THE SUMMER OF 2011: The First One

April 02-04, 2011-The place was Orica Philippines Inc., Lamao, Limay, Bataan. It was our 4^th time there. It consists of two houses: they look the same, like twins. The only difference is that the first one has centralized air; the other has this humongous fan. We usually stay at the first one, but this time, we’ll be staying on the other. They say it’s already occupied.

  We left at 6:00pm, together with the whole family and my Aunt with her husband and kid. Of course Dutch the Byotch is with us, wiggling her tail along the way. We arrived there after 15 long minutes. Usually I’d bring my entire Harry Potter DVD at knowing that we’ll stay at the other house I’d decided not to. I just brought my laptop and MP3 player.

            I played billiards with my Aunt’s Hubby. At first I thought that that was a particularly boring sport: you’ll just shoot the balls on one of those pockets. I wondered how this sport made some people miss their classes and ended up broke for losing their money betting on games. My performance was superb but I lost. Billiards is not for me apparently.

            We ate Chicken and Pork Adobo for dinner and as soon as it’s over, my Aunt prepared nuts. Like boiled nuts you eat when you go long journeys. It was 9pm when I figured I want to swim, so I did with my sister and cousin. The water was warm. It just lasted for 30 minutes. The place was creepy! Tall trees around you and the place is pretty dark. Then you’ll hear ghost stories everywhere. Well, no ghost can scare me: after Headless Nick, what else is out there?

            The next morning we ate Champorado. Oh, it was my sister’s birthday and her friends will be coming over. At 10am I grilled some fish and pork. My other Aunts will be coming over as well. I must say being swallowed with grill smoke won’t improve anyone’s smell of things. As soon as it’s over, I plunged at the pool once again but this time with my other little sister. She wore this pink bathing suit. Well, she’s not a fan of pools. As soon as I steppes inside it she wants to get out because she was afraid she’ll drown. That lasted for about 40 minutes then we got ourselves dry.

            My Aunts came bringing more food and cakes and when they left, we came back to the pool. This time, sister was up to nail it. She loved swimming so much that she didn’t want to get out. I’ve managed to convince her when I told her that Nagini was coming. It was effective.

            The funny thing was the wet clothes we wore went straight to the washers. I find this really funny because we’ll be going home with less dirty clothes.

            On the evening of that day, the dinner was all that was left from lunch. We watched television a bit. My parents went to the pool that night. They were busy the whole day that’s why they obviously couldn’t do it until that point.

            I fell asleep at 12, which was impressive of me. We were told to wake up at 5 because we’ll be leaving at 6. That was irritating. We got home today and I fell asleep until half past 11 and I find that revolting. I hated myself for that.

            The first act this summer was not really good but wasn’t that bad. I hope for more challenging ones after this. Like being stuck in an island kind-of-thing.

 

Vacation Begins, Boredom Starts.

How many weeks was it since I last posted something? 3 weeks? I am terribly sorry for that. You see, something happened and I call it “College.” But now it’s over; finals ended last Friday and it was fun more than Rebecca Black‘s ‘Friday.”

Speaking of Rebecca Black, I know how awful her song is but it’s stuck on my head for a week now and you can say ‘boo’ but ‘Friday’ is very entertaining in so many levels.  Besides, my sister is singing it now all over the place and with its music video’s 23 million hits; it will remain stuck inside our heads for a long time.

Japan’s tsunami is so terrible. We must not punish ourselves for abusing mother earth for this; that does that help at all. What they need now are prayers from us hoping for their fast and easy recovery.

So vacation, how the hell am I suppose to deal with you now?

I was thinking of small business but that was always my plan for the last 5 summers. I hope I’ll be successful this time. Summer is on the verge of attacking us all with its ever so powerful heat and that is what I am dreading to encounter. What does it give us? Headache and the gift of being short tempered.

My agenda this summer is simple. Swim! Seriously, now is the time that I will never worry how my skin will turn out every time I plunge into the pool. I’ll go to every outing there is. In short, I’ll just enjoy this season.

I hope to update this site whenever something cool comes up.

Why GMA NEWS TV is a good thing.

You know the feeling when you’re in front of the TV, waiting for something that will answer your burning questions? Like there’s a storm going on at the moment, and you’re itching to find out if there’ll be a class or not? Well thanks to GMA, we’ll have GMA NEWS TV.

They mentioned a lot of new shows, and the one that caught my attention was the “Brigada,” That was one of the TV shows I remember when I was a kid. It was “Brigada 7” and the only one I remember from it was Jessica Sojo. Then they promised news per hour. This answers the worries and inquiries when times of distress occur. Will there be a class tomorrow?  Traffic where? Well, tune in into GMA NEWS TV. GMA NEWS is known for being credible, and now they seemed to be credible enough to launch a new channel. And not just any other channel, but a news channel.  Like freaking CNN, only that this one’s for free.

I am personally happy with this decision from GMA. There is no more question of what they value most, if it’s business or public service.  Although business remains somewhat a ‘initial’ thing, the fact that they could have launched a channel that can struck more money. Like lifestyle, cartoon, or a music channel. They seemed to be focused on the hungry-for-information side of the Filipinos. A smart idea on the whole, and about time!

