonna do this??? what the heck. you only live once anyway.
1. peanut butter and bananas - don't ask.
2. stuffing myself silly with junkfood.
3. vibrating seats - LOL
4. being obsessed with people and things
5. money
6. youtube
7. reality tv shows
8. really BAD tv movies
9. downloading mp3s
10. doing this list
1. peanut butter and bananas - don't ask.
2. stuffing myself silly with junkfood.
3. vibrating seats - LOL
4. being obsessed with people and things
5. money
6. youtube
7. reality tv shows
8. really BAD tv movies
9. downloading mp3s
10. doing this list
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
talented and creative? how about $10,000?
to all you creative collaborators out there, check out this really cool way to spread the word about your work and art and get paid for it!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
golden globes weren't that golden
maybe it was the lack of drama (at the awards show itself), maybe it was the lack of stars (brad and angie decided to sit this one out), or maybe it was because it went by so fast... whatever the reason, i wasn't that enthusiastic to watch the show by the time they gave out the 2nd award. so what happened?
i didn't so much as enjoyed it, it just wasn't "electric" like previous globes telecasts before. i guess the red carpet set the tone = it was raining the entire time and they were all running around with umbrellas, not good especially when it's supposed to be the part where the stars should've "modeled" their clothes. the show was telecast live from the hilton hotel, so what does that tell ya?
although leo and kate and scorsese and joe were there, all but one (joe) were not nominated, so the excitement of seeing my favorites win was gone by the time i saw them onscreen. kate and leo presented, kate the best actor category and leo joined robert deniro to honor scorsese, giving him the cecil b. demille award for lifetime achievement in film making and preservation. more on that later.
the only other highlights were drew barrymore winning (she is old hollywood - her parents and grandparents were all actors, family dynasty) for grey gardens and robert downey jr.'s awesome, awesome speech =)
i loved mel gibson's schtick LOL i love a guy who can take a joke and laugh at himself =)
glad joe got some airtime and i was even surprised that their movie was actually nominated as best picture musical or comedy =) way to go guys!
so back to the preservation thing. i've known this about scorsese for some time now: he founded and is co-chair of the national center for film and video preservation. from interviews he's done, he vaguely describes it as preserving the best films ever created in history. it's a noble thing, this film preservation. it's as if he created a really elaborate time capsule and our children and their children's children will one day be audiences to human existence today as captured by the films of our lives. what a beautiful gift both to us and to the people who will unwrap it someday.
and here's to hoping that johnny depp gets nominated for SOMETHING next year...
i didn't so much as enjoyed it, it just wasn't "electric" like previous globes telecasts before. i guess the red carpet set the tone = it was raining the entire time and they were all running around with umbrellas, not good especially when it's supposed to be the part where the stars should've "modeled" their clothes. the show was telecast live from the hilton hotel, so what does that tell ya?
although leo and kate and scorsese and joe were there, all but one (joe) were not nominated, so the excitement of seeing my favorites win was gone by the time i saw them onscreen. kate and leo presented, kate the best actor category and leo joined robert deniro to honor scorsese, giving him the cecil b. demille award for lifetime achievement in film making and preservation. more on that later.
the only other highlights were drew barrymore winning (she is old hollywood - her parents and grandparents were all actors, family dynasty) for grey gardens and robert downey jr.'s awesome, awesome speech =)
i loved mel gibson's schtick LOL i love a guy who can take a joke and laugh at himself =)
glad joe got some airtime and i was even surprised that their movie was actually nominated as best picture musical or comedy =) way to go guys!
so back to the preservation thing. i've known this about scorsese for some time now: he founded and is co-chair of the national center for film and video preservation. from interviews he's done, he vaguely describes it as preserving the best films ever created in history. it's a noble thing, this film preservation. it's as if he created a really elaborate time capsule and our children and their children's children will one day be audiences to human existence today as captured by the films of our lives. what a beautiful gift both to us and to the people who will unwrap it someday.
and here's to hoping that johnny depp gets nominated for SOMETHING next year...
Saturday, January 16, 2010
a different (point of ) view
so right now i'm in nueva ecija, a provincial area in northern luzon... to non-filipinos, it's like a new yorker going to a rural state :) but apparently, rural provinces have become slaves to technology and urbanization, as evidence by me typing this blog while sitting in my nephew's room, using his new acer computer. (nice set, btw!)
i used to really love going back here and visiting the relatives; i love the quietness and traditionalism, the innocence of it and them all. now, everywhere i turn there are malls, 7/11s, cellphones, computers, newly-constructed buildings - things i see on a daily basis. the whole purpose of coming here is to be free, at least temporarily, of the mundane everyday monotony of typing away at a computer and watching cable tv. it's like i just traveled 4 1/2 hours to another place to do the same damn things. yuck.
but then again, i try to look at the good side: the place hasn't lost all its charms. i still have a little of the scenery i've come to enjoy - the farm fields and carabaos grazing along while plowing or just lazying about. there's nothing like driving down a country road and just seeing ricefields and mountains and blue skies and clouds :) i love the people; they never change. they're still the same loving, caring, hospitable people i've known since i was a kid.
and though my auntie and her family are now living in a newly-built house modernized and upscaled, the surroundings, the atmosphere, the feeling of living here has always been what i've remembered it to be. the best part was seeing the puppy i had given them grow up to be a cute, sweet and healthy dog :) "bubba" as i called him when he was still with me, jumped up and licked my face, hands, arms when he recognized who i was :) that made my day!
i used to really love going back here and visiting the relatives; i love the quietness and traditionalism, the innocence of it and them all. now, everywhere i turn there are malls, 7/11s, cellphones, computers, newly-constructed buildings - things i see on a daily basis. the whole purpose of coming here is to be free, at least temporarily, of the mundane everyday monotony of typing away at a computer and watching cable tv. it's like i just traveled 4 1/2 hours to another place to do the same damn things. yuck.
but then again, i try to look at the good side: the place hasn't lost all its charms. i still have a little of the scenery i've come to enjoy - the farm fields and carabaos grazing along while plowing or just lazying about. there's nothing like driving down a country road and just seeing ricefields and mountains and blue skies and clouds :) i love the people; they never change. they're still the same loving, caring, hospitable people i've known since i was a kid.
and though my auntie and her family are now living in a newly-built house modernized and upscaled, the surroundings, the atmosphere, the feeling of living here has always been what i've remembered it to be. the best part was seeing the puppy i had given them grow up to be a cute, sweet and healthy dog :) "bubba" as i called him when he was still with me, jumped up and licked my face, hands, arms when he recognized who i was :) that made my day!
mysterious skin
i have to say i was quite shocked with this one. normally i'd do my research first when watching an "unknown" movie, but i failed to check the trailers and read the synopsis for this movie, so yeah, i was pretty much taken aback by it.
the film starts off with a boy in a dugout of a baseball game and it rains. it's a narrative, so it's the boy's POV. the boy then says that his coach takes him home and proceeds to molest him. yowza, right? yeah, me too. shoulda read up on this movie. ehem. so yeah, we go through the journey of actually two boys whose lives don't exactly intertwine until the very end of the movie. neil is this "teenage hustler" as imdb.com describes him, and the other boy, brian, is this nerdish one who becomes obsessed with alien abductions.
it's a parallelism of their lives, but not. it reminds me of the music video "closing time" where there are two POVs, but the end result is one.
i have to say that for a film that was cut using final cut pro 4 on a mac computer, this looked really good :)
brady corbett, the actor who played brian kinda portrayed him one-sidedly, i couldn't see a depth of character or something that i always look for when i watch movies like this. though if he was aiming for that, well, congratulations then!
the surprise came in two: michelle trachtenberg and jeffrey licon. trachtenberg was awesome - though she was barely in the movie, she was in it maybe a total of 10-15 minutes, but her scenes were unforgettable. then there was jeffrey licon - he played eric, the "queer" friend. i loved that he was sweet, sensitive and loyal. he wasn't in the friendship with neil and wendy for kicks - he was truly their friend.
it kinda felt like a short film too, i was hoping to have gotten more from elisabeth shue - she's an admirable actress and has a lot to give.
then there's regular joe himself. ok, i'll try not to get biased, i love him, after all. anyway, to quote brad pitt in describing angelina's performance in changeling: "it was a blistering, raw performance". same goes for joe's unnervingly good acting chops in this one. i saw a few minutes of manic, and i can't wait to see it because it looks so damn good, but JGL was just awesome in this. i was shocked, i was scared, i was mortified with all the things he had to do in this movie, but it kinda harkened back to one other actor's movie choices and strong career path: leonardo dicaprio. there must be a pattern here. i gravitate to guys like these, i'm afraid. the brooding, sulky, cutesy, intense types but are also pretty smart and funny and can be aloof at times.
i just saw an interview that JGL did for this movie and he said that he was told that he was swallowing his words in this movie, which i did notice too yeah, but it wasn't a big deal for me, i thought it was the character speaking. anyway, he says that it doesn't matter what his character was saying, it was the actions, the emotions that's important. it reminded me again, eerily enough, of another performance that didn't need a lot of words: heath's character in brokeback mountain. *goosebumps* will somebody just come out and say that JGL's the new joker already????????
sidenote: i have to checkout JGL's other movies. can't wait to watch them all: manic, uncertainty, stop-loss, havoc, killshot... hopefully i get to buy them in a dvd store - i hate watching movies on the internet, it's so confusing and time-consuming just looking for the one site that wouldn't "buffer" on you. haha. good luck with that.
anyway, this movie kills. again, it's not a "happy" movie, but if you feel like not sleeping, this is the movie for you. ciao.
the film starts off with a boy in a dugout of a baseball game and it rains. it's a narrative, so it's the boy's POV. the boy then says that his coach takes him home and proceeds to molest him. yowza, right? yeah, me too. shoulda read up on this movie. ehem. so yeah, we go through the journey of actually two boys whose lives don't exactly intertwine until the very end of the movie. neil is this "teenage hustler" as imdb.com describes him, and the other boy, brian, is this nerdish one who becomes obsessed with alien abductions.
it's a parallelism of their lives, but not. it reminds me of the music video "closing time" where there are two POVs, but the end result is one.
