A Decision

I just made a crucial decision.

Okay. So crucial may be over-exaggerating.

Anyway, I still made a decision. -shrug-

My mom was going to buy me an electronic device in Qatar. It'd be like her 18th birthday gift too me (even if it's a lot of months away). She told me to choose between a digital camera (with 10 to 12 megapixels) or a cellphone equipped with a camera, capable of wi-fi, and has the touch screen feature. Uwaaah! But, really, it didn't take me long to ponder over this. I chose the digital camera. Why? Heck, I've always wanted my own camera. We got two digital cameras here but both of them are busted so we don't really have anything to use for special occasions.

But my aunt and my sis told me that I should have chosen the cellphone. My line of reasoning here is this: I already got a cellphone and it's still in good, working condition. There's really no reason to change it now. Also, most of the cellphones that get stolen nowadays are those types of cellphones. Haha! If ever that made sense... LOL! And I dearly love my present cellphone. It's such a dear, even if it only has one game (Bowling) and it can't store mp3's.

So there. Imma be expecting a camera sometime in April, when mom comes home. Wheee! Finalleeeeeeeeeeeh~

...is officially Tweeting

Finally! I got to create a Twitter account: http://twitter.com/JadaPS

Haha!

Blast to the Past

Ahh... It felt so good digging through all the stuff I've been keeping. I placed most of the stuff on a paper bag behind the bedroom door. I only had the initiative to clean it because it's getting cluttered. So, yeah. I found some memorable things:

1. [crappy] drawings I made in high school

2. cheesy excerpts from my "diary" - contains lyrics from my favorite songs back then, fan fiction summaries, and a letter to myself (shoot me)

3. a "Nips" container filled with gold glitter

4. couple of notebooks - with lyrics (OPM, English, and Japanese) XD

5. my Daniel Radcliffe autographed photo!! (TREASURE!)

6. a Christmas decoration in the shape of a star - it's the thing you hang on a Christmas tree... my friends and I used it as a keychain

7. my long-lost Kurapica keychain

8. a memorabilia from the K-Zone meet and greet (August 26, 2006??) - a K-Zone pouch!!

9. a drawing I made of Ino and Shikamaru walking on a beach - Shikamaru (thinking): "Did I just hear her say she liked me?" Ino (thinking): "Did I just say I liked him?" both of them were blushing - yarr! <3

10. my art materials - includes carton and different colors of yarn used for making susuwatari or soot sprites

11. a notebook containing information about the sequel to When the Piper Pipes

12. another notebook containing notes about The Dark Side of Love

13. still yet another notebook with my notes for Equip 222

14. a couple of photos

15. a project I made for Florante at Laura - Joshua from Fire Emblem was my Marte...

16. a lot of paper crap

Aah... The good times! As you may well see, I was a cheesy high school girl. Haha!

Book Review - Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley

Rating: 9/10

I love, love, love, love, love this book! After reading cheesy tales about vampires, Beauty by Robin McKinley is a delight! It relives the beautiful love story of Beauty and the enchanted Beast. The characters are amazing because I can say that everything that Beauty experiences, I have experienced also. Not that we're the same; it's just that we both loved books and we're both antisocial. Ha! There you go! Well, anyway, throughout the book, there's this aura of nobility and gentleness whenever the Beast is in a scene. It's like you've always known that there's something in him. (Haha! That was really vague, but whatever...)

It's such a lovely story and I'm not at all regretting buying it over Jack London's book. Now, I want to read more fairy tales!

Just to give you a glimpse of one of the nicest scenes throughout the story:

"Shall we go down then?" he said. He turned, and waved me towards the staircase.
I looked at him a moment. "Aren't you going to offer me your arm?" I said.
There was a silence, while we stared at one another, as if every candle, every tile in the mosaic floor and coloured thread in the tapestries, had caught its breath and was holding it as it watched. The Beast walked the few paces back to me, turned, and offered me his arm. I laid my hand on it, and we walked downstairs.
- excerpt from page 185

(Seriously, I felt a nice tugging at my heart while I was reading that part. And it was nothing like the effect produced by Twilight.)

super RANDOM post

• Bakit ang corny ng Agua Bendita? Ahahahaha!.. Hindi lang pala yun. Lahat pala ng Pinoy drama shows, lalo na yung sa TV5. Mas cheesy pa sa Twilight! At sobrang cliche!.. Pasensya naman... Hindi ako masyadong nationalistic pagdating sa Filipino entertainment industry...
  
