Confessions of a Twentysomething Drama Queen

Now I feel bad about my LJ...

Wed, 30 Mar 2005 04:04:18 GMT

So I'll post something not AI-related (for some reason I always remember to post the AI stuff here and the others I just leave on my Friendster blog).

Went to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware for the Easter weekend. It was so freakin cold, I hardly took my hands out of my pockets to take pics. I drove by myself because I was the only one who was money-hungry enough to not take a day off because sayang ang pera! So while everybody else left mid-Friday, I left Friday night. Road trip w/ moi, yey...

I did have a blast spending time w/ my relatives. I hardly see them anymore. Too bad my brother's family didn't go because Kuya thinks it's still too cold. Understandable, who would be crazy enough to plan a beach outing in March (apparently my Tita)? Nobody swam, and only the two kids played in the sand. I drove around Rehoboth w/ my cousin Andrew, and also shopped in the outlets. New clothes woohoo!

Saturday night, Sita Men treated us to a fancy dinner. And since it's fancy and I'm not paying for anything, I of course ordered rum in coke, lobster, and creme brulee. I can't believe I finished them all (inlcuding the tuna & calamari appetizers), I usually can't w/ the big American servings.

The best part of the weekend would probably be just hanging out inside the house that we rented. Because we were all there and not hiwa-hiwalay w/ our lakad's. It was all about spending time w/ the family. And that's what Christmas is all about... except it was Easter.

AI finals - week 3

Wed, 30 Mar 2005 03:38:39 GMT

I keep forgetting to post on LJ. Always on my Friendster blog. Anyhoo, here's my latest post (because I just finished typing this up 5 minutes ago).

It's that time of the week again, and I'm not gonna waste time by commenting on Ryan's hideous shirt because I want to sleep early tonight. So, without further ado, let's get on w/ the top 10 performances!

Bo

It's not the most vocally-challenging song, but I gotta give him props for his performance skills. And... I would add more but this is the first performance of 10 and I kinda forgot most of what I was thinking 1.5 hrs ago. Hmm... must be an early sign of alzheimers. Anyhoo...

Jessica

I was not wowed, it was just blah. For me, it's coming across like she's not trying tonight. Does she want to win this thing? There were opportunities to hit the money notes, and she didn't. I agree w/ Simon, she is not as likeable as the others. She needs to connect more w/ the audience. She's all voice, and like I said in my Top 10 AI Performances post, being the American Idol is not just about being the best vocalist. Learn from the winners Jessie.

Anwar

Watching Anwar's interview, I don't know, he's looking less and less humble to me. I guess that's what fame does to you. Anyway, I don't know what to make of his rendition. It's like he arranged the song so he could still have the big notes when he needed them. He should have chosen a different song because it still had the smaller notes that he couldn't hit, and there were too many of them that it was hard not to notice. I think Paula forgot to tak her meds, "I Can Believe I Can Fly?"

Nadia

She's baaaack! A Melissa Etheridge song, very fitting for Nadia. Could be her niche. But if she continues to choose songs like this one, people might think that's the only genre she could do. Just a warning. 60's night was good because it was something not expected from Nadia and it came out awesome. Last week, well, let's just forget about that.

Constantine

He really does love choosing songs not expected from him. Very gutsy. Okay, so I appreciate Constantine making the song his own, and it is by far my favorite performance from him. But this is a song that asks for humility from the performer. Constantine was too busy working on the camera and making girls love him. The song's just not right for Constantine's personality. It didn't look genuine, it actually appeared smarmy to me. Especially w/ him tucking his hair behind his ear. Ugh, that ruined it for me. And I love the song. I don't know what Paula was talking about when she said they haven't seen a good male performance of that song. Was she living in a hole when Prince covered it? Even George Michael (my favorite rendition)? You're weird tonight Paula. Anyway, week by week, Constantine's improving. But the cutesy pretty boy thing still makes me want to throw up.

Nikko

I dare say, he outsung Tevin Campbell. 'Nuff said.

Paula is standing up again for Nikko. Geez woman...

Anthony

Whoa... no glasses! He listened to my complaint! Squinty. Well now that he doesn't have them on, I shouldn't be distracted by the Harry Potter resemblance... except now he reminds me of Nick Carter. Anthony's a better singer though, but that's not saying much. I think this is a good song choice as he was able to showcase his voice. But, as usual, the performance didn't do anything for me. I still didn't care. Believe me, I want to because I love Harry Potter.

Carrie

Haha... she's funny. Daddy's got a shotgun. Yeah, she's definitely meant for country music. She looks so natural performing that Martina McBride song (I swear I wrote this down before Paula said it). Carrie's on fire. I want to root for her, I love her personality, but I still don't want a Country Idol. Sorry.

Scott

Ooh I love this song! Please don't butcher it. Well he definitely didn't sing it as well as Brian McKnight did, but that's expected. He did it the Scott way, which is nothing new so I wasn't wowed. Except for the first high note, he pulled the song off.

Vonzell

Hahaha... I love Vonzell. Okay now for the performance... crap, it's a Whitney song again. I thought we had enough of that on AI??? I thought this season was Whitney-free! Nice timing too, since she's on the news again. Oh well. Focus on the performance and complain later... NICE! Vonzie showcased her voice (well what do you expect from a Whitney song). She focused more on vocals than on the performance for a change. I'm proud of Vonzie, she proved that she can be a good vocalist and it's not all about personality and performance.

Best performances:

Nikko

Carrie

Vonzell

Bottom three predictions: (for some reason I always get 2 out of 3 correct)

Anthony - blah

Jessica - forgettable

Anwar - ouch. This is actually more of he deserves to be on the bottom three, and not that I'm predicting he will be there (I'm not sure how long his fans will hold on to him). So I'm placing him here because I don't know who the 3rd person would be so I'll just place the one who deserves to be here. I also like being redundant.

Limewire download of the night:

I Can't Make You Love Me

Final thoughts:

1. 60's, Billboard #1's, 90's... what's up with all the easy themes? I thought having theme nights would show if the contestant can be versatile enough to win. These themes are so versatile that the rockers are free to choose rock songs, the country girls free to choose country songs, r&b/soul singers free to choose r&b/soul, etc. This could be the easiest season yet. And given that there have been a lot of bad performances so far in the finals, makes me think that this year's batch is not as good as the previous ones. To think that before the semi-finals the judges have been hyping this up as the best season yet. Not by a mile.

2. Somebody find Paula's meds.

Mario quits; Contract speculations

Mon, 14 Mar 2005 13:27:02 GMT

Startling news woke me up on what would have been a sleepy Monday morning - Mario Vazquez has quit AI. This makes him the first AI contestant to drop out after making the finals, and the second AI contestant to drop out from the competition (Marlea Stroman from the same season is the first).