i have to say that for a film that was cut using final cut pro 4 on a mac computer, this looked really good :)
brady corbett, the actor who played brian kinda portrayed him one-sidedly, i couldn't see a depth of character or something that i always look for when i watch movies like this. though if he was aiming for that, well, congratulations then!
the surprise came in two: michelle trachtenberg and jeffrey licon. trachtenberg was awesome - though she was barely in the movie, she was in it maybe a total of 10-15 minutes, but her scenes were unforgettable. then there was jeffrey licon - he played eric, the "queer" friend. i loved that he was sweet, sensitive and loyal. he wasn't in the friendship with neil and wendy for kicks - he was truly their friend.
it kinda felt like a short film too, i was hoping to have gotten more from elisabeth shue - she's an admirable actress and has a lot to give.
then there's regular joe himself. ok, i'll try not to get biased, i love him, after all. anyway, to quote brad pitt in describing angelina's performance in changeling: "it was a blistering, raw performance". same goes for joe's unnervingly good acting chops in this one. i saw a few minutes of manic, and i can't wait to see it because it looks so damn good, but JGL was just awesome in this. i was shocked, i was scared, i was mortified with all the things he had to do in this movie, but it kinda harkened back to one other actor's movie choices and strong career path: leonardo dicaprio. there must be a pattern here. i gravitate to guys like these, i'm afraid. the brooding, sulky, cutesy, intense types but are also pretty smart and funny and can be aloof at times.
i just saw an interview that JGL did for this movie and he said that he was told that he was swallowing his words in this movie, which i did notice too yeah, but it wasn't a big deal for me, i thought it was the character speaking. anyway, he says that it doesn't matter what his character was saying, it was the actions, the emotions that's important. it reminded me again, eerily enough, of another performance that didn't need a lot of words: heath's character in brokeback mountain. *goosebumps* will somebody just come out and say that JGL's the new joker already????????
sidenote: i have to checkout JGL's other movies. can't wait to watch them all: manic, uncertainty, stop-loss, havoc, killshot... hopefully i get to buy them in a dvd store - i hate watching movies on the internet, it's so confusing and time-consuming just looking for the one site that wouldn't "buffer" on you. haha. good luck with that.
anyway, this movie kills. again, it's not a "happy" movie, but if you feel like not sleeping, this is the movie for you. ciao.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
sherlock holmes
i was hell-bent on watching avatar, but my friend had already seen it so i gave in when she asked to see sherlock holmes. i didn't regret it one bit :)
first of all, i really like it when movies make the production company logos a part of the film - this one put the said logos on the road (wonder if it's a backward salute by the director or something) LOL
i'll probably edit this in the coming days as i'm not that much in the mood to blog about it just yet. too many things going on in my life right now.
ok, i'm writing this and it's now january 19th, 1:50PM... i remembered that i really loved the parts where holmes would plan his attack and it would show as a slow motion scene to us while he narrates what damage he plans on doing. not sure if that was already in place as guy ritchie's style (i'd never seen any of his movies), but i loved it, quite original.
rachel mcadams was a pleasant surprise. she's great as irene adler and i loved that she didn't look at all like rachel mcadams. as usual, she delivered =) so did jude law. this dude is amazing! even though he played second fiddle to downey's holmes, he was still able to stand his ground and be as charming and witty as sherlock himself.
and now, mark strong. i think this guy's going to be the next gary oldman, if he isn't already. being a character actor is the best career in hollywood next to being an a-list star. i kept trying to remember where i've seen him and had to look him up in imdb.com... his movie credits included a movie i had recently seen: body of lies. wow! he is a chameleon =) love chameleons... i think they're the best kind of actors, not a lot can pull that off and i'm glad this guy can. i was thoroughly impressed by his performance in body of lies and had kept looking for new movies he had starred in, but nothing that was note-worthy. then i saw him in sherlock holmes and was impressed all over again. i hope this guy wins all kinds of awards and get all the accolades this year, he deserves it =)
lastly, considering he won a golden globe for this role, nothing bad can be sad for the genius that is robert downey jr. i mean, this guy is truly one of hollywood's, if not, cinema's greatest treasures. i don't think i'm exaggerating when i say that because it's not just me who's totally taken with him, it's everybody else who's seen at least one of his movies/tv appearances. first of all, his wit and cunning is unmatchable and unmistakeable. i love it when he's sarcastic - and who else do you love when they're being so arrogant??? rdj's charm is undeniable and that's what makes him rdj =)
his command of the screen and his audience is palpable, you can actually feel (maybe hear sometimes) people listening in on what he has to say. that's greatness right there. with iron man 2 coming out and God knows what else, i'm certain mr. downey jr's future endeavors in filmmaking is quite bright and shiny indeed. cheerios!
first of all, i really like it when movies make the production company logos a part of the film - this one put the said logos on the road (wonder if it's a backward salute by the director or something) LOL
i'll probably edit this in the coming days as i'm not that much in the mood to blog about it just yet. too many things going on in my life right now.
ok, i'm writing this and it's now january 19th, 1:50PM... i remembered that i really loved the parts where holmes would plan his attack and it would show as a slow motion scene to us while he narrates what damage he plans on doing. not sure if that was already in place as guy ritchie's style (i'd never seen any of his movies), but i loved it, quite original.
rachel mcadams was a pleasant surprise. she's great as irene adler and i loved that she didn't look at all like rachel mcadams. as usual, she delivered =) so did jude law. this dude is amazing! even though he played second fiddle to downey's holmes, he was still able to stand his ground and be as charming and witty as sherlock himself.
and now, mark strong. i think this guy's going to be the next gary oldman, if he isn't already. being a character actor is the best career in hollywood next to being an a-list star. i kept trying to remember where i've seen him and had to look him up in imdb.com... his movie credits included a movie i had recently seen: body of lies. wow! he is a chameleon =) love chameleons... i think they're the best kind of actors, not a lot can pull that off and i'm glad this guy can. i was thoroughly impressed by his performance in body of lies and had kept looking for new movies he had starred in, but nothing that was note-worthy. then i saw him in sherlock holmes and was impressed all over again. i hope this guy wins all kinds of awards and get all the accolades this year, he deserves it =)
lastly, considering he won a golden globe for this role, nothing bad can be sad for the genius that is robert downey jr. i mean, this guy is truly one of hollywood's, if not, cinema's greatest treasures. i don't think i'm exaggerating when i say that because it's not just me who's totally taken with him, it's everybody else who's seen at least one of his movies/tv appearances. first of all, his wit and cunning is unmatchable and unmistakeable. i love it when he's sarcastic - and who else do you love when they're being so arrogant??? rdj's charm is undeniable and that's what makes him rdj =)
his command of the screen and his audience is palpable, you can actually feel (maybe hear sometimes) people listening in on what he has to say. that's greatness right there. with iron man 2 coming out and God knows what else, i'm certain mr. downey jr's future endeavors in filmmaking is quite bright and shiny indeed. cheerios!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
changeling
the first time i saw this movie, i was quite taken aback by the unraveling of the plot. i just thought it was about a missing child and how the search for him tried and tested his mother; i never thought that the search would end in such an unfortunate way.
the first shocking thing was actually angelina's appearance: she looked sickly thin, her facial features stood out even more because the bones in her face were protruding already - i wondered if that was a conscious thing she did, losing a LOT of weight. the next thing was how the setting was recreated and recaptured. it was perfect.
i'm a history buff and i loved that this was a period piece, something that i can do research on after watching the movie. i just didn't quite expect it to be a reluctant task on my part because it dealt with children and craziness.
outstanding performance as always from angelina, though a mighty heart will always be my favorite :)
john malkovich was tremendous :) i love him so much!
the first shocking thing was actually angelina's appearance: she looked sickly thin, her facial features stood out even more because the bones in her face were protruding already - i wondered if that was a conscious thing she did, losing a LOT of weight. the next thing was how the setting was recreated and recaptured. it was perfect.
i'm a history buff and i loved that this was a period piece, something that i can do research on after watching the movie. i just didn't quite expect it to be a reluctant task on my part because it dealt with children and craziness.
outstanding performance as always from angelina, though a mighty heart will always be my favorite :)
john malkovich was tremendous :) i love him so much!
outspoken michael
November 30th, 2009 3:44 AM
An Open Letter to President Obama from Michael Moore
Dear President Obama,
Do you really want to be the new "war president"? If you go to West Point tomorrow night (Tuesday, 8pm) and announce that you are increasing, rather than withdrawing, the troops in Afghanistan, you are the new war president. Pure and simple. And with that you will do the worst possible thing you could do -- destroy the hopes and dreams so many millions have placed in you. With just one speech tomorrow night you will turn a multitude of young people who were the backbone of your campaign into disillusioned cynics. You will teach them what they've always heard is true -- that all politicians are alike. I simply can't believe you're about to do what they say you are going to do. Please say it isn't so.
It is not your job to do what the generals tell you to do. We are a civilian-run government. WE tell the Joint Chiefs what to do, not the other way around. That's the way General Washington insisted it must be. That's what President Truman told General MacArthur when MacArthur wanted to invade China. "You're fired!," said Truman, and that was that. And you should have fired Gen. McChrystal when he went to the press to preempt you, telling the press what YOU had to do. Let me be blunt: We love our kids in the armed services, but we f*#&in' hate these generals, from Westmoreland in Vietnam to, yes, even Colin Powell for lying to the UN with his made-up drawings of WMD (he has since sought redemption).
So now you feel backed into a corner. 30 years ago this past Thursday (Thanksgiving) the Soviet generals had a cool idea -- "Let's invade Afghanistan!" Well, that turned out to be the final nail in the USSR coffin.
There's a reason they don't call Afghanistan the "Garden State" (though they probably should, seeing how the corrupt President Karzai, whom we back, has his brother in the heroin trade raising poppies). Afghanistan's nickname is the "Graveyard of Empires." If you don't believe it, give the British a call. I'd have you call Genghis Khan but I lost his number. I do have Gorbachev's number though. It's + 41 22 789 1662. I'm sure he could give you an earful about the historic blunder you're about to commit.