• Ang cute ng Sunken Garden kanina! Andaming balloons! (OvO) <- parang bata..
• Today, we received our results for our 2nd exam in Kas 2. I had a grade of nearly-2.0-but-I'd-rather-prefer-1.75-thank-you 1.87, which is an improvement from a 3.0. :D
• Na-move ang Kas 2 3rd exam!! Instead of March 22, we'll be having it on March 24. Thank God! Andami kayang babasahin!..
• ...At naalala ni Mam Mata ang term paper sa English 11. Bakeet? Pero, I'll probably be doing a paper on We can them for you wholesale.
• But, on the other hand, we'll be having a take-home exam which is super win!
• Natutuwa naman akong masyado sa mga joke sa radyo... Nakalimutan ko na yung station, basta ang corny ng jokes pero natatawa ako... Kahit paulit-ulit lang...
• Ang cute ng If I were you na song ni Jason Castro!! I <3>
• Dunno why, but I wanna see KHQ-ers. Like now.
• I've decided to go org-less...
• UP is so pretty this time of the year. Setting the extreme heat aside, the trees are lovely. There are a row of trees beside the Mech Eng'g lab that drop tiny "stars" on your head. When the wind blows, there're so many of these "stars!" Maybe if you stand there for a few minutes, you'll have a "star" crown on your head. :D
• There are also some trees in front of Palma Hall that shed these cottony spores. They're flying all over you. Haha! Sometimes, I want to pick one and take it home with me. They're so cute, they make you sneeze! :D
• I'm halfway through New Moon. I think I like it better than Twilight. BUT I still don't like the saga. There you go!
• I want to eat cotton candy. Everytime I see the cotton candy man, there's always something that stops me from buying.. DX
  

Movie Review - Changeling

Rating: 9/10

Changeling stars Angelina Jolie in the role of Christine Collins, a single mother during 1928 America. On the 10th of March 1928, she leaves for work because a co-worker called in sick. She left her son, Walter, at home listening to the radio. When she arrived, she found that he was gone. She begins a search for her missing son. A few months later, the police declare that they have found her son. But when Christine sees him, she insists that it is not Walter, it is not her son. Thus, begins the heart-breaking story of a mother whose one wish is to see her son again.

Aww. This movie is a tear-jerker and a great tribute to mothers. It just proves that they will do anything (even enter an asylum) to search for their children. The scene I loved best (and probably the most dramatic one) was when Christine watched as another mother was reunited with her lost son after five years. In the following scene, she tells the police officer that the reunion had given her what she had lost: hope. It's bittersweet to know that, after all the setbacks, Christine Collins never believed that her son was dead and that she kept looking for him.

Changeling touches our emotional side in a deep way. I hope that you'll be able to watch it in the future because it's so beautiful.

English 11 class party

So Miss Mata announced that we were going to have a class party on the 23rd of March 2010 at the Adarna Restaurant along Kalayaan Avenue. It's a costume party and we're supposed to dress up like our favorite character from a work of fiction. If I ever come, I'll be decked in pirate regalia again, although my English 11 class has seen it. I'm too lazy to dress up as something else. Anyway, problem is, I can't figure out if I'll come or not. It's a party so there's a lot of drinking involved. I want to stay away from that so, yeah. Also, dinner will be on ourselves so we have to bring money along. But the thing is, the winner of best costume will receive an expensive anthology. I wonder what that is... That's exactly why I'd like to go... You see, I'm raising my hopes that I'd win (hands down to anyone who'd come in dressed like the very old man with enormous wings or the spider-woman...). XD

So that's about it. But my gut tells me not to go... Because I'm lazy, like that.

Course... Dilemma?