While I am glad that Nikko is back, I am disappointed about the shocking news. I'd rather have Constantine quit than Mario. For me he was one of the top 4 contestants this season. So I never voted for him, but I've always considered him one of the strongest contenders. Anyway, According to TVGuide.com Mario said it was because of family issues, and w/ the show being live, the schedule would not work out (huh? He should've known by now that the show will take up 2 months of his life. I knew that when I started watching it and I'm just a measly viewer). Also according to TVGuide.com, Mario's mom didn't know about his decision (so I don't know what family he's talking about). A Washington DC radio station said that, word on the street is, Mario had some problems w/ the contract that AI asked the finalists to sign.

Which is true? How should I know. But let's discuss the contract part because that will make my blog longer. If it is true, I don't blame Mario for dropping out. The winner (and most probably the runner-up) will be tied to the management and the record label for a couple of years. A part of the contract states that 19 Management, the company that will manage the winner, will collect around 30-50% (when normally it's 10-15%). Clay Aiken and Kelly Clarkson have left 19 Management and are now being managed by The Firm, one of the top management companies in the industry today (though they still remain tied to their record label RCA). This does not surprise me, given how 19 Management does not really represent their artists as well as they're supposed to (for 30-50%? No way). Clay and Kelly are the two most successful Idol alumni right now, and a huge part of the reason is that they are smart decision-makers who know when to put their foot down and know what the public wants.

I have a feeling the contract for this season's finalists may have been changed due to this (although we may never know for sure). Clay and Kelly have been raking in a lot of $$$ from their record sales due to their multi-platinum albums & singles (and don't forget the concert tours, DVD's, etc.) - 19 Management will not get a percentage from that anymore. It must be killing them. Most especially at this time as Kelly's on top of the BIllboard charts with her two top 10 hit singles, a sophomore album that is now nearing double platinum and is currently on Billboard's top 10 albums, and a sold out concert tour that will kick off later this month. Clay, on the other hand, is about to release his next album which is expected to reach platinum status quickly again due to his huge legion of fans. Nope, no moolah for 19.

Once its contract with Clay & Kelly had ended, the two artists went on to a different management company.
But no bad feelings there because 19 knew that they didn't represent well and must have seen it coming. So what they do (or have done) is, aside from getting a high percentage, to tie the winner and the runner-up for a longer period of time - which must be one of the things that Mario didn't agree with. Clay, being a runner-up, must have had a shorter management contract compared to the past AI winners. He left 19 Management late last year. Kelly, the first AI winner, left the management early this year. Will Ruben and Fantasia follow? They must have a longer contract than what Kelly had since they came on to the show after the first AI winner found huge success post-AI.

Of course, since Fox only said Mario left due to "personal reasons," one can only speculate. I'm thinking the ties with the record label and the management company are more ridiculous than before, seeing how successful the three winners and one runner-up are. They'd like to cash in from that for as long as possible. And seeing how much money the four artists are raking in, could be a reason for the 30-50% policy.

I said it before and I'll say it again, Mario doesn't need to win the competition to be a successful recording artist. His exposure from the audition and semi-final rounds will no doubt get him a recording contract. This may be a good thing for him, given that if he had won the competition, he may not have much creative freedom because the ties that he would have had.

So good luck on your career Mario, I'm looking forward to your album.

(speakless)

Thu, 10 Mar 2005 02:44:17 GMT

WHY???
Why did Constatine make it to the finals but Nikko didn't? Why???
Okay, I may know why, but still... stupid Constatine voters!!! Voice & talent before charm demet!
WTF is wrong with you people!

breathe, breathe...

And here are the 12 finalists:

Anwar
Mario
Scott
Bo
Anthony
Constantine

Nadia
Vonzell
Mikalah
Jessica
Carrie
Lindsey

More AI thoughts on the finalists when I have calmed down

Last semi-finals for the girls

Wed, 09 Mar 2005 04:09:04 GMT

This should be shorter than what I wrote about the guys because I watched the show at my friends' house, and because of my alleged ADD I've probably forgotten 80% of what I was thinking back then. Oh and big shoutout to Alex & My-My for the dee-licious restaurant-style dinner!

Amanda

Well I'm glad I wasn't bored this time. That's because her big ring caught my attention. Whenever she uses her right hand (the one w/ the ring) and she taps the mic, it makes a sound. Kinda distracting. What did she sing again? Oh right, that song that Angela Bassett, as Tina Turner, was singing in the studio before Laurence Fishburne, as Ike Turner, beat the living daylights out of her. Good movie, good movie.

Janay

You can definitely see in her eyes the nervousness. She shouldn't have tried out for AI this soon, she needs to work on her voice and performance skills first. She's got lots of time for that. Too bad she can't try out for the show next year because once you reach the semi-finals you are not allowed anymore. See she didn't even look sure when Ryan asked her if she's ready for the finals. "I think I am... I... I know I am!" Sure, we believe you sweetie.

Carrie

Of course it's a country song. I have to disagree w/ Paula regarding Carrie's control of her voice. She couldn't control it during the low parts. They were shaky and unsure. But she's a nice girl w/ Simon's support so she will advance to the finals.

Vonzell

Okay here's one of my 2 favorite girls... finally a good performance tonight! I dare say, I like this one more than Kelly's version on season 1. Whoa - did I just say that? But... but Kelly's still the best! Anyway, back to Vonzell - I love her confidence and the personality she brings to her performances. Fun, fun, fun! Vocals aren't bad either. And she's not afraid to make fun of herself. I will be shocked if she leaves this week. The awww factor of Simon negatively commenting on her hat & boots that daddy bought will help her get more votes. Lassoo, Simon?

Nadia

And here's my other favorite, and... why is it a ballad? Is that an Otis Redding song? Oh... that's very ambitious of her. A female singer singing an Otis song is very very risky. But OH. MY. GULAY. She rocked it! No tenderness there (pun intended). Here's another girl who always brings so much confidence in her performances and is not afraid of anything! Let's take her to a haunted house and see what happens, haha... okay. Nadia makes me proud. You go 'fro!

Back from commercial and Ryan's chatting w/ Mikalah. Her speaking voice really reminds me of The Nanny's Fran Drescher. The big black hair doesn't help either.

Lindsey

Another country version of I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing. Why do they keep doing that? Do idol contestants hate Steve Tyler? I hated Josh Gracin's version and I hate this one as well. Why is Lindsey sticking to country? Her husky tone is so right for R&B. I guess she's a country girl. I wish she and Carrie went for Nashville Star w/ Leann Rimes in the other channel instead of AI. Ha, I like Simon's analogy of Lindsey being the equivalent of Ryan Seacrest.

Oh hell no, Mikalah's a Capricorn too? Then what does that say about me??? Do I also throw my hands up in the air and say "Just kidding!" No way, that looks more like Fred Armisen's character on SNL. "I'm just keedeeng!" Heehee... I love Fred.