With our economic collapse still in full swing and our precious young men and women being sacrificed on the altar of arrogance and greed, the breakdown of this great civilization we call America will head, full throttle, into oblivion if you become the "war president." Empires never think the end is near, until the end is here. Empires think that more evil will force the heathens to toe the line -- and yet it never works. The heathens usually tear them to shreds.
Choose carefully, President Obama. You of all people know that it doesn't have to be this way. You still have a few hours to listen to your heart, and your own clear thinking. You know that nothing good can come from sending more troops halfway around the world to a place neither you nor they understand, to achieve an objective that neither you nor they understand, in a country that does not want us there. You can feel it in your bones.
I know you know that there are LESS than a hundred al-Qaeda left in Afghanistan! A hundred thousand troops trying to crush a hundred guys living in caves? Are you serious? Have you drunk Bush's Kool-Aid? I refuse to believe it.
Your potential decision to expand the war (while saying that you're doing it so you can "end the war") will do more to set your legacy in stone than any of the great things you've said and done in your first year. One more throwing a bone from you to the Republicans and the coalition of the hopeful and the hopeless may be gone -- and this nation will be back in the hands of the haters quicker than you can shout "tea bag!"
Choose carefully, Mr. President. Your corporate backers are going to abandon you as soon as it is clear you are a one-term president and that the nation will be safely back in the hands of the usual idiots who do their bidding. That could be Wednesday morning.
We the people still love you. We the people still have a sliver of hope. But we the people can't take it anymore. We can't take your caving in, over and over, when we elected you by a big, wide margin of millions to get in there and get the job done. What part of "landslide victory" don't you understand?
Don't be deceived into thinking that sending a few more troops into Afghanistan will make a difference, or earn you the respect of the haters. They will not stop until this country is torn asunder and every last dollar is extracted from the poor and soon-to-be poor. You could send a million troops over there and the crazy Right still wouldn't be happy. You would still be the victim of their incessant venom on hate radio and television because no matter what you do, you can't change the one thing about yourself that sends them over the edge.
The haters were not the ones who elected you, and they can't be won over by abandoning the rest of us.
President Obama, it's time to come home. Ask your neighbors in Chicago and the parents of the young men and women doing the fighting and dying if they want more billions and more troops sent to Afghanistan. Do you think they will say, "No, we don't need health care, we don't need jobs, we don't need homes. You go on ahead, Mr. President, and send our wealth and our sons and daughters overseas, 'cause we don't need them, either."
What would Martin Luther King, Jr. do? What would your grandmother do? Not send more poor people to kill other poor people who pose no threat to them, that's what they'd do. Not spend billions and trillions to wage war while American children are sleeping on the streets and standing in bread lines.
All of us that voted and prayed for you and cried the night of your victory have endured an Orwellian hell of eight years of crimes committed in our name: torture, rendition, suspension of the bill of rights, invading nations who had not attacked us, blowing up neighborhoods that Saddam "might" be in (but never was), slaughtering wedding parties in Afghanistan. We watched as hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians were slaughtered and tens of thousands of our brave young men and women were killed, maimed, or endured mental anguish -- the full terror of which we scarcely know.
When we elected you we didn't expect miracles. We didn't even expect much change. But we expected some. We thought you would stop the madness. Stop the killing. Stop the insane idea that men with guns can reorganize a nation that doesn't even function as a nation and never, ever has.
Stop, stop, stop! For the sake of the lives of young Americans and Afghan civilians, stop. For the sake of your presidency, hope, and the future of our nation, stop. For God's sake, stop.
Tonight we still have hope.
Tomorrow, we shall see. The ball is in your court. You DON'T have to do this. You can be a profile in courage. You can be your mother's son.
We're counting on you.
Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com
An Open Letter to President Obama from Michael Moore
Dear President Obama,
Do you really want to be the new "war president"? If you go to West Point tomorrow night (Tuesday, 8pm) and announce that you are increasing, rather than withdrawing, the troops in Afghanistan, you are the new war president. Pure and simple. And with that you will do the worst possible thing you could do -- destroy the hopes and dreams so many millions have placed in you. With just one speech tomorrow night you will turn a multitude of young people who were the backbone of your campaign into disillusioned cynics. You will teach them what they've always heard is true -- that all politicians are alike. I simply can't believe you're about to do what they say you are going to do. Please say it isn't so.
It is not your job to do what the generals tell you to do. We are a civilian-run government. WE tell the Joint Chiefs what to do, not the other way around. That's the way General Washington insisted it must be. That's what President Truman told General MacArthur when MacArthur wanted to invade China. "You're fired!," said Truman, and that was that. And you should have fired Gen. McChrystal when he went to the press to preempt you, telling the press what YOU had to do. Let me be blunt: We love our kids in the armed services, but we f*#&in' hate these generals, from Westmoreland in Vietnam to, yes, even Colin Powell for lying to the UN with his made-up drawings of WMD (he has since sought redemption).
So now you feel backed into a corner. 30 years ago this past Thursday (Thanksgiving) the Soviet generals had a cool idea -- "Let's invade Afghanistan!" Well, that turned out to be the final nail in the USSR coffin.
There's a reason they don't call Afghanistan the "Garden State" (though they probably should, seeing how the corrupt President Karzai, whom we back, has his brother in the heroin trade raising poppies). Afghanistan's nickname is the "Graveyard of Empires." If you don't believe it, give the British a call. I'd have you call Genghis Khan but I lost his number. I do have Gorbachev's number though. It's + 41 22 789 1662. I'm sure he could give you an earful about the historic blunder you're about to commit.
With our economic collapse still in full swing and our precious young men and women being sacrificed on the altar of arrogance and greed, the breakdown of this great civilization we call America will head, full throttle, into oblivion if you become the "war president." Empires never think the end is near, until the end is here. Empires think that more evil will force the heathens to toe the line -- and yet it never works. The heathens usually tear them to shreds.
Choose carefully, President Obama. You of all people know that it doesn't have to be this way. You still have a few hours to listen to your heart, and your own clear thinking. You know that nothing good can come from sending more troops halfway around the world to a place neither you nor they understand, to achieve an objective that neither you nor they understand, in a country that does not want us there. You can feel it in your bones.
I know you know that there are LESS than a hundred al-Qaeda left in Afghanistan! A hundred thousand troops trying to crush a hundred guys living in caves? Are you serious? Have you drunk Bush's Kool-Aid? I refuse to believe it.
Your potential decision to expand the war (while saying that you're doing it so you can "end the war") will do more to set your legacy in stone than any of the great things you've said and done in your first year. One more throwing a bone from you to the Republicans and the coalition of the hopeful and the hopeless may be gone -- and this nation will be back in the hands of the haters quicker than you can shout "tea bag!"
Choose carefully, Mr. President. Your corporate backers are going to abandon you as soon as it is clear you are a one-term president and that the nation will be safely back in the hands of the usual idiots who do their bidding. That could be Wednesday morning.
We the people still love you. We the people still have a sliver of hope. But we the people can't take it anymore. We can't take your caving in, over and over, when we elected you by a big, wide margin of millions to get in there and get the job done. What part of "landslide victory" don't you understand?
Don't be deceived into thinking that sending a few more troops into Afghanistan will make a difference, or earn you the respect of the haters. They will not stop until this country is torn asunder and every last dollar is extracted from the poor and soon-to-be poor. You could send a million troops over there and the crazy Right still wouldn't be happy. You would still be the victim of their incessant venom on hate radio and television because no matter what you do, you can't change the one thing about yourself that sends them over the edge.
The haters were not the ones who elected you, and they can't be won over by abandoning the rest of us.
President Obama, it's time to come home. Ask your neighbors in Chicago and the parents of the young men and women doing the fighting and dying if they want more billions and more troops sent to Afghanistan. Do you think they will say, "No, we don't need health care, we don't need jobs, we don't need homes. You go on ahead, Mr. President, and send our wealth and our sons and daughters overseas, 'cause we don't need them, either."
What would Martin Luther King, Jr. do? What would your grandmother do? Not send more poor people to kill other poor people who pose no threat to them, that's what they'd do. Not spend billions and trillions to wage war while American children are sleeping on the streets and standing in bread lines.
All of us that voted and prayed for you and cried the night of your victory have endured an Orwellian hell of eight years of crimes committed in our name: torture, rendition, suspension of the bill of rights, invading nations who had not attacked us, blowing up neighborhoods that Saddam "might" be in (but never was), slaughtering wedding parties in Afghanistan. We watched as hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians were slaughtered and tens of thousands of our brave young men and women were killed, maimed, or endured mental anguish -- the full terror of which we scarcely know.
When we elected you we didn't expect miracles. We didn't even expect much change. But we expected some. We thought you would stop the madness. Stop the killing. Stop the insane idea that men with guns can reorganize a nation that doesn't even function as a nation and never, ever has.
Stop, stop, stop! For the sake of the lives of young Americans and Afghan civilians, stop. For the sake of your presidency, hope, and the future of our nation, stop. For God's sake, stop.
Tonight we still have hope.
Tomorrow, we shall see. The ball is in your court. You DON'T have to do this. You can be a profile in courage. You can be your mother's son.
We're counting on you.
Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com
Saturday, January 9, 2010
valentine's day movie
star-studded and looks fabulous! it's on my list of movies to watch this 2010 :)
Friday, January 8, 2010
when a homily makes you teary-eyed
never thought that a homily could make me teary-eyed yesterday. i had just finished doing some much-needed to-do stuff and i decided to hear mass with my friend.
i love hearing mass at this adoration chapel i've frequented for the last few months. the best thing about it is there's no cellphone signal :) no distractions whatsoever - the best way to talk to God :)
the mass was the typical one i've had for the past few days, yet the priest's (Father Lo) following words just knocked the wind out of me:
it hit so close to home because i had been through something really devastating in my life fairly recently. i had never, to this day, been able to forgive the people who "did me wrong". it was so weird, it was like God was speaking directly to me. Father Lo said to forgive and let go because in letting go, you will find peace and where there's peace, there is God. i have yet to do that. i'll have to do some serious soul-searching and work on being at peace with myself FIRST and THEN being at peace with forgiving others.
whoever says forgiving is easy is a big, fat liar. forgiving people who ridiculed you, mocked you, said bad and untrue things about you just to bring you down is HELL NO WAY easy! imagine having to forgive the person you hate the most in this world. now multiply that by a gazillion. that's how i feel right now; and that's the feeling that i have been carrying around since last year. what a burden to bear.
i should have included "try your darnedest to forgive and forget" in the list below. i wonder how long it will take me to actually complete this most difficult and (for me) atrocious task at hand? how did Jesus do it? tell me, is there a step-by-step manual on forgiving i can read and follow? hey! bring it on, because i'm GREAT with following directions!
kidding aside, i would LOVE it if someone, somewhere out there in the vast space that's now known as a blogosphere, can help me with this and teach me the tricks of the trade to forgiving whole-heartedly. this is one lesson i am very much willing to learn until i turn blue.
