8/13/10


"What is the most resilient parasite? An idea."

Brilliant! Very brilliant! The details of the whole plot is so intricately designed it made my nose bled. O.o I really have to watch this movie again (with subtitles) to fully grasp every word of the story to be able to completely understand it. I may be exaggerating but I can't help it. This film is really ingenious and the idea of the story itself is very original. It may have a little bit of references to The Matrix Movie (except inception is composed of dream scenes) but overall, it was a complete work of innovation and art. The effects were superb as well but one cannot fully comprehend and appreciate the whole movie without really knowing the idea rather 'ideas' behind it.

Inception is inspired by lucid dreaming and dream incubation (i gotta try this xD) and belongs to the heist genre with a cyberpunk plot wherein DiCaprio's role steals information from a person illegally through their subconscious mind. That pretty much is like an icing to the cake since the main plot was built in forming an idea in another person's mind by invading that person's dream making it seem real rather than stealing information. That is the main idea of inception. The thought of it was deemed impossible by the characters plotted in the story but the protagonist knew so well that it was possible since he was able to do it before (spoiler! :D). However, it will be pretty difficult for them to penetrate the person's mind since they have to know all the background regarding that person and they have to convince him as well in order for him to embrace the idea that they were trying to implant (am i making some sense O.o). They were able to wove dreams upon dreams that it was pretty hard for them to keep the stability of those dreams. The mission was even made more complicated prior to the 'defense mechanism' of the subject (the one they are trying to incept an idea) which composed of projections of the subject's mind who were trying to kill them within the dream. As well as the haunting presence of Dom Cobb's (DiCaprio) wife who keeps on sabotaging his work in the dream world.

In the end, Dom Cobb was able to reunite with his family, the main reason why he accepted the mission. However, it gives the audience speculations whether the reality of being able to see his family once again was a true reality or yet, just a dream upon a dream.

The 'Dream Team' as what they were called were composed of Dom Cobb--the Extractor, Arthur--the Point Man, Satio--the Tourist, Ariadne--the Architect, Eames--the Forger, and Yusuf--the Chemist. Each one of them holds a very significant role throughout the whole mission and without the presence of just one of them would make the whole mission collapse. Their teamwork in making the mission successful was magnanimous. The way they handled to come up with solutions prior to the problems that were not anticipated was impressive and courageous. One character that I liked was the young inquisitive architect, Ariadne. She was the only female in the team and I'm convinced the reason why it is so is because she was involved in the emotional aspect that has been troubling the protagist's mind. Generally, emotions and feelings are always associated with women while thoughts and rationalities are with men. So basically to keep the balance of the story, she was there to be able to help the protagonist to settle with his personal issues.

Anyway, to make the long story short, this movie is worth the watch (but really worth the ticket!! especially IMAX!! =D). It'll really keep your mind boggling and will delve you deeper into the subconscious mind.

Another interesting fact I found out regarding this movie was that Christopher Nolan, who is the director of this film, developed this whole script within 9 to 10 years (that does not even include the production of the film). O.O And his previous films Batman Begins, The Prestige and The Dark Knight were just stepping stones so that he can make this great masterpiece a reality. (Imagine?! The Dark Knight is just a stepping stone?! O.o) Okay, I'm done. xD I'm just overwhelmed with this movie. ^^

8/8/10

Hikki is a genius! This is Utada Hikaru's version of a very beautiful classic 'Fly Me To The Moon'. She adds creativity and originality to the song while staying true to the tune making it her very own. As a lover of R&B, she even puts the blend of this genre to this music with perfection.



Poets often use many words
To say a simple thing
It takes thought and time and rhyme
To make a poem sing

With music and words I've been flying
For you I have written a song
To be sure that you'll know what I'm saying
I'll translate as i go along

Fly me to the moon,
And let me play among the stars
Won't you let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars
In other words: Hold my hand!
In other words: Darling, kiss me!

Fill my heart with song,
And let me sing forever more
You are all I long for all I worship and adore
In other words: Please be true!
In other words: I love you!

In other words: Please be true!
In other words: I love you!

For those who haven't got a clue on who Hikki is, here are some facts:

Hikaru Utada, better known by her stage name Utada in America and Europe, and also known by her fans as Hikki, is a Japanese-American singer-songwriter, arranger and record producer.

Known best for her songs "Automatic" and "First Love", she was called by Time Magazine in 2001 "Diva On Campus". (I hope I can find a copy of this!)

Utada's debut album First Love became Japan's biggest selling album of all time with over 7.65 million copies sold in Japan alone to date.

The release of her later works helped her remain one of Japan's top artists, with 3 of her Japanese studio albums being ranked in Top 10 best-selling albums ever in Japan (#1, #4, #8).

She has had 12 #1 hits to date on the Oricon Singles chart, with two notable record achievements for a female solo or group artist: 5 of them being million-sellers and 4 placing in the Top 100 All-Time Best-selling Singles.

In addition, Utada has won the Nihon Golden Disk "Song of the Year" award for 14 of her singles since 2000 and has won the Golden Disc "Pop/Rock Album of the Year" award for all 5 of her Japanese studio albums.