Moving on...

Mikalah

Definitely not the song for her. Like Carrie, she cannot handle the low parts. Except this one's much worse. It's not just shaky, it's obviously out of tune. Ouch. My-My and I are cringing (as Alex watches a Grant Hill video on his laptop). Not good, not good at all. Her voice is also not as powerful as last week's performance. What happened Mikalah? I disagree w/ Simon, the first part wasn't hideous. More like the most part.

Jessica

Of course, why wouldn't it be country. This is after all Country Idol. Who cares about Nashville Star in the other channel. Geez. Well I must say that was the best country performance I've seen since Latoya's take on Garth Brooks last year. She does have good vocals and she's a great performer. Sure, why not place her in the top 12. I don't care.

Final thoughts

Limewire download for the night - How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (demet Mario)

best performance - Nadia most definitely (followed by Vonzell)

who I think will go home this week - Janay (please put this girl out of her misery) & either Amanda or Lindsey

other thoughts

1. Not as good as last night's performances

2. Janay is like Jasmine, she has stayed longer than she was supposed to, because of the aww factor and big fan base. I love Jasmine, but I also think that had she tried for AI a few years later than she did, she'd be a force to reckon w/ and would have had a huge, HUGE chance to win the title. Honestly, she didn't deserve to be in the top 3. [defensive mode on] And I'm not saying this because I was sitting next to her dad in DC last summer and he didn't give me backstage passes (what will I do w/ an autographed pic of Jasmine? I didn't even vote for her :P) [defensive mode off]

3. I am so glad that astrology crap is over. There can't be anything Mikalah and I have in common. Okay, now off I go to find myself...

Last semi-finals for the boys

Tue, 08 Mar 2005 04:20:16 GMT

It's already time for AI? My how the days go by fast. Then again it's on 3 days a week.

Simon has a point about exposure. Kelly didn't get any before the semi-finals and... who became the first American Idol? Yeah I think it's that girl w/ the multi-platinum albums. Jasmine and Latoya were not shown before the semi-final round either, and they made it to season 3's top 4. So yeah, if you didn't get any exposure, you better give the viewers a really good reason why they should remember you when it's time to vote.

But, this particular season is actually a bit different than the past seasons, so it's especially harder for those contestants in the top 24 that had no (or little) exposure. With season 4 the writers/editors/producers/powers that be really concentrated on the background stories of some contestants, w/ Ryan going so far as to visit a contestant in his/her house, his/her place of work, and even risking getting hit by a cymbal. Concentrating on their stories to make the viewers more attached to their contestant of choice is nice, but I wish it was more spread out - to make it fairer. After the first semi-final round of the girls I wondered who Melinda Lira was because she looks like a Filipina, and she lives in Cali. And I did not care about Joseph Murena, but I do know the kinds of hats Mario Vazquez wore before the semi-finals (and no, I will still not vote for him). My point is, they could have made the editing more balanced this season, instead of going to some of the contestants' hometowns and having Ryan eat pancakes with their moms. That's all :D

Okay that was longer than I thought. I will really bore people this time. Anybody who has insomnia, feel free to read this. Now on to the performances...

First up is Scott and... he's talking about astrology. What in the name of Madame Auring is going on behind Scott? Is he supposed to be in a galaxy far far away? I know Star Wars ep 3 is coming this summer but this is not a wise way to promote a movie.

Scott

Well I'm glad I didn't get bored this time. This really is his best performance. Scott's improving! Now for the downside (oh you know you saw it coming) - I'm glad that he's trying to connect w/ the viewers by sometimes looking at the camera, but the shades don't help dude (well it does appearance-wise). Is it just me or does the camera pan away from Scott everytime he faces it? Also, he doesn't make eye contact w/ the studio audience, which is also key to the performance. Has he ever been to a concert, because the last I checked the singer feeds off energy from the crowd by singing to them.

Bo

I didn't notice the commercial break was over so I was still reading an email on my computer when I heard the first line of I'll Be and... what the... who is that butchering my favorite song??? I know I am in the teeny tiny minority here (I can't even believe the judges comments) but, for the love of McCain stop that shaky singing! Why, why, whi? (nope, that last word's not a typo). It almost sounded country. So he wanted to change it up... definitely did not work for me. One thing I love about the song is Edwin's solid singing. I will not watch the performance again in fear of having the song ruined in my brain. Don't get me wrong, majority of the viewing public, I don't hate Bo. I like him and I want him to stay long. But oh dear lord of the flies, that was really painful for me to hear. And it's not because I love the song - I'll Be has been performed in AI every year, and I remember liking Josh Gracin's version even though I didn't like him. I guess Bo's version just wasn't my cup of tea. Attack me if you will, but this is my opinion and I'm sticking with it :D

Anthony

Oh good, I'm still not bored. Like Scott, this is his best performance. Not his best outfit, but you can't win them all. One other thing, I wish he'd start wearing contacts because he reminds me of Harry Potter & Draco Malfoy. It's a distraction.

Okay someone commented that I'm being too negative tonight. It's simple - if you bought 'boneless' fish from the supermarket, only to find out that it's boneful after you have painstakingly prepared it and baked and proudly shared with the people that you live with, you would be feeling a little more antagonistic than usual too. Thank you :)

Nikko

My, has he got the guts to sing Georgia On My Mind. After Jamie's Oscar win, after Jamie & Alicia's bang-up Grammy performance, after Ray Charles death... I applaud Nikko's boldness. The first part was just okay. Then he stood up and he brought it down! Why is it that these people would sing okay when sitting down but when they stand up... theeeeere ya go. Is it something about standing up and the abdomen...? I'm asking because I'm not a singer (although I did enjoy myself at Red Box. Ya-ya!). Anyway, Nikko's definitely one of the better male vocalists this season and I am now jotting down his number: 1-866-IDOLS-04.

[Time for commercial break. What, Travis is going to sing a Bobby Brown song? Oh no. And why does he look like a 1920's newsboy? This can't be good.]

Travis

Uh... yeah... okay. Wha... hey! Why did my sister have to pick this time to talk to me about bank envelopes, right when Travis starts beatboxing (I assume that would have been better than the out of tune singing). Okay... so yeah. I'd have to side w/ Randy on this one. Good performance, bad singing - might be because he concentrated more on the dancing, which would of course affect your singing, especially if you're running out of breath. He must have taken Simon's comment from last week too seriously, not the best singer but a born performer. Look, if you are given the title of "not the best singer," you don't go about worsening your singing. Ah well, local boy will not get my vote tonight (now who's going to represent the tri-state area this season?).