"again by heart." - regular joe
i love hearing mass at this adoration chapel i've frequented for the last few months. the best thing about it is there's no cellphone signal :) no distractions whatsoever - the best way to talk to God :)
the mass was the typical one i've had for the past few days, yet the priest's (Father Lo) following words just knocked the wind out of me:
is it hard to forgive or not?
it hit so close to home because i had been through something really devastating in my life fairly recently. i had never, to this day, been able to forgive the people who "did me wrong". it was so weird, it was like God was speaking directly to me. Father Lo said to forgive and let go because in letting go, you will find peace and where there's peace, there is God. i have yet to do that. i'll have to do some serious soul-searching and work on being at peace with myself FIRST and THEN being at peace with forgiving others.
whoever says forgiving is easy is a big, fat liar. forgiving people who ridiculed you, mocked you, said bad and untrue things about you just to bring you down is HELL NO WAY easy! imagine having to forgive the person you hate the most in this world. now multiply that by a gazillion. that's how i feel right now; and that's the feeling that i have been carrying around since last year. what a burden to bear.
i should have included "try your darnedest to forgive and forget" in the list below. i wonder how long it will take me to actually complete this most difficult and (for me) atrocious task at hand? how did Jesus do it? tell me, is there a step-by-step manual on forgiving i can read and follow? hey! bring it on, because i'm GREAT with following directions!
kidding aside, i would LOVE it if someone, somewhere out there in the vast space that's now known as a blogosphere, can help me with this and teach me the tricks of the trade to forgiving whole-heartedly. this is one lesson i am very much willing to learn until i turn blue.
"again by heart." - regular joe
Thursday, January 7, 2010
i resolve to...
this is a big irony for me because i stopped making new year's resolutions when i was a kid. out of frustration that i was unable to keep up with it and that time was running out for me, i just simply quit.
this year, i'm going to try it again and this time, i picked a solid number: 30. i just added 20 and 10 from 2010 :) neat huh? heh. so here goes nothing. this, by the way, is not in any order.
i resolve to:
1. be my old self this year. i know i've repeated it many times, but i think this is the one thing worth repeating over and over. i need to get back to my old skin, be the person i was before 2009 happened.
2. get a boyfriend.
3. marry the boyfriend.
4. be rich.
5. pay off any debts.
6. save up and open a bank account.
7. MAINTAIN said bank account.
8. whatever job i have, work my ass off in it and get promoted again.
9. treat my parents in tagaytay/anywhere outside manila.
10. go back to the province more often.
11. try out bikram yoga.
12. buy a laptop.
13. set more appointments with friends.
14. go out of the country.
15. go to mass every week, not necessarily on a sunday.
16. read more books. and don't just buy them and set them aside. actually READ them!
17. blog whenever possible.
18. no more OT-Y.
19. make time for family, friends, co-workers.
20. create a budget.
21. be kinder to others.
22. fly under the radar. don't be an attention whore.
23. go back to school and study psychology.
24. get a new tattoo.
25. stay in touch with good ol' friends :)
26. pray more.
27. give more.
28. manage time wisely.
29. be less emotional. be more analytical. don't be too judgmental.
30. go to the U.S. or Canada.
this year, i'm going to try it again and this time, i picked a solid number: 30. i just added 20 and 10 from 2010 :) neat huh? heh. so here goes nothing. this, by the way, is not in any order.
i resolve to:
1. be my old self this year. i know i've repeated it many times, but i think this is the one thing worth repeating over and over. i need to get back to my old skin, be the person i was before 2009 happened.
2. get a boyfriend.
3. marry the boyfriend.
4. be rich.
5. pay off any debts.
6. save up and open a bank account.
7. MAINTAIN said bank account.
8. whatever job i have, work my ass off in it and get promoted again.
9. treat my parents in tagaytay/anywhere outside manila.
10. go back to the province more often.
11. try out bikram yoga.
12. buy a laptop.
13. set more appointments with friends.
14. go out of the country.
15. go to mass every week, not necessarily on a sunday.
16. read more books. and don't just buy them and set them aside. actually READ them!
17. blog whenever possible.
18. no more OT-Y.
19. make time for family, friends, co-workers.
20. create a budget.
21. be kinder to others.
22. fly under the radar. don't be an attention whore.
23. go back to school and study psychology.
24. get a new tattoo.
25. stay in touch with good ol' friends :)
26. pray more.
27. give more.
28. manage time wisely.
29. be less emotional. be more analytical. don't be too judgmental.
30. go to the U.S. or Canada.
JT and AK
i love it when my favorite artists like each other too!
the link is justin timberlake's interview with the enigmatically glowing alicia keys:
http://www.justintimberlake.com/news/music_monday_exclusive_interview_alicia_keys_on_her_new_company_jewelry_line_and_inspiration
the link is justin timberlake's interview with the enigmatically glowing alicia keys:
http://www.justintimberlake.com/news/music_monday_exclusive_interview_alicia_keys_on_her_new_company_jewelry_line_and_inspiration
the next heath?
i realized like a month ago that my two favorites: heath ledger and joseph gordon-levitt have such an uncanny resemblance. this was shocking to me because they were in a movie together (10 things i hate about you) and i didn't see the similarities then. it wasn't until i was on youtube looking at videos of JGL that it struck me as to how much he looked like heath. see for yourselves:
everyday is a sunday and i am in awe
i find that listening to bethany joy galeotti's and rosi golan's voices soothes me... i'm sure you've no idea who the hell i'm talking about... well, maybe one tree hill fans would... the first is an actress/singer and the second one's just a singer - but a really good one :) i love that - finding new music to share with people, or just listen to for the first time. makes me feel good inside :) like watching a really inspiring movie like RUDY.
i can't tell you how important music is to me. the songs that i realy, really, really love are the ones that i consider as entries in my diary; they're freeing and make me focused.
i'm a lyric girl, in case that hasn't been obvious already. i love WORDS, i love that there are different words for the same thing, same expression of feeling. i love that writing and speaking are mediums for conveying your thoughts, but that their meanings change when delivered in different ways... that amazes me.
going back to music, it's so important to me that i make sure it's with me 24 hours a day... i listen to my ipod going to and from work, i play music in my station, i watch music videos and movies that have great soundtracks... right now, i'm listening to the songs i've downloaded in my itunes... so yeah, i'm a music maniac. it's because again, songs tend to say things for me, things i somehow can't put into words but that i find have already been written for me like they've been reading my mind. that's so magical.
for example, the song SUDDENLY EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED creates a mood of solemnity and calmness that makes me feel like crying yet i feel at peace at the same time. the song WHERE I STOOD by missy higgins is just sensational; it's so poignant and sad and melancholy. the lyrics speak volumes of what i really feel right now - everyday, really... jackson waters' acoustic version of COME UNDONE is relaxing but really sad too... quiet, just the way i like it.
i remember playing LOOK AFTER YOU by the fray and MISSING YOU by tyler hilton over and over and over and over again the first time i heard them in one tree hill. two of my most favorte songs: look after you is this sweet, sad, longing, tragic love song that i just ADORE. the piano and drums together at the beginning of the song already connote tragedy, so i loved it immediately after hearing those first few notes. then the haunting voice of isaac slade, being all earnest and poetic and sad and longing, just brought me to tears. finally, the hook just catches you and reels you in and then it drifts off and fades and ends in a deafening crescendo. perfection. i mean, who can say no to this: "oh, oh, be my baby" ????????
missing you is another song i loved because it's home and familiar and safe. i know that there's an original out there somewhere, but i'm sorry, i love tyler hilton's version better. his raspy voice just made it more emotional and had a different impact on me. the way the song starts out and ends - wow. to me, there's nothing better than rediscovering songs that have been revered and hear it as it is but not really. i hope that made sense LOL! another poignant song. i just love sad songs :)
FREE FALLIN' by john mayer is by far, one of the best remakes in a long while. it is so freaking AWESOME!!! i tip my hat off to mr. mayer for doing such a fantastic job with a classic. i'm sure tom petty is kicking himself for not thinking of it first (J/K!)
stereophonics is a band that i think has been sorely overlooked and i hope they get the recognition they deserve soon. for those of you not familiar with these guys, try listening to REWIND, IT MEANS NOTHING and SUPERMAN, they will blow you away. while you're at it, check out these other artists too:
* the veils
* vast
* wheat
* the weepies
* kate voegele
* martin sexton
* marjorie fair
* nada surf
* lifehouse (their old stuff)
* jimmy eat world
* letters to cleo
* josh auer
* jason manns
* kings of leon (old stuff)
* feeder
you won't regret it :) enjoy! i want to type in something transcendent and inspiring, but i'm going to let my favorite artists do that for me - they always have ;) au revoir for now.
i can't tell you how important music is to me. the songs that i realy, really, really love are the ones that i consider as entries in my diary; they're freeing and make me focused.
i'm a lyric girl, in case that hasn't been obvious already. i love WORDS, i love that there are different words for the same thing, same expression of feeling. i love that writing and speaking are mediums for conveying your thoughts, but that their meanings change when delivered in different ways... that amazes me.