In 2003, Utada was ranked the #24 Japanese pop artist in its survey of "Top 100 Japanese Pop Artists of All Time" by HMV, and #10 in HMV's "Top 30 Best Japanese Singers of All Time" in 2006.

She is also known for her two theme song contributions to Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts video game series: "Simple and Clean" and "Sanctuary".

In 2007, her single "Flavor of Life" reached #2 in worldwide digital download yearly single chart with over 7.2 million downloads, and contributes to 12 million digital sales for her over the same year.

8/6/10


I recently got this from an e-mail.

"Some time ago, I attended a Breast Cancer Awareness seminar and I asked why the most common area for Breast Cancer was near the armpit.

My question could not be answered at that time.

This e-mail was just sent to me, and I find it interesting that my question has been answered. I challenge you all to rethink your every day use of a product that could ultimately lead to a terminal illness.

I showed it to another friend going through chemotherapy & she said she learned this fact in a support group recently.

ANTI-PERSPIRANT.

Most of the products out there are an anti-perspirant/deodorant combination, so go home and check. Deodorant is fine, anti-perspirant is not.

Here's why:

The human body has a few areas that it uses to purge toxins ; behind the knees, behind the ears, groin area, and armpits. The toxins are purged in the form of perspiration.

Anti-perspirant, as the name clearly indicates, prevents you from perspiring, thereby inhibiting the body from purging toxins from below the armpits.

These toxins do not just magically disappear. Instead, the body deposits them in the lymph nodes below the arms since it cannot sweat them out.

Additionally, men are less likely (but not completely exempt) to develop breast cancer prompted by anti-perspirant usage because most of the anti-perspirant product is caught in their hair and is not directly applied to the skin.

Women who apply anti-perspirant right after shaving increase the risk further because shaving causes almost imperceptible nicks in the skin which give the chemicals entrance into the body from the armpit area.

Breast cancer is becoming frighteningly common. This awareness may save lives."


It's crowded in worship today
As she slips in
Trying to fade into the faces
The girls' teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know

But if we are the Body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way
There is a way

A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat
And quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgmental glances tells him that his chances
Are better out on the road

But if we are the Body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way

Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the Body of Christ

If we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way

Jesus is the way

It's a song from a Christian band called Casting Crowns. It's a really beautiful song and somehow, it's the first time that I was able to fully grasp the meaning behind the song. The meaning is very true especially for Christians nowadays. Sometimes, we choose who we should share the Good News if he or she is fitting to be included in the Church or for any other reason. But this should not be the case. The Good News is for everyone and no one should be exempted to embrace it.

As a Body of Christ, Christians should reach, heal, and teach others that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Churches are getting crowded every Sunday. But some are just fading into the background, not realizing that it's not enough to just go to the Church and worship Him. We all have a part to make the Word of God known to people. We should shine the light of Jesus. Since we are the Body, we should be spreading the word of Jesus Christ. We should show everyone that we are Christians not just inside the Church but it must reflect all throughout our lives. It will be hard especially now that the world is rearing to the opposite of what the Bible is teaching, but through prayer and through the Grace of God, this is very possible. You just have to believe and have faith. We will fall down but we will stand up nevertheless and hope will never be lost as long as we're alive. :)

8/2/10


FAITH...
so that you can believe...



SUNSETS...
to warm your heart...


SMILE...
when sadness intrudes...


COMFORT...
on different days...


HUGS...
when spirit sags...


COURAGE...
to know yourself...


FRIENDSHIPS...
to brighten your being...


PATIENCE...
to accept the truth...



BEAUTY...
for your eyes to see...


LAUGHTER...
to kiss your lips...


CONFIDENCE...
for when you doubt...


RAINBOWS...
to follow the clouds...

AND


LOVE
to complete your life!

Whew! Finally got to my second home and I feel so exhausted. Just got back from the airport and I'm a bit dizzy. O.o (I guess I prefer liners than airplanes for that matter. I get to walk around and sleep comfortably in a ship. I would love to experience getting aboard cruise liners soon. :)

Anyway, I just want to share my first travel experience in a different place from my working place and hometown without my parents! :) I was traveling with only my sister and her friends and it was both an exciting and exhausting experience. Lots of things happened. Good. Bad. But all the while, it was amazing and probably one of the most memorable experiences I've had in my life (for now...)!

In just 5 days, I was able to pass by around 6 different places, was able to stay in 3 different houses, 1 condo unit (but just a little while), 5 shopping centers/malls, and 1 amusement park. I was able to ride my first train ride as well. Heheh. Uhm...most of the things I will share here are my firsts so pardon me for my ignorance. Lol. xD

The first part of our trip unfortunately did not go very well. Like the Filipinos that we are, time is not our side. We are in a hurry as we went to catch our flight and thus, I forgot to bring a few essentials. So advice number 1 (well for people like me...): Always make a list of things that you will bring in for your trip so that you can make sure that you have all the things that you need. You can also consult your list when you're about to travel back so that you will not leave some things behind.