Mario

Good, it's a ballad for a change. And you gotta love some Al Green! So far, one of the 2 best performances tonight. Simple, it was all about the vocals, and really that's what matters when it comes down to it (seriously, have you seen Ruben or Clay dance? I rest my case). But I suggest that, either keep the hat on or get a haircut. It did not work with Timberlake, it will not work for Mario. All I'm saying...

Constatine

Sting? This should be interesting... wow this guy reall has charisma. He knows how to work the camera and the audience (somewhere in the red room Scott Savol should be taking notes). Kinda like Justin Guarini in season 1, except Constantine doesn't make me puke.

[Commercial break again. Anwar is the last to perform - it's a make or break situation. Here's hoping my boy ends the show w/ a bang...]

[Haha... a preview of a preview of Star Wars ep 3... well it made me laugh...]

Anwar

Uh-oh... it's a Louis Armstrong song. Oh how will I judge this when George Huff sang it last year the way Satchmo did, and Anwar definitely does not have the same voice. So what does Anwar do? He makes the song his own (as usual)! I forgot about his ability to do that (d'oh!). Yup, this cannot be compared to George Huff's, it's so different. It's amazing how Anwar can... well, Anwarize a song. Excellent, excellent vocals. If I was sitting on Simon's chair I would have given Anwar a standing ovation as well. So that means I'm not sitting on Simon's chair then... anyway... Yes Anwar still remains my #1. His consistency makes me proud. I agree w/ Paula when she said Anwar breathes new life to the songs that he sings (because he Anwarizes it! Haha... I crack myself up). I also agree w/ Simon about Anwar being a genuinely nice person, even after he would win the competition. He is simply a humble person w/ a good heart. But then if he wins AI, his students will lose a great teacher. That's sad. I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all... sorry, got carried away.

Final thoughts

LSS for the night - How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (thanks a lot Mario)

Message to Randy & Paula - can you please stop cutting Simon off? If he doesn't agree with your critique, he doesn't cut you off. Even if Simon is known as "the mean judge," it doesn't give you the right to cut his critique short just because you don't agree with him. I cannot enumerate all of the times I was left hanging because Simon wasn't able to finish what he was saying, thereby was not able to give his point. And Randy, you are always so quick to react verbally (w/ just "Oh, oh!" or "Wha?" or "Boooo") to a negative comment from Simon, yet your facial expressions are not as fast. It almost appears to be scripted. I have noticed this a couple of times. Hmm...

best performance - do I really have to say it? Who made me sing a Whitney Houston song?

who I think will go home this week - Travis (ouch) and Scott

other thoughts

I tried voting for Nikko & Anwar but the lines are busy. Huh. Guess they don't need my votes.

Associating astrology w/ semi-final performances is one thing, having the outer space as background is another.

Lea & AI

Sun, 06 Mar 2005 03:09:35 GMT

Lea Salonga loves American Idol

I'm glad I'm not the only Pinay in the US that is pathetically hooked on the show.
It's also nice to know that I share an addiction with a world-class artist.
I feel less of a loser now :D

-----

It seems that my last few entries are all about AI. It's not how it looks, really hehe... I also think (and write) about other stuff. It's just that I recently discovered the Friendster blogs so I also post there, regarding random stuff like iPods and work and TV shows.

ka3na.blogs.friendster.com

My 2 cents: AI semis - Guys

Wed, 02 Mar 2005 04:33:15 GMT

Mario

last week: I wasn't surprised when I found out he was going to be the last to perform, and expected to end the show w/ a bang. And he delivered, w/ a non-safe, fun performance. Definitely one of the strongest (if not the strongest) contenders this season. And no, I am still not voting for him.

this week: Mario is a showman, like Justin Timberlake and Usher. The difference between him and the latter two is, he is not as strong, vocally-speaking. He is definitely not the best singer in the competition, but he makes up for it w/ his very very good performing skills.

Anwar

last week: Moon River? Why? Oh wait minute... ah yes, thank you Anwar. You did not disappoint me (being that I've been a fan since his DC audition). He pulled it off. No wait, he yanked it off! That was amazing, and I am proud to be a fan. Definitely my #1 favorite so far.

this week: he did well again. I was not as wowed as I was last week though (in fairness that was hard to top). But I loved the performance nonetheless. Go Anwar! I'm sorry I forgot to vote this week though.

Joseph

last week: he looks like he's in pain. Then again the song is painful. But you can look "in pain" w/o looking weird. All I'm saying...

this week: can somebody tell this guy that his outfit is so last decade ago? Nevertheless, the performance is much better. I don't know if it's because I like this song and I hate Justin Guarini (who sang the same song in season 1 :P). But the hard thing for Joseph is, he had no exposure early on, so his performances should have a wow factor that would give viewers a reason to vote for him (Latoya London anyone?). Sadly he still has not given a good reason. Goodbye.

David

last week: zzzzz... wake me when it's over.

this week: he hit the money notes, but the easy ones he could not. So what does that make him? A not so good enough singer. I think it's his time to go. Too bad though, he's a prayerful guy.

Constantine

last week: what a surprising song choice.

this week: I have to agree w/ Simon, you could see the same performance in every bar (well not every) in the country. Not good enough for AI, sorry. And I even liked him in his DC audition.

Scott

last week: like I said before, I like underdogs. But this guy bored me to death w/ his performance. And he did not have the greatest personality in the Hollywood round. Also, we need a costume change here.

this week: heeey... I'm liking the new look. Nice shades, nice half-beard, the pink shirt still looks too plain, but you can't have it all. I'm going to have to side w/ Randy on this one (*gasp* this I just say that?), the performance is still not good enough. He is not connecting w/ the audience, which I think is the same problem as to why he was being anti-social in Hollywood. I do not think he deserves to be in the finals, but I think he will get votes because of the way he looks and the underdog factor. Seriously though the vocals are just blah.

Travis

last week: oh crap, not that song. This is not the Travis that instantly became one of my favorites when I saw his DC audition (I seem to be liking DC auditioners). The one that made me think he could be the next Usher. Eww... I really hate the song.

this week: it's official - Travis Tucker is my season 4 crush. Finally he's back! He brought so much personality and moves in the performance, I didn't even notice the vocals at first. He even got the ladies to sing with him. Ah... so cute. The song is not the best choice if you want to show your vocal range and power, but Simon's right when he said Travis knows he's not the best singer but he is a born performer. For me, he just upstaged Mario.

Nikko

last week: I don't care what Simon said, I liked the performance. What a way to kick-off the new round and start the show. Loving the look too. One of the best performances of the night.

this week: Whoa... I underestimated Nikko, vocally-speaking. Definitely the best vocals of the night thus far. I didn't know he had it in him. At first I only knew him as the son of a famous baseball player (whose name I'm forgetting as of the moment). Now he is one of my favorites, he is one of the best male singers this season.