Well, see, I've been pondering this problem again. I thought I'd resigned myself to the fact that I'd be continuing my present course, BA Journalism, because it didn't rain that Friday. Err. That's weird, I know, but I needed a sign and it didn't come. That means I wouldn't shift to the Creative Writing program. But when I think of plots, characters, and adjectives, I can't help thinking of the possibility: what if Creative Writing is really meant for me? I sure can't make up my mind! Sometimes, I tell myself that I'll finish Journalism first and then take another four-year course on Creative Writing, or maybe just the non-Baccalaureate Creative Writing certificate. But I worry myself sick when I think about taking CW 100 in my third year, first semester... (I'm not really convinced that's a good idea and that I might get A LOT of scolding from my adviser but who cares. I want to take the Elective, for goodness' sake!) What if I suddenly change my mind while taking CW 100 and decide to shift to the program? Hell, I'll be in my third year and only three or four semesters away from that coveted diploma and now I'll be changing my mind? I just feel so guilty, is all...

Okay, so let's say I did shift to Creative Writing this summer, after all. Yehey! Happy!... But what if I suddenly think that the syllabus, the professors, my classmates, and the course itself sucked? Would I run back to the College of Mass Communication and decide to take Journalism again? AAGH! -tears hair- My thoughts are so full of what if's. I envy people who are really persistent in shifting out from their present courses. And those who won't. At least, they know what they're doing and have made up their mind about what they're going to do in the future... (I don't want to end up studying in a college in my province because I got kicked out of UP for spending more than 6 years.)

I have to find out just where the "bend in the road" is and what my "Alpine Path" would look like, is all...

Either way, both courses are still concerned with writing. The only difference is that they work in different forms. If I do continue with Journalism, I'd take up Feature Writing. I have it all mapped out but I'm seriously having doubts. God help me.

... On the other hand, at least I'm a normal seventeen year old worrying about her future. So there! :)

JASON CASTRO!!

March 18, 2010

WAAAAAAAH!

I just came back from Jason Castro's show on Trinoma and my... feet... hurt... But it was okay! It was worth it! To see Jason sing live is a rare chance, not all of us get to see him in person (or even know him). Well, it started out at 7PM and the last song ended at around 7:45PM so it was really short. He sang, like, 10 songs, I think... Or even less than that.

It's a little disappointing 'cause I didn't have the chance to take a picture of him performing. I didn't bring the camera; it was slightly broken. I didn't even get the CD or the poster autographed. The people there said that the first 100 only get to meet him after the show... And I wasn't one of them!

I thought 5:30 was early enough for a 7PM so I took my time. Maybe I should have come earlier, at around 4PM? I thought I was a fangirl but there are girls there who are... fangirl-er than I am. XD

Okay. So the performance. It was nice, lots of girls screaming... One woman shouted, "I LOVE YOU, JASON!!" and he said, "I love you, too!" That sent the audience screaming like crazy! Haha! It was sort of funny 'cause he was doing trivial things like drink water or wipe his face and all the girls would scream, "AAAAAAAAH!!" LOL! Well, I thought that was funny.

Hmm... A lot of people are going to ask me, "What does he look like?" And I'd tell them, "Well, just like how you see him on television!" Because it's true! Like, do you expect him to morph or to look like someone else in person? He looks cuter in person, though. :D His hair (on dreadlocks) is so long that it reaches to his waist. (Err... Is it just me or is his hair really long?..) The first time I saw him, I only saw dreadlocks.... O_O Haha! No, really! (Mesh was right when she said that he came from a pirate movie.) But he was cuter in person, definitely! Oh yeah. Jason was wearing a light gray shirt, dark denim pants, and brown shoes. Just simple. Nothing fancy about it. I guess people like that... It's his trademark. :D

I couldn't understand what Jason was saying or the lyrics to the songs (I could only sing along to Let's just fall in love again) because I was sort of standing behind the speakers. It sounded like, "Buurrburrbururuurrrr...." and lalalala... Haha! But it was really cute when he was practicing (at around 6PM). I was sitting in front of Jollibee and the people waiting in line started screaming so I ran near the fence (?) and caught a glimpse of Jason and his companion practicing. He was saying, "1, 2, check" over and over again (sounded more like 1, 2, sheck, though). After a few seconds, he started strumming his guitar and sang "1, 2, check." I think that's cute. Well, yeah...