What happened to QTV channel 11? Debunked? By the looks of it, it said on the news that it’ll be on channel 11, so that probably means QTV 11 no more. But how about American Idol and a lot of other shows? Will this go to GMA? The answers are yet to be found on Feb. 28, 2011, the date when they will air GMA NEWS TV.

The Journey with Harry Potter Part 4: A Goblet full of Fire

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was released on November 2008, and it was the first Harry Potter film that amazed my eyes. The Dragon CG was splendid. That time I’m already aware that I can read the series, and so I did. When I read the Goblet of Fire I was in awe with this new characters and dumbstruck when Voldemort returned. I should be clear on this: It was 2 months before the film release that I actually started reading the first book. Not the kind of reading I did before, I mean an actual thorough reading. Well, I was really pleased with myself. I stopped when I finished GoF, and I resumed reading the saga on December that year.

Reading the Order of the Phoenix was like riding an uncontrolled roller coaster. I was mildly intrigued when Cho went out with Harry, then split up as soon as they got together, which was tragic by the way. I never liked Cho Chang, because I knew and felt from the beginning that it will be Ginny who he’ll end up with. It was Christmas time when I finished reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I remember wearing something new for the Christmas Eve, and I finished reading it minutes before the mass started. I remember thinking about the death of Dumbledore throughout the mass, and nothing else came inside my head.

I was with my Tita Len when I watched Goblet of Fire. It was just on the local cinema. When we got there the movie was half-way through, and there was no enough seat. We stood up for 20 minutes before we can watch the movie properly.

A month after I watched it again with my late friend Cherry Lyn Vergara. It was on SM Pampanga, and we actually sneak out from the tour we should be having at the same town. Well it was with Che I talked about Harry Potter most of the time. She understood the magnitude of my desire to watch the movie, so she came with me.

 

Goblet of Fire was so heavy on some parts. I knew what Harry was feeling when he liked this girl, but that girl was already with someone, and that someone was an actual friend.

This time I knew I’m obsessed. I felt the need to grab any copy of a magazine that features any of the trio’s face. Then I started to like Orchestra, and my friends thought I have an old soul.

I remember walking out of the cinema thinking why the hell the guy who played Cedric Diggory looked nothing like to what I saw in my head. I though it was a miscast. Then I remember praying that time should run fast, because it’ll be two long years before the next movie will be shown. And of course, that’ll be also the time when Harry will meet his end, on the release of the final book.

The Journey with Harry Potter Part 3: The Dementors and Animagus and I can’t Let Go.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was released two years after Chamber of Secrets and I sort of hibernated. I have to be honest with this one. This movie was the only Harry Potter movie that I never got the chance to watch on an actual cinema. This was the time when my Mom lost the magic and she couldn’t stir herself to bring us to the mall, and so was Dad. I remember being pissed by that, and I remember how desperate I was to watch it. There were pirated copies of the movie weeks after it was shown and that’s where I watched it. The copy was pretty dark; bad quality and all that. That puts me off. I love Harry Potter but I hated that one.

This was the time when I got labeled as the Harry Potter geek. I would talk about Harry Potter on the hallways, to my friends, my relatives, to my mildly attentive sister, and to Mom all the time. That was the time when people started giving me gifts. I received a toothbrush and keychain from Hong Kong. I loved those of course. But I never used the toothbrush. The idea of brushing with holding Harry riding a broomstick seemed odd.

Harry looked different on this movie, and so am I. That’s when it hit me that Dan, Rupe and Emma are changing the same way I did. Puberty is the word here. That’s when I knew I am with them and I am growing up with them.

I just remember I was waiting for the next movie and I just couldn’t wait and I certainly can’t let go. Like a permanent sticking charm.

The Journey with Harry Potter Part 2: The Connection

It was not until Chamber of Secrets when I finally had to acknowledge Harry Potter as my ‘kind of thing.’ We went to see the 2^nd movie on a local cinema with my family. Then there’s Dobby and Moaning Myrtle. I shrieked in delight when Mom handed me the DVD of the movie five months after. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the first DVD I saw, heard and watched. I would bring the copy to school to boast it around and watch it with my class mate’s houses every weekend. Very few know what a DVD is that time. The copy is now a little mutilated, but still on watching capabilities. I keep it safe now; I bought another one and it’s what we use now for marathons.

This was the year when my Mom bought me a wand, eyeglass and a robe. When I saw that stuff on a department store, my initial response was my mother will never buy this because it’s quite expensive. I went to ask her to see it then she picked it up and bought it. My Mom appreciate Harry Potter that time; so whatever I ask that is Harry Potter related, I had it all in a bag. Not so much now though, people’s priorities tend to change.

Then there’s the basilisk, and I never got scared from that giant snake because I knew they don’t exist. But I remember Tita Marie’s take on the serpent. She said that the Basilisk was somewhat very real long time ago. According to J.K Rowling, a basilisk is born when a chicken’s egg will hatch under a frog on a full moon. I could be wrong but that’s how I remember it.