Anthony

last week: zzzzz... wake me when it's over.

this week: this guy really reminds me of Clay (I know, it's unfair). Their voices and singing are similar. And just like Clay, although he is a great vocalist, he just doesn't do it for me. And anyway I do not want Anthony to win the competition (although he deserves to go far in the finals), because we already have a Clay Aiken in AI. Let's go for something different this time.

Bo

last week: well I must say he is a pleasant surprise. He's gonna give Constantine a run for his money.

this week: I must admit this guy is growing on me. He is a better vocalist than Constantine (and I know it's unfair to compare them, but hey, we've never had rockers in the semis, much less two). He will be in the finals... but will he be the American Idol? I doubt it. Even though he is very good and brings something different to the competition, I don't think that many people would like to see a hard rocker win it in the end. It's still a white bread country you know.

best performance: Travis - Simon even apologized to him. Need I say more?

who I think will go home: Joseph & David
who I think should go home: Joseph & David

My 2 cents: AI semis - Ladies Night

Wed, 02 Mar 2005 03:36:06 GMT

Aloha

last week: oh hell yeah she can sing Beyonce. That's what I'm talking about! She can really work it out (pun intended). One of the top 3 performances of the night. She ended the show with a bang!

this week: oh... an Alicia Keys song. This is hard, AK is one of the best vocalists on the planet today. It is hard to pull off a song of hers, especially You Don't Know My Name. AK sang it w/ such emotion (well she always does anyway). I don't know, I'm a little bit disappointed. I still like Aloha though. And she likes poultry.

Lindsey

last week: it was okay but I wasn't blown away (like I was expecting to). I like the tone of her voice, but it was the wrong song choice because it didn't get to showcase the uniqueness of her voice. Yeah, I like rhyming too.

this week: why is she singing country? Well at least she's enjoying herself. Please don't tell me she's found her niche. This is still not showcasing the voice!

Jessica

last week: huh? What? Who is this?

this week: not another country song. I do not care for this girl at all. I don't know why the judges love her. I'm sure she is a nice girl, but she's just not special and different enough to be in the finals.

Mikalah

last week: the performance felt like a lounge act, especially with her talking to Randy while singing. I do not appreciate talking while performing. Don't talk when your mouth is singing. But she's one of the most entertaining contestants, on stage and off, so I like her and want her to stay long. Her personality is good for the show. I don't like the sound of her voice though.

this week: she wants to be famous because she can't cook, can't clean, and can't walk her own dog. Thank you. Oh... hey... it's a slow song. And she's sitting on a chair. This doesn't look right... oh but it sounds right! Holy change of pace batman, what a pleasant surprise from Mikalah! She's... calm! And she sounds amazing! I can't believe I'm liking the tone of her voice now (it was annoying last week). I never thought she could sound different w/ a slow song. And she's subdued, even when the judges were giving her glowing reviews. Okay she's still subdued while Ryan's cracking jokes and saying the numbers. I'm a little weirded out now. Stop it Mikalah, you're scaring me. Kinda reminds me of Fantasia last year when she was subdued on country night. Stop!

Celena

last week: huh? What? Who is this?

this week: oh she's from Texas? Cool. What did she sing again?

Nadia

last week: in semi-final performances, especially the first week, I expect contestants to be nervous and may not perform as well as they have before. Having said that, this is one of the two most confident semi-final performances I've ever seen (the other performance was by one who went on to win the title - Fantasia). Nadia was not afraid to be different, and she rocked the heezy fo sheezy!... Yeah I can't talk ebonics.

this week: a rather weak performance that had me squirming the whole song. Why did Randy and Paula like it? And why is Simon in such a good mood? I must say, Nadia disappointed me. That was painful to watch. But she'll be back next week (thankfully).

Amanda

last week: she really reminds me of Jessica Simpson. The look, the ballads, the facial expressions (though not as freaky). Meh. I don't care much for her or Jessica Simpson.

this week: not another Turn the Beat Around. Every year. She could not pull off the fast parts as well Diana DeGarmo and Carmen Rasmusen did, and that is saying a lot since I don't like those two. And why is Randy and Paula being positive again? Simon liked it live, but he's not sure if it's as good as it is on TV. Trust me, it's not.

Janay

last week: that was painful to watch. I felt sorry for her. Bless her little heart.

this week: oh yes, it's a fun and funky r&b song! Not the best song to show off the vocal range, but I actually enjoyed it.

Carrie

last week: I don't see why she is being hyped up (especially by Simon) as being the strongest contender, to the point of being dubbed as the next Kelly Clarkson (*gasp* such blasphemy to the queen!). She's okay, that's it. Doesn't do anything to me actually. Although I find her genuine farm girl personality adorable.

this week: okay 3 country performances in one show and it's not even country theme night. What's going on here??? Are the country singers taking over AI? Noooooo! But I must say, even after the negative comments from the judges (so much for being the next Kelly), she handled Ryan's jokes well. I thought she was going to break down in tears before Ryan gets to announce her numbers. I must admit that I'm beginning to like her, but I'd rather not have a country singer as the next American Idol. I'm sorry, but that's just me, and I don't care for that genre. Although I do like Tim McGraw's Live Like You Were Dying.

Vonzell

last week: not another Heat Wave. Every year! Oh... wait. I am actually enjoying this performance. It feels new. She worked the crowd, the camera, wooooo hell yeah! Being one of my favorites in the audition rounds, Vonzell did not disappoint me.

this week: now that is how you sing an AK song! Okay so she made a few pitch mistakes, but that was much better than Aloha's.

best performance: Mikalah, hands down. BIG improvement.

who I think will go home: Janay & Aloha
who I think should go home: Celena & Jessica (because I don't really care for them)

NBA and 2 AI's

Tue, 22 Feb 2005 02:31:34 GMT

Now did I not say the East will win the All-Star Game? With a 10-point lead baby! :D

I must say it was nice seeing the lanky #33 on the court again. He was not as good as he was before, but I expected that, coming out of a 4-year injury and all. His stamina is not the same and he's slower. But he'll be back in tiptop shape next season :) He still brought it in the All-Star Game, but he was on the bench most of the time.

Congrats to AI for winning the MVP title! To think that he had a bit of a breathing problem at that time. Yes, the thin mountain air can do wonders to a professional athlete's head & lungs.