going back to music, it's so important to me that i make sure it's with me 24 hours a day... i listen to my ipod going to and from work, i play music in my station, i watch music videos and movies that have great soundtracks... right now, i'm listening to the songs i've downloaded in my itunes... so yeah, i'm a music maniac. it's because again, songs tend to say things for me, things i somehow can't put into words but that i find have already been written for me like they've been reading my mind. that's so magical.
for example, the song SUDDENLY EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED creates a mood of solemnity and calmness that makes me feel like crying yet i feel at peace at the same time. the song WHERE I STOOD by missy higgins is just sensational; it's so poignant and sad and melancholy. the lyrics speak volumes of what i really feel right now - everyday, really... jackson waters' acoustic version of COME UNDONE is relaxing but really sad too... quiet, just the way i like it.
i remember playing LOOK AFTER YOU by the fray and MISSING YOU by tyler hilton over and over and over and over again the first time i heard them in one tree hill. two of my most favorte songs: look after you is this sweet, sad, longing, tragic love song that i just ADORE. the piano and drums together at the beginning of the song already connote tragedy, so i loved it immediately after hearing those first few notes. then the haunting voice of isaac slade, being all earnest and poetic and sad and longing, just brought me to tears. finally, the hook just catches you and reels you in and then it drifts off and fades and ends in a deafening crescendo. perfection. i mean, who can say no to this: "oh, oh, be my baby" ????????
missing you is another song i loved because it's home and familiar and safe. i know that there's an original out there somewhere, but i'm sorry, i love tyler hilton's version better. his raspy voice just made it more emotional and had a different impact on me. the way the song starts out and ends - wow. to me, there's nothing better than rediscovering songs that have been revered and hear it as it is but not really. i hope that made sense LOL! another poignant song. i just love sad songs :)
FREE FALLIN' by john mayer is by far, one of the best remakes in a long while. it is so freaking AWESOME!!! i tip my hat off to mr. mayer for doing such a fantastic job with a classic. i'm sure tom petty is kicking himself for not thinking of it first (J/K!)
stereophonics is a band that i think has been sorely overlooked and i hope they get the recognition they deserve soon. for those of you not familiar with these guys, try listening to REWIND, IT MEANS NOTHING and SUPERMAN, they will blow you away. while you're at it, check out these other artists too:
* the veils
* vast
* wheat
* the weepies
* kate voegele
* martin sexton
* marjorie fair
* nada surf
* lifehouse (their old stuff)
* jimmy eat world
* letters to cleo
* josh auer
* jason manns
* kings of leon (old stuff)
* feeder
you won't regret it :) enjoy! i want to type in something transcendent and inspiring, but i'm going to let my favorite artists do that for me - they always have ;) au revoir for now.
the clinger
hi, my name is kara and i'm a pathological skeptic and a certified "cling-on". i don't know the meaning of that word, but here's the meaning of "cling":
intr.v., clung (klŭng), cling·ing, clings.
1. To hold fast or adhere to something, as by grasping, sticking, embracing, or entwining: clung to the rope to keep from falling; fabrics that cling to the body.
2. To remain close; resist separation: We clung together in the storm.
3. To remain emotionally attached; hold on: clinging to outdated customs.
i'm more of the last. i cling. i hold on to the past. i'm very much emotionally attached to memories, memorable moments, unforgettable events, etc. i don't know why that is, really. i'm naturally-born that way. it's the sentimental side of my personality, i guess. evidence of fact: i'm one of those people who keeps the ticket stubs of movies or concerts i've been to - something to remind me of the awesome time i just had with friends :)
second - i love taking pictures of anything and anyone at a given point in time (i don't care if it's at the office, the car, inside a cab, in the bathroom LOL). i'm a frustrated photographer - always loved the idea of learning photography, never really got around to doing it. anybody rich and generous enough to sponsor me? LOL
i love rewatching movies and tv shows, especially if they have memorable quotes or musical moments. example you ask? just recently, i've been obsessed with rewatching the last few episodes of one tree hill. the biggest reason is because this was the final season that chad michael murray and hilarie burton are appearing as luke and peyton... there's this scene in episode 21 (i think, not sure about the number) wherein they play the song "pictures of you" by the cure and lucas ad peyton kiss. it's a memorable scene and a really sweet moment between the two of them :) i just love replaying "happy" moments... extremely sad moments too, actually. like in supernatural, when dean and sam's dad john died. :( that episode, "in my time of dying", was so heartwrenching - i bawled and bawled.
i still keep pictures of me and my close friends in my phone - sometimes uploading them on the net. and these are like grade school and high school pics, ok? haha! sorry, my friends. love you! :D
lately, i've been asking friends and acquaintances to meet up and just hang out... i guess besides a big "clinger", i also am a big "MISSER"... i miss people a lot.
intr.v., clung (klŭng), cling·ing, clings.
1. To hold fast or adhere to something, as by grasping, sticking, embracing, or entwining: clung to the rope to keep from falling; fabrics that cling to the body.
2. To remain close; resist separation: We clung together in the storm.
3. To remain emotionally attached; hold on: clinging to outdated customs.
i'm more of the last. i cling. i hold on to the past. i'm very much emotionally attached to memories, memorable moments, unforgettable events, etc. i don't know why that is, really. i'm naturally-born that way. it's the sentimental side of my personality, i guess. evidence of fact: i'm one of those people who keeps the ticket stubs of movies or concerts i've been to - something to remind me of the awesome time i just had with friends :)
second - i love taking pictures of anything and anyone at a given point in time (i don't care if it's at the office, the car, inside a cab, in the bathroom LOL). i'm a frustrated photographer - always loved the idea of learning photography, never really got around to doing it. anybody rich and generous enough to sponsor me? LOL
i love rewatching movies and tv shows, especially if they have memorable quotes or musical moments. example you ask? just recently, i've been obsessed with rewatching the last few episodes of one tree hill. the biggest reason is because this was the final season that chad michael murray and hilarie burton are appearing as luke and peyton... there's this scene in episode 21 (i think, not sure about the number) wherein they play the song "pictures of you" by the cure and lucas ad peyton kiss. it's a memorable scene and a really sweet moment between the two of them :) i just love replaying "happy" moments... extremely sad moments too, actually. like in supernatural, when dean and sam's dad john died. :( that episode, "in my time of dying", was so heartwrenching - i bawled and bawled.
i still keep pictures of me and my close friends in my phone - sometimes uploading them on the net. and these are like grade school and high school pics, ok? haha! sorry, my friends. love you! :D
lately, i've been asking friends and acquaintances to meet up and just hang out... i guess besides a big "clinger", i also am a big "MISSER"... i miss people a lot.
lists
thought i'd share this and see if the list changes next year, or maybe in a month or two...
here are the top five albums i'd bring with me to a deserted island:
1. one tree hill - friends with benefits
2. blue crush soundtrack
3. almost famous soundtrack
4. nirvana - the one with the baby swimming on the cover
5. the fray - their first and second albums :)
my top five movies:
1. virgin suicides
2. almost famous
3. ten inch hero
4. william shakespeare's romeo and juliet
5. waking life
here are the top five albums i'd bring with me to a deserted island:
1. one tree hill - friends with benefits
2. blue crush soundtrack
3. almost famous soundtrack
4. nirvana - the one with the baby swimming on the cover
5. the fray - their first and second albums :)
my top five movies:
1. virgin suicides
2. almost famous
3. ten inch hero
4. william shakespeare's romeo and juliet
5. waking life
dead celebs
an idea came to me one day, just completely out of boredom: what if michael jackson were alive today and had a twitter/facebook account? what do you think he'd be putting on those sites? :)
also, who's the actor/actress, musician, famous person you'd like to read about using their own facebook/twitter accounts? the keyword here is DECEASED. i would love to hear your thoughts on this - i think it's an interesting topic :)
also, who's the actor/actress, musician, famous person you'd like to read about using their own facebook/twitter accounts? the keyword here is DECEASED. i would love to hear your thoughts on this - i think it's an interesting topic :)
friday night lights
i didn't really see the movie because i hate billy bob thornton... anyway, i started to watch the show because there wasn't any one tree hill on etc... i guess it was the replacement show or something, until after OTH came back... anyway, i thought i wouldn't like it, but then i saw it was about football. and one thing not a lot of people know about me is that I LOVE FOOTBALL MOVIES! i've seen a few that i've really loved. and then i saw that the show had jyle chandler in it, whom i had a crush on when he was still in this show called "Homefront". so i remembered him and i thought, "what is this new show of his?" so i started to watch just out of curiosity and boredom really, but then i started to really watch every episode. i started to "care about the characters" and their stories, etc. i love that the parents are actually real parents and that they're just so cute together, they're the ideal married couple. i love connie britton now, she's the best! the hot guys aren't so bad either ;) and like OTH, this show was on the brink of cancellation, but then people spoke up and urged bigwigs at NBC (same channel in the U.S. that shows HEROES) to give the show another chance. and if you haven't seen this yet, you should, too. you never know what you're missing...
inception
i am so intrigued by this movie! i got the 2 trailers below and the website: www.inceptionmovie.com
best auction ever!
jared is so SWEET!!! i love that he still thinks of his mom and helped her out. whattaboy! :) jensen was AWESOME here!
new year, new blog template
i figured that everything has to be new... i haven't had the chance to go shopping yet, but i want to try changing something up, starting with this blog.
as you can imagine, i went through several versions. this site that i visited: http://btemplates.com/ - which i ended up downloading from, is pretty cool. i really loved that the templates are diverse and they have a huge selection.
anyhoo, i didn't realize that it would take me an hour or so to do this. talk about shopping!
well, here's to the new year and to more blogtastic comments on this space! cheers!
as you can imagine, i went through several versions. this site that i visited: http://btemplates.com/ - which i ended up downloading from, is pretty cool. i really loved that the templates are diverse and they have a huge selection.
anyhoo, i didn't realize that it would take me an hour or so to do this. talk about shopping!
well, here's to the new year and to more blogtastic comments on this space! cheers!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
sundance with joseph gordon-levitt
i love this site so much, i'm reposting all their vids! regular joe, if you see this, please don't be mad. i'm only trying to help spread the word about your site :)
because i love joe and zooey
i stumbled upon this vid while going through related ones for 500 days of summer... i LOVED this instantly. the song is by a band called she and him, lead singer: zooey deschanel :) watch and let me know what you think.