Anyway, there weren't A LOT of people around. Maybe because he's not as famous as David Cook or David Archuleta... But that was alright. I was able to see him close enough from where I was standing. I had to stand there for such a long time so as not to lose my place. If I moved even an inch away, the people behind me would rush in to fill the space, so I was careful about that. But my feet really hurt now. :D

Most of the songs he sang were from his new album. He did sing Hallelujah and Somewhere over the Rainbow (while playing a small guitar... is that a ukelele?). But, really, most of them were slow but still catchy. I got a little sleepy but when you hear the audience screaming, you'd wake up immediately... It wasn't boring, though. Just sleepy... Hehe... Did that make sense?

Well, the experience was amazing! Hey, I got to watch an Idol contestant perform live! Isn't that an achievement?.. I think it is... LOL!

Oh yeah. I bought the Love Uncompromised EP for 200 pesos and it came with a free poster! Is that a deal?.. I'm giving it to my sister 'cause she's graduating this month. It's sort of early but that's alright. After all, it is Jason Castro and I know she'd brag about it in school... XD

I came alone, by the way. Laude was reviewing for exams and Leslie was at home doing a paper. :D

I took a taxi back to the dorm because there were no jeepneys in Trinoma and I'm too lazy to cross the footbridge to SM North. It costs 77.50 but the driver charged 80 pesos. Well, that's about alright, I think. :D

I do hope Jason would come back to the Philippines again and, this time, have a major concert. That'd be great!

Rock on~

P.S. Be jealous. Be very jealous. XD

Birthday bash~

Today was my dear bebz's, Regina's, 17th birthday. After watching The Event on pay per view TV, my sister and I went to Carmine bebz's house. By 3PM, we walked to the birthday girl's house and went inside the gate without invitation. LOL. We're that sort of bebz friends.

Anyway, we ate pancit palabok, bread, iced tea, and four flavors of ice cream (Round 1) and took lots of pictures. :) After that, we went to their room upstairs and just lay there. Regina bebz took care of a case study she was working on. Patricia, her sister, entertained us. Actually, we sort of tormented her and teased her a lot because that's entertainment for us. Then, Marvin came and played some tunes on Regina's guitar. Oh, we also colored a pencil drawing by Patricia in totally weird colors. Carmine named the guy "Ava" while the girl is named "Tar." So yeah. We had a lot of fun doing the masterpiece. XD

Some time later, we had Round 2 which consists of pancit palabok, pancit canton, lechon manok, pork barbecue, sliced yellow mangoes, leche flan, iced tea, and four flavors of ice cream with chocolate syrup. Yum! No one really cared about the ube flavor, by the way.

After resting for a while, we said our goodbyes and went home. Whheeeee~

It was totally fun! We had a lotta laughs! I miss my bebz already. Happy 17th birthday, bebzies~

Rant-y

Ahem. Ahem.

I just want to speak my mind AGAIN about this friend issue.

Ahem, people. What can you do if they don't want you in their group? Like, hello!? They've been together for so long, and why the heck are you questioning their closeness? Well, duh! They're F-R-I-E-N-D-S and not like you who bash each other and then pretend like you're friends! You never tire of backstabbing and saying bad things about each other! I don't wonder why they don't want you into their group. For sure, *grunt* you're going to do something that'll destroy their oh-so-perfect relationship. I just know. Take my word for it, honeys... Because you can never resist a good BASHING.

So don't you dare try to attack them like that again. The nerve of you saying that, acting like you're all high and mighty. Excuse me, puhleeze... Stop it, 'cause you don't want me saying this to you in person.

End.

Book Review - Congo by Michael Crichton

Rating: 9/10

Whoo! I like Congo better than Rising Sun because it's more of a science-plus-archaeology-plus-technology kind of book. Like Jack West in Seven Deadly Wonders, I liked Captain Munro's character best. He's a military man, strong and able, and very dependable. Unlike West, though, I think he's more believable. Anyway, I also liked the rest of the [surviving] expedition team, especially Amy the gorilla. She's such a dear thing... And, once again, Crichton makes you believe that what he's talking about is true by writing with confidence, like an expert. He's such a great writer! I'm looking forward to reading more of his works.. :)