---

Now on to the other AI - American Idol. As expected, my man Anwar brought it down! I never imagined Moon River (sung by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's) could ever be sung in such a soulful, unboring way. Just goes to show that Anwar is not just a good singer, but a musical genius. He really made the song his own, I didn't even recognize it at first. I've been rooting for this humble music teacher from Jersey ever since I saw his DC audition. He's my #1 favorite, w/ Constantine a distant #2. The rocker surprised me by choosing a non-rock song, Kiss from a Rose by Seal. In my opinion, he delivered it well and made it his own (I don't care what the judges said :P). My #3 is Travis, however, he disappointed me tonight w/ a safe song. He's cute and can dance really really well, but he chose a slow song :P

My sister-in-law called me right after the show. Actually, not even, Ryan Seacrest was still talking. But anyway, she called to ask if I was voting for Mario Vasquez. Meh. He's too obvious for me, as a contestant. And what I mean by that is, he's got the look, the charisma, the moves, and the voice. He's like a Latin American Justin Timberlake. He doesn't need AI, just by his exposure on the show he will surely get a recording contract now. With my research, he and Anthony Federov (aka the 2nd coming of Clay Aiken) have the biggest fan bases. Mario doesn't need my vote, and I don't ever plan on voting for him. I am more for the underdog, the person who doesn't look like a pop idol. Ruben Studdard & Clay didn't look like it, w/c was what made season 2 so successful because it found 2 unlikely idols. They both became the stars of that season because of their great voices. Fantasia didn't look the part either (she even made fun of her big lips) but she's got the star factor & the unique voice. Kelly Clarkson didn't look the part compared to smarmy "I love the camera" Justin Guarini, she looked like the plain & simple girl-next-door. But she won because of her amazing voice and real personality.

So no, I will never vote for Mario Vasquez, even though I think he is the strongest contender (so far) this season. He doesn't need my vote, and I don't need to exert some dialing energy for him. My support goes to Anwar this season. I haven't seen such a musical genius as Anwar is in all the seasons of American Idol. We need geniuses this time (like Ray Charles), not popstars. And I'm glad AI adjusted the age limit, because the better singers this season are the older ones. Also, because it means I can still audition.

Kidding :D

The return of Grant Hill

Fri, 18 Feb 2005 04:41:22 GMT

My friends and I were supposed to go to North Carolina this weekend, since there is no work on Monday. Then we realized, wait a minute, it's the NBA All-Star weekend!

So instead I will be glued to the TV screen this weekend. Friday has the rookie and celebrity games. Saturday has the slam dunk and three-point shoot-out games. Then Sunday is the ALL-STAR GAME.

And, GRANT HILL IS BACK! Back on the starting five I might add. This is his first injury-free season in 4 years (I think) so I'm glad to see him back on the court. Crush those westerners Grant! GO EAST!!!

Starters:

East
Vince Carter
Grant Hill
Allen Iverson
LeBron James
Shaquille O'Neal

West
Kobe Bryant
Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett
Tracy McGrady
Yao Ming

The east will win this time mwahahahaha...

I love spring

Fri, 18 Feb 2005 01:00:23 GMT

Today I got pre-sale tickets (that's right, not yet open to the general public hehe :D) for concerts of Maroon 5 and Kelly Clarkson. Awoohoo! I'm now trying to get Alicia Keys tickets, but it's hard because it has been open to the general public for almost a week now, and the prices are higher (because hello, that's ALICIA KEYS). I'm counting on winning tix from the radio, maybe my luck hasn't run out yet (311 concert tix flashback).

Maroon 5's on April 16th and the place is just 15 mins from my house woohoo! I can't believe I will be breathing the same county air my beloved Adam Levine will be in less than 2 months (I don't think my hubby Clive Owen would mind)! And I cannot wait to hear him sing She Will Be Loved - LIVE. If he sings it to me, I will faint right then and there. As for Kelly's concert, it's on May 1st and I got an aisle seat baby! Row R, which is... okay I guess. But it's in a theater so the acoustics should sound better than in an open field, and the environment's more intimate which means you'd feel the energy more. WOOOO!

I love spring, it's the start of the cool concerts again. Of course it's still winter (bleh :P) but tickets go on sale months before the actual shows. And then, before you know it, it's the start of the summer concerts!

Ain't music grand? :D

Singles Awareness Day

Fri, 11 Feb 2005 17:06:16 GMT

As the dreaded V-Day approaches, I have decided to celebrate Monday as Singles Awareness Day.
Because that is the day all single people are aware of.

Another pinoy in AI

Thu, 27 Jan 2005 22:01:02 GMT

, who was in Smokey Mountain, wowed all 4 judges (especially with her excellent last note) and received a unanimous "yes" to make it to Hollywood. She auditioned in Vegas (viva Las Vegas!).

I hope she loses her pa-sexy image (she even distracted Simon when he asked "What are you gonna drink... I mean, sing... SING!"). A contestant with a sexy image may not go too far for a wholesome whitebread show like AI. Sure she may get some male votes, but there are much more young female voters. I did some research on the AI viewers and a lot of them know her as the "Vegas showgirl" or "Cocktail waitress."

There is nothing wrong with her being all sexy, but I'm afraid it will cost her votes and I want a Filipino/a to go far in the competition. Image is a big factor, especially for Simon who is very influential to the voters. She's got a powerful voice and can control it well, so I hope talent like her will not slip by (yes I'm still bitter about Jennifer Hudson).

Anyway the San Francisco auditions will be in 2 weeks so woohoo more Filipinos!

PS - The (lower left) part I know because of research, not because I was a fan of the group... I will stop being defensive now.

The women of SNL

Tue, 25 Jan 2005 12:51:43 GMT

I remember when I was still in high school, there would be SNL reruns on a Sky Cable channel, particularly those w/ the cast of Mike Myers, Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Dana Carvey, Chris Rock, etc. I found the show funny not because of the jokes, but because of the cast. Most of the jokes were from American current events so I did not get a lot of them. But nevertheless, I enjoyed watching SNL and was disappointed when Sky Cable canceled it. My favorite skit was the Gap Girls w/ Sandler, Carvey, and Farley. I also could not stop laughing at the "Van down by the river" skit of Farley, ending with him throwing himself onto the coffee table (and breaking it), w/ the rest of the actors on the scene trying hard not to laugh. I'm not a fan of slapstick comedy, but that was pretty funny.

When I moved to the US in 2001, I started watching it again, this time w/ the cast of Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan, Molly Shannon, Ana Gasteyer, Cheri Oteri, (later on) Maya Rudolph, etc. According to reports, when this batch came in, the ratings got higher. Another thing notable about this cast, and was very much noticed by viewers and critics around the country, was the strong female ensemble. Although Will Ferrell was pretty much the breakout star of that batch, the women dominated the skits. I remember those that had Maya Rudolph, Ana Gasteyer, and a female guest host (Lucy Liu, Charlize Theron, etc.) acting like a ripoff from Destiny's Child (DC), always changing members and talking like they were from the hood. In one episode where DC was the musical guest, they were included in the skit and had guest host Pierce Brosnan acting like an effeminate German. The female cast members were hailed as the most talented women in SNL history. It may have helped that later on, Tina Fey took on the head writer job - a first for a woman.