That time I knew I had to know everything about this affair. Attempted to read the books then failed again. Turns out playing was still on top of my priorities back then. But I understood the connection, I just need to live through it.

TV series Republic: The best

THE OC (Fox)

The Fab Four! Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton), Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson), Ryan Atwood (Ben Mckenzie) and Seth Cohen (Adam Brody). Blimey! I still remember their names. I love this show; there’s so much going on: family drama, friends, teenage demises, and the unsettling issue of blending in.

HOUSE M.D (NBC)

Gregory House is the living example of best sarcasm in the world ever. I have a thing for medical drama and House caught my attention but didn’t stick so long. The show is on its 7^th season while I gave up at the end of the 5^th one. The show is like CSI: Every start of an episode there’s this sequence about House’s patient to be, and then the person collapses and brought to the ER. At the end House solves it, like on CSI. I just love the sarcasm here. Period.

TRUE BLOOD (HBO)

True Blood is wickedly sexy and mind-blowing. Not to mention that it’s very inappropriate which is cool. Well there’s this girl who has this vampire lover and oh! Another vampire lover and she can’t figure out who she likes best. Good thing they don’t sparkle, if that’s the case I’ve stopped watching it long before.

The blood is very interesting. There’s so much blood all the time, and sex.

 DEXTER (Showtime)

I super love this show. Dexter is by far the most twisted person I ever saw. Well, he’s damaged and all but it’s just marvelous how he do what he does. He kills people (bad guys only) and he does it really cool. The one that got into me here is the suspense.  I freak out every time Dexter‘s on the verge of being caught. Like I’m-on-the-edge-of-my-seat kind of freak out. No show has given me that kind of thing except Grey’s on their season 6 finale where some Doctors died. Well Dexter does it all the time. Cold sweats all the time.

I love Debra Morgan (Jennifer Carpenter) and her foul mouth. He’s Dexter step-sister (Dexter is adopted). She always swears and now I kind of do it too. The lines that stick are “Fuck me twice on a Sunday” and “FBI=Fucking Bunch of Idiots.” I know they’re rude and mean but I just love it.

I kind of understand Dexter when he mentions how ‘he lives on his head,’ and I feel like I do too. My head is the only thing I got when I’m under some kind of stress. And my head is pretty much the only thing I can trust. Dexter season 7 will premiere sometime in June 2011.

Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)

My favorite TV show. If Grey’s will turn to crap this season, Dexter will take its place. This is always heavy drama. It leaves a mark after each episode and will make you think really hard about who you are. Then there are the shocking twists and turns which fans love to hate. The medicine is always so cool. It can get pretty intense sometimes.

I love the music. ¼ of my music in my player is like from its soundtrack. This could be depressing sometimes. Someone die and you can’t do anything about it. I guess the show pictures the world’s harsh reality. We’ll let’s just see.

The Journey with Harry Potter: Part 1 The Discovery

I very well remember my first encounter to the whole Harry Potter thing. It was one morning at my Aunt Bek’s house, I was 11 years old. (Maria Corazon Victoria Torres is her real name, in case you’re wondering) There was my Tita Joanne (Villareal) and Tita Marie (Santiago) and my Mom. Tita Bek and Tita Joanne live next doors and Tita Joanne came out from her house asking us to look at a film ad on The Philippine Daily Inquirer.  It was Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s stone. My general reaction was like, “Let me see that.” And the next thing I knew I was sitting on a local cinema watching it for the first time. I had no idea then, that that will start a 10 year journey and it’s still counting.

Then the action figures came, the posters and the novelty items.  I remember my Mom going to a book store and ordered the books 1 to 4 and she read it with gusto. I, on the other hand, was only interested on the stuff that I can fully understand. I would, at one time, attempt to read Sorcerer’s stone then stop at the second chapter because I have to play. Playing seemed more fun back then. But I knew, I certainly knew, I would grow up with this franchise.

I adored Hermione first and I tried being exactly like her: Studious, loyal and competitive. Look at me now; I’d kill to finish college first in class. Harry was brave, and I am brave now. Ron was uhm, well he was, a loyal friend! Nah, that’s the thing I’m skeptic about. I choose my friend well and I am loyal. But recently I was short of friends. They seem odd. Well I have no best friend now, which is kind of sad, and I can live with that.

This blog is about my journey per book and movie, how I read and watched it. Because I pretty much remember everything about this. Who I was with, where was it and what I was eating at the time. You know those kinds of stuffs.

First Things First.

Blogging shouldn't be difficult right?

Well, it's not, as far as I can tell. First thing you need to know about me is that I am that kid who drew a scar on my forehead (I still do it) and pick up ashes from burned wood and shout, "Diagon Alley!" I guess you know what exactly what I'm talking about, right?

I am just 19 years old, yet I feel I'm 30, and that's not because I'm  miserable or depressed or anything like that.  

I just have a lot to say, about certain things, blah, blah.

This blog is not a Harry Potter fansite, as much as I want to. It's a blog of a whole lot of things.

Ready?