Book Review - Twlight by Stephenie Meyer

Rating: 4/10

Err. Yeah, I know I just read crap but whatever. I was trying to find out what made Twilight click among teenage girls, and I think I found out. Bingo. Cheesiness... What else? It's a cauldron brimming with cheesiness. You know, I cringe whenever I read those lines. I've copied a couple of 'em and you're going to read them in a little while (see if you'll cringe or not). Frankly, as I was reading it, the style of writing isn't all fabulous, unlike Katherine Paterson's (author of Bridge to Terabithia) and other fantasy authors' were. I'd gladly classify it under "good fanfiction writing" because I think that's just what it is. (Well, after all, the great Stephen King did make a comment on Stephenie Meyer's books.) Perhaps it is the simple way it was written and the puppy love rush you get while reading it that made the series such a hit among the youth. But I don't really see myself immersed in this sort of series. I'd much rather prefer something more adventurous or full of action. Twilight was all romance and all that stuff. Sure, there was the vampire thing but, as far as I can see, that's the only fantastic thing about it. Stephenie Meyer even made a daring move as to uproot our standards of what a vampire should be. That's a brave step, but in this case, her vampires are too fabulous, too perfect to be true. Her idea of vampires is downright ridiculous. Bleh. It's probably all been said before (the criticism). But the book (unfortunately, I guess) hit its mark and girls the world over are screaming like crazy.. I guess it's just weird for me 'cause I tend to read "classic" and "science fiction" books.

I know I should have given it a lower rating but there were (strictly) three things I liked:

1. Carlisle

2. the story of Rosalie and Emmett

3. Alice

And there! Plus one point for the effort. :D

Anyway, here are the cheesy lines, as promised:

Excerpt from page 108:

He waited in the car, not appearing to watch as I shut the door behind me without bothering to lock the dead-bolt. I walked to the car, pausing shyly before opening the door and stepping in. He was smiling, relaxed — and, as usual, perfect and beautiful to an excruciating degree.
"Good morning." His voice was silky. "How are you today?" His eyes roamed over my face, as if his question was something more than simple courtesy.
"Good, thank you." I was always good — much more than good — when I was near him.

Excerpt from page 114:

I didn't hesitate this time, climbing in the passenger side quickly, the sooner to see his face. He grinned his crooked smile at me, stopping my breath and my heart. I couldn't imagine how an angel could be any more glorious. There was nothing about him that could be improved upon.

Excerpt from page 117:

"I'll try." He still grinned. "And you try to be safe, please."
"Safe in Forks — what a challenge."
"For you it is a challenge." His jaw hardened. "Promise."
"I promise to try to be safe," I recited. "I'll do the laundry tonight — that ought to be fraught with peril."
"Don't fall in," he mocked.
"I'll do my best."
He stood then, and I rose, too.
"I'll see you tomorrow," I sighed.
"It seems like a long time to you, doesn't it?" he mused.
I nodded glumly.
"I'll be there in the morning," he promised, smiling his crooked smile. He reached across the table to touch my face, lightly brushing along my cheekbone again. Then he turned and walked away. I stared after him until he was gone.

Excerpt from page 118:

When the school day had finally ended, I walked to the parking lot without enthusiasm. I did not especially want to walk home, but I couldn't see how he would have retrieved my truck. Then again, I was starting to believe that nothing was impossible for him. The latter instinct proved correct — my truck sat in the same space he'd parked his Volvo in this morning. I shook my head, incredulous, as I opened the unlocked door and saw the key in the ignition.
There was a piece of white paper folded on my seat. I got in and closed the door beforeI unfolded it. Two words were written in his elegant script.
Be safe.

Excerpt from page 121:

"I won't let you get lost." He turned then, with a mocking smile, and I stifled a gasp. His white shirt was sleeveless, and he wore it unbuttoned, so that the smooth white skin of his throat flowed uninterrupted over the marble contours of his chest, his perfect musculature no longer merely hinted at behind concealing clothes. He was too perfect, I realized with a piercing stab of despair. There was no way this godlike creature could be meant for me.

Excerpt from page 123:

Edward in the sunlight was shocking. I couldn’t get used to it, though I'd been staring at him all afternoon. His skin, white despite the faint flush from yesterday's hunting trip, literally sparkled, like thousands of tiny diamonds were embedded in the surface. He lay perfectly still in the grass, his shirt open over his sculpted, incandescent chest, his scintillating arms bare. His glistening, pale lavender lids were shut, though of course he didn't sleep. A perfect statue, carved in some unknown stone, smooth like marble, glittering like crystal.