After several years, a woman was back anchoring Weekend Update. joined forces to replace Colin Quinn. Although Norm was arguably the most well-praised, I preferred the Fey-Fallon duo. They've got chemistry, and I understood the jokes more (probably because I got older and was already living in the US so I was familiar w/ the current events). But when Fallon left in May 2004, SNL suddenly had a need for an anchorman. Should Tina do it alone or should Jimmy be replaced w/ another male cast member? The answer came just one week before the 2004-2005 season premiere: Amy Poehler.

For this current batch, Amy Poehler is my favorite cast member. She's in almost every skit - that's how good she is. She can be Sharon Osbourne and Kelly Ripa, and have the 2 women she's impersonating laugh out loud and send her flowers and notes to tell her she's doing a great job. Kelly Ripa even said that she stopped being "Kelly" on her morning talk show and became "Amy impersonating Kelly" because that was much more entertaining. One of the funniest skits I've ever seen was w/ Amy impersonating Anna Nicole Smith (ANS), a week after the AMA's (for those that didn't watch the awards show, a visibly drunk ANS introduced Kanye West - "He's a freakin' genius!"). Tina Fey wrote the script but she said it was easy to write ANS, she just wrote "ANS enters," and it was all up to Amy on how to impersonate the drunk ANS. When I saw the skit, I laughed so hard that the last time I laughed like that was back in '98 when Sarah Michelle Gellar and the rest of the female SNL cast members (well, including Chris Kattan) impersonated the (Sarah did Posh Spice's accent brilliantly).

The female ensemble of the current batch (Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Rachel Dratch, Maya Rudolph) is still going strong, w/ most skits heavily reliant on them. It helps that Tina Fey acts in skits once in a while, and that she's still the head writer. It also helps that for the first time in SNL history, 2 women anchor the Weekend Update. But one cannot doubt that the female cast members are some of the best comediennes in the industry.

It's all about girl power on SNL.

Harry Pottah news

Sat, 22 Jan 2005 23:31:42 GMT

There will be a Harry Potter 5 movie and it will be directed by David Yates.
Harry Potter 4 will open in November.
According to an interview w/ Emma Watson, Hermione will kiss in the movie (but she said she'd rather kiss Brad Pitt).
The trailer will come out in the spring.
Malfoy fans: you can read Tom Felton's blog here: http://tomfelton.com/blog.html

What I really think of winter

Fri, 21 Jan 2005 21:36:07 GMT

Well, well. Looks like my 4 for 1 plan will not take place because of the stupid winter storm tomorrow. Just a few days ago I realized that I should accept the fact that my birthday will always take place on my hatest season. I should have remembered that given last year's birthday when I couldn't get my free carwash because it was snowing. This year's birthday was on the coldest day since winter 2004. Stupid cold season. Why was snow created? To have people with jobs wake up earlier than usual to shovel sidewalks and take off snow from their cars' windshields? To have innocent pedestrians slip on a frozen melted snow and break their bones? For people to bundle up to prepare for the cold weather outside, just to feel really hot when inside the car (thus resulting to sickness due to frequent changes in temperature)? For January, February, and March celebrants to not wanting to go out on their birthdays because the wind hurts their ears and gives them a headache?

In other related news, I played with the kids in the snow yesterday

---

Winter is, actually, my favorite TV season. Like last year's winter, my primetime TV schedule is full (which was why I purchased my TiVo Jan 2004):

Sunday
Desperate Housewives 9:00
The Surreal Life 9:00

Monday
American Idol (in Feb) 8:00
The Bachelorette 9:00

Tuesday
American Idol 8:00
Sex and the City (reruns) 9:00, 9:30

Wednesday
American Idol 8:00
Smallville 8:00

Thursday
Joey 8:00
The OC 8:00
Survivor (in Feb) 8:00
Will & Grace 8:30
The Apprentice 9:00

Friday
Hope & Faith 9:00

Saturday
Saturday Night Live 11:30

So really 'tis the season to be cooped up at home watching TV. I will be more social in the summer, when it is warm enough to wear sleeveless shirts and TV shows are on hiatus.

To watch, and then some

Thu, 20 Jan 2005 22:04:14 GMT

Because I haven't seen a movie in over a month (not counting 2 MMFF entries), and because the Oscars is coming up, my to-watch list has grown tremendously.

Must-see's (I want to watch them all this weekend and I don't care if I'm alone or not. I'm the only one I know who can do 4 for 1)

1. In Good Company - all I seem to see are very very good reviews about this movie. Seriously, they're everywhere. Topher Grace & Dennis Quaid look like they have chemistry, judging from the trailers. Then again they have worked together in Traffic.

2. Meet the Fockers - I definitely need to watch this because I loved Meet the Parents (which is in my movie collection). Looks funnier than the first one because of the added characters played by 2 excellent (Oscar-winning) actors: Dustin Hoffman & Barbra Streisand. I also love the DeNiro-Stiller tandem.

3. Are We There Yet? - the trailers for this movie made me laugh. Ice Cube dealing with naughty kids? Funny.

4. The Phantom of the Opera - what can I say, I'm a sucker for musicals. Also received great reviews and is a contender for the upcoming Academy Awards.

Oscar contenders I can wait for a week or 2 before watching

5. The Aviator - I'm not a big fan of Leo, but I gotta admit, this could be his finest acting yet. And anyway I'm a fan of Scorsese.

6. Million Dollar Baby - A strong contender for Best Actress (Hilary Swank), Best Director (Clint Eastwood), and Best Picture. Need I say more?

Not in theatres anymore (but may be re-released due to the possible Oscar noms)

7. Ray - a shoo-in for Best Actor (Jamie Foxx). I love it when a black comedian does drama and gets a standing ovation by the uptight white people of Hollywood. Play on playa!

8. Sideways - a comedy that has a great acting ensemble, even though the actors are not well-known (well they will be after the awards season).

9. Closer - another great acting ensemble, this time for drama and w/ known actors. Perhaps the least-known is Clive Owen, my future husband and Golden Globe award winner for Best Supporting Actor (hope you win the Oscar Clive!).

10. Finding Neverland - the art direction looks great and it's interesting to see how the writers can fictionalize the background of Peter Pan.

---

I'd like to thank everybody that greeted me on (and before and after) my birthday through email, Friendster, text, phone call, surprise party, and LJ (gee I wonder who that is :D). I'm sorry I could not generate a list of those that greeted me, but you know who you are ;).

A special thank you to my sister for organizing a surprise party at the Alvero residence, even though she knows I didn't like my surprise debut. It's the thought & effort that counts. I thought my friends and I were going to watch Meet the Fockers, even though I really wanted to stay at home to watch the premiere of American Idol (the bad auditions is the best part). But hey, the surprise happened. At least I got to watch American Idol in a party atmosphere (instead of alone in my room on my bday) with a lot of people laughing with me (and at the bad auditioners). It was also a 2-hr special just for the Washington, DC auditions.