thank you, God!
thank You, God for yesterday. You gave me the strength to finish the interview and it paid off! i even made a new friend :)
thank You always for the trials i've had to go through last year - i learned something, believe me.
thank You for keeping me safe and for giving me my parents. they're not the perfect parents, but they're the best ones for me. they've done good.
thank You for my friends, they have stood by me all these years. thank You that i got to know who the REAL ones are and who the pretentious ones are. i ask that You help me develop/hone my "bs detector" this year and in the years to come to help me filter through all the lies and backstabbing of other people.
thank You for my enemies - i know now that they're there to keep me on my toes. help me not to be too suspicious of others, i don't want to be a paranoid schizo :)
thank You for my mentors, i've learned SO MUCH from them. they have been patient and kind and extremely helpful with shaping my character. i hope to meet new ones this year.
thank You for my dogs - they are here to keep me company and make me happy and help me forget (even temporarily) the problems that bug me all day. please don't let them fight anymore, though. i hate it when that happens :(
thank You for our maids. it's very easy to take them for granted, especially when they've been doing a good job. please make life easier for them this year.
thank You for my new beginning. i wish to have a better life starting this year and i hope it doesn't come at somebody else's expense. i wish to be my old self - the laughing, caring, sweet and tough cookie that i was that others have taken away so successfully and easily last year. please help me be a better person and human being this year. i leave it all up to You because You are my savior and grace, my Healer.
thank You always for the trials i've had to go through last year - i learned something, believe me.
thank You for keeping me safe and for giving me my parents. they're not the perfect parents, but they're the best ones for me. they've done good.
thank You for my friends, they have stood by me all these years. thank You that i got to know who the REAL ones are and who the pretentious ones are. i ask that You help me develop/hone my "bs detector" this year and in the years to come to help me filter through all the lies and backstabbing of other people.
thank You for my enemies - i know now that they're there to keep me on my toes. help me not to be too suspicious of others, i don't want to be a paranoid schizo :)
thank You for my mentors, i've learned SO MUCH from them. they have been patient and kind and extremely helpful with shaping my character. i hope to meet new ones this year.
thank You for my dogs - they are here to keep me company and make me happy and help me forget (even temporarily) the problems that bug me all day. please don't let them fight anymore, though. i hate it when that happens :(
thank You for our maids. it's very easy to take them for granted, especially when they've been doing a good job. please make life easier for them this year.
thank You for my new beginning. i wish to have a better life starting this year and i hope it doesn't come at somebody else's expense. i wish to be my old self - the laughing, caring, sweet and tough cookie that i was that others have taken away so successfully and easily last year. please help me be a better person and human being this year. i leave it all up to You because You are my savior and grace, my Healer.
what's in store for me this 2010
Your sign is Dog.
It doesn't get much better than this. The Year of the Tiger may as well be The Year of the Dog, as you're not likely to have a more fortunate one, even when your own sign is ruling. In fact, it is the Dog who can expect the most from 2010. Perhaps you are a typical, cautious, unassuming, nostalgic Dog sign person. Forget all that! This is a year to make your mark on the world. The biggest mistake you can make is to sit on the sidelines. There will be plenty of action, and you need to be right in the middle of it. Ride the Tiger to fame and glory. Do the most outrageous thing you have contemplated but could not bring yourself to initiate. There is not a better time in sight, especially if you require a little luck to succeed. Now is also when you want to plan that momentous occasion ushering in the next phase of your life.
from proastro.com
It doesn't get much better than this. The Year of the Tiger may as well be The Year of the Dog, as you're not likely to have a more fortunate one, even when your own sign is ruling. In fact, it is the Dog who can expect the most from 2010. Perhaps you are a typical, cautious, unassuming, nostalgic Dog sign person. Forget all that! This is a year to make your mark on the world. The biggest mistake you can make is to sit on the sidelines. There will be plenty of action, and you need to be right in the middle of it. Ride the Tiger to fame and glory. Do the most outrageous thing you have contemplated but could not bring yourself to initiate. There is not a better time in sight, especially if you require a little luck to succeed. Now is also when you want to plan that momentous occasion ushering in the next phase of your life.
from proastro.com
Saturday, January 2, 2010
mona lisa smile
i'm not a huge fan of julia roberts' work, in fact i hate the actress, but i decided to watch mona lisa smile in support of kirsten dunst.
i was surprised with the pacing of the movie, considering it was a period piece - it was set in the 50's. the whole premise of the story is challenging conformity and not doing what society has expected you to do.
kirsten's betty warren narrates the movie and introduces julia's katherine watson as a california teacher who comes to wellesley college on a lark. we are introduced to the other actresses in the movie in one clean swoop: the first day of school. Joan Brandwyn (Julia Stiles), Gisele Levy (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and Connie Baker (Ginnifer Goodwin) all turn out exceptional performances, but, and i'm not being biased here, Kirsten Dunst's performance stands out.
i loved how the other girls had their stories and yet they all seemed to revolve around betty. joan and betty were close and so they thought that they would be spending the latter years of their loves together, happy and in love with their husbands while punching out children left and right and living happily ever after. betty is the first to marry and convinces joan to follow suit despite urgings from ms. watson to be a lawyer and go to yale. joan would eventually elope with her boyfriend.
connie baker meets charlie stewart, betty's cousin. she falls in love with him, unbeknownst to her of a prior engagement that the boy was caught in - this according to betty. this news destroys connie's dreams of falling in love and being happy. she says so to betty: "why can't you let me be happy, betty??"
the second-best performance came from maggie gyllenhaal. it's always so much fun portraying a promiscuous, fearless, foul-mouthed college girl, no matter the era. gyllenhaal gave her giselle a sincerity and ironically enough, innocence. her character will be betty's undoing. betty unravels completely after a shocking admission, preceeded by a really heartbreaking name calling scene.
in the end, ms. watson's words were MY undoing:
Betty:
i loved that this was my first movie for 2010 and that it has spoken volumes to me. i hope that whoever watches this, whether it be a girl, boy, man, woman, child, gay, straight, black, white, yellow, orange or green, that they take away the same aspirations and dreams that this movie gives.
i was surprised with the pacing of the movie, considering it was a period piece - it was set in the 50's. the whole premise of the story is challenging conformity and not doing what society has expected you to do.
kirsten's betty warren narrates the movie and introduces julia's katherine watson as a california teacher who comes to wellesley college on a lark. we are introduced to the other actresses in the movie in one clean swoop: the first day of school. Joan Brandwyn (Julia Stiles), Gisele Levy (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and Connie Baker (Ginnifer Goodwin) all turn out exceptional performances, but, and i'm not being biased here, Kirsten Dunst's performance stands out.
i loved how the other girls had their stories and yet they all seemed to revolve around betty. joan and betty were close and so they thought that they would be spending the latter years of their loves together, happy and in love with their husbands while punching out children left and right and living happily ever after. betty is the first to marry and convinces joan to follow suit despite urgings from ms. watson to be a lawyer and go to yale. joan would eventually elope with her boyfriend.
connie baker meets charlie stewart, betty's cousin. she falls in love with him, unbeknownst to her of a prior engagement that the boy was caught in - this according to betty. this news destroys connie's dreams of falling in love and being happy. she says so to betty: "why can't you let me be happy, betty??"
the second-best performance came from maggie gyllenhaal. it's always so much fun portraying a promiscuous, fearless, foul-mouthed college girl, no matter the era. gyllenhaal gave her giselle a sincerity and ironically enough, innocence. her character will be betty's undoing. betty unravels completely after a shocking admission, preceeded by a really heartbreaking name calling scene.
in the end, ms. watson's words were MY undoing:
Dear Betty, I came to Wellesley because I wanted to make a difference. But to change for others is to lie to yourself.
Betty:
My teacher, Katherine Watson, lived by her own definition and would not compromise that, not even for Wellesley. I dedicate this, my last editorial, to an extraordinary woman, who lived by example and compelled us all to see the world through new eyes. By the time you read this, she'll be sailing to Europe, where I know she'll find new walls to break down, and new ideas to replace them with.
i loved that this was my first movie for 2010 and that it has spoken volumes to me. i hope that whoever watches this, whether it be a girl, boy, man, woman, child, gay, straight, black, white, yellow, orange or green, that they take away the same aspirations and dreams that this movie gives.
the lookout
i've started to look for joseph gordon-levitt movies and stumbled upon the lookout. based on JGL's penchant for heavy drama and unique films, i had a feeling this was going to be one of them. i was right :)
it starts off with levitt and laura vandervoort's character kelly in a car with 2 other friends. they were dressed to the nines, so i'm assuming they just left a party. anyway, levitt's character chris pratt then turns off the cars headlights because he wants to show kelly the fireflies - they're beautiful and distracts them from the road. because chris was speeding and the car then veers slightly, the 2 friends quickly ask chris to turn on the headlights. he does and the last image is of them crashing into a huge wall/truck left in the middle of the road. horrific.
i'm not going to tell you the rest of the story. please watch the movie, it's a great one. i was entertained through and through.
standout performance again from levitt, but that was what i expected. his character eventually suffers a head injury/trauma and that causes him to have slight brain damage. he can still walk, talk, drive even, he just forgets things. there was an exercise he was trying to accomplish in the movie which i found interesting: he was attending class and the teacher asked them to list down their activities for the day in chronological order. he keeps writing "i wake up" after going through 2-3 other routines.
though the shady characters were a bit too shady for me, they still worked. i kept trying to place where i'd seen matthew goode, and then i remembered a little mandy moore flick about the first daughter and her bodyguard. it wasn't that good, but it was quite enjoyable - mainly because of jeremy piven.
anyway, going back to the lookout... i would recommend this to people who liked eternal sunshine of the spotless mind and fargo. it's not for everyone, i got scared in a few scenes, but the ending saved it :)
another JGL masterpiece. awesome goodness!
it starts off with levitt and laura vandervoort's character kelly in a car with 2 other friends. they were dressed to the nines, so i'm assuming they just left a party. anyway, levitt's character chris pratt then turns off the cars headlights because he wants to show kelly the fireflies - they're beautiful and distracts them from the road. because chris was speeding and the car then veers slightly, the 2 friends quickly ask chris to turn on the headlights. he does and the last image is of them crashing into a huge wall/truck left in the middle of the road. horrific.
i'm not going to tell you the rest of the story. please watch the movie, it's a great one. i was entertained through and through.
standout performance again from levitt, but that was what i expected. his character eventually suffers a head injury/trauma and that causes him to have slight brain damage. he can still walk, talk, drive even, he just forgets things. there was an exercise he was trying to accomplish in the movie which i found interesting: he was attending class and the teacher asked them to list down their activities for the day in chronological order. he keeps writing "i wake up" after going through 2-3 other routines.
though the shady characters were a bit too shady for me, they still worked. i kept trying to place where i'd seen matthew goode, and then i remembered a little mandy moore flick about the first daughter and her bodyguard. it wasn't that good, but it was quite enjoyable - mainly because of jeremy piven.
anyway, going back to the lookout... i would recommend this to people who liked eternal sunshine of the spotless mind and fargo. it's not for everyone, i got scared in a few scenes, but the ending saved it :)
another JGL masterpiece. awesome goodness!