Excerpt from page 129:

"Isabella." He pronounced my full name carefully, then playfully ruffled my hair with his free hand. A shock ran through my body at his casual touch. "Bella, I couldn't live with myself if I ever hurt you. You don't know how it's tortured me." He looked down, ashamed again. "The thought of you, still, white, cold… to never see you blush scarlet
again, to never see that flash of intuition in your eyes when you see through my pretenses… it would be unendurable." He lifted his glorious, agonized eyes to mine. "You are the most important thing to me now. The most important thing to me ever."
My head was spinning at the rapid change in direction our conversation had taken. From the cheerful topic of my impending demise, we were suddenly declaring ourselves. He waited, and even though I looked down to study our hands between us, I knew his golden eyes were on me. "You already know how I feel, of course," I finally said. "I'm here… which, roughly translated, means I would rather die than stay away from you." I frowned. "I'm an idiot."

Excerpt from page 147 to 148:

"You were very deeply asleep; I didn't miss anything." His eyes gleamed. "The talking came earlier."
I groaned. "What did you hear?"
His gold eyes grew very soft. "You said you loved me."
"You knew that already," I reminded him, ducking my head.
"It was nice to hear, just the same."
I hid my face against his shoulder.
"I love you," I whispered.
"You are my life now," he answered simply.
There was nothing more to say for the moment. He rocked us back and forth as the room grew lighter.

Excerpt from page 150:

"Are you going to tell Charlie I'm your boyfriend or not?" he demanded.
"Is that what you are?" I suppressed my internal cringing at the thought of Edward and Charlie and the word boy friend all in the same room at the same time.
"It's a loose interpretation of the word 'boy,' I'll admit."
"I was under the impression that you were something more, actually," I confessed, looking at the table.
"Well, I don't know if we need to give him all the gory details." He reached across the table to lift my chin with a cold, gentle finger. "But he will need some explanation for why I'm around here so much. I don't want Chief Swan getting a restraining order put on me."
"Will you be?" I asked, suddenly anxious. "Will you really be here?"
"As long as you want me," he assured me.
"I'll always want you," I warned him. "Forever."

(If you'd care to notice, the excerpts begin from page 108 and onwards. That's because that's where the real cheesy parts come in.)

Enjoy reading, I guess?

P.S. I think I'll continue reading the series. It's not because I'm interested but just because I want to really know why girls love this. Of course, not all girls. I hope that I don't get too involved. XP

Book Review - Rising Sun by Michael Crichton

Rating: 8/10

This was another great book by Michael Crichton. It's not that deep in science like Jurassic Park was, though. Rising Sun is about the "invasion" of the Japanese into the American economy. Frankly, Crichton is telling us all the truth that we choose to ignore. If we're not careful, we just might get into this situation. (Hell, we're in this situation already.) It's business and technology for the most part but there was also an exciting police adventure. I felt really nervous at the end of page 355. And I think that's one of the beauties of Michael Crichton's works: he makes you really feel and think what he wants you to feel and think. I guess you could picture a master puppeeter here 'cause that's exactly what the late Crichton is. There's that ability to manipulate us which is sort of rare in today's literature.

So, yeah. This one's a great book although the business part of it makes me dizzy. Next up is Congo.

Some food for thought: This is clearly the situation the Philippines is in. It's unmistakable. I mean, I see those Korean stores lined up all over the city. They're even in our campuses. Next thing we know? They'll be taking over the business sector (haven't they already?) and running for government positions (if that's even possible...). How's that? In a few years it could happen, no? Oh well... *shrug shrug* We let the Philippines get exploited because the government believes we can't stand on our own and we need foreign investors. Like, yeah, we need them. They're practically all over us. :P

Movie Review - Alice in Wonderland

Rating: 8/10

So Tim Burton really did a nice turn for this classic by adding special effects and all that shizz he's known for, but still, something is desperately missing in this movie. The characters are nice, funny, and insanely weird, just the kind that you'll expect from the famed director. But, story-wise? I think he and his crew infused so much creativity into the characters that it was all used up by the time they thought of the plot. The story is predictable, cliche, easily forgettable, and whatever you might call it. It just isn't Tim Burton-y... For me, at least.