DC represent!

oops

Tue, 11 Jan 2005 16:27:31 GMT

I forgot that I said in one of my entries "Tagaytay pics to follow"
Well here are a few, I'm too lazy to resize & upload more...

Joey

Mon, 10 Jan 2005 05:37:53 GMT

A few entries back, I mentioned that the Friends spin-off Joey was just okay. It hasn't garnered enough laughs from me compared to other shows. But now, the situation has improved - because of guest star Lucy Liu as Joey's compulsive executive producer Lauren.

Up until 2 episodes ago, the only bright spot in the sitcom was Emmy award winner (for her work in The Sopranos) Drea de Matteo as Joey's sister Gina. I love their chemistry as New York Italian bro & sis (most recent thing they did that made me laugh was pretending to speak Italian). Then in comes Lauren, and I thought it was gonna be like their Charlie's Angels pairing: a clueless actor dating a butt-kicker. Which was not a problem for me, however, it was not like that - and it turned out much funnier. I love their actor-producer relationship, they've got that hilarious employee-boss chemistry. And of course, who can play a high-powered executive biotch better than Lucy Liu.

I wonder how long she will guest star in Joey. It has been 2 episodes already, and they still haven't hooked up (then again Joey was dating his co-star in their show). It was announced in late November that she will be on the show for at least 2 episodes. I know she's on for a 3rd episode because I've seen the previews.

If I had a chance to talk to one of the producers of Joey, I would ask him/her to keep Lucy Liu as part of the cast. But then, she's a big star, and I doubt she would go back to TV w/ a supporting role (BTW this is her first TV appearance since Ally McBeal). Hopefully she would have a recurring role (kinda like Jennifer Coolidge as Joey's agent), wherein she would guest star on some episodes but is not really part of the cast.

Kudos to whoever convinced Lucy Liu to be on Joey (was it her good buddy Matt?). It was a stroke of genius to cast her as Joey's attractive (but unattainable) boss.

Addendum
I keep forgetting that she's Asian. She has fit in so much w/ the white people in Hollywood that it always escapes my mind (BTW she's the first Asian woman to host SNL). Go Asian women in Hollywood!

Brad & Jen

Sun, 09 Jan 2005 01:24:12 GMT

As I was driving home this afternoon, I heard some bad news on the radio - Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston have officially separated... sniff! For me, that was the Hollywood couple that would surely last. In the industry where divorce happens everyday, this was the only sure thing that appeared rock solid. Apparently not (Brad Pitt even said that he doesn't think it's possible for 2 people to be soulmates, and be monogamous... WHAT?). All around the country people have been expressing their sadness on the sudden news. Kelly Ripa said on Live w/ Regis & Kelly: "I've never felt so much sorrow for two people that I don't know." (of course she must be exaggerating because after that they talked about the tsunami victims, and that is much more sorrowful).

Celebrity marriages - there's nothing to believe in anymore!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=796&e=1&u=/eo/20050108/en_celeb_eo/15663
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=765&e=1&u=/nm/20050108/people_nm/people_pitt_dc

26... ugh

Wed, 05 Jan 2005 03:20:30 GMT

As the B Day draws near, I am getting anxious about turning 26. That is after 25, which is right smack dab in the middle of the 20's. For me, the mid-20's has the best years of a person's life - independent, single (for me anyway), free (which in some cases can be a synonym of "independent," not here though). Now I will be beyond the smack dab middle and, before I know it, I'm 30 (ugh). And if I don't have a husband by the age of 30, friends and relatives will become pushier about me finding a guy (it's not that easy to find a soulmate you know!).

So... 26... yeah... I have 14 days left to enjoy my silverness... yes that's a word, I invented it.

On the other hand, American Idol 4 will debut on the said B Day, wheeeee...

copied from the_chemist and sleepyhead_muse

Tue, 04 Jan 2005 03:39:20 GMT

LAST MOVIE YOU SAW IN A THEATER:	Panaghoy sa Suba
WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW:	Bleachers by John Grisham
FAVORITE BOARD GAME:	Sorry!
FAVORITE MAGAZINE:	People
FAVORITE SMELLS:	The Body Shop's White Musk
COMFORT FOOD:	Clover chips
FAVORITE SOUNDS:	definitely not one of a wailing baby/toddler
WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD:	when I feel guilty and there's nothing I could do about the situation
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING:	where the hell is the snooze button
FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE:	Taco Bell
FUTURE CHILD'S NAME:	Julia, bec my mom's 2nd name is Julianna. I also like Grace
FINISH THIS STATEMENT: "IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY, I WOULD":	Buy a big house and set up a room dedicated only to watching movies. Also start a production company and buy state-of-the-art filmmaking equipment
DO YOU DRIVE FAST:	no
DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL:	no
STORMS -- COOL OR SCARY:	cool, there's something calming about storms for me
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR:	rav 4, and still is
FAVORITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK:	Bailey's
FINISH THIS STATEMENT,'IF I HAD THE TIME, I WOULD LOVE TO':	go back to the Philippines
DO YOU EAT THE STEMS OF BROCCOLI:	yes
IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY COLOR, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE:	I wouldn't
GLASS HALF-EMPTY OR FULL:	the latter
HOW MANY CITIES/TOWNS HAVE YOU LIVED IN:	officially, 5 - QC (until I was 1), P'que, Silver Spring (not really true but legally speaking), Germantown (only for 7 months), Laurel
FAVORITE PLACE TO RELAX:	NC
FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH:	basketball
WHAT IS UNDER YOUR BED:	storage boxes w/ summer clothes (bec I'd rather not wear them in the winter)
TOILET PAPER/ PAPER TOWEL--OVER OR UNDER:	excuse me?
CREATE YOUR OWN! - or - GET PAID TO TAKE SURVEYS!

It's good to be back

Mon, 03 Jan 2005 12:50:45 GMT

Yes I had the time of my life in the Philippines, and yes I wished that I lived in Manila again, working at my old company (because I forgot how much fun that was), hanging out at ATC or GB3 or watching a movie in Powerplant. Even doing the simple things like errands in BF, driving around the village, playing basketball in our (less than half) court, walking to church, etc.

But after 2-3 days (time zone difference) of traveling and 40 hours of no sleep, with 30 hours of no food in my stomach, and getting sick in the airport and in the plane, I think it's safe to say that it's good to be back in Maryland... but that also means that it's back to reality.

Bleh :P

As requested

Mon, 27 Dec 2004 10:56:39 GMT

I apologize for my outgoing email, for some reason it won't send using dial-up. Anyway, I'll just post the pics from Dec 25 here...

Carino (our batch is complete again)

of the jungle

Who's that ?

Let's see the

Migs taking pictures of

I did some of my own (taking pics that is), and here's

Now let's

The taking a refreshment break

Tagaytay pics to follow...