That situation alone was enough to start me off at a bad mood. I was feeling really excited about the whole thing and well...it kind of disappeared a little bit. It was even worsened by the fact that I had to check in my baggage due to large liquids and our flight was set up to have no check in baggages. I didn't know that large liquids are not allowed to be carried in! >.<

It really pays to know the do's and don'ts of establishments. Sigh. How was I suppose to know. Anyway, because of that, we had to pay some extra money just so we can continue on with our flight. Tsk2x So advice number 2: Don't bring large liquids if you are going on a trip on an Econo-Light Flight (no check in baggages).

So we were already in the plane and my excitement is slowly creeping in. Everything went fine until something happened that really changed the course of our trip as well as making it easier and safer. Let's just say it was kind of a blessing in disguise. Like you want to ask why is this happening (in a bad way) and at the same time you're grateful that it happened. The bad thing about the incident was that someone who smelled alcohol in the face was making unnecessary advances to my sister! I was really dumbfounded when it happened. I did not know what to do. Even my sister did not know what to do. It was very awful! And somehow, that made me thinking that this ain't gonna be an easy-going trip. We have to be extra cautious and careful at all times. And, like my mom said, never give your full trust to strangers. But actually there are two kinds of strangers. Strangers who are good and strangers who are bad. So maybe that kind of rule depends. It's just a matter of knowing who offers genuine help!

Anyway, because of that incident, we were able to meet a good kind of stranger. I can really feel her sincerity when she told us how she felt when that awful man was making advances to my sister. She was angry by what the man did and even suggested on spilling her hot coffee on that man! Tsk2x. O.o. She even asked us if we knew the guy since he was casually doing things as if he knows us. I was simply dumbfounded when it happened and I was really glad that someone came to our aid and offered help. I can really feel the sincerity of her help and never did I think of awful things about the help she offered. She even offered to give us a ride and even offered for us to sleep in their condo! Whew! Just like my sister said, it is very very rare to meet people like these who offer genuine help to strangers (like us in this case) especially in a bustling place like Manila were very bad people are prevalent (ehhh...compared to other provinces perhaps?O.o). She even told us about places to see in Manila. Of course there's the Mall of Asia then historical places like Intramuros (unfortunately, I wasn't able to go to this place), and then Rockwell (where the rich and famous usually hang out) and a shopping centre nearby their place called Serendra. From among the places she mentioned, I was only able to go to Mall of Asia and I can say that I have almost toured the whole mall in more than 5 hours! Lol! I was able to walk around the whole department store and was crossing back and forth between the main part of the mall and the second part. I feel like I'm already familiar with the place. Hehe. I just love strolling in the mall even when I don't have anything to buy! (but I can't help it I still did make little unnecessary purchases while window shopping!) But, I have this wild idea of tasting food of each of the food establishment/stall there and buying even at least one kind of item of each store (probably the cheapest xD) there if given the opportunity. Hehe. Sometimes I get really carried away. xD The one store that I really wish would be available here in Cebu is the Comic Alley! (maybe I can do a franchise of it? xD) It's sort of an Anime Shop where you can buy all sorts of Anime stuff and it feels like a haven! Lol! I love the place! Even if it's small (I wish it was bigger), I like to go back there and just stare at the pretty things. xD There were anime posters, cellphone holders, necklaces, CDs, bags, etc. And all of them are Anime-themed! And well, I made some little unnecessary purchases in there since I know I won't be able to find those stuff in Cebu. Hihi. xD I was also able to experience the cinema there as well and I was disappointed because I expected. It's human nature so pardon me. I was disappointed by the fact that since it's like THE Mall of Asia, I was expecting that the cinema was larger (compared to some cinemas in Cebu). I even got into an argument with a friend when I expressed my disappointment about it. Oh well...people differ. We watched Salt and it's mind-blowing! xD Uhm..that will be another post. xD One thing I missed going about at MoA was the skating rink. :[ Too bad I wasn't able to glide on ice. It was like one of the things I've dreamed of doing! Lol! Oh, and thanks to Ms. Grace Ty for all the help she has given us. Hopefully we can lend a helping hand to her to repay her kindness. Just by what she did makes us want to pay the good deed forward to other people as well. It is really a nice feeling to meet a stranger who offers genuine and sincere help.


Well, that's just the first part of my travel and it's already sooo long. I really write a lot when it comes to stuff like these (my ideas and thoughts are really mixed so pardon me if I jump from one topic to another in a single paragraph). Probably I'll be the only ones who's going to read it because it's really long and probably boring. Hehe. But I dunno. I just want to write out my travels (from now on) especially now that I feel like my dream is gradually taking into shape. Hehe. I'll probably write the latter parts of my trip there when I have time and when I feel like writing them. Just the fact that I've been to 6 different places is enough to make me feel so relieved and happy and good. It's a really good experience. Traveling eases my soul and gives me a calm and good feeling. It's like I'm free and not tied or restricted to anything. No boring routines of life. Hehe. xD Anyway, there are just so many beautiful places here in the Philippines that I want to travel and experience all of those places. Be it resorts and beaches or malls and shopping centres. Now what I need is a really good camera to showcase these places. Time to save up! xD