27 random things about me
i figured i'd do this at the beginning of the year and see if i can add more or if this list will change. 27 because that's my age right now. i'll be 28 in april.
1. i hate firecrackers. never liked the loud noise they produce that sounds like you're being shot at.
2. i loved 500 days of summer... and when i get the dvd, i'll watch it 500 times! umm, probably not.
3. i was the spelling bee champion 4 years in a row in high school.
4. i love "cute" things: teddybears, rainbows, butterflies, lollipops, candycanes, the color pink, stars/shooting stars, angels/cherubs, puppies :)
5. psychological thrillers are my thing. movies that have serial killer themes or ghost stories in them are a fave. totally rode the da vinci code bandwagon!
6. i collect quotes from movies and tv shows that i love.
7. dvd collecting is a hobby - and none of those pirated dvds either. i really invest!
8. when it comes to work, i'm totally obsessive-compulsive! i'm a perfectionist, i want to be the best :)
9. i was a ballet dancer for 3 years in grade school then became an actress the last 2 years.
10. if you ask me anything about movies, actors, singers, etc., there's a 98% chance i can answer you correctly ;)
11. i have a tendency to be a little eccentric sometimes.
12. i have high standards when it comes to choosing a boyfriend but it doesn't take a lot to please me :)
13. i hate the number 13.
14. when i was around 9 or 10, i would exercise until i got dizzy and didn't really eat that much.
15. i have a picture of the twin towers before 9/11/01. it was shot so that it looked like i was looking down from the very top of one of the buildings, but i was just at the ground floor and my uncle just laid on one of the benches and aimed the camera upwards.
16. lucky me, i got to watch the broadway production of miss saigon :) sadly, it wasn't lea.
17. i cannot stand walking behind people who walk slowly.
18. i abhore cheaters - of every level.
19. i'm afraid of heights but i love sitting on the window seat of an airplane and looking down at the skyline and clouds.
20. i keep a "thank you" journal.
21. i love matching pjs. i frequent a lingerie shop in galleria just to buy a pair.
22. i dream of making it big in hollywood, but live vicariously through different people.
23. i suck at math.
24. i'm (trying not to be anymore) an impulsive buyer. ugh!
25. i don't know how to drive.
26. i love pesto and hummus.
27. i have a hard time letting go.
1. i hate firecrackers. never liked the loud noise they produce that sounds like you're being shot at.
2. i loved 500 days of summer... and when i get the dvd, i'll watch it 500 times! umm, probably not.
3. i was the spelling bee champion 4 years in a row in high school.
4. i love "cute" things: teddybears, rainbows, butterflies, lollipops, candycanes, the color pink, stars/shooting stars, angels/cherubs, puppies :)
5. psychological thrillers are my thing. movies that have serial killer themes or ghost stories in them are a fave. totally rode the da vinci code bandwagon!
6. i collect quotes from movies and tv shows that i love.
7. dvd collecting is a hobby - and none of those pirated dvds either. i really invest!
8. when it comes to work, i'm totally obsessive-compulsive! i'm a perfectionist, i want to be the best :)
9. i was a ballet dancer for 3 years in grade school then became an actress the last 2 years.
10. if you ask me anything about movies, actors, singers, etc., there's a 98% chance i can answer you correctly ;)
11. i have a tendency to be a little eccentric sometimes.
12. i have high standards when it comes to choosing a boyfriend but it doesn't take a lot to please me :)
13. i hate the number 13.
14. when i was around 9 or 10, i would exercise until i got dizzy and didn't really eat that much.
15. i have a picture of the twin towers before 9/11/01. it was shot so that it looked like i was looking down from the very top of one of the buildings, but i was just at the ground floor and my uncle just laid on one of the benches and aimed the camera upwards.
16. lucky me, i got to watch the broadway production of miss saigon :) sadly, it wasn't lea.
17. i cannot stand walking behind people who walk slowly.
18. i abhore cheaters - of every level.
19. i'm afraid of heights but i love sitting on the window seat of an airplane and looking down at the skyline and clouds.
20. i keep a "thank you" journal.
21. i love matching pjs. i frequent a lingerie shop in galleria just to buy a pair.
22. i dream of making it big in hollywood, but live vicariously through different people.
23. i suck at math.
24. i'm (trying not to be anymore) an impulsive buyer. ugh!
25. i don't know how to drive.
26. i love pesto and hummus.
27. i have a hard time letting go.
from madonna to michael
>> i meant to post this during the actual vmas, but alas i didn't have access to a computer then. so here it is: madonna's touching, yet narcissistic tribute to MJ <<
Michael Jackson. [Cheers] I have a little bit more to say than that. OK, here we go again. Michael Jackson was born in August 1958. So was I. Michael Jackson grew up in the suburbs of the Midwest. So did I. Michael Jackson had eight brothers and sisters. So do I. When Michael Jackson was six, he became a superstar, and was perhaps the world’s most beloved child. When I was six, my mother died. I think he got the shorter end of the stick. I never had a mother, but he never had a childhood. And when you never get to have something, you become obsessed by it.
I spent my childhood searching for my mother figures. Sometimes I was successful, but how do you recreate your childhood when you are under the magnifying glass of the world?
There is no question that Michael Jackson is one of the greatest talents the world has ever known. That when he sang a song at the ripe old age of eight he could make you feel like an experienced adult was squeezing your heart with his words. That when he moved he had the elegance of Fred Astaire and packed the punch of Muhammad Ali. That his music had an extra layer of inexplicable magic that didn’t just make you want to dance but actually made you believe you could fly, dare to dream, be anything that you wanted to be. Because that is what heroes do and Michael Jackson was a hero.
He performed in soccer stadiums around the world, and sold hundreds of millions of records and dined with prime ministers and presidents. Girls fell in love with him, boys fell in love with him, everyone wanted to dance like him. He seemed otherworldly — but he was a human being.
Like most performers he was shy and plagued with insecurities. I can’t say we were great friends, but in 1991 I decided I wanted to try to get to know him better. I asked him out to dinner, I said “My treat, I’ll drive — just you and me.”
He agreed and showed up to my house without any bodyguards. We drove to the restaurant in my car. It was dark out, but he was still wearing sunglasses.
I said, “Michael, I feel like I’m talking to a limousine. Do you think you can take off your glasses so I can see your eyes?”
Then he tossed the glasses out the window, looked at me with a wink and a smile and said, “Can you see me now? Is that better?”
in that moment, I could see both his vulnerability and his charm. The rest of the dinner, I was hellbent on getting him to eat French fries, drink wine, have dessert and say bad words. Things he never seemed to allow himself to do. Later we went back to my house to watch a movie and sat on the couch like two kids, and somewhere in the middle of the movie, his hand snuck over and held mine.
It felt like he was looking for more of a friend than a romance, and I was happy to oblige. In that moment, he didn’t feel like a superstar. He felt like a human being.
We went out a few more times together, and then for one reason or another we fell out of touch. Then the witch hunt began, and it seemed like one negative story after another was coming out about Michael. I felt his pain, I know what it’s like to walk down the street and feel like the whole world is turned against you. I know what it’s like to feel helpless and unable to defend yourself because the roar of the lynch mob is so loud you feel like your voice can never be heard.
But I had a childhood, and I was allowed to make mistakes and find my own way in the world without the glare of the spotlight.
When I first heard that Michael had died, I was in London, days away from the start of my tour. Michael was going to perform in the same venue as me a week later. All I could think about in this moment was, “I had abandoned him.” That we had abandoned him. That we had allowed this magnificent creature who had once set the world on fire to somehow slip through the cracks. While he was trying to build a family and rebuild his career, we were all passing judgement. Most of us had turned our backs on him. In a desperate attempt to hold onto his memory, I went on the internet to watch old clips of him dancing and singing on TV and on stage and I thought, “my God, he was so unique, so original, so rare, and there will never be anyone like him again. He was a king.”
But he was also a human being, and alas we are all human beings and sometimes we have to lose things before we can appreciate them. I want to end this on a positive note and say that my sons, age nine and four, are obsessed with Michael Jackson. There’s a whole lot of crotch grabbing and moon walking going on in my house. And, it seems like a whole new generation of kids have discovered his genius and are bringing him to life again. I hope that wherever Michael is right now he is smiling about this.
Yes, Michael Jackson was a human being but he was a king. Long live the king.
Michael Jackson. [Cheers] I have a little bit more to say than that. OK, here we go again. Michael Jackson was born in August 1958. So was I. Michael Jackson grew up in the suburbs of the Midwest. So did I. Michael Jackson had eight brothers and sisters. So do I. When Michael Jackson was six, he became a superstar, and was perhaps the world’s most beloved child. When I was six, my mother died. I think he got the shorter end of the stick. I never had a mother, but he never had a childhood. And when you never get to have something, you become obsessed by it.
I spent my childhood searching for my mother figures. Sometimes I was successful, but how do you recreate your childhood when you are under the magnifying glass of the world?