I've got some good to say about the movie (don't worry). The actors were awesome! Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter did their roles justice. Mia Wasikowska proved herself to be a great actress, and so did Anne Hathaway (yet again). The CGI animation was done pretty well. Wonderland looks great with the Tim Burton touch. I especially liked the March Hare; he's so crazy and his laugh is so funny! Also, the Cheshire Cat was adorable. I love him! He's as adorable as the [fat] puss-in-boots. The Jabberwocky and Bandersnatch were great creations. I'm glad that Johnny Depp recited "Jabberwocky" in the movie because you could say the lines along with him. :D

(Well, it's my first time watching a movie in 3D and all I can say is that it's awesome, except for the screen because it's sort of bitin... But it was nice all the same.)

Isko-rabble 2010

Isko-rabble 2010, worked out by the U.P. Scrabble Club, occurred last Saturday, 6 March 2010. As students of Ms. Filio in PE2, we were asked to join the competition which will enable us to receive the 20% allotted for our final exam. Those who wouldn't come will be required to take a written exam. Of course, I chose to join the competition not because it's exciting but because it doesn't matter if you win or lose 5 times; you'll still get your 20%.

The night before, 5 March, I asked God to provide me with enough knowledge and wisdom to win at least 4 games. Kyah~

So, the next day, all of us were shaking with nervousness as they announced our opponents. Fortunately enough, my first opponent was one of my classmates so everything is alright and smooth. Anyway, I won three in a row. After three grueling hours of thinking, we had our one hour of lunch (which was good because we were all shaking with hunger). Some of the participants and I proceeded to KFC on TechnoHub where we ate. Duh.

By 12:4o, we were back at the venue (New Gym). It wasn't starting yet but there sure was still tension in the air. Few minutes later, they announced our opponents for the fourth round. I was called first and was paired with a Clifford. He wasn't part of Ms. Filio's class. I think he was one of the applicants for the organization, or he's already member. Doesn't matter. But he was pretty good. REALLY good. I took a glance at his record of games and saw a 687 (I think...) on his cumulative spread. I was shocked. And very, very nervous. Heck, my hands were really shaking by this time. In addition to that, I heard a seatmate say, "Ayokong makalaban si Clifford. 'Pag kinalaban ko siya, magiging negative 500 ang score ko!"

Fifty minutes later, the 4th round was over and I lost. Well, that was expected. LOL. He managed to put in 2 bingo words. The spread for our fight was 119 (that's because he managed to insert the word RETOOLS which earned him a bingo and since he used up all his tiles, those on my rack were counted, multiplied twice and added to his score). So the spread throughout the fight wasn't really that large.

Then came surprise. While we were re-arranging the tiles, he told me that he was very nervous with every turn he made, seeing the not-so-small difference with our scores. I thought, "Shouldn't I be the one who's supposed to be nervous?" But he said again and again that he was really nervous. And, as I was leaving the table, I heard him say to a club member, "Magaling si ate kasi kahit hindi siya naka-Scrabble, malapit lang talaga ang scores namin."

You know what? That felt better than winning against him, because he won all five fights. To have that said of me is flattering and reminds me of this other guy I fought in Kalai during the Sportsfest. He pretty much said the same thing.

Not that I'm "nagbubuhat ng sariling bangko" (but it does sound like it, eh?). I just want to say that having your abilities appreciated and noticed by the best competitors felt better than winning. I'd rather not win if everyone said the same thing. Haha! Anyway, I'm looking forward to more of these competitions.

Book Review - Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Rating: 10/10

I love Peter Pan! It's such a nice book that makes you want to relax when you read it, no hurry at all! J.M. Barrie's way of writing is simple and humorous. It's a delight to read! The plot is pretty and the characters are charming. I definitely love Peter, Tink, Smee, Hook, and Slightly. They're funny little characters! What bothers me, though, is the presence of violence since, as I understand it, Peter Pan was supposed to be a children's book. But, whatever. Even that is shed in a comedic way.

I hope more people would pay attention to classic books because they contain so much information and delight that we'll never find anywhere else. Books are treasures.