There is no question that Michael Jackson is one of the greatest talents the world has ever known. That when he sang a song at the ripe old age of eight he could make you feel like an experienced adult was squeezing your heart with his words. That when he moved he had the elegance of Fred Astaire and packed the punch of Muhammad Ali. That his music had an extra layer of inexplicable magic that didn’t just make you want to dance but actually made you believe you could fly, dare to dream, be anything that you wanted to be. Because that is what heroes do and Michael Jackson was a hero.
He performed in soccer stadiums around the world, and sold hundreds of millions of records and dined with prime ministers and presidents. Girls fell in love with him, boys fell in love with him, everyone wanted to dance like him. He seemed otherworldly — but he was a human being.
Like most performers he was shy and plagued with insecurities. I can’t say we were great friends, but in 1991 I decided I wanted to try to get to know him better. I asked him out to dinner, I said “My treat, I’ll drive — just you and me.”
He agreed and showed up to my house without any bodyguards. We drove to the restaurant in my car. It was dark out, but he was still wearing sunglasses.
I said, “Michael, I feel like I’m talking to a limousine. Do you think you can take off your glasses so I can see your eyes?”
Then he tossed the glasses out the window, looked at me with a wink and a smile and said, “Can you see me now? Is that better?”
in that moment, I could see both his vulnerability and his charm. The rest of the dinner, I was hellbent on getting him to eat French fries, drink wine, have dessert and say bad words. Things he never seemed to allow himself to do. Later we went back to my house to watch a movie and sat on the couch like two kids, and somewhere in the middle of the movie, his hand snuck over and held mine.
It felt like he was looking for more of a friend than a romance, and I was happy to oblige. In that moment, he didn’t feel like a superstar. He felt like a human being.
We went out a few more times together, and then for one reason or another we fell out of touch. Then the witch hunt began, and it seemed like one negative story after another was coming out about Michael. I felt his pain, I know what it’s like to walk down the street and feel like the whole world is turned against you. I know what it’s like to feel helpless and unable to defend yourself because the roar of the lynch mob is so loud you feel like your voice can never be heard.
But I had a childhood, and I was allowed to make mistakes and find my own way in the world without the glare of the spotlight.
When I first heard that Michael had died, I was in London, days away from the start of my tour. Michael was going to perform in the same venue as me a week later. All I could think about in this moment was, “I had abandoned him.” That we had abandoned him. That we had allowed this magnificent creature who had once set the world on fire to somehow slip through the cracks. While he was trying to build a family and rebuild his career, we were all passing judgement. Most of us had turned our backs on him. In a desperate attempt to hold onto his memory, I went on the internet to watch old clips of him dancing and singing on TV and on stage and I thought, “my God, he was so unique, so original, so rare, and there will never be anyone like him again. He was a king.”
But he was also a human being, and alas we are all human beings and sometimes we have to lose things before we can appreciate them. I want to end this on a positive note and say that my sons, age nine and four, are obsessed with Michael Jackson. There’s a whole lot of crotch grabbing and moon walking going on in my house. And, it seems like a whole new generation of kids have discovered his genius and are bringing him to life again. I hope that wherever Michael is right now he is smiling about this.
Yes, Michael Jackson was a human being but he was a king. Long live the king.
people always leave - written last May 16, '09 7:45 PM
so i just found out that chad michael murray and hilarie burton are leaving one tree hill for good. to those reading this who aren't fans of the show, you won't understand it when i say how deeply sad i am about this latest development. i'm not a huge fan of chad or hilarie, i mean, i love them but i love them for making me fall in love with their characters more. that's the greatest thing an actor can do - make someone care for the character they're portraying.
chad's character, lucas eugene scott (luke to his closest friends) and hilarie's character, peyton elizabeth sawyer have both been very, very instrumental in my life. the first time i watched oth, i remember being excited because i had such a crush on chad and the plot of the show was fairly interesting, plus it was a wb show, so it should be good. wb was touting it as "the new dawson's creek". boy, were they wrong.
apart from the show being a "teen drama" and is shot in wilmington, n.c. (same place where d.c. was shot), that's where the similarities end, really.
the initial storyline of the show was about two brothers who had the same father but ended up on different sides of the train tracks, as they say. luke grew up being a really good basketball player (at the rivercourt) with a single mom who had to fend for her and her son when the father of her baby left her for college basketball. nathan scott (the younger brother) had it good - well, on the outside. he was the star basketball player at tree hill high (ravens), had a rich dad and mom and a steady cheerleader girlfriend - peyton sawyer... uh huh. see where this is going? ;)
so lucas gets a chance to play with the ravens and does pretty good. the story then shifts to him and his unrequited love for ms. sawyer. from the very beginning of the show, mark schwahn (the creator) has always established the connection between lucas and peyton and how they're perfect for each other: tortured athlete meets tortured artist.
p. sawyer (as her best friend brooke davis lovingly calls her) was adopted. however, her being a "tortured artist" comes from pain, not rebellion - her adoptive mother died in a car crash when she was a little girl. she had been carrying that around for so long and has only been able to voice out her angst through her art. this is where lucas comes in. he sees her artwork and submits them to thud magazine for publication - and that's how their once upon a time started.
i don't have to rehash all the moments that leyton (lucas + peyton) had in the 6 years i've watched them; that's what dvd's are for. just know that they are two of the best parts of my life. their words, paintings, music influences and silent moments have been mine too. peyton's most especially. the title of this blog pertains to the artwork that lucas submitted in reference to her adoptive mother's death and i think is more than appropriate for their swan song.
some of you might be saying why the heck i'm getting so worked up about a couple of characters on tv... well, because that's who i am. i'm actually a softie inside. my being a bitch is just a front. this show actually proves it. the fact that i even like it says something about me. as i write this, i am listening to the songs that have marked leyton in my life - and i'm sobbing my heart out. i'm preparing to watch episode 23 of season 6 and i'm scared out of my wits. but i'm sure that schwahn gave them the best exit ever and that the fans will not be disappointed.
i'll talk about oth in future blogs soon, but for now, let me say goodbye to my lucas and peyton by leaving you with their own words:
Lucas: Have you ever wondered what marks our time here? If one life can really make an impact on the world...or if the choices we make matter? I believe they do. And I believe that one man can change many lives. For better...or worse.
Peyton: (voiceover) At this moment there are 6,470,818,671 people in the world. Some are running scared. Some are coming home. Some tell lies to make it through the day. Others are just now facing the truth. Some are evil men, at war with good. And some are good, struggling with evil. Six billion people in the world. Six billion souls. And sometimes -- all you need is one.
and as a final goodbye, here's a quote that peyton's birth mother told her before she succumbed to breast cancer in season 3:
Every song has a CODA, a final movement. Whether it fades out or crashes away. Every song ends. Is that any reason not to enjoy the music? The truth is, there is nothing to be afraid of. It's just life.
chad's character, lucas eugene scott (luke to his closest friends) and hilarie's character, peyton elizabeth sawyer have both been very, very instrumental in my life. the first time i watched oth, i remember being excited because i had such a crush on chad and the plot of the show was fairly interesting, plus it was a wb show, so it should be good. wb was touting it as "the new dawson's creek". boy, were they wrong.
apart from the show being a "teen drama" and is shot in wilmington, n.c. (same place where d.c. was shot), that's where the similarities end, really.
the initial storyline of the show was about two brothers who had the same father but ended up on different sides of the train tracks, as they say. luke grew up being a really good basketball player (at the rivercourt) with a single mom who had to fend for her and her son when the father of her baby left her for college basketball. nathan scott (the younger brother) had it good - well, on the outside. he was the star basketball player at tree hill high (ravens), had a rich dad and mom and a steady cheerleader girlfriend - peyton sawyer... uh huh. see where this is going? ;)
so lucas gets a chance to play with the ravens and does pretty good. the story then shifts to him and his unrequited love for ms. sawyer. from the very beginning of the show, mark schwahn (the creator) has always established the connection between lucas and peyton and how they're perfect for each other: tortured athlete meets tortured artist.
p. sawyer (as her best friend brooke davis lovingly calls her) was adopted. however, her being a "tortured artist" comes from pain, not rebellion - her adoptive mother died in a car crash when she was a little girl. she had been carrying that around for so long and has only been able to voice out her angst through her art. this is where lucas comes in. he sees her artwork and submits them to thud magazine for publication - and that's how their once upon a time started.
i don't have to rehash all the moments that leyton (lucas + peyton) had in the 6 years i've watched them; that's what dvd's are for. just know that they are two of the best parts of my life. their words, paintings, music influences and silent moments have been mine too. peyton's most especially. the title of this blog pertains to the artwork that lucas submitted in reference to her adoptive mother's death and i think is more than appropriate for their swan song.
some of you might be saying why the heck i'm getting so worked up about a couple of characters on tv... well, because that's who i am. i'm actually a softie inside. my being a bitch is just a front. this show actually proves it. the fact that i even like it says something about me. as i write this, i am listening to the songs that have marked leyton in my life - and i'm sobbing my heart out. i'm preparing to watch episode 23 of season 6 and i'm scared out of my wits. but i'm sure that schwahn gave them the best exit ever and that the fans will not be disappointed.
i'll talk about oth in future blogs soon, but for now, let me say goodbye to my lucas and peyton by leaving you with their own words:
Lucas: Have you ever wondered what marks our time here? If one life can really make an impact on the world...or if the choices we make matter? I believe they do. And I believe that one man can change many lives. For better...or worse.
Peyton: (voiceover) At this moment there are 6,470,818,671 people in the world. Some are running scared. Some are coming home. Some tell lies to make it through the day. Others are just now facing the truth. Some are evil men, at war with good. And some are good, struggling with evil. Six billion people in the world. Six billion souls. And sometimes -- all you need is one.
and as a final goodbye, here's a quote that peyton's birth mother told her before she succumbed to breast cancer in season 3:
Every song has a CODA, a final movement. Whether it fades out or crashes away. Every song ends. Is that any reason not to enjoy the music? The truth is, there is nothing to be afraid of. It's just life.
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